Revelation 21:1-2 And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea. And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.

No promise is more precious than the promise of making His bride and Himself One in matrimony. And what does that entail? What does it mean to be the bride?

Revelaion 21:9 And there came unto me one of the seven angels which had the seven vials full of the seven last plagues, and talked with me, saying, Come hither, I will shew thee the bride, the Lamb’s wife.

V11 Having the glory of God: and her light was like unto a stone most precious, even like a jasper stone, clear as crystal;

V24 And the nations of them which are saved shall walk in the light of it(the bride): and the kings of the earth do bring their glory and honour into it(the bride).

V27 And there shall in no wise enter into it any thing that defileth, neither whatsoever worketh abomination, or maketh a lie: but they which are written in the Lamb’s book of life.

Revelation 22:17 And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely.

While Revelation 21 and 22 contain many descriptions I referenced only those portions which implicate us in active participation. What all that entails is still a mystery but there is something to be done for it is noted in 22:1 a bride prepared, meaning ready to be all that is required, lacking nothing. I also find it heartwarming to see the Spirit and the bride united in effort; V22:17.

Jeremiah 29:11 For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the Lord, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.

The ESV uses the term a future and a hope rather than expected end. In the Hebrew the word for end in its first primary definition means after part, which implies there is something after time which is the point of reference.

The expectation comes from the promises. Some versions speak to the hope which is a product of the promises not yet seen. Since we live in the realm of time, a future carries with it both a hope to see promises before time runs out, but this expected end is directly related to the after part, in the realm without time. Granted the promises of God seek in time will help us get to the after part with peace, security and hope, but here let us look to the promises of the hereafter.

Luke 23:43 And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, Today shalt thou be with me in paradise.

John 3:15 That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life.

John 6:54 Whoso eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day.

Romans 6:23 For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

1 Timothy 6:19 Laying up in store for themselves a good foundation against the time to come, that they may lay hold on eternal life.

Revelation 7:9 After this I beheld, and, lo, a great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues, stood before the throne, and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands;

That gets us there but what promises exist for eternal life?