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Today is our final day studying the Old Testament book of Zephaniah. As we look at the concluding words of this prophecy, we find a beautiful promise given to the people of Judah. God is going to rescue, rather, restore and redeem His people. This is an eschatological (end times) promise given to the nation of Judah and to all of God’s people. The prophet is telling us that God will not only save individuals but also form an eternal family that will be with him forever. This is eternity, not that our soul floats off to heaven, but that God restores the entire world and removes the curse of sin. That is the eternity we have to look forward to in heaven. Randy Alcorn writes in his book Heaven, “Jesus will be at the center of all things, and joy will be the air we breathe. And right when we think “it doesn’t get any better than this” – it will.”

Many Christians today ignore heaven or, worse, downplay its importance. They insist that the most important thing is to focus on the here and now, and thinking about life after death wastes energy and time. But nothing could be further from the truth. Heaven is both our eternal home and our present hope. Keeping it at the center of our Christian faith does not rob us of our present faithfulness; it fuels it! So, think about heaven and talk about it with your friends. Study what the Bible says about it and allow yourself to long for it, for this is your future, and this is your hope!

Final Thought: Thank God for creating an eternal home in heaven for you!

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