A Look Into Heaven

“A Look into Heaven”

By

Bishop Melvin L. Maughmer, Jr.

OPENING: - If you have ever seen a movie or television program more than likely you saw it because you see the previews of it before hand. A preview is an inspection or viewing of something before it is bought or becomes generally known and available. It is a sneak peak of what it to come. The purpose of a preview is to cause excitement and desire to experience for yourself the entire thing, rather that is a movie, a show, or a computer program etc.

My wife and I love to cruise and before we go on the cruise, I will look at YouTube videos to get a preview of what certain places have to offer. I search out the secret off the tourist path places to find the excitement and experiences that others have had. What this does is causes me to really become excited about where we are going and causes me to countdown the time until we are there.

Well, the book of Revelation is a preview of Heaven and things to come. In Revelation chapters 1-3 John, who represents the church, has a vision while he is exiled on the Isle of Patmos. This is a very significant point that we must not miss. John is exiled on the Isle of Patmos, he is in the world but not of the world, he is separated from the world. We are in the world but are not of the world, we are separated, sanctified, set apart unto God. John 17:11 &14-16 says, “And now I am no more in the world, but these are in the world, and I come to thee. Holy father, keep through thine own name those whom thou hast given me, that they may be one as we are one. I have given them thy word; and the world hath hated them, because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world, but that thou shouldest keep them from the evil. They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world”.

WATCH THIS: - So, Revelation 1-3 deals with the church age being here on earth, that’s us right now. In chapter 4 there is a shift, things change and the church, represented by John is in Heaven now having been Raptured, Harpazo, Caught Up, snatched away, Gathered unto Him. Chapter 4 we are drawn to Heaven where we shall See God seated on the throne, and we shall Hear the sounds of Heaven, and experience the Sensations of Heaven. Paul said in 2 Corinthians 12 heard unspeakable words which could not be uttered but in Revelation 4 we get to see, hear and feel everything – this is just a Preview!

So, let’s Look into Heaven – A Preview

PRAYER: -

SCRIPTURE: - Revelation 4:1-11.

TEXT: - Revelation 4:1-3 says, “After this I looked, and behold a door was open in heaven: and the first voice I heard was as it were of a trumpet talking with me; which said, Come up hither, and I will shew thee things which must be hereafter. And immediately I was in the spirit: and behold a throne was set in heaven, and one sat on the throne. And he that sat was to look upon like jasper and a sardine stone: and there was a rainbow round about the throne, in sight like unto an emerald”.

Verse 1 says, “After this I looked, and behold a door was open in heaven”. After what, after writing to the 7 churches of Revelation, after dealing with the Church Age, prophetically at the end of the church here on earth – After this. I looked and behold a door was open in heaven, remember when a door is mentioned in scripture it prophetically is dealing with the rapture of the church, the coming together of the church and Jesus Christ. Behold I stand at the door and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me Revelation 3:20. That’s the coming together of man and God.

Before I go any further let me say this Heaven is opened only twice in the Book of Revelation the 1st time is here to receive John, who represents the church into Heaven Revelation 4:1 and the 2nd time in Revelation 19:11 when Jesus and His saints come out of heaven to war against the nations better known as the Battle of Armageddon.

John looked and saw a door open in heaven and the first voice I heard was as it were of a trumpet talking with me; which said, Come up hither, and I will shew thee things which must be hereafter. WATCH THIS:- the first voice I heard was as it were of a trumpet talking with me:- He didn’t say it was like many thundering’s, he didn’t say it was like many rivers, he said it was like a trumpet 1 Thessalonians 4:16 says, “For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first”. What John hears is the Rapture call, this was not and is not just a vision but an actual event. Other prophets like Daniel, Isaiah, and Ezekiel had visions of Heaven but John actually is taken up into Heaven into the Throne room of God. John hears the voice of the Lord talking to him and He says Come up hither. We know without a doubt according to 1 Thessalonians 4:16 we shall hear His voice and I truly believe we will hear Him saying Come up hither, for sure He will say Come just like He told Peter when Peter asked if it be Him bid him to come and Jesus said come. Just like when He called Lazarus from the grave, He said Lazarus come forth, when He called John, He said Come up hither, it will be the same for us in the Rapture.