Tag Archives: eternity

Our Inheritance

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2 Peter 313 [widescreen]

Reading the Word

Psalm 69:34–36 (ESV)

34 Let heaven and earth praise him, the seas and everything that moves in them. 35 For God will save Zion and build up the cities of Judah, and people shall dwell there and possess it; 36 the offspring of his servants shall inherit it, and those who love his name shall dwell in it.

Understanding and Applying the Word

When we come to the end of this psalm, David calls on all of creation to sing praises to God. Why? Because God’s salvation belongs to all who love His name.

The offspring of God, those who love His name, will inherit the earth. They will dwell in it. Jesus tells us that the meek will inherit the earth (Matthew 5:5). Paul tells us that all of creation waits for its redemption (Romans 8:18-25). Peter says that the hope of Christians is in a new heaven and a new earth (2 Peter 3:13). And in Revelation 21:1-4, we get a glimpse of the eternal state as God dwells with His people in a new heaven and a new earth where there is no mourning or crying or pain anymore. Sin and evil have been judged and are no more.

God’s salvation is cosmic. One day He will remove sin from His good creation and restore things to the way they should be. Let us praise Him as we look forward to that day!

**Shaped by the Word is a daily Bible reading devotional. Please use the links at the bottom to subscribe to this page. You can also share this post with your friends through social media using the buttons below. Thanks for reading!

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The Futures of the Wicked and the Righteous

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Thank you for reading each day at Shaped by the Word. I do not publish devotional content on Sundays, but I do include a suggested reading for the day. If you have not already done so, please subscribe to this page so you can follow along as we read through the Book of Psalms in 2018.

Reading the Word

Psalm 37:35–40 (ESV)

35 I have seen a wicked, ruthless man, spreading himself like a green laurel tree. 36 But he passed away, and behold, he was no more; though I sought him, he could not be found. 37 Mark the blameless and behold the upright, for there is a future for the man of peace. 38 But transgressors shall be altogether destroyed; the future of the wicked shall be cut off. 39 The salvation of the righteous is from the Lord; he is their stronghold in the time of trouble. 40 The Lord helps them and delivers them; he delivers them from the wicked and saves them, because they take refuge in him.

The Lord Is Near to the Brokenhearted

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Psalm 3418 [widescreen]

Reading the Word

Psalm 34:17–22 (ESV)

17 When the righteous cry for help, the Lord hears and delivers them out of all their troubles. 18 The Lord is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit. 19 Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the Lord delivers him out of them all. 20 He keeps all his bones; not one of them is broken. 21 Affliction will slay the wicked, and those who hate the righteous will be condemned. 22 The Lord redeems the life of his servants; none of those who take refuge in him will be condemned.

Understanding and Applying the Word

Reading these verses in isolation, we may think that they teach something that they do not. An incorrect understanding would be to think that these verses are saying that bad things do not happen to righteous people. After all, “the Lord hears and delivers them out of all their troubles.” But this is not the message of Scripture.

To understand these verses requires a BIG picture understanding of the Bible. God’s word teaches us that we are living in a fallen word and, as a result, we all face pain and suffering and troubles of various kinds. It is the reality of the world we live in. However, God is redeeming this fallen world through his Son, Jesus Christ. Jesus died as a payment for the sins of mankind and all who acknowledge their sin and turn to Christ for forgiveness will be saved.

Saved from what? Condemnation. God’s word tells us that one day all will stand before God and give an account. Those who have not trusted in Christ and are still in their sin will face eternal condemnation. Those who have trusted will be with Christ forever in a new creation with no more sin or suffering or pain or death. God saves the brokenhearted who call out for refuge in him.

**Shaped by the Word is a daily Bible reading devotional. Please use the links at the bottom to subscribe to this page. You can also share this post with your friends through social media using the buttons below. Thanks for reading!

Wait for the Lord

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Reading the Word

Psalm 27:7–14 (ESV)

7 Hear, O Lord, when I cry aloud; be gracious to me and answer me! 8 You have said, “Seek my face.” My heart says to you, “Your face, Lord, do I seek.” 9 Hide not your face from me. Turn not your servant away in anger, O you who have been my help. Cast me not off; forsake me not, O God of my salvation! 10 For my father and my mother have forsaken me, but the Lord will take me in. 11 Teach me your way, O Lord, and lead me on a level path because of my enemies. 12 Give me not up to the will of my adversaries; for false witnesses have risen against me, and they breathe out violence. 13 I believe that I shall look upon the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living! 14 Wait for the Lord; be strong, and let your heart take courage; wait for the Lord!

Understanding and Applying the Word

What do you do when the world has turned on you? What if even father and mother turn on you (v. 10)? In this psalm, David calls out to God to not cast him away. He can bear all others turning on him, but not God. It is God’s face that David seeks. That is the one thing that he cannot bear to lose.

Like David, those who trust in God and long to see him will. God has promised that those who trust in his word and place their faith in Jesus Christ will have eternal life in the presence of God. Just as David says “I believe I shall look upon the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living”, believers today can confidently say the same. So, when the world is turned against us, let us remember that it is God’s face that we seek above all else and let us wait for the Lord who promises to save his people.

**Shaped by the Word is a daily Bible reading devotional. Please use the links at the bottom to subscribe to this page. You can also share this post with your friends through social media using the buttons below. Thanks for reading!

All Things New

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Revelation 215 [widescreen]

Reading the Word

Revelation 21:1–8 (ESV)

1 Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. 2 And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. 3 And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. 4 He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.” 5 And he who was seated on the throne said, “Behold, I am making all things new.” Also he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.” 6 And he said to me, “It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. To the thirsty I will give from the spring of the water of life without payment. 7 The one who conquers will have this heritage, and I will be his God and he will be my son. 8 But as for the cowardly, the faithless, the detestable, as for murderers, the sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars, their portion will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur, which is the second death.”

Understanding and Applying the Word

As we near the end of the God’s word, we are reminded of the beginning. Genesis 1:1 tells us that in the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. We are also told that God looked at all he had made and declared that it was “very good” (Genesis 1:31). Everything was as it was supposed to be.

However, in Genesis 3 things change. The first man and woman rebel against their Creator and eat of the forbidden fruit. As a consequence of their sin, suffering and death entered into God’s good creation. Through the rest of Scripture we read of God’s plan to deal with the sin of mankind and to redeem his creation.

When we get to Revelation 21, we see the end result of God’s redemptive plan: a new heaven and a new earth. A new creation where sin is no more. There is no more suffering and death. There is no more separation from God. He dwells with his people and will be with them forever! What an amazing thing to think about as we await that day!

**Shaped by the Word is a daily Bible reading devotional. Please use the links at the bottom to subscribe to this page. You can also share this post with your friends through social media using the buttons below. Thanks for reading!