HEAVEN, THE ETERNAL HOME OF THE RIGHTEOUS!

Yes, we have been talking about breakthrough for some weeks now. But we must realize that the “ultimate breakthrough” is entering Heaven at the end of your sojourn here on earth.

Therefore, Heaven should be the greatest desire of every wise person in this present world because this world is temporal. This world will soon pass away (Jn. 2:15-17).

If you miss Heaven because of your love for the things that won’t last, is it really worth it? 

That was why Jesus said, “For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? 37 Or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?” (Mk. 8:36-37)

What then is life like for a Christian when he steps out of this physical world and steps into the world beyond the veil of this planet?

There is another world that is so beautiful to behold, fascinating to the human mind, and indescribably beautiful and peaceful. It is a land beyond the “sunset,” where Jesus has made preparation for everyone that has put his faith in Him to live eternally in the abundance of His love and His grace.

There is a thin veil between this earth and Heaven. Our loved ones that are in Heaven right now are more alive than we are here on this earth, and one day it will be revealed to those who believe. God is so good to those who belong to Him and have served Him faithfully while on earth.

Understanding the reality of Heaven will motivate you to do all that is required to enter there. When you truly realize that Heaven is so real, it will make all the difference in the world.

So today, we want to look at the topic “HEAVEN, THE ETERNAL HOME OF THE RIGHTEOUS!” Jesus said, “In My Father's house (dwelling place) are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto Myself; that where I am, there ye MAY be also” (Jn. 14:2-3).

No one will live here on earth forever. Psalm 89:48 says, “No one can live (here on earth) forever; all will die. No one can escape the power of the grave.”

So, everyone is destined to die one day! Everyone on earth has an expiring date (Gen. 5). In Job 8:9 God said, “…Our days on earth are as transient (of short duration; passing) as a shadow.”

A man’s days in this world are very few. Man born of a woman is of few days and full of trouble (Job 14:1). He springs up like a flower and withers (fades) away; he flees like a shadow, he does not endue (continue).

Job 14:1-2 says, “How frail is humanity! How short is life, how full of trouble! 2 We blossom like a flower and then wither. Like a passing shadow, we quickly disappear.”

The Bible says, “A man’s days shall be 70 years and by reason of strength 80 years. But even the best years are filled with pain and trouble; soon they disappear, and we fly away” (Ps. 91:10).

70 years really means 25,550 days. Hebrews 9:27 says, “And as it is APPOINTED unto men once to die, but after this the judgment.”

In view of the brevity of life the Psalmist said, “So teach me to number my days, that I may apply my heart unto wisdom” (Ps. 90:12).

How many people die every day? About 7.2 million people die and leave this earth every 24 hours. That means that about 5000 people die every minute. That implies that about 84 people die every second.

How many types of death do we have? There are two types of death: (1) physical death, and (2) spiritual death.

Man is a tripartite being! Man is a spirit. This spirit has a soul. And this spirit lives in an house (on this earth) called the body” (1 Thess. 5:23).

What is physical death? Physical death is the separation of your spirit from your physical body.

What is spiritual death? Spiritual death is the separation of your spirit from God forever.

What really happens at physical death? 1. At physical death, your physical body (earth suite) is separated from your spirit-man. Thereafter, your physical body decomposes into its component chemical elements. The process of perishing introduced by the curse produces decay, decomposition, disintegration and final dissolution. Consequently, your physical body goes back to dust from where it came until the resurrection.

Ecclesiastes 3:20 says, “All go unto one place; all are of the dust, and all turn to dust again.”

2. Your spirit-man returns to God to be judged. If you were foolish to reject Jesus Christ while you were on earth, you will go straight to be with the devil and his demons in hell where you’ll be tormented forever.

But if you were wise enough  to accept Jesus Christ as your Lord and personal Saviour while you were here on earth, your spirit will go to be with the LORD in Heaven where you’ll be celebrated forever (Jn. 3:3-7; Jn. 14:6; Eph. 2:8-9; Tit. 2:11-13; Col. 1:14; Acts 4:12; 1 Tim. 2:5).

The issue is not that you died. The big question is where will you go to after you die? After judgment your spirit-man will go to one of two places: (1) Heaven or (2) Hell.

Let us now consider some points about Heaven according to the Scriptures:

1. Is there really a place called Heaven or is it just an illusion? Yes! Heaven is a real place just like the earth. God created Heaven. Thereafter, He created the earth in the image of Heaven. Heaven is a created planet.

Genesis 1:1 says, “In the beginning God created (1) the Heaven and (2) the earth.”

Genesis 2:1 says, “Thus the heavens and the earth were completed, and all their hosts.”

Psalm 8:3 says, “When I consider Your heavens, the work of Your fingers, the moon and the stars, which You have ordained.”

Psalm 89:11 says, “The heavens are Yours, and the earth is Yours; everything in the world is Yours - You created it all.”

The planet, Heaven, is the final destiny or the eternal home of those who put their faith in Jesus Christ while they were on earth.

The Bible talks of three heavens. Paul was caught up into the "Third Heaven". This implies there are at least two others.

i. The First Heaven: This is the atmospheric or aerial heaven. This is the realm in which the senses reign.  You can see this heaven.  It is the clouds and sky.  It is that heaven in which the birds fly, and where the weather is produced.  It is that heaven closest to the earth.  For the price of air plane ticket you can fly up into the first heaven.

This atmospheric heaven is immediately above the earth. It is where the birds fly, from which rain and snow fall, through which airplanes soar. It is to this heaven that the Scriptures refer as, “In the six hundredth year of Noah's life, in the second month, the seventeenth day of the month, the same day were all the fountains of the great deep broken up, and the windows of HEAVEN were opened” (Gen. 7:11).

This atmospheric heaven is earlier described as the air in Genesis 1:26 and “the open firmament of heaven” in Genesis 1:20 as the natural habitat of flying fowl.

When Solomon was dedicating the Temple in Jerusalem he said, “When heaven is shut up, and there is no rain, because they have sinned against You, if they pray towards this place, and confess Your name, and turn from their sin…then hear Thou in heaven” (1 Kings 8:36).

The first use of the word heaven refers to the heavens of the clouds, whereas the second use of the word refers to the abode of the Almighty.

Elijah the prophet prayed for rain and “it came to pass that in the meanwhile, that the heaven was black with clouds and wind, and there was a great rain” (1 Kings 18:45). The aerial heaven, then, is obviously the area just above us.

ii. The Second Heaven: The second heaven is not a planet. It is the outer space. It is called the astronomical heaven. It is the area immediately above the atmospheric heaven. It is also called the starry heaven. This is the region to which the psalmist referred when he was saying, “The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament sheweth His handiwork” (Ps. 19:1).

It is the realm of the firmaments of the earth – the stars, the moon, and the sun (Gen. 1:14-17). The eye of man can still penetrate this realm, and with the aid of the telescope, you can see that in size it is beyond our comprehension.  It is a vast heaven filled with galaxies that may contain life such as ours, but it is not the dwelling place of God.

Immediately above the second heaven is an infinitely huge cloudy space. This space is totally dark because there is no light there. It is the domain of Satan and it takes up the space between the second heaven and the third Heaven where God lives.

It is the celestial realm of darkness where Satan and his demons inhabit for now. These beings are monstrous. The beings there include: Thunder cats, Power Rangers and caricatures from animations and horror movies in real life. These demons enter into children that view these shows that depict them on TV, thereby causing them to be very rebellious to authority.

iii. The Third Heaven: This is the real Heaven, the dwelling place of God. Heaven is a real literal planet like the earth where you’ll actually live an amazing life after you depart from this world if you accepted Jesus Christ as your Lord and personal Saviour while you were on earth. Here, the joy of His presence will overwhelm you. The joy in you will reach its maximum and eventually explode.

The third Heaven is a place far above the stars. It is a planet infinitely above the second heaven. Between the stars and the third Heaven is a cloud.

The third Heaven is the realm in which the Trinity resides. This is where the spirits of the righteous go when they leave their physical body for the final time. It is the dwelling place of the holy angels.

The other two heavens can be studied by science, but the third Heaven can be known only “by revelation.”  2 Corinthians 12:2-4 Apostle Paul said, “I knew a man in Christ above fourteen years ago, (whether in the body, I cannot tell; or whether out of the body, I cannot tell: God knoweth;) such an one caught up to the third heaven. 3 And I knew such a man, (whether in the body, or out of the body, I cannot tell: God knoweth;) 4 How that he was caught up into paradise, and heard unspeakable words, which it is not lawful for a man to utter.”

The question has always been: where is the Third Heaven? The third Heaven is in the spirit realm – the realm that is accessible by faith only, just as the earth is in the physical realm – the realm that is accessible through the senses.

Scientists have had the ability to scan the known Universe for light years away in every direction and had yet to find this Third Heaven. 

Now with the Hubbell Telescope we have looked into the Black Holes.  One of these Black Holes has been identified as the “Gateway to the Third Heaven.”

This is a photograph taken by the Hubble Space Telescope.  It is at the center of a black hole in a galaxy millions of light years from the Earth.

From the Sunday Sports of London, staggered scientists revealed that they have found the third Heaven. Amazing pictures beamed to the earth from a rogue satellite plunging out of control through the universe clearly show a large glowing cloud at the center of the Milky Way. At first the researchers thought they have found a Black Hole; but after the satellite pictures were enhanced by a computer, they revealed a sprawling celestial city which they believe is God’s Kingdom.

Dr. Rankin said, “It is hard to believe….but if there is a Heaven (as the Christians believe), I think we have found it. Our technology reveals that the star conceals a vast city of Greek-style buildings and streets that shine like gold.”

For a long time many atheists have hidden their folly behind unfounded scientific fables, but the voice of science in the 20^th century now brings to us the reality of that which the Prophets spoke. With the Russian and American Cosmonauts agreeing on the reality of angels moving to and from the Heavens, and more than that, the peeping eye of the satellite beaming back to earth, the reality of a gold-street city far beyond the stars, we are left with no more doubt concerning eternal abodes beyond this life. If you dispute the voice of the prophets and despise the warnings of the unerring Scriptures, what do you make of the mind-staggering evidence cast before you by science?”

It is in this heaven that God Almighty dwells to whom we pray, “…Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. 10 Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven” (Matt 6:9-10).

Jesus spoke of His Father being in Heaven (Matt. 5:16, 45, 48; 7:11). In Matthew 5:16 Jesus said, “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.”

The third Heaven contains many mansions. In John 14:2-3 Jesus said, “In My Father's house [dwelling place, the third heaven] are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.”

The third Heaven is where the throne of God is. The earth in comparison to the third Heaven is just like a footstool. In Isaiah 66:1 God said, “The heaven is My throne, and the earth is My footstool…?”

It is from this planet that God speaks to men on earth (Heb. 12:25). Hebrews 12:25 says, “See that ye refuse not him that speaketh. For if they escaped not who refused him that spake on earth, much more shall not we escape, if we turn away from Him that speaketh from heaven.”

It is from this heaven that angels descend to earth on divine assignments [errands] (Lk. 22:43). Luke 22:43 says, “And there appeared an angel unto Him [Jesus] from heaven, strengthening Him.”

It is from this heaven that Jesus came to redeem the world (Jn 6:38, 42). In John 6:38-40 Jesus said, “For I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of Him that sent Me…”

It was into this heaven that our Saviour ascended when His earthly mission was accomplished. Acts 1:11 says, “Which also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? 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.”

It was from this heaven that the Holy Spirit descended at Pentecost to endue the church with mighty power (Lk. 24:49; Acts 1:8; Jn. 16:7; Acts 2:2). In Luke 24:49 Jesus said, “And, behold, I send the promise of my Father upon you: but tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem, until ye be endued with power from on high.”

In Acts 1:8 Jesus said, “But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.”

Acts 2:2 says, “And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting.”

It is from this heaven that Jesus will soon descend to rapture the saints (1 Thess. 4:16-17).

It is in this heaven that the names of the redeemed are registered in the Lamb’s Book of Life (Lk. 10:20).

It is in this heaven that the rewards of the righteous are specifically prepared (Matt. 5:12).

It is in this heaven that the eternal inheritance of the saints awaits them (1 Pet. 1:4-6).

The third Heaven is a real place. It is a real planet. The earth is only but a shadow or copy of the third Heaven just as your physical body is a copy of your spiritual body. The earth is made in the image of Heaven. In other words, most of what is here on earth already exists in Heaven.

The third Heaven is a literal (‘world’) planet. It is round just like the earth, only that it is much larger in size. The size of Heaven is unknown. It is millions of times the size of the earth.

Remember that the copy of something will never be as good as the original. Isaiah 40:22 says, “It is He that sitteth upon the circle of the earth, and the inhabitants thereof are as grasshoppers; that stretcheth out the heavens as a curtain, and spreadeth them out as a tent to dwell in.”

In Matthew 6:10 Jesus said, “Thy Kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in Heaven.”

Everything on earth is a copy of the original in Heaven. For instance, the grasses, the flowers, the trees, the skyscrapers etc. in the earth have their originals in Heaven. Hebrews 8:5 talks about things on earth being a shadow and type of what is in Heaven.

Hebrews 8:5 says, “Who serve unto the example and shadow of heavenly things, as Moses was admonished of God when he was about to make the tabernacle: for, See, saith He, that thou make all things according to the pattern shewed to thee in the mount.”

All good ‘things’ created came down from the Father (Jam. 1:17). There are also many things in Heaven that have not been invented here on earth yet.

Here on earth, we only use a small percentage of our brain power, but in Heaven we will be totally unhindered and creativity will be fantastic.

There are places in Heaven where we will actually learn to create. One of the places of education is called ‘Creation Lab.’

The earth and Heaven operate in two different realms. The earth operates in the physical realm. Here on earth you need a physical body in order to make contact with physical things. In Heaven you can see as you do in your physical body here on earth. Your physical body took the shape of your spiritual body. Your physical body is the house for your spiritual body in this material world. Here is the point: When you die you will move out from this physical realm into the spiritual realm.

Our natural (physical) eyes cannot see into the spirit realm unless God opens them. But the spirit realm can see everything in our physical world.

Inside your physical body is your spirit man (1 Thess. 5:23). It possesses a soul and operates in Heaven in the same manner as on earth. You can touch, taste and smell things just like on earth, only that in Heaven your senses are very much magnified.

2. Heaven is a country. Heaven is a better country with many cities. Hebrews 11:10-16 says, “…16 But now they desire a better country, that is, an heavenly: wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God: for He hath prepared for them a city.”

Here, God’s Word talks about Heaven being a country with many cities, just like on earth. This is an awesome country where the river flows from under the throne.

Revelations 21:2 says, “And I John saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.”

3. Heaven is the highest planet. Heaven is the highest part of creation. Ephesians 1:21 says, “Far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come.”

Ephesians 4:10 says, “He that descended is the same also that ascended up far above all heavens, that he might fill all things.)”

4. Heaven has foundations. 2 Samuel 22:8 says, “Then the earth shook and trembled; the foundations of (the third) Heaven moved and shook, because He was wroth.”

5. Heaven is a prepared place for a prepared people. 1 John 3:1-3 says, “…3 And every man that hath this hope in Him purifieth himself, even as He is pure.”

In Matthew 5:8 Jesus said, “Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God.”

Hebrews 12:14 says, “Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord.”

Nothing that defiles [or impure] can enter Heaven to defile it like the devil entered into the earth and defiled it. Never! Revelations 21:27 says, “And there shall in no wise enter into it anything that defileth, neither whatsoever worketh abomination, or maketh a lie: but they which are written in the Lamb's book of life.”

6. Where exactly is this place called Heaven located? Is it upwards or downwards? It is upwards from where you are right now. Heaven is located in the northern part of the universe in relation to the earth.

Ephesians 4:9-10 says, “(Now that He ascended, what is it but that He also descended first into the lower parts of the earth? 10 He that descended is the same also that ASCENDED UP FAR ABOVE ALL HEAVENS, that He might fill all things.)” He ascended up far above all heavens.

When Elijah was taken from this earth alive, the Bible says that he went up by a whirlwind into Heaven” (2 Ki 2:11).

Jesus went up into Heaven. So the location of Heaven is up. When Jesus left this earth to go back to His heavenly Father, “He was taken up” before the very eyes of His disciples who stood gazing upwards even after He had disappeared  from their sight,

Acts 1:10-11 says, “And while they looked steadfastly toward heaven as He went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel; 11 Which also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? 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.”

Since heaven is upwards, we need to define that direction in relation to planet earth. It seems apparent that true north is the one fixed point in the entire universe, and further it seems equally apparent that this fixed point is straight up in relation to the planet earth. True north is straight up and it is forever changeless!

Isaiah 14:12-14 says, “How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! How art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations! 13 For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, IN THE SIDES OF THE NORTH: 14 I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High.”

Psalm 48:1-2 says, “Great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised in the city of our God, in the mountain of His holiness. 2 Beautiful for situation, the joy of the whole earth, is mount Zion, ON THE SIDES OF THE NORTH, THE CITY OF THE GREAT KING.”

How far, then, is the real Heaven from the planet earth? I do not know. The Bible says that it is far above the stars.

Realize that north is north no matter where you are. And north is always up wards. Therefore, Heaven is a planet located in the upper most place in the north. It is located up north. Hell is located down, south wards.

Do you mean that a Christian at death goes straight to Heaven? That is precisely what I mean (2 Cor. 5:6-8).

Writing to the church at Philippi Paul said, “For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain. 22 But if I live in the flesh, this is the fruit of my labour: yet what I shall choose I wot not. 23 For I am in a strait betwixt two, having a desire to depart, and to be with Christ; which is far better: 24 Nevertheless to abide in the flesh is more needful for you” (Phil. 1:21-24).

In other words, “I much prefer going on to Heaven to be with my dear Saviour, but it is more profitable to you that I remain here and minister to your spiritual needs.”

The Christian goes at death immediately into the Presence of the Lord, to be with Christ. Where in all the universe can that be except in Heaven? Heaven is where God Almighty is; Heaven is where Christ is seated at the right hand of the Father.

Is the spirit of the righteous dead divinely escorted to Heaven? It is the duty of the angels to escort the spirit of the righteous at death from the earth into the heavenly presence of our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ.

In Luke 16:22 Jesus said, “And it came to pass, that the beggar died, and was CARRIED BY THE ANGELS into Abraham's bosom…”

Dear child of God, this angel is by your side at your physical death, just to escort you to heaven. Glory to God!

Do the righteous dead in Heaven receive their rewards immediately? Even though the righteous go into the presence of the Lord immediately after physical death, they do not then receive their eternal rewards.

Though the righteous dead are in conscious bliss, their eternal rewards await the day of divine examination of the quality of their service (1 Cor. 3) on which rewards for eternity are predicated.

Your name must be in the Lamb’s Book of Life for you to enter and have a place in Heaven. You are not going to enter Heaven because you are acting nice. You are not going to enter Heaven because your name is in a church register. You are not going to enter Heaven because you are a leader in the church. You will enter Heaven only on these conditions: (1) you MUST be Born Again (Jn. 3:3), and (2) you must walk in righteousness and holiness.

Watch out for the next edition of Good news from the Pulpit!

• Your friend: I. I. MADUBUNYI (Head Pastor)                                 21.05. 2017

God’s Promise for the week: “God shall increase your greatness, and comfort you on every side” (Ps. 71:21).