HEAVEN

A Few Misconceptions

The only thing we really know about heaven is what we read in the Bible. We have glimpses, statements made in general or in passing about the glory and state of heaven. I believe this is intentional, as humans we are very materialistic in our thinking and heaven is not going to be a new home we can decorate to our taste, it isn’t a place we will change to match our cultural heritage or fad, heaven is God’s and we have been invited to spend eternity with HIM not heaven.

Also we must remember that although the Bible gives us clues as to its design or look, we do not have a definitive answer as to the ultimate outcome of what we will be like or doing for eternity. The Bible takes us up to the end of Satan’s reign but then we only know we will spend all eternity with God.

A misconception is that we do not know anything about the future heaven because of Revelation 21:1 and 2 Peter 3:13;

1. And I saw a new heaven and a new earth..

13. Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness.

People assume that this heaven is God’s heaven, that He will start everything all over again, this is not true. The heaven He refers to in context is the earth’s heaven, our atmosphere. Remember Genesis 1:1;

1. In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.

He did not create His own home, He was creating ours. God’s heaven does not need to be renewed, it is perfect and there is nothing corrupt in it, 1 Corinthians 15:50,53

50. What I am saying, dear brothers and sisters, is that flesh and blood cannot inherit the Kingdom of God. These perishable bodies of ours are not able to live forever.

53. For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.

If you want a picture of what heaven looks like now the best place to look is in Revelation 4 where John was taken up to see the things that will take place in the end times. It paints a picture of a beautiful place but remember it is a description and not a photograph. John is describing something so different from what we know as humans that he uses earthly analogies to paint a picture we can comprehend.

That isn’t to say he’s wrong, and it isn’t to take anything from his description but we must remember he is an earthly man trying to describe a spiritual realm. He does it very well and gets over the beauty and glory of God’s presence, but how much more will it be when we see it for our selves.

TWO ETERNITIES

If we partition the Word correctly we can see that there are 2 futures for mankind, one for the Church and one for the Jew, ultimately I believe they will probably align into one, but for the foreseeable future we have 2 futures unfolding in the Bible.

1.The Church

The first future is the one of the Church, the called out ones who are a spiritual race destined to be with Christ serving Him and being with Him forever. 1 Thessalonians 4:17;

17. then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.

A rapture verse for the Church describing our accent to be with Christ for ever (see what is the church for more info). We are looking and hoping for a heavenly home with Christ, transformed from our mortal bodies into the immortal, from flesh to spirit, that is ‘spirit’ in form and not ‘a’ spirit (a bodiless apparition or ghost). As we read earlier flesh and blood can not enter into heaven.1 Corinthians 15:35 onwards goes into our future bodies and is quite specific in that our bodies now are suited and were formed for our life on earth and will not work or be acceptable in heaven. Verses 51 to 53 sum it up quite clearly.

51. Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed,
52. in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.
53. For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.

2.The Jew

The second future is the one for the Jew, and all those who haven’t learnt to partition the Word of God yet. The Jews are and always have been looking for a Kingdom on earth and a King to rule them. I don’t want to go too deep in to the past and why but simply Jesus came down to set up the Kingdom on earth and with the help of the Jews (a chosen religious race) would bring blessing to the whole earth. Unfortunately they messed up and missed out. BUT a promise was made and a promise will be kept. Jesus will return and will set up His kingdom on earth and the 12 tribes of Israel will assist Him in the day to day running of the Temple in the ‘New’ Jerusalem.

Let’s not get confused here, most of Revelation is for the Jew describing the end times during the period of Tribulation, culminating in a 1000 year reign of Christ, followed by a new heaven and a new earth and a new capital City, Jerusalem for the Jews. When has Jerusalem meant anything for the Church? Christ is the head of the Church not a City, not anything earth bound. We may worship in Churches but these are just buildings, the true Church is the body of Christ, the ‘called out ones’.

The City will be real it will be physical and this is where the confusion comes in when people say I will have a mansion with golden carpets etc etc. They are mixing the futures. In the Gospels Jesus talks about preparing a place, rooms. John 14:2,3

2. In my Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.
3. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.

People are trying to put earthly familiars on a heavenly future, forgetting that Jerusalem is not heavenly, it will come down to earth, yes it is being prepared, possibly now in heaven, but its resting place will be a physical earth.

SO WHAT IS HEAVEN

I didn’t want to be this study just a look at the pictures of heaven, you can read that for your selves in numerous places, catching glimpses of where angels live and the geography around the throne, or the mount of God. Heaven is just one part of our future which may or may not be our main residence, there will be a new heaven and a new earth, which will mirror Eden in its beauty and perfection.

In short it doesn’t matter what it will be like because it will be better than we have now, it will be totally different, so different it will be indescribable. What really matters is that we will be spending it with God for all eternity.