HEAVEN!
We’re going to study about heaven today. It occurred to me a few weeks ago that I don’t know a whole lot about where I’m going. After studying this I’m more fired up to be going there. One things for sure Heaven is not a boring place to be.
Many view heaven as a boring place. There view of heaven is a bunch of plump cherubim lazily floating around on clouds, droopy eyed and strumming harps. That’s nothing like heaven!
Heaven is not boring! Heaven is where the real action is! Why do I say that? Because God is the Creator. It was Melchizedek who said in:
(Gen 14:19 NIV) and he blessed Abram, saying, "Blessed be Abram by God Most High, Creator of heaven and earth.
God is the creator of Heaven and because God is the creator heaven is filled with creativity. God’s creativity is eternal. We will never be bored around God!
Heaven is Heaven Because God is there.
Have you ever said. Ahh, this is heaven. I wish this would never end. Something you felt. Something you saw. Whatever it was that wasn’t heaven, that was a beautiful feeling or a magnificent thing, but not heaven. Heaven is heaven because God is there. I John tells us that God is love. Many of us have experienced an intoxicating type love. We know the feeling. It’s beautiful. To love and be loved. To have someone enthralled with who you are. Someone that excepts us. They know our weaknesses and still cherish us, love us and want to be with us. Love is powerful. We yearn for it and will sacrifice anything to get it We want it to last. When we fall in love, we’re sick. Head over heels in love. So much excitement, so much passion, can’t wait to be with the person, joyful, happy. We call everyday, chat about nothing for hours, hang on every word, do silly things (like write on other peoples property), dream big dreams, interested in every facet of the person, it’s just beautiful. Our hearts are enthralled. Love is intoxicating and we experience all that from a sinner! As sinners our love is imperfect. In heaven we are going to be in the presence of the source of pure love and loved by God who is love!
Tozer says this about God’s love. From God’s other known attributes we may learn much about His love. We can know, for instance, that because God is self-existent, His love had no beginning; because He is eternal, His love can have no end; because He is infinite, it has no limit, because He is holy, it is the quintessence of all spotless purity, because He is immense, His love is an imcomprehensible vast, bottomless, shoreless sea before which we kneel in joyful silence and from which the loftiest eloquence retreats confused and abused. THAT’S GODS LOVE!
In heaven we’ll be loved for eternity. In heaven we’ll be loved by someone holy, pure and righteous who always puts us before himself. Heaven will be heaven because you are precious to him. He will look into your eyes, bring you close to him and love you. You will never want to leave , never want it to end and it doesn’t have to because you are with him the eternal God. We’ll be loved perfectly by God.
Heaven is also heaven because God is beautiful. He’s the creator of beauty. There are certain people we say are beautiful. We use the term drop dead gorgeous. I remember the day when I realized Tres would be my wife. Beautiful. My world stopped. Almost 19 years later I still remember where I was, where we were going (on a double date going to the movies), her clothing, her hairdo. What a beautiful experience. God will be far better though.
I mean there are people that are stunning to behold. Stop staring! God made them all. Every one is a personal design of his. God knows beauty. He knows what drop dead gorgeous means. Of course God is the ultimate in beauty because he did tell Moses in Exo 33:20 But," he said, "you cannot see my face, for no one may see me and live." The beauty of God is so stunning, so holy that we would literally drop dead if we saw him. In heaven we won’t grow tired of looking at God. He’ll probably have to help us not to just stare at Him for a million years!
Look at what revelation says about heaven!
Rev 4:1 After this I looked, and there before me was a door standing open in heaven. And the voice I had first heard speaking to me like a trumpet said, "Come up here, and I will show you what must take place after this." At once I was in the Spirit, and there before me was a throne in heaven with someone sitting on it. And the one who sat there had the appearance of jasper and carnelian. A rainbow, resembling an emerald, encircled the throne. Surrounding the throne were twenty-four other thrones, and seated on them were twenty-four elders. They were dressed in white and had crowns of gold on their heads. From the throne came flashes of lightning, rumblings and peals of thunder. Before the throne, seven lamps were blazing. These are the seven spirits of God. Also before the throne there was what looked like a sea of glass, clear as crystal. In the center, around the throne, were four living creatures, and they were covered with eyes, in front and in back. The first living creature was like a lion, the second was like an ox, the third had a face like a man, the fourth was like a flying eagle. Each of the four living creatures had six wings and was covered with eyes all around, even under his wings. Day and night they never stop saying: "Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty, who was, and is, and is to come." Whenever the living creatures give glory, honor and thanks to him who sits on the throne and who lives for ever and ever, the twenty-four elders fall down before him who sits on the throne, and worship him who lives for ever and ever. They lay their crowns before the throne and say: "You are worthy, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they were created and have their being."
Jewels, Rainbows, Multiple Thrones and Elders, Lighting, Thunder and Lamps, Spirits, Sea of Glass and Weird Creatures, Glory, Honor, Thanks and Power, Scroll, Seals and The Lion and The Tribe of Judah, The Lamb of God.
It’s hard to relate to some of that isn’t it but that’s o.k. God will help us understand it. Let’s look at a few:
FACTS ABOUT HEAVEN
Heaven is above us
(1 Ki 8:23 NIV) and said: "O LORD, God of Israel, there is no God like you in heaven above or on earth below—
Gods Holy Dwelling Place
(Deu 26:15 NIV) Look down from heaven, your holy dwelling place, and bless your people Israel and the land you have given us as you promised on oath to our forefathers, a land flowing with milk and honey."
Heaven is His Sanctuary
(Psa 102:19 NIV) "The LORD looked down from his sanctuary on high, from heaven he viewed the earth,
His Throne Is In Heaven
(Psa 103:19 NIV) The LORD has established his throne in heaven, and his kingdom rules over all. Heaven is His Throne
(Isa 66:1 NIV) This is what the LORD says: "Heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool. Where is the house you will build for me? Where will my resting place be?
There are stars and Constellations in Heaven
Isa 13:9 See, the day of the LORD is coming --a cruel day, with wrath and fierce anger-- to make the land desolate and destroy the sinners within it. The stars of heaven and their constellations will not show their light. The rising sun will be darkened and the moon will not give its light.
A Lofty Throne, Holy and Glorious
(Isa 63:15 NIV) Look down from heaven and see from your lofty throne, holy and glorious. Where are your zeal and your might? Your tenderness and compassion are withheld from us.
Heaven has Laws
(Jer 33:25 NIV) This is what the LORD says: ’If I have not established my covenant with day and night and the fixed laws of heaven and earth,
Angels are in Heaven
(Mark 13:32 NIV) "No one knows about that day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father.
Jesus Sits At Gods Right Hand in Heaven
(Mark 16:19 NIV) After the Lord Jesus had spoken to them, he was taken up into heaven and he sat at the right hand of God.
God Opened Heaven
(Luke 3:21 NIV) When all the people were being baptized, Jesus was baptized too. And as he was praying, heaven was opened
Saints Names are written in heaven
Luke 10:1 After this the Lord appointed seventy-two others and sent them two by two ahead of him to every town and place where he was about to go. He told them, "The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field. Go! I am sending you out like lambs among wolves. Do not take a purse or bag or sandals; and do not greet anyone on the road. "When you enter a house, first say, ’Peace to this house.’ If a man of peace is there, your peace will rest on him; if not, it will return to you. Stay in that house, eating and drinking whatever they give you, for the worker deserves his wages. Do not move around from house to house. "When you enter a town and are welcomed, eat what is set before you. Heal the sick who are there and tell them, ’The kingdom of God is near you.’ But when you enter a town and are not welcomed, go into its streets and say,
Luke 10:11 ’Even the dust of your town that sticks to our feet we wipe off against you. Yet be sure of this: The kingdom of God is near.’
Luke 10:12 I tell you, it will be more bearable on that day for Sodom than for that town.
Luke 10:13 "Woe to you, Korazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the miracles that were performed in you had been performed in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago, sitting in sackcloth and ashes.
Luke 10:14 But it will be more bearable for Tyre and Sidon at the judgment than for you.
Luke 10:15 And you, Capernaum, will you be lifted up to the skies? No, you will go down to the depths.
Luke 10:16 "He who listens to you listens to me; he who rejects you rejects me; but he who rejects me rejects him who sent me."
Luke 10:17 The seventy-two returned with joy and said, "Lord, even the demons submit to us in your name."
Luke 10:18 He replied, "I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven.
Luke 10:19 I have given you authority to trample on snakes and scorpions and to overcome all the power of the enemy; nothing will harm you.
Luke 10:20 However, do not rejoice that the spirits submit to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven."
Jesus has all authority in heaven
(Mat 28:18 NIV) Then Jesus came to them and said, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.
Treasure in Heaven
Mat 13:44 "The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field. When a man found it, he hid it again, and then in his joy went and sold all he had and bought that field.
Kingdom of heaven belongs to little children
(Mat 19:14 NIV) Jesus said, "Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these."
Eternal Pleasures In Heaven
Psa 16:11 You have made known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand.
We have a few pleasures here on earth, but it’s nothing like we’ll experience in Heaven! And we’ll experience it for eternity.
Eternal Blessings In Heaven
Psa 21:1 For the director of music. A psalm of David. O LORD, the king rejoices in your strength. How great is his joy in the victories you give! You have granted him the desire of his heart and have not withheld the request of his lips. Selah You welcomed him with rich blessings and placed a crown of pure gold on his head. He asked you for life, and you gave it to him-- length of days, for ever and ever. Through the victories you gave, his glory is great; you have bestowed on him splendor and majesty. Surely you have granted him eternal blessings and made him glad with the joy of your presence. For the king trusts in the LORD; through the unfailing love of the Most High he will not be shaken.
Eternal Glory In Heaven
2 Cor 4:17 For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.
Our troubles are actually doing something for us. They are achieving something for us, glory. An eternal glory! Glory to God!
Eternal Encouragement In Heaven
2 Th 2:16 May our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our Father, who loved us and by his grace gave us eternal encouragement and good hope.
Oh how I long to be in a place where there’s no discouragement. Just think we’ll be eternally encouraged by God! But there’s also:
No Death, Mourning, Crying or Pain In Heaven
Rev 21:1 Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea. I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, "Now the dwelling of God is with men, and he will live with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away." He who was seated on the throne said, "I am making everything new!" Then he said, "Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true."
How about being in a place where there’s the absence of anything or anyone evil.
God says: I am making everything new!
New music, 100 harmonies, Colors, Instruments, trees, rivers, lakes, oceans.
What do we do with all this? I believe we need to do what the scriptures say Col 3:1
Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things.
Peter says in: (2 Pet 3:13 NIV) That he was looking forward:
But in keeping with his promise we are looking forward to a new heaven and a new earth, the home of righteousness.
Let us praise God for heaven and how glorious it will be to get there! Amen!!
