I heard something like the voice of a great multitude and like the sound of many waters and like the sound of mighty peals of thunder, saying, “Hallelujah! For the Lord our God, the Almighty, reigns.”—Revelation 19:6

In 1966 Olivier Messiaen, the French mystic, composer, and musician, grappled to express what the Bible taught about the world to come. The result was a work called And I Await the Resurrection of the Dead.

Messiaen, who called himself a theological musician, sought to transport listeners into an environment where they could try to escape the limits of their normal experience and catch a glimpse of eternity. He designed this powerful, harmonically expansive work to be performed in large spaces: churches, cathedrals, and even among mountains.

Although purely instrumental music, each of the five movements was given a scriptural reference. In the last movement, based on Revelation 19:6, Messiaen used gongs, cymbals, and wind instruments in a chorale in which he sought to provide an enormous impact.

In Revelation, John, too, tried to express in words the vision he was given about the world to come. This vision was overwhelming. In the end, neither words nor music can adequately express the grandeur and glory of Heaven.

Do not just think about the normal activities of your daily life with your temporary concerns. Ask God to give you a vision of eternal things. Remember, He has prepared a home for you. You will live forever with Him! May that thought give you peace. Allow your heart to be filled with praise. Cry out with the angels, “Hallelujah! For the Lord our God, the Almighty, reigns!”

Reflection Question: Reflect on what you think Heaven will be like.

In a single moment God’s judgment came on you […] A mighty angel picked up a boulder…threw it into the ocean and shouted, “Just like this, the great city Babylon will be thrown down with violence and will never be found again.”—Revelation 18:10, 21

Thomas Cole became one of America’s most important artists. Born in England, he immigrated to the US in 1818. After becoming interested in painting, he first specialized in portraits before turning to landscapes, particularly after visiting the Hudson River Valley in New York.

Eventually, wanting to be more than just a painter of idyllic scenes, Cole developed what he called a “higher style of landscape,” dealing with important biblical and literary subjects. This culminated in his most ambitious series Course of Empire, five paintings that dramatize the rise and fall of an ancient classical state.

The first paintings in this series, The Savage State and The Arcadian or Pastoral State, show a culture’s humble beginnings, culminating in the third painting, The Consummation of Empire, depicting a city that is confident and powerful.

By the fourth painting, The Destruction of Empire, the confidence has been shattered. The empire is under siege. The city is burning. Destruction is everywhere. This led to the fifth painting called Desolation. Here all the strength of the city has disappeared. There are no people. Only a landscape remains.

Making his purposes clear, Cole commented, in Latin, “Thus passes the glory of the world.”

The Bible reminds us that all things in this world are passing away. Nothing here remains forever. This is why Jesus taught us to seek first God’s Kingdom, to have the right priorities, and to invest in things that will last.

Reflection Question: Does the way you spend your money and time reflect a Kingdom attitude?