Bible Poetry Reading Plan: Job 9-10
Our Heavenly Bodies
1 Corinthians 15:53-55 “For our dying bodies must be transformed into bodies that will never die;
our mortal bodies must be transformed into immortal bodies. Then, when our dying bodies have
been transformed into bodies that will never die, this Scripture will be fulfilled: ‘Death is swallowed
up in victory. O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?’” (NLT)
As believers we have gotten so caught up in hating death, sickness, pain and decay that many
have started to hate their bodies. But our bodies aren’t the problem – sin, death and decay are!
So many people mistakenly say, “I can’t wait to leave this body behind!” This is a great error,
leaving your body behind is an Eastern religious philosophy and is not Christian. Paradise is
not an escape from this physical body and world to become one with the universe. God did not
create us to be non-physical beings. You were not created to become one with the universe, a
formless soul, or a spirit/ghost. You were created to be a distinct, unique, physical individual who
will experience life through touch, sight, hearing, sight, taste and sound. We must reject the pagan
beliefs that our bodies will be separated from our spirits for all eternity. We can tell a lot about
our resurrected bodies by looking at what Jesus resurrected body was like. His resurrected body
was physical – they could see His hands and feet, He had flesh and bones, He ate with them
in their presence (Luke 24:37-43). Jesus was recognizable, He did not get an entirely different
body but the old one re-made. That’s why the tomb was empty! Mary recognized Him because
He would have had the same skin colour and body features. You will be able to recognize your
loved ones and friends in Heaven. Some people have a hard time with this because they don’t
like their physical bodies. But remember that your current opinion of yourself is full of sin, jealousy,
covetousness and envy. Your perspective of yourself has been completely warped. On the New
Earth you will have a redeemed mind, you are going to be full of joy and confidence and you won’t
be seeking approval from others. You will be completely in love with the body God has given you.
You will no longer compare what you look like to what other’s look like. You will see every body
type as a beautiful expression of God’s incredible variety and creativity and you will love the variety
that God created.
PRAYER and MEDITATION
1. How does it comfort you to know that you will be able to recognize people in Heaven and that
you will have a physical body?
2. How do you think you will feel about your body when you are in Heaven, after your opinions
(which are tainted by sin) are redeemed and cleansed?
3. Thank the Lord for your future resurrected body, that it will be beautiful.
