“Therefore if you have been raised up with Christ, keep seeking the things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your mind on the things above, not on the things that are on earth. For you have died and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is our life, is revealed, then you also will be revealed with Him in glory.” Colossians 3:1-4.
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What is Heaven like?
Scripture gives us some descriptions. Scripture encourages us to consider what Heaven is like. Let us improve our image of Heaven.
The purpose of this article is to give us twelve peeks at Heaven to inspire us and motivate us to think more on these beautiful and wonderful “things above”. Let us walk around the heavenly park, observe, and meditate.
“Walk about Zion and go around her;
Count her towers;
Consider her ramparts;
Go through her palaces,
That you may tell it to the next generation.” Psalm 48:12-13.
Count her towers;
Consider her ramparts;
Go through her palaces,
That you may tell it to the next generation.” Psalm 48:12-13.
The first peek follows the Scripture above. Consider Heaven’s strong and beautiful architecture which is in strong contrast with the popular image of heaven being just wispy clouds. Let us follow the example of Abraham “for he was looking for the city which has foundations, whose architect and builder is God.” Hebrews 11:10. “And he carried me away in the Spirit to a great and high mountain, and showed me the holy city, Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, having the glory of God. Her brilliance was like a very costly stone, as a stone of crystal-clear jasper. It had a great and high wall, with twelve gates, … And the twelve gates were twelve pearls; each one of the gates was a single pearl. And the street of the city was pure gold, like transparent glass.” Revelation 21:10-12 and 21.
The second peek is of our heavenly bodies. We may imagine slender people walking around in Heaven in robes (to hide their body). But, a truer image would be of vibrant young and athletic bodies with great strength and great health. They are not ashamed nor shy of their bodies. “There are also heavenly bodies and earthly bodies, but the glory of the heavenly is one, and the glory of the earthly is another. … this perishable will have put on the imperishable, and this mortal will have put on immortality …” 1 Corinthians 15:40 and 54.
The third peek is of Heaven’s peace. “… the kingdom of God is … righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.” Romans 14:17. “and He will wipe away every tear from their eyes; and there will no longer be any death; there will no longer be any mourning, or crying, or pain; the first things have passed away.” Revelation 21:4.
The fourth peek is of the dwelling of God in Heaven among His people. “And I heard a loud voice from the throne, saying, “Behold, the tabernacle of God is among men, and He will dwell among them, and they shall be His people, and God Himself will be among them,” Revelation 21:3. “they will see His face, and His name will be on their foreheads. And there will no longer be any night; and they will not have need of the light of a lamp nor the light of the sun, because the Lord God will illumine them; and they will reign forever and ever.” Revelation 22:4-5.
The fifth peek is of Heaven’s river. ”Then he showed me a river of the water of life, clear as crystal, coming from the throne of God and of the Lamb,” Revelations 22:1. Many people like Cozumel, Mexico because of the clarity and beauty of the water. How much more beautiful and wonderful is the river of flowing water in Heaven, ”clear as crystal”, which water is “life” itself!
The sixth peek is of Heaven’s colors. We may have an image of Heaven only containing colors of white and gold. But, Heaven contains a spectrum of vivid colors, and all from precious jewels! “The foundation stones of the city wall were adorned with every kind of precious stone. The first foundation stone was jasper; the second, sapphire; the third, chalcedony; the fourth, emerald; the fifth, sardonyx; the sixth, sardius; the seventh, chrysolite; the eighth, beryl; the ninth, topaz; the tenth, chrysoprase; the eleventh, jacinth; the twelfth, amethyst.” Revelation 21:19.
The seventh peek is of the eagerness and joy of the citizens of Heaven. Do we think of the citizens of Heaven almost as zombies: slow, emotionless, and quiet? A cheering football stadium crowd is more like the citizens of Heaven! “… we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us …” Hebrews 12:1. As we on earth are eager in anticipation: “For our citizenship is in heaven, from which also we eagerly wait for a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ; who will transform the body of our humble state into conformity with the body of His glory, by the exertion of the power that He has even to subject all things to Himself.” Philippians 3:20-21. So, they are eager in heaven: “For the anxious longing of the creation waits eagerly for the revealing of the sons of God.” Romans 8:19.
The eighth peek is of Heaven’s joyful feast. Do we just play a harp all the time in Heaven? No! Heaven is not boring; rather, it is a joyful place. “The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who gave a wedding feast for his son.” Matthew 22:2. “The LORD of hosts will prepare a lavish banquet for all peoples on this mountain; A banquet of aged wine, choice pieces with marrow, And refined, aged wine.” Isaiah 25:6.
The ninth peek is of Heaven’s righteousness. We may think that Heaven is open for everyone. But, “… do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived; neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor homosexuals, nor thieves, nor the covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers, will inherit the kingdom of God. Such were some of you; but you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and in the Spirit of our God.” 1 Corinthians 6:9-11. “But according to His promise we are looking for new heavens and a new earth, in which righteousness dwells.” 2 Peter 3:13.
The tenth peek is of the trees in Heaven. We tend to not think of trees in Heaven, but there are trees in Heaven and they bear “… twelve kinds of fruit, yielding its fruit every month; and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations.” Revelations 22:2.
The eleventh peek is of God in Heaven and His emotions. Is God in Heaven like an impotent man just watching and waiting and wringing his hands and worrying as to who will use their alleged free-will to accept Jesus and get into heaven or who may use their alleged free-will and reject Jesus and go to hell? No! God is like a victorious warrior! “The LORD your God is in your midst, A victorious warrior. He will exult over you with joy, He will be quiet in His love, He will rejoice over you with shouts of joy.” Zephaniah 3:17.
In conclusion, the twelfth peek is of the sovereign rule of God in Heaven. God accomplishes all of His good pleasure! Only God can save, and God saves everyone of His elect. Not one of His elect is lost. “And He saw that there was no man, And was astonished that there was no one to intercede; Then His own arm brought salvation to Him, And His righteousness upheld Him.” Isaiah 59:16. ”My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me; and I give eternal life to them, and they will never perish; and no one will snatch them out of My hand. My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand.” John 10:27-29.
“Remember the former things long past,
For I am God, and there is no other;
I am God, and there is no one like Me,
Declaring the end from the beginning,
And from ancient times things which have not been done,
Saying, ‘My purpose will be established,
And I will accomplish all My good pleasure‘;
Calling a bird of prey from the east,
The man of My purpose from a far country.
Truly I have spoken; truly I will bring it to pass.
I have planned it, surely I will do it.” Isaiah 46:9-11.
For I am God, and there is no other;
I am God, and there is no one like Me,
Declaring the end from the beginning,
And from ancient times things which have not been done,
Saying, ‘My purpose will be established,
And I will accomplish all My good pleasure‘;
Calling a bird of prey from the east,
The man of My purpose from a far country.
Truly I have spoken; truly I will bring it to pass.
I have planned it, surely I will do it.” Isaiah 46:9-11.
Reformed Doctrine Daily Devotions 