In Eternity

“Jesus said to them, Come, break fast. And none of the disciples dared to ask Him, Who are You? knowing that it was the Lord.” (John 21:12)

Some background information. This happened after the resurrection. Jesus appeared to Mary Magdelene (John 20:11-18) then to the disciples who were shut in because they feared the Jews (John 20: 19-23). Eight days later Jesus appears to them again. This time Thomas is with them (John 20: 26-29) Then Jesus appears to them by the sea while they are fishing, they didn’t know it was Jesus. (John 21:1-4) It appears that they have no idea of their mission. They’re fishing, occupied in their previous occupation before Jesus called them. They’d fished all night and hadn’t caught anything. Jesus as He had previously done tells them to cast their nets. “Then Jesus said to them, Children, do you have anything to eat? They answered Him, No. And He said to them, Cast the net on the right side of the boat and you will find. Therefore they cast, and now they no longer had the strength to draw, from the multitude of fish.” (John 21:5-6) John then knows who it is and tells Peter who doesn’t wait for the boat to row in. “Then that disciple whom Jesus loves said to Peter, It is the Lord! Then hearing that it is the Lord, Simon Peter girded on his coat (for he was naked) and cast himself into the sea. And the other disciples came in a little boat (for they were not far from land, only about two hundred cubits), dragging the net of fish. Then when they went up on the land, they saw a fire of coals there, and a fish lying on it, and bread. And Jesus said to them, Bring from the fish which you have now caught.” (John 21:7-10)

I can’t imagine how they felt. Here was Jesus again after His death and burial. Scripture doesn’t tell us that now that they actually see the resurrected Lord if they have any expectation of continuing their mission. But Jesus gives them an inkling when He tells Peter, to feed His sheep. (John 21: 15-17)

In our Scripture in John 21:12 Jesus invites His disciples to break fast. We get the word breakfast from break fast which means they didn’t eat all night long and at least for eight hours. So eating breakfast is breaking the fast of the night. And different people in different cultures, break fast in a variety of ways, at a variety of times and eat a variety of things for breakfast. Our Scripture indicates that breakfast for the disciples was fish and bread after working all night. And when they are all ashore, Jesus is already making breakfast with a fish and bread. John makes a point of mentioning, that Jesus had fish already, even though He hadn’t fished. He points this out so that we can conclude it was a miracle. He had His own fish to eat and invites the disciples to join Him for breakfast with their fish. “And Jesus said to them, Bring from the fish which you have now caught.” (John 21:10)

There are some interesting things here. Jesus has appeared in human flesh. Jesus miraculously provides His own fish. And Jesus eats with them. God is God. What we cannot fathom, God can do. Jesus has resurrected and is in human form. This raises loads of questions. One which keeps rolling in my mind is that after our resurrection, after the rapture, will we have a body like Jesus that can appear on earth? It may seem to be an inappropriate question because there would be no reason for it. But we do return with Jesus at His Second Coming. The Bible never mentions what we do while we’re here with Jesus, but we do come with Him. “And may the Lord make you to increase and abound in love toward one another and toward all, even as we also toward you, in order to establish your hearts blameless in holiness before God, even our Father, at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ with all His saints.” (1Thessalonians 3:12-13) Will we be in bodily form or spiritual form? The Bible never mentions that we have any interaction with those in the Tribulation. But even if it doesn’t, it may not mean we don’t. If we don’t what reason would we have for a physical body? And if we do, it would be important to have a body that others can see and perceive to be physical. The more we study Scripture, the more questions we may have. Our world limited human minds can’t conceive all that God’s world is about. It’s just too marvelous for us.

I do know one thing and that is for now, the dead cannot return to us in bodily form or any other form. Their human bodies have returned to the earth. God gave Solomon the wisdom to proclaim it. “...then the dust shall return to the earth as it was, and the spirit shall return to God who gave it.” (Ecclesiastes 12:7) Our reborn again of God spirits are with God. We, are with God. We don’t return until we come with Jesus.

There are many who believe their loved ones who have passed away are visiting us, maybe in a spiritual form that we cannot see. It is part of the grieving process to want them to return, to know that yes, they are alive in God’s world and that we can communicate with them. It’s our love and memory of them that wants them to still be with us. But scripturally, it’s not supported. Now, that doesn’t mean that God doesn’t provide us with some evidence that yes, they are well in order to comfort us. But our comfort should come from knowing God is Good and our loved ones are in a world surrounded by God’s love, God’s presence and God’s Goodness. And if we knew how wonderful God’s world is, He couldn’t keep us on earth. We would yearn to be there and to be with them. In reading near death experiences, we learn that death is a beautiful experience. It’s nothing dreadful or something to fear.

We do have some glimpses into God’s world that should comfort us. We have a home in heaven that Jesus compared to mansions here on earth. “In My Father's house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself, so that where I am, you may be also.” (John 14:2-3) When our mansion is ready, we are called home. There is no mourning, no crying and no pain in heaven. “And God will wipe away all tears from their eyes. And there will be no more death, nor mourning, nor crying out, nor will there be any more pain; for the first things passed away.” (Revelation 21:4) Heaven is a paradise. When Jesus hung on the cross, He told the thief who accepted Him as Lord that he would be with Him in paradise. “And Jesus said to him, Truly I say to you, Today you shall be with Me in Paradise.” (Luke 23:43) We will be surrounded by God’s glory for eternity. In Revelation we are given some glimpses of heaven, but the book of Revelation is mostly about the events that are to occur, both on earth and in heaven at the end times

Summarizing, Jesus had a physical body after the resurrection. It was one that moved and acted just like our bodies. He cooked and ate. There is a question of whether we will have bodies like Jesus when we return with Him and for what purpose that would be since Scripture doesn’t detail what we will be doing on earth. And lastly, those in heaven are surrounded by God’s glory, Goodness, love and joy. Death is beautiful and eternity is our destination.

Let us pray:

Father God, You are wonderful and have a wonderful future for Your children. I thank You Lord that You’ve made the passage from this world beautiful and nothing to fear. Fear is of the enemy. It keeps us from receiving everything from You. Lord, I don’t know too much of life in eternity except what is revealed in Your Word. I know it’s nothing to fear. I know that it’s where Your children who have passed away are and where I will eventually be. I know that Your Presence and glory will be there. I know that it’s more real and beautiful than I can imagine because even the most glorious thing on this earth cannot compare with its glory. It’s where I will forever be with my Lord and Savior. It’s where my loved ones who have gone before me are. Help me Lord, not to fear passing into eternity, but to live my life with purpose and love here on earth while I am here. Lord, no one here on earth is perfect, but I will be perfected when I get to be with You. I thank You my Lord and my God for what You have planned for me. In the Name of Jesus I pray, amen.