Anticipating Paradise - Ruminating in the Word of God

The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing,
majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of
him and what came to my mind and heart in Philippians 1:21-24,

"For to me [Paul], to live is Christ and to die is gain. If I am to go
on living in the body, this will mean fruitful labor for me. Yet what
shall I choose? I do not know! I am torn between the two: I desire to
depart and be with Christ, which is better by far; but it is more
necessary for you that I remain in the body."

It was Paul's preference to give up his earthly life to join the Lord
in heaven. On the other hand, he recognized his responsibility before
the Lord to carry on the ministry given him to further the gospel
enterprise, necessitating him remaining in this life. Normally most
folks fear death as an unknown, the specter of leaving our bodies
behind. All of our conscious existence that we have ever known has
been from within the home of our bodies. Consequently we have a primal
drive to protect ourselves from illness, pain, injury and death. The
reality, of course, is that we are all going to die and leave these
bodies behind. There will be those who will live until the Lord
returns for those who are his, but they will be the very few compared
to all who have passed through the doorway of death prior to his
return.

The prospect of death can be a fearful one, as the writer of Hebrews
acknowledges when he speaks of Jesus' humanity, "Since the children
have flesh and blood, he [Jesus Christ] too shared in their humanity
so that by his death he might break the power of him who holds the
power of death—that is, the devil— and free those who all their lives
were held in slavery by their fear of death."

However, Paul had met the Lord and learned from him directly about the
meaning of this life relative to the next. He was confronted by the
Lord in Acts 9 where his conversion took place on the road to
Damascus. In Galatians 1:11-12 he tells us, "I want you to know,
brothers and sisters, that the gospel I preached is not of human
origin. I did not receive it from any man, nor was I taught it;
rather, I received it by revelation from Jesus Christ." Paul had
direct revelation from the Lord. It is from this revelation Paul could
speak authoritatively about salvation, resurrection from the dead and
eternal life. He could also speak knowledgeably about our existence
following death until the physical resurrection of our bodies that
will take place when Jesus returns to planet Earth.

In speaking of visions and revelations the Lord had given him, Paul
spoke of a time when he had been caught up to heaven, "I must go on
boasting. Although there is nothing to be gained, I will go on to
visions and revelations from the Lord. I know a man in Christ who
fourteen years ago was caught up to the third heaven. Whether it was
in the body or out of the body I do not know—God knows. And I know
that this man—whether in the body or apart from the body I do not
know, but God knows— was caught up to paradise and heard inexpressible
things, things that no one is permitted to tell." 2 Corinthians
12:1-4. This would be that same paradise Jesus told the thief on the
cross next to him he would join him in.

Paul knew what lay beyond the grave. He knew what existence is in life
after death. He also knew where the best place might be from a purely
personal perspective. And, yet, he also knew of his responsibility
before the Lord to further his kingdom.

I find much here to frame my thinking about death and the victory all
believers should have over our fear of it. I also find much here to
frame my thinking about my responsibilities before the Lord in
furthering the building of his kingdom. Most of all, as I consider
these things, I find them all simply fascinating as they feed within
me an enchanting anticipation of paradise to come!

Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share
what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to
hear from you!

Trevor Fisk
trevor.fisk@gmail.com