I'm looking for someone to correct/validate my understanding of Heaven, particularly with regards to the account of a New Heavens and New Earth in the Bible (Revelations 21). Here is the topic in PaRd where it came up:
http://forums.d2jsp.org/topic.php?t=66017654&f=119&o=30My understanding is that right now, there is a heaven, earth, and hell (three realms described in the Bible, the material existence, and the two "supernatural"). After the second coming of Christ, when Jesus casts evil out of the world and all of the elect (aka God's people, his chosen, etc) inhabit the earth for 1000 years we will have what is known the "New Earth",( which will be like the Garden of Eden again?), and we will all (past and present members of the elect) have our glorified and perfect bodies. After the 1000 years, we will go inhabit the "New Heaven" for eternity in fellowship with God. At some point in the timeline, this New Heaven is formed (not sure when exactly) and the elect who have since perished will be in heaven with God with their glorified bodies. It is my understanding that right now, prior to Christ's second coming, the elect who go on to heaven will not experience the "full effect" as it were of the New Heaven that is to come. They will not yet have their glorified bodies, and will be with God in some undefined sense.
So, the main point I am driving at is there are two different "stages" of heaven, what we have currently and what is to come after Christ returns. Also, the 1000 years on earth after Christ's coming would be part of the "afterlife", so should be included in the Christian explanation of "heaven" or "where do I go after I die".
Eschatology is, imo, one of the most difficult things to understand and discuss, but I believe I have given a somewhat accurate description.
Then later in the same topic I reply to another user:
Matthew 17:1-6
After six days Jesus took with him Peter, James and John the brother of James, and led them up a high mountain by themselves. 2There he was transfigured before them. His face shone like the sun, and his clothes became as white as the light. 3Just then there appeared before them Moses and Elijah, talking with Jesus.
4Peter said to Jesus, “Lord, it is good for us to be here. If you wish, I will put up three shelters—one for you, one for Moses and one for Elijah.”
5While he was still speaking, a bright cloud enveloped them, and a voice from the cloud said, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased. Listen to him!”
6When the disciples heard this, they fell facedown to the ground, terrified. 7But Jesus came and touched them. “Get up,” he said. “Don’t be afraid.” 8When they looked up, they saw no one except Jesus.
This draws the account in Revelation (that I gave) into question, but when you dig deeper into Revelation (which painstakingly is not in chronological order) the description of Christ's second coming involves what I described, and there is definitely emphasis on the "New Heavens and New Earth". Just because the saints and martyrs are with God, it does not mean they have their glorified bodies. This is very vague in the Biblical description, which is why I said the elect who have died prior to the second coming are with God, but in some undefined sense. And since later in Revelation it talks about those who came before getting their glorified bodies, I would assume that they do not currently have them.
To be clear,
I do not wish to debate the authenticity of the Biblical account, debate the validity of God or Heaven, etc. Feel free to do that in the PaRd topic I cited if you so choose. Here I am looking for you to either correct my description/understanding (with Biblical cited references please).