The Work in Heaven
Matt 25:21 "His master replied, 'Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master's happiness!'
Rev 22:3 No longer will there be any curse. The throne of God and of the Lamb will be in the city, and his servants will serve him.
Huck Finn thought heaven was a place where a person would go around all day long with a harp and sing, forever and forever. We have many hymns that teach us about heaven, and unfortunately we get more of our ideas from hymns that men write than from the Bible which God wrote.
We have purpose and meaning in work that is not toilsome even under the curse. Jesus worked as a carpenter after the trade of Joseph. God is working every day all the time, and has prepared for us meaningful work in heaven.
In the parable of talents rewarded those who have been faithful in little things shall be given responsibility over much. There apparently is rewards that include various responsibilities based on our faithful work here on earth. Some have many talents, others few, but use them by Gods Spirit and for Gods’ glory and it will produce for you greater joy in heaven.
The implication of this and other passages is that there will be responsibilities and service in the afterlife. Not toilsome like the curse, but rewarding like the responsibility God gave Adam to care for the animals and name them.
Each one will be given exactly the taste that suits his powers, and his tastes and his abilities. The saints “shall serve Him day and night in His temple”. By no means does the “rest” of the redeemed mean idleness. When we rest from our labors, I think it implies the hard labor that came with the curse. When Adam and Eve sinned, part of the curse was that hard work was not the joy that they experienced in the garden, but thorns and thistles, sweat and weariness were added.
In Heaven we shall serve Him unhampered by earth’s enemies and limitations, without painful stress and strain and sweat. David said: “In Thy presence is fullness of joy; at Thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore” (Psalm 16:11). On earth we are hampered by so many things. The Apostle John realized that believers were enjoying merely a measure of that which God had for them. He wrote: “These things write we unto you, that your joy may be full” (1 John 1:4). In Heaven the joys and pleasures of our union with Jesus Christ will be appreciated and apprehended to the full, unhindered by the disturbing and distracting things on earth.
But we will not only be servants, for the Bible speaks also of authority to His faithful servants. All those in authority on earth are also servants of a company, or military, or church, or government. But there will be no competition or slackers in heaven, no trying to beat the other guy. I believe that just like angels have different ranks of responsibilities so will we, based on the works of this world.
Will the Lord find you faithful now?
