2025-12-19
1 Corinthians 15:43 NKJV
We could precisely translate the word glory as “brilliance.” Our new bodies may have a shiny quality to them. Recorded in Exodus 34:29, Moses spent time with the Lord and something uncommon happened to him – his face became luminous and began to shine. A similar thing happened to Jesus on the Mount of Transfiguration (See Luke 9:28-29). In Revelation 21:23, we read that the entire city of New Jerusalem will be brightly illuminated by the light radiating from God’s glory and the resurrected Christ.
Daniel 12:3 tells us that the resurrected saints “shall shine like the brightness of the firmament” (NKJV). Matthew 13:43 says, “The righteous will shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father” (NKJV). “For our citizenship is in heaven, from which we also eagerly wait for the Saviour… who will transform our lowly body that it may be conformed to His glorious body” (Philippians 3:20-21 NKJV). “Beloved, now we are children of God; and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is” (1 John 3:2 NKJV).
A pastor writes that “the Lord Jesus Christ, in His own resurrection, provided the payment, the proof, and the pattern for our own resurrection.” “As we have borne the image of the man of dust, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly Man” (1 Corinthians 15:49 NKJV). Just as we now bear the image of the first Adam, we will bear the image of the last Adam – who is Jesus. The truth is your new resurrection body will be glorious!
Soul food: Mal 1-4; Matt 1:1-6a; Ps 128; Prov 31:10-13
2025-12-18
1 Korintiërs 15:38 NLV
Benjamin Franklin, wat ‘n drukpers besit het, het vir homself ‘n grafskrif geskryf. Alhoewel dit nooit op sy grafsteen verskyn het nie, is dit deur die geskiedenis as gevolg van die wysheid daarvan oorgelewer. ‘Die liggaam van Benjamin Franklin, drukker; (soos die omslag van ‘n ou boek, die inhoud uitgeskeur en van sy letters en vergulding gestroop), lê hier, voedsel vir wurms. Hierdie werk sal egter nie verlore gaan nie, want dit sal, so het hy geglo, weer in ‘n nuwe en meer elegante uitgawe, hersien en reggestel deur die outeur, te voorskyn kom.’ Wat ‘n wonderlike manier om te beskryf wat eendag met ons gaan gebeur.
Die apostel Paulus het sade as metafoor gebruik: ‘Nou kan iemand vra: ‘Hoe sal die dooies wees wanneer hulle opgewek word? Watter soort liggame sal hulle hê?’ Jou dom vraesteller, as jy saad in die grond sit, ontkiem dit tog nie tot nuwe lewe as dit nie eers self doodgegaan het nie. Wat jy in die grond sit, is nie die plant wat gaan groei nie, maar bloot ‘n droë koringkorreltjie of watter ander saad jy ook al plant. Dan gee God daaraan ‘n nuwe liggaam – presies soos Hy dit bepaal het…’ (verse 35-38 NLV).
‘n Pastoor verduidelik dit as volg: ‘Wanneer jy in jou tuin plant, saai jy dalk ‘n mieliepit in die grond. Wanneer dit ontkiem, is dit steeds ‘n mielieplant; dit is in wese dieselfde as die pit wat gesaai is. Wat egter uit die grond kom, is nie die pit nie. Dis die hele plant. Dis baie groter, baie beter en baie indrukwekkender.’ Jou nuwe opstandingsliggaam sal verhewe teenoor jou ou liggaam wees net soos die plant teenoor die saad verhewe is; dit sal ‘n liggaam wees wat spesifiek vir die ewige lewe ontwerp is.
Sielskos: Sag 12-14; Joh 21:15-25; Ps 47; Spr 31:6-9
1 Corinthians 15:38 NIV
Benjamin Franklin, who was a printer, wrote an epitaph for his grave. And even though it never ended up on his tombstone, it has been passed down in history for its cleverness and wisdom. “The body of Benjamin Franklin, printer; (like the cover of an old book, its contents torn out, and script [stripped] of its lettering and gilding), lies here, food for worms. But the work shall not be lost, for it will, as he believed, appear once more, in a new & more elegant edition, revised and corrected by the Author.” What a wonderful way to describe what’s going to happen to us someday.
The apostle Paul used seeds as a metaphor: “But someone will ask, ‘How are the dead raised? With what kind of body will they come?’ How foolish! What you sow does not come to life unless it dies. When you sow, you do not plant the body that will be, but just a seed, perhaps of wheat or of something else. But God gives it a body as he has determined” (vv. 35-38 NIV).
A pastor explains: “When you plant your garden, you may toss a kernel of corn into the furrow and cover it. When it comes out of the ground, it will still be corn; it will be the same in essence. But what comes out of the ground is not the kernel. It’s the whole stalk. It’s much bigger, much better, and much more impressive.” And your new resurrection body will be as superior to your old body as the stalk is superior to the seed; it will be a body specifically designed for everlasting life.
Soul food: Zech 12-14; John 21:15-25; Ps 47; Prov 31:6-9
2025-12-17
Johannes 14:2 NLV
Die Bybel praat meer as vyfhonderd keer oor die hemel en verskaf detail van ons ewige tuiste. Kort voordat Hy na die hemel vertrek het, het Jesus sy dissipels bemoedig deur te sê: ‘In die huis van my Vader is daar sommer baie kamers… Ek gaan soontoe om vir julle plek gereed te maak. En as Ek gegaan en vir julle plek ingerig het, kom Ek terug en sal julle na My toe neem sodat julle ook kan wees waar Ek is’ (verse 2-3 NLV).
Die Griekse woord wat in vers 2 as ‘plek’ vertaal word, is ‘topos,’ wat na ‘n spesifieke plek verwys. Die Hemel is ‘n werklike, fisiese plek, waar ons eendag saam met Jesus en ons verloste geliefdes sal woon. God het in elkeen van ons se harte ‘n honger na die hemel geplaas (sien Prediker 3:11).
Tydens die Tweede Wêreldoorlog het Franklin Roosevelt dit moeilik gevind om weens sy fisiese gestremdheid tussen die troepe te reis, dus het sy vrou, Eleanor, sy plek ingeneem. Die soldate was mal oor haar. Sy het as die president se oë en ore gedien. Op een reis het sy ‘n aand saam met ‘n groep soldate deurgebring en daarna vir haar man gesê dat hulle net op een gedagte fokus – die verlange om die geveg te voltooi sodat hulle huis toe kon gaan. Dit is hoe God se verloste kinders oor die hemel voel.
Ons is op planeet Aarde ontplooi, maar ons opdrag is slegs tydelik. Die Psalmdigter het gesê: ‘U goedheid en trou vergesel my al die dae van my lewe; en ek sal bly in die huis van die Here so lank as wat ek lewe’ (Psalm 23:6 NLV). Dis ons verwagting – om vir ewig in die huis van die Here te woon.
Sielskos: Sag 9-11; Joh 21:1-14; Ps 12; Spr 31:1-5
John 14:2 NKJV
The Bible talks about heaven over five hundred times, with details about our eternal home. Shortly before He returned to heaven, Jesus comforted His disciples by saying, “In My Father’s house are many mansions… I go to prepare a place for you. And… I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also” (vv. 2-3 NKJV).
The Greek term translated “place” in verse 2 is “topos,” which refers to a specific and locatable place. Heaven is a real, physical place, where we will one day live with Jesus and our redeemed loved ones. And God has set inside each of our hearts a hunger for heaven (See Ecclesiastes 3:11).
During World War II, Franklin Roosevelt had a difficult time traveling among the troops because of his disability, so his wife, Eleanor, took his place. She actually became a favourite of the soldiers. She sent cables and letters back to the president, serving as his eyes and ears. On one trip to the Pacific, she invested an evening in chatting with a group of soldiers, and afterward told her husband they had only one thought on their minds – the longing to finish the battle so they could return home. That’s how God’s redeemed children feel about heaven.
We’re deployed on planet Earth, but our assignment is only temporary. The psalmist said, “Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life; and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever” (Psalm 23:6 NKJV). That’s what we are anticipating, isn’t it? Living in the house of the Lord forever.
Soul food: Zech 9-11; John 21:1-14; Ps 12; Prov 31:1-5
