As a child, I believed that I would be standing before God's throne and for all eternity wave palm branches and say, “Glory, hallelujah!” Though I desired to be with Christ, such routine activity seemed to me rather boring.

Although Scriptural statements are sparse concerning the believer's occupation in the eternal state, several activities are stated or implied which should enhance our anticipation of eternity.

1. Serving the Savior

John reveals that in our eternal home, the heavenly Jerusalem, “his servants shall serve him” (Rev. 22:3). In the present dispensation angels are God's servants to the saints (Heb. 1:14). It appears that for all eternity it will be the saints' privilege to join the angelic hosts in serving the Savior. Whatever that service, one can be certain that it will be interesting and worthwhile activity.

2. Ruling the World

John further suggests that believers will share in Christ's authority for “they shall reign for ever and ever” (Rev. 22:5). In the millennial kingdom we will rule with Christ (Rev. 5:10) (and that includes carnal believers such as the Corinthians, 1 Cor. 6:2). Greater faithfulness will be rewarded with greater responsibility. In the parable of the pounds, the Savior indicated that some servants would rule over ten cities, some over five (Luke 19:17-19). This authority might be expanded in the eternal state as we rule with Christ over the vast galaxies of the new universe.

3. Judging Angels

According to the Apostle Paul, every believer will share in Christ's rule and in the judgment of angels (1 Cor. 6:3). This may refer to the judgment of evil angels at the Great White Throne (Rev. 20:10) or it may relate to the administration of angels in their service both to the Savior and His Bride in future eons.

4. Enjoying Fellowship

Paul intimated that the believer will enjoy unbroken and intimate fellowship with his Savior from the moment of his death (1 Thess. 4:14) and the rapture (4:17, “and so shall we ever be with the Lord”). Furthermore, that blessed fellowship includes fellowship with the triune God (Rev. 20:3-4), the holy angels and the saints of all the ages (Heb. 12:22-23). With the removal of the sin nature within the believer and Satan's temptations without the believer our fellowship will be glorious and harmonious.

As we associate with the saints of the ages, the Lord might well grant us the opportunity to ask Him and the biblical writers certain questions which have intrigued or perplexed us in this life. The question is, will we care then who wrote the epistle to the Hebrews or how Noah celebrated his 900th birthday?

In this life fellowship frequently involves food. God's provision for a variety of food on the tree of life and the pure water in the river of life (Rev. 22:1-5) will serve more than an esthetic purpose. Undoubtedly, these viands are designated to be refreshment for the redeemed.

5. Offering Worship

In eternity to come, the saints will join the twenty-four elders and the myriads of angels who bow before the throne in heaven who say, “Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honour, and glory, and blessing” (Rev. 5:12). As the saints fully understand what Christ has accomplished in His redemptive work, they will be filled with wonder and adore Him in worship.

6. Singing Praise

As the filling of the Spirit today is evidenced by “psalms and hymns and spiritual songs” (Eph. 5:19), so the believer in the eternal state, fully glorified (Rom 8:30) and completely controlled by the Spirit, will join the heavenly chorus in anthems of adoration. The angels sang at creation (Job 38:6-7) and at the incarnation (Luke 2:13-14) and will undoubtedly will sing at the consummation. The saints will join them in singing ever new songs (Rev. 5:9; Isa. 42:10).

7. Entering Rest

The biblical concept of rest is not that of a condition of inactivity but cessation of certain types of activity. We will be active throughout eternity but a final rest is promised to believers. The writer to the Hebrews speaks of creation's rest (4:3), the Creator's rest (4:4), the Christian's rest (4:1,3,10), Canaan's rest (4:5) and also of a consummate rest for “there remaineth therefore a rest for the people of God” (4:9).

What glorious anticipation that after the conflicts, controversies and confusion of this life and after satanic strategy against the Savior and the saints at the end of the millennium (Rev. 20:7-10), the believer will enjoy his unending, undisturbed rest from sin and Satan. Indeed our gracious God has prepared a glorious future for believers. If you know Jesus Christ as personal Savior, these blessed prospects are part of your salvation experience, involving indescribable future felicity. Have you placed your confidence in Him as your sin-bearer? He promised, “him that cometh to me I will in now wise cast out” (John 6:37).

© Manfred E Kober