We already knew that we possessed an eternal soul. But we will possess an eternal body as well. For the children of God this is a great blessing, for we will live in perfect and immortal bodies like the one in which Jesus rose from the dead. We will experience the joy of His love and the light of His countenance forever and ever. We will never have to fear illnesses, injuries, the death of a loved one, or our own death. Isaiah rejoices in this knowledge and says of the Lord that, "He will destroy the shroud that enfolds all peoples, the sheet that covers all nations; He will swallow up death forever. The Sovereign Lord will wipe away the tears from all faces; He will remove His people's disgrace from all the earth. The Lord has spoken." (Isaiah 25:7-8)
People from all nations and tribes have accepted God as their Lord. This will continue to happen right up until the end. A glorious resurrection is in store for people who have existed all around the world who have rejected idolatry and have given their allegiance to the one and only living God. This is why Isaiah can say that "all peoples" and "all nations" will share in the relief of never again experiencing the discomfort of living in a frail mortal body and of never again fearing the things that can happen to a mortal body.
In Revelation 21, when the things Isaiah foresaw have come to pass, the Apostle John hears a loud voice declaring from God's throne room in heaven: "Look! God's dwelling place is now among the people, and He will dwell with them. They will be His people, and God Himself will be with them and will be their God. 'He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death' or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away." (Revelation 21:3-4) This is a direct quote from Isaiah 25, as notated in our Bibles.
God, in the person of the Lord Jesus Christ, will dwell with mankind. Christ will take the throne of David, as foretold many times on the pages of the Bible, and will reign from Jerusalem over the restored and remade earth and over "His people". We must be careful to take to heart that this message, however, is only for the redeemed. These are the people among whom God the Son will dwell. These are the people who will enjoy an Eden-like existence on a planet that has no more curse of sin upon it. These are the people who will behold the face of the Redeemer who wipes away all tears and who destroyed the power of death over those who have placed their trust in Him.
The glorious promise contained in Isaiah 25 and in Revelation 21 is not for every person who ever has or ever will exist. The offer of salvation certainly is made to every person who ever has or ever will exist, but that offer has not been accepted by all. Therefore, the promise of living forever in the presence of the Lord on an earth where conditions will be perfect, where no sin will never enter, and where our bodies can never become sick or injured or fall prey to death, is made only to those who have accepted the Lord's merciful offer of salvation. The offer of salvation is made to all people but the promise of an eternity in the presence of the Lord is made only to His people.
That fact is made clear by the text we conclude with today. "In that day they will say, 'Surely this is our God; we trusted in Him, and He saved us. This is the Lord, we trusted in Him; let us rejoice and be glad in His salvation." (Isaiah 25:9) Isaiah could not have made it plainer that those who are enjoying a blessed eternity are those who trusted in the Lord and received His salvation.
What happens to those who did not trust in Him and accept His free offer of salvation? We will be looking at that subject as we move on through our chapter and compare it with text from Revelation. They will have an eternal existence too, but it will not be the glorious one promised to the children of God.
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