What will we do in heaven? Read Rev. 20:4-6; 22:1-5

A friend recently wrote about someone who was “telling us that we will all have jobs in heaven. Some of us will be rulers over certain areas of heaven, some carpenters, some janitors and so on. He says he can think of nothing more boring than setting on a cloud and playing a harp. I feel that it will take an eternity for me to fully express my love for the God who did all of what is in heaven for me. Any references as to how to handle this?”  Here are thoughts on this question.

·        In Rev. 20:4-6 it says overcomers will reign with Christ during His Millennial Kingdom.  Rev. 2:26-27 is saying the same about overcomers in the Church. Remember also Jesus’ words to His disciples in Matt. 19:28-30.  I am not sure that this can be made to say any of these “overcomers” (defined in 1 John 5:4-5 as born again believers in Jesus) will be janitors or carpenters.  Perhaps supervisors of janitors or carpenters (said tongue in cheek).

·        Rev. 22:1-5 speaks of the eternal city, the New Jerusalem.  It says His servants shall serve Him.  So what does this mean?

o   First, servants is the Greek doulos, a bond-slave.  This should be set next to Rev. 21:7 which, in the same context of the New Jerusalem, says that overcomers shall inherit all things, and I will be his God and he shall be My son.  Are these different people?  No!  Remember that Paul (e.g. Titus 1:1) and Peter (e.g. 2 Pt. 1:1), both born again sons of God through faith in Christ, never forgot the fact that they were also God’s bond-slave.

o   What is helpful in Rev. 22:3 is the term serve.  It is not related to doulos or diakonos, the two primary New Testaments terms for slave/ servant.  Rather it is latreuo, defined by both Strong and Thayer as to minister (to God), i.e. render religious homage:—serve, do the service, worship(-per).  The best way to understand the meaning is to examine its use in the NT.  Here are just a few of the 21 references.

§  Luke 2:37: Anna served in the temple area with fastings and prayers.

§  Luke 4:8: It equates to worship in Jesus’ response to Satan.

§  Acts 7:7: It is what was done at the temple.

§  Rom. 1:9: Paul’s gospel ministry and prayers were this kind of service.

§  Rom. 1:25: It is giving thanks to God our Creator.

§  Heb. 9:14: Rather than serving in the dead works of the old temple worship we have been made to serve the living God.

Does this give us a clear idea what we will be doing in heaven?  I don’t think so.  Our service/worship today is done day-by-day in all we do.  It’s not just singing hymns of praise or giving testimony, but it includes that.  Rev. 22:5 indicates we will reign forever and ever.  A better question is: do we actually know what will be enjoyable in eternity?  I don’t think so.  We simply know it will be a place and time of indescribable joy and the key factor will be the presence of Father and Son!  And also, it doesn’t appear everyone has a harp (Rev. 5:8; 14:2; there’s that cheeky tongue again).