PRESENT HEAVEN
Nature of Present Heaven
Gen. 3:18; 1 Thess. 4:17-18; Luke 23:43; Eph. 1:10; Rev. 4:1-2; 2 Cor. 5:8; Luke16:22-31
I want to provide a summary of what we, as believers, go through to get to our permanent Home.
We are in the Church Age now. This is the period of time that the “church” is on earth. It started 50 days after Jesus’ resurrection and was on the Jewish Holiday of Pentecost. The Church Age will end when the Church is raptured- all believers that are alive at that time will go to Heaven with Jesus. The Church Age is divided into 7 periods which are described and represented by the 7 churches in Revelations Chapters 2 & 3. These describes in the visions that John gets about the future churches also- not only past churches to John. Most of these church periods have happened since but that is a significant subject for another time. In chapter 4 of Revelations John goes to Heaven (it says John “changes” into a spirit or different form) and this is symbolic of the rapture. The Rapture will occur on the fifth feast day, what is called Trumpets in Revelations. Then the Tribulation will begin and last for 7 years. The second coming of Jesus will occur at the end of the Tribulation and we will follow Jesus to earth. Evil is overcome and Satan is bound and removed from earth. This starts the Millennium (1000 years). The Millennium is a time where Jesus walks the earth to further cleanse it, which began upon when He returned, and to provide a time for even more to become believers. More about the Millennium later.
1 Thessalonians 4:17-18- This Scripture is all about the Rapture. It states that we who are alive will be caught up in the clouds with the Lord and will be with Him forever. The Second Coming in Revelations 19:11 says we follow Him when He returns. So, this Thessalonian passage further defines how many will enter the Present Heaven.
Ephesians 1;10- It starts with Earth under sin and the Curse but once this aberration is corrected, Heaven and Earth will be fully compatible again.
Luke 23:43- “Today you will be with me in paradise”, clearly Present Heaven.
Luke 16:22-31- Tells that Lazarus is conscious in Heaven or Hell.
2 Corinthians 5:8- Tells the spiritual part of us relocations to a conscious existence in Heaven – clearly temporary Heaven. Also, Daniel 12:2-3.
Genesis 3:8- God came down to walk with Adam and Eve instead of taking them directly to Heaven. Says God was not ready to establish the permanent Heaven.
Read Rev. 4:1-2 to determine what it is saying.
Present Heaven Physical Place
Phil. 1:23; John 14:23; Daniel 12:2-3; 2 Cor. 5:8; 2 Kings 2:11; Heb. 9:11, 16, 24; Rev. 2:7
While God does not need a physical place, as finite humans we do. So, can people, being by natural both spiritual and physical, dwell in a realm without physical properties.
Read 2 Kings 2:11; Hebrews 9:11,16, 24; Daniel 12:2-3; Philippians 1:23; John 14:23 to check what they say about a physical place in Present Heaven.
Revelation 2:7 states, “To him who overcomes, I will give the right to eat from the tree of life, which is in the paradise of God.” The same physical tree of life that was in the Garden of Eden will one day be in the New Jerusalem on the New Earth (Rev. 22:2). Now it is (present tense) in the intermediate or present heaven.
There are so many more verses that gives us evidence that this will be a physical place, – Genesis 5:24 and Hebrews 8:5. Can you think of others?
CHRISTIAN END TIMES AND PROPHECY
Here is a website with a great section on End Times and Prophecy information, tips, and helps for all ages and situations. It also provides Christian faith, parenting and fashions in many other areas for you and/or family.
