Today’s Passage: “Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when he appears, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is.” 1 John 3:2
Just a few months ago, I attended my twenty year high school reunion and reconnected with friends with whom I had lost contact. Just this week, I have been blessed to be able to visit family and to be reacquainted with old friends while enjoying a wonderful gospel meeting in Bawcomville, Louisiana. While visiting with our dear friends this week, our conversation turned to the happiness of reuniting in heaven. It is a special blessing from God to see dear souls who we haven’t seen in many years and to catch up on old times at reunions, homecomings and other events.
While in Louisiana, I had an opportunity to visit several family members’ graves and place a new floral arrangement at my grandfather’s headstone. I enjoy visiting cemeteries, always looking for the oldest tombstone and feeling the messages of love poured into the epitaphs on the stones. It is amazing how long some of the monuments have lasted, standing up to the weather in order to honor the beloved person who was laid to rest so many years before. Gravesites can be very sad locations as we attend a memorial service to honor our loved ones who we will no longer see on this earth, yet the Lord has assured us that if we obey His Word, we do not have to worry about such sadness or pain in heaven.
Many wonder whether we will know each other in heaven, and after studying this subject in God’s Word and speaking to others, I believe that we will indeed know each other. The Lord has provided several passages to indicate that we will have our earthly memories and will be conscious of our surroundings in heaven. I have found no passage in the Scriptures to indicate otherwise.
Perhaps one of the most recognized passages on the subject is in Luke 16:19-31. “There was a rich man who was dressed in purple and fine linen and lived in luxury every day. At his gate was laid a beggar named Lazarus, covered with sores and longing to eat what fell from the rich man's table. Even the dogs came and licked his sores. The time came when the beggar died and the angels carried him to Abraham's side. The rich man also died and was buried. In hell, where he was in torment, he looked up and saw Abraham far away, with Lazarus by his side. So he called to him, 'Father Abraham, have pity on me and send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, because I am in agony in this fire.' But Abraham replied, 'Son, remember that in your lifetime you received your good things, while Lazarus received bad things, but now he is comforted here and you are in agony. And besides all this, between us and you a great chasm has been fixed, so that those who want to go from here to you cannot, nor can anyone cross over from there to us.' He answered, 'Then I beg you, father, send Lazarus to my father's house, for I have five brothers. Let him warn them, so that they will not also come to this place of torment.' Abraham replied, 'They have Moses and the Prophets; let them listen to them.' 'No, father Abraham,' he said, 'but if someone from the dead goes to them, they will repent.' He said to him, 'If they do not listen to Moses and the Prophets, they will not be convinced even if someone rises from the dead.'”
As we see in this passage, the rich man retained his memory and knew his brothers after he died. He also recognized Abraham and Lazarus. This indicates that we will know one another in the next life. Whether this story is a parable or an actual event, it describes the hadean realm as it will be. Additionally, Abraham told the rich man, “Son, remember that in your lifetime…” This indicates that our memories will be retained, though God will protect us from sadness.
David understood that he would be with his son again in heaven and this gave him comfort. II Samuel 12:21-23 states, “His servants asked him, "Why are you acting this way? While the child was alive, you fasted and wept, but now that the child is dead, you get up and eat!" He answered, "While the child was still alive, I fasted and wept. I thought, 'Who knows? The LORD may be gracious to me and let the child live.' But now that he is dead, why should I fast? Can I bring him back again? I will go to him, but he will not return to me." The fact that David would “go to him” infers that he would recognize his son. What a comforting thought!
Jesus, impressed by the centurion’s faith, remarked that many will eat alongside Abraham, Isaac and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven. Surely we will recognize them if we feast with them. “When Jesus heard this, he was astonished and said to those following him, ‘I tell you the truth, I have not found anyone in Israel with such great faith. I say to you that many will come from the east and the west, and will take their places at the feast with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven. But the subjects of the kingdom will be thrown outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’” Matthew 8:10-12
On the mountain where Jesus was transfigured in Matthew 17:1-4, there is no indication that Jesus introduced the three disciples to Moses and Elijah, yet Peter recognized them. This is another example of the recognition of other saved ones in God’s kingdom.
Furthermore, John wrote, “Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when he appears, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is.” This indicates that we will know and recognize Jesus and we will be like him. The fact that we shall be like him and recognize him is indication that we will recognize each other as well when we are transformed into our eternal bodies.
Other passages indicate that we will know one another such as Paul’s statement in I Corinthians 6:2 that the saints will judge the world and Jesus’ answer to the Pharisees in Matthew 12:39-42 regarding the men of Ninevah and the Queen of Sheba. If we are to judge the world, memory of this present world and those in it is indicated.
God be praised that we will be able to reunite with loved ones and worship God together forever. God’s great family reunion in heaven will be grander and more joyful than any reunion we can imagine. Dear loved ones, let us all live in such a way that we will be joined together in the glorious kingdom which the Lord has prepared for us.
