Sunday Mornin' Hope : Heaven and Hell (part 1)
Sunday Mornin' Hope : Heaven and Hell (part 1)
psalmist on Sat Oct 17, 2009 11:39 pm
"Where you headin?" is a common question people often ask. When I see a bike loaded down with stuff, I often ask that. MAybe I can be of assistance or share a trip event.
Someday you and I will be going either to heaven or hell, and it's our choice. Most people believe there is a heaven. Most people don't believe in hell. It's easy to accept the concept of a beautiful place where all is peaceful and totally wonderful. But a place of eternal torment doesn't make sence. Why would a loving God ever let such a place exist? I want to cover briefly (over the next two posts) these two places. Where they are, and so on.
First, let's consider heaven. It is mentioned 436 times in the Bible (NAS). It was made by God.
Ge 2:4 -
This is the account of the heavens and the earth when they were created, in the day that the LORD God made earth and heaven.
I believe it to be very close. God spoke to people from heaven.
Ge 22:11 -
But the angel of the LORD called to him from heaven and said, "Abraham, Abraham!" And he said, "Here I am."
Ge 22:15 -
Then the angel of the LORD called to Abraham a second time from heaven,
Maybe heaven is in a 4th dimension, and we just can't see it. I really don't know. I believe there are three different forms of the word heaven. One speaks of the firmament around the earth at creation. Another is 'home' to Jesus, God, angels and saints.
Mt 23:22 -
"And whoever swears by heaven, swears both by the throne of God and by Him who sits upon it.
Yet another is what Paul speaks about in the epistles as a third heaven.
2Co 12:2 -
I know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago--whether in the body I do not know, or out of the body I do not know, God knows--such a man was caught up to the third heaven.
One misconception of heaven is the term "mansion". It has been in songs and books to represent a giant 20+ bedroom house. Here's the original from John 14:
14:2 [ Greek Font Size: – / + | Toggle Font ] [ View in: BYZ / TR | Side-by-side | Greek Lexical Parser ]
In my Father's house are (5748) many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told * (5627) you. I go (5736) to prepare (5658) a place for you.
en th oikia tou patrov mou monai pollai eisin; (5748) ei de mh, eipon (5627) an umin oti poreuomai (5736) etoimasai (5658) topon umin?
Original greek is monh/. It means dwelling place, not a big house. When Jesus was on the Earth in human form, fathers would build (on to their existing house) a place or room for their son and his bride. So our concept of getting a home like "The Beverly Hillbillies" just might be wrong. But does it matter?
What really matters is, Are you going? How do you get there?
Mt 7:21 -
"Not everyone who says to Me, `Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven will enter.
Mt 18:3
and said, "Truly I say to you, unless you are converted and become like children, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven.
Joh 6:50 -
"This is the bread which comes down out of heaven, so that one may eat of it and not die.
Joh 6:51 -
"I am the living bread that came down out of heaven; if anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever; and the bread also which I will give for the life of the world is My flesh."
If we ask Jesus into our hearts and forgive us our sin, we will live in heaven forever. We will reign and rule with Him throughout eternity. That's where I'm going, and I hope you are too. It's all by grace that we are saved. We don't earn it by good deeds or not being mean. It's by simply repenting. That means to turn around and head the other way.
John 1:9 -
If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
I hope you will. I'm praying for you. If you need help this week, let me know. I'll do what I can. Next week we look at a fascinating place called "hell" and where it is.
Someday you and I will be going either to heaven or hell, and it's our choice. Most people believe there is a heaven. Most people don't believe in hell. It's easy to accept the concept of a beautiful place where all is peaceful and totally wonderful. But a place of eternal torment doesn't make sence. Why would a loving God ever let such a place exist? I want to cover briefly (over the next two posts) these two places. Where they are, and so on.
First, let's consider heaven. It is mentioned 436 times in the Bible (NAS). It was made by God.
Ge 2:4 -
This is the account of the heavens and the earth when they were created, in the day that the LORD God made earth and heaven.
I believe it to be very close. God spoke to people from heaven.
Ge 22:11 -
But the angel of the LORD called to him from heaven and said, "Abraham, Abraham!" And he said, "Here I am."
Ge 22:15 -
Then the angel of the LORD called to Abraham a second time from heaven,
Maybe heaven is in a 4th dimension, and we just can't see it. I really don't know. I believe there are three different forms of the word heaven. One speaks of the firmament around the earth at creation. Another is 'home' to Jesus, God, angels and saints.
Mt 23:22 -
"And whoever swears by heaven, swears both by the throne of God and by Him who sits upon it.
Yet another is what Paul speaks about in the epistles as a third heaven.
2Co 12:2 -
I know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago--whether in the body I do not know, or out of the body I do not know, God knows--such a man was caught up to the third heaven.
One misconception of heaven is the term "mansion". It has been in songs and books to represent a giant 20+ bedroom house. Here's the original from John 14:
14:2 [ Greek Font Size: – / + | Toggle Font ] [ View in: BYZ / TR | Side-by-side | Greek Lexical Parser ]
In my Father's house are (5748) many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told * (5627) you. I go (5736) to prepare (5658) a place for you.
en th oikia tou patrov mou monai pollai eisin; (5748) ei de mh, eipon (5627) an umin oti poreuomai (5736) etoimasai (5658) topon umin?
Original greek is monh/. It means dwelling place, not a big house. When Jesus was on the Earth in human form, fathers would build (on to their existing house) a place or room for their son and his bride. So our concept of getting a home like "The Beverly Hillbillies" just might be wrong. But does it matter?
What really matters is, Are you going? How do you get there?
Mt 7:21 -
"Not everyone who says to Me, `Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven will enter.
Mt 18:3
and said, "Truly I say to you, unless you are converted and become like children, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven.
Joh 6:50 -
"This is the bread which comes down out of heaven, so that one may eat of it and not die.
Joh 6:51 -
"I am the living bread that came down out of heaven; if anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever; and the bread also which I will give for the life of the world is My flesh."
If we ask Jesus into our hearts and forgive us our sin, we will live in heaven forever. We will reign and rule with Him throughout eternity. That's where I'm going, and I hope you are too. It's all by grace that we are saved. We don't earn it by good deeds or not being mean. It's by simply repenting. That means to turn around and head the other way.
John 1:9 -
If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
I hope you will. I'm praying for you. If you need help this week, let me know. I'll do what I can. Next week we look at a fascinating place called "hell" and where it is.
psalmist- Number of posts: 20
Location: Fort Smith, AR
Registration date: 2009-04-08 
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