What The Bible Teaches About Heaven

Generally, before they take on a project like this, they study the proposed plans carefully because they want to make sure that every little detail is considered so that they will have a wonderful place to live the rest of their lives on this earth.

Yes, planning a family house is exciting, but listen, if people can get excited about earthly houses, then it is easy to understand why Christians get excited about their future home in heaven, where they will live for eternity.

In this sermon we want to study the "blueprints" in God's Word, to see what kind of eternal home God has prepared for His family. As we study the Word of God, we find three people who are qualified to tell us about that wonderful place.

1. THE APOSTLE PAUL

In 2 Cor. 12:2-4 we read, "I 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. And I knew such a man, (whether in the body, or out of the body, I cannot tell: God knoweth;) How that he was caught up into paradise, and heard unspeakable words, which it is not lawful for a man to utter."

Paul was saying that he had been caught up to the THIRD HEAVEN. He did not know if he had been in his body or out of his body. That was not significant. However, what was significant was that he supernaturally saw the third heaven.

How many heavens are there? There are three:

(a) THE FIRST HEAVEN is where the clouds are, and where the birds and planes fly. We can see this first heaven with the human eye.

(b) THE SECOND HEAVEN is where all the planets and stars are located. We can see this heaven with a powerful telescope. In this space age, we have been able to send people into the second heaven. As far as science can tell there is no life that exists in the second heaven.

The second heaven is beautiful, but there is a heaven that is more beautiful, it is the third heaven.

(c) THE THIRD HEAVEN is where God lives. People have some beautiful places to live.

Illus: You could take all the beautiful areas in the world and put them together, and they would not come close to being as beautiful as the place where God lives in the third heaven.

Do you know what is so great about that? That is exactly where every saint of God will live for eternity!

Illus: Some of the saints of God live in third world countries and they live in some horrible conditions. But one of these days, they are going to live in this wonderful place called heaven.

God allowed Paul to make a short visit to that glorious place, but once he visited it, GOD TOLD HIM NOT TO SPEAK OF WHAT HE SAW to people on earth. Can you imagine how hard it was for Paul to see all the glory of heaven and not being able to say a word about it?

Illus: That would be as bad as the preacher who skipped church and played a perfect game of golf. He could not tell anyone what he had done, because if he said a word, they would have known he played golf instead of going to church.

God did not want him to tell. Why? There are two possible reasons:

(a) Because there are no words that could DESCRIBE IT

Often, to describe something we have to have something we can relate it too.

Illus: Have you ever tried to describe a beautiful red rose to a person who was born blind? It is impossible to describe such a thing to a person who does not know how to relate anything to colors.

The best thing Paul could do was not to say anything, to prevent giving a distorted view of this wonderful place! That could be the reason God would not let Paul say anything about what he saw.

Illus: Suppose you lived on earth in the days of Noah, and someone told you that one day there would be automobiles, airplanes, computers, televisions, telephones, fax machines, interstate highways, and space vehicles that would take a man to the moon, etc.. Your would have thought that they had escaped from the "funny farm."

I can assure you that if Paul had to describe what he saw, we all would say, "Paul, your much learning has made you mad."

(b) Because God wanted it to be a SURPRISE

A lot of people do not like surprises, but when the saints of God see this wonderful place it will be a surprise they will enjoy.