A Glimpse of Heaven

Do you believe in heaven? Do you believe it is a physical place that exists? Have you given thought to where it might be located? Do you think we can visit there and then return to normal living? These are some of the many questions that people ask occasionally. Some people regard heaven as a myth.   Some even believe it is a state of the mind.  They believe thoughts of heaven can be therapeutic to reduce depression and stress. Some others are not sure what to believe, or they have unique thoughts of their own.

Interestingly, Christians refer to heaven as being home. Earth is accepted as a temporary abode, and their ultimate goal is to live there in sweet communion with the Ancient of Days and His dear son Jesus Christ.

The views we have of heaven have been largely influenced by what has been written in the Bible and supported by people who died, but they came back here to tell the tale. What amazes me about testimonies people give of their encounter with heaven the most is how accurately they match the description in Scripture.

The Bible provides all the information we require concerning heaven. The words heaven and heavens appear more than 600 times in the Bible. It is declared to be the place where God lives, and it is also the home of saints who have died. King Solomon recognized heaven to be God's dwelling place. Even though He is omnipresent, which means He can be everywhere at the same time, He actually lives and reigns from His throne in heaven.

Heaven has been described as being so beautiful that it cannot really be adequately described with words in any language. No photographs here one earth can even come close to what heaven looks like. I gave up trying to find any. There are two verses in the Bible which give the impression that there is nothing on this earth that can compare with the outstanding and exceptional features of heaven:

Isaiah 64:4
For since the beginning of the world men have not heard, nor perceived by the ear, neither hath the eye seen, O God, beside thee, what he hath prepared for him that waiteth for him.

1 Corinthians 2:9
But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him.

The Book of Revelations, the last book of the Holy Bible gives a detailed description of the beauty of heaven. Life as we know it on earth is non-existent in heaven. There is no need for the sun, moon or stars in heaven since the Glory of God and the Lamb of God shines in heaven. Candles, flashlights and other secondary sources of light are not necessary either. There are therefore neither power outages nor electric surges.

There are no church buildings and temples, since the Lord God and His son are the Temple within the gates. There are great high walls with twelve gates made of pearls and an angel guards each gate. There are three gates on the northern side, three on the southern, three on the eastern and three more on the western gate. The gates will never be shut because there is no night there. Nothing and no one who is corrupt or defiled will be allowed to enter heaven.

Heaven, also known as the Holy City, has twelve foundations with each name of the apostles imprinted on them. The foundations are docked with a variety of precious stones.

Emerging from the Throne of God is a pure clear river of life with the tree of life which bears twelve kinds of fruits every month. The leaves have the power to heal the nations. No curse exists there.

Perhaps the most outstanding feature in heaven is the presence of God and the outstanding worship which surpasses any worship service here on earth. The Creator of the whole universe is adored and exalted by saints and angels.

Some people believe that they will be playing harps on clouds for ever. They think they will lazily rest for eternity. However, the Bible paints a different picture. His servants (saints) will have His name on their foreheads and they will serve Him. There is no pain, sickness, tears, crying, or sorrow in heaven. The saints pray and make intercession. They also join the angelic host in worship, praise and adoration to God.

The sound of this worship experience is far pure and more harmonic than it has ever been anywhere on earth. Terry MacAlmon, an anointed gospel singer and musician, gives a birds eye view here through a vision he had of heaven.

There are other singers who have also attempted to describe the glory of heaven through musical presentations as seen here.  My favorite hymn, Holy, Holy, Holy Lord God Almighty is one of many which helps us to see heaven in a true perspective.

Some theologians believe that there are seven heavens. It is clear that there is reference to more than one heaven in the Bible. Genesis 1: 1 states In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. Psalm 19 states The heavens declare the glory of God. Some believe that each heaven represents a day of the week and a planet. Each heaven is ruled by an angel, and the first heaven is ruled by Gabriel. The first heaven also represents the section in the atmosphere which has clouds. The second heaven refers to the starry atmosphere and the third heaven would represent Paradise. Paradise is the place saints went when they died, otherwise known as the bosom of Abraham. The Apostle Paul mentioned being in the third heaven in one of his letters.

The saints in Paradise were transformed to another heaven after Jesus' resurrection from the dead. Even though many people have had visions of heaven, apparently the only way to get there is through death. Death is actually the best thing that can happen to a saint. The reason is, as soon as a saint dies, he or she is ushered into the presence of God by His angels. This explains why the Bible states when we are absent from the body we are present with the Lord.

I read of a widow's experience where her husband's heart stopped beating before he hit the floor. He must have been escorted to God before he fell. An anointed pianist was playing the piano before an audience when he suffered a massive heart attack and died suddenly. I am sure he saw God the second that happened.  Stephen, a dear saint of God, was stoned to death because of his faith. While he was dying, he looked up, and he proclaimed that he saw the heavens open and Jesus was standing on the right hand of God. While Jesus was being crucified, he told the repentant thief that he will be in paradise with Him that day. Incidentally, they both died the same day.

There are innumerable accounts of people who died and went to be in God's presence immediately. We can be comforted with this fact. When our loved ones who know the Lord die they actually go to a much better place. If they were sick and victims of much pain and suffering, we can be assured that they are in the loving arms of God. No wonder the Bible states in Psalm 116:15 precious in the sight of the LORD is the death of his saints. I am sure it is also precious for saints to be escorted to God's glorious presence. I consider it to be royal treatment equaled by nothing here on earth.

I have heard so many testimonies of saints who died with a radiant smile on their faces as well as an expression of a deep peace. Many of them have described beings dressed in white calmly beckoning them to come with them moments before their death. Most of them describe hearing a sound and seeing a tunnel as they exit their bodies. They were also able to view their body as they were being transported. Their spirits were like magnets. The spirits of saints gravitate towards the north pole and the spirits of unbelievers gravitate towards the south pole.

According to Perry Stone, a teacher on the Trinity Broadcasting Network, there is a theory of a worm hole which has two openings like a tube. It is a time spaced tube. When someone gets into the worm hole he is transported immediately to a next dimension. When we die we are like a magnet attracted to the north. We leave this planet and go into the universe. Science is beginning to support this belief.

He continued to say: we live in a three dimensional world height, length and width... Faith is a dimension and light also has a dimension... Soul, body and spirit are other dimensions. Jesus could walk through a locked door after he died, because he was in another dimension. A spirit body does not have the same structure that a body has. While in that dimension, our spirits have the ability to travel in the speed of light. There is no limitation of time or our bodies. This would explain why when someone returns to life, he or she can describe details which would not be humanly possible to observe in such a relatively short period of time here on earth.

In essence, our minds cannot understand, or even fathom what heaven is really like. Absolutely nothing in this realm comes even close to the glory to be seen in its magnificence. Thankfully, God in His mercy has given us a glimpse of heaven through the accounts given in the Bible. He has also allowed some dear saints to return to us to share their experience with us. There is nothing on earth, under the earth or around the earth that can compare with what God has in store for those of us who believe.

There are other items which give a detailed report of other people's experiences in heaven. Please check them out below:

We as human beings are very particular about where we live and how we live. We meticulously choose the location, the furnishings and the atmosphere of our home. God is particular about His home too. The difference though is that His home is full of such glory, splendor and magnificence and no words in any language can adequately describe its awesome magnificence. Even more impossible is it to even try to describe the exuberance and awesomeness of Almighty God.

His awesome presence with all His grandeur and royalty is manifested in heaven. He outshines the sun and any form of light we can even imagine. We are not able to see him with our natural eyes or else we'll die. Moses was in His presence and they communed as friends, but he was unable to see His face. Even then, Moses' face shone for an extended period, as a result of the brightness of His glory.

Isaiah had a vision of heaven with God, the lofty and exalted One sitting on the throne and the train of His robe filled the most holy part of the temple. Above Him stood the seraphim each of which had six wings and they cried Holy, Holy, Holy is the Lord of hosts: the whole earth is full of his glory.

John, the disciple and Apostle, had a vision of heaven while he was exiled on the isle of Patmos.  He saw God on His throne also. He wrote that He appeared to be like a jasper and a sardine stone... A rainbow round about the throne looked like an emerald. Twenty four elders who were each crowned in gold and dressed in white sat on seats around the throne. He continued to describe seven lamps burning with what he perceived to be the seven Spirits of God.

There was lightning, rumblings and thunder around the throne. Four beasts covered with eyes declared the glory of God day and night (continuously and without ceasing) by proclaiming Holy, holy, holy, LORD God Almighty, which was, and is, and is to come. While these beasts give honor, praise and thanks to God, the elders worship Him by casting their crowns and exalting Him with the words: Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created.

The Book of Revelations gives far more details of the appearance in and activity of heaven more than any other book in the Bible. This account can be viewed in the fourth, twenty first and twenty second chapters of the Book.

I am so thankful that God saw it fit to give us a revelation of aspects of heaven. We cannot even begin to fathom the reality and grandeur of God's presence and the truth concerning heaven. We know that in His presence there is fullness of joy since worship allows us to experience some of this joy.

He is so pure and full of light, love and truth that we can behold Him only outside of our bodies. We know that the saints who are with Him are joyful and at peace. These saints are recognizable even in their spirit form. Christians continue to have visions and dreams and even real encounters with the Spirit of God and heaven. However, the ultimate desire and longing of our souls is to be with God. There our spirits can be in harmony with His manifold presence to enjoy His company forever and ever. It is also amazing to even imagine the dimension we will experience once we leave our bodies.  For now, we can only anticipate the time we will be with him and be satisfied with a glimpse of heaven.

I invite you to share with us your views on heaven. Do you believe in heaven? Have you, or someone you know, had the opportunity to go to heaven and then return to earth? Did you ever have a vision of heaven? Please share your information here.