Dancing “Cheek to Cheek” was all it took for Ol’ Blue Eyes, The Chairman of the Board, Frank Sinatra to feel emotions that he equated to being in “heaven”. The band Led Zepplin, however, sung of a woman who went about buying a “Stairway to Heaven,” while Belinda Carlisle maintained that “Heaven is a place on Earth.” All of this didn’t impact the band members of LIVE as they weighed in about “Heaven” singing: “I don't need no one to tell me about heaven, I look at my daughter, and I believe. I don't need no proof when it comes to God and truth. I can see the sunset and I perceive.”
Dictionary.com defines heaven as:
- the abode of God, the angels, and the spirits of the righteous after death; the place or state of existence of the blessed after the mortal life.
- a place or state of supreme happiness: She made his life a heaven on earth.
James Smith, 1958 wrote a short article entitled, “Heaven” that is far more descriptive and helpful for those of us who are interested in learning more about this currently unseen place that one day in which we hope to reside.
J.C. Ryle, 1870 In “Shall We Know One Another in Heaven?” points out:
“Heaven, we must always remember, is not a place where all sorts and kinds of people will go as a matter of course. The inhabitants of Heaven are not such a discordant, heterogeneous rabble as some men seem to suppose. Heaven, it cannot be too often remembered, is a prepared place for a prepared people. The dwellers in Heaven will be all of one heart and one mind — all of one faith and one character. They will be ready for mutual recognition.”
Octavius Winslow, 1856 In “MORNING THOUGHTS Or Daily Walking With God – November 24” explains:
“While Jesus is in heaven, preparing a place for His people, the Spirit is on earth, preparing His people for that place. The one is maturing glory for the Church, the other is maturing the Church for glory. There He matures the kingdom, and perfects the building, and completes the temple He commenced and occupied on earth. No power shall oppose, no difficulty shall obstruct, no contingency shall thwart the consummation of this His glorious purpose and design.”
Thomas Watson, in “God is His Peoples Great Reward” insightfully points out:
“The godly, entering upon their celestial reward, are said to enter into the joy of their Lord, Matthew 25:21. Oh, amazing! The saints enter into God's own joy! They have not only the joy which God bestows — but the joy which God enjoys!” And he goes on to say: “As long as God is God, He will be rewarding you! Hosea 2:19, "I will betroth you unto Me forever." God marries Himself to His people, and this admits of no divorce. God's love for His elect is as unchangeable as His love for Christ! "God is my portion forever!" Psalm 73:26. This portion cannot be spent — because it is infinite; nor can it be lost — because it is eternal. In God are treasures which can never be emptied — and pleasures which can never be ended!”
John Newton, in “The Present and Future Rest of True Believers” alleges:
“Our most enlarged ideas of our future glory are faint and imperfect. Who can describe or conceive the happiness of Heaven? It will be as unlike as possible — to this wilderness of sin and sorrow where we are now confined. Here on earth, we are in a warfare — but then we shall enter into perfect rest. We now cry out, "O that I had wings like a dove! For then would I flee away and be at REST." (Psalm 55:6) Heaven will be a rest from all SIN. No 'unclean thing' shall ever defile or disturb us forever! We shall be free from all indwelling sin. This alone would be worth dying for! Indwelling sin is a burden under which all the redeemed must groan, while they sojourn in the body.”
Yet this didn’t stop Edward Payson (1783-1827) from venturing to contemplate such thoughts in “This is too much” and he concluded:
“Only to be permitted to contemplate such a being as Jehovah . . .to ponder goodness, holiness, justice, mercy, patience and sovereignty — personified and condensed; to ponder them united with eternity,infinite power, unerring wisdom, omnipresence, and all sufficiency; to ponder all these natural and moral perfections indissolubly united and blended in sweet harmony — in one pure, spiritual being, and that being placed on the throne of the universe — to ponder this would be happiness enough to fill the mind of any creature in existence!
But in addition to this, to have this ineffable Being for my God, my portion, my all; to be permitted to say, "This God is my God forever and ever!" to have His resplendent countenance smile upon me; to be encircled in His everlasting arms of power and faithfulness and love; to hear His voice saying to me, "I am yours — and you are Mine! Nothing shall ever pluck you from My hands, or separate you from My love — but you shall be with Me where I am, behold My glory, and live to reign with Me forever and ever!" This is too much! It is honor, it is glory — it is happiness too overwhelming, too transporting for mortal minds to conceive, or for mortal frames to support!”
J.C. Ryle, 1870 “from his aforementioned article above” chimes in complimentary sentiments:
“I pity that man who never thinks about Heaven.”
“Cold and unfeeling must that heart be, which never gives a thought to that dwelling-place! Dull and earthly must that mind be, which never considers "Heaven!"”
“The man who is about to sail for Australia or New Zealand as a settler, is naturally anxious to know something about his future home, its climate, its employments, its inhabitants, its ways, and its customs. All these are subjects of deep interest to him. In the same way, you are leaving the land of your nativity — and you are going to spend the rest of your life in a new world. It would be strange indeed if you did not desire information about your new abode. Now surely, if we hope to dwell forever in that "better country, even a heavenly one" — then we ought to seek all the knowledge we can get about it. Before we go to our eternal home — we should try to become acquainted with it.”
He invites us to currently reconsider afresh:
“Think, Christian reader, of seeing your Savior, and beholding your King in his beauty! Faith will be at last swallowed up in sight — and hope in certainty.”
So beloved brother & sister in Christ, fellow ambassador of the faith, and fellow harvester working out in Our Father’s harvest fields, who revere Christ as Lord in your very hearts….
With all that was said by all of the people referenced above, do you consider yourself prepared to field the question, “What does the Bible say about heaven?”
Are you currently prepared to give an answer that explains the reason for the hope that you have?
CORAM DEO,
2Timothy 4:2
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