When I got admission for higher studies abroad, I
spent a lot of time trying to know about the country I was sojourning. I read
about the people I was going to stay with; their culture, food and how they
relate with people from different race. I read about the cost of living and the
standard of living and what the country’s cities are known for. There was this
friend of mine who was already a student in the country and he told me more
about the student’s life in the country.
I believe most people who travel to other nations
would similarly do what I did. And sometimes you form in your mind some
expectations. And most often than not, there is this joy in your heart more
especially when the country you are visiting has better economic fortunes than
your home country.
God, in the same vain has not left believers out
regarding the knowledge of heaven, that city all believers have been promised
and are looking forward to it. Though we will not know everything about the
Heavenly City until we get there, God through the Scriptures has given us some
enlightenment about this indescribable city. And as a believer, I think you
would desire to know about where we are going after this life on earth.
Our Lord Jesus promised that where He will be,
we, His followers – and all believers for that matter – shall be also (John
14:3). And we know through the Scriptures that Jesus, our Lord and Saviour
arrived safely in heaven when he ascended. How do we know?
This is how we know. Jesus also said that when He
gets into heaven, He and the Father will send the Promised Holy Spirit. So the
Holy Spirit would not come until Jesus arrived in heaven (See John 16:7). And
we know that ten (10) days after His ascension, the Holy Spirit came down on
the Pentecost day (see Acts 2:1-4)
Also, Peter, the Apostle, witnessed that Jesus
has arrived in heaven (see Acts2:33; 1 Peter 3:22). Stephen, the man of faith
also testified to this (see Acts 7:55-56). Apostle Paul also testified to same
(see Romans 8:34; Ephesians 1:20). The writer of Hebrews was not left out
regarding these testimonies (see Hebrews 9:24; Hebrews 10:12; Hebrews 12:2). The
Apostle John too witnessed to Jesus being in heaven (see 1 John 2:1). Therefore
we can convincingly say that Jesus is in heaven.
Before Jesus would ascend to heaven, He promised
that He would come back for believers to heaven where they will stay for
eternity (time without end). Believers are going to heaven where they will stay
forever with Christ Jesus after they have left this life on earth.
Indeed the Bible reveals that the home of
believers is heaven. Philippians 3:20 (NIV version) reads “But our
citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there,
the Lord Jesus Christ” (See also Ephesians 2:19).
I therefore present to you some seven things the
Bible reveals about heaven.
1. There is
neither night nor darkness in Heaven (Revelation 21:25, Revelation 22:5)
Darkness is part of our world. It brings its own
benefits more especially to plants but darkness is not the desire of men. When
it is night, lights are lit because of darkness. People have lost their
valuable things to darkness. Some have been bitten by poisonous animals because
there was darkness. In fact darkness represents evil and the kingdom of Satan
is referred to as the kingdom (dominion) of darkness (see Colossians 1:13). In
heaven, the glory of God is the light for the city and there is no need of sun
or moon (Revelation 21:23).
2. There
will be no more pain in Heaven (Revelation 21:4)
Pain of whatever form is not a charitable
experience. Physical or emotional pain can only be told by the one who has
experienced it. Sometimes, pain becomes unbearable to the extent that the
bearer would rather preferred dead. Sometimes euthanasia, which is the painless
killing of a patient suffering from an incurable and painful disease, is
prescribed for some people who are in pain. Maybe even as you are reading, you
may be experiencing one pain or the other, I pray with you that you will be
healed of the pain but in heaven there will be neither disease nor pain, praise
God!
3. There
shall be no more death and sorrow (Revelations 21:4)
If there is anything in this life that people
fear, then it is arguably death. Death of a loved one is not a pleasant
experience. For some people, the death of a beloved is a ghastly experience and
to some it is a heartrending moment. I know of some people who met ‘unending’
difficulties of life after the demise of their loved ones; hither too,
everything in life seemed great and awesome. For many years, some people still
mourn their departed spouse, fathers, mothers, uncles, etc. Separation with a
loved one brings sorrow and makes the heart sad. But thank God, in heaven, the
home of the believer, there will be no more death. We shall live eternally,
thus we shall live time without end.
4. The
street of the city is of pure gold (Revelation 21:21)
Many people are oppressed and are made slaves
because of poverty. In the heavenly city, there is no poverty. Many people have
made some choices in this life because of poverty. I heard of a woman who sold
her only child for money. In fact poverty can make you do things you would not
have done if you were rich. And most of the ills in our society can be attributed
to poverty. Some people are sick because they lack money and some have been
deprived of good healthcare because they didn’t have money. Many people are
suffering due to poverty. But in heaven, we shall lack nothing. Everything we
will need in that city will be readily available and effortlessly accessible.
You would not have to satisfy some conditions before you can access what you
need. Yes I don’t know exactly how life will be in that life, but what I
certainly know is that there is no poverty in there. Remember the story of
Lazarus and the rich man as told by our Lord Jesus Christ in Luke 16:19-31,
that Lazarus was poor on earth but when he got to heaven, he never lacked.
Please let us go to heaven together, there is neither poverty nor suffering.
5. We shall
be like Christ (1 John 3:2)
In the next life in heaven, we shall see Jesus as
He is and we shall be like Him. Philippians 3:20-21 reads “…who (Jesus Christ),
by the power that enables him to bring everything under his control, will
transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like his glorious body”.
The writer of 1st John saw Jesus when He was transfigured (see Luke 9:28:36),
so when he said we shall see Jesus as He is and be like Him, he knew what he
was talking about. Though, let me add that, the disciples at the
transfiguration did not have it at a full glance because they were then not like Him. The Lord Jesus Himself prayed
and said “Father, I want those You have given Me to be with Me where I
am, and to see My glory, the glory You have given Me because You
loved Me before the creation of the world”. We shall radiate the awesome and
glittering glory of our Lord Jesus Christ in heaven.
6. We shall
recognize one another (1 Thessalonians 4:14-18)
The Apostle Paul comforting the Thessalonian
believers who were bereaved said “…And the dead in Christ will rise first, then
we who are alive, who are left, shall be caught up together with them (those
who have died) in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air; and so we shall
always be with the Lord” (1 Thessalonians 4:16-17). This message is teaching
about afterlife reunion and I believe that if we wouldn’t recognize our loved
ones in the next life, then the comforting would be no comfort at all. After
all if I can’t recognize that this is my father in the afterlife, why should I
be comforted with the message of meeting together in the clouds? Also in the
story of Lazarus and the rich man (Luke 16:19-31), there were recognized after
they died. The rich man recognized Lazarus and asked for a favour from him
through father Abraham (verse 24). Besides, the Bible does not give any
indication that our memories will be wiped so that we cannot recognize our
loved ones in the next life.
7. We will
still have emotions.
Man is a spirit who has a soul and lives in a body.
When a man dies physically, his spirit together with the soul leaves the body.
The soul is connected to the feeling, thinking and reasoning, and helps man to
relate emotionally. So a dead body cannot feel a pinch because the soul has
left it. In heaven we shall still have the soul and still have feelings. Like
God, who can love, rejoice, become jealous, we too will express emotions in
heaven- but in that life, all feelings will be good ones and we can’t marry as
well (see Matthew 22:30)
Having received this knowledge about heaven, you
may want to know how you can be part of the heavenly citizenry. Please it is
simple; you must be born again. That is you
must believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved!
You just have
to believe in your heart and confess Him Lord and Saviour of your life. Bible
reveals that when you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in
your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved (see Romans
10:9-10).
Are you ready to accept Jesus into your heart?
Please make this prayer after me (if you are not already born again).
“I
…(kindly mention your name) believe that Jesus is the Son of God! I believe
that He died for my sins and rose for my redemption. I declare Him Lord and
Saviour of my life! I will henceforth serve Him and the rest of my life I will
submit to His Lordship. I say NO to the world and YES to Him anytime anywhere!
Amen!
If you meaningfully said that prayer,
you are now born again! Praise God! You are a child of God. In order to maintain
this new relationship with God Almighty, you need to consistently and
persistently meditate on the Word of God (the Bible) and make prayer become
part and parcel of your lifestyle.
Please find a bible-believing church
and join for regular fellowship. You will be strengthened in your faith by so
doing. God bless you for this bold decision and enjoy your new life in Christ!
Praise God! We are going to heaven together!
Thank you for reading, God bless you!
Richard Adu Poku
Email:richardadupoku2045@gmail.com
Art work source: witnessandtestimony.blogspot.com
(June, 2013)
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