END OF TIME PROPHECIES 109

Continued/        from 108

Their occupation

"Therefore are they before the throne of God, and serve Him day and night in His temple: and He that sitteth upon the throne shall dwell among them".       Revelation 7v15.

Note the word "therefore", which links with v14, they are in the presence of God, not through any merit of their own, but the merit of the blood of the Lamb. No human being will stand accepted before the throne without the application of the blood of Christ to their souls. How are they occupying themselves in heaven, and how will all the saints occupy? We are not saved to be idle, and the myth that we will be "sitting on clouds playing harps" is far from the truth! It is profitable for us now if we tabulate the many aspects of our service for God in the next life.

• The constancy of service:   They "serve Him day and night". This is language we can understand here and now; there is a time when there will be no night, only constant day; what is here is non-stop service to the Lord.   The phrase, "day and night", is repeated in the bible. There is constant activity in the universe, much of which is unseen  Psalm 19v2 says that every day and every night, the creation declares the glory of God.   In Revelation 4v8 the four living creatures "rest not day and night saying Holy, Holy, Holy Lord God Almighty."   In Revelation 12v10 it is recorded that Satan is the accuser of the brethren before God day and night.   The solemn passage in chapter 20v10  reveals that Satan and all who follow him will be tormented day and night forever.   Psalm 134v1 gives us an insight "behold, bless ye the Lord, all ye servants of the Lord which by night stand in the house of the Lord."   Again in 1st Chronicles 9v33 it is said "and these are the singers, chief of the fathers of the Levites, who remaining in the chambers were free: for they were employed in that work day and night."   Thus there is unceasing service and activity in the presence of God.  
• The closeness of their service.    They "serve Him day and night in His temple."   The word for temple is the "inner" temple.   Bible students are aware that there are different areas of closeness to God, the inner temple being the closest of all.   This is illustrated in the tabernacle where there was an outward court, the holy place, and the inner sanctuary where God dwelt.  This service to God is in the very presence of God Himself.   He expands on this by saying "He that sitteth on the throne shall dwell among them."   The word "dwell" is "tabernacle" and the word "among" is to be rendered "over them".   The idea here is two-fold; the divine presence with His people and the divine protection over them.   This is taking us back to the garden of Eden pre-fall, God in fellowship with man, and nothing to separate them.    Here is the picture of man and God in unbroken fellowship and that forever.  
• The content of their service.   This is a little more difficult, because we are speaking of a realm beyond our imagination.   Heaven will be such a marvelous place, that the bible can only describe to our minds, now, those things which will be absent, which are the result of sin.  There is no way our minds at present can comprehend the things which God has prepared for them that love Him.  However there are a number of pointers which we can consider.   For one thousand years during the millennium we will serve Him in His divine administration of the earth.   The apostle says in 1st Corinthians chapter 6v2  "Do ye not know that the saints shall judge the world?"   This is similar to Daniel 7v22 and Revelation 20v4.   The Old Testament prophets give some details of what that will involve.   Again in the same chapter Paul says  "Know ye not that we shall judge angels?"   What this means is beyond us at present, but it certainly means we will be superior in status to angels in the world to come.   For sure there will be plenty to occupy us in that glorious place.   Psalm 16v11 says  "In thy presence is fullness of joy and at Thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore."   Paul wrote in Ephesians 2v7 that God's salvation is not confined to the present age and he says  "That in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us through Christ Jesus."    For all eternity we will be occupied with the kindness and pleasures of Almighty God.   The very fact that He is going to create a new heaven and a new earth according to Revelation chapter 21, in which he says  "Behold I make all things new" suggests that there are wonders that we could not even begin to imagine.   Certainly there will be much singing, there will be much worship and adoration; each and every unfolding of the unsearchable riches of Christ will enlighten and enrich our lives for eternity, and we will be companion servants in that.

There will be no idleness, there will be no boredom, above all there will be no broken fellowship ever again between man and his God.