Heaven

The topic of heaven is a great topic. Would you agree or disagree with that statement? Why would you say heaven is a great topic?

Augustine of Hippo

Enter into joy without sorrow, which contains all pleasure, where every good will be, and not any evil. Where life will be vital, sweet and lovable, and always memorial; where there will be no assaulting enemy, nor any snares, but supreme and certain security, secure tranquility and tranquil pleasure and pleasurable happiness; a happy eternity, eternal blessedness and the blessed vision of God, which is the joy of the Lord thy God. O joy above joy! Joy overcoming all joy; joy besides which there is no joy … When shall I enter into thee, that I may see my God, who dwells in thee?

Jonathan Edwards

No inhabitants of that blessed world will ever be grieved with the thought that they are slighted by those that they love, or that their love is not fully and fondly returned … There shall be no such thing as flattery or insincerity in heaven, but there perfect sincerity shall reign through all in all. Everyone will be just what he seems to be, and will really have all the love that he seems to have. It will be not as in this world, where comparatively few things are what they seem to be, and where professions are often made lightly and without meaning. But there, every expression of love shall come from the bottom of the heart, and all that is professed shall be really and truly felt Heaven: A World of Love

For the redeemed, its our final resting place, its home. Amen.

Over the next weeks we will study the topic of Heaven. Scripture from Genesis 1:1 to Revelation 22 teach of heaven.

We will answer the question is heaven a place or a state of mind. Furthermore, when Revelation 21 is describing a new heaven and a new earth can they co-mingle?

Consider this for a moment. Stop and consider all the ways Heaven is described.

Abode of God

Deuteronomy 26:15 “15 Look down from Your holy habitation, from heaven, and bless Your people Israel and the land which You have given us, just as You swore to our fathers, “a land flowing with milk and honey.” ’”

Interesting Question:

Is God contained in heaven?

1 Kings 8:27 “27 “But will God indeed dwell on the earth? Behold, heaven and the heaven of heavens cannot contain You. How much less this temple which I have built!”

A place where the righteous go to live eternal life.

Matthew 25:46 “46 And these will go away into everlasting punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.””

When we say eternal life what does that mean? Will you ever tire of heaven?

Glory- 2 Corinthians 4:17 “17 For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory,”

Rest Hebrews 4:9 “9 There remains therefore a rest for the people of God.”

Knowledge 1 Corinthians 13:8-10 “8 Love never fails. But whether there are prophecies, they will fail; whether there are tongues, they will cease; whether there is knowledge, it will vanish away. 9 For we know in part and we prophesy in part. 10 But when that which is perfect has come, then that which is in part will be done away.”

Our knowledge will be complete.

Holiness Revelation 21:27 “27 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.”

Service Revelation 22:3 “3 And there shall be no more curse, but the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it, and His servants shall serve Him.”

Worship Revelation 19:1 “1 After these things I heard a loud voice of a great multitude in heaven, saying, “Alleluia! Salvation and glory and honor and power belong to the Lord our God!”

Society Hebrews 12:23 “23 to the general assembly and church of the firstborn who are registered in heaven, to God the Judge of all, to the spirits of just men made perfect,”

Communion with God Revelation 21:3 “3 And I heard a loud voice from heaven saying, “Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people. God Himself will be with them and be their God.”

Well let’s begin with other aspects of heaven and look at the subject as it unfolds in the Word of God.

Genesis 1:1 “1 In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.”

Genesis 2:4 “4 This is the history of the heavens and the earth when they were created, in the day that the Lord God made the earth and the heavens,”

Something that ought to put you on shouting ground tonight is to understand that God created heaven with you in mind.

God created the heavens-plural.

Let’s discuss the heavens.

Heaven 1-our atmosphere

Heaven 2-the starry universe & galaxies

Heaven 3-the place where God resides

Who else resides with God there?

Genesis 22:11 “11 But the Angel of the Lord called to him from heaven and said, “Abraham, Abraham!” So he said, “Here I am.””

Genesis 22:15 “15 Then the Angel of the Lord called to Abraham a second time out of heaven,”

Genesis 24:3 “3 and I will make you swear by the Lord, the God of heaven and the God of the earth, that you will not take a wife for my son from the daughters of the Canaanites, among whom I dwell;”

Genesis 28:12 “12 Then he dreamed, and behold, a ladder was set up on the earth, and its top reached to heaven; and there the angels of God were ascending and descending on it.”

Genesis 28:17 “17 And he was afraid and said, “How awesome is this place! This is none other than the house of God, and this is the gate of heaven!””

God’s angels are there.

Isaiah 66:1–2 NKJV

1 Thus says the Lord: “Heaven is My throne, And earth is My footstool. Where is the house that you will build Me? And where is the place of My rest? 2 For all those things My hand has made, And all those things exist,” Says the Lord. “But on this one will I look: On him who is poor and of a contrite spirit, And who trembles at My word.

1. Heaven is a Place of Authority-God’s Abode v. 1

Royalty, Deity

Heaven is a Place Built by God v. 1b

Heaven is a Place of Rest

Heaven is Available for the Asking V. 2

Psalms 34:18 “18 The Lord is near to those who have a broken heart, And saves such as have a contrite spirit.”

Isaiah 57:15 “15 For thus says the High and Lofty One Who inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy: “I dwell in the high and holy place, With him who has a contrite and humble spirit, To revive the spirit of the humble, And to revive the heart of the contrite ones.”

Isaiah 61:1 “1 “The Spirit of the Lord God is upon Me, Because the Lord has anointed Me To preach good tidings to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, To proclaim liberty to the captives, And the opening of the prison to those who are bound;”

Philippians 3:20 “20 For our citizenship is in heaven, from which we also eagerly wait for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ,”