Hereafter – audio

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Do you believe in the ‘hereafter?’ One lady does. Every time she goes into the kitchen, she wonders what she’s here after! In fact, we all need to believe in it.

The wise man wrote, “Do not let your heart envy sinners, but be zealous for the fear of the LORD all the day; for surely there is a hereafter, and your hope will not be cut off (Proverbs 23:17-18).” The NKJV uses the word ‘hereafter,’ where the RV and ASV use ‘reward.’ The ESV says ‘future,’ and the KJV ‘end.’

There are three important things to remember regarding the hereafter as the wise man says.

1. Do not let your heart envy sinners.

Do we tend to lose our focus on what God gives us, and turn our attention to the things others have?

Sometimes they obtain it by unethical and ungodly means. The Psalmist wrote, “Truly God is good to Israel, to such as are pure in heart. But as for me, my feet had almost stumbled; my steps had nearly slipped. For I was envious of the boastful, when I saw the prosperity of the wicked (Psalm 37:1-3).

The wise man also explained, “Do not be envious of evil men, nor desire to be with them; for their heart devises violence, and their lips talk of troublemaking. Do not fret because of evildoers, nor be envious of the wicked; for there will be no prospect for the evil man; the lamp of the wicked will be put out (Proverbs 24:1-2,19-20).”

2. Be zealous for the LORD.

Since we know there is a hereafter, we should be preparing ourselves for what is to come. The wise man later wrote, “Happy is the man who is always reverent, but he who hardens his heart will fall into calamity (Proverbs 28:14).”

3. Your hope will not be cut off.

Recently we studied about the hope that we have through Christ, and now we are assured of them by God’s plans. “For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the LORD, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope (Jeremiah 29:11).”

To have a hope of peace, we must do God’s will. The Psalmist also wrote, “Mark the blameless man, and observe the upright; for the future of that man is peace (Psalm 37:37).”

Because we are assured of a hereafter, we do not need to pattern our lives after sinners. Instead, we need to have a zeal for the LORD so our hope will not be cut off. A wonderful example of one who has learned how to do this is found in Psalm 73:1-28.