Heaven Series Entire

Heaven Work

Resources:

I am reading a lot of books and things, if you’d like to go deeper, the book that seems to be referenced the most by others is Randy Alcorn’s book just called Heaven

But honestly the book I would recommend - - - The Great Divorce

Mortality – We will All Die – 2 every second, 120 every minute, 7,500 every hour, 180,000 every day go either to Heaven or Hell

Ps 39:4-5 – O Lord, Make me know my end and what is the measure of my days; let me know how fleeting I am. Behold, you have made my days a few handbreadths, and my lifetime as nothing before you.

Hebrews 2:14-15

Dr. Clay Jones in his book “Immortality” makes a compelling argument that the fear of death is one of (if not the) the most central and life affecting feelings in humanity, he quotes several philosophers that say the entire task of philosophy and culture is to help one cope with their upcoming death.

He says there are basically 3 ways humans have reacted to this fear – Deny (We’ll solve it by then – did you know, a Harvard study was done, if Cancer was cured tomorrow, it would only extend avg age by 2 years, you’d just die from something else), Distract (TV, Sports, Phones), Despair

Every religion and every philosophy is aimed at this enemy, aimed at seeking immortality of some type – whether it be an afterlife or leaving behind a legacy that keeps you symbolically alive – we are all seeking immortality

Ecclesiastes 3:11 – He has put eternity into the heart of man

Vast majority of humans through history have believed in life after death, ¾ of Americans still do despite material secular culture

Shaped every civilization in history

Aborigini’s – Heaven as Distant Island beyond Horizon

Mexicans/Peruvians/Polynesians – to the Sun or Moon

Native Americans – Spirits continued to hunt spirits of buffalo

Gilgamesh Epic – Babylon – Resting place with a tree of life

Egyptians – Future world across the river stix

Romans – Righteous would picnic in beautiful fields

The human heart has always had an innate sense that death wasn’t the end – why? Do animals have that sense?

What is Heaven?What ideas have you had/heard? . . .

How do you know?

Any verses come to mind? Don’t have to know where they are.

Church has much more consistency on this place than that other one – only issue here has been that same Platonism . . .

“Heaven”

Gen 1:1– HeavenS

(Birds, Stars, God) – Over 1000 times in Bible – most referring to Skies

Paul – 3rdHeaven – 2 Cor 12:2-4

1 Kings 8:27 – Heaven and the Highest Heaven could not contain you!

They knew God wasn’t in the literal skies, at least by this time

The Habitation of God

The Habitation of God

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Deut 26:15 – The Habitation of God –

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Lord’s Prayer (Matt 6:9)

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Jesus is the one who Descended from Heaven (Jn 3:13)

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Ac 1:11

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Heb 9:24 – Where the ultimate temple is – where Christ went

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The Habitation of Angels

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Gen 28:12, 1 Kn 22:19, Is 6

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Home of the Redeemed

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Matt 5:12, 6:20 (treasures we can access), Matt 8:11, John 14:2-3

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2 Corinthians 5:1–2

For we know that if the tent that is our earthly home is destroyed, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. For in this tent we groan, longing to put on our heavenly dwelling,

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Philippians 3:20

But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ,

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1 Peter 1:4

to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you,

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Thesis: “New Earth” (Think more Here than There)

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New Heavens and New Earth Language

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2 Pet 3:13, Rev 21:1-5, Eph 1:10, Col 1:20, Isaiah 65:17, 66:22

The story of the Bible is of heaven and earth splitting apart due to human sin and then coming back together by the atoning work of God’s Son. The very last mention of “heaven” in Scripture is a reiteration of what John has already reported: “the holy city Jerusalem coming down out of heaven from God” (Rev 21:10)

C.S. Lewis – Great Divorce – Shadowy humans, heaven is reality itself, grass and rocks and trees and water are “much solider than things in our country.” The translucent human from hell can’t pluck a flower or pick up a leaf because it is too heavy. His feet can’t handle the grass. He thought his world was the real one and this as just a spirit soft world, but this is the world with real substance. Heaven is reality itself.

Creation on steroids – whatever is truly good will be enhanced there, there will be celebration and dancing and songs and feasts.

I am making all things New, not I am making all New things

Roman Catachombs have paintings by Christians – portray heaven with beautiful landscapes, children playing, and people feasting at banquets

God never gave up on his original plan for us to dwell on earth

If we want to know what the “new heavens and new earth” look like, a good place to start is with this one! If Ariel came in one day and said hey I bought you a new car, I wouldn’t have to start from scratch about what a car is, I know what a car is . . . If Jesus wanted to communicate that heaven is entirely different, he said exactly the wrong words.

NEW Earth! Well it must be all white! It must be just singing! I’m sure going to miss waterfalls and grass and river days and family. NO! You know what earth is like, this is a new one.

New Earth sky blue? Trees Green? You can travel to a place you went during life and say THIS IS WHERE WE WERE, and it be true, and yet be New.

C.S. Lewis – Lucy is mourning the loss of Narnia as she heads into Heaven, Aslan’s Land, the New World, other characters mourn too calling Narnia “The only world they’ve ever known,” they feel profound loss. As they get deeper into Aslan’s country, something interesting happens – “Those hills . . . the nice woody ones and the blue ones behind, aren’t they very like the one from the southern border of Narnia.” Lucy said. “Like?!” Edmund cried. “They’re exactly like! There’s Mt. Pior with its forked head, and theres the path into Arkenland and everything!” “Any yet, they’re not like,” said Lucy, “They have more color and they look further away and theyre more, theyre more . . I don’t Know,” “More like the real thing” said Diggery. . . . they go on for a bit like this until finally the Eagle flies up and sees the landscape and comes back and exclaims that Narnia isn’t dead, this IS Narnia! They respond but how is that possible? We saw it burned up and the Sun put out! “That was not the real Narnia,” said Diggery, “It had a beginning and an end. It was only a shadow or a copy of the real Narnia which has always been here and always will be here. . . you need not mourn Narnia Lucy, all of the old Narnia that mattered, all the dear Creatures have been drawn into the real Narnia through the door. And of course it is different, as different as the real thing is from a shadow, or as waking life from a dream.” The New Narnia was deeper, every rock and flower and blade of grass looked as if it meant more. I can’t describe it any better than that. . . The Unicorn expressed it best, he stamped his hoof on the ground and neighed and cried “I have come home at last! This is my real country! I belong here! This is the land Ive been looking for my whole life! The reason we loved the Old Narnia is because sometimes it looked like this.”

It was still Narnia, but it was the New and Ultimate Narnia.

God Created it GOOD, Didn’t screw it up. God has never given up on his original creation. Redeem, Reconcile, Renew, Resurrect! RE! Back to the Right one.

Mortality – We will All Die – 2 every second, 120 every minute, 7,500 every hour, 180,000 every day go either to Heaven or Hell

Ps 39:4-5 – O Lord, Make me know my end and what is the measure of my days; let me know how fleeting I am. Behold, you have made my days a few handbreadths, and my lifetime as nothing before you.

Hebrews 2:14-15– Since therefore the children share in flesh and blood, he himself likewise partook of the same things, that through death he might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil, and deliver all those who through fear of death were subject to lifelong slavery à ESSENTIAL ASPECT OF THE GOOD NEWS IS ETERNAL LIFE – DEFEAT OF DEATH

“HEAVEN” – Skies, Universe (3rd Heaven)

Habitation of God, Angels, Redeemed who Die

WHAT WILL IT BE LIKE

Thesis: NEW EARTH

Genesis 1:1 – Heavens and the Earth àRevelation 21:1

If I say I’m getting a new car, your mind doesn’t have to start from scratch . . .

- NHNE Language 2 Pet 3:13, Rev 21:1-5, Eph 1:10, Col 1:20, Isaiah 65:17, 66:22

Creation Redeemed

Rom 8:19-23, Col 1:16-20, Eph 1:10, Ac 3:19-21

Earth delivered from curse, not destroyed

Isaiah 11– Fixing of Created Things

Gen 3:17– CURSED IS THE GROUND! - Together we fell, together we will rise, us and Creation

What about 2 Peter 3:10? BURNT UP!

A temporary death to be resurrected

2 Pet 3:6-7 – Analogy is the Flood – New Earth

2 Pet 3:13 – New Heavens and New Earth

Heaven will be more than Eden but it wont be less, no less sensory delights, breathtaking beauty, satisfying relationships

Rev 22:1-2, Rev 21:10– A River, Trees, A Mountain – all part of Heaven

Rev 21:5– Making ALL things New

Our Bodies Resurrect

1 Cor 15:40-44 – spiritual

When Jesus died it was for both body and soul

Why do our bodies resurrect? Why not just stay as Spirits? Bodies are GOOD, we are Meant to be Physical, so is Heaven

Resurrecting a physical body for a physical heaven – material

Not Creating a New Body, there is a 1 to 1 correlation, it is still your body, like resurrection – not new person, still You

Just as resurrected people will be recognizable, and look like bodies, so too will earth be.

Our new bodies are the kinds of bodies that belong on the earth – like Jesus body

1 Cor 15:37-38– seeds – same stuff

1 Cor 6:20 – “Glorify God in your Body” – what you will be doing for eternity

Our Bodies Like His Body

Phil 3:20-21– ours like his – 1 Jn 3:2 when he appears we shall be like him

Luke 24Emmaus

They didn’t go, WOAH AN ALIEN! AN ANGEL! He still looked human

Sounded human also apparently

Luke 24:36– funniest verse in the Bible?

Not as Physically Limited (fly? – Christ ascended)

39-40 – Physical/Able to be touched (Hugs don’t end when earth ends)

41-43 – Hungry and Eating

Isaiah 25:6 – Feast, Lk 22:18, Matt 8:11, Rev 19:9 – Wedding Supper of the Lamb

“Taste and see that the Lord is Good” – Ps 34:8

1 Tim 6:17 – Richly provides us with everything to enjoy

1 Tim 4:4-5 – All is good and is to be received with thanksgiving

Coffee? Yes! Steak? Yes!

If you object – But in heaven we will be focused on Spiritual things – PLATONISM ALARM

Rev 21:6 – Spring of Water, Is 25:6 – Banquet of Aged Wine, Rev 22:3 - Fruit Trees

John 20:14-15

Looked Human – thought he was the gardener

27-28 – Able to be touched

John 21:4

STOOD on the shore, didn’t float above it – Still walked

5 - Calls Out – they think hes a man (No Halo)

9 – He Cooked! Didn’t just snap fingers and fish ready

Acts 1:4-8

Relational (John 20) – Relationships just pick up where he left off, he goes to see those he was close to

Mortality – We will All Die – 2 every second, 120 every minute, 7,500 every hour, 180,000 every day go either to Heaven or Hell

ESSENTIAL ASPECT OF THE GOOD NEWS IS ETERNAL LIFE – DEFEAT OF DEATH

NEW EARTH!

Creation ITSELF will be Redeemed.

Our BODIES resurrect!

Our Body like His Body

Looked Human, Sounded Human, could be Touched, Hungry and Eating, Still Walked Normal (didn’t float), He Cooked, Relational (picked up relationships where left off)

Physical Metaphors

God doesn’t see heaven as uminaginable, aspects sure, but not in general, he says its like THIS or THIS

(1 Cor 2:9-10* No eye has seen no ear has heard – Read)

HOUSE

John 14:1-3

Matt 19:28-29– Receive back a hundredfold . . . but nothing like what I am saying . . . you just sing a lot actually . . . ???

CITY

Heb 11:10 - BUILDER

Heb 13:14

Rev 21 – City with Dimensions

IT’S A METAPHOR! – Yeah for what? Metaphors tell us something about the object.

My house is a Zoo!

America is a Melting Pot.

Heaven is a city! But actually its nothing like a city. Houses!

COUNTRY(Land) (and city)

Heb 11:14-16

Rivers and Trees and Mountains – Don’t exist in many cities

Intermediate State? What happens now? Where are Loved Ones Now?

1 Th 4:13 – we grieve differently because we have hope

With Jesus

Ph 1:23, 2 Cor 5:8

Thief on the Cross, Luke 16:22 – (Carried by the angels)

Not Forever – 1 Thess 4:16-18, Rev 21:1ff

OBSERVATIONS ABOUT INTERMEDIATE STATE FROM REV 6:9-11

Before new Jerusalem, clearly in the Intermediate State - Paradise

Identity the same/Continuity

Remembered for their lives on Earth

Able to Express Themselves

Emotional/Passionate

Unity and Shared Perspective – One Voice

Fully Conscious/Rational

Asking God to Intervene – Audience with God, Free to Ask Questions?

God answers their question. Communication?

Desire to Learn/Understand

We won’t know everything in Heaven, questions, knew more after asked

Deep concern for justice and retribution

Remember their lives on Earth

Interceding for Saints on Earth/ Seeing and Praying for them

Distinct– EACH given white robes

There is waiting and anticipation. There is Time.

Strong Familial connection with saints on Earth

Aware of Situation on Earth – Rev 18:20, 19:1-5, Lk 9:31, Heb 12:1 (Watching and cheering us on – earth as center court – Luke 15:10 – “in the presence of angels,” not only BY angels)

Mortality – We will All Die – 2 every second, 120 every minute, 7,500 every hour, 180,000 every day go either to Heaven or Hell

ESSENTIAL ASPECT OF THE GOOD NEWS IS ETERNAL LIFE – DEFEAT OF DEATH

NEW EARTH! – Like the Earth that now is – good reference point

Creation ITSELF will be Redeemed.

Our BODIES resurrect!

Our Body like His Body

Looked Human, Sounded Human, could be Touched, Hungry and Eating, Still Walked Normal (didn’t float), He Cooked, Relational (picked up relationships where left off)

Physical Metaphors – Houses, Rooms, City, Country

Dead Before then – Intermediate State – With Jesus, FAR BETTER, Conscious, Communicating with God, Desire to Learn (Don’t know everything), Aware of Situation on Earth, In Time – Waiting

Time?

Rev 6:11, 7:15, 8:1, 22:2

Eph 2:7 – show us his immeasurable riches in the coming ages

Any sequence of events requires time progression

“When we’ve been there ten thousand years . . .”

WHAT WILL WE DO?

We Will Rule as Intended

Adam and Eve were supposed to have dominion over the earth – Gen 1:28, Ps 8:4-6

Werent worthy, Christ was worthy, Christ is the New Adam, He is worthy to open the scroll and be what was intended

We will rule along with him

Rev 3:21, 5:9-10, Rev 22:5, 2 Tim 2:12, 1 Cor 6:2-3(judge continually, ongoing)

Kingdom handed over the Saints – Lk 12:32

Heriarchy? – Seems so

Lk 19:11-19 (no jealousy, sin ) – Alcorn – Elevator Man (I am a Christian too!) Books and Come Join us?

Rest

(Heb 4:1,11)

Even in Eden’s perfection, one day was set aside for rest

Sleep? Fatigue? Why not?

….and Work

Gen 2:15, Jn 5:17 (My heavenly Father has been working and I am working), Lk 19:17 (just read), 2 Tim 2:12 (Just read)

Jesus on earth

Worship Whole Time?

Yes! But what is worship? Glorifying God whole time? Yes! But how do we do that now? – Modern Asceticism

Relational – Jesus rose and immediately went to those he knew and loved. Was God glorified when he did that?

Learn?

Eph 2:6-7

Rev 6:9-11 Again

You don’t become omniscient – I think we know this – Sit with GreatGrandfather for stories – ALREADY KNOW THAT

Explore the Universe? Did here, why not there?

BOOKS?

Bible! Matt 24:35, Ps 119:89 – Your Word is forever fixed in the Heavens

Rev 20:12

A good thing to do is “Will we do this in Heaven?” – Did they do that in the Garden?

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Mortality – We will All Die – 2 every second, 120 every minute, 7,500 every hour, 180,000 every day go either to Heaven or Hell

ESSENTIAL ASPECT OF THE GOOD NEWS IS ETERNAL LIFE – DEFEAT OF DEATH

NEW EARTH! – Like the Earth that now is – good reference point

Creation ITSELF will be Redeemed.

Our BODIES resurrect!

Our Body like His Body

Looked Human, Sounded Human, could be Touched, Hungry and Eating, Still Walked Normal (didn’t float), He Cooked, Relational (picked up relationships where left off)

Physical Metaphors – Houses, Rooms, City, Country

Dead Before then – Intermediate State – With Jesus, FAR BETTER, Conscious, Communicating with God, Desire to Learn (Don’t know everything), Aware of Situation on Earth, In Time – Waiting

We will Rule as Intended

We will Learn – you don’t become omniscient (grandfathers stories)

Own Homes

John 14:1-3

Place is singular, Rooms is Plural – Unified and Independence

Luke 16:9(-11) – Logic of the passage

Relationships

“We will only want Christ!”

Gen 2:20,18 – created to need others – before sin man was lonely, God was there, still lonely

1 Thess 4:13-17 – comfort not just because of Jesus, others!

KNOWING EACH OTHER

Jesus was recognized (Mary likely didn’t look at face – cultural custom – Emmaus men kept from recognizing)

Transfiguration – Moses and Elijah

Pets?

Yeah maybe – Rom 8 Animals definitely – were they part of good creation? Redeemed.

Gen 2:7 – “Living Being” – Soul – same word used for animals (Nephesh) – Gen 1:30, 6:17, 7:15, 7:22

God saved animals in the flood and included them in the convenant – Gen 9:9-17

Renewed post flood earth included animals, surely ultimate world will.

Animals aren’t imago dei, but Christians all believed Animals had souls until 17th century Enlightenment

Rev 5:13 (4:8-9) – “Living Creature” around the throne - means animal

Animals, Definitely. Your Pet. Maybe. Our resurrection and redemption isn’t new People, it’s the actual ones who were affected by sin, maybe same true of animals.

If itll bring you more joy, your pet will probably be there

Will they talk? Gen 3:1 - “Serpent MORE crafty” . . . others were SOME crafty? - didn’t go AH A TALKING SERPENT

Friends?

Not Coincidences – Ac 17:26

Some closer than others? Of course – Jesus closest to John, closer to Peter James and John than the rest, closer to the disciples than to the rest. Close to Lazarus and Mary and his mother. Can’t be wrong.

No clicks, jealousy, exclusiveness, but when friends particularly enjoy each other, its by God’s design

Billions more to get to know, new friends

Matt 8:11 – sit at table with Abraham . . .

Laugh?

We have a sense of humor as part of Imago Dei

Laughter is God’s, not the devils

Lk 6:21, 23

Unending Joy àJoy sounds like laughter

Mortality – We will All Die

ESSENTIAL ASPECT OF THE GOOD NEWS IS ETERNAL LIFE – DEFEAT OF DEATH

NEW EARTH! – Like the Earth that now is – good reference point

Creation ITSELF will be Redeemed.

Our BODIES resurrect!

Our Body like His Body

Looked Human, Sounded Human, could be Touched, Hungry and Eating, Still Walked Normal (didn’t float), He Cooked, Relational (picked up relationships where left off)

Physical Metaphors – Houses, Rooms, City, Country

Dead Before then – Intermediate State – With Jesus, FAR BETTER, Conscious, Communicating with God, Desire to Learn (Don’t know everything), Aware of Situation on Earth, In Time – Waiting

We will Rule as Intended

We will Learn – you don’t become omniscient (grandfathers stories)

Own Homes

Friends and Relationships (Some closer than others, still know people)

Laugh?

Pets?

Animals Talk?

Sports?

Physical Bodies? Engage in physical activity? Interact with Others?

Are sports inherently sinful?

1 Cor 9:24-27, 2 Tim 2:5 à Doesn’t seem inherently sinful or evil

If not, then it seems will be there.

Humans invented sports here! Yes just like buildings and cities and gates and streets . . .

Do you remember playing catch with your dad, kickball with your friends, shooting hoops – were those evil experiences, or touches of heaven

Marriage?

Matt 26:28 – key passage – neither marry nor be given in marriage . . .

Eph 5 – marriage with Christ is the ultimate of which our marriages are a shadow

Once you reach the destination, the signpost is unnecessary

Ariel and I will get closer, no one will understand me better in eternity besides God than her, I will spend more time with her than anyone

Ariel and I both love God more than each other NOW, same will be true then – on earth the closer we draw to Him the closer we draw to each other – same true there

We will bask in the wonder that God chose us for each other on the old earth so that we might have a foretaste of life with him on the new earth

Official institution capacity will end, the deep relationship will only increase

Gendered Bodies?

Of Course! Part of good creation. Was Jesus genderless? “HE”

You’ll still be yourself – Matt 8:11, transfiguration

Racial Bodies too! – Rev 5:9, 7:9

Same?

Was Adam stronger than Eve in Eden?

Different Gifting – 1 Cor 12, Rom 12

Equal but not Same – We will have things to offer each other

You wont be able to compose music like Bach in heaven, or throw a ball like Tebow

Children who Die?

Bible isn’t explicit. David.

Matt 18:2-5, 10-14, 19:13-15

Rom 1:20 can’t apply to them, haven’t seen.

Isaiah 11:6-9 à Alcorn – Children will grow in the new earth with their parents.

Grieving parents have the lost restored – reunited and have the joy of seeing them grow up

Buried vs. Cremated?

Cremated classically Hindu/Buddhist – merging with Creation. Burial points to resurrection and honors the physical tent that God has given you and that will rise. Cremation is OK – Bible says for dust you are and to dust you shall return, Ecc 12:7 also, Cremation just speeds up the process

Heaven is For Real

Careful to “not go beyond what is written” – 1 Cor 4:6, Deut 29:29

2 Cor 12 – “cannot be told, may not utter” – Greek legal phrase like Signing a non-disclosure, not allowed

But Isaiah, Ezekiel, John, Daniel . . . – but led by Holy Spirit for the sake of the Word of God

The thing changing modern philosophy- naturalism – afterlife àNDE’s

I’m very skeptical by nature – JJ last week “I’m not trying to convince you”

Not rare – 4-6% of population, 20 million in North American Alone have Reported a NDE!

NDE is a specific category – not like dreams, sudden and hard to follow and end abruptly – progression makes sense, normally have conclusion

Scholars converted – books written

Special Revelation à General Revelation

Common Experiences? 2 Large Studies

Peace – 60% Bodily Separation – 37% Darkness – 23% Seeing Light – 16% Entering the Light – 10% OTHER Peace and Bodily Separation – 100% Entering another world – 54% Seeing Others – 48% Seeing Light – 28% Darkness – 23% Life Review – 3%

JJ– Lightning, River with Friend Snake Bite, Saw Family Sitting Somberly, Abyss on his left, through Portal of Light, Light filled, brightest line ever seen but soft and enveloping and not harsh, coming from over the horizon, being taken towards it, knew it was Jesus then

Some Examples of people leaving their bodies while comatose, often no brain activity, no heart beat – all of these unknown, no books written or book deals, most very young kids . . .

A young girl named Katie fell into a pool and couldn’t swim and went under for an unknown period of time, after she was discovered and rushed to the emergency room, they resuscitated her, a CAT scan shows massive brain swelling, and they attached an artificial lung machine to keep her breathing. 3 Days later, despite being given little to no chance, she recovered completely. When she woke up, she accurately described specific details about her resuscitation, details of the rooms she was taken to, and told the specific procedures used on her while she was in that room, despite being “profoundly comatose” the entire time. She also claimed to have met Jesus and an angel. She also followed her family home while she was comatose and accurately told of the meal they ate, what they were wearing, of specific things her father did in mourning, and which toys her little siblings played with.

5 year old Rick suffered from meningitis and lost consciousness and was rushed to the hospital in an ambulance. Rick decided to “stay behind” where he watched his father weeping as he entered their car. He then rushed to the hospital “arriving” there before the ambulance and watched hospital personnel move a 12 year old girl out of the room that he would be occupying.

Another young lady who was in the hospital and in a coma, experienced herself leaving her body where she went to visit relatives in the waiting room, there she witnessed her brother-in-law saying he was going to wait and see if she “kicked the bucket,” which she confronted him about when she woke up.

An 11 year old boy suffered cardiac arrest and had no heartbeat for 20 minutes, during this time he found himself watching his body from the ceiling, as well as observing the actions and discussions of the doctors. He woke up and reported the exact medical procedures used on him, the locations and colors of the instruments, the genders of the personnel, and even told them what they said.

An 8 year old girl got her hair caught in a pool drain and went unconscious, it took 45 minutes of CPR to get her heart beating again. In the meantime, she said that she floated out of her body and she recounted everything that happened to her at the poolside all the way to the hospital. She also said that she also visited heaven.

Pamela Reynolds – Risky brain surgery – lowers body temp to 50 degrees, drains all blood from head, so they could remove a brain tumor – no blood flow or activity in brain – afterward she reports being aware throughout, viewing the procedure from above her body – she described accurately a conversation between the physicians about one of them having a hard time finding a vein in her leg – all this while no blood in her head, her physical ears and eyes were covered, and yet she describes the instruments in detail

Also many accounts of people seeing people in Heaven that they didn’t know had died, and then finding out they had just died when they got back.

Eleanor Calmus, a young woman lay dying on her hospital bed, began calling out the named of loved ones who had died beforehand whom she was now seeing. Then she saw a cousin named Ruth and asked “What is she doing there,” Ruth had unexpectly died a few days earlier, but Eleanor hadn’t been told. Then just before Eleanor died, she lifted her arms and said, “I’m going up.”

Another woman who was near death perceived leaving her body and saw the doctors head shaking and her distraught husband, then she went to heaven and saw an angel and a young man she knew. “Why, Tom, I didn’t know you were up here!” Tom responded that he had just arrived to, but the angel told the woman she would be going back, which she said profoundly disappointed her because heaven was more beautiful and peaceful than anything she had ever dreamed, then she found herself back on the hospital bed with the doctor looking over her. Later that night her husband got a call informing him that their friend Tom had died in a car accident.

7 year old Cory, while fighting Leukemia, lost consciousness and visited what he called a Crystal Castle, where he met one of his mother’s old high school boyfriends who had died from an auto accident. They made some calls and found out that man had died the same day as Cory’s NDE. Cory also reported that one of his best friends from the hospital had also died, which his mother denied because she had just seen him, but they found out that he had died unexpectedly that night.

A mother and two sons experienced a fiery car crash, the mother died at the scene and the two unconscious boys were taken to different nearby hospitals. The youngest child came out of his coma during a commonly observed “clear moment,” although he should have been in incredible pain, he was quiet and at peace. The doctor asked him how he felt, the child responded that everything was alright now, Mommy and Peter are already waiting for me.” Then he smiled and died. He had not been told of either of their passing though the other brother had passed just moments before.

Kubler Ross, a scholar who studied these things and investigated these cases all over the world, said “In all the years that I have collected date, every single child who mentioned that someone was waiting for them mentioned a person who actually had preceeded them in death, even if only by a few moments. And yet none of these children had been informed of the recent deaths.”

CRAZY

Maria had a heart attack and had a NDE, she floated out of her body and saw a number of items both inside and outside of Harborview Hospital in Seattle. All the items were found as she described. The most interesting part was she said she really focused on a shoe on the hospital roof of a hospital ledge, around the corner of the building that she entered and occupied. Maria described it as being born at the toe and that the laces were tucked under the heel. They found the shoe just as she described, despite the fact that Maria had never been in that hospital before, the shoe couldn’t be seen from the ground and there were no nearby buldings high enough where the shoe could be seen from. In fact, the shoe couldn’t even be seen from any of the hospital windows.

There are several of these experiences by blind people, who can see when they leave their bodies and accurately report details that they couldn’t have known, like clothing and jewelry worn by those around them.

One blind woman experienced an NDE and reported many things in her vicinity by appearance and color, she also described a rendezvous with two of her close friends, both also blind, and was able to accurately describe what they looked like even though she had never seen them, O and they were dead.

“Deathbed Experience”

Diane Komp, MD, teaching at Yale – Pediatric Oncologist – “A Glimpse of Heaven?” - Atheist, began to spend time with her patients, children dying of cancer, and several of the children reported having these sort of experiences and several of the children were saying they were excited about heaven, one child was given a big trip to FL and she asked if he was excited and he said yeah but more excited about heaven. Many of the children were told they were going to die by someone on the other side and they were excited about it.

Miller also says that upwards of 80% of people on hospice in one study said they experienced experiences like this, while awake are talking to people from other side, experience visions of heaven like

John Adams – “Thomas Jefferson lives”

Steve Jobs – “O wow, o wow, o wow” looking in corner of room

Thomas Edison – “Its very beautiful over there”

Children – Angels – “I see them too . . . what do they look like” – child reporting seeing angels don’t report wings – if cultural

One 3-4 yr old girl was having a conversation with her dead brother, and relaying the conversation to her mom who was sitting with her. Mom said but youre not talking, and the girl said “We talk with our think.” – common in NDEs

Any stories in here?

Greatest gift, Greatest Glory and Joy of Heaven is God Himself – Super Bowl

Rewards? 1 Cor 3 Rev 14:13

All perfectly happy – all vessels cast into the ocean of happiness are full, but some vessels are larger than others

Seeing the Face of God

Ps 27:4

One thing have I asked of the Lord, that will I seek after: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the Lord and to inquire in his temple.

1 Cor 13:12

For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face.

Matt 5:8

Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God

Ex 33:18-23 – “You cannot see my face and live”, 1 Tim 6:16 – “no one has ever seen nor can see”, Rev 22:4, 21:22-23

We love Beauty – Pigeon Forge, Grand Canyon, Sunset – pale in comparison, small tastes of God

No capacity for idols in heaven, connection with God through His gifts will be direct!

2 Cor 6:16 – I will make my dwelling among them and walk among them, and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.

LOGOS

Strobel – The Case for Heaven

Alcorn - Heaven

Macarthur – The Glory of Heaven: Truth about Heaven, Angels and Eternal Life

John Eldredge – All Things New – Heaven, Earth, and the Restoration of all that you Love

4 Views on Heaven – (Feinberg, Middleton, Alleb, Kreeft)

Debates – Unbelievable and Theopologetics

Mike Winger - Heaven

People who have been there?