Concerning heaven it can be said, like the wisdom
of Solomon, "The half has not been told!" While
we cannot fully comprehend what heaven is like, the Bible does
reveal certain things about heaven so that we might have a desire
to go there.|
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Concerning heaven it can be said, like the wisdom
of Solomon, "The half has not been told!" While
we cannot fully comprehend what heaven is like, the Bible does
reveal certain things about heaven so that we might have a desire
to go there.
1. Heaven is real! Scripture depicts heaven
as a place. Shortly before his return to heaven, Jesus
promise: "I go to prepare a place for you"
(John 14:2).
2. Heaven is where Christ is. Two apostles,
Paul and John were privileged to view heaven. In the great Book
of Revelation, John recorded his vision of heaven and how that
he saw the King on His throne (Revelation 4:1-4). Paul, on the
other hand, was caught up into heaven but was forbidden to tell
what he had seen (2 Corinthians 12:4). Later, he exclaimed that
he had a desire to "depart and be with Christ" (Philippians
1:23).
Further, he admonished Christians to "seek
the things that are above, where Christ is, seated on the right
hand of God" (Colossians 3:1).
3. Heaven is where God is. Moses prayed to
God saying, "look down from Thy holy habitation, from heaven,
and bless Thy people Israel" (Deuteronomy 26:15). Later,
Solomon said: "for God is in heaven, and thou upon earth"
(Ecclesiastes 5:2).
4. Faithful servants of God from ages past will
be in heaven. Jesus said "that many shall come from the
east and the west, and shall sit down with Abraham, and Isaac,
and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven" (Matthew 8:11). Furthermore,
the faithful of this age and those who are faithful at the
coming of the Lord will be in heaven (1 Thessalonians 4:13-18).
5. Infants and all unaccountable for sin will
be in heaven. Jesus said, "suffer the little children
to come unto me and forbid them not; for of such is the kingdom
of heaven" (Matthew 19:4). At the death of his infant son,
David said, "I shall go to him; but he shall not return to
me" (2 Samuel 12:15).
Just knowing who will be in heaven should
be enough to cause one to want to go there. A man who was dying
asked his doctor to tell him about heaven. "I do not know
anything about heaven," said the physician, "except
that my Master is there, and that is enough." As he said
this he opened the door, and in leaped his dog and sprang into
his arms in gladness. The doctor said to his patient, "This
dog has never been in this room before, but HE KNEW HIS MASTER
WAS INSIDE. That was all that mattered!"
In the words of James, "Be patient therefore,
brethren, until the coming of the Lord" (James 5:7). As the
dog waited anxiously for the door to open--so may we wait patiently
for the Lord until He comes or calls us home.
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