HEAVEN: THE DESTINY OF SAINTS “And there shall in no wise enter into it any thing that defileth, neither whatsoever worketh abomination, or maketh a lie: but they which are written in the Lamb’s book of life” (Revelation 21:27) While on the isle of Patmos, John, the Apostle, saw the vision of heaven, the holy city. The apostle gives a graphic description of the heavenly city. From his description, the heavenly city is a place of happiness without sorrow, life without death, contentment without crying, pleasure without pain, fellowship without separation, satisfaction without disappointment, gladness without sadness, perpetual health without sickness or weakness. God, through him, draws the curtain aside for us to see the glimpse of our eternal inheritance. This is the place which God has prepared for all who love and worship Him in spirit and truth, the dwelling place for all saints of all ages (Isaiah 64:4; John 14:1-3; 1 Corinthians 2:9). True believers are strangers here: heaven is their home. As believers, we are citizens of the heavenly country but God’s ambassadors on earth (Philippians 3:20,21; 2 Corinthians 5:20). All that concern the believer are in heaven: his Father, Saviour, name, inheritance, treasure, affection and citizenship are there. Though many people have information about the heavenly city, only those who overcome will have the city as their inheritance. Everyone must strive to not only have idea of its unsurpassed beauty but to also be partakers of the inheritance. NEED FOR SAINTS’ ETERNAL RESTING PLACE (Revelation 21:1-7; John 14:1-3; Isaiah 65:17) The subject of heaven has always been the source of strength for the faith of true believers since the early days of the church till these last days. The reason is not far-fetched. The present age, also known as the Church age, is marked by evil, the dominion of Satan, darkness, ungodliness, lust, murder, lying and all manner of sin (Ephesians 6:12; Galatians 1:4). It is characterized by a denial of God, Christ, faith, sound doctrine and Christian living (1 Timothy 4:1-4; 2 Timothy 4:3,4; 3:1-8). The land is under a curse (Genesis 3:17). The devil and all his fallen angels walk to and fro the whole earth. The atmospheric heavens are polluted by the activities of Satan. Believers today groan under the harsh and hard conditions of the earth. They look forward to a change; a time when there will be a “new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness” (2 Peter 3:13) and holiness. God also plans to replace this polluted earth and atmospheric heavens with a new earth and a new heaven that will match His glory, holiness and righteousness (Revelation 21:1-7). “For, behold, I create new heavens and a new earth: and the former shall not be remembered, nor come into mind” (Isaiah 65:17). The present earth and heavens including all that may be called beautiful edifices and empires today shall melt away in fervent heat (2 Peter 3:7,10-14). Having redeemed us, Christ has also prepared for us a place called heaven. He told His disciples, “I go to prepare a place for you. … I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also” (John 14:2,3). What thoughtfulness! The blessed hope of the believer is that of spending eternity in heaven with God and with Christ. When Christ’s disciples were troubled and sorrowful, His finest and most comforting message to them was the reality of heaven, His personal return and personal presence with them in that eternal abode. Likewise today, the thought of heaven soothes the troubled, comforts the sorrowful and encourages the discouraged among the saints. This blessed expectancy spurs the believer to more earnestness, endurance and commitment; it keeps the believer watchful in victorious living, diligent in labour and unselfish in service. The blessed hope and joyful anticipation of heaven’s glory also keeps the believer’s mind on things above and not on mundane things. This hope of heaven is not an illusion. Rather, it is one that is sure, steadfast and true. It is based upon the unfailing promise of the Lord who Himself came from heaven, went back to prepare a place and promised to be back (John 14:2). Every believer ought to be fully persuaded of the absolute certainty of our eternal hope. This will go a long way in making the believer’s faith wholesome and vibrant, and his Christian life victorious. Heaven is more than a reward for the believer. It is the consummation of the redemptive work of God. The purpose of our redemption is to have fellowship with God as it was before the fall. It is only in heaven that we can fully enjoy full fellowship with God. As long as we are on earth, our purchased privilege is not fully explored. In heaven, our toils, trials, and trauma will be over. In heaven, our redemption will be consummated and we will receive rewards for our faithfulness, sacrifice and selfless service on earth. THE DESCRIPTION AND DIMENSION OF THE NEW JERUSALEM (Revelation 21:11-26; 22:3; Leviticus 26:11; Ezekiel 48:35) Heaven generally describes the future state of the blessedness of the believer. However, heaven is more than a state; it is a place beyond description; a place beyond man’s fondest dream; a place more than he could ever imagine. It is a place of beauty and glory. John the Beloved, the apocalyptic seer, describes the New Jerusalem, the heavenly city as lavishly magnificent. As God created the present heavens and earth, so will He create the new heavens and earth that will be new both in quality and in time. This new creation will be entirely free from any taint of sin and therefore the consequences and effects of sin will be absent. Indeed, all things will be new: “Behold, I make all things new”. There, Christ and all the saints, from all ages will reside forevermore. This great, holy, eternal city is called “the bride” because of its virgin beauty; it is unstained with sin, untouched by Satan, undefiled by sinners and unchanged by satanic agents. It is the eternal residence of the Bride of Christ and of all the saints of the ages. God Himself is the Builder and Maker of this celestial city, which is described as being full of His blazing and brilliant glory. Everything there is transparent – “clear as crystal”, “like unto clear glass”, “as it were transparent glass”, “the gates shall not be shut at all”, and there will be “no night there”. In heaven, there is neither death, sorrow, pain, tears, nor separation from God (2 Peter 3:13; Revelation 21:4). The great, holy and eternal heaven will have New Jerusalem as its capital. Its beauty is beyond human description. The life of the redeemed in this eternal city will be glorious. It will be a life of fellowship (1 Corinthians 13:12), rest (Revelation 14:13), full knowledge (1 Corinthians 13:12), holiness (Revelation 21:27), joy (Revelation 21:4), service (Revelation 22:3), abundance (Revelation 21:6), glory (2 Corinthians 4:17) and worship (Revelation 19:1; 7:9-12). The Holy City, New Jerusalem, is a material city not a mystical one. The city is laid out as a cube in dimensions. Each side of the city is 12,000 furlongs (1,500 miles) in measurement. This glorious eternal city is 2,250,000 square miles in one layer of mansions! And the streets rise up over streets 1,500 miles! Millions of intersecting layers of avenues are there. The ground floor alone would provide enough living space for far more people than have ever lived in the history of the world. And this is just the first floor; there are 1,500 miles of additional floors above it! The heavenly city is big enough for all who seek, find and walk in the narrow way (Matthew 7:13,14). The streets are made of pure gold, as clear as glass. With walls of jasper and its twelve foundations garnished with all manner of precious stones, it has twelve gates of twelve pearls. The entire city wall is pure gold, as clear as glass and without any temple. The Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are the temple of it. “And the city has no need of the sun, neither of the moon, to shine in it: for the glory of God did lighten it, and the Lamb is the light thereof” (Revelation 21:23). The redeemed of all the earth shall bring their glory and honour into the city. The gates of the city are never shut (Revelation 21:16-26). The pure river of the water of life, clear as crystal, proceeds out of the throne of God and the Lamb, while the tree of life by the sides of this river bears twelve manner of fruits monthly. The fruits and leaves are for the healing of the nations. “And there shall be no night there; and they need no candle, neither light of the sun; for the Lord God giveth them light: and they shall reign for ever and ever” (Revelation 22:5). Heaven, the future abode of the believers, is so glorious and resplendent in beauty that our earthly language is inadequate to describe it. The appearance of the city reveals unparalleled beauty and grandeur. The size, the combination of vibrant colours and the layout of the city make it glow as a brilliant gem in the sky. What a city! It need be stressed that heaven is not reserved for only 144,000 as some sects (Jehovah Witnesses etc) erroneously teach (Revelation 7:9). Such half-truths are aimed at turning people away from the path of righteousness. We all must be wary of such false doctrine. EXCLUSION FROM THE HEAVENLY CITY (Revelation 21:3,8,27; 20:11-15; Matthew 25:46; 7:21-23; Luke 13:24-28; Proverbs 29:1). Of course, not everyone will be in that city. Not even everyone who lays claim to faith in the Lord Jesus Christ! Teaching the unconverted about the beauty and glory of heaven is like telling a blind man about the beauty of colours. Admittance to the Holy City is strictly based on living holily here on earth for “there shall in no wise enter into it any thing that defileth, neither whatsoever worketh abomination, or maketh a lie: but they which are written in the Lamb’s book of life” (Revelation 21:27). This is a strong indication that every defiled person or those who render their lives or those of others unclean will be excluded from the holy, heavenly city. It declares the absolute exclusion of all who are unrighteous, unholy, or sinful from the eternally holy city. Anyone who defiles; whosoever works or practises abomination; whosoever makes, produces, speaks or acts out lies and refuses to repent, will be denied entry to that heavenly, holy, eternal city. No sinner will ever enter the holy city to stain or desecrate it. All sinners will be forever banished from the presence of God and from the holy city. Only those whose names “are written in the Lamb’s book of life” will enter and live forever with the Lord in the New Jerusalem. No one, however close to the pure, will be able to enter into the heavenly city by proxy. Those who know the truth but turn blind eye to it; those who fail to avail themselves of the opportunities of being saved or being restored will be excluded from the city. Those who foolishly reject God’s offer of salvation just because of worldly gain, and those who would prefer to miss the beauty and glory of heaven because of clinging to earthly din, dung and dross will be excluded from heaven. Nobody can be said to have made a good choice who has chosen chaff instead of wheat. “For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? Or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?” (Mark 8:36,37). PARTAKERS OF THE HEAVENLY INHERITANCE (Revelation 21:1,3,7; 2:7; 22:2,14; John 3:1-5; Proverbs 28:13) To partake of this glorious inheritance requires living the overcoming life. The believer must overcome the world (1 John 5:4,5; 2:15-17), Satan (Revelation 12:11), false prophets and evil (1 Thessalonians 5:22; Romans 12:17-21), persecutions or temptations to be part of the saints to enjoy this great inheritance (Revelation 2:10,26-28). He must also possess and maintain the requisite experiences of salvation, holiness and blamelessness through continual prayer and watchfulness to be admitted into heaven. All believers in the world who are thus qualified have the hope of translation and meeting with the Lord (Revelation 21:3; Colossians 3:4). Since you have just one life to live, and it is the Father’s good will to grant you entrance into the kingdom, you have the responsibility to choose to be in heaven. You need then to repent of all your sins and receive Christ as Saviour and Lord. The backslider who returns will also receive pardon and restoration from the Lord. Saved, you must abide in Christ, be holy in and out (Hebrews 12:14) and remain focused and determined unto the end to enter heaven, receive reward and live with God forever.
Posted on: Mon, 26 Jan 2015 14:31:01 +0000
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