1 Corinthians 2:9 HEAVEN #2 5-7-11
Today I want to bring a few thoughts to do with HEAVEN, there’s a lot of people in the world that don’t believe there is a “God or a heaven or a hell”, they believe that when people die that that’s the end of all their existence. The only thing wrong with that is, the Bible says other wise, and of coarse these people don’t believe the Bible.
2 Timothy 3:16 All scripture is given by inspiration of God, -----
Jude 10 But these speak evil of those things which they know not: but what they know naturally, --
2 Corinthians 4:4 In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not,--
1 Corinthians 2:14 But the natural man*(never been supernaturally born again) receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.
2 Corinthians 4:18 While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal.
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Ø Listen as I read today’s text found in 1 Corinthians 2:9 ~~ we’re thinking on Heaven today.
But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him.
This verse is not always viewed and applied as I want to apply it today.
All of us have heard many people’s ideas about what they thought heaven would be like, but our text verse as I want to apply it today says, (paraphrase) “no eye of any man has ever seen any object of beauty and splendor that can even come close to what heaven is going to look like.”
Neither has any ones ear ever heard a realistic explanation of the magnificents of this glorious place.
Neither has entered into the heart of man “THE THINGS”
These two words “the things” cover a vast number of different (THINGS) none of us have ever seen or even imagined, or heard of, or comprehended in our innermost being what God hath prepared for them that love him.
When we think on beautiful things or objects we naturally can not help but think of the sites and beautiful things that we see here on this earth, and rightly so, because we have never been to heaven, we’re going one day because we believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, He is our Lord and Savior and by His grace we’re going, there’s nothing more that we can compare the beauties of heaven too because this is all we know any thing about, but as the Queen of Sheba said to King Solomon in
1 Kings 10: 4-7 And when the queen of Sheba had seen all Solomon’s wisdom, and the house that he had built, 5And the meat of his table, and the sitting of his servants, and the attendance of his ministers, and their apparel, and his cupbearers, and his ascent by which he went up unto the house of the LORD; there was no more spirit in her.
6And she said to the king, It was a true report that I heard in mine own land of thy acts and of thy wisdom.
7Howbeit I believed not the words, until I came, and mine eyes had seen it: and, behold, the half was not told me: thy wisdom and prosperity exceedeth the fame which I heard.
So dear heart there has never yet been nor will there ever be here in this life a real and truthful explanation of what heaven will be like, and sinner friend if you miss heaven you have missed it all.
The apostle Paul tells us in 2 cor. 12:1-4 that he was caught up to the 3rd heaven, and he was not allowed to tell of what he saw.
1It is not expedient for me doubtless to glory. I will come to visions and revelations of the Lord. 2I knew a man in Christ above fourteen years ago, (whether in the body, I cannot tell; or whether out of the body, I cannot tell: God knoweth;) such an one caught up to the third heaven. 3And I knew such a man, (whether in the body, or out of the body, I cannot tell: God knoweth;) 4How that he was caught up into paradise, and heard unspeakable words, which it is not lawful for a man to utter.
We believe that Paul was actually stoned to death and that it was at this time that Paul found himself in Paradise, (3rd heaven) and that God raised him from the dead, simple because He still had much for Paul to do, Paul penned 14 books of the N.T.
Acts 14:19 And there came thither certain Jews from Antioch and Iconium, who persuaded the people, and, having stoned Paul, drew him out of the city, supposing he had been dead.
Paul evidently refers to this event in II Corinthians 12:1-4, that we just read, where he mentions being caught up into the “third heaven.”
So because there is a third heaven, there must also be a 1st and 2nd heaven as well. The first is where the birds and airplanes fly, the air that we breathe, the second heaven is where the planets and stars are, and the third heaven is far above all heavens and is the dwelling place of God, its also where Paradise is. We’re told in ISA.14:13 (God talking to Lucifer) For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north: -- perhaps it’s in the sides of the north, but where is that ?
Ø Jesus said in
John 14:1-3 Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. 2In my Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. 3And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.
Jesus was a carpenter when He was on earth , He is the Master Builder.
The Father’s house is this vast universe that you and I live in today. We live in the Father’s house now as this planet earth is among the many planets that even we know of today.
Jesus is preparing a place for us who belong to Him. No one can occupy it but us, it’s reserved for the New Testament Church which is made up of Jew and Gentiles.
Ø Peter said in
1 Peter 1:3-4 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 4To an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you, --
The Old Testament saints have earthly promises, and the New Testament saints have heavenly promises.
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Ø God told Abraham in
Genesis 13:14-15 And the LORD said unto Abram, after that Lot was separated from him, Lift up now thine eyes, and look from the place where thou art northward, and southward, and eastward, and westward: 15For all the land which thou seest, to thee will I give it, and to thy seed for ever.
Genesis 17:8 And I will give unto thee, and to thy seed after thee, the land wherein thou art a stranger, all the land of Canaan, for an everlasting possession; and I will be their God.
And let me point out that Abraham’s seed here are the decedents of Abraham & Sarah, not Abraham & Hagar or any other of Abraham’s offspring.
Gen.17:19 And God said, Sarah thy wife shall bear thee a son indeed; and thou shalt call his name Isaac: and I will establish my covenant with him for an everlasting covenant, and with his seed after him.
So Israel has earthly promises, and the CHURCH heavenly promises.
Ø Paul said in
Philippians 3:20 For our conversation**(citizenship) is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ:
This place that Jesus is preparing for us truly is “OUT OF THIS WORLD” as the old saying goes because He’s been preparing it now for over 2000 years.
I personally think that it’s the New Jerusalem that we read about in Rev.21: because John said in
Revelation 21:2 And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepar-ed as a bride adorned for her husband.—the ED on the end of PREPARED means passed tense, at the right time it will have already been pre-pared. –PRE means before hand.
The city is filled with the brilliance of costly stones and crystal clear jasper.
Listen as I read what it will look like, but before I read let me remind us that near the beginning of the broadcast I said that there’s no way to describe the beauty of this place we call heaven?
Listen as John tries to describe what he is allowed to see, and lets notice that many times he uses words such as “like unto”-like and “as it were” John can’t truly describe it either, because he knows only earthly things, there’s nothing John’s ever seen that can describe it.
Rev.21:9-27 And there came unto me one of the seven angels which had the seven vials full of the seven last plagues, and talked with me, saying, Come hither, I will shew thee the bride, the Lamb’s wife.
10And he carried me away in the spirit to a great and high mountain, and shewed me that great city, the holy Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God, (3rd heaven)
11Having the glory of God: and her light was like unto a stone most precious, even like a jasper stone, clear as crystal;
12And had a wall great and high, and had twelve gates, and at the gates twelve angels, and names written thereon, which are the names of the twelve tribes of the children of Israel:
13On the east three gates; on the north three gates; on the south three gates; and on the west three gates.
14And the wall of the city had twelve foundations, and in them the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb.
15And he that talked with me had a golden reed to measure the city, and the gates thereof, and the wall thereof.
16And the city lieth foursquare, and the length is as large as the breadth: and he measured the city with the reed, twelve thousand furlongs. The length and the breadth and the height of it are equal.
17And he measured the wall thereof, an hundred and forty and four cubits, according to the measure of a man, that is, of the angel.
18And the building of the wall of it was of jasper: and the city was pure gold, like unto clear glass. 19And the foundations of the wall of the city were garnished with all manner of precious stones. The first foundation was jasper; the second, sapphire; the third, a chalcedony; the fourth, an emerald;
20The fifth, sardonyx; the sixth, sardius; the seventh, chrysolite; the eighth, beryl; the ninth, a topaz; the tenth, a chrysoprasus; the eleventh, a jacinth; the twelfth, an amethyst.
21And the twelve gates were twelve pearls; every several gate was of one pearl: and the street of the city was pure gold, as it were transparent glass.
22And I saw no temple therein: for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are the temple of it.
23And the city had no need of the sun, neither of the moon, to shine in it:**(notice we don’t read here that there will be no sun or moon, it says the city ”NEW JERUSALEM” had no need of it, most likely the New earth will still have the sun as people will still be farming and such)
for the glory of God did lighten it, and the Lamb is the light thereof.
24And the nations of them which are saved **(These saved nations are the people we talked about awhile back in Matt.25: as “the sheep”) shall walk in the light of it: and the kings of the earth do bring their glory and honour into it.
25And the gates of it shall not be shut at all by day: for there shall be no night there.
26And they (inhabitants of the new earth) shall bring the glory and honour of the nations into it.
27And there shall in no wise enter into it any thing that defileth, neither whatsoever worketh abomination, or maketh a lie: but they which are written in the Lamb’s book of life.
John is the same as we are, he couldn’t find the words to describe it fully either as our text says.
Ø 1 Corinthians 2:9
But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him.
I believe we are going to be greatly amazed at the beauty of our new home.
Heaven is a place of “no mores.” There will be no more tears, no more pain, and no more sorrow; there will be no more separation, because death will be conquered.
The best thing about heaven is the presence of our Lord and Savior, we will be face to face with the Lamb of God who loved us and sacrificed Himself so that we can enjoy His presence in heaven for eternity.
1 John 3:2 Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is.
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Ø Some may wonder if we’ll remember our earthly lives when we get to heaven.
Isaiah 65:16-17 ---the former troubles are forgotten,-- 17 For, behold, I create new heavens and a new earth: and the former shall not be remembered, nor come into mind.
Lets be sure and notice that it says, “ the former troubles are forgotten”
It is likely that only our “past troubles” that will be forgotten – not all of our memories. Our memories will be cleansed, redeemed, healed, and restored – not erased. There is no reason why we could not possess many memories from our earthly lives. The memories that will be cleansed are the ones that involve sin, pain, and sadness. I don’t believe we’ll remember having lost loved one that are in hell, they’ll remember us but we want remember them, LK. 16: points that out as the lost rich man remembers his 5 brothers as he is in hell.
Rev.21:4 And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.
In Lk.16: The rich man asked Abraham to send Lazarus back to earth to warn the rich man’s brothers not to come to hell. So he remembered his relatives. He must have also remembered his own life of sin because he never asked to be released from hell, nor did he ask why he was there or claim there had been some kind of mistake.
He remembered enough about his earthly life to know that he deserved hell.
But this is no proof that those in heaven remember their earthly lives. The rich man’s remembrance was part of his misery. If we have memories in heaven, they will only be of things that will bring us joy.
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Ø And some may wonder if we’ll recognize our loved ones in heaven.
1st Jn.3:2 Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is.
Ø Many people recognized Jesus after His resurrection
Jn. 20:16-20 Jesus saith unto her, Mary. She turned herself, and saith unto him, Rabboni; which is to say, Master. 17Jesus saith unto her, Touch me not; for I am not yet ascended to my Father: but go to my brethren, and say unto them, I ascend unto my Father, and your Father; and to my God, and your God. 18Mary Magdalene came and told the disciples that she had seen the Lord, and that he had spoken these things unto her.
19Then the same day at evening, being the first day of the week, when the doors were shut where the disciples were assembled for fear of the Jews, came Jesus and stood in the midst, and saith unto them, Peace be unto you. 20And when he had so said, he shewed unto them his hands and his side. Then were the disciples glad, when they saw the Lord.
1 Corinthians 15:4-7 And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures: 5And that he was seen of Cephas, then of the twelve: 6After that, he was seen of above five hundred brethren at once; of whom the greater part remain unto this present, but some are fallen asleep. 7After that, he was seen of James; then of all the apostles.
Jesus was recognizable in His glorified body; and so we also will be recognizable in our glorified bodies.
Being able to see our loved ones is going to be just one of the many blessing we have to look forward too, also I believe we’ll know on sight all the O.T. saints, I don’t believe we’ll have to be introduced.
Ø The disciples recognized ELIJAH and MOSES there on the Mt. Of transfiguration in
Matt. 17:1-4 And after six days Jesus taketh Peter, James, and John his brother, and bringeth them up into an high mountain apart, 2And was transfigured before them: and his face did shine as the sun, and his raiment was white as the light. 3And, behold, there appeared unto them Moses and Elias talking with him.
But heaven is far more about God, and far less about us. What a joy it’s going to be to be reunited with our loved ones and worship God with them.
