What will Heaven be Like?
by
Randy A. Croft
For several years, I taught a group of high school students some of the basics of Egyptian life. We studied the Egyptian worldview concerning their gods, about the afterlife, and why they took such great detail with the pyramid design and mummification process. And they kept some of these details secret for thousands of years.
One secret was cracked, however, on November 26, 1922. Archeologist Howard Carter, and his wealthy friend, Lord Carnavon, broke a time honored seal of an Egyptian tomb and found a 3000 year old secret--the treasures of a boy king, Tutankhamun. They were astounded at the immense wealth they found, and the manner in which this tomb was largely intact-- undisturbed by tomb raiders. A life sized statue of King Tut--who ruled from age 9 till his death at 19 years of age, stood at the door of the burial chamber as if guarding it from predators.
Inside they found his well preserved mummy, they found jewels, chests, ivory, golden furniture, and other priceless items. There were more than 5000 priceless treasures found in King Tut’s tomb and it took over 9 years to remove all the objects and transfer them to the Egyptian museum at Cairo.
What makes this all so interesting, is that King Tut’s tomb could have very well been the tomb of someone we are all familiar with. Only 200 years before Tut ruled Egypt, the Israelites were slaves. And during this time of oppression--a young man named Moses was a growing prince in the land. He had been trained by the Egyptian leaders to be the next successor to the throne. He was educated and trained and extremely wealthy. Some of us don’t realize how wealthy Moses was. He could have anything his heart desired. Slaves--from his own people. Power, influence. It was his for the taking if he chose. He would lead Egypt and one day be buried in the valley of the Kings, like King Tut, with priceless treasures. But the story doesn’t go that way for Moses. Because, even though the life of ease and wealth were attractive, they couldn’t compare to a future of hardship and pain, and trial.
What do you mean? Anyone with common sense would choose luxury, success, and wealth over trials, problems, and pain, right?
Heb 11:24,25 By faith, Moses when he was come to years, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter; Choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season.
Moses looked beyond the earthly world to the heavenly world. He wanted to be part of that city "whose builder and maker is God." He looked beyond the life of pleasure, ease, and luxury, to a world of lasting significance...and we must do the same.
Maybe you have been asking "Has it been worth it?" Has my life of sacrifice and prayers and commitment to God really been worth it? We look around and see the wicked prospering, just like king David did and ask, "Lord, is it really worth it?" We see the challenge of growing our church and ask "Lord, is it worth it?" We see the life of sacrifice, and adversity, and even denial and wonder "Lord, is it worth it?" Is it? Are the frustrations we as a church face and you personally battle, really worth it? Is it worth it?
John 14:1-3. Jesus said, "Let not your heart be troubled....I go to prepare a place for you. I will come again"
I Cor 2:9 "Eye has not seen nor ear heard, nor entered into the heart of man, the things which God has prepared for them that love him."
I Cor 13 says "we see through a glass darkly, but then face to face."
The reason we face discouragement and depression, like Moses did, like Elijah did, like Job did, is because we don’t see the whole picture. We can’t even imagine the good life God has waiting for us on the other side. If we really knew the glories of heaven, we wouldn’t be discouraged, we wouldn’t shy away from problems, we wouldn’t fret so much.
Marco Polo, the famous explorer, returned to Venice after his journeys in the Orient. His close friends thought he had gone mad..Crazy. Especially when Marco Polo began to tell his friends the things he saw on his excursions. He told them of traveling to a city full of silver and gold.
*He’d seen black stones that burned, but no one had ever heard of coal before--they thought he was crazy.
* He’d seen a cloth that refused to catch fire, but no one ever heard of asbestos.
* He talked about huge serpents ten paces long with jaws wide enough to swallow a man, but no one had ever seen a crocodile before.
* He saw nuts as large as a man’s head full of delicious milk, but no one had ever seen a coconut before.
* He saw a substance spurting from the ground that actually set lamps alight, but no one ever knew about crude oil. They just laughed at him.
Years later, when Marco Polo lay dying, a devout man was at his side and was urging him to recant all the tall tales he’d told. But Marco refused: "It’s all true--every bit of it. In fact, I have not told half of what I saw."
God has not even told us half of what he has waiting for us in heaven. We can’t get too discouraged in this life. Who cares about the momentary frustrations and trials, because soon you and I are going to be eating together at the kings table, walking down streets of gold, drinking from the fresh, clear, clean water of life, and hearing the voice of Jesus. Who cares! Who cares! God cares, that’s why He’s got a party waiting. Cast all you cares on Him. He’s big enough. Do you hear me? The trials of this present time aren’t even worthy to be compared to the glory that will be revealed in us. The temporary set backs and trials and struggles we face, can not even come close to the glorious riches God has in store for us, so when you get down. Real down. Real low--keep you eyes fixed on your Savior. Keep your eyes on Him and His heaven. Jesus was a carpenter on earth, and He’s still a builder in heaven--preparing a place for you and He can’t wait for you to be there with him. Let’s take a short peek at what kind of place Jesus is building for you. He signified it to his servant John while John was isolated on the lonely island of Patmos. Not much of a house there.
I can imagine the frustration of John the Revelator as God gave him a glimpse of heaven and now he was supposed to write down a description of what he saw. How could he...but he tried.
Rev 22:1-5 healing of nations--no more sickness. Isa 33:24 says "The inhabitants shall not say ’I am sick’". But even though, no more cancer, arthritis, rheumatism, toothaches, or Alzheimer--we will still bear the stamp of physical degeneration in our stature. Bible describes giants in the land 12-15 feet tall. No one know for sure, but Adam could be at least 15-18 feet tall. Here we are 5-6 feet tall. Sure we’ll be in our glorified bodies, but the bible also says in Mal 4:2 that the Son of Righteousness has healing in his wings and we’ll grow up as the calves of the stall. Little children who died, will not arise as adults, but will grow up in heaven. It will be wonderful. I’ve always wanted to dunk a basketball and soon I’ll be able to do it without even getting on my tiptoes.
How many of you own your own home? Most make payments. But Matt 5:5 says the meek will inherit the earth. But we will also live in a city. A huge city. How huge?
Rev 21:1-5, 10-27.
12 tribes and 12 apostles. This signifies all of God’s people in the Old and the New covenants.
Verse 16--Perfect square. ___________miles long and wide.
Verse 17--200 feet thick.
Verse 22--No more temple.
Verse 23--No more day or night. Verse 25--No more night there.
Verse 27--Book of Life. There is a book of Life. And the books are being investigated by untold beings in the universe. Daniel speaks of the final judgment by saying, "The books were opened." Is your name in the Lamb’s book of life. If you have total faith in Christ and none in yourself for salvation, you can be assured by the words of the Bible, that your name is written in that book. But how do you really know for sure? How do you know that you hold a ticket to heaven?
2 Cor 5:1-5--The Holy Spirit is a guarantee of our new home. Keep in touch with the Spirit. Follow the Spirit’s guiding. Read the Bible so the Spirit can lead you into more truth. Obey the Scriptures so you don’t quench the Holy Spirit. Tell your neighbors about your faith so you will be used by the Spirit, and pray everyday so you can have intercession by the Spirit. And have faith and assurance, from the Comforter, that you will, through the grace of Jesus, be in heaven one day soon. And pray to God that we will all be there together at the King’s banqueting table.
If we are walking in the Spirit we may have confidence and assurance that Jesus will come back for us. I can’t wait for that day, can you?
