Category Archives: Thoughts on Heaven

OUR SUPER BODIES

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   https://youtu.be/4ddvYB4e2xU

       (Some Scriptures will apply to more than one section)

  1. Resurrection of Our Bodies – Job 19:25-26; Isa. 26:19; Daniel 12:2; Psa. 16:10; John 11:25-26; 1 Thess. 4:16; 1 Cor. 15:35-38; Acts 26:8; Romans 8:23-24

      There are those who seem to believe our heavenly bodies will be like the disembodied spirits written about in Dicken’s A Christmas Carol that terrified Ebenezer Scrooge. And further many believe that these bodies will not be what they once were and not be recognizable. However, unless we truly grasp the Resurrection, we won’t believe that we will continue to be ourselves in the afterlife-only better. Job 19:26-27 states, “For I know that my Redeemer lives, and He shall stand at last on the earth; and after my skin is destroyed, this I know, that in my flesh I shall see God”. Isaiah said, “Your dead shall live; together with my dead body they shall arise. Awake and sing, you who dwell in dust; for your dew is like the dew of herbs, and the earth shall cast out the dead” (Isaiah 26:19).  Then in Daniel 12:2 (NIV) it is recorded “Multitude who sleep in the dust of the earth will awake; some to everlasting life, others to shame and everlasting contempt”. David said, “Because you will not abandon me to the realm of the dead, nor will you let your faithful one see decay” (Psalm 16:10, NIV).

          Jesus said, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live. And whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die” (John 11:25-26). The apostle Paul later amplified on this by telling us, “For the Lord Himself will descend from Heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first” (1 Thessalonians 4:16). Then under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, answered two questions posed to him by some of the Christians in the city of Corinth: “How are the dead raised up? And with what body do they come?” (1 Corinthians 15:35). In verse 15:36 Paul states: “Foolish one, what you sow is not made alive unless it dies”. What Paul was saying in essence was- You can’t have a resurrection if you don’t die! Even Enoch and Elijah were “dead to this world” although they both were raptured to heaven without the physical dead of this earth.  Acts 26:8 states: “Why is it considered incredible among you people if God does raise the dead?” (NASB). And finally, for this section, Romans 8:23-24, “Not only so, but we ourselves, who have the first fruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption to sonship, the redemption of our bodies. For in this hope we were saved. But hope that is seen is no hope at all. Who hopes for what they already have?” (NIV).

       The Bible teaches the reality of an afterlife from cover to cover, and its teachings change the way we think about death. This clearly teaches that our bodies will be resurrected by the same Holy Spirit that resurrected Jesus from the dead.

  • Indestructible Bodies – 1 Cor. 15:42-44; Rom. 6:8-9; Luke 24:39-43; Luke 9:28-30; Daniel 12:3; Matt. 13:43; Phil. 3:20-21; 1 Peter 5:1-4; Acts 1:8-10; 1 John 3:2;
  • Corinthians 15:42-44 gives us several certainties about our glorified bodies:
  • Our new bodies will be raised in incorruption, so they will be indestructible.
  • They will be raised in glory, so they will be identifiable.
  • They will be raised in power, so they will be incredible.

Let’s read these two verses.

     Our present bodies wear out and grow old, but our new resurrection bodies will never wear out or grow old. They will have no capacity for deterioration or decay. Our new body will be designed for eternity. It will never wear out and never die; it will outlive the stars. The exclamation point to this truth is found in Romans 6:8-9 (NIV), where the resurrection body of Jesus is described: “Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with Him. For we know that since Christ was raised from the dead, He cannot die again, death no longer has mastery over Him.”

     The risen Christ said, “Look at My hands and My feet. It is I Myself! Touch Me and see; a ghost does not have flesh and bones, as you can I have” (Luke 24:39). What does this tell us about our super body? It says that we will have flesh and bone after we are resurrected. We are resurrected when Jesus comes again. It also says that Jesus did not become someone else; He remained who He was before His resurrection, just changed enough to pass through the closed locked doors when He appeared to the disciples on that first night after His resurrection (John 20:19).  So, we also will be the same person- just changed in our indestructible body. We may even be able to pass through closed doors or walls- although that is not spelled out in the Scriptures.

     Our new bodies may actually have a luminescent quality to them. In Exodus 34:29, Moses spent time with the Lord and something unusual happened to him. His face became radiant and began to shine. The same thing happened to Jesus on the Mount of Transfiguration (Luke 9:28-30). In Revelation 21, we are told the entire city of Jerusalem will be luminescent, brightly illumined by the light that radiates from the resurrected Christ. Daniel 12:3 says the resurrected saints “shall like the brightness of the firmament”. Matthew 13:43 says, “Then the righteous will shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father.”  1 Peter 5:1-4:  “To the elders among you, I appeal as a fellow elder and a witness of Christ’s sufferings who also will share in the glory to be revealed: 2 Be shepherds of God’s flock that is under your care, watching over them—not because you must, but because you are willing, as God wants you to be; not pursuing dishonest gain, but eager to serve; 3 not lording it over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock. 4 And when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the crown of glory that will never fade away.” This speaks of sharing in the glory of Christ and receiving the glory that tells us again we will be indestructible.

  Acts 1:8-10 states that the times and seasons were not to be known by the disciples, but to be kept a secret by the Father: that they should tarry at Jerusalem, and in a few days be baptized with the Holy Ghost, and receive such power, abilities, strength, and courage thereby, as to bear a noble testimony for Christ, not only there, but in all the world; and when he had given them a fresh commission, and told them where they should go, what they should preach, and what miracles they should perform, and blessed them. This power would be the Holy Spirit and that is what Jesus promised us as believers. This is the glory the Lord Jesus had in His glorious body and it is the pattern for the glory we will have in our own bodies when we are resurrected. Philippians 3:20-21 makes that clear: “For our citizenship is in heaven, from which we also eagerly wait for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform our lowly body that it may be conformed to His glorious body, according to the working by which He is able even to subdue all things to Himself.”

  • Recognizable to Others – 1 Cor. 13:12; Luke 16:19-31; Matt. 8:11; Luke 15:6:10; 2 Cor. 5:6-10; Luke 24:39; John 21:4-7; 1 Cor. 15:49; John 21:12-13; John 20:27; John 20:19; 1 John 3:2

Let’s begin this area with some Scriptures that speak of how the resurrected body of Jesus was recognizable. Read 1 Cor. 15:49; John 21:12-13; John 20:27; John 20:19; 1 John 3:2; Luke 24:39; John 21:4-7. This is a very clear indication that we will also be recognizable.

     When we get to heaven, we are going to know all of the people we met here on earth and it is unthinkable that in heaven we will know less than we do here- in fact we will really know more. The Bible says, “For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part, but then I shall know just as I also am known” (1 Corinthians 13:12). We will have a greater sense of recognition in heaven than we have ever had here on this earth. When Moses and Elijah appeared out of heaven to stand with Christ on the Mount of Transfiguration, the disciples instinctively recognized Moses and Elijah as real people. When Jesus described heaven in Matthew 8:11, He said, “And I say to you that many will come from the east and west, and sit down with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven.”

Luke tells a story about Lazarus that tells all will remember the events of their time on earth and they will be recognizable whether in heaven or hell.  The teaching behind here is that Jesus plainly used this story to teach that after death the unrighteous are eternally separated from God, that they remember their rejection of the Gospel, that they are in torment, and that their condition cannot be remedied. In Luke 16:19-31, whether parable or literal account, Jesus clearly taught the existence of heaven and hell as well as the deceitfulness of riches to those who trust in material wealth. The rich man, Lazarus and Abraham all know who each person really was no matter where they were- heaven or hell.  

  • Corinthians 5:6-10 says it differently but with the same general thought: “Therefore, we are always confident and know that as long as we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord. 7 For we live by faith, not by sight. 8 We are confident, I say, and would prefer to be away from the body and at home with the Lord. 9 So we make it our goal to please him, whether we are at home in the body or away from it. 10 For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each of us may receive what is due us for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad.” The key thought here for our purposes is that we must be recognizable to be able to be judged by Jesus. Luke 15:6-10 tells us that Jesus rejoices over one saved and comes to Him.
  • Infinite Bodies – 1 Cor. 15:45; 1 John 1:1-2; 1 Peter 5:7; Rom. 6:23; Hebrews 6:4; Eph. 2:8; 1 Thess. 4:13-18; 1 Cor. 6:2-3; Rom. 8:17-18; 1 Peter 5:4

We have talked about 1 Corinthians 15:42-44 but now comes verse 45. So, it is written, “The first MAN, Adam, BECAME A LIVING SOUL. The last Adam became a life-giving spirit.” The last Adam is Christ. What this is telling us is that Adam was a living soul – with an infinite body and that Christ is a living spirit and so will we. Jesus rose from the dead with the physical body that was crucified. The apostle John began his first epistle by saying, “That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, concerning the Word of life- the life was manifested, and we have seen, and bear witness, and declare to you that eternal life which was with the Father and was manifested” (1 John 1:1-2). Jesus had a material body and we are going to have bodies just like Him- so we are NOT going to have ghost-like, specter bodies. That is what 1 Corinthians 15 is saying. Specifically, that we will have real bodies that no longer will be controlled by the physical appetites but controlled by the Holy Spirit.

       1 Peter 5:7: “Casting all your anxiety upon him, because he cares for you”. The thought here contrasts the living and true God with the dumb idol gods of paganism who had no feeling, concern, or interest of any kind whatever in their worshipers. Even those pagan gods and goddesses which were supposed to be more glorious were always represented as being far off from their devotees, and as having no care whatever for them. It is one of the most glorious teachings of the Bible that God, yes, even the Almighty God, loves his children, is concerned and interested in their welfare; and his eyes are always upon his beloved. 1 Peter 5:4 (which we looked at previously) states “And when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the crown of glory that will never fade away.” Yet 1-another promise that our glorified bodies are infinite and will not fade away.

        Romans 6:23 states that eternal life is the “gift” of God. Hebrews 6:4 calls it “the heavenly gift”. Ephesians 2:8 says, “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God”. To break this down a bit, it tells us that we cannot buy a glorified supernatural body. The Lord wants to give it to you for free, by grace and through faith. This gift is for infinite bodies- forever. 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 is the passage that gives the assurance of the

Rapture. It tells that every Christian who is still alive will be snatched up with Jesus in the air, and their bodies will likewise be instantaneously transformed. Then all will be ushered into heaven by the Lord Himself with glorified bodies patterned after our risen and glorified Christ. This is a promise of infinite bodies.

        Romans 8:16-18: “The Spirit Himself testifies with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, heirs also, heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him so that we may also be glorified with Him. Yet what we suffer now is nothing compared to the glory he will reveal to us later.” How great a promise is this for a glorified infinite (forever) body?

Then in 1 Corinthians 6:2-3: “Or do you not know that the Lord’s people will judge the world? And if you are to judge the world, are you not competent to judge trivial cases? Do you not know that we will judge angels? How much more the things of this life!”   Believers will judge the world one day in the future (Daniel 7:22; Matthew 19:28; Revelation 20:4). If they have this massive responsibility in the future, it is only logical that they can judge on a much smaller scale an issue between two believers. Christians have the capacity to move beyond “my friend, right or wrong.” However, this tells us something we may not know or have overlooked – we will be a bit higher than the angels in heaven! And if this doesn’t confirm that we will be infinite forever, I don’t know what does.

REVELATION: PRESENT HEAVEN-#1

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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. 

GREAT BIBLICAL PROPHECY

REVELATION: WHAT’S UP WITH HEAVEN

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HEAVEN: WHAT’S UP WITH HEAVEN

  1. Will Heaven Be boring?

Psalm 71:19; Isaiah 40:12-28; Phil. 3:20-21; Heb. 9:24

In the Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, Mark Twain writes about a view of Heaven. The Christian spinster, Miss Watson takes a dim view of Heaven. Huck said: She went on and told me all about a good place (Heaven).  She said all a body would have to do there was said was go around all day with a harp and sing, forever and ever. Huck continued: So, I didn’t think much of it and I don’t even play the harp. I asked Miss Watson if she reckoned Tom Sawyer would go there, and she said, not by a considerable sight. I was glad about that, because I wanted him and me to be together. The pious Miss Watson had nothing to say about Heaven that appealed to Huck. And if we are honest, nothing that appeals to us.

There another story about Randy Alcorn talking to a pastor about Heaven. The pastor said he would not bring a message about Heaven to the pulpit because it made him sad because he just couldn’t think about just floating on a cloud all day. There are several theologians who have stated of that view of Heaven that they pity the man who never thinks accurately about Heaven. This sounds a bit like Mr. T- “I pity the fool”. There is a lot of theological neglect of Heaven and most people have never heard a sermon on Heaven-  especially as we will view it.

There are many Scriptures that provide a very good picture of our beginning look at what Heaven is really like, but let’s start with the following: Hebrews 9:24; Psalm 71:19; Isaiah 40:12-28; and Philippians Heaven- and 3:20-21.   These tell of God’s presence, God’s creation, and God’s love.

2. Are You Looking Forward to Heaven?

John 14:1-3; Phil. 1:21,23; 2 Cor. 5:6,8

Jonathan Edwards, a great Puritan preacher, often spoke of Heaven. He is quoted: “It becomes us to spend this life only as a journey toward Heaven…to which we should subordinate all other concerns of life. Why should we labor for or set our hearts on anything else, but that which is our proper end and true happiness?” This follows what I have often said that this life is just our pre-life; the real life is in Heaven.

Let’s go to these verses for some perspective: John 14:1-3; Philippians 1:21, 23; and 2 Corinthians 5:6, 8. John tells us that Jesus is going to prepare a place for us and return to get us. Paul tells us he is longing to be with Jesus in Philippians. In Corinthians, Paul says we are not at home in these bodies and prefer to be away from these bodies.

HEAVEN IS MENTIONED OVER 600 TIMES IN THE BIBLE- FAIRLEY WELL SPLIT 300 TIMES EACH IN BOTH THE OLD AND NEW TESTAMENTS.

Are there other verses you like that says we are looking to Heaven?

3. Is Heaven Beyond Our Imagination?

2 Tim. 2:7; Psalm 119:18, 1 Cor. 2:9,13; 2 Cor. 12:2-4

When Marco Polo returned to Italy from the court of Kublai Khan, he described a world his audience had never seen- one that could not be understood without the eyes of imagination. Not that China was an imaginary realm, but it was very different from Italy. Yet as two locations on planet earth inhabited by humans, they had much in common. It gave some reference points of the two locations that helped for understanding. The writers of Scripture present Heaven in many ways, including as a garden, a city, and a kingdom. Because of these references, they offer us a bridge to understanding Heaven.

So, let’s look at the following scriptures: 2 Tim. 2:7; Psalm 119:18, 1 Cor. 2:9,13; 2 Cor. 12:2-4. Paul writes in Timothy that the Lord will help us understand these things. Psalm says that the writer asks God to open his eyes to see the “wonderful truths”. 1 Cor. 2:9 says that no one can see, hear, or mind can imagine what God has prepared. Verse 13 states that no human wisdom can tell us these things- they come from the Spirit. In 2 Corinthians, Paul talks about the third Heaven that only God could know. (More on the third Heaven later).

4.Can You Know You’re Going to Heaven?

Rev. 21:27; Romans 6:23; John 3:16; 1 John 1:9; Eph. 2:8-9

Ancient cities kept rolls of their citizens. Guards were poised at the city gates to keep our criminals and enemies by checking their names against the list. While today, we don’t keep lists on which to check; however, this is exactly the context found in Revelation 21:27. “Nothing impure will ever enter (the city), not will anyone who does what is shameful or deceitful, but only those names are written in the Lamb’s book of life.”

1 John 1:9 tells us one of the best methods to know we are going to Heaven. Forgiveness is established by our confession. I know we all can quote John 3:16- Jesus gave His life for our sins. Romans 6:23 tells us that the “wages of sin is death” and eternal life is a gift from God through Jesus Christ. Finally, in this section, Ephesians 2:8-9 “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith- and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God- not by works, so that no one can boast.”

5. Will Anything Prevent Believers From Going To Heaven?

Many religions and people talk about the “unforgivable sin”. Some say it is suicide, some others attempt to make a list or type of people who can’t be forgiven. The Bible teaches if a person is a true believer is Jesus, confesses their sins, and prays to receive Jesus as their savior they can’t be “snatched” out of the hands of God. It is stated in John 10:28-29: “I give them eternal life and they will never parish. No one can snatch them away from me, for My Father has given them to Me, and He is more powerful than anyone else. No one can snatch them from the Father’s hand.” So, suicide, cremation, being blown apart, or anything else can prevent the true believer from going to Heaven.

Jesus, in Matthew 12:31-32, says there is one, and only one, unforgiven sin. “Every sin and blasphemy can be forgiven- except blasphemy against the Holy Spirit, which will never be forgiven. Any one who speaks against the Son of Man can be forgiven, but anyone who speaks against the Holy Spirit will never be forgiven, either in this world or in the world to come.”

6.Unveiling the Mystery

Rev. 1:1-6, Psalm 103:10-12; Acts 17:11; Luke 11:23

Psalm 103:10-12 says God doesn’t punish us for our sins but has unfailing love for us. In Luke 11:23 Jesus tells us that anyone who not working with Him is against Him. Acts 17:11 Paul reports that those in Thessalonica were open-minded and listens to the Gospel to help them know the mystery of salvation. Paul often talked about the mystery of the word or gospel.  Then in Revelations Jesus stated that the New Testament is about unveiling the mystery of what had been hidden.

The first six verses of Revelation 1 set the stage for all of Revelation and prepares us for the Coronation of a Savior- Jesus!!

REVELATIONS 1:1-6

1:1– The Revelation of Jesus. In the N.T. revelation (unveiling of a mystery) is always used of a divine unveiling of something that has been hidden. Here Jesus is the one who discloses “what must soon take place” – and in the process reveals something of His glory.

1:2-3– Blessing. The “one who reads” and “those who hear” refer to a public reading of the book in church. Because this is “prophecy”, in the sense of divine revelation, it merits immediate acceptance as Scripture. Because the revelation comes directly from the risen Jesus, it is of utmost importance.

1:4- The seven churches. All seven were in the Roman province of Asia, now Asia Minor. They are listed in 1:11, and a message directed to each is found in Rev. 2 and 3. It describes the churches of John’s day- but they are also present churches, with good and bad qualities- all during the Church Age, which is from Pentecost (50 days after Jesus’ resurrection) to Rapture.

1:5a- Firstborn from the dead. Christ’s resurrection is the pledge that we too will be raised. He was not only the first, He is the One who has supreme authority over the vast family of faith destined to follow Him.

1:5b-6- Doxology to Christ.  Here is some of the most powerful praise found in the Bible, celebrating Christ’s love, the forgiveness won for us by His blood, and the exalted position to which He has raised us.

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. 

GREAT BIBLICAL PROPHECY

 

REVELATION: PRESENT HEAVEN- #2

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Life in Present Heaven

Present Heaven is the current place where Jesus is at the right hand of God- right after His Ascension to Heaven. It is where all true believers in Jesus go upon passing from this earth. So, the term “Present Heaven” is more about “Present” than about Heaven. Permanent Heaven is described by Jesus (to Apostle John) in Revelation chapters 21 and 22. Many things must happen prior to this future occurrence/promise, so there must be a current Heaven. That is the Present Heaven. These seven passages tell us a lot about “Present Heaven”.

Rev. 6:9-11; Heb. 12:23; Eph. 3:15; Luke 16:25; Rev. 14:13; Rev. 6:10; Luke 15:7, 10

You may want to stop and read the above six Scriptures, before we go to Rev. 6:9-11. These verses in Revelation chapter six tell us a whole lot more than in any one area of the Scriptures – about the Present Heaven.

PRESENT HEAVEN List of 21 Observations from Revelations 6:9-11

Read, Study, & Share these with others to get them to Present Heaven!

 

  1. When these people died on Earth, they relocated to Heaven – V. 9
  2. These people in Heaven were the same ones killed for Christ while on Earth –V.9. This demonstrates direct continuity between our identity on Earth and our identity in Heaven. The Martyrs’ personal history extends directly back to their lives on Earth. Those in the Present Heaven are not different people; they are the same people relocated – “righteous men made perfect” (Hebrews 12:23).
  3. People in Present Heaven will be remembered for their lives on Earth. These were known and identified as ones slain “because of…the testimony they had maintained”-v.9.
  4. “They called out” v. 10 means they are able to express themselves audibly. This could suggest they exist in physical form, with vocal cords or other tangible means to express themselves.
  5. People in Present Heaven can raise their voices- v.10. This indicates that they are rational, communicative, and emotional- even passionate-beings, like people on Earth.
  6. They called out “in a loud voice”, not “loud voices”. Individuals speaking with one voice indicate that Present Heaven is a place of unity and shared perspective-v.10.
  7. The martyrs are fully conscious, rational, aware of each other, God, and things on Earth-v.10.
  8. They ask God to intervene on Earth and to act on their behalf: “How long…until you judge the inhabitants of the earth and avenge our blood?”-v.10. This is some indication people were asking God for help on issues they could not see.
  9. Those in Present Heaven are free to ask God questions, which means they have an audience with God. It also means they need to learn. In Heaven people desire understanding and pursue it
  10. People in Present Heaven learn what’s happening on Earth because they ask (at least to some extent)-v.10. The martyrs know enough to realize that those who killed them have not been judged.
  11. Heaven dwellers have a deep concern for justice and retribution- v. 10. When we go to Heaven, we won’t adopt a passive disinterest in what happens on earth. On the contrary, our concerns will be more passionate and thirst for justice greater. Neither God now we will be satisfied until His enemies are judged, our bodies raised, sin and Satan defeated, earth restored, and Christ exalted over all!
  12. The martyrs and saints clearly remember their lives on earth-v.10. Martyrs even remember that they were murdered. Remember we who were not murdered are called “saints” not martyrs.
  13. The martyrs in Heaven pray for judgment on their persecutors who are still at work hurting others. The martyrs and saints are acting in solidarity with, and in effect interceding for, the suffering saints on the earth. This suggests that saints in Present Heaven are praying for saints on earth. Rev. 5:11-12 Angels told all those who were gathered around the throne by singing Worthy is the Lamb who was slain. All of this is evidence of a Present Heaven –different from future.
  14. Those in Present Heaven see God’s attributes (“Sovereign…holy and true”) in a way that makes His judgment of sin more understandable.
  15. Those in Heaven are distinct individuals. “Then each of them was given a white robe.”-v.11. There isn’t one merged identity that obliterates uniqueness, but a distinct “each of them”.
  16. The martyrs’ wearing white robes suggest the possibility of actual physical forms, because disembodied spirits presumably don’t wear robes. The robes may well have symbolic meaning, but it doesn’t mean they couldn’t also be physical. In fact the martyrs and saints appear in physical forms that John could actually see-v-11.
  17. God answers their question v.11, indicating communication and process in Heaven. It also demonstrates that we won’t know everything in Heaven-if we did, we would have no questions. The martyrs and saints knew more after God answered their question than before they asked it. There is learning in Present Heaven. Suggesting also places for learning and other activities.
  18. God promises to fulfill their requests, but says they will have to “wait a little longer”-v.11. Those in Present Heaven live in anticipation of future fulfillment of God’s promises. Unlike the eternal future Heaven- where there will be no more sin, Curse, or suffering on the New Earth (Rev. 21:4)—the Present Heaven coexists with and watches over an Earth under sin, the Curse, and suffering.
  19. There is time in the Present Heaven v.10-11. The white-robed martyrs ask God a time-dependent question: ”How long, Sovereign Lord…until you judge the inhabitants of the earth and avenge our blood?”-v.10. They are aware of time’s passing and are eager for the coming day of the Lord’s judgment. God answers that they must “wait a little longer” until certain events transpire on earth. Waiting requires the passing of time. In Rev. 8:1 states that the Lamb broke the seventh seal, and those around were silenced for about half an hour.
  20. The people of God in Present Heaven have a strong familial connection with those on earth, who are called their “fellow servants and brothers”-v.11. We share the Father, “from whom every family in Heaven and on earth is named”- (Ephesians 3:15) There is not a wall of separation within the bride of Christ. We are one family with those who’ve gone to Present Heaven ahead of us. After we go to Heaven, we’ll still be one family with those yet on earth. These verses demonstrate a vital connection between the events and people in Heaven and events and people on Earth.
  21. Our Sovereign God knows down to the last detail all that is happening and will happen on earth-v.11, including every drop of blood shed and every bit of suffering undergone by His children. However, there is good indication that God shares what we need to know while in Present Heaven. The Voice of Martyrs (an organization with a newsletter and website) estimates that more than 150,000 people die for Christ each year, and average of more than 400 per day. God knows the name and story of each one. He knows exactly how many martyrs there will be, and He is prepared to return and set up His Kingdom when the final martyrs dies (after the Tribulation and when our Lord returns).

 

All of these observations are true for all in Present Heaven, our loved ones already there and for us when we die- unless the Rapture occurs first. From these observations and the other incidents shared in the other verses about Present Heaven, we can make many other conclusions about what will be possible in Present Heaven. However, we are not to conclude that these other things are for sure- only that they are possibilities. Another of the Mysteries we will learn for God- first hand!

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. 

GREAT BIBLICAL PROPHECY

 

PRESENT HEAVEN

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PRESENT HEAVEN

The Apostle Paul considered it vital for us to know what happens when we die: “Brothers, we do not want you to be ignorant about those who fall asleep, or to grieve like the rest of men, who have no hope” (1 Thessalonians 4:13). Paul speaks of those who have died- “fallen asleep”. If we are alive at Christ’s return, he assures us we will “be caught up” together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And we will be with the Lord forever (1 Thessalonians 4:17-18). We often think mostly about the eternal Heaven (Revelation chapters 21 & 22). But because we’ve all had loved ones die, and we ourselves will die unless Christ returns first, we should consider what Scriptures teaches about Present Heaven. By definition, an intermediate state of location is temporary, but it is”better by far” than living here on Earth under the curse, away from the direct presence of God (Philippians 1:23). Still. the intermediate or present Heaven is not the place we are made for- the place God promises to refashion for us to live forever. God’s children  (all true believers in Jesus) are destined for life as resurrected beings on a resurrected Earth.

It may seem strange to say that the Heaven we go to at death or in Rapture isn’t eternal, but that is what the Scriptures tell us. The eternal New Heaven and New Earth will be an entirely renewed creation where we will live with God. We will end up living not in a different home (present Heaven), but in a radically improved version- the New Heaven and New Earth. The present, intermediate Heaven is in the angelic realm, distinctly different from the Earth where we live now. The Present Heaven will be a physical place, not on this Earth, that will be  great to be with Jesus and worship Him. Our soul, absent of the body, (2 Corinthians 5-10) will go to present Heaven in a conscious state (Luke 16:22-31), where Christ depicted Lazarus and the rich man as knowing where they were and what was happening. After believers (martyrs) death (or Rapture), they are pictured in present Heaven, crying out to God to bring justice on Earth (Revelation 6:9-11)-  the article on Life in Present Heaven. The present Heaven is usually not visible to those on Earth. However, in Acts 7:55-56 when Stephen was stoned because of his faith in Christ, he gazed into Heaven and it is written: “Stephen, full of the Holy Spirit, looked up to heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God”. Scripture tells us that Stephen did not dream this, but that he actually saw it. Contrary to what we often hear, in Revelation 6:9-11 it appears to tell us that those in Present Heaven can not see what is happening on earth. It says that an angel told those in heaven that a person had been saved on earth and those hearing this responded with a surprise.

In Revelation chapters 4 through 19 everything that Jesus told Apostle John to record are all what will and are happening in Present Heaven. We are told there are scrolls in Heaven, elders who have faces, martyrs who wear clothes, and even people with “palm branches in their hands” (Revelation 7:9). There are musical instruments in the present Heaven (Rev, 8:6), horses coming into and out of Heaven (2 Kings 2:11; Rev. 19:14), and an eagle flying overhead in present Heaven (Rev. 8:13). Hebrew 9:24 says: “Christ did not enter a man-made sanctuary that was only a copy of the true one, He entered Heaven itself”. Luke 23:43 tells that Jesus said to the thief on the cross, “Today you will be with Me in paradise”- this clearly says that this Heaven (present) is a physical place. n the Septuagint, the Greek translation of the Old Testament, the Greek word for paradise is used to describe the Garden of Eden (Gen. 2:8; Ezekiel 28:13), which is certainly a physical place. In Revelation 2:7 we are told that “To him who overcomes, I will give the right to eat from the tree of life, which is in the paradise of God”. This is yet another clear indication that the tree of life is real and will be in the Present Heaven.

The Apostle Paul tells us that our souls, without our bodies, long to be covered and not be in any spirit form. 2 Corinthians 5:2-4 states: “Meanwhile we groan, longing to be clothed with our heavenly dwelling, because when we are clothed, we will not be found naked. For while we are in this tent, we groan and are burdened, because we do not wish to be unclothed but to be clothed with our heavenly dwelling, so that what is mortal may be swallowed up by life”. Also in Revelation 6:9-11 the martyrs are described as wearing clothes. This indicates that disembodied spirits don’t wear clothes. This is yet another indication that our souls in Present Heaven will not be disembodied spirits. Revelation 12:11 and 1 Corinthians 15:12-32 are other indications that our bodies are not disembodied in Present Heaven. However, we can be sure that all true believers in Christ will get their super bodies like how Jesus is described in John 20:19, Luke 24:31 and Acts 1:9 when He suddenly appeared through locked doors and walls to the disciples and defied gravity and ascended into the air in His resurrected body.

All of these observations are true for all in Present Heaven, our loved ones already there and for us when we die- unless the Rapture occurs first. From these observations and the other incidents shared in the other verses about Present Heaven, we can make many other conclusions about what will be possible in Present Heaven. However, we are not to say that these other conclusions, not indicated by specific Scripture, are for sure- only that they are possibilities. Another of the Mysteries we will learn for God- first hand!

God loves you and has promised a marvelous eternal life- more to come in the New Heaven and the New Earth!!!!!!

Click this banner for a great website developed by the Radical Christian Women to look at many things to be of assistance to all ages:

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. 

GREAT BIBLICAL PROPHECY

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A GLIMPSE OF HEAVEN

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Will the New Earth Be an Edenic Paradise?

This world -including its natural wonders- gives us foretastes and glimpses of the next world. This life -including its culture- gives us a look into the next world. If we take literally the earth depictions of life on the New Earth, it will allow us to make a direct connection with our current lives. When we are eating with people here, enjoying food and friendship, it’s a bridge to when we will be eating there, enjoying food and friendship. This isn’t making a leap into the dark of a shadowy afterlife; it’s just taking a few natural steps in the light scriptures give us. The Grand Canyon, the Alps, the Amazon rain forests, the Serengeti Plain- these are rough sketches of the New Earth. What about a visit to the Serengeti Plain without the worry of being eaten by a lion?

Whenever we see beauty in water, wind, flower, deer, man, woman or child, we catch a glimpse of Heaven. Just like the Garden of Eden, the New Earth will be a place of sensory delight, breathtaking beauty, satisfying relationship, and personal joy. “Now the Lord God had planted a garden in the east, in Eden, and there He put the man He had formed. And the Lord God made all kinds of trees grow out of the ground- trees that were pleasing to the eye and good for food.”(Genesis 2:8-9). The phrase, ”planted a garden”, shows God’s personal touch, His intimate interest in creative details of the mankind’s home. John 14:2-3 tells us that Christ is paying attention to the details as He prepares for us an eternal home in Heaven. Think- if He prepared Eden so carefully and lavishly for mankind in the six days of creation, what has He fashioned in a place He’s been preparing for us in the 2,000 years since He (Jesus) left this world?

There are those who believe that the New Earth will “start over” with Eden’s original paradise. The scriptures indicate the New Earth will be a carryover of culture and nations from the old earth. The New Jerusalem will be a great, advanced city as we see in Revelations 21:22. Besides Eden wasn’t just a garden. It was an entire land of wonders (Gen. 2:11-12). In Revelations 21:19-20, it tells us about the foundations of the New Jerusalem’s walls. The onyx of Eden (as described in Exodus 28:9-12 & Ezekiel 28:13) will be on this foundation and displayed as a memorial to Eden. So we will not return to Eden but we will remember it. Isaiah 51:3 says “Indeed, the Lord will comfort Zion; He will comfort all her waste places. And her wilderness He will make like Eden, and her desert like the garden of the Lord; joy and gladness will be found in her, thanksgiving and sound of a melody.” Isaiah, considered the greatest prophet of the Old Testament, says all of the New Earth will be magnificent and glorious. But so does Ezekiel 36:35- “This desolate land has become like a Garden of Eden; and the waste, desolate and ruined cities are fortified and inhabited.”  Isaiah even goes further in 35:1 and 55:13. That seems to be saying that if we want to see a desert, we had better do it now. In studying Isaiah, I am amazed at the New Earth prophecy in the Old Testament. Wait until you hear about animals from Isaiah.

What will New Nature Be Like?

We’ve never seen men and women as they were intended to be. . We’ve never seen animals the way they were like before the Fall. Have you seen the old Travelers Insurance commercial with the scenes of the animals? We have seen marred remnants of what once was. Likewise, we’ve never seen nature unchained and undiminished. Authors C.S. Lewis (Narnia) and J.R.R. Tolkien (Lord of the Rings) saw core truth of old mythologies and they give us a glimpse of people & beasts & trees that are vibrantly alive. Lewis goes on to say that “Christians have the best of both worlds; we have joy whenever this world reminds us of the next and we take solace whenever it does”. If you get a chance, watch the original Narnia where Lucy & her family and friends come upon what reflects the biblical revelation of the New Earth. It also uses the comparisons of the Old Narnia to the New Narnia to capture the biblical theology of the old and New Earth better than any theologian- according to Randy Alcorn. So C.S. Lewis has used scripture in the making of his Narnia series. It is hard to believe that these movies became popular in today’s environment.

On the New Earth we will see the Earth where no good thing will be destroyed. The New Earth will be a place of healing, the place where all hurts are healed, all suffering forever eclipsed by joy (Rev. 22:2). Every healing was a memorial to the Eden that was and a signpost to the New Earth that will be. Everything changes when we grasp that all we love about the old Earth will be ours on the New Earth – either in the same form or another. Think about what this means- we won’t have to regret leaving all the wonders of this world we’ve seen or mourn not having seen its countless other wonders now. We will yet be able to see them.

The following link takes you to much more information on Heaven. It says the material is only from the KJV translation- which is okay but should not be considered the only good source translations of the Bible.

REVELATION: A DEEPER LOOK INTO THE MEANING

THE BOOK OF REVELATIONS IS FILLED WITH SYMBOLISM AND PHRASES THAT ARE NOT EASY TO UNDERSTAND. THERE ARE A LOT OF GOOD BOOKS ON REVELATION AND HEAVEN. THIS IS JUST ONE FOR YOU READING TIME.

CLICK HERE FOR FURTHER LOOK AT REVELATIONS

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