The Kingdom of Heaven #2

Welcome back to the 2nd installment of 

The Kingdom of Heaven is Like....

As I included last week...the questions that we will try to answer with scripture. 

I will tackle the first 4 for now;

Where is it?

What does it look like?

Who resides in heaven?

Who does NOT reside in heaven?

 

WHERE: is heaven?  Seems to me from these few scriptures that it is up. 

^📖 After the Lord Jesus had spoken to them, he was taken up into heaven and he sat at the right hand of God. Mark 16:19

📖 There was a violent earthquake, for an angel of the Lord came down from heaven and, going to the tomb, rolled back the stone and sat on it.  Matthew 28:2

📖 But Stephen, full of the Holy Spirit, looked up to heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God. “Look,” he said, “I see heaven open and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God.”  Acts 7:55-57

WHAT:  What does heaven look like?

The author of Revelation reveals a vision of heaven he was given:

📖 After this I looked, and there before me was a door standing open in heaven. And the voice I had first heard speaking to me like a trumpet said, “Come up here, and I will show you what must take place after this.” At once I was in the Spirit, and there before me was a throne in heaven with someone sitting on it. And the one who sat there had the appearance of jasper and ruby. A rainbow that shone like an emerald encircled the throne. Surrounding the throne were twenty-four other thrones, and seated on them were twenty-four elders. They were dressed in white and had crowns of gold on their heads.  From the throne came flashes of lightning, rumblings and peals of thunder. In front of the throne, seven lamps were blazing. These are the seven spirits of God. Also in front of the throne there was what looked like a sea of glass, clear as crystal.

In the center, around the throne, were four living creatures, and they were covered with eyes, in front and in back. The first living creature was like a lion, the second was like an ox, the third had a face like a man, the fourth was like a flying eagle. Each of the four living creatures had six wings and was covered with eyes all around, even under its wings. Day and night they never stop saying:

“‘Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty,’ who was, and is, and is to come.”

Whenever the living creatures give glory, honor and thanks to him who sits on the throne and who lives forever and ever, the twenty-four elders fall down before him who sits on the throne and worship him who lives for ever and ever. They lay their crowns before the throne and say: “You are worthy, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they were created and have their being.”   Revelation 4:1-11

Whether literal or figurative I believe that God will be enthroned there…with Christ at His right hand.  I know that there is great adoration and worship.  I have to believe that I will stand in awe.

I am reminded of the song I Can Only Imagine: by Mercy Me

🎶[Chorus:]
Surrounded by Your glory, what will my heart feel
Will I dance for you Jesus or in awe of you be still
Will I stand in your presence or to my knees will I fall
Will I sing hallelujah, will I be able to speak at all
I can only imagine🎶

WHO resides in heaven?

📖 Not all flesh is the same: People have one kind of flesh, animals have another, birds another and fish another.  There are also heavenly bodies and there are earthly bodies; but the splendor of the heavenly bodies is one kind, and the splendor of the earthly bodies is another. The sun has one kind of splendor, the moon another and the stars another; and star differs from star in splendor. 

1 Corinthians 15:39-41

There seems to be specific “heavenly” bodies, that reside different from earthly ones

📖 For we know that if the earthly tent we live in is destroyed, we have a building from God, an eternal house in heaven, not built by human hands. Meanwhile we groan, longing to be clothed instead with our heavenly dwelling, because when we are clothed, we will not be found naked. 1 Corinthians 5:1-3

📖 Blessed are the poor in spirit,

for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Blessed are those who mourn,

for they will be comforted.  Matthew 5:2-4

📖 Blessed are the peacemakers, 

for they will be called children of God.

Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness,

for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

“Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me.    Matthew 5:9-11

Peacemakers, poor in spirit, children of God, those who are persecuted are some of those we will find there.

Who will Not be there: it is also written about who can not be in the kingdom of heaven

📖 Therefore by their fruits you will know them. “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’ And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’  Matthew 7:20-22

📖 For I tell you that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the Pharisees and the teachers of the law, you will certainly not enter the kingdom of heaven.  Matthew 5:18

I know that I seem to be ending on a down note...as to who will not be there...but Jesus said;

📖 “Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God; believe also in me. My Father’s house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. You know the way to the place where I am going.” 

John 14:1-4

Jesus was speaking to His disciples....but I believe it is for us as well....if we believe in Him, we will live with Him for eternity....in Heaven. 

AMEN!!

Meet you back here ☕❤ next week for installment  #3 when we will tackle the next questions;

Heaven is like?

Who is greatest in heaven?

When should we make travel plans?

How do we get there?

❤🙏