Have you ever wondered about Heaven? Have you lost someone you love and wonder what it’s like for them in Heaven, if they were a believer? What we need is a more clear image of Heaven.
When looking at the Bible, there are two testaments, the Old and the New. The Old Testament gives us clues into the future and these are called types and shadows. It gives little bits of insight into a Savior coming to earth. The New Testament deals with that Savior Jesus coming to earth as a man and dying on the cross for our sins.
The Old Testament gives prophetic imagery about what is to come and it gets more clear the more we read it and the closer we get to it. In the New Testament we see the fulfillment of many prophecies in the birth, crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus. However, there are so many prophecies yet to be fulfilled.
Many of these prophecies have been somewhat hard to understand or even imagine. The Bible speaks to this issue in 1st Corinthians 13:12 when it says, “For now we see only a reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.” Simply put, there are things coming that we do not know. We know that there are two testaments in the Bible, but what if we consider a third? This is the final or eternal testament where everything is finally revealed. In this regard the New Testament is setting up the eternal testament!
Heaven is pure, and it’s perfect. The struggles we have on earth, the things that cause us to sin now will be dead and gone in Heaven. We will arrive there in perfection just as God created us before the fall of man when Adam and Eve sinned.
Back in the Old Testament we have the story of Noah and the ark. God saw the wickedness of the people and decided to start over with humanity. He instructed Noah to spend the next 120 years to build the ark. God allotted 120 years in order to give more people time to get right with God and get on the boat. Unfortunately, Noah, his wife, three sons and three daughter in laws were the only ones to join. This ark was so huge that the door was too massive to close from inside. God had to close it Himself.
We can take the imagery from that story and jump to the New Testament in Luke 3:16-17. Here John the Baptist is teaching and telling people that they need to repent. “John answered them all, “I baptize you with water. But one who is more powerful than I will come, the straps of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. His winnowing fork is in his hand to clear his threshing floor and to gather the wheat into his barn, but he will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.” This scripture shows that there will come a time when Jesus returns and he will separate His children from those that are not.
Here are two examples of men of God who tried to warn others about the coming judgment of God. Just as in those days, there are plenty of folks who do not heed the warnings from those who speak about what is sure to come. There are many who spend their days only fulfilling and gratifying their flesh, who will unfortunately not take the warning’s seriously.
It is so very important to remember that when we hear about God’s judgment and His wrath, it is because He is righteous and hates wickedness. He has provided a way to spend eternity with Him and to escape an eternity in hell. We however, must avail ourselves to His provision in the form of forgiveness bought by the blood of Jesus.
Living on this earth, it is impossible to be sinless! We as Christians sin, but thank you Jesus we know how to repent and turn away from sin. We also need to draw closer to the Lord and form an intimacy with the Father like never before. This intimacy allows us to desire more of Him and less of the world. When you walk closely with Him, the things that grieve Him will grieve us and the things He loves, we will too.
Heaven is perfect and more amazing than our finite minds can imagine. Hell, is not a place anyone wants to end up, mainly because it’s an eternal separation from our Creator. Let us repent today of sin and dedicate our lives to reaching as many that are lost as possible.