Two Different Perspectives On Death & The End
The desire of many for the world to continue on is a natural desire of mankind. People of the world fear and want to postpone death or the end of this world for as long as possible.
The reason for this is that deep down they realize they are in trouble with God. And they fear death (and the end brings death for all) because of this.
But when God saves a person He takes away their fear of death.
Since the salvation they receive is being given eternal life, what do they have to fear? God tells us that to be absent from the physical body (which occurs at the point of death) is to be present with the Lord:
2 Corinthians 5:6 Therefore we are always confident, knowing that, whilst we are at home in the body, we are absent from the Lord:
7 (For we walk by faith, not by sight:)
8 We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord.
Our spirit lives on in heaven.
But physical death leaves the child of God in heaven without a body. They are there in their soul existence only:
Revelation 6:9 And when he had opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of them that were slain for the word of God, and for the testimony which they held:
10 And they cried with a loud voice, saying, How long, O Lord, holy and true, dost thou not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth?
Notice the scene in heaven reveals the "souls of them" that were killed for Christ's sake. And also notice that they are asking "how long" until God judges the inhabitants of the earth.
One reason for God to give expression to the souls He has saved wanting to know how long is because they have a personal interest in the end of the world. This is because it is at the end of the world when they will receive their new resurrected bodies.
The resurrection of the dead occurs at the last day:
John 11:23 Jesus saith unto her, Thy brother shall rise again.
24 Martha saith unto him, I know that he shall rise again in the resurrection at the last day.
The end of the world is the time for the resurrection of the dead. And the time wherein God's people receive the completion of their salvation.
A new resurrected body. Perfect in every way.
A body that will never wear out.
A body that will not experience pain nor crying.
A body that will never die but will live forever:
1 Corinthians 15:42 So also is the resurrection of the dead. It is sown in corruption; it is raised in incorruption:
43 It is sown in dishonour; it is raised in glory: it is sown in weakness; it is raised in power:
44 It is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body. There is a natural body, and there is a spiritual body.
And,
Revelation 21:3 And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God.
4 And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.
5 And he that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new. And he said unto me, Write: for these words are true and faithful.
When we read these kind of things in the Bible we can only stand amazed. For these things are incredible things.
And yet we are assured that they are indeed "true and faithful" things.
In order to see how wonderful, super wonderful the new heaven and new earth will be just think about the normal course of affairs in this world. No matter where a person is living on the earth today, in that town, in that city is all manner of wickedness being committed.
On top of that there is disease. There are calamities of various types. There are numerous wrongs committed by men against their fellow man.
Death and sorrow are in every village, town, city, and nation.
People everywhere on this earth suffer physical pain, mental anguish and pain of the heart (emotional).
Is it any wonder then that God's elect people desire to receive what God has promised them they will receive on that last day?
A new body.
A new earth.
A new heaven.
A place where God Himself dwells and therein exists only righteousness.
A place without sin and without the resulting sorrow and death.
These are some of the reasons why God's people have an entirely different perspective on death and the end of the world as compared to the person of the world.
2 Peter 3:12 Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat?
13 Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness.