All of the saved are interested about Heaven. We want to know what kind of a place heaven is. We seek to know from the Bible all we may about our future home. To be sure, this world is not our home. We are strangers and sojourners here. We are "looking for a city whose maker and builder is God." Note with me seven Bible facts about Heaven. Though there may be many things about heaven we are not certain of; here are seven things we can know about our future abode.
First, HEAVEN IS A PLACE
OF A LARGE HOST OF REDEEMED
Luke 13, 29, "And they shall come from the East and from the West, and from the North and from the South, and sit down in the kingdom of God." In Rev. 19, John says, "I heard the great voice of MUCH people in heaven saying, Alleluia." I well know that most people today are serving sin and Satan. The masses have rejected the Gospel. The masses are on their "merry" way to Hell. Yet, Heaven is to be filled with the redeemed. There will be no "empty mansions" in Heaven.
Sometimes the Devil would have to believe that nobody is going to Heaven. That everybody is following the ways of sin. The Devil is a liar. Heaven is not to be an empty place; but, rather, a place of a large host that no man can number. All the saints of all ages will be there. Noah, Moses, Isaac, Elijah, Daniel, Joseph, Paul, James, John, Peter, Matthew, Mark and all the others of the Bible will be there. Your loved ones and mine will be there. What a time of reunion when we shall see mother, father, husband, wife, son and daughter again on the shores of "sweet deliverance."
Nothing would please the Devil more than an "empty mansion." Can you imagine a "for rent" sign on one of the mansions? Such will never happen. Were there to be one empty mansion in Heaven, the Devil would point with glee to that empty mansion. He would shout forever that one soul had been snatched from the hand of God. No, Heaven is to be a place of a large host who have been redeemed.
Second, HEAVEN IS A PLACE WHERE
THE ILLS OF TIME WILL BE KNOWN NO MORE
Revelation 21:4 "And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes, and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain, for the former things are passed away." The highway of this life is marked with heartaches. Not many miles do we travel unless we experience some adversity, some sorrow, some pain. What a consolation to KNOW all of this will pass away.
In Heaven, there will be no hospitals, no orphan homes, no crepe on the doors, no wars, no broken homes, no weeping parents because of wayward children, no drunken fathers, no funeral songs, no sickness, no poverty. Nothing that has marred this life will be found in Heaven. One has only to look about himself to see the havoc sin had played in the life. There is no lasting happiness here.
Sooner or later our hearts are made to bleed. The wise man of the Bible was right when he said, "Vanity, Vanity, life at its best is altogether vanity and vexation of spirit." Again, "Man's days are short and full of trouble." Over against this dark picture of this life we have the promise from the Psalms, "Weeping may endure for a season but joy cometh on tomorrow."
How I rejoice and praise God that, by grace, I shall live in that better home on the other side some day. Do you have this hope? Paul says, "If in this life only we have hope, we are of all men most miserable." How true. To the saved I remind you of the blessed fact that Heaven will be a place where the ills of time will be known no more.
Third, HEAVEN IS AN ENDLESS PLACE
2 Corinthians 4:17 "For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory." It is very difficult for us to comprehend this fact; though it is true, nevertheless. We are constantly made to see the end of things. However, there is to be no end of the bliss of heaven.
The day of Heaven is eternal. Note, I must use the singular because there is but one day in glory. Here we look forward to sundown; there is no sundown in Heaven. In this life we look forward to sunrise; in Heaven, there is ONE golden daybreak, one sunrise. The scripture tells us; "there is no night there." The Son of God is the light of that city.
The fellowship of Heaven is eternal. We enjoy Christian fellowship here but it must come to an end. However, our fellowship in Heaven is to never end. I think of the saints whom I have known and whom I enjoyed being with here on this earth. Many of them have gone to be with the Lord. We miss their presence, their voices, their faces. Our fellowship here has ended. Not so in Heaven. Our fellowship there is eternal.
The service of Heaven is eternal. Here our days are numbered. Our service comes to an end. Our strength begins to waste away. Our steps become haltering. The time comes in our lives when we are forced to lay aside the torch. The time comes when our ministry comes to an end. All the servants in past years have faced this hour. In Heaven, it shall be different. We shall serve God eternally there. What a delight to know that around the throne of God forever we shall serve.
Fourth, HEAVEN IS A PLACE
OF JOY IN THE PRESENCE OF JESUS
Luke 23:43 "And Jesus said unto Him, verily, I say unto you, Today thou shalt be with me in paradise." Paul has declared, "To be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord." None have seen Jesus. We believe the Word. We believe "having not seen." Oh, the anticipation of seeing Him face to face some glad morning. I would like to see the print of the nails in His hands, I shall. I would like to see the riven side, I shall. I would like to look upon His compassionate countenance, I shall.
The scriptures assure me that when I see Him I shall know Him. Too, He shall know me. He knows the sheep by name. I am sure He is far more lovely than we ever fancied He would be. Yes, you and I must wait until that glad hour when we shall know the joy of His presence.
Fifth, HEAVEN IS A PLACE OF NO SIN
Revelation 21:27 "And there shall in no wise enter into it any thing that defileth, neither whatsoever worketh abnomination, or maketh a lie; but they which are written in the book of life." Sin is very present and very real to us now. Everywhere we turn the eye must behold sin and it's terrible ravages. Sin has left its mark upon the entire earth. Nothing has been able to escape it's contaminating touch. Every living soul, yea, every living beast has suffered by the touch of sin. Even nature "doeth groan and travail" under the curse of sin. Sin and Satan has played havoc upon the earth. Too, Heaven has been defiled by sin in yesteryear. Sin originated in Heaven in the rebellious heart of Satan.
Go to the hospitals, look upon the suffering bodies of sick people by the hundreds; sin is to blame. Go to the houses of ill-fame, look upon the poor women who sell their bodies; sin is to blame. Go to the orphan homes, and look at many children made orphans by divorce; sin is to blame. Go to the dance halls and beer taverns and look upon the drunks; sin is to blame. Go to many large churches; look upon the deadness of the services, the modernism of the pulpits; sin is to blame. Go to the slum areas, look upon children underfed and improperly clothed; sin is to blame.
My friend, all the suffering, poverty, disease, heartaches which plagues this earth is the result of sin directly or indirectly. What a day when God's children shall be delivered from all this. When you and I inherit a place where there will be no theaters, no mixed bathing or semi-nude sinners, no profane or dirty talk, no dance halls, no liquor stores on every corner, no lying advertisements about beer and whiskey, no juke boxes with their base music, no houses of ill-fame, no desecration of the Lord's Day. I am longing for the day when we shall enter into this place of no sin.
Sixth, HEAVEN IS A PLACE OF REWARDS
Daniel 12:2 "And they that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament; and they that turn many to righteousness as the stars forever." The Word is very clear about the Judgment Seat of Christ. It is this hour when all our works are to be tried. Here we are to be rewarded for our labor for Jesus' sake "Not even a cup of cool water given in the name of a disciple shall we lose our reward for," say the Word.
I long for payday. Often, we labor now with no reward. Rather, sometimes we are misunderstood, even criticized. Many have been the saints who served God faithfully here without reward. Their names were never learned by the masses. They were never looked upon as great Christians. They were overlooked by this world of religion. What joy to know that God has never overlooked one. He knows those who were faithful. And as surely as He is a just God, payday will come some day.
The rewards in that day will be just. The righteous judge who knows all things will be the rewarder. Labors are rewarded unjustly today because of the injustice of the human heart. However, God is just, "He doeth all things right." He knows the secrets of the heart. He knows the degree of love and faithfulness. His reward is right and just.
The rewards in that day will be desirable. Though we may consider them lightly; Daniel 12:2 says, "shall shine as the brightness of the firmament." Many saints will have five crowns. Others will enter Heaven "as by fire." All their works shall be burning up, yet, they "shall be saved but as by fire." My friend, I want to so faithfully serve Jesus that I may receive the five crowns, don't you?
Seventh, HEAVEN IS A PLACE OF CORONATION
Revelation 4:10, "The four and twenty elders fall down before Him that sat upon the throne, and worship him that liveth forever and ever, and cast their crowns before the throne saying, Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honor and power; For thou has created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created." It is in Heaven that Jesus is to be crowned "Lord of Lords" and "King of Kings." This world has rejected the Christ of Heaven. They will not have Him rule over them. This world crucified the only God-Man ever to walk upon the earth. We have placed self, pleasure and a multitude of other things upon the throne. All the while wicked sinners have put Jesus to death.
The picture is to be different in Heaven. The central figure there will be Jesus. He is to be crowned with the highest honor. All the saints shall have a part in this coronation. While the angel singers sing, "Bring forth the royal diadem"; the redeemer shall fall down before His throne and cast their crowns at His blessed feet. With Jesus on the throne and all God's children in Heaven with Him, so shall the endless ages of eternity be enjoyed.
So this is Heaven. Are you not glad for salvation?