Monday, July 1, 2013

Facts about Heaven



53 Facts about Heaven
    1. Heaven is being prepared by Christ himself. (John 14:3)
    2. It is only for those who have been born again. (John 3:3)
    3. It is described as a glorious city, likened to pure gold and clear glass.  (Rev 21:11,18)
    4. The name of this city is the New Jerusalem. (Rev 21:2)
    5. It is in the shape of a cube, with the length, width, and height being equal. (Rev 21:16)
    6. Its size is 12,000 furlongs, roughly 1,400 miles long, wide, and high.   (Rev 21:16)
    7. The city rests upon 12 layers of foundational stones, with each layer being inlaid with a different precious gem. (Rev 21:19-20)
    8. Each foundation has one of the names of the 12 apostles on it. (Rev 21:14)
    9. The wall around the city is made of pure jasper. (Rev 21:18)
    10. The height of the wall is approximately 216 feet. (Rev 21:17)
    11.The wall has 12 gates, three on each of the four sides. (Rev 21:12)
    12. Each gate is made of solid pearl. (Rev 21:21)
    13. Each gate has on it the name of one of the 12 tribes of Israel. (Rev 21:12)
    14. An angel stands guard at each gate. (Rev 21:12)
    15. The gates will never be shut. (Rev 21:25)
    16. The palaces may possibly be made of ivory. (Ps 45:8)
    17. The river of life is there, to insure everlasting life. (Rev 22:1)
    18. The Tree of Life is there, to insure abundant life (Rev 2:7, 22:19)
    19. It will bear its fruit each month. (Rev 22:2)
    20. The throne of God will occupy the central palace. (Rev4:2, 22:1)
    21. It is likened to wheels of burning fire with an emerald rainbow canopy. (Dan 7:9, Rev 4:3)
    22. It is surrounded by 24 small thrones. (Rev 4:4)
    23. Near it stands the brazen layer, described as, “a sea of glass, like crystal.” (Rev 4:6)
    24. Beside the throne are four special angels who worship God continually. (Rev 4:8)
    25. The golden alter is there, with bowls of incense. (Rev 5:8, 8:3, 9:13)
    26. The menorah, or seven-branched lampstand fixture, is there. (Rev 1:12, 4:5)
    27. The Holy Ark of God may be there. (Rev 11:19)
    28. The main street of the city is composed of transparent gold. (Rev 21:21)
    29. The city will shine with and be enlightened by God’s glory. (John 17:24, Rom 8:18, Rev 21:11, 23, 22:5)
    30. It is a place of holiness. (Rev 21:27)
    31. It is a place of beauty. (Ps 50:2)
    32. It is a place of unity. (Eph 1:10)
    33. It is a place of perfection. (1 Cor 13:10)
    34. It is a place of joy. (Ps 16:11)
    35. It is a place for all eternity. (John 3:15, Ps 23:6)
    36. There may be a tabernacle. (Rev 15:5, 21:3)
    37. There will be no temple. (Rev 21:22)
    38. There will be no sea. (Rev 21:1)
    39. There will be no tears. (Rev 7:17, 21:4)
    40. There will be no sickness (Rev 22:2)
    41. There will be no pain. (Rev 21:4)
    42. There will be no death. (Isa 25:8, 1 Cor 15:26, Rev 21:4)
    43. There will be no more thirst or hunger. (Rev 7:16)
    44. There will be no more sin. (Rev 21:27)
    45. There will be no more judgment upon sin. (Rev 22:3)
    46. There will be no need for the sun or moon. (Rev 21:23)
    47. There will be no night. (Rev 21:25, 22:5)
    48. The city will be the Bridegroom’s gift to the bride. Christ’s Church. (Rev 21:2, 10)
    49. It will be shared by saved Israel. (Heb 11:10, 16)
    50. It will be shared by the holy angels. (Dan 7:10, Heb 12:22, Rev 5:11)
    51. The Father will be there. (Dan 7:9, Rev 4:2-3)
    52. The Son will be there (Rev 5:6, 7:17)
    53. The Holy Spirit will be there. (Rev 14:13, 22:17)

7 Facts about Our Resurrected Bodies in Heaven
1.    It will be a recognizable body. (1 Cor 13:2)
2.    It will be a body like Christ’s body. (1John 3:2)
3.    It will be a body that will permit eating. (Luke 24:41-43; John 21:12-13)
4.    It will be a body in which the spirit predominates. (1 Cor 15:44, 49)
5.     It will be a body unlimited by time, gravity, or space. (Luke 24:31, John 20:19, 26)
6.    It will be an eternal body. (2 Cor 5:1)
7.    It will be a glorious body. (Rom 8:18; 1 Cor 15:43)


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 excerpt from Justin Peters article, "A critique of "visits" to heaven and hell."

Heaven. The Bible describes Heaven as a place of surpassing beauty where there is no pain, no sorrow, no sickness, no disease, no death. It is where the triune God resides in all of His glory. For those of us who are saved, the redeemed of God through Christ, it is our eternal home. Though none of us look forward to the process of dying, as Christians we enthusiastically answer the question asked by Job, “If a man dies, will he live again?” with a resounding “yes.” We look forward to being completely and eternally free of fallen bodies living in a fallen world. But for some people, it seems that Heaven (and occasionally Hell) can’t wait.

They describe these glorified bodies as beautiful in appearance and perfect in function. There is only one problem with this: the redeemed in Heaven do not yet have their glorified bodies. This statement will likely surprise many readers and, unfortunately, the theological nuances are too involved to fully address here. It is, however, sufficient to note that the Bible teaches that those presently in Heaven are not yet in possession of their permanent, glorified bodies. In fact, Heaven itself is not yet in its perfected, eternal state. Those events will not transpire until the timing of Revelation 21. At present, Heaven is in its “intermediate” state, if you will, and the redeemed there are also in an intermediate state. In Revelation 6:9-11 and  Rev 20:4, John saw the “souls of those who had been slain because of the Word of God” and the “souls of those who had been beheaded” respectively. Those that John saw were not in possession of physical bodies but rather were in a non-corporeal state. The redeemed will be given glorified bodies at the rapture or Christ’s return to earth (Parousia). Therefore, the reports of people in the intermediate Heaven as possessing glorified bodies must be rejected.
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What Do Angels Look Like? A Biblical Analysis....
by Jack Wellman
www.whatchristianswanttoknow.com

What do angels look like? What do angels not look like? What does the Bible say are angel’s primary duty to humans?
What do angels look like?

Angels are not composed of physical matter but are spirit beings created by God (Heb. 1:14). They can resemble human form when God permits or wills it (Gen. 19). There are different orders or ranks of angels in heaven. Those that covered the throne in heaven were mighty seraphim angels. They had six wings that hovered over the throne of God. Their height must have been close to 15 to 18 feet tall. Two of the seraphim’s wings covered their faces because God is so holy that even the seraphim angels could not look upon God (Isaiah 6:2). Another set of wings covered their feet for they were in the midst of holy ground where God abided and Moses (Exodus 3:5) and Joshua (Joshua 5:15) had to remove their shoes while in the presence of God. Angels do have some human features like feet, voices, and faces (Isaiah 6:1-2).
Daniel 10:5-6 gives a vivid description of an angel that he saw: “I looked up and there before me was a man dressed in linen, with a belt of fine gold from Uphaz around his waist. His body was like topaz, his face like lightning, his eyes like flaming torches, his arms and legs like the gleam of burnished bronze, and his voice like the sound of a multitude.” So Daniel describes an angel with a face like a lightning bolt, eyes like flaming torches of fire, arms and legs that gleam like polished chrome, and a voice like that of thunder. It is no wonder that those men who were keepers of Jesus’ tomb severely shook and fell down like dead men in terror at the sight of the angel present there because “His appearance was like lightning, and his clothes were white as snow” (Matt. 28:3).

Angels are neither male nor female although they always appear as a man when they take human form. They are nonetheless too powerful for humans to resist as a mighty cherubim kept Adam and Even from entering back into the Garden of Eden because he also had a mighty, flaming sword (Gen. 3:24). Daniel, in his vision, saw that the number of angels could not be counted saying, “Thousands upon thousands attended him; ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him…“(Dan 7:10).

What do Angels look like?

Nowhere in the Bible are angels described like the pictures, paintings, or figurines of little baby cherub angels with wings that we so often see. Michael and Gabriel are archangels and they are anything but little and cute. They are powerful agents and messengers of God that are formidable in their own right. Angels are not effeminate looking and resembling beautiful women with wings. These are man made concoctions and do not come from the Bible. Even Satan, a fallen angel and a powerful one at that, stands some 18 feet tall, and he does not have horns and a pitchfork. He was perhaps the most beautiful and splendid angel ever created by God and of the highest order, but his pride caused his downfall and God caste him from heaven (Ezekiel chapter 14 and 28).

What does the Bible say are Angel's Primary Duty to Humans?

Angels have a primary duty to man but more so for God. They are His messengers. They are His agents for bringing punishment and displaying His holy wrath. They will be used by God during the coming Great Tribulation as described in the book of Revelation (18:21). Even a king was not spared as he once boasted that “I am a god” and an angel apparently killed him on the spot (Acts 12:20-25).

Angels do serve a purpose for humans. Each one of us has at least one, maybe more, that are assigned to each and every one of us and one helped to strengthen Jesus (Luke 22:43). They’re commanded to “encamp all around us” and keep us from falling, getting hurt, who have been and will be “…from this time forth and forever to be with us”… and even strengthen us, and minister to us (Luke 22:43, Psalm 34:7, 91:10-13, 103:21). It’s possible that we might have encountered and entertained angels without even knowing it (Heb 13:1-2). Matthew 18:10 indicates that children have their own angels with the scriptures saying, “See that you do not look down on one of these little ones. For I tell you that their angels in heaven always see the face of my Father in heaven.” The sheer numbers of holy angels disposed to fight for us is uncountable (Dan. 7:10, Heb 12:22).

Even when we die, angels may be the ones that carry our spirit into the presence of God as Lazarus was “carried by the angels (plural indicates there may be more than one assigned to us) into Abraham’s bosom” after he had died (Luke 16:22). So angels are nothing to be afraid of for the believer but a terror to be reckoned with in the day of God’s wrath, but today if you will hear His voice and believe in Jesus Christ, they will be your sovereign protector, dispatched by God Almighty. And when you are saved, the angels rejoice in heaven over you. I hope they can rejoice for you if you are not already saved. If you are, I rejoice too with them. Christians will someday meet their own angels, but more importantly, meet Jesus Christ and be with Him forever in eternal joy and happiness.
Conclusion

Angels are spiritual beings created by God. Sometimes God allows them to resemble humans and when they appear in a human form in the Bible, they are always a man even though angels are neither male of female. There are different ranks or classes of angels including the seraphim and the cherubim. The seraphim are described as having six wings that are very large. They have some human features, such as feet, voices and faces. Angels are God’s messengers as well as protectors of humans. As believers one day we will be with them in Heaven.

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by Diane Dew

I.  Heaven is God's dwelling place.
II.  Only the righteous will be in heaven. The wicked will not be allowed to enter.
        Matt. 5:20    Matt. 25:34     Gal. 5:21
        Eph. 5:5    Rev. 22:15

III.  What will heaven be like?
A.  There will be continual praise and worship.
       Neh. 9:6     Job 38:7   
       Psa. 103:20,21  Psa. 148:2,4
       Isa. 6:3     Ezek. 3:12
       Luke 2:13,14    Luke 15:10, 7.
       Rev. 1:6    Rev. 4:8-11    Rev. 5:9-14
       Rev. 7:9-12   Rev. 11:16,17
       Rev. 14:2,3  Rev. 15:3,4
       Rev. 19:1-7  Rev. 22:3
B.  Heaven will be beautiful.
        Rev. 21:2   Rev. 21:11, 18, 19, 21
C.  Heaven will be a place of great joy and satisfaction in his presence, for there we shall see God.
        Psa. 16:11   Psa. 17:15   Isa. 33:17
        Isa. 49:9,10     Matt. 5:8    Luke 15:7, 10
        1 Thess. 4:17   Heb. 12:22-23   
D.  Heaven will be eternal.
         Psa. 23:6      Matt. 25:46     John 10:28
         1 Pet. 1:4      2 Pet. 1:11     Rev 22:5
E.  People of all races and tongues and every nation will be represented in heaven.
         Rev. 5:9      Rev. 7:9  
F.  There will be no marriage.
          Matt. 22:30     Luke 20:35
G.  Many of the redeemed are there - "a great multitude which no one could number" (Rev. 7:9) - as well as angels (Matt. 18:10;  Luke 12:8;  Luke 15:7, 10) - "thousands upon thousands" of them (Heb. 12:22).
IV.  In describing heaven, the Bible tells us much about what will not be there.
A.  No sickness or pain.
                   Rev. 21:4
B.  No sorrow, or crying, or mourning.
                           Rev 7:17       Rev. 21:4
C.  No violence or wars, but only perfect peace and rest.
                             Job 3:17       2 Thess. 1:7
D.  No more death.
          Luke 20:36       Rev. 21:4 
E.  No more hunger or thirst.
           Rev 7:16-17
V.  The Bible provides numerous metaphoric descriptions of heaven.
A.  The Father's house.
           John 14:2      Psa. 23:6
           2 Cor. 5:1      Rev. 21:3
B.  A heavenly country or city.
           Heb. 11:10    Heb. 11:16    Heb. 13:14
           Heb. 12:22  
C.  A rest.
            2 Thess. 1:7    Heb. 4:9    Rev. 14:13
D.  A grainery.
             Matt. 3:12   Matt. 13:30 
E.  The Kingdom of Christ and of God.
             Matt. 13:43    Luke 12:32    Luke 22:29,30
             Eph. 5:5     1 Thess. 2:12    Heb. 12:28
F.  Paradise, the perfect place.
              Luke 23:43   2 Cor. 12:2, 4    Rev. 2:7
G.  The mountain of the Lord.
              Psa. 24:3,7    Heb. 12:22    Rev. 14:1-3 
H.  A great feast.
              Matt. 8:11    Luke 22:30
VI.  Heaven is described in Scripture, perhaps figuratively, as "up" - in the sky.
2 Kin. 2:11      Acts 7:55,  56 
VII.  The promise of heaven should be a great source of joy and hope to us. (Luke 10:20).  Jesus longs for us to join him there (John 17:24).



Miscellaneous verses on heaven:   Matt. 6:20    Matt. 19:21    Luke 15:32   Luke 16:22       John 5:28,29   John 13:36        2 Cor. 12:2-4    Eph. 1:18   Col. 1:5,6,12  Col. 3:4     2 Thess. 2:14   Heb. 10:34       2 Pet. 3:13   Rev. 3:21  Rev. 4:4     Rev. 15:2   

source:  http://www.dianedew.com/heaven.htm


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