Living in the mirror of eternity

    8ft below me, in a spare room, a number of new born chicks are huddled beneath the EcoGlow ‘Chick-heater-system’. One slightly younger chick is inside a small incubator along with 3 pre-hatched eggs. If all other noise can be ignored then their little squeaks can just about be heard.
   My sister and her husband accidentally booked their holiday to coincide with the hatching of their new chicks.  It fell, therefore, to us to care for the new born chicks.
   Although they are quite adorable and cannot be seen without an ‘awwww’ escaping the lips, there is also a sense of sadness surrounding their arrival into the world. No mother hen stands over them, no loving wing surrounds and protects them. Rather it falls to man-made incubators and heaters to bring them into their new homes.

O Jerusalem, Jeruslaem the city that kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to it! How often would I have gathered your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you were not willing!

    Jesus had a similar, but much greater, grief when he saw how his home city rejected the Lord God. They refused his love and spurned his protection. They would rather ‘make it on their own’ than trust in the true and living God of Heaven and earth. Our Heavenly Father wants to gather his chicks under his wing, but we all have fled from his love and protection. We’ve all wanted our own independence and rules, rather than his love and guidance.
    As the ‘Heavenly…..’ series draws to an end, I hope that you want to rest under God’s wing. There is no greater catastrophe on this planet than when someone rejects God’s mercy and grace. Heaven, as I love to say, is a Gospel place! It will be crammed with wicked, cruel and horrible people. But they will all have been forgiven and transformed through the grace and power of the Lord Jesus Christ!
    Perhaps it might be profitable if I recap some of what we have learnt over the past 5 posts.

• The inhabitants of Heaven have been bought there by and through the Lord Jesus Christ- it is his property and there is no back entrance.
• They will be with Jesus, who will reign, and will enjoy the presence and blessings of God. Heaven- whether paradise, city, house or throne room- is God’s own land which he has prepared for his own people. The citizens of Heaven will have literal and physical bodies, which will no longer hunger, thirst or feel pain.
• Jesus is the Messiah, the Warrior King who became the slain lamb, sacrificing himself for his people. He will one day return to claim his Kingdom. He only waits so that more people may be saved from the fruits of their rebellion.
• Heaven, either symbolically or literally, is pictured as a city. It will be the ‘New Jerusalem’. It will be permanent and no evil will exist within. God will dwell in the city with his citizens who will worship him.
• This ‘New Jerusalem’ will come after the destruction of the earth. This physical world will be replaced with a new physical world. 
• The Citizens of this city will build houses, grow gardens and crops, and will enjoy their work. They will praise and glorify their King, who has bought them to the city of Heaven.

 
    So, where does  that leave us now?
   Earthbound, I suppose.
   But don’t let your Heavenly bubble deflate! The scriptures urge us to live each day looking forward to Heaven! Not as the reward we expect, but as the gift we don't deserve. I have a handy note written and pinned up on my bookcase, it says this:

“May I view all things in the mirror of eternity,
waiting for the coming of my Lord.
May I speak each word as if my last word,
and walk each step as my final one.
If my life should end today,
may this be my best day.”

   When you start to study the bible you discover that a Heavenly outlook was vital to the heroes of the Faith who lived before us. Its an important mentality to have. But it is impossible to keep unless you have been given a new life, a new affection, a new desire and a new purpose through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ; I may have mentioned this before: Heaven is a Gospel place!
   Please read Hebrews 11 and 12. Find out how important the promise of Heaven is for you! A Christian must  be living for that day, that day when he or she will finally meet Jesus face to face. As one hymn beautifully puts it:

Lord Jesus, when Thee face to face I see,
When on Thy lofty throne I sit with Thee,
Then of Thy love, in all its breadth and length,
Its height and depth, its everlasting strength,
    My soul shall sing.

   I will leave you with the words with which I first began this series:
‘Stop moaning about petrol prices, VAT and the income tax and start groaning for Heaven!’

Heavenly Habits-

               The Occupation of Heaven

       Jesus, unlike the founder of any other major faith, holds out hope for ordinary human life. Our future is not an ethereal, impersonal form of consciousness. We will not float through the air, but rather will eat, embrace, sing, laugh, and dance in the kingdom of God, in degrees of power, glory, and joy that we can’t at present imagine.
        Tim Keller, Prodigal God

   One rather outspoken American Pastor makes the point that if in Heaven we spend our time with chubby cherubs flying around and plucking harps then Heaven is not to be particularly desired at all! Thankfully Heaven isn’t quite like that.

  What do we know about the activities (or Habits- if you like alliteration) of Heaven? Well, as we discussed in an earlier post, we will no longer hunger or thirst. Does that mean that food is off the menu (excuse the pun) in Heaven? Surprisingly, no.

   Isaiah has this to say about day-to-day life in Heaven:

    They shall build houses and inhabit them;
        they shall plant vineyards and eat their fruit.
    They shall not build and another inhabit;
        they shall not plant and another eat;
    for like the days of a tree shall the days of my people be,
        and my chosen shall long enjoy the work of their hands.(Isaiah 65:21-22 ESV)

    I remember in my early school days learning that verbs are ‘doing words’. To help us understand exactly what we shall be ‘doing’ in heaven I have highlighted the verbs above. 

    We won’t hunger but we will eat! That’s good news. Food purely for pleasure. Heaven will be a community of farmers growing delicious delicacies!

   As the passage mentions, construction work will be needed in Heaven! We will build homes to inhabit. How then does that fit in with Jesus’ own words, “In my Father's house are many mansions” . Why do we need to build homes if God has many mansions already prepared for us?! (The ESV and NIV translations talk of rooms instead of mansions. ) Speaking frankly, I don’t know the answer- something for you to ponder in your own time!

    Many contemporary preachers and writers talk about The Cultural Mandate. You will remember that after God created Adam and Eve he commanded them to ‘subdue’ and to ‘fill’ and to ‘have dominion’ over the earth. He also commanded them to ‘work’ and to ‘keep’ the garden of Eden. Many people take these commands and apply them to us today. Julian Hardyman (author of ‘Glory Days’) says this:

God didn’t just want everything to stay the same. He wanted humanity to apply itself to a massive development project. Life wasn’t to be static….. At first sight it sounds as though we should all become horticulturalists or foresters. Now its great to be a gardener, but God is interested in more than gardens.

    He goes on to describe ‘The Human Cultural Project’ and how art, poetry, science, cities, technology, sport and agriculture can be used to glorify God by growing and developing the potential of planet earth.

     How is this relevant to life in Heaven?- I hear you ask.

    Well, if this was God’s initial desire for humanity in Eden, then would he not wish a similar thing for redeemed humanity in Heaven?  We have already learnt that Heaven will involve work. Perhaps now we can see, somewhat more clearly, the form this work will take. Music, dance, building, writing, growing: all of it will be harnessed to the glory of God.

    The acute reader will have realised that I haven’t yet mentioned the main activity of the Heavenly citizens: worship. I will leave you with this passage from scripture to read through. Rejoice in the future you have in store if you are redeemed through the Lord Jesus Christ! Remember: The Church is the bride and our bridegroom is Jesus himself.

    Then I heard what seemed to be the voice of a great multitude, like the roar of many waters and like the sound of mighty peals of thunder, crying out,


    “Hallelujah!
    For the Lord our God
        the Almighty reigns.
    Let us rejoice and exult
        and give him the glory,
    for the marriage of the Lamb has come,
        and his Bride has made herself ready;
    it was granted her to clothe herself
        with fine linen, bright and pure”—

    for the fine linen is the righteous deeds of the saints.


    And the angel said to me, “Write this: Blessed are those who are invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb.” And he said to me, “These are the true words of God.”   
(Revelation 19:6-9 ESV)

     

Previously in the ‘Heavenly-’ series…..

• Living in a Wigwam- waiting for the wonders of Heaven
• Heavenly Citizenship- The Inhabits of Heaven
• Heavenly Throne- The King of Heaven
• Heavenly Home- Citizens of where exactly?

Heavenly Home-

        Citizens of where exactly?

It was a good saying of one to a great lord, upon his showing his stately house, and pleasant gardens,: ‘Sir, you had need  make sure of heaven, or else, when you die, you will be a very great loser.’
       Thomas Brooks, English Puritan

     Perhaps you are wondering why, in a series about heaven, I haven’t yet broached the subject of where- or even what- heaven actually is. It is a tad strange, I agree. However when I sat down with my bible, a concordance, a notebook and my favourite ink pen, and delved into the scriptures, I found that the biblical emphasis on heaven is not so much the where as the who. The ‘who’, of course, is our Heavenly King- Jesus Christ.
    To a Christian, Heaven is all about Jesus. That’s why my two earlier posts- Heavenly Citizenship and Heavenly Throne-   focused on the who.  But who can but be a tad inquisitive as to the where factor?!
    The Bible talks about Heaven in a few ways. The overwhelmingly most used way can be seen in Hebrews, where we learn that Abraham was ‘looking forward’ to a city that has foundations, with a designer and a builder (God).  In another passage in Hebrews, Heaven is also described as a city, but also as a country in its own right:‘ …they desire a better country, that is, a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared for them a city.’
    Hebrews (a treasure trove of Heaven related information!) doesn’t just stop there! The author actually lets us know which city Heaven is!

But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to innumerable ages in festal gathering…

    Heaven is pictured as Jerusalem (or ‘the City of David’). Jerusalem was conquered by the Shepherd King David and claimed as the Capital City of his Kingdom and, more importantly, as his home.

• Jerusalem had a naturally defensible position- high upon a hill, and with access to a nearby spring.
• It was situated between the northern tribes of Israel and the southern tribes of Judah and Benjamin- a politically strong location.
• The Holy of Holies, inside the Temple walls- the hub of Zion- was where the Shekinah glory of God dwelt.
• Sacrifices and offerings to the Lord were made in Jerusalem by the Priesthood of Aaron.  

   The ‘Heavenly Jerusalem’, like the earthly city, will unite all nations and peoples. It is there that man will dwell in the presence of God, filled with love and praise for his majesty and grace. Twice in scriptures believers are described as a ‘Holy Priesthood’ offering sacrifices of worship to their God.
   Heaven will not be an exact resemblance of the earthly city, however. For one thing….

And I saw no temple in the city, for its temple is the Lord God the Almighty and the Lamb.

   There is not longer need for a Temple- God will live with us in Heaven, without need for sacrifices or veils and curtains!  And whereas the Capital of Israel could be (and indeed was) captured and destroyed, Heaven and the safety of it’s inhabitants is certain. The Lord promises that in Heaven no death, pain, mourning or crying will exist.
     Quite wonderfully the scriptures refer to the New Jerusalem as the home of Christ’s bride: the Church. Heaven has been prepared for us! That is quite an amazing thought! Heaven is where the bridegroom, Jesus Christ, will spend eternity with his bride, the Church. 
   Having designed and built Heaven for his bride, it is no surprise therefore to see that Christ is at the centre of the New Jerusalem. John the Divine describes the river of the water of life flowing from the throne of the lamb, watering the tree of life (remember Eden!) and thus bearing delightful fruits. It is unmistakable that the grace and blessings flowing from the throne of Jesus are bought to us through the Holy Spirit today on earth, but in Heaven we will drink them in their fullness!
   Perhaps I had better pause and recap what we have learnt about the where (I do tend to ramble away unless stopped!). Either symbolically or literally, Heaven is a city- the ‘New Jerusalem’ or ‘Mount Zion’. This city is better than any city now because no evil will be in it, it is permanent, and because, most importantly, the Lord God dwells in it (therefore no temple is needed). Both Ezekial and Revelation talk about a river of water flowing through Heaven to heal the nations. This city will be inhabited by many people- God’s people- and they shall worship him.
 
    Heaven- the New Jerusalem- will be a glorious place, filled with ‘unending stream of abundant blessings and joy’. God’s people will rejoice in the company of their Lord and Saviour: King Jesus.
   Heaven- as I never bore of saying- is a Gospel place; God will not allow sinful men to live there, only those who have been washed clean by his perfect son.
   I ask you, has the Lord written his name, and the name of Zion upon your heart?

              To the one who conquers I will grant to eat of the tree of life, which is in the paradise of God…. [he] will be clothed in white garments.

Heavenly Throne-

                    

                      The King of Heaven

“Because God created peoples, places and things, and because sin has corrupted peoples, places and things, God intends to redeem peoples, places and things.”
                      Tullian Tchividjian

    In Heavenly Citizenship, we thought about who the inhabitants of Heaven will actually be; we saw that Heaven is God’s own property which he is preparing for his people. Most importantly, we saw that all the people of Heaven have been bought there by and through the Lord Jesus Christ (there is no back entrance, hidden passageway or parachute drop into Heaven),
   But can we learn more about our Heavenly ruler? In fact, do we even know what type of government we can expect? Many people regard anarchy as the most natural and gratifying form of leadership- is that the way to go? Or can we expect elections in Heaven? Who will be the candidates? Will they be paid expenses?!
   Well, of course we all know that no form of human government can really suffice for Heaven! Neither anarchy nor democracy holds the key. 
   In the Bible we can see, prophetically, what Heaven’s governance is like:

The Kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ, and he shall reign for ever and ever.

   Countless other biblical references refer to Jesus as being our Heavenly Monarch.
   Here in the United Kingdom, we tend to view our Royal Family with a sense of wariness- what will they do or say to embarrass us next?! However, as I understand it, in the USA-  a former colony of Britain which revolted against the rule of a dictatorial and mad King- a fresh surge of appreciation for the British Royals has begun! This, of course, is mainly thanks to the marriage of our favourite prince to the glamorous Kate Middleton (who’s humble background is a big inspiration to common people everywhere!)
    The Kingship of Christ, however, is extremely different to the British Royals. Firstly, while the Windsor family’s claim to rule could be subjected to scrutiny (especially if they started to demand the use of their powers), the Kingly claim of the Lord Jesus is faultless. He created us in his image, he won us in  battle, he bought us at the cost of his own blood and he has conquered our hearts. His claim is fourfold. Not only this, but the Duchies, the Earldoms, the counties and the towns of his Kingdom were all designed and built by his very own hand, for his own pleasure and are brilliant in every way. As for his laws and decrees, the Psalmist tells us of them:

    The law of the LORD is perfect,
        reviving the soul;
    the testimony of the LORD is sure,
        making wise the simple;
    the precepts of the LORD are right,
        rejoicing the heart;
    the commandment of the LORD is pure,
        enlightening the eyes…(Psalm 19:7-8 ESV)

    Obviously this King must be mighty and glorious; however, when we turn to the book of Revelation, the images of Jesus reigning in Heaven are, frankly, strange.
    Picture the scene: John is standing in Heaven (in his divine vision- described to us in Revelation). He has in front of him a scroll- sealed and secure. The cry goes forth “Who is worthy to open the scroll and break its seals?” But “no one in heaven or on earth or under the earth was able to open the scroll or to look into it, and I began to weep loudly because no one was found worthy to open the scroll or to look into it.” But then John is told of one- a conqueror- who is worthy to open the scroll. He is “the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the root of David”, this man is pictured as a lion, Messianic son of the warrior King. Then John sees the person…

  And between the throne and the four living creatures and among the elders I saw a Lamb standing, as though it had been slain…
(Revelation 5:6 ESV)

   Our Saviour is pictured as a Lion, a Warrior King and…. a slain lamb. That is quite a contradiction in our terms. The powerful Lord of all creation became as a slain lamb.
    I have heard it said that “the only man-made thing in Heaven will be the nail prints in the hands and feet of Jesus.” It is true. In Heaven we will look on our King- the Lion, the Rock, the Fortress- and will be reminded that he died on a cross, crucified by his own subjects, because he loved us so very, very much.
  One writer, who’s work I particularly enjoy, puts it like this:

“Since the dawn of time, there has never been a moment when the Lord hasn’t reigned over all he has made. But God’s reign was demonstrated in new and dramatic ways when Jesus bought it from heaven to earth in a paradigm-shattering manner.” 

     Although we live in enemy-occupied land, we can be sure that our King has already won the ultimate victory. Peter tells us that Jesus is patient and is waiting to reclaim his Kingdom. Why does he wait? Because “with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance.” 
   In the final instalment of the ‘Heavenly…’ series I want to try and learn what it means to be a Citizen of Heaven here and now, to discover what Jesus’ Kingship is like in our lives and churches today. But, without wanting to steal my own thunder, can I leave you with the thought that, until Jesus returns, we must not be living with what has been described as ‘eternal amnesia’. Instead we should live each day eager and excited for Jesus’ return, acting under his loving grace and wise government, sharing his desire to welcome new citizens into Heaven!

• Heavenly Citizenship-     The inhabitants of Heaven

Heavenly Citizenship-

               The Inhabitants of Heaven

“Where do you come from? Where do you go? Where do you come from, Cotton Eye Joe”

                                                 
    Its important to know where you have come from. In Eastern cultures people take a much higher view of a persons ancestry than we, in our western world, do. In his book ‘Walking from East to West’ Ravi Zacharias tells his life story, putting huge emphasis on his ‘roots’ and his family tree. The BBC Ancestry series, ‘Who do you think you are?’, has further highlighted the importance of knowing our history.
   Important though knowing our roots is, it surely is of a more vital importance (if you will excuse my grammar) to know where we are going. As one writer put it, knowing where we will finally end up ‘works backwards’ and thus dramatically influence our lives here and now. 
   Citizens of Heaven don’t become so when they arrive at the metaphorical pearly gates. No angelic immigration officer awaits, clutching their new passport and documentation. No, quite the contrary. Citizens of Heaven live as travellers, strangers and foreigners in this world first and then -after having lived away from their true homeland- they finally return there. The knowledge of the Heavenly City which awaits them totally transforms their thinking and even living in this world, making them Heavenly Citizens. Perhaps the bible passage which is best known for explaining this is Hebrews 11:

    These all died in faith, not having received the things promised, but having seen them and greeted them from afar, and having acknowledged that they were strangers and exiles on the earth. For people who speak thus make it clear that they are seeking a homeland. If they had been thinking of that land from which they had gone out, they would have had opportunity to return. But as it is, they desire a better country, that is, a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared for them a city.(Hebrews 11:13-16 ESV)

    So, who are these Heavenly Citizens? Who will populate Heaven?
    In the Gospel of John we discover that the people of Heaven need a guide to bring them home. Jesus says “I will come…and will take you to where I am going….I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” I could give other examples, but I think Jesus’ words are simple and concise enough. From the Bible we learn that the inhabitants of Heaven have been bought there by and through the Lord Jesus Christ- there is no back entrance.
   First and foremost, Heaven is a Gospel place. All citizens will share a bond greater than nationality or colour or creed: they have each been individually bought there through the grace of a God who died for their sins. It is obvious to assume therefore that Heaven is a joyful place! How could it not be?!
   As we further study the scriptures we discover, to our joy, that our guide and saviour- the Lord Jesus Christ- will be our neighbour and co-citizen in Heaven. Jesus tells us that Heaven is “my Father’s house”, that he will “take you to where I [Jesus] am going”. We are encouraged when he tells us that “you will be with me in paradise”, the Apostle Paul remarks that “we will be always with the Lord.” In fact, to our great delight, we find that Heaven is “the city of the living God”…“whose designer and builder is God.” The book of Revelation teaches us that Heaven is “the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ” and that “a great multitude” will worship God before his throne.
    So, to recap: the inhabitants of Heaven have been bought there by and through the Lord Jesus Christ- he is the only way in. They will be with Jesus and enjoy him; he will reign eternally. Heaven (whether a paradise-garden, city, house or throne room) is God’s own property which he has created and is preparing for his own people. 
    But how ‘real’ will Heaven actually be? Is Heaven simply a biblical metaphor for a ‘higher level of consciousness’?
    To answer simply: no.
    If we turn to our trusty bibles we have some more surprises in store. Jesus knew that death isn’t final. He spoke of a ‘resurrection’:  

    And Jesus said to them, “The sons of this age marry and are given in marriage, but those who are considered worthy to attain to that age and to the resurrection from the dead neither marry nor are given in marriage, for they cannot die anymore, because they are equal to angels and are sons of God, being sons of the resurrection.
(Luke 20:34-36 ESV)

    Furthermore, Paul spoke about our bodies being changed:

    But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform our lowly body to be like his glorious body, by the power that enables him even to subject all things to himself.(Philippians 3:20-21 ESV)

    Revelation talks about the resurrection in real terms; we will no longer hunger or thirst, we will be clothed in garments etc.
    Paul also talked in length about the resurrection when he was writing to the Corinthian church. Apparently some people were asking what bodies people would have when they had been ‘resurrected’. Paul explained that though we die with earthly bodies we rise with heavenly bodies. He uses the example of a seed and a flower: “It is sown in weakness; it is raised in power.”
   But even if none of these examples were in the Bible, the greatest reason to believe in a literal, physical resurrection of the dead has not yet been mentioned- the Lord Jesus Christ rose from the dead! Thomas felt the nail marks in Jesus’ hands and feet. Jesus had a physical resurrected body. Paul argues that our entire faith is based on this, he even goes so far as to say “if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is in vain and your faith is in vain” Harsh words!
   We can be sure that the inhabitants of Heaven will possess literal, physical bodies- bodies that are new, glorious and ‘imperishable’. They will be transformed instantly and will bear a likeness to the resurrected King of Heaven- the Lord Jesus. They will not hunger, thirst or suffer pain.
   I don’t know about you, but I am looking forward to Heaven!
   One of my favourite hymns, includes these words (which I echo with all my heart), “And Lord, haste the day when my faith shall be sight”. That is the desire of the Christian’s heart- to see the Lord Jesus Christ and to enjoy him for all eternity!
   C.S. Lewis pictured his longing for  Heaven like the earnest longing of a boy, stuck at a boarding school, for the school holidays. They seem so very very far away and yet he lives each day in the hope of the holidays. Lets do the same!

Living in a Wigwam….

                    …..Waiting for the wonders of Heaven  

For we know that if the tent that is our earthly home is destroyed, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.

    When I say the word Heaven what images does your mind conjure up?
    A castle?  A mansion? A city? A prison, maybe?
   Who or what  populates your picture of Heaven?
   Flowers? People? Light? Gold paving slabs? Fruit, maybe? 
     Whatever you picture- and however wrong that picture may be- I put it to you:  if you are a Christian then you desire to be in Heaven with the Lord Jesus Christ. If not: there’s a problem.
      Paul, an early convert to Christianity, who wrote a number of letters to early churches across the Roman Empire, described this world as a ‘tent’ in comparison to our ‘heavenly dwelling’. (Personally I like to use the metaphor of  a Wigwam!) He had such an earnest longing for Heaven- he even talks about his ‘groaning’ for Heaven!

So we are always of good courage. We know that while we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord, for we walk by faith, not by sight. Yes, we are of good courage, and we would rather be away from the body and at home with the Lord.

      The Bible tells us a lot about Heaven.
      My aim over the next few posts is to unravel some of the biblical truths of Heaven. I can’t even begin to understand, comprehend or even grasp at, the amazing wonders of Heaven. My hope is that these posts will give you a desire to search for the truth about Heaven yourselves.
     As I heard it put recently- ‘Stop moaning about petrol prices, VAT and the income tax and start groaning for Heaven!’