What will Heaven be like?
v2
Who will go to Heaven?
How can we personally know? And be sure?
How can we personally know? And be sure?
Most people would live much more loving, fruitful and productive lives on earth if they would realize more the reality of heaven and live in light of it. We were born (again) with a destination in mind. It is time to reckon with the truth of heaven.
Heaven is the dwelling place of
God.
Heaven is where some will go at death (but others will
never see). When the spirit leaves the human body, heaven
becomes the
believer's one true, eternal Home. Those who believe in Jesus
are
meant to happily anticipate heaven each day with great fervor
and
delight. For heaven is eternal joy! Heaven is forever.
I believe contemplating heaven is both wonderful and fascinating. The Bible has many encouraging and sobering truths to share also about eternal rewards and eternal judgment. The revelation of all the ages (God's Word in the Bible) was written to reveal to our hearts a place which is eternal. We were born to go there. When we die we will.
I hope this message will stimulate you to give serious thought
(perhaps for the first time) to Heaven! (It should probably be
noted
that popular notion as well as many of the world's religions and
cult
groups typically distort clear Biblical truths about heaven and
the
basis for arriving there. So it becomes extra important for you
personally to know what God says about your intended eternal
home.
Watch out for liars and false spiritual soothsayers. Pretenders
who
do not truly know or affirm Jesus for Who He really is. (2 Tim.
3:16-17, 2:15; Prov. 30:5-6, Is. 8:19-20) Rejoice in the truth.
Search it out fully. Prepare your heart. Get your ticket.
Jesus is the Way to Heaven!
A summary of the scriptural teaching on Heaven follows...
Heaven is a place which can be
understood
and revealed.
The Bible describes times and ways which God
supernaturally gives glimpses and revelations of heaven to
people
here on the earth (see: Revelation, the last book of the Bible).
Jacob, in the Old Testament had a dream and revelation about
heaven.
(Gen. 28) Saints all through the ages have glimpsed eternity
(common,
ordinary folks like you and me who believe in Jesus). I myself
have
received two dreams which described heaven to me. In one, the
Lord
showed me Psalm 16:11 (made alive and dramatized), that heaven
is
being FILLED WITH JOY in God's Presence forever. Hallelujah!
Jesus is coming soon!
Angels (Matt. 28:2; Rev. 10:1) and - in rare circumstances - people, even prior to their deaths, have traveled to or glimpsed heaven through visions, dreams or prophetic encounters. Holy men had their eyes opened to behold or visit, to gain or share a revelation or divine encounter about heavenly places (2 Kings 2:11; 2 Cor. 12:2; Rev. 11:12).
At death, the human spirit leaves the body (Eccl. 12:2) and
goes either to heaven or hell
(Luke 16:22ff)
There is immediate conscious
existence after death, both in heaven and hell (Luke
16:22ff.;
Luke 23:43; 2 Cor. 5:8; Rev. 6:9-11; Phil. 1:23).
It may be a doubtful misunderstanding to think that
there may be a state of "soul sleep" (like purgatory) or any
time period or situation of nonalertness or unawareness
preceding heaven.
"Fallen asleep" in 1 Thessalonians 4:13 is likely describing
the person's human spirit departing from the body,
which ends conscious existence on earth. Ecclesiastes also seems
to reinforce this notion. Ecclesiastes speaks similarly when it
describes death
(as it appears from the perspective of those who dwell "under
the
sun.") Paul said, rather, that as soon as we are absent from the
body, we will
be present with the Lord. Hallelujah! (2 Cor. 5:1-11)
Additionally, 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 reports that those who
have "already fallen asleep in Christ" will be with Jesus
accompanying Him as part of the entourage of the armies of
heaven when Christ returns on the clouds with great power &
glory. Revelation 19 seems to echo & confirm
this as well!
Brothers and sisters, we do not want you to be uninformed about those who (have fallen asleep) sleep in death, so that you do not grieve like the rest of mankind, who have no hope. 14 For we believe that Jesus died and rose again, and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in him. 15 According to the Lords word, we tell you that we who are still alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will certainly not precede those who have fallen asleep. 16 For the Lord Himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. 17 After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever! 18 Therefore encourage one another with these words.
Revelation 19:11-16
11 I saw heaven standing open and there before me was a white horse, whose rider is called Faithful and True. With justice He judges and wages war. 12 His eyes are like blazing fire, and on His head are many crowns. He has a name written on Him that no one knows but He Himself. 13 He is dressed in a robe dipped in blood, and His name is the Word of God. 14 The armies of heaven were following Him, riding on white horses and dressed in fine linen, white and clean. 15 Coming out of His mouth is a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations. He will rule them with an iron scepter.[a] He treads the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God Almighty. 16 On His robe and on His thigh He has this name written:
king of kings and lord of lords.
At death the believer is ushered into heaven. Apparently,
accompanied by
angels (Luke 16:22).
Death is a relocation experience (during which
we may be accompanied by ministering angels).(Dan. 8:16-26; Luke
1:26-38; Dan. 10:13, 31; Rev. 12:1) (2 Kings 6:17) (Dan.9:21,
23;
10:12-13; Rev. 12:7) (Gen. 18-19) (Heb. 13:2, Heb. 1:14)
Heaven is the dwelling place of God's
children.
Christ promised his followers that they would live with
him forever in heaven (John 12:26; 13:36; 14:2-3).
Believers in Jesus & faithful followers of the Lord who have died now live there in His presence (Rev. 4-5; Luke 16:22, 25; Heb. 12:23). The names of Christ's redeemed are written in heaven (Luke 10:20; Heb. 12:23; Rev. 20:15).
Heaven is the Christian believer's
"country" of citizenship (Heb. 11:16; Phil. 3:20).
Christ is
our King. Eternally! Despite how earth-engrossed some of us are,
earth is only an alien "country" where believers temporarily
reside.
(1 Cor. 7:29-31) We are aliens, foreigners, pilgrims and
strangers.
(Heb. 11:3) Yet while here we are God's ambassadors on earth (2
Cor.
5:20). Healthy, fruitful living begins with remembering our stay
here
is brief. Temporary. The Bible frequently urges us to fix our
minds
and hearts on what is eternal. (Col. 3:1-4, Ps. 73:23-28)
Ambassadors
& foreigners identify themselves in heart with their home
country
(not their temporary, foreign reside). How desperately we need
to
plan our lives with this focus: ever glimpsing eternity, always
maintaining love and allegiance to our One true King, ready and
prepared for relocation to our eternal country.
God's people
need hearts which long for
heaven.
This quality of heart (longing for heaven) is
instructed all through scripture and pleases our Lord, who has
prepared a place there for us (Heb. 11:13-16; 2 Cor. 5:2). We
are
meant to live ever-anticipating heaven (Phil. 3:14; 2 Tim. 4:8).
The
Bible encourages us especially to long for His appearing (the
bodily
coming of Jesus upon the clouds in power and great glory). He is
coming soon. His Second Coming is very near. Right at the door!
Hallelujah! Heaven & the Lamb at its center are worthy of
being
regular & central to our attention. (Jn. 1:29, Revelation 5)
Our
hearts or minds are urged to be set on "things above" where
Christ is
- in heaven, not on "earthly things." (Col. 3:1-4)
Note: The popular adage about Christians being "so heavenly
minded that they are of no earthly good" is a myth. And helps
perpetuate other lies in half-hearted Christianity. On the
contrary,
most people are so EARTHLY minded they are of no heavenly or
earthly
good. C. S. Lewis said, "It is since Christians have largely
ceased
to think of the other world that they have become so ineffective
in
this one." God commands us instead to be heavenly minded.
Setting our
minds on things above helps put daily life and issues in better
perspective, frees us from discouragement and misdirected
energies
and priorities. Heavenly meditation makes us more sensitive to
Jesus,
His voice and Presence. Jesus is our power to live and be
fruitful on
earth (John 15, Heb. 11:26-27).
Heaven gives the struggling Christian
peace and a happy heart even in the midst of life's greatest
trials.
On a White horse we'll ride, we'll leave all our troubles
behind!
The above message is a compiled, updated & edited Internet
excerpt from the combined writings of 2 or 3
different brothers. This is an unofficially edited &
improved, updated compilation of messages, scriptures, studies
on the topic of heaven, amplified & extended for clarity.
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