THE HOME OFFICE“His servants will serve Him.”--Revelation 22:3
Heaven will be the ultimate home-based business. Although we won’t need to “tele-commute” as we know it, with computers, FAX machines, phones and other electronic marvels, Heaven will be home, and we will work. Our “work,” however, will differ from today’s tiring deadlines, pressure to excel, knotty relationships, and legal complications. We won’t end our day of Heavenly work exhausted.
God’s first perfect work environment was the Garden of Eden. Adam was his chief employee before Eve joined the “work force.” Only when Adam and Eve sinned did “work” turn into “toil” (Gen. 3:17). With no sin in Heaven, we can look forward to regaining the perfect work environment. In his vision of Heaven, John said that God’s servants will serve Him. What does “serve” really mean? The Amplified Bible, a translation that attempts to reflect original Greek word meanings, says: “His servants shall worship Him--pay divine honors to Him and do Him holy service” (Rev. 22:3).
The Bible tells little of our “work” in Heaven aside from worship. But we have the example of Eden before sin. Even though perfect, it occupied Adam and Eve as caretakers. That should be enough right there! But the Bible also suggests we’ll have Heavenly administrative duties in proportion to our faithfulness on earth. Jesus told two parables about servants who were faithful with investments when their master went away. In one parable the master entrusted the servants with different amounts of “talents” (one talent equaling about $1,000), each according to ability. One got five talents, another two, and a third just one (Matt. 25:14-30). In the other parable, each got just one “minah,” equal to about three months’ wages (Luke 19:11-26). In both parables, two faithful servants had huge returns on investing the master’s money. He was thrilled, calling them “good and faithful,” and increased their responsibilities. In one version of the parable, he gave them charge over multiple cities. In each parable, a servant who despised his master hid the money. At the end, he was criticized and sent away to “the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth” (Matt. 25:30). That’s one way the Bible describes hell.
These parables teach us to serve our Master, God, with all our hearts and minds and strength. We may have differing abilities (the proportional talents) but we have equal opportunity (the equal minas). Doing nothing grieves God. While the parables point to answers, they also raise questions. What of having charge over ten and five cities? Could this refer to more faithful believers becoming mayors over many Heavenly cities? Or will their proportional faithfulness translate to celestial leadership in their chosen vocation? When we get our new resurrection bodies, will we return to the new earth to pick up when Eden ended? With no sin to complicate production and relationships, can we anticipate bosses who administer with pure love and understanding? If we’re not tapped for celestial government, will we have jobs similar to those we held on earth?
Will we be able to work at something we dreamed of, but had no opportunity or training? Will those who died before maturity, or who were mentally and physically disabled, discover their true, God-designed vocation? Will there be steady job openings in gardening and exploration? More chances for artists and musicians to release those gifts in pure worship? What about transportation jobs—both building and operating vehicles for the earth, water and sky? Remember, after His resurrection, Jesus didn’t need earthly transportation to return to Heaven. Before He returned to God in Heaven, His Heaven-ready body made sudden appearances from one place to another. He bodily went up in clouds and will return in grandeur the same way.
What jobs won’t be in a sinless Heaven? Will we need policemen, firemen, waste management experts, environmental whistle-blowers, or even medical professionals? Because Heaven won’t have unemployment, we must assume that they’ll serve God in a new way that’s exactly right for them. Even more thought-provoking, will angels, whom God created long ago for Heavenly service, be some of our co-workers?
We don’t know the answers to these questions. But we do know that God’s servants will serve and worship Him. They will be utterly happy. They won’t be bored. They may have “home offices” in the place Jesus has prepared just for them. Or their “office” may be in another work assignment area. Best of all, “work” won’t be “work.” It’s never “work” when you love what you’re doing and have the best Boss ever!
Prayer: God, this is something to look forward: starting a new job without those “first day jitters.” I know you have the perfect Heavenly job for me. Amen.
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