Sunday, December 21, 2014 am
BACK TO BASICS
(41)
The End Times
What Does the Bible Say About Heaven?
As
with every other aspect of the end times there is great discussion and
speculation about our eternal destinies.
Part of the reason for this is that it is unknown.
Furthermore, it deals with our
eternal destiny and this is reason to give consideration to it.
Is there something beyond this life? Is it affected by the way we
live our lives? Is there
reward for living a life of sacrifice and thinking of others instead of
ourselves? If we live wicked
and rebellious lives is there accountability? These and other questions
are related to where we will spend eternity.
In
this lesson we want to notice some things the Bible says about heaven.
There are many questions we could address, some of which we will
not know for sure until we get there.
But one thing is clear – when you study the Bible you find is
described as the place where you want to spend eternity (especially in
contrast to the destiny of those who fail to make it there – next week).
So let’s get started.
a.
It is of a different
realm – spiritual.
Jesus told Pilate, “My kingdom is not of this world.” ( John 18:36).
This is the place He went to prepare a place for His disciples.
(John 14:1-3)
Heb. 9:11, 24. Speaks of
Christ coming as our High Priest with the tabernacle not made with
hands, “not of this creation.”
Vs. 24 says, “For Christ has not entered the holy places made
with hands, which are copies of the true, but into heaven itself, now to
appear in the presence of God for us;”
b.
But it is still very
real.
i.
IT has foundations (Heb.
11:10, 16)
ii.
Jesus spoke of going to
a place – His Father’s house where there are many mansions.
Jesus said, “I go to prepare a place for you.”
and coming again- John 14:3
c.
1 Peter 1:3–5, “Blessed
be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His
abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living hope through the
resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance
incorruptible and undefiled and that does not fade away, reserved in
heaven for you, who are kept by the power of God through faith for
salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.”
d.
2 Corinthians 5:1, “For
we know that if our earthly house, this tent, is destroyed, we have a
building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.”
a.
It is going to be
different from this world as seen above.
b.
A place of indescribable
beauty –
in this world, some of the most beautiful places (at least to me) are
found in nature. I love the
outdoors and the beauty of the unaltered hand of God.
In such places, I think of how beautiful heaven must be.
I think of how it is described are but a glimpse of its actual
glory. We sing about this in songs like, “How beautiful heaven must be”
and “Alone at Eve”.
In 2 Cor. 12:4 – Paul described being caught up to “Paradise.”
It is actually a transliteration of the Greek word and had
reference to an enclosed garden or what we might describe as a park.
The word is found here and in Rev. 2:7 where it refers to him who
overcomes and is where the tree of life is round AND Luke 24:43 where
Jesus said the penitent thief would be with Him that day.
In Rev. 21-22 John speaks of seeing a new heaven and a new earth and
then he sees “the holy city, the New Jerusalem, coming down out of
heaven from God, prepared as a bride for her husband.”
He proceeds to describe that city in Rev. 21:10-22:5.
It is described as measured, being built with all sorts of
precious jewels.
Vs. 21 speaks its streets
are of pure gold
Vs. 22-23 describe God as its
source of light and its temple.
There will be no night there.
IT will be eternal “daylight”.
Vs. 23-26 – describes how the
nations will bring glory and honor to God and the Lamb into it.
Vs. 27 – nothing that defiles
will be there, but only the saved!
22:1 describes a river of water
proceeding from the throne of God and the Lamb.
Vs. 2, the tree of life is there.
Vs. 5 concludes, “And they shall
reign forever and ever.”
NOTE: While I believe ultimately this is a picture of the kingdom of God
victorious over the enemies of the book of Revelation, it is also
descriptive of the quality of heaven, because that is where this New
Jerusalem came from. (21:10)
HOW Beautiful Heaven must be!
c.
A place of rest – Rev. 14:13, “Then I heard a voice from heaven saying to me, “Write:
‘Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on.’ ” “Yes,” says
the Spirit, “that they may rest from their labors, and their works
follow them.”
Heb. 4:9-11.
I see this to be one of the greater appeals of heaven.
I think of one who works hard
and comes home and sits in his lounger able to finally relax for a few
minutes. OR the TRUE
vacation where one can let his mind forget about all the troubles he
deals with. In this life we
struggle and work to the point of exhaustion.
Often there is disappointment or uncertainty as to the results.
But in heaven we will finally rest.
Those cares and troubles will be gone.
d.
Nothing evil or
unpleasant will be there -–
in addition to the struggles of life, we face all sorts of troubles in
this life. We are told
about heaven that it is a place with no sickness, sorrows, death.
Revelation 21:4 says, “And God will wipe away every tear from their
eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall
be no more pain, for the former things have passed away.”
Rev. 21:27 reminds us,
“But there shall by no means enter it anything that defiles, or causes
an abomination or a lie, but only those who are written in the Lamb’s
Book of Life.”
Revelation 22:3 says, “there shall be no more curse” there.
The curse of sin on this world will not be in heaven.
We will have no enemies, they will be elsewhere (cf. 2 Thess. 1: 6-10,
Rev. 21:8, 1 Cor. 6:9-10, etc.)
We will discuss this next week.
e.
A place of joy and
gladness
– considering the descriptions we already see, we know it is a place of
rejoicing. But also consider
these scriptures
Matthew 25:21, 23 – the faithful servants will be told, “Enter into the
joy of your Lord.”
1 Peter 4:13 in addressing our suffering in this life for his cause,
Peter says, “but rejoice to the extent that you partake of Christ’s
sufferings, that when His glory is revealed, you may also be glad with
exceeding joy.”
1 Peter 1:6-9 describes that grief of trials but notes that in the end,
“whom having not seen you love. Though now you do not see Him, yet
believing, you rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory,
receiving the end of your faith—the salvation of your souls.” (1
Peter 1:8–9)
Everything we read about
heaven points toward there being great joy.
f.
2 Peter 3: 13 – a new heaven and
new earth. I am convinced
this is about heaven. We
will be in a place that is NEW. IT will be BETTER. Unlike anything in
this world. There will be no
worrying about bills, no accidents, hospitals, no weather disasters,
wars, political parties, etc.
g.
It is eternal – Matt.
25:46, 2 Cor. 5:1 says, “For we know that if our earthly house, this
tent, is destroyed, we have a building from God, a house not made with
hands, eternal in the heavens.”
Paul said when this world is over the righteous will be caught up in the
air to be with the Lord forever.(1 Thess. 4:17).
a.
We will be changed. 1 Cor. 15:50-54
tells us we will put on an incorruptible and immortal body.
We will see Jesus as He is – 1 John 3:2-3 tells us that when Jesus is
revealed we shall see Him as He is and be like Him.
Beyond that we don’t know.
We just know it is going to be a glorious body.
2 Cor. 5:1-5 talks about how our new tent will be better.
Some of what we have discussed thus far verifies this.
b.
We will worship God
– throughout scripture we find heaven is a place where God is praised
and worshipped. One passage
is Rev. 4-5 where we find the
throne of God. In both
chapters we find worship – 4:8-11, living creatures and 24 elders
worship Him. IN 5:8-14
describes not only these, but thousands of angels and “every creature
which is in heaven and on the earth and under the earth…”(5:13) praising
Him. Vs. 14 reads, “Then
the four living creatures said, “Amen!” And the twenty-four elders fell
down and worshiped Him who lives forever and ever.”
Again, in Rev. 7:9-17 records multitudes of the righteous before God’s
throne praising Him.
c.
We will serve God – while we may not fully comprehend what we will be doing, we will be
serving God. Rev. 7:15. “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 dwell among them.”
Rev. 22:3 in describing
the throne of God it says “His servants shall serve Him.”
Again, we may not fully understand this, but we can be assured that it
will be pleasant.
d.
Will we recognize each
other?
I have my beliefs, (I think we will – and I believe there are
clues that point toward this) but we cannot know for sure (some would
say that if we recognize each other then there will be disappointment
for loved ones who did not make it there) .
a.
The Godhead – as we have
seen in this lesson, God will be there – along with Jesus and the Holy
Spirit
Psalm 11:4 says, “The LORD is in His holy temple, the LORD’S throne is
in heaven.”
Isaiah 66:1 says, “Heaven is MY throne and the earth is My footstool…””
Jesus is seated at His right hand! (John 14:1-3, Matt. 16:19
b.
Righteous “heroes” of
faith – Heb. 11 describes many OT godly men and women who died and had
hope of a better city. Moses
and Elijah and Enoch are there.
We can know that Paul and Peter and other godly characters in the New
Testament are in heaven.
Are not such, men who we would want to spend eternity with?
c.
Those who obey the
gospel – Matt. 7:21 – he who does the will of My Father.
d.
Those who are faithful
until death – Rev. 14:13 – those who die in the Lord.
Heb. 12:23 – souls made perfect
Rev. 2:10 speaks of those who are faithful unto death
Rom 2:7 speaks of those who by
patience continuance in doing good seek for glory, honor and
immortality.”
Mark 13:13 says that he who endures to the end will be saved.
Matt 25:34-40, 46 speaks of
those who cared for His sheep in various ways will enjoy “the kingdom of
heaven prepared for you from the foundation of the world.” (vs. 34)
The
point is that heaven is where the saved will spend eternity.
As I conclude I want us to consider 1 Corinthians 2:9 says,
“Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, Nor have entered into the heart of man
The things which God has prepared for those who love Him.” I once heard a preacher
say, “If you miss heaven, you miss all there is.”
Let us live this life so that in the next life we can live with
Him and faithful – past, present and future.