The Eternal Dispensation |Decoding Dispensations | Dr. Randy White
The End of Death, Sorrow, and Pain
In the eternal age, all suffering will cease. As Revelation 21:4 describes, God will wipe away every tear.
This promise shows a future without death, grief, or pain. All suffering will vanish, replaced by eternal joy in God's presence.
Such a reality defies our current understanding. We know joy through sorrow, health through sickness, and peace through conflict. Our very concepts depend on these contrasts.
In a world of perpetual wellness, even simple questions like "how are you?" lose meaning. Without death, our understanding of "life" itself must change.
As Paul writes in 1 Corinthians 2:9, "Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him." We cannot fully grasp an existence free from these fundamental contrasts.
This new reality will require entirely new ways of thinking and understanding - a complete transformation of how we perceive existence itself.
The New Heaven and New Earth
When the eternal age begins, God will create a new heaven and earth, as described in Revelation 21:1.
This new creation will replace our fallen world with a perfect one, untouched by sin. Unlike an ethereal realm, the new earth will be a physical world we can experience, yet free from decay. Like our resurrected bodies, it will be real but incorruptible - fulfilling creation's longing for redemption as mentioned in Romans 8:22. John notes there will be no sea in this new world, which may symbolize the end of chaos and division, leading to perfect peace and a transformed creation.
God’s Direct Presence with His People
The most extraordinary blessing of the eternal age is the unprecedented physical presence of both God the Father and Jesus Christ (the Lamb) dwelling directly with their people. This reality was foreshadowed in the Feast of Tabernacles during the millennial kingdom, but now reaches its ultimate fulfillment. Revelation 21:3.
Further, Revelation 22:3 reveals that "the throne of God and of the Lamb" will be there, showing both Father and Son reigning together in visible glory. This surpasses human comprehension, for as Scripture tells us, no one has ever seen God (1 John 4:12). Our finite minds cannot even begin to grasp the magnificence of what it means to dwell in the physical presence of the infinite, invisible God who will then be made visible to His people for all eternity.
The New Jerusalem: The Capital of Eternity
The new Jerusalem stands as the magnificent centerpiece of the eternal age, described in Revelation 21:10-27. This vast metropolis, spanning 1,500 miles in each direction, features streets of gold, walls of jasper and precious gems, and foundations inscribed with the apostles' names.
Common depictions of heaven with pearly gates actually describe this future new Jerusalem, not the current heaven where believers go after death. This eternal city will descend in the future age.
Uniquely, the city has no temple or need for sun and moon. As Revelation 21:22-23 reveals, God and the Lamb are its temple, their glory providing all light. Their presence fills every corner, making the entire city a place of continuous worship.
The River of Life and the Tree of Life
The eternal age brings forth a scene that surpasses Ezekiel's millennial temple vision. While Ezekiel saw healing waters from the temple, John witnesses a crystal-clear river of life flowing from God's throne.
"And he shewed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb. In the midst of the street of it, and on either side of the river, was there the tree of life, which bare twelve manner of fruits, and yielded her fruit every month: and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations." (Revelation 22:1-2)
Unlike Ezekiel's vision of trees along the river, the eternal age features the Tree of Life itself - the same tree from Eden that was forbidden after the fall. Its return represents humanity's restored access to eternal life, marking the final triumph over death.
The Elimination of the Curse
The curse of sin from Genesis 3 brought death, toil, and separation from God. Revelation 22:3 promises this curse will be removed in the eternal age.
When the curse is lifted, physical decay and death will end—as 1 Corinthians 15:53-54 states: "For this corruptible must put on incorruption... Death is swallowed up in victory." Work transforms into joyful service to God, freed from the toil described in Genesis 3:17-19. We will see God's face directly (Revelation 22:4), ending the separation that began in Eden.
Life in the Eternal Age
In this final dispensation, the curse of Eden is removed. As Revelation 22:3 states, "And there shall be no more curse." Death and sorrow end, fulfilling God's promise to "wipe away all tears" (Revelation 21:4).
Service to God becomes pure joy, not toil. "His servants shall serve him" (Revelation 22:3) describes worship and devotion flowing naturally from loving hearts.
With glorified bodies and minds (1 Corinthians 15:42-44), we will eternally grow in understanding God's infinite nature and grace (Ephesians 2:7).
Perfect fellowship with God and each other defines this age. "They shall see his face; and his name shall be in their foreheads" (Revelation 22:4) reveals complete intimacy with God. All barriers between believers dissolve, creating true unity (John 17:21).
The Holy City's ever-open gates (Revelation 21:25) symbolize perfect peace and security. In this eternal light, God's people rest in His presence, joining endless praise that fills heaven and earth.
