The Future Life # 1

[W. B. Dunkum was a man of extraordinary abilities.  He attended God's Bible School from 1903-06. He served as President of Kingswood Bible College, Kingswood, Kentucky. He also helped to found the Wesleyan Methodist Church in Kentucky and was Conference President in 1924-25 and 1931-32, as well as held many other offices in the Conference over the years. Dr. Dunkum was an evangelist of no small renown. We feel the contents of his books are for the church today, as they were in the yesteryears. Thus our desire for reprinting them. Dr. Dunkum lives on in the lives and minds of those who knew him. And, those who read after him will also remember him. He was a great and godly man and a prolific writer. ]



The Future Life # 1

Occupation of Heaven

Heaven was made for man and man for heaven. When man passes into that glorious home, he will be surrounded by holy and heavenly beings. Peace, joy, and satisfaction will abound with its immeasurable blessedness and an eternal weight of glory.

The prominent characteristic of heaven will be that of praise. They rest not day or night but say holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty which was and is and is to come. They worship Him who sitteth upon the throne and cast their crowns at His feet saying, "Thou art worthy, for thou wast lain, and hast redeemed us to God by His blood out of every kindred, tongue, and people and nation, and hast made us unto our God kings and priests." We shall be arrayed in white robes washed and made white in the blood of the Lamb. We shall be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white, for the fine linen is the righteousness of the saints. 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 anymore pain for the former things are passed away. We shall cast ourselves at His feet and worship Him forever. Heaven is a place and a state or a Condition.

1. We speak of the clouds as being up in the heavens.
2. The sun, moon, and stars are beyond the clouds. we refer to them as being up in the heavens.
3. Heaven is the place where God is. For when God dwells in the heart manifesting His love, revealing His glory, there is heaven. In this sense, the way to heaven is heaven all the way. In heaven, we will not be conscious of one thing to interrupt our happiness. Nothing unholy will ever enter to disturb the happiness of the saints.

In heaven, the sun will never set; death shall be swallowed up in life. The saints shall possess all that is essential to their happiness. They shall dwell amidst pleasures forevermore, free from sorrow and death and shall mingle with the saints around the throne. "There the wicked cease from troubling and the weary are at rest."

Our enjoyment there will depend largely upon the development of our capacities here.

I like to think of heaven as a place where God's will is perfectly done. Then, I like to think of heaven as a four-square planet made by God and swung out into space. A city free from sin so different from our cities. No sin, no death, funeral processions are never seen and graveyards are unknown in heaven.

In every serious thinking person, there is a longing for a better country. This world is not our home. We are seeking a city which hath foundations whose builder and maker is God. We are pilgrims and strangers here, but we are looking up for our redemption draweth nigh. The heavenly city is a prepared place for a prepared people. They all shout there, and not one holiness fighter in all that city.

1. Heaven is a great city none other like it. It is the Metropolis of the Universe.
2. It is a well built city. Builder and maker is God; foundations eternal. Its walls are of jasper, gates of pearls, streets of gold; it have twelve gates.
3. It is a well guarded city. At the twelve gates are twelve angels.
4. It is a well governed city; no disturbances; no lawlessness.
5. It is a well peopled city. Saints of all generations have gathered within its walls, population is as the number of stars. No man can number them.
6. It is a glorious city. The glory that fills it is the glory of God.
7. It is a holy city. Nothing that defileth can enter there.
8. It is a well-lighted city. The Lamb is the light thereof.
9. It is a well watered city. A pure river flows through the streets and around the throne.
10. It is a well provisioned city. The tree of life with its twelve crops of fruit and leaves for the healing of the nations grows there. They will never be sick there or ever feel another pain.

2 Corinthians 5:1, "For we know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building of God, an house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens."

Heaven is a place we have thought about, read about, and talked about all of our lives. We may know but little about it, but what we do know makes us anxious to know what we don't know. How gladly and willingly children gather around their mother to hear her tell them about heaven. And brethren, if we ever get inside the gates of pearl, we must become as humble and as obedient as the little child.

Heaven should be preached on until people have a desire to get ready. In the early days of the country, it was said that the preacher preached on hell until you could smell the brimstone and then preached on heaven until you smell the fruit. The preaching of the doctrine will stimulate and encourage those who are in the way.

The "Narrow way" leads to the Christian's goal, that is the heavenly world. But to make it in, you may expect to wade through grief, slander, reproach, heartaches and misunderstanding. Some have been starved to death while others have gone to the chopping block, but they will be awaiting our arrival.

Heaven will be our eternal home where we'll not get any tax card, rent never comes due, never have to pay a grocery bill, gas bill, or water bill. What a privilege it will be to meet those you have promised to meet "over in the glory land." You no doubt held their hand as they crossed Jordan's chilly stream. You promised to meet them and they are still holding you to that promise. Whatever you do or may not do, do not disappoint them.

In this world, you may wear a badge of reproach and scorn and drink from the cup of bitter disappointment and misunderstanding, but there we will be understood and enjoy perfect health. We will not need physicians, hospitals,drug stores, but perfect health will bloom on every brow. But heaven: who can comprehend it? A place where no sickness, no pain, no sorrow, no cloud, no night, no bitterness, no weariness, no remorse, no anguish, no graves, no sighs, no tears, no sad laments, no dying, no broken hearts, no death-bed scenes, never a corpse, never a coffin, never a hearse, and never a grave in that beautiful land. There the sun will rise and go down no more. Heaven will be a gracious treasure, a profound joy, and an eternal influence which can never come to mortal man. Oh, the blessed hope of a glad reunion, with the departed saints in the glory land. How they do attract  us as we journey thus by the way.

Heaven is a permanent place. Our surroundings here are temporary, transitory, passing, decaying, and changing. Earth is a place, where we are to camp for a while. We desire a better country, one that is heavenly. Heaven is free from sin, sorrow, pain, disappointment, and imperfection of every kind. We have troubles and trials here but none in heaven. The best people who ever lived will be there. John saw multitudes that no man could number. They will be there of all nations, peoples, and tongues. Many shall come from the East and the West and shall sit down with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven. Heaven will be a place of happiness because Jesus will be there. He is the motive of our actions, and the inspiration of our hearts. We shall see Him, know Him, and serve Him. A place of happiness because of the absence of all sorrow, disappointments, and heartaches, no deaths, no suffering, no misunderstandings, in heaven, no night, no pain, no cemeteries, no funeral processions, no hunger, no thirst, no unemployment. All will be employed doing the will of God. Nothing there to mar the happiness of the redeemed. Every earthly pain will cease, every trial will be over and all tears dried up.

A city without pain and sorrow. A city without death and burials. A city without marriage and mourning. A city in which Jesus will be King. Angels will be guards. The saints will be citizens. The walls are salvation. The gates are pearls and the streets are paved with gold.

No tongue can tell,
No voice can sing,
No pen can write,
No brush can paint,
The joy and glory of being with Jesus, angels, and the blood-washed of all ages.

O my friends, if you did but know what awaits the Christian, you would not refrain from rejoicing and even leaping for joy. Labors, trials and troubles will be nothing. You will rejoice in affliction and glory in tribulation and like Paul and Silas sing God's praises in the darkest night and in the deepest dungeon. People live in this world until they are captured by wealth and position and forget they are but visitors here and must soon leave for eternity. Only a few short days, weeks, months, or years until we will all be leaving for the great beyond. You see others leave, but some day, much sooner than we expect, we will be leaving never to return.

When Vanderbilt was leaving, he requested some one to sing:

Come, ye sinners, poor and needy, weak and wounded, sick and sore.

Death calls from a life of ease and disappointment to the great beyond. Sorrow and disappointment is a universal malady; it is found in every home from the log cabin to the mansion. Sorrow passes her bitter cup to every son and daughter of Adam's race.

Death alone can set the Christian free from this painful decaying house of clay.

Death calls us to our eternal home where there will be no tempter to annoy. Let us claim our starry crown, our harp of gold, and a house of many mansions. 1 Samuel 20:3, "There is but a step between me and death."

A warning to every soul on his way to an open grave and the Judgment.

I. Preparation needed. We're all creatures of two worlds. Live here and hereafter. God serves notice on us that a settling up time is coming.
II. Prepare because we're sinners. Heaven is a country where there is no sin.
III. Preparation includes conviction, forgiveness, confession, restitution, sanctification, and holy living.
IV.Preparation now. Tomorrow may be too late.

1. Death is certain by God's appointment. We do not know how, when, or where.
2. Death is separation - from friends and earthly store.
3. Death is a change - a doorway from time to eternity.
4. Death may be a very happy event - if preparation has all been looked after.
5. Death may be unwelcome and terrible.

a. If it finds one unprepared
b. If it finds one's work unfinished.
c. If it finds one without God. Job 14:10: "But man dieth, and wasteth away: yea, man giveth up the ghost, and where is he?"

A Solemn Statement 
1. Death is the end of our earthly career.
2. Death removes from society, business, and earthly pursuits.
3. Death is separation of spirit and body. Body returns to the ground and spirit returns to God.

II. The Origin of Death
1. Originated in the Garden of Eden as the result of sin.

III. The Nature of Death
1. An event absolutely certain.
2. We cannot escape it.
3. The decree from God.
4. The time fixed by God.
5. We do not know when.
6. Death will overtake you.

IV. The Claim of death
1. He visits battlefields and hospitals. 
2. He goes into mansions and claims millionaires.
3. He goes into shanties and claims the poor.

V. Death demands our consideration
1. Its certainty.
2. Its nearness.
3. Its warnings.
4. Its powers settle destinies.
5. Because of our nearness to the river's crossing.
6. Because of preparation we should make.

VI. The Important Question:
1. Infidels die - where are they?
2. Gambler die - where are they?
3. Hypocrites die - where are they?
4. Christians die - where are they?

VII. A sinner dying cried, "I am dying and going to I know not where!"

VIII. A Christian dying shouted, "I am dying and going to a place I have wanted to go all my life."

Alexander the Great, while dying, said, "I have given thought to everything but death and that is the most important subject I could have considered."

Spurgeon said, "Do not fail to warn men to prepare for death."

Death is a familiar subject, yet it is not a popular one. All know he is coming but so few are ready to welcome him.

I. Nothing is more certain than death.
1. It is the nature of the human body to die.
2. The body is mortal and constantly wearing out. As the automobile has limited life, so the human body soon renders its limit of endurance.

II. Bible proves certainty of death. "As in Adam, all died, so in Christ shall all be made alive."

~W. B. Dunkum~

(continued with # 2)