Heaven: a real place prepared for us.
John 14: 2 – 4.
“In My Father’s house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. And if I go to prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also. And where I go you know, and the way you know.”
These words of the Lord Yeshua were offered to His disciples as words of comfort. He had just told them (verse 1) “let not your hearts be troubled: you believe in God, believe also in Me.”
He had just announced to them that Judas would betray Him, that His death was immanent and that Peter would deny Him. His interest is in comforting His disciples. Even in these circumstances, His serving love is demonstrated.
His “Father’s house” of course is heaven. The picture given is of all-inclusive dwelling place but with individual, tailor-made, personalised residences. An individual abode but within a greater kingdom. A place, just as we would like it to be, has already been set aside for us; as we are children of God.
The Lord is not giving any false hopes. His departure though hard to bear would be beneficial to them. He Himself will make the preparations and then will guide them to their new abode. As surely as He was now going away, He would return for them. They knew “the way” to heaven; He had told them many times.
He will greet us on our arrival and will always be available to us. Fortunately, He has taught us how to get to heaven where we will have our own designated space; but best of all, we will be in the presence of our precious Lord.
Heaven: a real place which we should already be thinking of as home.
Colossians 3: 2 and 3.
“Set your mind on things above, not on things of the earth. For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God.”
Paul’s instruction to the believers of Colosse is to concentrate on the eternal realities of heaven. This needs to be an ongoing process, reflecting a disciplining of self by the believer to focus on the eternal. The believer’s entire disposition should point towards the things of heaven. But heavenly thoughts can only come through understanding the heavenly realities as revealed in scripture.
The “things of the earth” are not permanent and are temporal observances at best.
Because believers are in union with the Lord Yeshua, they spiritually entered His death and resurrection at the moment of conversion. They are now alive with Him, so that they can understand spiritual truths, realities, blessings and the will of Adonai.
The world does not understand believers. Our lives are “hidden with Christ”. We have a common spiritual life; a new life in the Lord Yeshua. We are eternally secure; protected by the Holy Spirit from spiritual enemies, with access to Adonai and all His blessings.
Our citizenship is in heaven and our hearts should yearn for our true homeland.
Heaven: a real place where our Lord currently resides.
Hebrews 9: 24.
“For Christ has not entered the holy places made with hands, which are copies of the true, but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us …”
Psalm 11: 4
“The Lord is in His holy temple, the Lord’s throne is in heaven …”
The Lord Yeshua’s sacrifice was better than the sacrifices made under the Mosaic covenant because He did not enter a manmade sanctuary, but He entered the true sanctuary which is in heaven. The earthly tabernacle and vessels are only symbolic replicas of the true heavenly tabernacle; mere copies. The real thing is in the “presence of God” where on His ascension the Lord proceeded to report on the success of His mission.
Adonai in heaven sits on His throne, His “holy temple”. This is His “command and control” centre where the Lord is also. Adonai sees everything and is in control of everything. He has complete scrutiny and sovereign sway over the affairs of the earth.
Malachi 2: 20.
“But the Lord is in His holy temple. Let all the earth keep silent before Him.”
Nothing can stop the fulfilment of the plans made by the Lord in His “holy temple”. No matter what kingdom on earth may rise or fall, nothing can disturb the serenity of Adonai. But He is not indifferent to the doings of mankind.
Heaven is a real place and Adonai’s throne is there. It is the place from which the Lord Yeshua came into the world, and He has returned there. He departed for heaven when His body left the earth and one day we will make the same journey.
Heaven: a real place which is full of joy.
Psalm 16: 11
“In Your presence is fullness of joy; at Your right hand are pleasures forevermore.”
Philippians 3: 20 and 21.
“For our citizenship is in heaven, from which we also eagerly wait for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform our lowly body that it may be conformed to His glorious body …”
Psalm 16 is a Psalm of David in which he talks of the eternal life given to all who trust in the living God. In heaven there will be “fullness of joy” and “pleasures evermore.”
Because of the mysterious union between the Lord Yeshua and His people, all things said of Him may be said of the people in Him.
John 14: 19.
“Because I live, you will live also.”
John 17: 24
“Father, I desire that they also whom You gave Me may be with Me where I am, that they may behold My glory which You have given Me …”
This proves that we also will tread the path of life He has trodden. The presence of the Father in which He is glorified is the same presence that will make our heaven.
The right hand of Adonai at which He sits, is the place to which He will also exalt us. The eternal pleasure in which He Himself rejoices, will be ours also. For it is His purpose that His joy will abide in us and that our joy will be full.
Philippians Chapter 3 reveals to us that in heaven we will have a “glorious body”.
It is the Lord Yeshua who will transform our “lowly body”. Our bodies now are weak and susceptible to sin, disease and death. The Lord will change our bodies to resemble His glorious body. We will have a real body suitable for conditions in a real place –heaven.
This does not mean that we will be like the Lord as far as all the attributes of the Godhead are concerned. We shall never have all-knowledge and all-powers, neither shall we be able to be in all places at one and the same time. But we shall be morally like the Lord. We will experience the joy and delight of being free from sin, and this itself is cause for praise and rejoicing.
We will have angels to serve us.
Hebrews 1: 14
“Are they not ministering spirits sent forth to minister for those who will inherit salvation?”
Those who share the Lord’s victorious experience on earth, will have a victory like His. His victory led to His position at the righthand of Adonai in heaven.
Revelation 3: 21. Letter to the church at Laodicea.
“To him who overcomes I will grant to sit with Me on My throne, as I also overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne.”
The victory of the believer leads to the privilege of sharing the Lord’s throne. These overcomers have succeeded through humble, obedient faith. To “sit on My throne” is a figurative expression meaning that believers will be able to rejoice in sharing in the Lord’s authority.
Heaven: a real place of ultimate recognition
1 Corinthians 13: 12.
“For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part, but then I shall know just as I also am known.”
The “mirror” represents the Word of Adonai. Whilst on earth we have a partial understanding but in heaven there will be nothing to obscure our vision or make it dim.
Now our knowledge is partial but in heaven our knowledge will be fuller. We will never have perfect knowledge; only the Godhead is omniscient. But our knowledge will be vastly greater than it is now.
We will be recognised in heaven. Just as the Lord Yeshua was recognised after His resurrection. In fact, those who knew us before will know us even better then. In this world we only think we know each other; but really we only see the surface. In heaven we will be fully what Adonai intended us to be; all masks removed. Our communication with each other will be perfect.
It is interesting that the disciples (Matthew 17) were able to recognise Moses and Elijah at the Transfiguration, even although they could not have met previously.
Heaven: a real place where there are superb relationships.
Hebrews 12: 22 – 23.
“But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, to an innumerable company of angels, to the general assembly and church of the firstborn who are registered in heaven, to God the Judge of all, to the spirits of just men made perfect, to Jesus the Mediator of the new covenant …”
In these verses we see that believers have come to the heavenly Jerusalem on Mount Zion through the blood of the Lord Yeshua. We enter the sanctuary through faith, confession, praise and prayer.
As we enter the presence of Adonai, we are surrounded by an august gathering: a myriad of angels; the general assembly of believers; Adonai no longer in darkness and hidden; and the Old Testament Saints. All are joined together in perfect fellowship through the Lord Yeshua; the “Mediator of the new covenant” sealed with His blood.
In heaven our relationships will not be restricted by eras of time or boundaries of territory. We will speak with people from every era of history. We will have the joy of a perfect relationship with people we never met on earth. These will be warm, joyful relationships in the presence of Adonai and the Lord Yeshua.
Heaven: a real place where we will be prepared for responsibility.
Matthew 25: 23.
“Well done, good and faithful servant; you have been faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord.”
Faithfulness is rewarded in heaven; it is an all-important issue. The smallest work done on earth on behalf of Adonai will bring great reward in heaven; including being equipped to be “ruler over many things”.
In heaven, we will be prepared for tasks and responsibilities for a unique working experience. We will have the ultimate Boss who will “rule and reign” over all the earth. We will act in His authority. Our work for Him will be incredibly satisfying and rewarding. We will be going what we love doing, with people we love and all for the glory of Adonai.
When Adonai created mankind, He knew that we needed meaningful tasks to validate our significance. Thus, He gave us dominion over the earth and the creatures in it. Adonai has plans for us to participate with Him in enormous tasks of eternal significance. For these we will be prepared by the Best!
Heaven: a real place and the true theatre of dreams.
2 Corinthians 5: 2, 8.
“For in this we groan, earnestly desiring to be clothed with our habitation which is from heaven … we are confident, yes, well pleased rather to be absent from the body and to be present with the Lord.”
These words of Paul express the feeling we have about the limitations placed on us by our physical bodies, especially spiritually. Paul is longing for his heavenly glorified body; to be “clothed with our habitation which is from heaven”. He is not only confident that this is his future with the Lord after death, but he also has a longing which we might describe as “heavenly homesickness”.
Elsewhere Paul considers his present position on earth as good; he can continue to serve the Lord. However, in death he would proceed to the Lord in heaven in spirit and soul (i.e. in a disembodied state). That would be better. But, best of all, would be to be taken home in the rapture and immediately receive his glorified body.
Heaven is the theatre of our dreams; what we wait and long for. We look forward to a deeper, fuller and more exhilarating gladness than we have ever known or can imagine.
There’s no place like home!
Heaven: a real place and a place centred on Adonai.
Revelation 7: 15.
“Therefore they are before the throne of God, and serve Him day and night in His temple. And He who sits on the throne will dwell among them.”
Revelation 22: 3.
“And there shall be no more curse, but the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it, and His servants shall serve Him.”
What an honour to serve our heavenly Father! There will no distinction of rank; all will serve Adonai.
As Adam and Eve had fellowship with Adonai before the fall, so again the Lord will be with His “servants” eternally. His servants will worshipfully serve Him.
The central theme of existence in the restored world will be to worship Adonai and the Lord Yeshua. Their servants will find unending satisfaction in their work.
Conclusion.
Heaven is a real place. A place where a residence has been prepared for us. A place we should be thinking of as home. A place where our Lord currently resides. A place where there will be superb joy. A place of ultimate recognition. A place of wonderful relationships. A place where we will be prepared for great responsibility. A place which more than fulfils our dreams. A place centred on our Heavenly Father and our Lord Yeshua.
AMEN.