Heaven Part 1

Bill Fitzhenry's Thoughts For Today…

Understanding important truths from the Bible….

Psalm 73:25  NKJV

Whom have I in heaven but You?
And there is none upon earth that I desire besides You. 

Heaven is the hope of all believers.  But there is little to tell about heaven as a place.  Though there is far more about heaven than there is about hell, the Scriptures leave a lot to be learned when I arrive there. 

Both Hebrew and Greek use a single word which is translated heaven.  This used as the sphere above “God created the heavens,” and the heaven of our eternal hope and God’s abode. 

The abode of God is the central and overruling fact that must be considered first in any search for the truth about our future dwelling.  This, being the place of Jesus’ presence in His function of mediatorial ruler of the universe, centers our interest in the fact of heaven being the abode of God. 

All of God’s activity is centered in heaven.  He speaks, blesses, judges, has councils; it is to there that Christ ascended and it is from there He will return. 

It is often and truly said that salvation is not intended as a fire escape.  But every knowledgeable believer rejoices that he or she has escaped God’s wrath.  It is at least somewhat to this end that the first question of the Westminster Shorter Catechism is written, “What is the chief end of man?”  Answer, “The chief end of man is to glorify and enjoy Him forever”. 

Heaven is the everlasting part of this answer.  The joy we can only taste now, we will drink in full forever in heaven.  There is a Gospel song that captures in a very winsome way our understanding of heaven, How Beautiful Heaven Must Be.  

We read of a place that’s called heaven,
It’s made for the pure and the free;
These truths in God’s Word He hath given,
How beautiful heaven must be.

In heaven no drooping nor pining,
No wishing for elsewhere to be;
God’s light is forever there shining,
How beautiful heaven must be.

Refrain:
How beautiful heaven must be,
Sweet home of the happy and free;
Fair haven of rest for the weary,
How beautiful heaven must be.