HEAVEN
“Everyone wants to go to Heaven but no one wants to die” is a statement that most people have heard before. The fear of death is, at least in part, our fear of the unknown. Even if you are a true believer, there can still be that hesitancy about taking a journey to a place which no one has ever seen or from which no one has ever returned. It takes faith to make such a journey without fear and perhaps, at least, a bit of reluctance. The same faith that Abram must have had when the Lord spoke to him and said: “…‘Get out of your country, from your family and from your father’s house, to a land that I will show you.’…So Abram departed as the Lord had spoken to him…” (Genesis 12:1,4)
Just as Abram had to take God at His word when he left Ur for lands unknown, so we must take God at His word as we depart this life for the one promised after. However, we probably have more information about our potential destination than Abram had regarding his. That is, providing we examine that information carefully.
“Everyone wants to go to heaven…”, however, few seem to examine the criteria required to make the journey and fewer still seem to realize that the Bible never explicitly states that we really go to heaven at all. In fact, heaven apparently comes to us.
In Revelation, John stated that: “…I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away….Then I…saw the holy city New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven…” (21:1,2) where it had been readied for us.
Revelation also tells us that heaven is a place with no more sin because “…the former things have passed away” (21:4). Those who have not followed God’s direction and have preferred sin “…shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death” (21:8).
Thirdly, it is explained that this New Jerusalem, will be spectacular in beauty. It is described being made of pure gold with a large wall fashioned of jasper and each one of its foundations adorned with a different precious stone. The wall will have twelve pearl gates with twelve foundations with associated angels and apostles and children of Israel as well (Revelation 21:18-21,12,14).
Fourthly, this New Jerusalem is to be a large area of 12000 furlongs in length, breadth, and height. That would be about 1500 miles in each direction, approximately the distance from New Glasgow to Charleston, South Carolina and about four times the size of the state of Alaska.
Fifthly, the city will be one of worship and of godly activity. There will be no need of a place of worship for God Himself will be there and both He and the lamb will be its light and temple. “…the nations of those who are saved shall walk in its light, and the kings of the earth [shall] bring their glory and honour into it” (Revelation 21:24).
Sixthly, it will be a city of life with “a pure river of water of life [and] in the middle of its street, and on either side of the river, [is] the tree of life…” (Revelation 22:1-2) There will be, in that city, “…the throne of God and of the Lamb…and they shall reign forever and ever” (Revelation 22:3,5).
Lastly, it will be a secure city in that: “…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 21:27). Others will be found elsewhere presumably in “the lake which burns with fire” (Revelation 21:8)
Whether this is all literally true, or if it’s primarily a poetic interpretation, is a question that’s impossible to definitively answer. To some degree, however, we must understand that it is really only academic. The real point is that we all know that at some time we will have to make a journey and, like Abram, will have to take that journey believing in what God has told us. We will have to have the faith that if we follow God’s instructions, as Abram did, we will end up in a place more beautiful and perfect than words can describe. Paul relates “I know a man..how he was caught up into Paradise and heard inexpressible words, which it not possible for a man to utter” (2 Corinthians 12:3-4) because:
“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.”
(1 Corinthians 2:9)
Whatever the actual result is, it is certainly better than the alternative represented by the lake of fire and brimstone. And since we all must, at some point, journey from our homeland to a place “unknown” that only He can show us, the decision whether to heed His direction or not is something we all should think carefully about.
No comments:
Post a Comment