Heaven Facts

Heaven- Facts- John 14:1-8; Rev. 21:1-7

We are gathered to worship and seek God’s Words of reassurance and celebrate the life of our dear friend’s presence with the Lord in Heaven. Her love of God and her family and friends reflected the Light of the World we have been celebrating in His Christmas incarnation. We come to remember her gentleness and palpable enthusiasm for life that exuded from her every pore. She let her light shine so others would see God and glorify his name. Now she is whole and healed, home in heaven.

Jesus said in John 14: “Do not let your hearts be trouble, trust in God, trust also in me. In my Father’s house are many mansions; if it were not so I would have told you. I am going ahead 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.” Wonderful. How do I get there? Jesus went on to say, “You now the way to the place where I am going.  I am the way, the truth and the life.  No one goes to the Father but by me.” She knew He was the way and received Jesus as her personal Savior – She is there. She understood who took her there and she reflected that faith here is like an angel full of grace, mercy and love for her family and others, reflecting God’s light and love for us.

Yes, Jesus told his disciples this 2000 years ago and He has been working on it ever since to make heaven a wonderful place. She knew the way and Jesus has returned to take her to be with Him to a magnificent place that is so well described in John’s Revelation 21-22. Heaven is a family gathering of believers from every tribe, nation, but it is also our Father’s house- and in that house He has been preparing a place just for her as she trusted in Him.  When she arrived in heaven and Jesus opened the door, she knew she was home. Here are some facts on heaven that help us to know what a wonderful place she now dwells in forever.

1.     In Heaven Everything is always NEW- New heaven and New earth.  A new body, new food. New sky, stars.

V.2- New Jerusalem – New earth- Holy City God has made- pure righteous, all good news.  Prepared like a bride for adorned her husband- perfect awesome.

2. God is Near- Tabernacle with men, with us.  He heard a loud voice of God saying Now the dwelling of God is with men, he will be with them. They, we, she will be his people.  Yes Jesus is there and has welcomed her with open arms. Well done good and faithful servant. Heaven declares the glory of God.

3. She who goes to heaven will inherit all things v.7 –she inherits everything, all the beauty and promises of eternal life in God’s presence.

v. 4 God will wipe away every tear from our eyes.  Ps 56:8 tells us that God saves our tears in a bottle. None will go to waste. All the pain and tears are gone. He has personally wiped the last tear from her cheeks as He gently carried her home. No more death or sickness, hurt, disability, no more aging and the process of loss. No need for Doctors. It’s all gain. Our bodies will be and hers is perfect. It’s moving into the fullness of joy.  (Psalm 16:11- “In his presence is fullness of joy and at his right hand pleasures forevermore” Yes, In God’s presence are eternal pleasures and perfect joy.  

No more sorrow, no more mourning- Nothing to be discouraged about. Nothing from earth will bring sorrow, only perfect happiness. No pain of any kind in body or even relationships. Jesus, in salvation has given us comfort for all who mourn, and provides for those who grieve in Zion- bestowing on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, and the garment of praise instead of the spirit of despair. He has brought all of us from darkness to light when we know Him and He have completed it for her.

NO PAIN in body or relationships. All things are perfect and cooperative, no conflict in joy.  We won’t even have to say, “Have a good day.” For it will be perfect.

4. Satisfaction is abundant and complete- V.6 I am the Alpha and Omega- It is done- final words of human history.  Jesus finished it on the cross, now it is complete for eternity.

To her who is thirsty I will give to drink from the fountain, springs of the water of life, without cost.  Water is the fullness of the Lord. This new life eternal welling us inside us. John 7:34 told us about the streams of living water flowing from within us for whoever believes in Jesus, meaning His Holy Spirit. Now in heaven it is continuous, Father, Son and Holy Spirit.  She is fully satisfied; all her desires have been met and are righteous, fulfilled. She wants from nothing. She is delighting in the fullness of God.

The angel showed John the river of the water of life as clear as crystal flowing down from the throne of God and of the Lamb down the middle of the great street of the city Rev 22:1- And I love this next part. On each side of the river stood the tree of life bearing 12 crops of fruit every month. Constant new crops of different and nourishing fruit.  And the leaves are for the healing of the nations. All mankind to be healed and made new who choose the Lord.

5. Heaven Displays the glory of God- The City of God (Glory of God). John saw it from a high mountaintop where an angel carried him. I wonder if she has been carried to the high mountain- top where she is now able to observe and share our love for her.  Heaven shown with brilliance like a precious jewel, jasper, clear as crystal for its lamp is the Lamb of God.  27 times in Revelation.  It is huge some 12,000 stadia and decorated with jewels and paved with gold with 12 gates of pearl. Why gates- for it is exclusive for those who love Jesus and have chosen Him as Lord of their life.  Oh, so precious that John tries to describe it in ways to tell us that it is beyond our imaginings in beauty, preciousness and purity.  It is a display of color making a rainbow look dull. Pure gold street, and 12 foundations each of a brilliant precious stone reflecting its beauty. Clear Jasper, brilliant blue sapphire, deep green emerald, carnelian, bright red sardonyx, and yellow chalcedony, purple amethyst.

Heaven’s gates are always open for there is no fear in heaven, for God is its PROTECTOR. No danger or harm. Only those pure with names written in the Lamb’s book of Life will be there, safe and sound. Her name is written and wants us all to be there with her. It is so beautiful like a painting of a sunset she loved that Frank her dear friend who managed the art gallery where she once worked gave her. She might be painting it but she doesn’t need to because she is in its awesome beauty continuously. We need the paintings to imagine it

 The city does not need a temple for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are its temple. God is all-encompassing so we are always in His presence. So shall we ever be in the presence of God.  The Lord is worshipped, magnified in heaven. Worship is continuous and awesome in praise, given to His worthiness like the roar of rushing water (Rev.19). For God is in the praises of his people and she is there in fine, bright, white linens passionately worshipping God because there is hope in Him, complete in joy.

Have you had glimpses of heaven on earth- Perhaps peering over the edge of the Grand Canyon, a mile deep- Heaven is 1500 miles deep.  Have you ever stood in and on a mountain range and gazed out from the pure snow-topped peaks. John stood 1500 miles up. I love sitting on the bluff overlooking Lake Michigan on a sunny day seeing infinite shades of blue beyond the horizon as if forever. John is just describing the beauty of heaven.

I remember in my mind’s eye looking over the brilliance of a yellow wheat field in Montana spreading and waving before the brilliant sun, stretching for miles and reaching into the Rocky Mountain front rising high above the plain snow-capped as if to tell us God lives there. But it’s just a glimpse, like Niagara Falls roaring and cascading with rainbows dancing in its spray.

How do we describe it? Have we had glimpses of its glory? They are just a small vision gifted by God to give us hope for heaven and its beauty.

She is there and God only knows if she can see us here.  We just know that even though we miss her wonderful, gentle and loving person. She is whole and healed, complete, waiting for us who believe in the name of the Lord. For as John tells us in 1 John 5 “He who has the Son has life, and he who does not have the Son of God.” Let’s make sure we are going there by trusting in the name above all names as our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ the Lamb of the world.  Her journey is over. Well done good and faithful servant.  Our journey continues.