“What is the difference between Sheol, Hades, Hell, the lake of fire, Paradise, and Abraham's bosom?”The different terms used in the Bible for heaven and hell-sheol, hades, gehenna, the lake of fire, paradise, and Abraham's bosom (see study on Abraham's bosom)-are the subject of much debate and can be confusing. The word "paradise" is used as a synonym for heaven 2 Corinthians 12:44 that I was caught up (Greek But I know such a man, ) to paradise and heard things so astounding that they cannot be expressed in words, things no human is allowed to tell.Revelation 2:777 "Anyone with ears to hear must listen to the Spirit and understand what he is saying to the churches. To everyone who is victorious I will give fruit from the tree of life in the paradise of God. When Jesus was dying on the cross and one of the thieves being crucified with Him asked Him for mercy, Jesus replied:"I tell you the truth, today you will be with me in paradise"Jesus knew that His death was imminent and that He would soon be in heaven with His Father. Therefore, Jesus used paradise as a synonym for heaven, and the word has come to be associated with any place of ideal loveliness and delight. Abraham's bosom is referred to only once in the Bible-in the story of Lazarus and the rich manLuke 16:19-31We can do another study on that subject later
It was used in the Talmud as a synonym for heaven.The word "Talmud" is a Hebrew word meaning "learning, instruction." The Talmud is a central text of mainstream Judaism and consists primarily of discussions and commentary on Jewish history, law (especially its practical application to life), customs and culture. The Talmud consists of what are known as the Gemara and theMishnah.The image in the story is of Lazarus reclining at a table leaning on Abraham's breast-as John leaned on Jesus’ breast at the Last Supper-at the heavenly banquet. There are differences of opinion about what exactly Abraham's bosom represents.
Those who believed the setting of the story was during a period after the Messiah's death and resurrection and they saw Abraham's bosom as synonymous with heaven. Those who believe the setting to be prior to the crucifixion see Abraham's bosom as another term for paradise. The setting is really irrelevant to the point of the story, which is that wicked men will see the righteous in happiness, and themselves in torment, and that a "great gulf" exists between them which will never be spanned.Luke 16:2626 And besides, there is a great chasm separating us. No one can cross over to you from here, and no one can cross over to us from there.'In the Hebrew Scriptures, the word used to describe the realm of the dead is sheol.It simply means "the place of the dead" or "the place of departed souls/spirits." The New Testament Greek equivalent to sheolis hades, which is also a general reference to "the place of the dead." The Greek word gehenna is used in the New Testament for "hell" and is derived from the Hebrew word hinnom. (see study on gehenna)Other Scriptures in the New Testament indicated that sheol/hades is a temporary place where souls are kept as they await the final resurrection. The souls of the righteous, at death, go directly into the presence of God-the part of sheol called "heaven," "paradise," or "Abraham's bosom" Luke 23:4343 And Jesus replied, "I assure you, today you will be with me in paradise."2 Corinthians 5:88 Yes, we are fully confident, and we would rather be away from these earthly bodies, for then we will be at home with the Lord.Philippians 1:2323 I'm torn between two desires: I long to go and be with Christ, which would be far better for me.The lake of fire, is mentioned in Revelation and this is the final hell, (Greek gehenna) Revelation 19:2020 And the beast was captured, and with him the false prophet who did mighty miracles on behalf of the beast-miracles that deceived all who had accepted the mark of the beast and who worshiped his statue. Both the beast and his false prophet were thrown alive into the fiery lake of burning sulfur.Revelation 20:10, 14-1510 Then the devil, who had deceived them, was thrown into the fiery lake of burning sulfur, joining the beast and the false prophet. There they will be tormented day and night forever and ever……….14 Then death and the grave were thrown into the lake of fire. This lake of fire is the second death. 15 And anyone whose name was not found recorded in the Book of Life was thrown into the lake of fire.This is the final hell, the place of eternal punishment for all unrepentant rebels, both angelic and human Matthew 25:4141 "Then the King will turn to those on the left and say, ÔÇÿAway with you, you cursed ones, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his demons. (Greek his angels.)It is described as a place of burning sulfur, and those in it experience eternal, unspeakable agony of an unrelenting natureLuke 16:2424 "The rich man shouted, ÔÇÿFather Abraham, have some pity! Send Lazarus over here to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue. I am in anguish in these flames.'Mark 9:45-4645 If your foot causes you to sin, cut it off. It's better to enter eternal life with only one foot than to be thrown into hell with two feet.(Some manuscripts add verse 46, ÔÇÿwhere the maggots never die and the fire never goes out.')
Those who have rejected Christ and are in the temporary abode of the dead in hades/sheol have the lake of fire as their final destination.But those whose names are written in the Lamb's book of life (see study on The Book of Life) should have no fear of this terrible fate. By faith in Christ and His blood shed on the cross for our sins, we are destined to live eternally in the presence of God.What Will Heaven Be Like?
There is a common stereotype often given concerning heaven: Like sitting on a cloud, strumming a harp, seemingly bored out of their wits. Is that what heaven will be like? It’s highly unlikely.
Think about it: we’re talking about God. As we read the Bible we noticed, He’s pretty creative. If you’re in doubt, just gaze at a sunset, or try to understand how the universe is held together, or think about the vastness of space, or read about DNA. Yes, we have to admit God knows a thing or two.So, what do we know about heaven? The Bible says that, “There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain.” No more “death“? No cancer, AIDS, wars, or murders? No more “mourning”? No young widows trying to raise four children, no kids kidnapped by psychos, no crosses on the side of the highway signifying someone killed by a drunk driver, no whole cities perishing in an earthquake? Ever? No more “crying” or “pain”?No divorces ripping homes apart, no daughters being violated by fathers, no teenage boys or girls selling their bodies for money, no people feeling insecure because they’re too tall , too short , fat , skinny or unattractive, no starvation, no lonely grandmothers whose husbands died twenty years before they will, no talented people wasting their lives through a heroin addiction, no drunk husbands using their wives and children as punching bags, no insults,extreme dislikeor discrimination, no hateful words spoken or heard? What else will heaven be like? No one but God knows for sure. But obviously it will be a whole new way of life. And, if the current world is any indication, we can expect the next one to show even more of God’s creativity. We’re talking different dimensions of time and space, new activities and recreations we never even dreamt of. And that’s just the point: it’s beyond our imagination.
Do you think you could have come up with the idea for the giraffe? Or the tiger? Or the zebra? Maybe. What about the four seasons? What about having the earth spin on its own axis while it rotates around the sun? Or having the moon effect the ocean tides here on Earth? What about the human eye? What about sex? Have you ever wondered if God has something better than sex planned for the next life? Maybe you say “No way!” But what if he does?The pointI am trying to make is : God is unbelievingly creative. All we have to do is look around us. Our world is amazing. And yet, it could be that God hasn’t even started showing us how creative He is.It’s likely that he hasn’t. But we can be confident that whatever heaven is, it will be much, much more than we can ever imagine.We just have no idea.
“Where is heaven? What is the location of heaven?”Heaven is most certainly a "real place"(See is Heaven real below). The Bible very definitely speaks of heaven's existence-and that access to heaven can be obtained through faith in Jesus Christ-but there are no verses that give us a definite location. The short answer to this question is, "heaven is where God is." The place referred to in this question is called the "third heaven" and "paradise".
The apostle Paul tells of a living man who was "caught up" to heaven and was unable to describe it.
2 Corinthians 12:1-4 This boasting will do no good, but I must go on. I will reluctantly tell about visions and revelations from the Lord. I was caught up to the third heaven fourteen years ago. Whether I was in my body or out of my body, I don't know-only God knows.Yes, only God knows whether I was in my body or outside my body. But I do knowthat I was caught up to paradise and heard things so astounding that they cannot be expressed in words, things no human is allowed to tell.
1 Thessalonians 4:17Then, together with them, we who are still alive and remain on the earth will be caught up in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. Then we will be with the Lord forever.
Here Paul describes the rapture, wherein believers will be caught up to be with the Lord. These passages have led to the conclusion that heaven is beyond the earth's airspace and beyond the stars.However, since God is spirit, "heaven" cannot signify a place remote from us which God inhabits. The Greek gods were thought that it would be like spending most of their time far away from earth in a sort of celestial equivalent of the Bahamas, but the God of the Bible is not like that. God is always close to us when we call on Him, and we are encouraged to "draw near" to Him.
James 4:8Come close to God, and God will come close to you. Wash your hands, you sinners; purify your hearts, for your loyalty is divided between God and the world.
Hebrews 10:1.The old system under the law of Moses was only a shadow, a dim preview of the good things to come, not the good things themselves. The sacrifices under that system were repeated again and again, year after year, but they were never able to provide perfect cleansing for those who came to worship.
Hebrews 10:22let us go right into the presence of God with sincere hearts fully trusting him. For our guilty consciences have been sprinkled with Christ's blood to make us clean, and our bodies have been washed with pure water.
Granted, the "heaven" where saints and angels dwell has to be thought of as a sort of place, because saints and angels, as God's creaturesdo exist in space and time. But when the Creator is said to be "in heaven," the thought is that He exists on a different plane and time space from us, rather than in a different place. That God in heaven is always near to His children on earth is something which the Bible expresses throughout. The New Testament mentions heaven with considerable frequency. Yet, even though it is refered to or mentioned frequently, detailed description of its location is missing. Perhaps God has intentionally covered its location in mystery, for it is more important for us to focus on the God of heaven than the description or location of it. In the Bible it is more important to tell us about heaven than telling us what it is like or where it is. It tells us that hell is for separation and punishment (We can do a study on that next week)
Matthew 8:12But many Israelites-those for whom the Kingdom was prepared-will be thrown into outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.". Matthew 22:13Then the king said to his aides, ÔÇÿBind his hands and feet and throw him into the outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.'Heaven, on the other hand, is for fellowship and eternal joy and, more importantly, worshipping around the throne of God.
“Is Heaven real?”Heaven is indeed a real place. The Bible tells us that heaven is God's throne Isaiah 66:1This is what the Lord says: "Heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool. Could you build me a temple as good as that? Could you build me such a resting place?Acts 7:48-49 However, the Most High doesn't live in temples made by human hands. As the prophet says, ÔÇÿHeaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool.Could you build me a temple as good as that ?'asks the Lord.ÔÇÿ Could you build me such a resting place?Matthew 5:34-35.But I say, do not make any vows! Do not say, ÔÇÿBy heaven!' because heaven is God's throne. And do not say, ÔÇÿBy the earth!' because the earth is his footstool. And do not say, ÔÇÿBy Jerusalem!' for Jerusalem is the city of the great King.
After Jesus' resurrection and appearance on earth to His disciples, "He was taken up into heaven"
Mark 16:19 When the Lord Jesus had finished talking with them, he was taken up into heaven and sat down in the place of honor at God's right hand.Acts 7:55-56But Stephen, full of the Holy Spirit, gazed steadily into heaven and saw the glory of God, and he saw Jesus standing in the place of honor at God's right hand. And he told them, "Look, I see the heavens opened and the Son of Man standing in the place of honor at God's right hand!""Christ did not enter a man-made sanctuary that was only a copy of the true one"
Hebrews 9:24For Christ did not enter into a holy place made with human hands, which was only a copy of the true one in heaven. He entered into heaven itself to appear now before God on our behalf.Hebrews 6:19-20This hope is a strong and trustworthy anchor for our souls. It leads us through the curtain into God's inner sanctuary.20 Jesus has already gone in there for us. He has become our eternal High Priest in the order of Melchizedek.
Jesus not only went before us, entering on our behalf, but He is alive and has a present ministry in heaven, serving as our high priest in the true tabernacle made by God
Hebrews 8:1-2Here is the main point: We have a High Priest who sat down in the place of honor beside the throne of the majestic God in heaven.2 There he ministers in the heavenly Tabernacle,[a] the true place of worship that was built by the Lord and not by human hands.We are also told by Jesus Himself that there are many rooms in God's house and that He has gone before us to prepare a place for us. We have the assurance of His word that He will one day come back to earth and take us to where He is in heaven.
John 14:1-4."Don't let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God, and trust also in me. There is more than enough room in my Father's home.[If this were not so, would I have told you that I am going to prepare a place for you? When everything is ready, I will come and get you, so that you will always be with me where I am.And you know the way to where I am going."
Our belief in an eternal home in heaven is based on an explicit promise of Jesus. Heaven is most definitely a real place. Heaven truly does exist.When people deny the existence of heaven, not only do they deny the written Word of God, but they also deny the innermost longings of their own hearts. Paul addressed this issue in his letter to the Corinthians, encouraging them to cling to the hope of heaven so that they would not lose heart. Although we "groan and sigh" in our earthly state, we have the hope of heaven always before us and are eager to get there.
2 Corinthians 5:1-4For we know that when this earthly tent we live in is taken down (that is, when we die and leave this earthly body), we will have a house in heaven, an eternal body made for us by God himself and not by human hands.2 We grow weary in our present bodies, and we long to put on our heavenly bodies like new clothing.3 For we will put on heavenly bodies; we will not be spirits without bodies.[a]4 While we live in these earthly bodies, we groan and sigh, but it's not that we want to die and get rid of these bodies that clothe us. Rather, we want to put on our new bodies so that these dying bodies will be swallowed up by life.
Paul urged the Corinthians to look forward to their eternal home in heaven, a perspective that would enable them to endure hardships and disappointments in this life.
2 Corinthians 4:17-18 For our present troubles are small and won't last very long. Yet they produce for us a glory that vastly outweighs them and will last forever! So we don't look at the troubles we can see now; rather, we fix our gaze on things that cannot be seen. For the things we see now will soon be gone, but the things we cannot see will last forever.Just as God has put in men's hearts the knowledge that He exists, so are we "programmed" to desire heaven.
Romans 1:19-20They know the truth about God because he has made it obvious to them.20 For ever since the world was created, people have seen the earth and sky. Through everything God made, they can clearly see his invisible qualities-his eternal power and divine nature. So they have no excuse for not knowing God.
It is the theme of countless books, songs, and works of art. Unfortunately, our sin has barred the way to heaven. Since heaven is the dwelling of a holy and perfect God.Sin has no place there, nor can it be tolerated. Fortunately, God has provided for us the key to open the doors of heaven-Jesus Christ John 14:6Jesus told him, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me.
All who believe in Him and seek forgiveness for sin will find the doors of heaven swung wide open for them. May the future glory of our eternal home motivate us all to serve God faithfully and wholeheartedly.
Hebrews 10:19-22And so, dear brothers and sisters, we can boldly enter heaven's Most Holy Place because of the blood of Jesus. By his death, Jesus opened a new and life-giving way through the curtain into the Most Holy Place.And since we have a great High Priest who rules over God's house,let us go right into the presence of God with sincere hearts fully trusting him. For our guilty consciences have been sprinkled with Christ's blood to make us clean, and our bodies have been washed with pure water.
In Heaven there Shall Be No Night
"And there will be no night there-no need for lamps or sun-for the Lord God will shine on them. And they will reign forever and ever". Revelation 22:5
In the account of the creation, we read that the first word from God was, Genesis 1:3 “Let there be light”. He did not actually create or make light, as He did everything else, since God is light
1 John 1:5.This is the message we heard from Jesus and now declare to you: God is light, and there is no darkness in him at all. He did create darkness, however
Isaiah 45:7 I create the light and make the darkness. I send good times and bad times. I , the Lord, am the one who does these things., and then divided the light from the darkness.
Genesis 1:5“And God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night”
Although the darkness of night can be a time of blessing through rest and sleep, it also soon came to symbolize spiritual darkness. Most evil deeds are done at night, and Christians are warned in Ephesians 5:11to Take no part in the worthless deeds of evil and darkness; instead, expose them. God has called us “out of darkness into his marvelous light” 1 Peter 2:9But you are not like that, for you are a chosen people. You are royal priests a holy nation, God's very own possession. As a result, you can show others the goodness of God, for he called you out of the darkness into his wonderful light.
In that wonderful age to come, we will dwell in our eternal home in the Holy City,
Revelation 21:25 Its gates will never be closed at the end of day because there is no night there
Revelation 21:23 And the city has no need of sun or moon, for the glory of God illuminates the city, and the Lamb is its light..
The sun and moon will still be there functioning in the heavens , but their light will not be needed in the Holy City where we shall live, for the Lamb of God will also be the Lamp of God. He is the Light of the world and where He is, in His eternal glory, there can be no night.
Psalm 148:6He set them in place forever and ever. His decree will never be revoked.
In fact, all the stars will also shine for ever and ever
Daniel 12:3Those who are wise will shine as bright as the sky, and those who lead many to righteousness will shine like the stars forever.
Our God is the Creator, not an un-creator. As wise Solomon noted:
Ecclesiastes 3:14And I know that whatever God does is final. Nothing can be added to it or taken from it. God's purpose is that people should fear him..Although the earth and its elements must yet be cleansed by fire2 Peter 3:10But the day of the Lord will come as unexpectedly as a thief. Then the heavens will pass away with a terrible noise, and the very elements themselves will disappear in fire, and the earth and everything on it will be found to deserve judgment.,God's physical universe will endure forever. God is not capricious; He does not "un-create" what He has created Ecclesiastes 3:14And I know that whatever God does is final. Nothing can be added to it or taken from it. God's purpose is that people should fear him.. See also Psalm 78:69 There he built his sanctuary as high as the heavens, as solid and enduring as the earth.Psalm104:5You placed the world on its foundation so it would never be moved.Daniel 12:3.Those who are wise will shine as bright as the sky, and those who lead many to righteousness will shine like the stars forever.
“Will we have physical bodies in Heaven?”Although the Bible tells us little about what it will be like in heaven, it seems that we will most likely have a physical body, although not in the same sense of "physical" that we have now.
1Corinthians 15:52 says that “It will happen in a moment, in the blink of an eye, when the last trumpet is blown. For when the trumpet sounds, those who have died will be raised to live forever. And we who are living will also be transformed..”
Jesus Christ is “the first fruits” of those who have died
1 Corinthians 15:20, 23. But in fact, Christ has been raised from the dead. He is the first of a great harvest of all who have died. ……But there is an order to this resurrection: Christ was raised as the first of the harvest; then all who belong to Christ will be raised when he comes back.
This means that He set the example and leads the way.
1 Corinthians 15:42It is the same way with the resurrection of the dead. Our earthly bodies are planted in the ground when we die, but they will be raised to live forever.
Our “body is sown in corruption, it is raised in incorruption.”
As a forerunner to the believers' resurrection, some were raised at the time of Christ’s resurrection in Matthew 27:52 where it says that their “and tombs opened. The bodies of many godly men and women who had died were raised from the dead..”
Thomas, in John 20:27 physically touched the body of Christ following His resurrection, Then he said to Thomas, "Put your finger here, and look at my hands. Put your hand into the wound in my side. Don't be faithless any longer. Believe!" so He obviously had a body that was solid.We can expect that all believers' resurrection will be like that of Christ’s. What a wonderful truth! The Bible is not specific, but it seems that we will be able to eat.
John, in Revelation 22:2, writes of his vision of the eternal state where he saw that “It flowed down the center of the main street. On each side of the river grew a tree of life, bearing twelve crops of fruit, with a fresh crop each month. The leaves were used for medicine to heal the nations. ”
This seems to be a reversal of the Genesis 3 punishment where Adam and Eve, and hence all of mankind, were banned from eating from this tree. As for hunger, it appears that there won’t be any.
Isaiah 49:10 says that there will be no hunger or thirst in the millennial kingdom. They will neither hunger nor thirst.The searing sun will not reach them anymore.For the Lord in his mercy will lead them; he will lead them beside cool waters.
This is speaking of mortal men during that period, not of translated saints, but by extension it can be said that if mortals on earth during Christ’s Kingdom do not hunger, then surely there will be no hunger in heavenRevelation 7:14-16. And I said to him, "Sir, you are the one who knows."Then he said to me, "These are the ones who died in the great tribulation. They have washed their robes in the blood of the Lamb and made them white."That is why they stand in front of God's throne and serve him day and night in his Temple. And he who sits on the throne will give them shelter. They will never again be hungry or thirsty; they will never be scorched by the heat of the sun.Finally, Job wrote that he knew for sure that even after he dies and his skin is long gone, that Job 19:25-26" I know that my Redeemer lives, and he will stand upon the earth at last. And after my body has decayed, yet in my body I will see God! “
So that means our bodies will consist of some kind of glorified flesh. Whatever form we have, we know that it will be perfect, sinless and flawless.
“Are there different levels of Heaven?”The closest thing Scripture says to there being different levels of heaven is found in2 Corinthians 12:2"I know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago was caught up to the third heaven. Whether it was in the body or out of the body I do not know-God knows."
Some interpret this as indicating that there are three different levels of heaven, a level for "super-committed Christians" or Christians who have obtained a high level of spirituality, a level for "ordinary" Christians, and a level for Christians who did not serve God faithfully. This view has no basis in Scripture.Paul is not saying that there are three heavens or even three levels of heaven. In many ancient cultures, people used the term "heaven" to describe three different "realms"-the sky, outer space, and then a spiritual heaven.
Although the terms are not specifically biblical, these are commonly known as the terrestrial, telestial, and celestial heavens. Paul was saying that God took him to the "celestial" heavens, as in the realm in which God dwells. The concept of different levels of heaven may have come in part from Dante's Divine Comedy in which the Italian poet Dante Alighieti describes both heaven and hell as having nine different levels. The Divine Comedy written between 1308 and 1321, however, is a fictional work where he describes his imaginative journey through the three realms of the dead namely:Inferno (Hell); Purgatorio (Purgatory); and Paradiso (Heaven) . The idea of different levels of heaven is foreign to Scripture. Scripture does speak of different rewards in heaven. Jesus said regarding rewards,
"Behold, I am coming soon! My reward is with me, and I will give to everyone according to what he has done"Revelation 22:12.
Jesus said that when He comes He will have with Him rewards to give to people on the basis of what they have done. This shows us that there will be a time of reward for believers.
In 2 Timothy 4:7-8, we read the words of Paul as he closes out his ministry:
"I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, and I have remained faithful.8 And now the prize awaits me-the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give me on the day of his return. And the prize is not just for me but for all who eagerly look forward to his appearing."Only those works that survive God's refining fire have eternal value and will be worthy of reward. Those valuable works are referred to in1 Corinthians 3:12 as "gold, silver, and costly stones" and are those things that are built upon the foundation of faith in Christ.
Those works that will not be rewarded are called "wood, hay, and stubble"; these are not evil deeds but shallow activities with no eternal value.
Rewards will be distributed at the "judgment seat of Christ," a place where believers' lives will be evaluated for the purpose of rewards. "Judgment" of believers never refers to punishment for sin.
Jesus Christ was punished for our sin when He died on the cross, and God said about us:Hebrews 8:12 "I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more".
What a glorious thought! The Christian need never fear punishment, but can look forward to crowns of reward that he can cast at the feet of the Savior.
In conclusion, there are not different levels of heaven, but there are different levels of reward in heaven.
Crown Him with Many Crowns
“The twenty-four elders fall down and worship the one sitting on the throne (the one who lives forever and ever). And they lay their crowns before the throne and say, "You are worthy, O Lord our God, to receive glory and honor and power. For you created all things, and they exist because you created what you pleased." Revelation 4:10-11
As Christians, we are promised crowns of various sorts.
Crown of rejoicing Those we have ministered to Thessalonians 2:19 After all, what gives us hope and joy, and what will be our proud reward and crown as we stand before our Lord Jesus when he returns? It is you!
Joy as a crownPhilippians 4:1Therefore, my dear brothers and sisters,[a] stay true to the Lord.
I love you and long to see you, dear friends, for you are my joy and the crown I receive for my work.
Crown of righteousness for service to the Lord 2 Timothy 4:8And now the prize awaits me-the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give me on the day of his return. And the prize is not just for me but for all who eagerly look forward to his appearing.
Crown of life If we endureJames 1:12 God blesses those who patiently endure testing and temptation. Afterward they willreceive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him.
Crown of glory1 Peter 5:4And when the Great Shepherd appears, you will receive a crown of never-ending glory and honor.
These crowns are “incorruptible” 1 Corinthians 9:25, lasting for eternity. All athletes are disciplined in their training. They do it to win a prize that will fade away, but we do it for an eternal prize.
But of what use will crowns be in glory?
We will willingly cast our “crowns”–our accomplishments performed in service of Him–at His feet as an act of worship, for all we are and have done has been a gift from the almighty sovereign Creator/Savior.
Even today we can crown Him King of every area of our lives. The grand old hymn “Crown Him with Many Crowns” relates this and reminds us to look ahead.
Crown Him with many crowns, The lamb upon His throneSee! how the heavenly anthem drowns All music but its own!Awake my soul and sing Of Him who died for theeAnd hail Him as thy matchless King Through all eternity.
There will come that day when we form ” a vast crowd . . . Before the throne, and before the Lamb”
Revelation 7:9After this I saw a vast crowd, too great to count, from every nation and tribe and people and language, standing in front of the throne and before the Lamb. They were clothed in white robes and held palm branches in their hands.
singing “the song of the Lamb"Revelation 15:3And they were singing the song of Moses, the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb: "Great and marvelous are your works, O Lord God, the Almighty. Just and true are your ways, O King of the nations.
The theme of our song will be that ofRomans 5:8“God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners”
How can one develop an eternal perspective ?
If we are looking for the personification of an eternal perspective, we need look no further than our lord and savior Jesus Christ . He immersed himself in Scripture, sacrificed himself for the needs of others, and treasured fellowship with His heavenly Father. Like the Master, we are called to elevate our gaze from earthly vanities to the vanities verities (the quality of being true or real).
First, we develop an eternal perspective by saturating ourselves with scripture. DSS model day the devotion to the word of god. In the ultimate spiritual battle, Jesus took up the sword of the spirit which is the word of God. He had mined memorized and meditated on scripture. Thus, when the slanderer sought to tempt the Savior to turn stones into bread. Jesus was prepared. " It is written" He said "man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God"Matthew 4:4.
Furthermore, we begin to view this world with an eye toward eternity by focusing on the needs of others . As our Master sacrificed himself for the sins of the world , we must learn to live selflessly rather than selfishly. At the judgment those who fed the hungry, gave drink to the thirsty, clothed the naked, cared for the sick, and visited those in prison will be rewarded as if they had done these things for the Lord himself Matthew 25:31- 40 .
We need to develop an eternal perspective by saturating ourselves with scripture by focusing on the needs of others, and by withdrawing from the invasive sounds of this world so that we can hear the sounds of another place and another voice.
Jesus often withdrew Himself to lonely places and prayed Luke 5:16
Unlike the religious leaders of His day he did not pray to be seen by many, he prayed because He treasured fellowship with his father. If you wish to develop the kind of perspective that leads to abundant living both now and for all eternity, " go into your room close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your father who sees what is done in secret will reward you .