HoHum:
Heaven is a wonderful place, filled with glory and grace, I wanna see my Savior’s face, cause heaven is a wonderful place, I wanna go there!
WBTU:
Like an exciting move trailer, God’s Word previews this place and our future, whetting our desire for the real thing. And though what we are told is limited- with some of the details shrouded in prophetic language- 4 things we can say with certainty
1) This is a place like no other place
2) We have so much to anticipate
3) Heaven’s blessings will never end. “an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade” 1 Peter 1:4, NIV.
4) Every aspect of the place will be chacterized by joy. “You have made known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand.” Psalms 16:11, NIV.
Just try to imagine finally getting to be in the moment of the biggest and best experience we have ever had, with the One we have longed to spend it with and enjoying it undiminished
Keep in mind that even those who have died in Christ are awaiting this place. Where are they now? At home with the Lord- 2 Corinthians 5:8- resting from their labor- Revelation 14:13- but this is not heaven. Paradise is a place of rest for the spirits of the redeemed until they are given their resurrected bodies and take occupancy of the new heaven and earth.
Thesis: 2 things: 1) Talk more about our eternal home 2) Who will be in heaven
For instances:
1. Our eternal home
We are talking about a real place, with dimension and texture and a distinct environment. And in the midst will be a real city like Like Chicago or Cincinnati. Everything that represents “home” to us- everything that matters here- will be present there, yet “as different as a real thing is from a shadow or as waking life is from a dream.” In that day, we will discover that what is the substance now will prove to have been the dream. Heaven is the real; earth is the shadow.
Scripture calls that place “the city which has foundations, whose builder and maker is God” (Hebrews 11:10). It is full of magnificent estates custom made for each of its citizens (John 14:2) and it will never pass away (Daniel 7:14).
Keith Butler said, “If you want to see what Heaven is like- its design- picture the earth without decay or sin, and with far more of everything good and beautiful and breathtaking and pure. The beauty of the earth is not in the same league, yet it is in God’s taste, because He created the earth.” In fact, says the Unicorn in the final book of the Chronicles of Narnia, “The reason why we loved the old Narnia is that it sometimes looked a little like this, the New Narnia.”
The New Jerusalem will reside on a new earth (Rev. 21:1-3) and be lavish- with jewels and gold and gemstones as its construction materials rather than the steel and stone and wood of earth. It will have 12 foundations and 12 gates, each one made of a single pearl (Rev. 21:18-21). These gates will never be shut (Rev. 21:12)- the citizens of heaven are free to roam the city and beyond.
The New Jerusalem will be an enormous, uniform cube, as high and wide as it is long (Rev. 21:16). Why a cube? The Holy of Holies in Solomon’s temple was also a cube, though on a much smaller scale (1 Kings 6:20). Can say that the New Jerusalem is the Holy of Holies for eternity... the very sanctuary of God himself. Tallying up the literal, biblical measurements, the city’s total area of coverage- 1,400 or 1,500 square miles high (depending on the Bible translation) and some 2 million square miles on the ground- would be over 3 billion cubic miles. By contrast, New York City’s land area is only 305 square miles.
How many people will 3 billion plus cubic miles hold? Statistically speaking, “even if everyone who ever lived was saved (approximately 30 billion people) that would still allow each person 200 square miles on the ground alone... And that’s just in the city” Steven Lawson. All told, heaven could house one hundred thousand hundred billion citizens!
The city will be surrounded by a thick, glimmering jasper wall. This is not a barrier; there’s no need for one, since all enemies and their threat of attack will be gone. Instead, it probably serves to define the city’s borders. Main Street and the city itself will be make of pure gold, but far finer than what we’re used to. Heaven’s version will be transparent, like glass (Rev. 21:18, 21).
God’s throne is there. “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 carnelian. A rainbow, resembling 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.” Revelation 4:2-5, NIV.
Representatives from the tribes and nations of the earth will all be represented. “After this I looked and there before me was a great multitude that no-one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne and in front of the Lamb. They were wearing white robes and were holding palm branches in their hands.” Revelation 7:9, NIV. New York city is the most linguistically diverse city in th world, with an estimated 800 languages spoken there. Heaven will be home to even more than this.
There will be waters and parks and trees. “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.” Revelation 22:1, 2, NIV. According to William Hendriksen, in the original language, this “tree of life” entails not just one tree but many. Heaven’s inhabitants will be allowed to eat the fruit from such a tree (Rev. 22:14). This echoes Eden.
“And they sang a new song before the throne and before the four living creatures and the elders. No-one could learn the song except the 144,000 who had been redeemed from the earth.” Revelation 14:3. Several mentions of harps and trumpets in Revlation, but considering the variet of instruments that we see in the Bible, we can safely anticipate additional sounds of music.
God’s glory illuminates it with the brillance of a precious jewel- like a diamond perhaps? “It shone with the glory of God, and its brilliance was like that of a very precious jewel, like a jasper, clear as crystal.” Revelation 21:11, NIV. and “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.” Revelation 21:23, NIV. “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.” Revelation 22:5, NIV.
Peter wrote that righteousness will inhabit the new earth (2 Peter 3:13. So this is a place with no war- no factions, schisms, or divisions. All will be one with Jesus, the Prince of Peace, and aware that true power belongs to God.
“No longer will there be any curse.” Revelation 22:3, NIV. Every byproduct of the FAll will no longer exist. Everyone is fully satisfied, content. And will evil defeated, this city will experience no corruption, no idol worship or immorality; it will not have to suffer con men and their deceptions. or criminals and the fear they provoke. The absence of sin means that nothing entering heaven will defile, contaminate, or pollute the land or its inhabitants. Everything in heaven reflects the perfections of God. “Nothing impure will ever enter it, nor will anyone who does what is shameful or deceitful” Revelation 21:27, NIV.
2. Who will be in heaven
God the Father will be there. Already talked about God’s throne and the one who stis there
Jesus is there. “Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God.” Colossians 3:1, NIV. “Then I saw a Lamb, looking as if it had been slain, standing in the centre of the throne, encircled by the four living creatures and the elders.” Revelation 5:6, NIV.
Holy Spirit is there. “From the throne came flashes of lightning, rumblings and peals of thunder. Before the throne, seven lamps were blazing. These are the seven spirits of God.” Revelation 4:5
Angels are in heaven. “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 sang: “Worthy is the Lamb, who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and strength and honour and glory and praise!”” Revelation 5:11, 12, NIV. Joni Eareckson Tada, in her book about heaven, believes that we will know the angels by name and fellowship with them personally. Unsure, but we will worship God alongside them. “All the angels were standing round the throne and around the elders and the four living creatures. They fell down on their faces before the throne and worshipped God, saying: “Amen! Praise and glory and wisdom and thanks and honour and power and strength be to our God for ever and ever. Amen!”” Revelation 7:11, 12, NIV.
24 elders- “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.” Revelation 4:4, NIV.
The righteous- Christ’s bride, the church- will dwell there. “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.” Revelation 21:27, NIV. “God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.” 2 Corinthians 5:21, NIV.
