Friday, June 18, 2010

Heaven is a word that expresses several distinct concepts in the Sacred Scripture/Holy Bible:

1. - As used in a physical sense heaven is the expanse over the earth. The tower of Babel reached upward to heaven. God is the possessor of heaven. Heaven is the location of the stars as well the source of dew. - Gen. 1:8, 11:4, 14:9, 1:14, 26:4, 27:28 -

2. - Heaven is also the dwelling place of God. It is the source of the new Jerusalem.

Then Jacob awoke from his sleep and said, 'Truly, Yahweh is in this place and I never knew it!' He was afraid and said, 'How' awe-inspiring this place is! This is nothing less than a house of God; this is the gate of heaven!' - Gen.28:16-17 -

And now war broke out in heaven, when Michael with his angels attacked the dragon. The dragon fought back with his angels but they were defeated and driven out of heaven. The great dragon, the primeval serpent, known as the devil or Satan who had deceived all the world, was hurled down to the earth and his angels were hurled down with him. Then I heard a voice shout from heaven, "Victory and power and empire forever have been won by our God and all authority for his Christ now that the persecutor who accused our brothers day and night before our God has been brought down.

They have triumphed over him by the blood of the Lamb and by the witness of their martyrdom because even in the face of death they would not cling to life. Let the heavens rejoice and all who live there but for you, earth and sea, trouble is coming because the devil has gone down to you in a rage knowing that his days are numbered." - Rev. 12:7-12 -

The city prepared and built by God for those who are faithful to Him. Known as the heavenly Jerusalem this is the city that is to come. They lived there in tents while he looked forward to a city founded, designed and built by God. - Heb. 11:10 - They can hardly have meant the country they came from since they had the opportunity to go back to it; but in fact they were longing for a better homeland, their heavenly homeland. - Heb. 11:15-16 - These references in Hebrews find their fulfillment in Revelation chapter 21 and 22. The New Jerusalem is illuminated by the glory of God. It serves as the dwelling place of God among His redeemed forever.

3. - Because of the work of Christ on the Cross, heaven is, in part, present with believers on earth as they obey God's commands. - John 14:1-4 - The word heaven also used as the name of God, the Kingdom of God and the Kingdom of heaven are often spoken of interchangeably. - Luke 15:18; John 3:27; Matt. 4:17; Mark 1:15 -

At the end time a new heaven will be created to surround the new earth. This new heaven will be the place of God's perfect presence.

For now I create new heavens and a new earth, and the past will not be remembered , and will come no more to men minds. Be glad and rejoice forever and ever, for what I am creating because I now create Jerusalem "Joy and her people Gladness". I shall rejoice over Jerusalem and exult in my people. - Is. 65:17-19 -

For as the new heavens
and the new earth I shall make
will endure before me
it is Yahweh who speaks
so will your race and name endure

From New Moon to New Moon,
from sabbath to sabbath,
all mankind will come to bow down
in my presence, says Yahweh.

And on their way out they will see
the corpses of men
who have rebelled against me,
Their worm will not die
nor their fire go out;
they will be loathsome to all mankind. - Is. 66:22-24 -

Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth; the first heaven and the first earth had disappeared now and there was no longer any sea. I saw the holy city, and the new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven as beautiful as a bride all dressed for her husband. Then I heard a loud voice call from the throne, You see this city? Here God lives among men. He will make his home among them; they shall be his people and he will be their God; his name is God-with-them. He will wipe away all tears from their eyes; they will be no more death and no more mourning or sadness. The world of the past has gone.

Then the One sitting on the throne spoke: 'Now I am making the whole of creation new' he said, 'Write this; that what I am saying is sure and will come true'. And then he said, It is already done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. I will give water from the well of life tree, free to anybody who is thirsty; it is the rightful inheritance of the one who proves victorious; and I will be his God and he a son to me. But the legacy for cowards, for those who break their word or worship obscenities, for murderer and fornicators, and for fortune tellers, idolaters or any other sort of liars, is the second death in the burning lake of sulphur. - Rev. 21:1-8 -

The need for a new heaven................

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Sunday, May 24, 2009

I have through years of reading, pondering, reflecting and contemplating, the 3 things that last; FAITH . HOPE . LOVE and I would like to made available my sharing from the many thinkers, authors, scholars and theologians whose ideas and thoughts I have borrowed. God be with them always. Amen!

I STILL HAVE MANY THINGS TO SAY TO YOU BUT THEY WOULD BE TOO MUCH FOR YOU NOW. BUT WHEN THE SPIRIT OF TRUTH COMES, HE WILL LEAD YOU TO THE COMPLETE TRUTH, SINCE HE WILL NOT BE SPEAKING AS FROM HIMSELF, BUT WILL SAY ONLY WHAT HE HAS LEARNT; AND HE WILL TELL YOU OF THE THINGS TO COME.

HE WILL GLORIFY ME, SINCE ALL HE TELLS YOU WILL BE TAKEN FROM WHAT IS MINE. EVERYTHING THE FATHER HAS IS MINE; THAT IS WHY I SAID: ALL HE TELLS YOU WILL BE TAKEN FROM WHAT IS MINE. - JOHN 16:12-15 -

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Introduction  By  THOMAS  MERTON  - The City Of God   - By  SAINT  AUGUSTINE  OF  HIPPO  - Translated  By  MARCUS  DODS  D.D.  - BOOK  OF ...