What If…?
Marty McFly & Co. arrived on theater screens all over the country in the mid-1980’s. “Back to the Future” was a fun journey with a teenaged boy who helped his professor friend develop a time machine. With Doc’s assistance, Marty went “back to the future” to tweak a few circumstances that made huge differences in his life and in the lives of his family members.
What if we – followers of Jesus – could go “back to the future?” What if we could enter the gates of heaven and see all there is to see, know, and experience? And then return to share it with the world?
What would it be like to behold the beauty of the new Jerusalem in all of its brilliance? To see the high heavenly wall with its twelve gates, each one manned by an angel of the Lord? To gaze in awe at the twelve foundations of the city, each one made of a different precious stone? To walk the streets of gold and to bask in the light of the glory of God? (Revelation 21:1-23) To take in the purity of the river of the water of life, “as clear as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb down the middle of the great street of the city?” To see the tree of life, bearing twelve crops of fruit, a different one each month? (Revelation 22:1-2)
What would it be like to be reunited with our loved ones whom we’ve been mourning and missing and to gather with all of God’s children in fellowship and worship for eternity? (2 Samuel 12:23, Hebrews 2:9-13)
And most glorious of all, what would it be like to finally encounter God our Father – face to face?! What would it be like to stand before Him made pure, holy, and acceptable to Him by the blood of the Lamb? To appear in His presence, robed in white, and to fall before Him in reverent fear and worship? (Revelation 4:4-11) To finally experience all that we were created for? (Isaiah 43:7, Isaiah 43:21, Psalm 29:2, Ecclesiastes 12:13, Acts 17:24-25, 1 Peter 2:9)
What difference would it make in our lives if we could “live backwards?” Step into heaven, experience a taste of our true Home, and then return to tell others about the glory to come? Would we be more passionate about sharing the good news of Jesus? Would we even be able to talk about anything else?!
The Lord is good, and while we can’t make a quick trip to heaven and back, we can rely on His Word to get a glimpse of what the future in His kingdom holds. Chunks of Scripture paint beautiful word pictures of our eternal Home – described by men whose limited vocabularies could only capture a bit of its majesty. And yet their depictions are enough to create great anticipation in our heaven-thirsty souls.
Conversely, there are also frightening references to the eternal destination of those who reject God’s offer of salvation. (Luke 16:19-31, Daniel 12:2, Matthew 13:41-42, Hebrews 10:26-31, Revelation 20:11-15) Just as heaven is real and is to be anticipated, hell is real and is to be dreaded.
As believers, we know enough about both heaven and hell to be highly motivated to share the gospel with anyone having “ears to hear.” May we be fervent in our desire to make Christ known, and may dead hearts come to eternal life as they place their trust in Him.
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“…For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God…” – Romans 3:23
“For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” – Romans 6:23
“But God demonstrates His own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” – Romans 5:8
“…If you confess with your mouth, ‘Jesus is Lord,’ and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.” – Romans 10:9
“Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life set me free from the law of sin and death.” – Romans 8:1-2
