Slides: Eternal Pleasures

Eternal Pleasures
by David Feddes

Pleasures forevermore

You make known to me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore. (Psalm 16:11)

Everlasting joy will crown their heads. (Isaiah 35:10)

Be glad and rejoice forever in what I will create. (Isaiah 65:18).


How would you describe the taste of ice cream to someone who has never eaten anything but oatmeal?

How would you describe the Eiffel Tower to someone who has never seen anything grander than a hut?

Biblical hints

• Banquet: best meats, finest wines
• Music: harps, trumpets, singing
• Country: river, fruit trees, animals
• City: gold streets, pearl gates, gems

How could new-creation pleasures be less than this world?

• Who invented all pleasures? Who created sight, sound, touch, taste, smell, and touch?
• Pleasures now are just appetizers.
  • These appetizers have been dropped in the dirt and are decaying.
  • The main course will be clean and unspoiled.

Eternal pleasures

• A place to rest.
• A place to play.
• A place to discover.
• A place to succeed.

A place to rest

“Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord… they will rest from their labor. (Rev 14:13)

“In my Father’s house are many mansions… I go to prepare a place for you” (John 14:2).

• Safer than a castle fortress
• Plusher than a luxury hotel
• Cozier than your family room

A place to rest: Israel’s foretaste

• Rest from slavery, wandering, and warfare
• God promised, “My Presence will go with you, and I will give you rest.” (Exodus 33:14)
• Solomon said, “The Lord my God has given me rest on every side, and there is no adversary or disaster.” (1 Kings 5:4)
• This Golden Age of rest involved building, researching, reveling: “eating and drinking, and making merry.” (1 Kings 4:20)

Restful, refreshing busyness

• Some people retire from a stressful daily grind of work, yet they are more active than ever. They pursue hobbies, games, books, travel, and volunteer work.
• Picture an eternal active retirement, not slowed by poor health, but free to do the things you love most, without financial concerns.
• Restful activity with no need to sleep. There will be no night there. (Rev 21:25)

A place to play

• The nursing child shall play over the hole of the cobra, and the weaned child shall put his hand on the adder's den. (Isaiah 11:8)
• The city streets will be filled with boys and girls playing there. (Zechariah 8:5)
• Jesus often said the Kingdom is like a feast.
• Jesus was called a party animal. (Luke 7:34)
• Don’t equate grumpiness with godliness
• What if eternal robes are party clothes?
• What if harps and other instruments are for dance music?
• You will take up your tambourines and go out to dance with the joyful. (Jer 31:4).
• Spiritual and relational pleasures will surpass physical pleasures.
• Still, we will be bodily beings and enjoy bodily delights. As we delight in the Giver, he will keep flooding us with delightful gifts.
• Eternity will be seriously fun!

Eternal pleasures

• A place to rest.
• A place to play.
• A place to discover.
• A place to succeed.

A place to discover

• Not boring classes but first-hand exploration
  • Volcanoes, dolphins, mammoths, dinosaurs
  • Meet heroes for real, not just in books
  • Learn about God and angels in direct encounter, not just sermons and scholars.
• Not slack or slow students but great learners.
  • You will have the curiosity of preschooler.
  • You will have the intellect of a genius.
• Guided tours of glory

The earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the sea. (Isaiah 11:9)
“Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known” (1 Cor. 13:12).

A place to succeed

• No frustrations or failures: no missing tools or lost keys or computer crashes or ruined hopes
• The curse on work will be removed.
• All goals we work toward will be achieved.
• We will enjoy the fruit of our labor: “They will build houses and dwell in them; they will plant vineyards and eat their fruit. No longer will they build houses and others live in them, or plant and others eat… My chosen ones will long enjoy the works of their hands. They will not toil in vain” (Isaiah 65:21-23).

Our main work
Rule God’s creation and bring out the best in everything.
The wilderness will rejoice and blossom. (Isaiah 35:1).
New wine will drip from the mountains and flow from all the hills. (Amos 9:13).

Eternal pleasures

• A place to rest.
• A place to play.
• A place to discover.
• A place to succeed.

Jesus said, “I have come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly” (John 10:10).

Whether we’re tending plants, caring for animals, creating music, governing cities, or whatever, our work of ruling creation with Christ will be glorious. It will be so energizing that it seems like rest, so fun that it seems like play, so fresh and creative that it seems like discovery. In the abundant life of eternity, we’ll find that resting, playing, discovering, and succeeding can’t really be separated. Relaxing, partying, exploring, and achieving will all blend together in glory to God and gladness for us.