Have you ever heard someone say, “outside of a new car, most people do not like change?” Did you know there is a day coming when some big changes will take place? When the Apostle Paul penned his first inspired letter to Corinth he wrote about the idea of change. “Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed” (1 Cor. 15:51). Strong’s Bible Dictionary defines the word change as “to make different.”1 When will we experience this change? “In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed” (1 Cor. 15:52). Paul informs us that we will experience this change when Jesus returns. For this article, let’s consider three changes that we will experience when the Lord returns.
There will be a change in body. In fact, we do not have a choice in the matter. Notice the wording the Apostle Paul uses to illustrate this point. “For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality” (1 Cor. 15:53). Why? Bob Winton makes the following observation, “Because a fleshly body cannot inhabit heaven, it must be changed into an incorruptible and immortal body. In heaven, we will have bodies similar to the body our Savior has: “For our conversation is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ: Who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself ” (Phil. 3:20-21). The wicked will be given immortal bodies which cannot be consumed by fires of hell, but which can feel the full torment of eternal punishment.”
There will be a change in location. When the Lord returns, the earth and all its elements will be destroyed. The Apostle Peter writes, “But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up” (2 Pet. 3:10). John also gives a couple of insights into this as well. In 1 John he writes, “ And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever” (1 John 2:17). Then, in writing the book of Revelation, he pens these words, “And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven (the realm where the birds fly—RJ) fled away; and there was found no place for them” (Rev. 20:11).
So where will we be? Where the Godhead is. Jesus spoke about this change in location when He was calming His Apostles. “Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also” (John 14:1-3). “There” indicates a change in location that it is not here.
There will be a change in experiences. Perhaps, it is this change that this writer is looking forward to the most. In life, we experience several peaks and valleys. What if we never had to experience a valley ever again? Imagine a place where there was no death, sorrow, heartache or pain. What if there was a place on this earth where we could experience just one of them. We would probably sell everything we have to try to move to this wonderful place. When John began to pen his final inspired words, he shares with us a place that contains all those things. “And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away” (Rev. 21:4). Are you looking forward to these changes?
-Robert Jefferies