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Heaven is one of the grandest subjects which the human mind may contemplate or the human heart embrace. It is the blessed hope of
spirit-born souls, so let us study this glorious place, frequently mentioned in Scripture and often carried upon the tongues of mortals.
As we begin a study of heaven, we must recognize that Paul informs us there are three heavens (2 Cor. 12:2). The first heaven is
the air or atmosphere in which clouds gather and birds fly above us. The second heaven is the firmament in which God has placed the
sun, moon, and stars. The third heaven is the abode of God, His angels, and His redeemed children. It is no doubt a place of supreme
happiness and joy. The objective of this study shall be to consider the "third heaven."
Because we believe that there is a place called heaven, we must now explore the Scriptures to see what the Bible teaches about it. Our
beliefs about heaven should be examined to see if they are biblically founded or simply stories and tales we learned from our parents or
friends during our childhood years. What do you really know about that mysterious place called heaven? To the amazement of many, the
Bible does not deal with this subject extensively; yet all that we need to understand about it God has seen fit to place before us in His holy
record, and the rest is left to faith.
In studying the nature of heaven, we must first establish that it is a real place. It is not some imaginary dream world which is simply
the figment of the mind and imaginations of religious people, even though there are some individuals who declare such. A skeptic once
derided a Christian by saying, "What would you say if when you die you found there wasn't such a place as heaven after al1?"With a smile
the believer replied, "I've had a fine time traveling there anyway." Then the Christian returned a question to the skeptic, "What if when
you die, you find there really is such a place as hell after al1?"We wonder what answer the skeptic gave to that question. Such questions
should stimulate our interest in the study of heaven so that we may know its reality. I declare upon the authority of Scripture that
heaven is as real as this earth. In fact, God mentions them together saying, "Heaven is my throne, and earth is my footstool." (Acts 7:49).
The objects of God's grace have both places to enjoy. Earth is now our place of residence, but afterwards we shall dwell in heaven. God
has chosen us before the world was formed and even now a place has been reserved for us in heaven (l Peter 1:4).If heaven is imaginary
then so is our salvation, yet God who cannot lie (Titus 1:2) speaks of both as real and certain. Jesus lived on this earth, and then returned
to heaven. The angels said, "...this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him
go into heaven" (Acts 1:11). Jesus departed the earth (a real place) to enter into heaven (which is as real as the earth upon which He
walked). No wonder then that the Bible declares, "For Christ is not entered into the holy places made with hands, which are the figures
of the true; but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us" (Heb. 9:24). The comparison He makes is between the
physical structures of the holy place in the tabernacle and temples and the holy place of God in heaven. I affirm that heaven is as much
a real place as was the holy place within the structures of worship.
Second, let us consider the location of this place called heaven. Obviously it is not on the earth, as was Eden or the sanctuaries of
God. Even though we cannot point out heaven on a map, certainly this does not mean there is no such place. I cannot pinpoint heaven,
but I can certainly point to heaven. One word gives us the direction of heaven; the word is, "above." The Bible says, "If ye then be risen
with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God" (Col. 3:1).We have previously established
that Jesus entered into heaven itself, and here the direction is given; it is above us. Each of the heavens previously mentioned by Paul in
2 Corinthians is above. The atmospheric heaven is above us, as is the stellar heaven, and so is the eternal heaven of which we hope.
The angels said "...Why stand ye gazing up into heaven? this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven ..." (Acts 1:11).Some
skeptics will stress the fact that when we point upward toward heaven and believers on the other side of the earth do the same, we are
pointing in opposite directions. Because we point in different directions, the skeptics ask, "Who is right?" What they fail to recognize
is that though we cannot pinpoint an exact location above and say, "That is heaven," yet somewhere out there in the vast space of this
universe there is a place called heaven, where God has His throne and saved people have an eternal home. Somewhere across the
Atlantic Ocean is a nation called France, from which my ancestors came to this country. Once I can determine which direction is East,
then I can point toward France. I may not point in the exact direction, and I may not be able to give exact directions to the place, yet it is
there. I have never seen it, but I do not need to, for reliable people have assured me it is there, though a great distance away. Even so,
we have never seen or yet visited heaven, but a reliable source (God) tells us that the place is there. I can only point upward and say, "It
is somewhere up there and I long to go there one blessed day!"
Finally let us consider what heaven is like. We often wonder how it looks and what sights are to be seen when we finally arrive on that
golden shore. The twenty~first chapter of Revelation says, "And the twelve gates were twelve pearls; every several gate was of one pearl:
and the street of the city was pure gold, as it were transparent glass" (Rev. 21:21). From the description of that chapter, many look for~
ward to walking on streets of pure gold when they go to heaven however, God is not necessarily telling us to expect precious gems
and precious metals when we arrive on the other side. God may be using these objects of great worth and beauty to paint for us a mental
picture of a place more precious and more beautiful than anything here on earth. Personally, I do not believe that pearls, gold, diamonds,
or rubies will have any special value to us when we arrive there. The truth is that God tells us virtually nothing about the real scenery of
heaven. There is an obvious reason: if He told us, we would not be able to perceive it, for we have nothing of such beauty with which
to compare it in our minds. Mortals frequently use descriptive language to give a detailed account or picture things. For example we say, "it
was white as snow and pretty as a flower." What if you had never seen snow or a flower?How would you know what it looks like?Even
so, there is nothing which we have seen to which the beauty and glory of heaven may be compared. Paul said, " ...Eye hath not seen,
nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him" (1 Cor. 2:9). While
we cannot now imagine the beauty of its scenery, I am totally convinced that it must be supremely beautiful. There are sights of
exquisite beauty and glorious grandeur which exist in this world, but I believe that heaven will be more beautiful, more sublime, and more
glorious than anything mortals have witnessed here on earth. There is one aspect of heaven much more important than its scenery;
it is the presence of God and the inexpressible joy of His fellowship. His fellowship enriches our lives even now, as David declared in Psalm
16:11, saying, "...in thy presence is fullness of joy; at the right hand there are pleasures for evermore." We cannot begin to know the joy
and peace that will come to us when we see Him face to face in heaven (l Cor. 13:12). As Jesus taught us to pray, He reminded us that our
heavenly Father, who loves us and saved us, is in heaven (Mt. 6:9), waiting for us. With Him is the beautiful band of the angelic hosts
(Mt. 22:30).We shall be carried to heaven some day, for "When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in
glory" (Col. 3:4). (Also read 1 Thes. 4:16.17.) How wonderful heaven will be, just because we are "with Him."
In conclusion let me make this simple observation. Where heaven is, what we shall see, or even what we shall be like we cannot now
know (l John 3:2). If it were of vital importance, God surely would have told us in His holy revelation of Scripture. That which God
has told us, yoked with the faith He implanted within us, has caused multiplied millions to share the blessed hope of living in heaven with
God in all eternity. Possessing this blessed hope of glory, I want my life to bring Him glory now. Let us all so live each day of our life.
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