WHAT IS HEAVEN LIKE?
And Jesus replied, “Assuredly, I say to you, today you will be with Me in Paradise”
~ Luke 23:43 (NIV)
Have you ever tried to explain something to someone and couldn’t quite find the words? Have you ever tried to describe something complex to a child? For God to describe Heaven to us in a way we could understand would be like trying to describe the beauty of Hawaii to a three-month-old baby. We’re not able to comprehend, in our finite human understanding, all the infinite glories of Heaven.
In fact, the apostle Paul, who had the unique experience of dying and actually going to Heaven, said that he heard things so astounding they couldn’t be told (see 2 Corinthians 12:2–4). Paul was essentially saying that he couldn’t put his experience into words.
Heaven is beyond our comprehension. As Bart Millard of MercyMe sings,
Surrounded by Your gloryWhat does Scripture tell us about Heaven?
What will my heart feel?
Will I dance for you Jesus
Or in awe of You be still?
Will I stand in Your presence
Or to my knees will I fall?
Will I sing hallelujah?
Will I be able to speak at all?
I can only imagine . . .
For one thing, Heaven is an actual place. It isn’t an “idea” or a “state of mind”; it’s a location, like Miami or Chicago or Paris. We often think of Heaven in sort of a mystical way, and our minds gravitate toward the Hollywood version, where people in filmy white robes float around on clouds with little halos over their heads, strumming harps.
How boring! That is certainly not the Heaven of the Bible. The Bible uses a number of words to describe Heaven. One word it uses is paradise. In the Gospels, we’re told that Jesus was crucified between two thieves. When one of those thieves, in the last moments of life, put His faith in Jesus, he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom” (Luke 23:42).
And Jesus replied, “Assuredly, I say to you, today you will be with Me in Paradise” (verse 43).
Heaven is also compared to a city. In Hebrews 11:10, we’re told that this city’s architect and builder is God Himself. And then Hebrews 13:14 says, “For here we do not have an enduring city, but we are looking for the city that is to come”.
We know that cities have buildings, culture, art, music, parks, goods and services, and events. Will Heaven have all of these things? We don’t know. But we can certainly conclude that Heaven will in no sense be less than what we experience here on earth—with the exception of all things harmful or evil.
Scripture mentions things in Heaven that we readily understand: a tree of life, a river, streets, and gates, for example. Heaven also has a book—the Book of Life—and we want to have our names written in that book if we want to go to Heaven.
Heaven is also described as a country. Hebrews 11:16 says, “ they were longing for a better country—a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared a city for them.”
That heavenly country is so much better than earth. What do we like about earth anyway? We like the beauty. We like the joys. We like the love of family and friends and companionship. There are so many things that we enjoy on earth. God has given us these things; therefore, we don’t have to feel bad about them. But here is what we need to know: earth is not the original with Heaven being a copy; Heaven is the original, and earth is the copy.
The temple built in Jerusalem was a copy of the real temple in Heaven. Hebrews 8:5 tells us, “They serve in a system of worship that is only a copy, a shadow of the real one in heaven. For when Moses was getting ready to build the Tabernacle, God gave him this warning: ‘Be sure that you make everything according to the pattern I have shown you here on the mountain’” (NLT).
As C. S. Lewis wrote, “All the things that have ever deeply possessed your soul have been but hints of [Heaven]—tantalizing glimpses, promises never quite fulfilled, echoes that died away just as they caught your ear. . .” The real thing is Heaven.
The things that we enjoy most on earth will be waiting for us in Heaven, but in a perfected state. We will not miss out on anything. Heaven is the real place for real peace.
Jesus, remember me when You come into Your Kingdom. Amen.In Jesus,
Chaplain Kenny
Click HERE to find out more about how to have a personal
relationship with Jesus Christ.
Scripture taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide. Scripture taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation (NLT), copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Jesus replied, “Assuredly, I say to you, today you will be with Me in Paradise”
No comments:
Post a Comment