Showing posts with label Heaven. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Heaven. Show all posts

Tuesday, January 31, 2012

What is the New Heavens and the New Earth?

When Jesus comes back, raises and judges the dead, and destroys this world, where will we go then? Back to Heaven?

2 Peter 3:10-13 – But the day of the Lord will come like a thief. The heavens will disappear with a roar; the elements will be destroyed by fire, and the earth and everything in it will be laid bare. Since everything will be destroyed in this way, what kind of people ought you to be? You ought to live holy and godly lives as you look forward to the day of God and speed its coming. That day will bring about the destruction of the heavens by fire, and the elements will melt in the heat. But in keeping with His promise we are looking forward to a new Heaven and a new Earth, the home of righteousness.

We will not go back to Heaven but will be given a new Heaven and a new Earth, our new home. It will be a renewal (a restoration of creation), when God will make the world how it is supposed to be.

Acts 3:21 – He must remain in Heaven until the time comes for God to restore everything, as He promised long ago through His holy prophets.

Revelation 21:1-7, 22-26; 22:1-5 – Then I saw a new Heaven and a new Earth, for the first Heaven and the first Earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea. I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of Heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her Husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, 'Now the dwelling of God is with men, and He will live with them. They will be His people, and God Himself will be with them and be their God. He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.' He Who was seated on the throne said, 'I am making everything new!' Then He said, 'Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.' He said to me: 'It is done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. To him who is thirsty I will give to drink without cost from the spring of the water of life. He who overcomes will inherit all this, and I will be his God and he will be My son. I did not see a temple in the city, because the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are its temple. The city does not need the sun or the moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light, and the Lamb is its lamp. The nations will walk by its light, and the kings of the earth will bring their splendor into it. On no day will its gates ever be shut, for there will be no night there. The glory and honor of the nations will be brought into it. Nothing impure will ever enter it, nor will anyone who does what is shameful or deceitful, but only those whose names are written in the Lamb's Book of Life…

Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, as clear as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb down the middle of the great street of the city. On each side of the river stood the tree of life, bearing twelve crops of fruit, yielding its fruit every month. And the leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nations. No longer will there be any curse. The throne of God and of the Lamb will be in the city, and His servants will serve Him. They will see His face, and His Name will be on their foreheads. There will be no more night. They will not need the light of a lamp or the light of the sun, for the Lord God will give them light. And they will reign for ever and ever.

Isaiah 11:6-9 – The wolf will live with the lamb, the leopard will lie down with the goat, the calf and the lion and the yearling together; and a little child will lead them. The cow will feed with the bear, their young will lie down together, and the lion will eat straw like the ox. The infant will play near the hole of the cobra, and the young child put his hand into the viper's nest. They will neither harm nor destroy on all My holy mountain, for the earth will be full of the knowledge of the LORD as the waters cover the sea."

On the New Earth:

  • We will see God face to face (Revelation 21:3; 22:4).
  • There will be no pain, or sadness, or death (Revelation 21:4).
  • There will be no sin (Revelation 21:27).
  • All creatures will live in perfect harmony with one another (Isaiah 11:6-9).
  • We will be allowed to eat from the tree of life again (taken away in Genesis 3) and so, we will live forever (Revelation 22:1-5).

Though not specifically stated, I believe that we can also infer that life on the new Earth will be what God intended life on this Earth to be like. Adam and Eve worked the Garden of Eden. So, I believe that humans on the New Earth will be able to work at things that they enjoy. We won’t simply worship God all the time but will live as God intended Adam and Eve to live – working, being creative, enjoying each other’s company, engaging in hobbies, and yes, basking in the presence of God.




Will there be Animals in Heaven? And Will My Pet be in Heaven?

The Bible says that there will be animals on the New Earth. But will there be animals in Heaven?
 
From the description of the creatures in Heaven, we know that God certainly honors the animals.

Revelation 4:6-8 – In the center, around the throne, were four living creatures, and they were covered with eyes, in front and in back. The first living creature was like a lion, the second was like an ox, the third had a face like a man, the fourth was like a flying eagle. Each of the four living creatures had six wings and was covered with eyes all around, even under its wings.

Whereas the Bible doesn’t tell us for sure that there are actual animals in Heaven, we can draw some reasonable conclusions from the passages we’ve looked at.

First, God likes animals. He made them. Why would He not like them enough to bring them to Heaven?

The Bible never says that animals have a soul like humans do, but that doesn’t mean that they don’t. It simply means that the Bible doesn’t address the issue.

Animals are victims of the Fall. It wasn’t their fault humans sinned and brought death into this world. So. why would God not give them the chance to live on in Heaven?

The creation waits in eager expectation for the sons of God to be revealed. For the creation was subjected to frustration, not by its own choice, but by the will of the one who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be liberated from its bondage to decay and brought into the glorious freedom of the children of God. We know that the whole creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time (Romans 8:18-22).

But does that mean that an exact animal from Earth will be in Heaven or the New Earth, or will there simply be animals in general?

I think the answer to that lies in what we see happening with humans. The human from Earth is the same one that goes to Heaven or the New Earth. God doesn’t create a new person to be in Heaven or the new world with Him. He uses the ones He already has.

It would most likely be the same with the animals. Why would God create new animals when He already has plenty on earth? He only needs to bring the souls of those same ones to Heaven and the new creation.

I fully believe that God loves each of His creations as individuals, whether they be human or animal, and that if there are animals in Heaven and on the remade earth, they will be the same individual animals that have already been created here and now.





What is Heaven Like?

Revelation 4-5  After this I looked, and there before me was a door standing open in heaven. And the voice I had first heard speaking to me like a trumpet said, “Come up here, and I will show you what must take place after this.” At once I was in the Spirit, and there before me was a throne in heaven with someone sitting on it. And the one who sat there had the appearance of jasper and ruby. A rainbow that shone like an emerald encircled the throne. Surrounding the throne were twenty-four other thrones, and seated on them were twenty-four elders. They were dressed in white and had crowns of gold on their heads. From the throne came flashes of lightning, rumblings and peals of thunder. In front of the throne, seven lamps were blazing. These are the seven spirits of God. Also in front of the throne there was what looked like a sea of glass, clear as crystal.

In the center, around the throne, were four living creatures, and they were covered with eyes, in front and in back. The first living creature was like a lion, the second was like an ox, the third had a face like a man, the fourth was like a flying eagle. Each of the four living creatures had six wings and was covered with eyes all around, even under its wings. Day and night they never stop saying:

“‘Holy, holy, holy
is the Lord God Almighty,’
who was, and is, and is to come.”

 Whenever the living creatures give glory, honor and thanks to him who sits on the throne and who lives for ever and ever, the twenty-four elders fall down before him who sits on the throne and worship him who lives for ever and ever. They lay their crowns before the throne and say:

“You are worthy, our Lord and God, 
to receive glory and honor and power, 
for you created all things, 
and by your will they were created 
and have their being.”

Then I saw in the right hand of him who sat on the throne a scroll with writing on both sides and sealed with seven seals. And I saw a mighty angel proclaiming in a loud voice, “Who is worthy to break the seals and open the scroll?” But no one in heaven or on earth or under the earth could open the scroll or even look inside it. I wept and wept because no one was found who was worthy to open the scroll or look inside. Then one of the elders said to me, “Do not weep! See, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has triumphed. He is able to open the scroll and its seven seals.”

Then I saw a Lamb, looking as if it had been slain, standing at the center of the throne, encircled by the four living creatures and the elders. The Lamb had seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven spirits of God sent out into all the earth. He went and took the scroll from the right hand of him who sat on the throne. And when he had taken it, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb. Each one had a harp and they were holding golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of God’s people. And they sang a new song, saying:

“You are worthy to take the scroll 
and to open its seals, 
because you were slain, 
and with your blood you purchased for God 
persons from every tribe and language and people and nation. 
 You have made them to be a kingdom and priests to serve our God, 
and they will reign on the earth.”

Then I looked and heard the voice of many angels, numbering thousands upon thousands, and ten thousand times ten thousand. They encircled the throne and the living creatures and the elders. In a loud voice they were saying:

“Worthy is the Lamb, who was slain, 
to receive power and wealth and wisdom and strength 
and honor and glory and praise!”

 Then I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and on the sea, and all that is in them, saying:

“To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb 
be praise and honor and glory and power, 
for ever and ever!”

 The four living creatures said, “Amen,” and the elders fell down and worshiped.”

So, what is Heaven like?

The scene is one of worship. God is, indeed, worthy to be worshiped like this.

But there is much more to life than worship. God created us to do more and to live a balanced life. That’s why Heaven, and this worshipful scene, will not last forever. There will be a New Heaven and a New Earth for us to live new lives. Heaven is not eternal.




Wednesday, January 11, 2012

The People You’ll Meet in Heaven: Is Believing in Jesus the Only Way to Be Saved?

Is believing in Jesus really the only way to be saved?

Who can be saved? Even without considering the temporary nature of Hell, you might be surprised at who will be in Heaven.

At the time of the final judgment, Revelation 20:11-15, tells us, Then I saw a great white throne and Him who was seated on it. Earth and sky fled from His presence, and there was no place for them. And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Another book was opened, which is the Book of Life. The dead were judged according to what they had done as recorded in the books. The sea gave up the dead that were in it, and death and Hades gave up the dead that were in them, and each person was judged according to what he had done. Then death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. The lake of fire is the second death. If anyone's name was not found written in the Book of Life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.

This passage is telling us that at the end of this world, everyone – both alive and dead – will be brought before Christ. And He will open a book and He will read whether your name and whether my name is written in that book, the Lamb’s Book of Life.

So the question is, how do you get your name in that book? How can we be saved? What do we have to do?

Many people throughout history, and especially today, have believed that all we have to do to be saved is to be a generally good person. After all, the reasoning goes, why would God send a good person to Hell? Hell is reserved for the truly evil people, like Adolph Hitler. Someone may have made a few mistakes or had a few character flaws, but it’s not as if they were as bad as he was.

And yet we know that being a pretty good person is not enough to save us. As Jesus said in Matthew 7:22-23, “Many will say to Me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name and in Your name drive out demons and in Your name perform many miracles?’ Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from Me, you evildoers!’”

Even though the people in this passage were doing good things, that wasn’t enough to save them. So, if our actions alone, or being a good person, isn’t what gets us into Heaven, what is it? How do we get our name written in the Lamb’s Book of Life? What do we have to do to be saved?

Many Christians would say that all we have to do to be saved is to believe in Jesus. And I would agree with that statement. Romans 8:9-10, says, That if you confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved.

If we believe in Jesus – truly believe – we will be saved.

But is that the only way we can be saved? Can someone who doesn’t believe in Jesus ever be saved?

What about a young child who dies before they’re old enough believe in Jesus or to even understand who Jesus is? What about a baby who is aborted? Will those children be saved, even though they don’t believe in Jesus? I think most Christians would say yes.

What about an adult who lives in a place where the Gospel of Jesus has not yet been preached? Missionaries have not yet come to his village, and he dies without ever hearing about Jesus. Does he get to go to Heaven? Has his name been written in the Lamb’s Book of Life? This one’s a little harder, but I think a fair number of Christians would again say yes.

The reason is found in Romans 2: 12-16. All who sin apart from the law will also perish apart from the law, and all who sin under the law will be judged by the law. For it is not those who hear the law who are righteous in God's sight, but it is those who obey the law who will be declared righteous. (Indeed, when Gentiles, who do not have the law, do by nature things required by the law, they are a law for themselves, even though they do not have the law, since they show that the requirements of the law are written on their hearts, their consciences also bearing witness, and their thoughts now accusing, now even defending them.) This will take place on the day when God will judge men's secrets through Jesus Christ, as my gospel declares.

The Apostle Paul is telling us that when people have not heard about Christ, when they don’t have the Scriptures in front of them, then God will judge them not on whether they’ve believed the right thing, but on whether they’ve obeyed their conscience.

Our conscience is from God. It is His law, His moral and ethical law, written our hearts. We can believe this because throughout the world, every society adheres to the same basic laws. Everyone knows that there is a difference between right and wrong. Everyone knows that you can’t just kill someone in cold blood. You can’t steal. You can’t sleep with someone else’s spouse. You shouldn’t lie to other people. Everyone in the world understands these things in their most basic meanings.

It’s because we all have a conscience, and that conscience has been given to each of us by God Himself. That basic understanding of right and wrong is part of the image of God that remains in us.

So, if people have not heard of Christ, they are judged by their conscience. An unborn child’s conscience is clean. A young child’s conscience is clean, more or less. Someone living in their own society and living according to their own society’s rules and beliefs has a clean conscience. They are saved. Their name is written in the Lamb’s Book of Life.

Christians and those who have heard of Christ will also be judged by their conscience. As Matthew 11:20-24 says, Then Jesus began to denounce the cities in which most of His miracles had been performed, because they did not repent. Woe to you, Korazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! If the miracles that were performed in you had been performed in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes. But I tell you, it will be more bearable for Tyre and Sidon on the day of judgment than for you. And you, Capernaum, will you be lifted up to the skies? No, you will go down to the depths. If the miracles that were performed in you had been performed in Sodom, it would have remained to this day. But I tell you that it will be more bearable for Sodom on the day of judgment than for you.”

Why is Korazin and Bethsaida and Capernaum going to be judged more harshly than such sinful and worldly cities as Sodom and Tyre? Because the people of Korazin and Bethsaida and Capernaum had seen Christ. Jesus was right there. He was telling them the truth. He was proving who He was by His miracles. Their consciences were pushing them to believe in Him, but they wouldn’t do it. They wouldn’t place their trust in Him. They were rejecting that inner nudge from their conscience.

In Luke 12:47-48, Jesus said, "That servant who knows his Master's will and does not get ready or does not do what his Master wants will be beaten with many blows. But the one who does not know and does things deserving punishment will be beaten with few blows. From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded; and from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked."

We have been given much. We have been given the Scriptures and so, we will be judged based on what we know. If we know that we should believe in Jesus and do not believe in Him, then we have disobeyed our conscience and will be judged accordingly. If we do not know that we should believe in Jesus, like the unborn baby or the young child or the native villager does not know, then Christ will understand that and will not punish us because there will be nothing in our conscience telling us that we should have believed.

If we do believe in Jesus and understand what He wants us to do, and if we understand what the Scripture says and know how He wants us to live our lives but don’t do it, we will be judged for that.

So, the question is, are you obeying your conscience? Your conscience has been given to you by God. If you are obeying your conscience, you can rest assured that your name is written in the Lamb’s Book of Life.

1. All who believe in Jesus

2. All who do not believe in Jesus but are following their conscience. That includes all who never had a chance to believe in Him:
  • unborn children
  • children who die before they can make the choice
  • and people who never hear the truth adequately

3. All those who accepted Christ’s forgiveness when He preached in Sheol