"As the new heavens and the new earth that I make will endure before me," declares the Lord, "so will your name and descendants endure. From one New Moon to another and from one Sabbath to another, all mankind will come and bow down before me," says the Lord. -- Isaiah 66:22-23

As we consider life after death, we wonder what heaven is like, and pray we make it... we also wonder what hell is like and fear it...  are they physical realities or spiritual realities?  Are they places are states of existence?  Since God is Spirit, I believe they are spiritual states and not physical locations.  I believe hell is eternal separation from God, and heaven is eternal union with God.  I base this belief on what I have read in the New Testament.  And then I read passages like this from Isaiah (Revelation echoes this) where a "new heaven" and a "new earth" are spoken of... could these be physical?   Truth is, I don't know... I only believe... and that's where I have to find peace in my not knowing, trusting God that he's got it.  If I live my life constantly focused on and longing for the afterlife, I could miss out on the gift of this life.  We don't know what life will be like after this one.  But we do know what this one's like.  Make it count!

Readings:  Isaiah 66:1-24; Philippians 3:4b-21; Psalm 74:1-23; Proverbs 24:15-16