[Music] What is your view of heaven? Do you think there is such a place? If so, is it a place of ethereal light and music where choirs worship God in a setting of awe-inspiring beauty and elaborate architecture?
Do you imagine dazzling displays of gold and silver with an array of countless precious stones? This is certainly true in a measure, but it is not the complete picture. Perhaps you see heaven as the inner surface of a huge concave dome that extends out over the entire earth.
As the edge of the dome approaches the horizon, it sometimes gives the impression that it will fall short, but it never does; it always covers the earth beneath it. Almost all inhabitants of earth have a certain impression of heaven. As we contemplate the vast possibilities, we need to bear in mind that various terms are used to describe heaven.
The single noun "heaven" emphasizes its overall unity. Other expressions seem to refer to its various aspects or parts. For example, the terms "heavenlies" or "heavenly places" suggest a number of different places, all of which are combined under the heading "heaven.
" These places may be given over at various times to different beings and different activities. In Second Corinthians 12:2-4, Paul writes: "I know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago—whether in the body, I do not know, or whether out of the body, I do not know; God knows—such a one was caught up to the third heaven. And I know such a man—whether in the body or out of the body, I do not know; God knows—how he was caught up into paradise and heard inexpressible words, which it is not lawful or not possible for a man to utter.
" This passage indicates that there are three heavens in total, one immediately above the other. The highest is what Paul describes as the third heaven. It is the place of paradise and the personal dwelling of God—the most sacred place in the universe.
It is passages such as this one that give us the concept often associated with heaven: purity or holiness. The words uttered there are so sacred that they cannot be repeated outside Paradise. Paradise is the Greek word for "garden.
" It represents God's garden in heaven. Paradise is the ultimate destination of all sinners who have truly repented and who have persevered in the life of faith. On the cross, Jesus promised the penitent thief that the two of them would be together that day in paradise, and Jesus said unto him: "Verily I say unto thee, today shalt thou be with me in paradise" (Luke 23:43).
Almost all inhabitants of the earth have an impression of heaven. The Book of Revelation introduces us to an area called the mid-heaven or the midst of heaven. To my knowledge, this describes some sort of large area in which different types of beings come and go.
The following verses express various powerful beings who proclaimed themselves from the mid-heaven: "And I looked, and I heard an angel flying through the midst of heaven"—literally, mid-heaven—"saying with a loud voice, Woe, woe, woe to the inhabitants of the earth because of the remaining blasts of the trumpet of the three angels who are about to sound" (Revelation 8:13). "Then I saw another angel flying in the midst of heaven"—literally, mid-heaven—"having the everlasting gospel to preach to those who dwell on the earth, to every nation, tribe, tongue, and people" (Revelation 14:6). "Then I saw an angel standing in the sun, and he cried with a loud voice, saying to all the birds that fly in the midst of heaven"—literally, mid-heaven—"Come and gather together for the supper of the great God" (Revelation 19:17).
The Greek word used for the mid-heaven is "mesouranema," which means precisely that: the mid-heaven. This could be the second heaven. We might assume finally that the visible heaven—the heaven that is visible to our natural eyesight—is the first heaven.
All the inhabitants of the earth are familiar with this heaven to a certain extent. What about the inhabitants of heaven? What kind of creatures are they?
The most common name they are given is "angels. " The word "angel" is derived from the Greek noun "angelos," which is the standard word for "messenger. " Therefore, angels are considered messengers sent from heaven.
However, not all angels are messengers; they have a number of other potential functions. Regardless of their tasks, they are sent forth by God for His purposes. However, Scripture lets us know that there are also evil angels sent forth by Satan for his purposes.
Sometimes there may be opposition or conflicts between the angels of God and the angels of Satan. Some of these conflicts are described in Scripture, especially in the Book of Daniel. The inescapable fact thus confronts us that our world, as we know it today, is a scene of conflict.
Furthermore, this conflict is not restricted to earth; it is also a vital factor in all that takes place in heaven. The angels sent forth by God have three main tasks. First, as already stated, they are God's messengers.
Secondly, they are God's agents sent forth to protect those who may be in danger; these are normally described as guardian angels. Matthew 18:10 states: "Take heed that ye despise not one of these little ones; for I say unto you that in heaven their angels do always behold the face of my Father, which is in heaven. " In this verse, Jesus speaks of children who have angels in heaven who continually see the face of the Father.
By implication, the Father's watchful eye directs those angels to potentially vulnerable children. In the third category are warrior angels, who are in conflict with other angels. Many Christians believe that heaven is.
. . A place of unbroken peace and harmony, elegance and worship—this may well be true of the third heaven, but it does not apply to the first and second heavens.
Some scriptures paint a different picture of what is currently happening in the second heaven. As already mentioned, it is sometimes the scene of a major conflict between warring angels, some serving God and others serving Satan. It is primarily in the heavenly regions that such conflict takes place.
It is also here that Satan pours out a stream of slanderous accusations against the Christians on earth who serve the Lord. In Revelation 12:10, I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, "Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of His Christ; for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which has accused them before our God day and night. " He is described by the angel as the accuser of our brethren, who accused them before our God day and night.
This scripture continues to predict that Satan will be cast down from heaven, but until that happens, it is clear that he is still occupying a place somewhere in the heavens and that he is filling the air with malicious accusations against the people of God. A verse that follows is a warning to the inhabitants of the earth about what they might expect when the devil is ultimately cast down from heaven to earth: "Therefore rejoice, ye heavens, and ye that dwell in them. Woe to the inhabiters of the earth and the sea!
For the devil is come down unto you, having great wrath, because he knoweth that he hath but a short time" (Revelation 12:12). These verses look forward to a period when Satan has but a short time; they may well be close at hand, but they have not yet been fulfilled. Certainly, the events described have not been fulfilled.
Therefore, we must be realistic about Satan's current activities. Many Christians habitually speak as if Satan were confined to hell, but that is not true. There are two satanic princes named Death and Hades who rule in hell, but Satan himself roams freely throughout the universe.
In Revelation 20:13, we read, "And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and Death and Hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works. " This is plainly depicted in Job 1:6-7: "Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the Lord, and Satan came also among them. And the Lord said unto Satan, 'Whence comest thou?
' Then Satan answered the Lord and said, 'From going to and fro in the earth, and from walking up and down in it. '" Many Christians habitually speak as if Satan were confined in hell, but this is not true. The main difference between earth and heaven is that this world has been corrupted by sin, but heaven has not.
Man's sin permeates the earth, and God's glory perfects heaven. God, the glory of heaven, created earth and gave it to the human race to care for and enjoy. Instead of obeying God's instructions on the things of earth, however, Adam and Eve decided to listen to Satan.
Their disobedience, their rebellion against God, separated them from fellowship with God, for "as by one man's disobedience many were made sinners" (Romans 5:19, NKJV). As a result, the disease of sin has been transmitted to every generation. The Bible says, "And God looked upon the earth, and behold, it was corrupt; for all flesh had corrupted his way upon the earth" (Genesis 6:12).
Isaiah 24:5-6 states, "The earth is also defiled under the inhabitants thereof, because they have transgressed the laws, changed the ordinance, broken the everlasting covenant. " The earth groans because it has been marred by sin. Like a crippling disease, sin distorts and devastates everything it touches.
Sin corrupts and divides, but heaven declares the glory of the Lord (Psalm 19:1). Heaven is the throne of God (Isaiah 66:1), and because He is absolutely holy and without sin, He cannot tolerate sin or look upon it without bringing judgment. The Bible says of God, "Thou art of purer eyes than to behold evil, and canst not look on iniquity.
Wherefore lookest thou upon them that deal treacherously, and holdest thy tongue when the wicked devoureth the man that is more righteous than he? " (Habakkuk 1:13). But His love is so powerful and great that He has made a way for the curse of sin to be removed—the guilt that stains our hearts and corrupts our world.
God crucified sin on the cross by the blood of Christ, who redeemed us from sin's penalty. He died in our place, taking the judgment we deserve, presenting us faultless to His Father in heaven. Jesus Christ is the Savior of the world because He is the only one who can bridge the gap between heaven and earth.
The Bible says, "By one man's obedience many will be made righteous" (Romans 5:19). It is difficult for us to admit, but we are sinners by birth, sinners by choice, and sinners by practice. The good news is that God has made a way for us to be saved by His grace (Ephesians 2:8-9), and this is His glorious gift to the people in a fallen world.
The difference between heaven and earth is that Jesus Christ left the glory of heaven and came to this sin-infested earth for one reason: to make our eternal salvation possible, and that makes all the difference to God in heaven and to us on earth. We will see many glorious sights in heaven, but the most powerful of all will be the Savior of the world and His glory. Your eyes will see the King in His beauty and view a.
Land that stretches afar (Isaiah 33:17). Jesus Christ gave us a glimpse of this when He pulled back the curtain of heaven and told the Apostle John to write down what he saw. Then I saw a Lamb.
I heard every creature in heaven singing, "To Him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be praise and honor and glory and power forever and ever" (Revelation 5:6 and 13). It is part of our human nature to want to indulge our fantasies about heaven, but God has His reasons for giving us only a taste of His eternal dwelling place. Human language is insufficient to describe such majesty.
The magnificence of earth's possessions will dim in heaven's sunlight. John could only express it with analogies: its brilliance was like that of a very precious jewel, like jasper, clear as crystal. The great street of the city was of pure gold, like transparent glass (Revelation 21:21).
And the twelve gates were twelve pearls; every several gate was of one pearl, and the street of the city was pure gold, as it were transparent glass. Here on earth, streets are covered with gravel and asphalt, and windows are made of glass, but John writes about the golden streets which are transparent. Remember that in heaven everything is made new.
Only snapshots of the things to come are given to us. We will require a heavenly transformation to comprehend such glory. The clouded things of the earth will become transparent in eternity; they are now known only to Him.
As we practice patience while waiting, let thoughts of heaven's glory fill your soul; they will sustain you until the day your eyes are fully opened. Peter tells those whose hope is heavenward, "You will receive a rich welcome into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ" (2 Peter 1:11). When He extends His arms, inviting His people in, He will turn to His Father and say, "And the glory which Thou gavest Me I have given them, that they may be one, even as we are one" (John 17:22).
We will look at His nail-scarred hands, fall at His feet, and weep with joy, praising His wonderful name. That's what we'll see in heaven. Let us pray: Dear Heavenly Father, in the mighty name of our Lord Jesus Christ, we ask You to awaken within us the fullness of Your Holy Spirit.
Assist us in developing our relationship with the Holy Spirit, living in His power, and using His gifts. Jesus gave us a promise; You told us, "But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in My name, He shall teach you all things and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you" (John 14:26). Help me learn that I don't comprehend everything and that this is okay, as the Holy Spirit knows it all.
Supply us with the Holy Spirit and His understanding of everything that is happening in our life. I ask these things in Your name. Just as the sun rises each day against the dark of night, please bring me clarity with the Holy Father's light.
Heavenly Father, grant me rest of mind and calm my troubled heart. My soul is like a stormy sea; I can't seem to find my stability. Give me the energy and clarity of mind to find my purpose and walk the path You've put out for me.
I trust Your love, God, and I know that You will help me out of this night. Just as the sun rises each day against the dark of night, please bring me clarity with the light of God. In Your name I pray.
Kind Father, we prayerfully come into Your neighborhood, asking for the power and power of Christ's mind bestowed upon me by Your Holy Spirit. Please give us the energy to stand above every test and provocation thrust my way. Cast and make me, Lord, into a genuine follower of Christ.
The Bible says in 2 Timothy 1:7, "For God hath not given us the spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind. " Develop my mind to be like Christ. Holy Spirit, live within my life and grant that I may ever abide in You.
God the Holy Spirit, have mercy on us. Strengthen me in all my difficulties. Give me Your seen gifts and allow Your twelve fruits to ripen in me.
O Holy Spirit, You seek the salvation of all human beings, and for that purpose, You want all of them to gain the knowledge of Your truth. Present to all of them Your mighty light and Your love of goodwill, that they may give glory to God in unity of faith, hope, and love. Send workers into the harvest who are truly inspired by You, who are the soul of the missionary church.
Amen. O King of Glory, send us the promise of the Father, the Spirit of Truth. May the Counselor who proceeds from You enlighten us and infuse all truth in us, as You have promised.
Amen.
