D29. INHABITANTS OF HEAVEN

RELATED COMMENTS

Note: each ** comment in this APPLICATION doc comes from CHAPTER doc(s), where the comments are in numerical order according to verse(s) from the chapter

** Realize there is a ranking of saints in heaven  <P168>

• For instance the 12 apostles sit on 12 thrones (Luke 22:29-30) and there are 24 thrones on which 24 elders sit (Rev 4:4)

Luke 22:29-30 NIV

[29] And I confer on you a kingdom, just as my Father conferred one on me, [30] so that you may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom and sit on thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.

Revelation 4:4 NIV

[4] 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.

** Abraham died and joined his ancestors in death

• The phrase "gathered to his people" is an ancient way of referring to death

• The death of Abraham is described that he was gathered to his people while the New Living Translation (NLT) is less idiomatic, simply saying that Abraham "joined his ancestors in death"  <G72>

Genesis 25:8 NIV

[8] Then Abraham breathed his last and died at a good old age, an old man and full of years; and he was gathered to his people.

** Joseph had his brothers swear an oath to take him to the land of Canaan for his burial after he died

• When God did bring the Hebrews out of Egypt and give them the Promised Land, Joseph’s body was to be carried with them

• Joseph did not view death as the end but looked beyond his own time and found comfort in what God would do in the future

• Death’s sting still hurts, but we know that the death of the believer’s body is an induction into a full experience of eternal life with Christ  <R1795>

Genesis 50:24-26 NIV

[24] Then Joseph said to his brothers, “I am about to die. But God will surely come to your aid and take you up out of this land to the land he promised on oath to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.” [25] And Joseph made the Israelites swear an oath and said, “God will surely come to your aid, and then you must carry my bones up from this place.” [26] So Joseph died at the age of a hundred and ten. And after they embalmed him, he was placed in a coffin in Egypt.

** In essence, Jesus replied to Pilate, "Right king, wrong kingdom."; Jesus is King but not for an earthly nation  <F60>

John 18:36-37 NIV

[36] Jesus said, “My kingdom is not of this world. If it were, my servants would fight to prevent my arrest by the Jewish leaders. But now my kingdom is from another place.” [37] “You are a king, then!” said Pilate. Jesus answered, “You say that I am a king. In fact, the reason I was born and came into the world is to testify to the truth. Everyone on the side of truth listens to me.”

** As Jesus prepares a place for us in heaven, He prepares US for that place

• We are uniquely wired a certain way to accomplish what God wants of us

• What we do here on earth is preparing us for our eternal home  <F60>

John 14:3 NIV

[3] And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am.

1 Corinthians 12:18,27 NIV

[18] But in fact God has placed the parts in the body, every one of them, just as he wanted them to be. [27] Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it.

** Heaven will be a place with God and those who choose God in this life will enjoy continued fellowship with Him into eternity!

• God's attributes -- perfect love, peace, joy, absolute strength, pure motive, to mention a few -- provide a good idea of what it will be like in His presence in heaven

1 Peter 1:3-4 NIV

[3] Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, [4] and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade. This inheritance is kept in heaven for you

** Paul told us that to be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord. There isn’t even a twinkling of an eye of time between the last heartbeat and bursting onto that glorious scene -- not one fraction of a second.

Stephen, the first Christian martyr, as he was being stoned, saw the Lord Jesus Christ, Himself, stand from the right hand of God’s throne to welcome Stephen into glory.  <J100>

Acts 7:59 NIV

[59] While they were stoning him, Stephen prayed, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.”

** We have amazing examples of those who lived before us in the Christian faith  <L120>

• The author of Hebrews suggests our faithful loved ones in Heaven are cheering us on  

• Those who cared for us while they existed in this earthly realm continue to have a vested interest in our spiritual well-being

• Death will not change that

Hebrews 12:1 NIV

Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us

Revelation 6:9-11 NIV

[9] When he opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of those who had been slain because of the word of God and the testimony they had maintained. [10] They called out in a loud voice, “How long, Sovereign Lord, holy and true, until you judge the inhabitants of the earth and avenge our blood?” [11] Then each of them was given a white robe, and they were told to wait a little longer, until the full number of their fellow servants, their brothers and sisters, were killed just as they had been.

** Mary stood outside the tomb crying. As she wept, she bent over to look into the tomb and saw two angels in white sitting where Jesus’ body had been, one at the head and the other at the foot. They asked her, “Woman, why are you crying?”

“They have taken my Lord away,” she said, “and I don’t know where they have put Him.” One of the angels informed her and the other Mary who also had arrived at the tomb that Jesus had risen from the dead.

Imagine the shock but also the thrill Mary must have felt upon hearing such news about Jesus rising from the dead. Her precious Lord and Savior, whom she loved so dearly.

Mary’s heart must have been bursting with hope and excitement, and her mind certainly must have been racing as she thought to tell the other followers of Jesus all about the things she had just seen and heard.

On her way back to the others, she ran into a man on the trail whom she at first mistook for the gardener. He asked her, “Woman, why are you crying? Who is it you are looking for?” Thinking He was the gardener, she said “Sir, if you have carried Him away, tell me where you have put Him, and I will get Him.” Then the man spoke her name.

“Mary,” he said, in what to her would have been a very familiar voice.

When she realized it was Jesus, we can only imagine what went through her heart and her mind and her soul.

Mary’s entire being must have leapt with truly unimaginable joy. She turned toward Him and cried out in Aramaic, “Rabboni!” which means teacher.

I cannot help but wonder if meeting the Lord Jesus and seeing Him face to face for the first time will fill our hearts with a similar kind of joy and amazement and wonder as Mary Magdalene felt when she met Jesus on the trail right after He had risen. I anticipate that it will be the most wonderful thing that has ever happened to each of us who is blessed with the gift of Eternal Salvation.  <S2000>

John 20:1 NIV

[1] Early on the first day of the week, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene went to the tomb and saw that the stone had been removed from the entrance.

** Isaiah provided a taste of what believers in Christ can look forward to: death will be swallowed up, believers lose their mortal bodies, and they will spend eternity with Christ!

Isaiah 25:6-9 NIV

[6] On this mountain the Lord Almighty will prepare a feast of rich food for all peoples, a banquet of aged wine---the best of meats and the finest of wines. [7] On this mountain he will destroy the shroud that enfolds all peoples, the sheet that covers all nations; [8] he will swallow up death forever. The Sovereign Lord will wipe away the tears from all faces; he will remove his people's disgrace from all the earth. The Lord has spoken. [9] In that day they will say, “Surely this is our God; we trusted in him, and he saved us. This is the Lord, we trusted in him; let us rejoice and be glad in his salvation.”

1 Corinthians 15:50-55 NIV

[50] I declare to you, brothers and sisters, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable. [51] Listen, I tell you a mystery: We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed--- [52] in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed. [53] For the perishable must clothe itself with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality. [54] When the perishable has been clothed with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality, then the saying that is written will come true: “Death has been swallowed up in victory.” [55] “Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?”

** Paul knew where he was going. He knew that he was going to heaven. Granted, Paul had a marked advantage: he had already died, gone to heaven, and returned to earth.

We can imagine Paul in heaven before his Lord, before the One who had called him on the road to Damascus, before the One who had pardoned him of every sin. But then Paul came back and, ever since, was homesick for heaven.

This reminds us that heaven is not a place of unconscious oblivion; it’s a place of conscious existence. Death held no terror for the apostle Paul. He understood that it meant going and being with Christ. It was a beginning, not an ending. It was a promotion.  <L120>

Philippians 1:21,23-24 NIV

[21] For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain. [23] I am torn between the two: I desire to depart and be with Christ, which is better by far; [24] but it is more necessary for you that I remain in the body.

2 Corinthians 12:2 NIV

[2] I know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago was caught up to the third heaven. Whether it was in the body or out of the body I do not know---God knows.

** Christian saints are heirs to Christ's kingdom as confirmed throughout New Testament writings  <B26>

• The word 'heir' implies relationship and allows allotted possession of something because of sonship to God

• What belongs to Jesus will also belong to those who believe  <G72>

• Since we become His children when we accept His offer of salvation and live for Him, we become heirs to His inheritance  

• Believers in Christ are promised an inheritance of a heavenly kingdom that will never perish if they share in Christ's sufferings

• We share in the sufferings of Christ now and will share in the glory of Christ later

• We all tend to like the message of sharing in the riches of Christ’s inheritance, but sharing in His sufferings doesn’t have the same appeal

Romans 8:17 NIV

[17] Now if we are children, then we are heirs---heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory.

Titus 3:7 NIV

[7] so that, having been justified by his grace, we might become heirs having the hope of eternal life

James 2:5 NIV

[5] Listen, my dear brothers and sisters: Has not God chosen those who are poor in the eyes of the world to be rich in faith and to inherit the kingdom he promised those who love him?

• Christian saints are heirs to something they won’t possess in their earthly life, for the inheritance of the saints involves eternity with the Lord in heaven

• This inheritance will neither fade nor spoil

• Jesus Himself will provide the inheritance at His second coming (Dan 7:13-14, 24; Matt 24:30, 26:64)

• Believers in Christ will rule with Him in the heavenly kingdom when He takes them to glory

John 14:2-3 NIV

[2] My Father's house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you? [3] And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am.

1 Peter 1:3-4 NIV

[3] Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, [4] and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade. This inheritance is kept in heaven for you

Colossians 3:4 NIV

[4] When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.

** God is preparing His followers for work in heaven similar to the talent and tasks He had for us on earth; we will find complete fulfillment and be blessed by working in heaven, just as work used to be a blessing before the fall in the garden  <F60>

Colossians 3:23-24 NIV

Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters, [24] since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving.

** When Christians die, their physical body sleeps in the grave while their soul is united with Christ; Christians earnestly debate whether Paul was speaking about receiving a resurrection body or an intermediate body worn until the time of resurrection?  <R1795>

• In essence, it doesn’t ultimately matter because believers are assured that after death ‘whatever is mortal’ will be swallowed up by life

• When the rich man died, he was immediately in torment

• When Lazarus died he was immediately in the presence of Abraham

2 Corinthians 5:4-8 NIV

[4] For while we are in this tent, we groan and are burdened, because we do not wish to be unclothed but to be clothed instead with our heavenly dwelling, so that what is mortal may be swallowed up by life. [5] Now the one who has fashioned us for this very purpose is God, who has given us the Spirit as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come. [6] 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.

Luke 16:22-24 NIV

[22] “The time came when the beggar died and the angels carried him to Abraham's side. The rich man also died and was buried. [23] In Hades, where he was in torment, he looked up and saw Abraham far away, with Lazarus by his side. [24] So he called to him, 'Father Abraham, have pity on me and send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, because I am in agony in this fire.'

1 Corinthians 15:50 NIV

[50] I declare to you, brothers and sisters, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable.

Luke 23:39-43 NIV

[39] One of the criminals who hung there hurled insults at him: “Aren't you the Messiah? Save yourself and us!” [40] But the other criminal rebuked him. “Don't you fear God,” he said, “since you are under the same sentence? [41] We are punished justly, for we are getting what our deeds deserve. But this man has done nothing wrong.” [42] Then he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom. ” [43] Jesus answered him, “Truly I tell you, TODAY you will be with me in paradise.”

1 Thessalonians 4:13-17 NIV

[13] Brothers and sisters, we do not want you to be uninformed about those who 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 Lord's 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.

1 Corinthians 15:44,51-54 NIV

[44] it is sown a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body. If there is a natural body, there is also a spiritual body. [51] Listen, I tell you a mystery: We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed--- [52] in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed. [53] For the perishable must clothe itself with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality. [54] When the perishable has been clothed with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality, then the saying that is written will come true: “Death has been swallowed up in victory.”

** Believers will be changed at the exact moment of the Rapture and instantaneously receive new bodies  <P168>

• Our bodies will change from the original earthly, sinful, temporal vessels to new, eternal, heavenly bodies  

• The Bible compares our new body to upgrading from a temporary tent to an eternal house

2 Corinthians 5:1 NIV

[1] For we know that if the earthly tent we live in is destroyed, we have a building from God, an eternal house in heaven, not built by human hands.

• This new body will be eternal and sinless because it was already washed clean by Jesus who dealt with our sin condition on the cross

• Our new body will resemble the new body Jesus received at His resurrection

Philippians 3:20-21 NIV

[20] But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ, [21] who, by the power that enables him to bring everything under his control, will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like his glorious body.

** John told us we can examine the resurrected body of Jesus to get a glimpse of what our resurrected glorified bodies will look and function like one day  <E60>

1 John 3:2 NIV

[2] Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when Christ appears, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is.

1. Our new bodies will not have limitations in the natural — Jesus who now has a resurrected body was able to walk through walls and was not confined to physical barriers; the doors were shut but he was able to go through the walls and stand in the midst of His disciples

Luke 24:36-37 NIV

[36] While they were still talking about this, Jesus himself stood among them and said to them, “Peace be with you.” [37] They were startled and frightened, thinking they saw a ghost.

2. Every pain and sorrow will be wiped away — the Lord will allow us to remember the good things in our lives on earth, the things that brought us joy, the birth of our children, our marriages, those moments in our lives that brought joy and laughter, but a passage in Revelation tells us that God will not permit us to remember those things that brought pain and sorrow

Revelation 21:3-4 NIV

[3] And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Look! God's dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. [4] '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.”

3. We will have full knowledge and understanding of mysteries — the limitations and partial knowledge we experience in this earthly life will be replaced by a comprehensive understanding of heaven

Think about all of the questions we have had over the years.

• Why did God allow this tragedy or that person to die so young?

• Why did my spouse leave me?

• Why did I have a miscarriage?

All of these questions will be answered and the mysteries unlocked!

1 Corinthians 13:12 NIV

[12] For now we see only a reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.

4. We will look similar to what we looked like on earth — this part can get a little complicated because when Jesus appeared to his disciples after his resurrection they initially did not recognize him, which raises speculation that we may look much different when we receive our new bodies

Other aspects to consider, however:

• The disciple’s eyes may have been intentionally veiled for a period of time to conceal who Christ was

• When Jesus appeared, he showed Thomas the wounds on his hands and his side that he endured at the crucifixion

John 20:26-27 NIV

[26] A week later his disciples were in the house again, and Thomas was with them. Though the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you!” [27] Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here; see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it into my side. Stop doubting and believe.”

5. We will not be given in marriage like on earth — as explained when Jesus was approached with a scenario involving seven brothers

• The first died after he had married, and having no offspring, left his wife to his brother

• Likewise, the second also, and the third, even to the seventh

• Last of all the woman died also

• Jesus was asked whose wife of the seven will she be in the resurrection, to which He replied ‘no one’

Matthew 22:29-30 NIV

[29] Jesus replied, “You are in error because you do not know the Scriptures or the power of God. [30] At the resurrection people will neither marry nor be given in marriage; they will be like the angels in heaven.

6. We will still be eating and drinking — the third time Jesus showed Himself to His disciples after He was raised from the dead, Jesus came and took the bread and gave it to them, and likewise the fish

John 21:12-14 NIV

[12] Jesus said to them, “Come and have breakfast.” None of the disciples dared ask him, “Who are you?” They knew it was the Lord. [13] Jesus came, took the bread and gave it to them, and did the same with the fish. [14] This was now the third time Jesus appeared to his disciples after he was raised from the dead.

7. We will no longer need to sleep — as long as we remain in these physical bodies sleep is a necessity so our brains do not literally stop working; however, It appears that in the new heaven and earth, we will no longer need to sleep as we will be in our new spiritual heavenly bodies

Revelation 22:5 NIV

[5] There will be no more night. They will not need the light of a lamp or the light of the sun, for the Lord God will give them light. And they will reign for ever and ever.

8. If we lost a child before the age of accountability then we will see them again — the age of 13 is the most commonly suggested age of accountability based on the Jewish custom that a child becomes an adult at the age of 13; there most likely is not a hard-set age limit since the Lord truly knows the physical development and mindset of each individual child and some will develop faster than others

2 Samuel 12:21-23 NIV

[21] His attendants asked him, “Why are you acting this way? While the child was alive, you fasted and wept, but now that the child is dead, you get up and eat!” [22] He answered, “While the child was still alive, I fasted and wept. I thought, 'Who knows? The Lord may be gracious to me and let the child live.' [23] But now that he is dead, why should I go on fasting? Can I bring him back again? I will go to him, but he will not return to me.”

** Paul assured us that we can go immediately to be with the Lord when we die, but we must place our faith in Him and accept His offer of salvation first!

Philippians 1:22-23 NIV

[22] If I am to go on living in the body, this will mean fruitful labor for me. Yet what shall I choose? I do not know! [23] I am torn between the two: I desire to depart and be with Christ, which is better by far

2 Corinthians 5:8 NIV

[8] We are confident, I say, and would prefer to be away from the body and at home with the Lord.

Acts 7:59 NIV

[59] While they were stoning him, Stephen prayed, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.”

** In that day, the Lord will cleanse His people from all sin, idolatry and pagan worship; there will be no false prophets

Zechariah 13:1-2 NIV

[1] “On that day a fountain will be opened to the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, to cleanse them from sin and impurity. [2] “On that day, I will banish the names of the idols from the land, and they will be remembered no more,” declares the Lord Almighty. “I will remove both the prophets and the spirit of impurity from the land.

Zechariah 13:3 NIV

[3] And if anyone still prophesies, their father and mother, to whom they were born, will say to them, 'You must die, because you have told lies in the Lord's name.' Then their own parents will stab the one who prophesies.

Ezekiel 36:26-29 NIV

[26] I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. [27] And I will put my Spirit in you and move you to follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws. [28] Then you will live in the land I gave your ancestors; you will be my people, and I will be your God. [29] I will save you from all your uncleanness. I will call for the grain and make it plentiful and will not bring famine upon you.

Jeremiah 31:1-2 NIV

[1] “At that time,” declares the Lord, “I will be the God of all the families of Israel, and they will be my people.” [2] This is what the Lord says: “The people who survive the sword will find favor in the wilderness; I will come to give rest to Israel.”

** Notice David's expectation for eternity [even during the dark valley experiences]. Not in the sheepfold in the wilderness, but in the house of the Lord!

The dwelling-place of God, the family residence of the Father of mercies and His beloved children. In that house, we shall have all our desires gratified, our prayers answered, and our highest expectations more than realized.

• There we shall dwell in peace, united to all the saints, and enjoying the society of all the ransomed brethren

• All friendship will be unchangeable, and fellowship perpetual and pure

• There we shall dwell and worship — and our worship will be spiritual, pure, and perfect

• There we shall dwell and enjoy — and our enjoyments will be dignified, delightful, and eternal

• There we shall dwell and obey — and our obedience will be perfect, hearty, and perpetual

• There, we shall dwell and rest — and our rest will be sweet, refreshing, and satisfying

• There will be no wilderness storms there

• There will be no cruel, crafty, malignant foes there

O glorious prospect! O sweet anticipation!  <S183>

Psalm 23:5-6 NIV

[5] You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. [6] Surely your goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.

John 10:14-15 NIV

[14] “I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me--- [15] just as the Father knows me and I know the Father---and I lay down my life for the sheep.

Romans 8:17 NIV

[17] Now if we are children, then we are heirs---heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory.

** Every believer is a PILGRIM. He is traveling to his Father's house! He is presently a stranger in a strange land, surrounded by temptations, trials, and foes.

His journey lies through a great and terrible wilderness. Therefore he must not expect a very smooth path or many comfortable accommodations. He will have much to grieve and distress him. His heart will be often burdened with grief and filled with sorrow. Tears are common to the Christian. He feels the unsuitableness of the things of time — to his spirit, profession, and aim. And therefore he confesses,

Psalm 39:12 NIV

[12] “Hear my prayer, Lord, listen to my cry for help; do not be deaf to my weeping. I dwell with you as a foreigner, a stranger, as all my ancestors were.

Weariness and painfulness are his portion now but a rest remains for him! It is a glorious rest. It embraces and includes all that the believer has prayed for and can desire!

• It waits for him at the end of his journey

• It was prepared for him from the foundation of the world

• It is now promised to him in the faithful Word, and

• It will be bestowed upon him when he has fought the good fight and finished his course

Everything at present may appear gloomy and distressing; but ahead of you, believer, everything is glorious, magnificent, and blessed. Press on then. Fight the good fight of faith. Travel on in the strength of Jesus! You are going home and you have a glorious home to go to!

The minute after you have entered your rest, you will forget all the fatigue, all the dangers, and all the difficulties of the way. You will perhaps be filled with wonder, that you should ever have allowed such trifles to vex you, or such little trials to discourage you — with such a glorious end before you. All will be satisfied, all will be full. In a little while, you will see the portal of your Father's house and hear Him say, "Come in, you who are blessed of the Lord, tarry no longer outside! Come, dwell forever with Me!"  <S183>

Hebrews 11:13 NIV

[13] All these people were still living by faith when they died. They did not receive the things promised; they only saw them and welcomed them from a distance, admitting that they were foreigners and strangers on earth.

** We shall be forever with Christ! Now, we have to mourn His absence. Now we exclaim, "O that I knew where I could find Him!" But He has provided something better for us — even to dwell forever in His presence, which will constitute our heaven, our glory, and our portion!

O with what rapture shall we fix and feast our eyes upon Him, and how will the thought that we are to be forever with Him, thrill through our souls, and open ten thousand gushing streams of unutterable delight and joy! O with what joy shall we hear Him say, "Come, you who are blessed of my Father!"

Here on earth, we may be cast down, for the way is rough and our trials are many. Here we may mourn the absence of our God, but the love of Jesus will soon rescue us, and we shall be received into His presence to abide forever!  <S183>

John 14:3 NIV

[3] And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am.

1 Thessalonians 4:17 NIV

[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.

Philippians 1:23 NIV

[23] I am torn between the two: I desire to depart and be with Christ, which is better by far;

** Jesus Christ is our Sovereign Lord who eternally occupies a throne with power to reign

Isaiah 9:6 NIV

[6] For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

Revelation 1:8 NIV

[8] “I am the Alpha and the Omega,” says the Lord God, “who is, and who was, and who is to come, the Almighty.”

Revelation 22:13 NIV

[13] I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End.

1 Timothy 6:15 NIV

[15] ... God, the blessed and only Ruler, the King of kings and Lord of lords,

Luke 2:10-11 NIV

[10] But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. [11] Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord.

Matthew 5:34 NIV

[34] But I tell you, do not swear an oath at all: either by heaven, for it is God's throne

** Our beautiful world, filled with the wonderful works of God, bears evident traces that it is not what it was created at first. It bears everywhere, the marks of a great change — which change is accounted for in the Bible by the fall of Adam.

God made everything very good, but man sinned and the curse came upon himself and the whole creation! Though still beautiful, yet how much is its beauty marred and defaced! Now, thorns and thistles spring up, where once were only lovely flowers and sweet fruits. The wild beasts of the forest, though still beautiful in outward form--now possess violent and ferocious dispositions; and the beasts of burden groan under the tyranny of man. Man himself is subject to labor and toil, to sorrow and sickness and death. Even his most innocent enjoyments are marred by sin!

But thanks be to God, the promise of deliverance from the curse sounds in our ears in this blessed Scripture, "No longer will there be any curse!" Where then, is this land of blessing and perfection? It is that Paradise which Christ has gone to prepare for His people; that "Rest which remains for the people of God."

Here on earth, even our very blessings are mixed with signs of the curse. But there shall be no more curse in our heavenly home:

• no more toil and labor

• no more weariness and faintness

• no more hunger or thirst

• no more bitter cold or burning heat

• no more disappointment

• no more sorrow

• no more pain

• no more sickness

• no more death!

In heaven there shall be no more curse, but all will be the perfection of bliss. Who can conceive the happiness of such a state? For this, the whole creation groans and travails in pain, eagerly waiting for its consummation.

Let us, then, who have such exceedingly great and precious promises, when sighing under the effects of the curse in any of its forms — gladly turn our thoughts to meditate on heaven's glorious realities! And when admiring the beautiful works of God, which still exist to show us what they once were — let us also turn our thoughts to the greater beauty and glory of our Paradise above!  <S191>

Revelation 22:3 NIV

[3] No longer will there be any curse. The throne of God and of the Lamb will be in the city, and his servants will serve him.

** God will exist before history and will exist after  <M130>

Isaiah 41:4 NIV

[4] Who has done this and carried it through, calling forth the generations from the beginning? I, the Lord---with the first of them and with the last---I am he. ”

Revelation 1:17-18 NIV

[17] When I saw him, I fell at his feet as though dead. Then he placed his right hand on me and said: “Do not be afraid. I am the First and the Last. [18] I am the Living One; I was dead, and now look, I am alive for ever and ever! And I hold the keys of death and Hades.

Revelation 22:13 NIV

[13] I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End.

** God designed us for the new heaven and new earth, which we can reflect in our words and actions on a daily basis

We can expect the old to pass away:

• Not in part, like a renovation to the existing, but in whole

• We can expect perfection in the new heaven and earth — from land, plants, to humans without disease, pain, or struggle

• This will include a perfect relationship with God; no sin or barrier will hinder us from approaching our eternal God!

• As a result, we will be fulfilled by God's love

• Worship will be pure and fulfilling, recognizing God throughout eternity

• All relationships we have will be good and we will relate in the right way

• No marriage in heaven because we will have perfect intimacy with God

• Every tear will be wiped away — no death, sadness, or sickness

Revelation 21:1-5 NIV

[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. [2] I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. [3] And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Look! God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. [4] ‘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.” [5] 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.”

Character and provision in the new heaven and the new earth:

• The kings of the nations will bring their glory to heaven

• As God created cultures in His original design, so will the diversity of culture be represented in heaven

• Our personal uniqueness as individuals will continue

• Economic commerce will continue

• We will continue to be used and grow through eternity; caretakers of creation  <C31>

Revelation 21:22-26 NIV

[22] I did not see a temple in the city, because the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are its temple. [23] The city does not need the sun or the moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light, and the Lamb is its lamp. [24] The nations will walk by its light, and the kings of the earth will bring their splendor into it. [25] On no day will its gates ever be shut, for there will be no night there. [26] The glory and honor of the nations will be brought into it.

Compare the picture of heaven with God's original creation — Genesis 1-3 with second coming/heaven Revelation 21-22

• The tree of life in heaven will provide fruit in order to meet our needs

• The Lord will provide us with everything we need, including light

Revelation 22:1-5 NIV

[1] Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, as clear as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb [2] down the middle of the great street of the city. On each side of the river stood the tree of life, bearing twelve crops of fruit, yielding its fruit every month. And the leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nations. [3] No longer will there be any curse. The throne of God and of the Lamb will be in the city, and his servants will serve him. [4] They will see his face, and his name will be on their foreheads. [5] There will be no more night. They will not need the light of a lamp or the light of the sun, for the Lord God will give them light. And they will reign for ever and ever.

** The way we conduct our lives here on earth will continue when we reach heaven, for death crystallizes what you were like on earth; we will be rewarded according to our decisions and actions

Revelation 22:11 NIV

[11] Let the one who does wrong continue to do wrong; let the vile person continue to be vile; let the one who does right continue to do right; and let the holy person continue to be holy.”

Revelation 22:12-15 NIV

[12] “Look, I am coming soon! My reward is with me, and I will give to each person according to what they have done. [13] I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End. [14] “Blessed are those who wash their robes, that they may have the right to the tree of life and may go through the gates into the city. [15] Outside are the dogs, those who practice magic arts, the sexually immoral, the murderers, the idolaters and everyone who loves and practices falsehood.

** The word ‘inheritance’ in the end of days refers to the level of blessing God has in store for those who are saved and living according to His ways

Matthew 25:34 NIV

[34] “Then the King will say to those on his right, 'Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world.

** Some refer to the Judgment as an ‘exit interview’ where we give an account of what we did for Christ on earth and we will be issued awards and rewards based on our account  <O155>

• Salvation is based on what JESUS did

• Rewards are based on what WE did

Revelation 22:12 NIV

[12] “Look, I am coming soon! My reward is with me, and I will give to each person according to what they have done.

** God will acknowledge and reward those who are victorious, remaining true to Him; He will also ensure others recognize those who are faithful to Him as well

Revelation 3:4-5 NIV

Yet you have a few people in Sardis who have not soiled their clothes. They will walk with me, dressed in white, for they are worthy. [5] The one who is victorious will, like them, be dressed in white. I will never blot out the name of that person from the book of life, but will acknowledge that name before my Father and his angels.

** Description of heaven and creatures surrounding God's throne; "in the Spirit" can refer to being guided by the Spirit which can only be described by things we know with "like" phrases

Revelation 4:2-5 NIV

At once I was in the Spirit, and there before me was a throne in heaven with someone sitting on it. [3] And the one who sat there had the appearance of jasper and ruby. A rainbow that shone like an emerald encircled the throne. [4] 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. [5] From the throne came flashes of lightning, rumblings and peals of thunder. In front of the throne, seven lamps were blazing. These are the seven spirits of God.

• 24 elders = may refer to entire Christian population from all ages, or 12 tribes and 12 disciples

• White robes = born again Christians

• Crowns = reward at end of their lives

Revelation 4:6-8 NIV

Also in front of 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. [7] 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. [8] Each of the four living creatures had six wings and was covered with eyes all around, even under its wings. Day and night they never stop saying:

“ ‘Holy, holy, holy

is the Lord God Almighty,’

who was, and is, and is to come.”

** God designed us for heaven and the world is waiting to be resurrected

• Let this reflect in our words and actions on a daily basis

• Compare the picture of heaven with God's original creation — Genesis 1-3 with second coming/heaven Revelation 21-22

This means followers of Christ can live in hope because sin and suffering will come to an end when He sets things right

• Jesus will not lose anyone who belongs to Him; this should give us peace

• Let’s be encouraged to live for Him and trust Him every day

• Like trusting instruments when flying a plane and experiencing disorientation, so we need to trust God with our future  <C31>

2 Peter 3:13-15 NIV

[13] But in keeping with his promise we are looking forward to a new heaven and a new earth, where righteousness dwells. [14] So then, dear friends, since you are looking forward to this, make every effort to be found spotless, blameless and at peace with him. [15] Bear in mind that our Lord's patience means salvation, just as our dear brother Paul also wrote you with the wisdom that God gave him.

Romans 8:18-25 NIV

[18] I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us. [19] For the creation waits in eager expectation for the children of God to be revealed. [20] For the creation was subjected to frustration, not by its own choice, but by the will of the one who subjected it, in hope [21] that the creation itself will be liberated from its bondage to decay and brought into the freedom and glory of the children of God. [22] We know that the whole creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time. [23] Not only so, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption to sonship, the redemption of our bodies. [24] For in this hope we were saved. But hope that is seen is no hope at all. Who hopes for what they already have? [25] But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently.

** God will restore His creation as it was in the beginning when Eden was perfect and sin hadn’t entered the scene  <S185>

2 Peter 3:10 NIV

[10] But the day of the Lord will come like a thief. The heavens will disappear with a roar; the elements will be destroyed by fire, and the earth and everything done in it will be laid bare.

• In the end we shall read the whole of God's purpose as one grand poem

• There will not be one verse in what we read that has a syllable too much, or a word too little; there will not be one stanza or one letter redundant, much less one that is erased

• But from beginning to end we shall see the master-pen and the master-mind drawing forth the glorious array of majestic thoughts

• And with angels, and seraphs, and principalities, and powers--shall burst forth into one mighty song, "Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Hallelujah! the Lord God Omnipotent reigns!"

Isaiah 14:26-27 NIV

[26] This is the plan determined for the whole world; this is the hand stretched out over all nations. [27] For the Lord Almighty has purposed, and who can thwart him? His hand is stretched out, and who can turn it back?

** Renewed man will be like Jesus! Man will be with God. Man will shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of his heavenly Father. Man will see and hear and know, and possess, and enjoy — all that he can possibly desire, all that his glorified nature is capable of. He will be more than unfallen Adam was, more than angels are — for he will be as nearly like God as perfected human nature can be made like the Divine!  <S183>

1 Corinthians 2:9 NIV

[9] However, as it is written: “What no eye has seen, what no ear has heard, and what no human mind has conceived”---the things God has prepared for those who love him---

** Followers of Christ should not fear death, for God will not abandon them when they breathe their last; Christ conquered death when He rose from the grave so we can live eternally with Him!

Psalm 16:10 NIV

[10] because you will not abandon me to the realm of the dead, nor will you let your faithful one see decay.

** Aged believer, the time of your departure will soon come!

Do not let your mind be troubled as to:

• Where you shall die

• When you shall die, or

• How you shall die!

These are all minor matters, and ought not to affect you.  Simply look at death as Jesus did: "Jesus knew that the time had come for Him to leave this world, and go to His Father!"

Why should you regret leaving a poor world like this — where sin, sorrow, pain, disappointment, grief and anxiety meet you at every turn? Why should you be reluctant to go HOME — to go to your Father?

• Do you not want to see His face?

• Do you not want to enjoy His company?

• Do you not want to be perfectly happy in His presence?  <S183>

2 Timothy 4:6-8 NIV

[6] For I am already being poured out like a drink offering, and the time for my departure is near. [7] I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. [8] Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day---and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing.

Philippians 1:23 NIV

[23] I am torn between the two: I desire to depart and be with Christ, which is better by far

John 13:1 NIV

[1] It was just before the Passover Festival. Jesus knew that the hour had come for him to leave this world and go to the Father. Having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end.

** The future of God’s remnant is bright when He brings His followers ‘home’ to live free from sin!

Zephaniah 3:15,17,20 NIV

[15] The Lord has taken away your punishment, he has turned back your enemy. The Lord, the King of Israel, is with you; never again will you fear any harm. [17] The Lord your God is with you, the Mighty Warrior who saves. He will take great delight in you; in his love he will no longer rebuke you, but will rejoice over you with singing.” [20] At that time I will gather you; at that time I will bring you home. I will give you honor and praise among all the peoples of the earth when I restore your fortunes before your very eyes,” says the Lord.

Zephaniah 3:13,15,18 NIV

[13] They will do no wrong; they will tell no lies. A deceitful tongue will not be found in their mouths. They will eat and lie down and no one will make them afraid. ” [15] The Lord has taken away your punishment, he has turned back your enemy. The Lord, the King of Israel, is with you; never again will you fear any harm. [18] “I will remove from you all who mourn over the loss of your appointed festivals, which is a burden and reproach for you.

** We shall soon have glorious liberty! The SOUL will be gloriously free:

• Free from every fetter that binds it

• Free from every conflict that tries it

• Free from every burden that bows it down

The BODY will be gloriously free! It will be a glorious body, like the body of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ:

• No more disease, weakness, or pain

• But health, strength, and ease will characterize it forever!

The whole person, body, soul, and spirit, will be in perfect liberty:

• Free from the curse, and every cross

• Free from every foe, and all our fears

• Free from every fault, and our numerous failings

• Free from frailty, and free from folly

• Free from all internal, external, and eternal evil

It will be freedom crowned with glory, with:

• Glorious beauty,

• Glorious brightness,

• Glorious majesty,

• Glorious honor, and

• Ineffable splendor!

Eye has never seen, ear has never heard, nor has the heart of man ever conceived of anything so grand, so magnificent, so glorious, as what God has provided and has in store for His people!  <S183>

Romans 8:21 NIV

[21] that the creation itself will be liberated from its bondage to decay and brought into the freedom and glory of the children of God.

** The Lamb of God is the center of this mystic and glowing book of the Revelation.

There is the Lamb with His WOUNDS — the Lamb that was slain. Even in heaven He carries those scars of His passion and death. Even in heaven I shall be perpetually reminded that I owe everything to Calvary, and to Him who was both Victor and Victim there!

There is the Lamb in His ROYALTY — the Lamb in the center of the Throne. The Head that once was crowned with the sharp thorns, is crowned with regal glory now! I rejoice in it for Christ's sake. I rejoice in it for my own sake, for what is there which He cannot do for me, His little one? Over the world of nature and men, over unseen principalities and powers — He rules that He may befriend my soul.

There is the Lamb SHEPHERDING His own people — the Lamb shall lead them. To all eternity He will shepherd me, feed me, protect me, uphold me! I shall never be able to dispense with Him. I shall never wish to stand alone, outside His keeping and His care.

There is the Lamb in His TRIUMPHS — the Lamb shall overcome them. So, one day, I shall see all my enemies routed and dead. One happy day, I shall be entirely freed from the antagonism and harassment of my sins! He who is for me, is mightier than the hosts arrayed against me!  <S182>

"Worthy is the Lamb who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and strength and honor and glory and praise!"

Revelation 5:6 NIV

[6] Then I saw a Lamb, looking as if it had been slain, standing at the center of the throne, encircled by the four living creatures and the elders. The Lamb had seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven spirits of God sent out into all the earth.

Revelation 5:11-12 NIV

[11] Then I looked and heard the voice of many angels, numbering thousands upon thousands, and ten thousand times ten thousand. They encircled the throne and the living creatures and the elders. [12] In a loud voice they were saying: “Worthy is the Lamb, who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and strength and honor and glory and praise!”

** Am I one of His saints? Do I understand that, as a believer in Christ, I am an adopted son and heir of God?

It often seems too high a title to claim, so let me remember that everything depends on what my heart is fixed upon.

• The poet dreams about a masterpiece of music he is yet to write

• The artist dreams about a surpassing picture he will paint one day

• The sculptor dreams about a statue whose grandeur will draw all eyes

What then, are my dreams? Are they about one day being:

• Completely liberated from sin?

• Changed into the image of Christ?

• Perfected in holiness?

If so, then I am among the saints as a child of God and heir apparent!  <S182>

Galatians 4:4-7 NIV

[4] But when the set time had fully come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under the law, [5] to redeem those under the law, that we might receive adoption to sonship. [6] Because you are his sons, God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, the Spirit who calls out, “Abba , Father.” [7] So you are no longer a slave, but God's child; and since you are his child, God has made you also an heir.

Romans 8:17 NIV

[17] Now if we are children, then we are heirs---heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory.

Titus 3:4-7 NIV

[4] But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, [5] he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit, [6] whom he poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ our Savior, [7] so that, having been justified by his grace, we might become heirs having the hope of eternal life.

** When we turn to Jesus and see Christ seated on the throne, we will have an overwhelming revelation of our own sinfulness, just like Peter when he saw Christ as God and John when he beheld the glory of the Lord  <F60>

Luke 5:8 NIV

[8] When Simon Peter saw this, he fell at Jesus' knees and said, “Go away from me, Lord; I am a sinful man!”

Revelation 1:17 NIV

[17] When I saw him, I fell at his feet as though dead. Then he placed his right hand on me and said: “Do not be afraid. I am the First and the Last.

** We, in this dark and sinful world, know little of the heavenly world of light but we know there is above us a world of blessed angels; they are always praising God and the psalmist shows his desire that God be praised in the best manner  <H83>

Psalm 148:1-6a NIV

[1] Praise the Lord. Praise the Lord from the heavens; praise him in the heights above. [2] Praise him, all his angels; praise him, all his heavenly hosts. [3] Praise him, sun and moon; praise him, all you shining stars. [4] Praise him, you highest heavens and you waters above the skies. [5] Let them praise the name of the Lord, for at his command they were created, [6] and he established them for ever and ever

** The vessel of our soul is too capacious (roomy) to be filled with all the pleasures and delights the world put together. Our glory shall be so great, that power as well as goodness, shall be given by God Himself to renew and enlarge these vessels, that they may be capable of receiving and retaining that glory. Strength and love shall go forth together, to prepare and elevate our dispositions, that they may be suitable for such a transcendent and exalted state!

At present, we are too weak to bear such a weight of glory; therefore God will immortalize us, that we may be able to sustain it! And because our eternal joys cannot fully enter into us while in this world, we shall fully enter into them in heaven.

What fool would place only a few drops of carnal pleasures into so large a vessel as the soul; and neglect the spring, or rather the ocean of unspeakable bliss and everlasting glory!

O my soul, what a glorious day is coming! The joy of His glorious presence, the fullness of His joy, the sweetness of this fullness, the eternity of this sweetness — the heart of man can never adequately comprehend. Lord, let the glory which you have prepared for me, turn my soul from the vanities of earth.  <S181>

1 Corinthians 2:9 NIV

[9] However, as it is written: “What no eye has seen, what no ear has heard, and what no human mind has conceived”---the things God has prepared for those who love him

Psalm 16:11 NIV

[11] You make known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand.

** Jerusalem is to be our ultimate hope, our highest joy!

Psalm 137:6 NIV

[6] May my tongue cling to the roof of my mouth if I do not remember you, if I do not consider Jerusalem my highest joy.

** When we die, we will experience perfect union with Christ and not look for relationships we had on earth, such as spouses; believers have no idea what awaits us — our minds simply cannot fathom how perfect eternity will be — because we are still sinners and not fully sanctified  <D40>

** Those in heaven will understand the events about to take place on earth, much like there is rejoicing when people commit themselves to Christ

Revelation 8:1 NIV

When he opened the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven for about half an hour.

Revelation 8:4 NIV

The smoke of the incense, together with the prayers of God’s people, went up before God from the angel’s hand.

** This poor world is full of sin, sorrow, pain, and death. If we had this life only, we would be most miserable. But the Christian has an unfailing hope of a holier, happier, sublimer, and more durable world than this! This hope supports him in every scene of earthly conflict and distress.

Believers shall enjoy eternal life in Heaven as the:

• Residence of the ever blessed God

• Palace of splendor

• Habitation of His holiness

• Place where His honor dwells

• Dwelling-place of angels and perfected spirits

1. Heaven is a place of inexpressible felicity, as it appears from its names, the:

• Paradise of God

• Building from God

• Mansion of God

• Heavenly city

• Better country

• Priceless inheritance

• Eternal kingdom

• Unfading crown of glory

• Peace, rest, and joy of the Lord!

2. Heaven will be a life of complete purity. Sin, in this world, is the great source of estrangement from God — it is that which constantly vexes and distresses the soul. But in Heaven sin can never enter to defile!

Revelation 21:27 NIV

[27] Nothing impure will ever enter it, nor will anyone who does what is shameful or deceitful, but only those whose names are written in the Lamb's book of life.

Ephesians 5:26-27 NIV

[26] to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word, [27] and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless.

1 John 3:2 NIV

[2] Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when Christ appears, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is.

Psalm 17:15 NIV

[15] As for me, I will be vindicated and will see your face; when I awake, I will be satisfied with seeing your likeness.

3. Heaven will be a life of perfect happiness. There is no perfect happiness in this poor world. Life here is like the fluctuations of the sea, or weather--calms and storms, sunshine and clouds.

Sorrow is frequently the lot of God's people. Some are afflicted under the hand of God--or mourning the loss of relatives or friends--or sunk into deep adversity. Some are weeping over the sins of others: parents over their children, pastors over their flocks, and Christians over the wickedness of the world.

But all the causes of evil will be annihilated in Heaven:

• Sin shall distress no more

• Satan shall tempt no more

• Sickness shall pain no more

• Tyrant shall oppress no more

• Death shall bereave and destroy no more

Revelation 7:16-17 NIV

[16] 'Never again will they hunger; never again will they thirst. The sun will not beat down on them,' nor any scorching heat. [17] For the Lamb at the center of the throne will be their shepherd; 'he will lead them to springs of living water.' 'And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.' ”

4. Heaven will be a life of the greatest honor.

4A. They will be raised to a kingdom! "Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father has been pleased to give you the kingdom!" Luke 12:32. What can be received, more than a kingdom? It is the highest dignity known on earth. Who can be higher than a king?

4B. It will be a life of honor which conquerors obtain. Crowns of victory are in reserve! "Everlasting joy shall be upon their heads!" Here on earth, they wear a crown of thorns; but there they will wear a diadem of glory!

• It will be an incorruptible crown, not a fading laurel, etc – no length of time will terminate the dominion of the saints, or tarnish the luster of their crowns, for they shall reign forever and ever!  (1 Cor 9:25)

• It is called a crown of righteousness – it was purchased by the righteousness of Christ and is given wholly for His sake to His redeemed people (2 Tim 4:7)

• It is a crown of life given to those who love Him, meaning they shall never die! (James 1:12, Rev 2:10)

• It is a crown of gold to denote the priceless and lasting honor to which they will be advanced, and the superlative wealth of the kingdom which they will possess (Rev 4:4)

4C. They shall sit upon a throne--the throne of Christ! "To him who overcomes I will grant to sit with Me on My throne!" Revelation 3:21; that lofty throne, that expansive throne, in which He will make room for all His faithful soldiers.

5. Heaven will be a life of rich enjoyment.

5A. Heaven is represented as a feast, "Many will come from the east and the west, and will take their places at the feast!" Matthew 8:11.

5B. Heaven is represented as a marriage supper, "Blessed are those who are invited to the wedding supper of the Lamb!" Revelation 19:9.

5C. Heaven is represented as a life of enjoyment in the best society: God Himself, angels, and glorified saints!

5D. Heaven is represented as enjoyment of the beatific vision of God, when we shall see Him face to face, and understand the mysteries of creation, providence and grace. Then the enraptured soul will exclaim, "You have done all things well!"

6. To crown all, Heaven is called eternal life! Most of the Scriptural representations of Heaven are combined with adjectives expressive of endless perpetuity. Hence Heaven is called the:

• Everlasting kingdom

• Incorruptible inheritance

• Exceeding and eternal weight of glory, etc

If a miser could insure his wealth for eternity, that alone would be Heaven enough for him. But it is his misery when he dies, that he can carry none of his riches away with him. But he who lays up treasure in Heaven need not fear moth or rust or thief — all is eternally secure!  <N153>

1 John 2:25 NIV

[25] And this is what he promised us---eternal life.

** Recognize God and ASK Him to help you understand what needs to be done to have security after this life then follow His ways; those who are unrepentant will not seek Him unless HE opens their eyes; no one can do this on their own so they need GOD’S help

Ezekiel 36:25-26 NIV

[25] I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean; I will cleanse you from all your impurities and from all your idols. [26] I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh.

Ezekiel 11:19-20 NIV

[19] I will give them an undivided heart and put a new spirit in them; I will remove from them their heart of stone and give them a heart of flesh. [20] Then they will follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws. They will be my people, and I will be their God.

** God will “carve into you” and accomplish His statutes so you keep His commandments; everything is possible with God!

Ezekiel 36:27 NIV

[27] And I will put my Spirit in you and move you to follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws.

** God used a shepherd figure to illustrate how He will inspect those who pass under His rod, separating sheep from the goats

At this time, God will bring them into the bond of the New Covenant by giving them His Spirit with life; this is Israel’s final salvation  <M130>

Ezekiel 20:37-38 NIV

[37] I will take note of you as you pass under my rod, and I will bring you into the bond of the covenant. [38] I will purge you of those who revolt and rebel against me. Although I will bring them out of the land where they are living, yet they will not enter the land of Israel. Then you will know that I am the Lord.

Ezekiel 36:24-26 NIV

[24] “ 'For I will take you out of the nations; I will gather you from all the countries and bring you back into your own land. [25] I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean; I will cleanse you from all your impurities and from all your idols. [26] I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh.

Ezekiel 39:29 NIV

[29] I will no longer hide my face from them, for I will pour out my Spirit on the people of Israel, declares the Sovereign Lord. ”

Romans 11:26-32 NIV

[26] and in this way all Israel will be saved. As it is written: “The deliverer will come from Zion; he will turn godlessness away from Jacob. [27] And this is my covenant with them when I take away their sins.” [28] As far as the gospel is concerned, they are enemies for your sake; but as far as election is concerned, they are loved on account of the patriarchs, [29] for God's gifts and his call are irrevocable. [30] Just as you who were at one time disobedient to God have now received mercy as a result of their disobedience, [31] so they too have now become disobedient in order that they too may now receive mercy as a result of God's mercy to you. [32] For God has bound everyone over to disobedience so that he may have mercy on them all.

** There is no ‘level of righteousness’ in heaven, for we will all be ‘one’ in our presence before God; there will be rewards and assignments when believers first arrive, but our long term existence will be one without competition or envy  <S188>

Revelation 7:9,13-17 NIV

[9] After this I looked, and there before me was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne and before the Lamb. They were wearing white robes and were holding palm branches in their hands. [13] Then one of the elders asked me, “These in white robes---who are they, and where did they come from?” [14] I answered, “Sir, you know.” And he said, “These are they who have come out of the great tribulation; they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. [15] Therefore, “they are before the throne of God and serve him day and night in his temple; and he who sits on the throne will shelter them with his presence. [16] 'Never again will they hunger; never again will they thirst. The sun will not beat down on them,' nor any scorching heat. [17] For the Lamb at the center of the throne will be their shepherd; 'he will lead them to springs of living water.' 'And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.' ”

** There are coming judgments and rewards in the end times when we stand before Christ  <T203>

2 Corinthians 5:10 NIV

[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.

1. What is a bema?

• A public or private elevated platform used as a judgment seat and tribunal

• Had numerous purposes: for awards after contests, judgment and place to put on shows

• Private example with Paul (Acts 25:22)

2. Where is the bema?

• There are many bema

• Paul wrote about the bema to the most sinful Corinthians

• A bema is located in the city of Corinth (Rom 14:10)

3. How many future judgments are there? Three:

a) Bema Seat of Christ where believers stand before Christ in heaven

b) Sheep & Goats after the 7 year Tribulation and 1000 year Millennium where God separates believers and unbelievers on earth, and

c) Great White Throne judgment

4. Who will stand at the Bema Seat of Christ?

• Only true believers of the New Testament church

• Not even the Old Testament saints

5. How will they get there?

• Christ comes for His bride via the Rapture

• In the twinkling of an eye He will appear (1Cor 15:51-52)

• We will stand before Him in our transformed bodies

6. How is the judgment different from the others?

• God will reward the actions of the believers (Matt 16:27, Eph 6:8)

• We will not be judged for sin because we have already been forgiven (Ps 103:10-12, Mic 7:19)

• Rewards will be based on how we ran the race (2 John 8)

• We will give an account of our works — time, talent, resources — that we faithfully gave to our Lord (1Cor 3:10-12)

• What we did will be tested by fire — that will either burn or stand the test of time, depending on the motive of our heart

• There will be those who are saved but sad because their life was not spent for the Lord

7. When will that be?

• On that day when He appears and takes us home

• Immediately after the Rapture

• Crowns of righteousness will be waiting

8. What is the purpose of the bema seat of Christ?

• When we understand that Christ will one day judge us for what we do here, we become motivated to do our best (1John 2:28)

• Sin and indifference in this life rob us of our present desire to serve the Lord, which means a loss of rewards (Eph 5:15-16)

• We run the race in order to win (1Cor 9:24-25)

Romans 12:1 NIV

[1] Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God---this is your true and proper worship.

** It was known in the Old Testament that the Gentiles would receive salvation (Isa 49:6); but it was never revealed (until the giving of the Holy spirit to all believers) that all Gentile and Jewish believers would become equal in the body of Christ. This equality was accomplished when Jesus broke down the “wall of partition” and created the “one new man” (Eph 2:14-15), “neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus” (Gal 3:28).  <N154>

Isaiah 49:6 NIV

[6] he says: “It is too small a thing for you to be my servant to restore the tribes of Jacob and bring back those of Israel I have kept. I will also make you a light for the Gentiles, that my salvation may reach to the ends of the earth.”

Ephesians 2:14-15 NIV

[14] For he himself is our peace, who has made the two groups one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility, [15] by setting aside in his flesh the law with its commands and regulations. His purpose was to create in himself one new humanity out of the two, thus making peace,

Galatians 3:28 NIV

[28] There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.

** How is Christianity different from all other man-made religions?

• Being a Christian offers the only hope for the believer that after we die, we gain what we can only imagine in this life

• It's not like the Muslim who fears a non-existent god whose only call is for them to die a martyr for “allah”

• It’s not like the Buddhist who believes in a long dead philosopher that is only good for this life and attempts to live a morally clean life

• For the Christian, to die is to gain....it is everything!  <T201>

1 Corinthians 2:9 NIV

[9] However, as it is written: “What no eye has seen, what no ear has heard, and what no human mind has conceived”---the things God has prepared for those who love him—

** In the morning the thief was OUT of Christ:

• far from God and far from righteousness,

• the helpless captive of sin,

• the child of despair and death.

At noon the thief was IN Christ:

• remembered graciously by the Savior of the lost,

• redeemed with an everlasting redemption,

• endowed with the new heart,

• and freely and perfectly justified.

In the evening the thief was WITH Christ:

• gazing on the glories of paradise,

• safe at home with his good Shepherd and adorable Redeemer.

What a crowded and memorable day this was in his history! So much was pressed into these few hours. Such a glorious and unprecedented transition they brought, from the cruel cross — to heaven's glory!  <S182>

Luke 23:42-43 NIV

[42] Then he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom. ” [43] Jesus answered him, “Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise.”

** The glorious kingdom is for the benefit of all who are willing to come to God; abundant benefits will be free because of His redemptive work  <M130>

Isaiah 55:1 NIV

[1] “Come, all you who are thirsty, come to the waters; and you who have no money, come, buy and eat! Come, buy wine and milk without money and without cost.

Isaiah 53:6,8,11 NIV

[6] We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to our own way; and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all. [8] By oppression and judgment he was taken away. Yet who of his generation protested? For he was cut off from the land of the living; for the transgression of my people he was punished. [11] After he has suffered, he will see the light of life and be satisfied; by his knowledge my righteous servant will justify many, and he will bear their iniquities.

Ephesians 2:6-9 NIV

[6] And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, [7] in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus. [8] For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith---and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God--- [9] not by works, so that no one can boast.

** Can your minds fly back to the time when there was no time--to the day when there was no day, but the Ancient of Days?

Can you speed back to that period when God dwelt alone--when this round world and all the things that are upon it, had not come from His hand; when the sun flamed not in his strength, and the stars flashed not in their brightness?

Can you go back to the period when there were no angels, when cherubim and seraphim had not been born; and, if there be creatures older than they, when none of them had as yet been formed?

Is it possible, I say, for you to fly so far back as to contemplate God alone--no creature, no breath of song, no motion of wing; God Himself alone, without another?

Consider next, if you can, the eternal purpose of God that He would CREATE:

• He determines it in His mind.

• Could any but a divine motive actuate the Divine Architect?

• What must that motive have been?

• He creates that He may display His own perfections.

• He does beget, as it were, creatures after His own image that He may live in them; that He may manifest to others the joy, the pleasure, the satisfaction, which He so intensely feels in Himself.

I am certain His own glory must have been the end He had in view! He would reveal His glory to the sons of men, to angels, and to such creatures as He had formed--in order that they might reflect His honor and sing His praise.  <S185>

Revelation 4:10-11 NIV

[10] 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: [11] “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.”

Revelation 19:6-7 NIV

[6] Then I heard what sounded like a great multitude, like the roar of rushing waters and like loud peals of thunder, shouting: “Hallelujah! For our Lord God Almighty reigns. [7] Let us rejoice and be glad and give him glory! For the wedding of the Lamb has come, and his bride has made herself ready.

** We are born for higher things than this poor world can afford us.

We know by sad experience what pain and sorrow mean; and frequent are the occasions on which tears flow down our cheeks. Death too, that king of terrors, warns us of the pains which we shall speedily endure in our conflicts with him.

This whole world is little else than a valley of tears. At best it is a chequered scene, and sorrows are continually intermingled with our joys.

But in heaven there will be no more pain, or sorrow, or crying; our happiness will be uninterrupted and without mixture.

Nor will there be any termination of our heavenly bliss; for "there will be no more death." Whatever tears bedewed our cheeks in our departing hours, they will all be wiped away by God Himself; who will, from the instant of our entrance into His presence, seat us on His throne, put an unfading crown of glory upon our head, and invest us with all the glory and felicity of His kingdom.

When joy and gladness have thus taken possession of our souls, not only will sorrow and sighing flee away--but all occasions for them, all scope for the exercise of them, will vanish forever!

The crowning jewel of that blissful state is that the Lord Jesus Christ, in all the glory of His person, and in all the wonders of His love, will be made clear to us as the sun at noon-day.

1 John 3:2 NIV

[2] Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when Christ appears, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is.

O that we were able to speak of it as we ought! But we feel the subject is far too great for our feeble grasp.  <S179>

Revelation 21:4 NIV

[4] '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.”

Philippians 3:20-21 NIV

[20] But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ, [21] who, by the power that enables him to bring everything under his control, will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like his glorious body.

** Paul reminds us that those who believe on Christ, should live a risen life.

We live on the earth at present. We walk on earth's streets. We live in material houses, built of stones, bricks, or wood. We eat earth's fruits, gathering our food from earth's fields, orchards and gardens. We wear clothes woven of earthly fabrics. We adorn our homes with works of art that human hands make. We engage in the business of earth. We find our happiness in the things of this life.

But there will be a life after this! We call it heaven. We cannot see it; there is never a rift in the sky, through which we can get even a glimpse of it. We have in the Scriptures hints of its beauty, its happiness, its blessedness. We know it is a world without sorrow, without sin, without death. Paul's teaching is that the Christian, while living on the earth, ought to begin to live this heavenly life.

One day a friend sent me a splendid butterfly, artistically mounted, known as the Lima Moth. This little creature is said to be the most beautiful of North American insects. Its color is light green with variegated spots. In its caterpillar state, it was only a worm. It died and entered its other or higher state, as we would say — and then the worm became a splendid butterfly!

This illustrates the two stages of a Christian's life. Here we are in our earthly state; after this will come the heavenly condition. "The things that are above" belong to this higher, spiritual life. But the Christian is exhorted to seek these higher things, while living in this lower world. We belong to heaven, although we are not yet living in heaven.

Paul presents the same truth in another form, when he says, "Our citizenship is in heaven." Though we are in this earthly world, we do not belong here. We are only strangers and pilgrims.  <M136>

Hebrews 11:13 NIV

[13] All these people were still living by faith when they died. They did not receive the things promised; they only saw them and welcomed them from a distance, admitting that they were foreigners and strangers on earth.

Colossians 3:1-2 NIV

[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. [2] Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things.

1 Peter 2:11 NIV

[11] Dear friends, I urge you, as foreigners and exiles, to abstain from sinful desires, which wage war against your soul.

** God created the world to have it inhabited; God is a God of relationship

Isaiah 45:18 NIV

[18] For this is what the Lord says---he who created the heavens, he is God; he who fashioned and made the earth, he founded it; he did not create it to be empty, but formed it to be inhabited---he says: “I am the Lord, and there is no other.

** We will ALL stand before God to give an account of our lives

• The Bema (judgment) Seat is translated as a court or tribunal that can be either public or private, similar to Paul before Agrippa

• Typically, bema refers to a high platform where the judge sat used for giving awards

• The Bema Seat we will face is to determine awards or crowns

• The Christian life is a race and the divine umpire is Jesus Christ

• After our race is over Christ will gather the Church before the bema in heaven for the purpose of giving rewards for faithful service after trusting Christ

• Our works won’t save us, but we will be held accountable for our efforts!

Romans 14:10 NIV

[10] You, then, why do you judge your brother or sister ? Or why do you treat them with contempt? For we will all stand before God's judgment seat.

2 Corinthians 5:10 NIV

[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.

Acts 25:22 NIV

[22] Then Agrippa said to Festus, “I would like to hear this man myself.” He replied, “Tomorrow you will hear him.”

Matthew 16:27 NIV

[27] For the Son of Man is going to come in his Father's glory with his angels, and then he will reward each person according to what they have done.

Ephesians 6:8 NIV

[8] because you know that the Lord will reward each one for whatever good they do, whether they are slave or free.

1 Corinthians 3:10,12-13 NIV

[10] By the grace God has given me, I laid a foundation as a wise builder, and someone else is building on it. But each one should build with care. [12] If anyone builds on this foundation using gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay or straw, [13] their work will be shown for what it is, because the Day will bring it to light. It will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test the quality of each person's work.

1 Corinthians 3:15 NIV

[15] If it is burned up, the builder will suffer loss but yet will be saved---even though only as one escaping through the flames.

• Do not confuse this with the other two judgments, both for non-believers:

1. Separating Sheep & Goats – after the seven year Tribulation

2. Great White Throne judgment – after the thousand year Millennial Kingdom  <T203>

Matthew 25:31-33 NIV

[31] “When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit on his glorious throne. [32] All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. [33] He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left.

** There will be no injustice in God’s kingdom, for men will see God’s truth with eyes that see and ears that hear

Isaiah 32:3-5 NIV

[3] Then the eyes of those who see will no longer be closed, and the ears of those who hear will listen. [4] The fearful heart will know and understand, and the stammering tongue will be fluent and clear. [5] No longer will the fool be called noble nor the scoundrel be highly respected.

Isaiah 29:17-19 NIV

[17] In a very short time, will not Lebanon be turned into a fertile field and the fertile field seem like a forest? [18] In that day the deaf will hear the words of the scroll, and out of gloom and darkness the eyes of the blind will see. [19] Once more the humble will rejoice in the Lord; the needy will rejoice in the Holy One of Israel.

Isaiah 35:5 NIV

[5] Then will the eyes of the blind be opened and the ears of the deaf unstopped.

Isaiah 42:14,16 NIV

[14] “For a long time I have kept silent, I have been quiet and held myself back. But now, like a woman in childbirth, I cry out, I gasp and pant. [16] I will lead the blind by ways they have not known, along unfamiliar paths I will guide them; I will turn the darkness into light before them and make the rough places smooth. These are the things I will do; I will not forsake them.

** The Feast of Tabernacles, also known as the Feast of Booths or Feast of Ingathering, is the last of the 7 Feasts of the Lord and the most joyous. It occurs on the 15th day of Tishri and lasts for 7 days. The purpose of this Feast is recorded in Leviticus 23

Leviticus 23:33-34,42-43 NIV

[33] The Lord said to Moses, [34] “Say to the Israelites: 'On the fifteenth day of the seventh month the Lord's Festival of Tabernacles begins, and it lasts for seven days. [42] Live in temporary shelters for seven days: All native-born Israelites are to live in such shelters [43] so your descendants will know that I had the Israelites live in temporary shelters when I brought them out of Egypt. I am the Lord your God.' ”

Not only did the children of Israel dwell in tents during the 40 years in the wilderness, but God did as well. God’s Shekinah glory dwelt in the Tabernacle of Moses during the wilderness years of the nation of Israel.

Exodus 40:34-35 NIV

[34] Then the cloud covered the tent of meeting, and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle. [35] Moses could not enter the tent of meeting because the cloud had settled on it, and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle.

During this celebration of Tabernacles, which occurs during the fall harvest season, the people were to live in booths for 7 days that were made of sticks or branches in remembrance of when their ancestors lived in the wilderness for 40 years. The day after the 7th day (the 8th day) is designated as a “solemn assembly” for the children of Israel. The Feast of Tabernacles will ultimately be fulfilled by the Lord Jesus when He establishes His Millennial Kingdom of peace on the earth.  <N154>

Zechariah 14:9,16 NIV

[9] The Lord will be king over the whole earth. On that day there will be one Lord, and his name the only name. [16] Then the survivors from all the nations that have attacked Jerusalem will go up year after year to worship the King, the Lord Almighty, and to celebrate the Festival of Tabernacles.

** Our life here on earth is short and is fragile; God guarantees we will face death one way or another

Psalm 18:4-5 NIV

[4] The cords of death entangled me; the torrents of destruction overwhelmed me. [5] The cords of the grave coiled around me; the snares of death confronted me.

Psalm 102:23 NIV

[23] In the course of my life he broke my strength; he cut short my days.

** We can have complete peace in any situation for we know our life here on earth is temporary

• Christ will return and take us to a better place before the Great Tribulation

• How will we get to this new place but via the Rapture!

John 14:2-3 NIV

[2] My Father’s house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you? [3] And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am.

1 Thessalonians 4:16,18 NIV

[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. [18] Therefore encourage one another with these words.

1 Corinthians 15:51-52 NIV

[51] Listen, I tell you a mystery: We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed--- [52] in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed.

• The last trumpet gathers the Church while the first trumpet gathers the Israelites (1 Cor 15)

• Mention of the 'last trumpet' does not refer to the trumpets in the Tribulation but at the Rapture  <H84>

Romans 8:10-11 NIV

[10] But if Christ is in you, then even though your body is subject to death because of sin, the Spirit gives life because of righteousness. [11] And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies because of his Spirit who lives in you.

1 John 3:2-3 NIV

[2] Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when Christ appears, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is. [3] All who have this hope in him purify themselves, just as he is pure.

Revelation 22:7 NIV

[7] “Look, I am coming soon! Blessed is the one who keeps the words of the prophecy written in this scroll.”

Revelation 3:10-11 NIV

[10] Since you have kept my command to endure patiently, I will also keep you from the hour of trial that is going to come on the whole world to test the inhabitants of the earth. [11] I am coming soon. Hold on to what you have, so that no one will take your crown.

** The term ‘twinkling of an eye’ has been calculated by experts to be considerably less than one second  <H91>

• In fact, scientists and mathematicians calculate 'twinkling of an eye' as considerably less than 1/100th of a second

• That’s the speed that the Father will use to remove all of the Savior’s flock from this earth

• We must remember that time was made for humans, and the Father is not bound by our limitations

1 Corinthians 15:52 NIV

[52] in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed.

** What will Heaven be, but the entire surrender of the soul to Him, without any bias to evil, without the fear of corruption within echoing to temptation without  <M129>

• Every thought brought into captivity to the obedience of Christ

• No contrariety to His mind

• All in blessed unison with His will

And the whole being impregnated with holiness, where the:

• Intellect purified and ennobled, consecrating all its powers to His service;

• Memory, a holy repository of pure and hallowed recollections;

• Affections, without one competing rival, purged from all the dross of earthliness;

• Love of God, the one supreme animating passion;

• Glory of God, the motive principle interfused through every thought, feeling, and action of life immortal

In one word, the heart is a clear fountain — no sediment to dim its purity. Yes, this is Heaven — purity of heart and ‘God all in all!’

Matthew 5:8 NIV

[8] Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.

Psalm 17:15 NIV

[15] As for me, I will be vindicated and will see your face; when I awake, I will be satisfied with seeing your likeness.

** It’s worth remembering that the new heaven referred to doesn’t mean the heaven where God is enthroned. The Bible uses the word heaven in three senses. The first heaven is the earth’s atmosphere, the “blue sky.” The second heaven is outer space, the “night sky.” The third heaven is the place where God lives in glory. When the Scriptures speak of a new heaven, they mean a new “blue sky” and a new “night sky,” not a new heaven where God dwells.  <T201>

** When Jesus returns to gather believers at the Rapture, all believers will receive their new glorified bodies at that time; mortality and corruption will drop off from those who are still alive and they will take on immortality and incorruptibility, while those who are already dead and occupying a spirit-body will also take on a new glorified body

1 Thessalonians 4:16-17 NIV

[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.

Romans 8:30 NIV

[30] And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified.

** One would think that so grand and solemn a fact as death, especially viewed in connection with the events which are to immediately follow it — heaven, Hell and eternity — along with the uncertainty how soon it may be realized might operate with an unlimited and altogether overpowering influence upon men's minds and hearts!

But men wish to forget death. They try to forget it, and alas, too often succeed in accomplishing this fatal oblivion! Yet we can scarcely wonder at this, when we consider what their spiritual condition is--and what death is!  <J101>

Psalm 39:4-5 NIV

[4] “Show me, Lord, my life's end and the number of my days; let me know how fleeting my life is. [5] You have made my days a mere handbreadth; the span of my years is as nothing before you. Everyone is but a breath, even those who seem secure.

Psalm 90:12 NIV

[12] Teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom.

** I do not need flamboyant descriptions and eloquent representations of the celestial state, to raise my desires and hopes. It is enough to know that it is GLORY — first prepared, then promised, and ultimately bestowed by Jehovah as the concentration of His infinite beneficence and the full manifestation of His boundless benevolence!

heaven is the:

• Absence of all evil, natural and moral

• Possession of all possible good

• Glorified body united with a perfect soul

• Being in the immediate presence of God!

There we shall see God:

• We shall not only see Him, but love Him!

• We shall not only love Him, but serve Him!

• We shall not only serve Him, but enjoy Him!

• We shall not only enjoy Him, but hold such communion with Him as will assimilate us to the all-perfect source of our felicity!

And experience:

• Perfect knowledge

• perfect holiness and

• perfect love must of necessity

• open the fountain of perfect joy!

No secondary concern will call off our unwearied attention from the service of God; no sin or pain will interrupt us in it; nor will death ever dismiss us from it. The business and the blessedness of that happy state are the same — our supreme delight will be our constant employment!

Every:

• Sense will be an inlet

• Faculty a capacity, and

• Energy a pulsation of the purest bliss!

heaven will be the:

• Life in perfection

• Life of the soul

• Life of God

• Life of eternity!

But to describe it, how vain and arrogant the attempt, when even to conceive of it is impossible! "In Your presence is fullness of joy! At Your right hand there are pleasures forevermore!" Neither language nor thought can go beyond this! Mind cannot conceive more. God Himself can tell us no more, than that heaven consists in His presence and the enjoyment of His favor — forever and ever!  <J101>

1 Corinthians 2:9 NIV

[9] However, as it is written: “What no eye has seen, what no ear has heard, and what no human mind has conceived”---the things God has prepared for those who love him---

1 John 2:25 NIV

[25] And this is what he promised us---eternal life.

** One of the many things I have learned from my Scripture study is that the Word of God is layer upon layer of remarkable multiplicity. That is, when one digs deep beneath the surface, there is an insurmountable amount of treasure to be found. So much so, that this is the reason I truly believe we will be studying the Scriptures in eternity with The Word, Jesus Christ, teaching us things we never would have been able to see without His insight.  <B297>

** Here on earth — Christ puts His grace upon His spouse; there in heaven — He puts His glory upon His spouse  <D42>

• In heaven the crown is made for them, and shall be worn by believers of Christ

• In this life believers have some good things, but the rest and best are reserved for the life to come.

• Heaven is not only a possession promised by Christ, but a possession PURCHASED by Christ.  

Matthew 25:34 NIV

[34] “Then the King will say to those on his right, 'Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world.

Revelation 3:10 NIV

[10] Since you have kept my command to endure patiently, I will also keep you from the hour of trial that is going to come on the whole world to test the inhabitants of the earth.

Philippians 1:21 NIV

[21] For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain.

Matthew 25:21 NIV

[21] “His master replied, 'Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master's happiness!'

** The Apostle Paul experienced anything but his best life now.  Paul knew that God has an eternal life awaiting him after he had to be "poured out like a drink offering" (2 Tim 4:6) but "now there is in store for [Paul] the crown of righteousness" (2 Tim 4:8).  Everything in this world fades away and we look forward to eternal life -- where our inheritance is imperishable (not subject to decay) and nothing ever fades away! (2 Tim 4:4)

1 Peter 1:4-5

...an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade. This inheritance is kept in heaven for you, who through faith are shielded by God’s power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time.  

People say they will get bored in heaven, but John MacArthur shares his views in this way: "What I envision most about heaven is the absence of the curse , the absence of sin, the absence of decay, all the effects of fallenness and corruption, the absence of conflict, pain, suffering, sorrow, tears, discipline, hatred, misunderstanding, weakness, failure... I can only describe heaven in terms of negatives because I don't know what the description of the absence of those things would be... except perfect holiness and perfect joy... limitless holiness, unbounded peace, that is ready to be revealed in the last time."

2 Timothy 4:18

The Lord will rescue me from every evil attack and will bring me safely to his heavenly kingdom. To him be glory for ever and ever. Amen.  

God mercifully saves/regenerates those who believe in Christ from this life of sin by the power of God -- causing us to be born again to a living hope -- and blesses us with an eternal life without sin.  WE can not do anything to be born again, anymore than we can control the wind, so our eyes are on our Lord who saves us.  All we can do in response to His mercy is to praise Him!  

1 Peter 1:3

Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead

** In this present world, our good and evil are blended. Our happiness has some bitter ingredients, and our miseries have some agreeable mitigations.

But in the eternal world, good and evil shall be entirely and forever separated! All will be pure, unmingled happiness — or pure, unmingled misery!

But what gives infinite importance to these joys and sorrows is that they are enjoyed or suffered in the eternal world, and they are themselves eternal. Eternal joys! Eternal pains! Joys and pains that will last as long as the King eternal and immortal will live to distribute them! As long as our immortal spirits will live to feel them! Oh what joys and pains are these!

And these eternal joys or pains, my friends are waiting every one of us! These pleasures, or these pains are felt this moment by all our friends and acquaintances who have died before us! And in a little, little while you and I must feel them!

Alas! What then, have we to do with time and earth? Are the pleasures and pains of this world worthy to be compared with eternal pleasures and pains? "Vanity of vanities, all is vanity!"

• The enjoyments and sufferings,

• the labors and pursuits,

• the laughter and tears of the present state

are all nothing in comparison. What is the loss of an estate, or of a dear relative compared to the loss of a blissful immortality?

And if our heavenly inheritance is secure — what does it matter, even if we should be reduced into Job's forlorn situation? What does it matter, even if we are poor, sickly, racked with pains, and submerged in every human misery? heaven will more than make amends for all!  <D43>

Matthew 25:46 NIV

[46] “Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life.”

** “Praise the Lord” or “Hallelujah” is reserved when praising God for the deliverance from the wicked; it appears mainly in the Old Testament (Psalms 103-118) and one chapter of the New Testament (Revelation 19)

Psalm 103:1 NIV

[1] Praise the Lord, my soul; all my inmost being, praise his holy name.

Psalm 104:35 NIV

[35] But may sinners vanish from the earth and the wicked be no more. Praise the Lord, my soul. Praise the Lord.

The world will never be right until it is under God’s control and His sovereign rule — freedom from sin, righteous justice meted out, God ruling with a rod of iron, man-advancing rebellion ends, the Lord torches the world system to smoldering ash,  union with our Savior at the marriage supper (text borrowed from Deut 32) — and the response in heaven is continual “hallelujah”  <M130>

Revelation 19:1-3 NIV [John’s vision of heaven]

[1] After this I heard what sounded like the roar of a great multitude in heaven shouting:

 “Hallelujah! Salvation and glory and power belong to our God, [2] for true and just are his judgments. He has condemned the great prostitute who corrupted the earth by her adulteries. He has avenged on her the blood of his servants.” [3] And again they shouted: “Hallelujah! The smoke from her goes up for ever and ever.”

** Based on the context and Paul's change of words from 1 Thess 4, we know that the sense of 1 Thess 5:10 is that when Jesus come for His church, He will take those who are alert spiritually as well as those who are asleep in their walk with Him as evidenced by their lack of watchfulness for His return or their care about the way they live.

This is incredibly good news as well as an amazing promise. Our inclusion in the rapture does not depend upon our behavior at the time Jesus' appears; it depends solely upon whether or not our sins are covered with the blood Jesus shed on our behalf.

1 John 5:10-12 spells out the only condition for your inclusion in the rapture. If you belong to Jesus, you are going up regardless of your behavior at the moment! If Jesus is not your Savior, your feet will remain earthbound.

This is our blessed assurance!

Please know I am not saying that our behavior does not matter. It absolutely does! What I am saying is that those who teach the doctrine of a partial rapture advance a doctrine that not only contradicts the heart of the Gospel, but Paul's specific promise in 1 Thess 5:10.

The New Testament teaches that all believers will give an account of their lives to Jesus (Rom. 14:12; 1 Cor. 3:10-15; 2 Cor. 5:10; Heb. 4:12-13). Faithful service will be rewarded (1 Cor. 15:58); saints who neglect their spiritual gifts and opportunities to serve the Lord with those provisions will suffer loss at the judgment seat of Christ, but they will not lose their salvation, nor will they miss out on the rapture.

So yes, our behavior matters; but our good deeds do not merit our salvation nor do they merit our rapid heavenward journey when Jesus appears to take us home. Those whom God justifies, He also glorifies (Rom. 8:30); this is an unbroken chain. Once God justifies us, it becomes an absolute certainty He will glorify us at the return of His Son. That is the promise of Romans 8!

You see, when Jesus gives us eternal life based on His work on the cross, it means we will never perish (John 10:27-29). The Lord forever seals our fate, eternity in paradise, the moment He brings us into His forever family.

Why do I emphasize these promises from 1 Thess 5:9-10? It's because so many churches err on one side of the other. They either ignore our blessed hope or they ignore our blessed assurance. Both represent grievous errors in these last days.

In 1 Thess 5:9-10, the apostle Paul assures us of two precious promises in regard to our eternal hope. Jesus is coming for us before the tribulation, and our inclusion in our trip to His Father's house in heaven depends solely on His blood shed on our behalf, not our behavior.  <B26>

** This vision of heaven, how wondrous it is! What a contrast to this poor earth of ours. Streets of gold, and seas of glass, and pearly gates, and rivers and trees of life--in exchange for this vile dust and dross, and worthless ugliness, and for these fruits of pain and death!

• A realm of splendid light, without a sun!

• A world without a sea!

• Bodies, without pain!

• Faces, with no tears and no furrows of grief!

• Hearts, without sighs!

• Duration, without mutation and reverse!

• Life, without age or decay!

• No death! Creatures, but no death!

• Day, bright, blazing, gorgeous day--but no night!  <C404>

Revelation 22:3-5 NIV

[3] No longer will there be any curse. The throne of God and of the Lamb will be in the city, and his servants will serve him. [4] They will see his face, and his name will be on their foreheads. [5] There will be no more night. They will not need the light of a lamp or the light of the sun, for the Lord God will give them light. And they will reign for ever and ever.

** The more we love Him, the more lovely He will become to us.

We soon exhaust the most excellent characters of earth. But in the character of our blessed Redeemer there are depths, heights, lengths and breadths of loveliness that we can never exhaust through time or eternity. After, in heaven, we shall have seen the King in His beauty as many millions of years as there are grains of dust in our globe--there will still be in Him an infinitude of unrevealed beauties to transport our ever expanding souls.  <T208>

** Soon we shall see Him as He is!  We shall be married to Him, reign with Him, and be entirely like Him!  <M142>

Ephesians 3:17b-19 NIV

[17] And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, [18] may have power, together with all the Lord's holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, [19] and to know this love that surpasses knowledge---that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.

Revelation 19:9 NIV

[9] Then the angel said to me, “Write this: Blessed are those who are invited to the wedding supper of the Lamb!” And he added, “These are the true words of God.”

** When shall I ascend to the eternal throne of blessedness, where no comforts are lacking?

When shall I be covered with the glorious robe of immortality, and shine in the brightness of my Redeemer's innocence?

When shall I behold the lovely face of my Lord and dwell in the courts of His holy temple, where all tears shall be wiped away from my eyes, all sorrows removed from my heart, and all sins and spots are done away?

Where I shall exchange the dross of this world, for true and durable riches!

Where, instead of these earthly riches which moth and rust corrupt--I shall enjoy the heavenly riches of perfect peace and good conscience, never to be lost!

Instead of these false and flattering honors, I shall enjoy everlasting glory, and be admitted into the fellowship of my Redeemer to reign with Him in His glorious kingdom!

Instead of vain and momentary pleasures, I shall be filled with fullness of joy and be ravished with those delights which neither eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor has it entered into the heart of man to conceive!

Instead of this dark and cloudy knowledge, I shall have my heart enlightened with the beams of the true light!

Instead of this feeble strength, I shall be endowed with the might of angels!

Instead of this transitory health, I shall enjoy a powerful and immortal vigor!

Instead of this fading beauty, I shall be adorned with the loveliness of Christ's spouse!

Instead of long life, I shall be crowned with life eternal! My heart and my strength fail me, but God is the strength of my heart, and my portion forever!  <W2193>

Psalm 42:2 NIV

[2] My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When can I go and meet with God?

** We shall consider these words as referring to HEAVENLY rest:

  our Father's house,

  our Savior's home, and

  our eternal dwelling-place!

To the weary and way-worn, there is something delightful in the thought of REST.

They love to think of heaven as the place where they shall "rest from their labors."

REST gives us the idea of . . .

  repose--the calm, quiet repose of the soul;

  refreshment--the refreshment of the exhausted spirit after conflict, sickness, or toil;

  restoration to vigor--after debility, languor, and fainting.

Heaven will be a rest . . .

  from sin--which will no more grieve us;

  from sorrow--which will no more trouble and distress us;

  from fears--which will no more harass and perplex us; and

  from conflicts--which will no more agitate and suppress us.

It will be a rest . . .

  with God in His glory,

  with Jesus in His immediate presence,

  with saints and holy angels in full perfection and blessedness.

This rest is FUTURE--it remains for the people of God.

This rest is the object of our hopes and DESIRES.

We look forward to it, with holy longing and cheering anticipation.

This rest is PERFECT--free from all mixture of anything that will agitate, give pain, or cause grief.

This rest is UNINTERRUPTED--nothing will ever occur to disturb, distress, or agitate us any more.

This rest is GLORIOUS--

  as bright as the meridian sun,

  as balmy as the most pleasant morning,

  as glowing with holiness, splendor, and majesty.

Best of all, this rest is ETERNAL! The possibility of a change, of a return to former scenes--would spoil all. But this rest will be enduring--as changeless as the Divine nature, and as glorious as the Divine perfections.

Blessed be God for such a rest for the weary, suffering, and downcast believer in Jesus!

Oh, to keep the eye fixed upon it, and the heart expecting it--amidst all the troubles and trials of time!

This rest is FOR the redeemed people of God.

They are now a poor, tried, tempted, and restless people.

They are strangers and pilgrims upon the earth, as all their fathers were.

Believer, let the prospect of this eternal glorious rest, cheer you in toil and trouble! Your work will soon be finished, your trouble will soon come to an end--and then rest--the glorious rest, remains for you!  <S183>

Hebrews 4:9 NIV

[9] There remains, then, a Sabbath-rest for the people of God

** The way to heaven lies through much tribulation. All our troubles are not over when we are saved by Christ; nay, then commonly our greatest sorrows begin! Nor are we to expect freedom from our troubles, until harbored in heaven.

This winter weather shall be useful to destroy those noxious weeds, which the summer of prosperity bred. By wintry trials, God will mortify and purge our corruptions!

At present we are tossed upon an ocean of troubles, fears and temptations--but these will make heaven all the sweeter. Cheer up, then, O my soul, your salvation is now nearer than when you first believed! Yet a few more days, and then comes that blessed day you have so long waited and panted for!

God will shortly put a blessed end to all of your soul troubles, cares and watchings. The time is coming, when your heart shall be as you would have it, when you shall be discharged of all these cares, fears and sorrows, and never more cry out: "O my hard, my proud, my vain, my earthly heart!"  <F63>

John 16:33 NIV

[33] “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”

Matthew 25:34 NIV

[34] “Then the King will say to those on his right, 'Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world.

** Some may wonder "what is the theme in heaven?" That is easy to answer. It is contained in the revelation that God is Love (1 John 4:8). To confirm this immutable truth, John explains the reality: "God is love, and he who abides in love abides in God, and God in him" (1 John 4:16). Therefore, "Our love is brought to perfection in this: that while we should have confidence on the day of judgment, for our relation to this world is just like His" (1 John 4:17). Therefore, we will spend eternity receiving God's love as well as increasing our love and praises to our Lord.

Are there any descriptions of heaven? To lessen our wondering, God has already unveiled heaven almost like a travelog in Revelation Chapter 21 and 22. Be sure to read these chapters to see what has been prepared for us. It is mind-blowing. There are also vivid colors like the precious stones on the New Jerusalem (Revelation 4:1-8) and even a green rainbow (Revelation 4:1-8).

We have described the current religious heaven as being upward. Scriptures reveal that there will be new heavens and a new earth, as the former heavens and the former earth had passed away. In addition, there is the New Jerusalem which will come down from heaven (Revelation 21:1-4).

While we have discussed eternal life in heaven, there is still a sense of time in our analysis. The concept of eternity, everlasting life, or perpetual things are not items we usually discuss. Nevertheless, I was also interested in a timeless era and asked the Lord one day. He replied,

"What is forever? It is a moment with me that never ceases. You already know how to praise me, how to love me and accept my love. But forever began when you accepted me and it never stops, yet it seems like a minute, for we share such oneness. I long for you as you long for me, and yet we are one in spite of such longing and desire. Now I will tell you something: there is so much more of my infinite love that you cannot imagine. You think you know love now. I tell you, it has just begun, for I have so many things planned for my people. You will be amazed at the depth of my love for those who up to now are not even aware of my love. Help me build the kingdom to join you as friends and fellow believers. I will help you. Fear not"  <M1492>

** The righteous will flourish, like the cedars of Lebanon, even as they grow old proclaiming God’s eternal glory

Psalm 92:12-15 NIV

[12] The righteous will flourish like a palm tree, they will grow like a cedar of Lebanon; [13] planted in the house of the Lord, they will flourish in the courts of our God. [14] They will still bear fruit in old age, they will stay fresh and green, [15] proclaiming, “The Lord is upright; he is my Rock, and there is no wickedness in him. ”

Psalm 92:8 NIV

[8] But you, Lord, are forever exalted.

Psalm 93:2 NIV

[2] Your throne was established long ago; you are from all eternity.

** After Christ's death and resurrection, Jesus went to be with the Lord to prepare a place for us

John 13:36 NIV

[36] Simon Peter asked him, “Lord, where are you going?” Jesus replied, “Where I am going, you cannot follow now, but you will follow later.”

John 14:2-3 NIV

[2] My Father’s house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you? [3] And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am.

** As a result of following God we will not experience death and separation, but be seated with Him on His heavenly throne!

Ephesians 2:6-7 NIV

And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, [7] in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus.

Ephesians 2:19-20 NIV

Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and strangers, but fellow citizens with God’s people and also members of his household, [20] built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone.

** With each passing day, it is obvious this world is heading toward that last 7-year period known as the Tribulation or God's Wrath. All the signs of Matthew 24 and 2 Timothy 3, and those given by numerous prophets, are present and are intensifying daily, and in some cases hourly.

The next main event on the end-time countdown will be the Rapture of Jesus' Church - all believers. There is no named "evangelical organization" that makes up His Church; only those individuals who identify as bible-believing Christians.  <H91> (Aug 2019)

** Jesus reveals there is an eternal existence after death where He IS the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob (using present not past tense)

Luke 20:37-38 NIV

[37] But in the account of the burning bush, even Moses showed that the dead rise, for he calls the Lord ‘the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.’ [38] He is not the God of the dead, but of the living, for to him all are alive.”

** While living in our earthly bodies is limited and frustrating, God promises us a new body and life eternal

2 Corinthians 5:2-5 NIV

[2] Meanwhile we groan, longing to be clothed instead with our heavenly dwelling, [3] because when we are clothed, we will not be found naked. [4] For while we are in this tent, we groan and are burdened, because we do not wish to be unclothed but to be clothed instead with our heavenly dwelling, so that what is mortal may be swallowed up by life. [5] Now the one who has fashioned us for this very purpose is God, who has given us the Spirit as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come.

** Job knew souls enjoyed equal status once they reached the afterlife

Job 3:19 NIV

[19] The small and the great are there, and the slaves are freed from their owners.

** Jesus is the light of the world; light manifests God's glory such as holiness, truth, and splendor; God's glory is revealed from the beginning of creation to the final days in Revelation when God's presence will replace the sin

John 8:12 NIV

[12] When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”

Genesis 1:3-4 NIV

[3] And God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light. [4] God saw that the light was good, and he separated the light from the darkness.

Revelation 21:23-24 NIV

[23] The city does not need the sun or the moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light, and the Lamb is its lamp. [24] The nations will walk by its light, and the kings of the earth will bring their splendor into it.

** The heart of God's purpose is eternal life and Jesus will continue to offer eternal life until He returns

• Jesus raised the dead both physically and spiritually while He was on earth, and the dead will hear Jesus' voice upon His return at the Second Coming

• Jesus has the power to raise EVERYONE from the dead, not just Lazarus!

John 5:24 NIV

[24] “Very truly I tell you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not be judged but has crossed over from death to life.

John 5:25,28-29 NIV

[25] Very truly I tell you, a time is coming and has now come when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God and those who hear will live. [28] “Do not be amazed at this, for a time is coming when all who are in their graves will hear his voice [29] and come out---those who have done what is good will rise to live, and those who have done what is evil will rise to be condemned.

** We can escape this ‘present evil age’ and peace can be ours; Jesus gave Himself not only that we might be forgiven, but that we might be rescued from this evil

Galatians 1:3-4 NIV

Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ, [4] who gave himself for our sins to rescue us from the present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father,

Galatians 6:16 NIV

Peace and mercy to all who follow this rule---to the Israel of God.

** The person singing this song recognizes where the Lord lives and longs to be there

Psalm 84:1-3 NIV

[1] How lovely is your dwelling place, Lord Almighty! [2] My soul yearns, even faints, for the courts of the Lord; my heart and my flesh cry out for the living God. [3] Even the sparrow has found a home, and the swallow a nest for herself, where she may have her young---a place near your altar, Lord Almighty, my King and my God.

** God promises His followers eternal life with Him

Titus 1:2 NIV

in the hope of eternal life, which God, who does not lie, promised before the beginning of time

** God encourages Smyrna to hold fast in suffering for future reward; do not fear death for we will gain (life) what we are afraid to lose

Revelation 2:10 NIV

Do not be afraid of what you are about to suffer. I tell you, the devil will put some of you in prison to test you, and you will suffer persecution for ten days. Be faithful, even to the point of death, and I will give you life as your victor’s crown.

Note: 10 days deals with 10 different waves of persecution, starting with Nero and ending with the most fierce of forces

Revelation 2:11 NIV

Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches. The one who is victorious will not be hurt at all by the second death.

** Those in heaven feel/understand the events about to take place on earth, much like there is rejoicing when people commit themselves to Christ

Revelation 8:1 NIV

When he opened the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven for about half an hour.

Revelation 8:4 NIV

The smoke of the incense, together with the prayers of God’s people, went up before God from the angel’s hand.

** Believers in the Kingdom of heaven will be greater than the most high prophets on earth; even those who are among the least

Matthew 11:11 NIV

Truly I tell you, among those born of women there has not risen anyone greater than John the Baptist; yet whoever is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.

** There is a rich home which I visit, in which the most sacred and precious household treasure is a piece of puckered sewing.

A little child one day picked up the simple handkerchief which her mother was in the midst of sewing. After half an hour's quiet work, the child brought it to her, saying, "Mother, I's been helping you, 'cause I love you so."

The stitches were long and the sewing was puckered--but the mother saw only beauty in it all, for it told of her child's love and eagerness to please her. That night the little one sickened, and in a few hours was dead. No wonder the mother keeps that piece of puckered sewing among her rarest treasures. Nothing that the most skillful hands have wrought among all her household possessions, means to her half so much as that handkerchief with the child's unskilled work on it.

In the same way, the things we do out of love to God, though they may be marred and imperfect, are precious to Him!  <M136>

Matthew 10:42 NIV

[42] And if anyone gives even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones who is my disciple, truly I tell you, that person will certainly not lose their reward.”

** Jesus describes Hell as a tortuous  place where people will see the prophets in heaven feasting with its other inhabitants; our deeds and motives on earth will be recognized because the first will be last and last will be first

Luke 13:28 NIV

[28] “There will be weeping there, and gnashing of teeth, when you see Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and all the prophets in the kingdom of God, but you yourselves thrown out.

Luke 13:29 NIV

[29] People will come from east and west and north and south, and will take their places at the feast in the kingdom of God.

Luke 13:30 NIV

[30] Indeed there are those who are last who will be first, and first who will be last.”

** There is an ‘uncrossable gap’ preventing anyone from crossing the chasm between heaven and Hell

Luke 16:26 NIV

[26] And besides all this, between us and you a great chasm has been set in place, so that those who want to go from here to you cannot, nor can anyone cross over from there to us.’

** Jesus told us there will be no marriage in heaven

• Our covenant relationship and focus will solely be on Christ  <M1501>

• Followers of Christ who arrive in Heaven will be married to Christ, as bride and Bridegroom

• Besides, there will be no need for marriage for we will be like the angels, immortal and incorruptible!

Matthew 22:30 NIV

At the resurrection people will neither marry nor be given in marriage; they will be like the angels in heaven.

** Jesus was asked a question about marital status in heaven and He confirmed the dead will neither marry nor be given in marriage

Luke 20:34-36 NIV

[34] Jesus replied, “The people of this age marry and are given in marriage. [35] But those who are considered worthy of taking part in the age to come and in the resurrection from the dead will neither marry nor be given in marriage, [36] and they can no longer die; for they are like the angels. They are God’s children, since they are children of the resurrection.

** Jesus addresses the Saducees who asked Him about a situation with seven brothers and rules regarding marriage at resurrection; Jesus informs the crowd that no one will be married when rising from the dead but, rather, we will be like angels

Mark 12:25 NIV

[25] When the dead rise, they will neither marry nor be given in marriage; they will be like the angels in heaven.

** The parable of the 10 virgins reminds us to always be prepared for the return of God  <D496>

• Proper preparation is needed in order to enter Heaven when Jesus Christ returns, while those without any 'oil' will be barred from entering

• Oil is mentioned more than 200 times in the Bible, and it often represents the Holy Spirit

• The Holy Spirit enters your body when you repent of your sins and trust the Second Person of the Trinity (Jesus) to forgive you and save your soul

• Once you are saved through faith in Christ alone, you have God's oil within your body and soul

Matthew 25:1-13 NIV

“At that time the kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. [2] Five of them were foolish and five were wise. [3] The foolish ones took their lamps but did not take any oil with them. [4] The wise ones, however, took oil in jars along with their lamps. [5] The bridegroom was a long time in coming, and they all became drowsy and fell asleep. [6] “At midnight the cry rang out: ‘Here’s the bridegroom! Come out to meet him!’ [7] “Then all the virgins woke up and trimmed their lamps. [8] The foolish ones said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil; our lamps are going out.’ [9] “ ‘No,’ they replied, ‘there may not be enough for both us and you. Instead, go to those who sell oil and buy some for yourselves.’ [10] “But while they were on their way to buy the oil, the bridegroom arrived. The virgins who were ready went in with him to the wedding banquet. And the door was shut. [11] “Later the others also came. ‘Lord, Lord,’ they said, ‘open the door for us!’ [12] “But he replied, ‘Truly I tell you, I don’t know you.’ [13] “Therefore keep watch, because you do not know the day or the hour.

** The Invitation to God's kingdom go out to everyone, but all do not show up because some do not accept the invitation

• The master is not satisfied with a partially full banquet hall; he wants every place at the table to be filled

• God is more willing to save sinners than sinners are to be saved.  <M130>

• The excuses for skipping the banquet are laughably bad and the failure to attend rests on the individual

• The detail that the invitation is opened up to society’s maimed and downtrodden is important, for these were the types of people that the Pharisees considered “unclean” and under God’s curse (John 9:1-2,34)

• Jesus, however, taught that the kingdom was available even to those considered “unclean”

• Jesus ends the parable by relating the master’s determination that “not one of those men who were invited will get a taste of my banquet”

• Those who ignored the invitation to the banquet chose their own punishment -- they missed out

• The interpretation is that the Jews of Jesus’ day had no valid excuse for spurning Jesus’ message; in fact, they had every reason to accept Him as their Messiah

• The basic message of the both parables of the Wedding Banquet and Great Banquet could be stated this way: “The tragedy of the Jewish rejection of Christ has opened the door of salvation to the Gentiles. The blessings of the kingdom are available to all who will come to Christ by faith.”  <G72>

Matthew 22:1-14 NIV [similar to Luke 14]

Jesus spoke to them again in parables, saying: [2] “The kingdom of heaven is like a king who prepared a wedding banquet for his son. [3] He sent his servants to those who had been invited to the banquet to tell them to come, but they refused to come. [4] “Then he sent some more servants and said, ‘Tell those who have been invited that I have prepared my dinner: My oxen and fattened cattle have been butchered, and everything is ready. Come to the wedding banquet.’ [5] “But they paid no attention and went off---one to his field, another to his business. [6] The rest seized his servants, mistreated them and killed them. [7] The king was enraged. He sent his army and destroyed those murderers and burned their city. [8] “Then he said to his servants, ‘The wedding banquet is ready, but those I invited did not deserve to come. [9] So go to the street corners and invite to the banquet anyone you find.’ [10] So the servants went out into the streets and gathered all the people they could find, the bad as well as the good, and the wedding hall was filled with guests. [11] “But when the king came in to see the guests, he noticed a man there who was not wearing wedding clothes. [12] He asked, ‘How did you get in here without wedding clothes, friend ?’ The man was speechless. [13] “Then the king told the attendants, ‘Tie him hand and foot, and throw him outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’ [14] “For many are invited, but few are chosen.”

Luke 14:15-24 NIV [similar to Matthew 22]

[15] When one of those at the table with him heard this, he said to Jesus, “Blessed is the one who will eat at the feast in the kingdom of God.” [16] Jesus replied: “A certain man was preparing a great banquet and invited many guests. [17] At the time of the banquet he sent his servant to tell those who had been invited, 'Come, for everything is now ready.' [18] “But they all alike began to make excuses. The first said, 'I have just bought a field, and I must go and see it. Please excuse me.' [19] “Another said, 'I have just bought five yoke of oxen, and I'm on my way to try them out. Please excuse me.' [20] “Still another said, 'I just got married, so I can't come.' [21] “The servant came back and reported this to his master. Then the owner of the house became angry and ordered his servant, 'Go out quickly into the streets and alleys of the town and bring in the poor, the crippled, the blind and the lame.' [22] “ 'Sir,' the servant said, 'what you ordered has been done, but there is still room.' [23] “Then the master told his servant, 'Go out to the roads and country lanes and compel them to come in, so that my house will be full. [24] I tell you, not one of those who were invited will get a taste of my banquet.' ”

John 9:1-2,34 NIV

[1] As he went along, he saw a man blind from birth. [2] His disciples asked him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?” [34] To this they replied, “You were steeped in sin at birth; how dare you lecture us!” And they threw him out.

** We have not even begun to understand; so  much awaits us when this life is over!

1 Corinthians 2:9 NIV

However, as it is written: “What no eye has seen, what no ear has heard, and what no human mind has conceived”---the things God has prepared for those who love him---

Isaiah 64:4 NIV

Since ancient times no one has heard, no ear has perceived, no eye has seen any God besides you, who acts on behalf of those who wait for him.