Chapter 7
The Restored Purpose: What Awaits Us
"Now I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away... And I heard a loud voice from heaven saying, 'Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people. God Himself will be with them and be their God.'"
— Revelation 21:1, 3
The Fourth Dispensation
We have journeyed through the Original Purpose, the Failed Purpose, and the Intermediate Purpose. Now let us look forward to what awaits us, the Restored Purpose.
This is not a return to the garden. It is something greater than the garden. It is the ultimate fulfillment of God's intention for humanity.
What Will Be Restored
1. Perfect Fellowship with God
Revelation 21:3 declares:
"Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them."
God Himself will be with us. Not through a veil. Not through a book. Not through intermediaries. Direct, unhindered, face-to-face fellowship, forever.
2. New Bodies
1 Corinthians 15:42-44 describes our transformation:
"So also is the resurrection of the dead. The body is sown in corruption, it is raised in incorruption. It is sown in dishonor, it is raised in glory. It is sown in weakness, it is raised in power. It is sown a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body."
No more Adamic bodies. No more sickness. No more aging. No more death. We will have glorified, spiritual bodies that are imperishable.
3. New Environment
Revelation 21:1:
"Now I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away."
The cursed earth will be replaced. No more thorns. No more thistles. No more sweat-induced labor. A new creation suited for our new bodies.
4. No More Pain or Death
Revelation 21:4:
"And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away."
Everything that currently afflicts us will be eliminated:
- No death
- No sorrow
- No crying
- No pain
Think about that. Everything painful in your current existence will be gone.
5. Complete Authority
Revelation 22:5:
"And they shall reign forever and ever."
The dominion that Adam lost will be restored, and more. We will reign with Christ for all eternity. Not temporarily. Forever.
6. Full Knowledge
1 Corinthians 13:12:
"For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part, but then I shall know just as I also am known."
No more confusion. No more searching for answers. No more partial understanding. We will know fully, even as we are fully known.
What Will No Longer Be Needed
In the Restored Purpose, certain things that are essential now will be obsolete:
| Will Be Needed | Will NOT Be Needed | |----------------|---------------------| | Fellowship with God | Evangelists (all will know Him) | | Worship | Healers (no one will be sick) | | Love | Marriage (as we know it now) | | Community | Money/offerings (no lack) | | Service | Hospitals (no disease) | | | Churches (God is the temple) | | | Bibles (we will know directly) |
Revelation 21:22 says:
"But I saw no temple in it, for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are its temple."
And in Revelation 21:23:
"The city had no need of the sun or of the moon to shine in it, for the glory of God illuminated it."
Many things we depend on now will be unnecessary because we will have direct access to God Himself.
Greater Than the Original
The Restored Purpose is not simply a return to Eden. It is greater than Eden.
In Eden, Adam could have sinned (and did). In the restoration, sin will be impossible.
In Eden, Adam could have died (and did). In the restoration, death will be abolished.
In Eden, Satan could enter (and did). In the restoration, Satan will be cast out forever.
In Eden, man was innocent. In the restoration, man will be righteous with tested, proven character.
The restoration exceeds the original because it is built on the finished work of Christ. Everything that made the fall possible will be removed. Everything that enables eternal fellowship will be secured.
When Will This Happen?
The Restored Purpose begins at the second coming of Christ.
1 Thessalonians 4:16-17:
"For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air."
1 Corinthians 15:51-52:
"Behold, I tell you a mystery: We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed."
In a moment. In the twinkling of an eye. Everything changes.
Why This Matters Now
Someone might ask: "If the Restored Purpose is future, why should I care about it now?"
Here is why:
1. It Gives You Hope
When the challenges of this present age become overwhelming, you can look forward. What you experience now is temporary. The Restored Purpose is coming. And when it comes, everything sad will become untrue.
Romans 8:18:
"For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us."
2. It Puts Your Struggles in Perspective
Your current problems are light and momentary compared to eternal glory. This does not minimize your pain, but it contextualizes it. You are not suffering forever. You are suffering for now.
3. It Motivates Faithful Service
Knowing that the Restored Purpose is coming motivates us to serve well in the Intermediate Purpose. We are working toward something. This is not endless struggling with no destination. There is a finish line.
4. It Informs Your Decisions
If this world is temporary and the next is eternal, how should that affect your choices? Your priorities? Your investments of time and energy?
The Tears He Will Wipe
Revelation says God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.
This tells us something important: God knows we cry.
He is not surprised by your tears in this present age. He is not disappointed that you struggle. He knows this dispensation brings sorrow. He knows there is pain.
But He also knows it will end. And He Himself will wipe away every tear. Not an angel. Not a helper. God Himself will tenderly remove every evidence of your suffering.
This is the heart of your Father. He sees you. He knows. And He is coming.
Reflection Questions
- Which aspect of the Restored Purpose do you most look forward to?
- How does knowing about the future restoration affect how you handle present struggles?
- What in your current life are you looking forward to being "no more"?
- How should the certainty of the Restored Purpose influence your daily decisions?
Prayer
Father, thank You for what is coming. Thank You that this present struggle is not forever. Thank You that death will be swallowed up in victory. Thank You that every tear will be wiped away. Help me to live now in light of eternity. Give me hope when I am discouraged. Give me perspective when I am overwhelmed. And keep me faithful until You come. In Jesus' name, Amen.