The Bible says a remarkable amount about the age to come and about the heavens. What the Bible does not say much about is an eternity of believers dwelling in heaven. One of our primary biblical hopes is the resurrection, when the faithful in Jesus Messiah are given glorified and eternal bodies during Jesus’ return to earth. Our eternal future is not a promise about dwelling in heaven, but ultimately in the joining together of the heavenly and earthly realms. The eternal view of scripture actually points more directly to “heaven on earth” than it does an escape from earth to heaven.

Approximately 100 chapters (103 by my non-expert & unofficial count) in the Bible contribute significant details regarding the age to come. The age (or, world) to come, Olam ha-ba in Hebrew, is the biblical idea of a Messianic era that will flow into an eternal age marked by the dwelling of the righteous in a redeemed creation.

100 bible chapters on a particular subject is a great deal of information. What may astound some however, is the incredible unity and simplicity of these passages, provided we understand them in their plain meaning. In essence, the Bible paints a picture of “this age” and the “age to come”. Often, theologians project an idea that many of these passages are metaphors only. I believe this approach to the prophetic promises of scripture robs us of understanding our blessed hope of glory in Messiah.

The Greek philosophical influence upon Christian theology has caused a lasting effect, where many often view “this age” as the era of history where humans dwell on earth, and “the age to come” as an eternal age where humans will dwell in heaven with Jesus as long as they were Christians during their time on earth. You may be surprised that this is only kind of partially true, and mostly it is an error. When we teach the Greek view of the heavens and the earth to the church, we actually deny our fellow believers a more complete understanding of our inheritance and biblical destiny.

Make no mistake, if you are in Messiah and you die before the arrival of the age to come, your spirit will immediately be ushered into the heavens and you will be in peace with Jesus to rest from your labors until the day of the Lord. This is good news! Even so, it is not Jesus’ desire to dwell in the heavens forever. It is not the longing of the great cloud of witnesses to remain in the heavens forever. The book of Revelation even paints a picture of the slain faithful who are dwelling in heaven, praying, “How long, O Lord”, as they await the fullness of their faith promises.

Jesus is coming back to the earth on the clouds. Beside Him will be a great multitude which consists of the heavenly host, resurrected humans, and also those who remained waiting for Jesus on the earth. Together, we will be joined to Jesus on that day and at that time to participate in the great procession of Jesus’ return! These events are well portrayed in Psalm 68.

When Jesus returns to the earth, He does not remain in the clouds. His feet, and the feet of those who have attained to the resurrection of the dead, will physically touch the dust of the earth again, to the south of Israel, where Jesus will begin His march towards Jerusalem and the Mount of Olives (Isaiah 64; Habakkuk 3; Zechariah 14). It is the intercessory cry of those in the heavens who, longing for this day, implore the Father to release Jesus into the fullness of His royal New Covenant inheritance. As followers of Jesus on the earth, we should see this prophetic testimony of Jesus and devote our lives to this same intercessory ministry unto the LORD!

Jesus taught us how to pray. His prayer is in accordance with the biblical worldview of the age to come.

“Therefore, pray in this way:

‘Our Father in heaven,

    sanctified be Your name.

Your kingdom come,

    Your will be done

    on earth as it is in heaven.

Give us this day our daily bread.

And forgive us our debts

    as we also have forgiven our debtors.

And lead us not into temptation,

    but deliver us from the evil one.’

Matthew 6:9-13 TLV

When we pray “Your kingdom come”, the intent is that we are literally praying for the restoration of the Davidic throne by Jesus in earthly Jerusalem. Yes, we can apply this verse to our unique circumstances. We want the Kingdom of God to be evident in our churches, ministries, families, and communities. Keep praying along those lines believing that God wants to intervene with His will and His authority in all these areas. However, do not be unaware of the much, much greater plan, one which Paul refers to in his letter to the Ephesians as the “eternal purpose”. (Eph 3:8-11)

Why do we pray for the restoration of the Davidic throne in Jerusalem? According to many important Biblical prophecies concerning the Messiah, the age/world to come will not come until the restoration of David’s throne, by Jesus, in Jerusalem. Friends, this is the gospel of the Kingdom. This gospel of the Kingdom must be preached as a witness to every tribe, nation, and tongue. Jesus will not return until this gospel of the Kingdom is preached, and we are the witnesses whom God has sent to preach this good news. Preaching escape into an eternal heaven will not bring about the fullness of your Messiah’s inheritance. We must be preaching the actual gospel, which is a salvation unto a future resurrection into Messiah when He comes out of the heavens to establish His kingdom on earth.

The intent of the present age is to proclaim Messiah’s deliverance from the ruler of the powers of the air, and also the judgment of the wicked rulers who reside in the heavenly realms. Again, due to the Greek influence of Christian theology, we often think heaven is a good place where we go for eternity and earth is a bad place that will be judged on the day of the Lord. This is not at all true.

Here’s the reality: Both the heavens and the earth have been subjected to the chaos of the powers, rulers, and principalities in the heavenly realms. In the heavens due to a rebellion amongst the powers, and on the earth due to the sin of Adam.

At the present time, Jesus has delivered us from the powers of these rulers if we have been born again in Messiah. We are no longer under their sway and authority but are now under the headship of the Son of David, Jesus of Nazareth. At this present time, the heavens are corrupted just as the earth is corrupted. Until the time of the Great Tribulation at the end of this age, the war in the heavenly realms will continue until the time Michael and his angels throw Satan and his angels out of the heavens and to the earth to receive Jesus’ wrath. Jesus, while prophesying to His disciples in the context of sending out the seventy, states that He “saw Satan fall like lightning out of heaven”. Jesus was revealing to the disciples the end result of their labors. The work of proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom, healing the sick, and the casting out of demons is all part of our witness of Jesus’ mission to reconcile both heaven and earth to Himself.

The plan of God is far greater than simply redeeming mankind from sin. Jesus will win covenantal love and affection from redeemed humans. Jesus will establish His everlasting peace and righteousness in the heavenly realms. Jesus will bring peace and righteousness to the earth. His end goal is to join the heavens and the earth together in one new creation in Himself. This plan begins with the redemption of humans from the power and oppression of Satan, continues through the establishment of an earthly Davidic government in Jerusalem for a thousand years, and ends with the heavenly city entering into covenant with the earth. The two will eventually become one new heavens and new earth, ushering in the eternal age.

Figuratively speaking, the earth and the heavens are “betrothed” at the return of Jesus, when He puts an end to the tribulation and establishes His Messianic kingdom in Jerusalem. The betrothal of the heavens and the earth is “consummated” at the end of the Messianic age. At that time, the two become one new creation in God and the Edenic plan of God for the heavens and the earth is finally redeemed. This is when we enter the eternal age.

The primary prophetic view we are given from the scriptures about the details of these events highlights the return of Jesus and His Messianic (Davidic) reign on the earth from earthly Jerusalem in Israel. The bible highlights the reconciliation of the northern and southern kingdoms under Jesus’ leadership (Jeremiah 31 & 33), the nature of Jesus’ government both in Jerusalem and the nations, as well as the conditions of the earth as the Edenic restoration affects the very natural and physical earth.

Concerning this wonderful and beautiful restoration, the Bible contains more than 100 chapters of promises that we can read, understand, and use to comfort one another as we see the day approaching.

Below is a list of a few of these passages, which can be read as a foundation for this great prophetic view of the age to come.

Isaiah 2, 4, 11, 12, 19, 25, 60, 61:4-11, 62, 65, & 66

Jeremiah 33

Ezekiel 34, 36, 40-48

Hosea 2

Zechariah 2-4, 8-9, 14

Revelation 20-22

Each of these passages deal with the time after or at the time Jesus returns. Some of these chapters do have partial fulfillment in history, yet their historical fulfillment is intended to be a foretaste and a confirmation that God will yet complete His promises in the future in their fullness.

The Kingdom of God is not a spiritualized metaphor. The Kingdom of God is our earthly and eternal future.

– J. S. Marek