By Jim Mettenbrink
In our consideration of what happens after death, we read that a person’s spirit goes to a place called Hades (Greek, meaning the unseen) (Luke 16:19-31) awaiting the judgment day (2 Thessalonians 1:3-10; 2 Peter 2:9) to be conducted no less than Jesus Himself (Acts 17:31; Romans 2:16). Tragically by far, most folks have chosen the road to hell (Matthew 7:13-14, 21-23), the hardly imaginable place where one’s spirit will suffer the torment of regret eternally for refusing to become a Christian and to live faithfully for Jesus.
Regarding faithful Christians, we focused upon their condition on that same judgment day, when God will rise the faithful to give them an eternal body and grant eternal life (1Corinthians 15; 1 John 3:2) in heaven. So what is heaven?
First, regarding the word heaven, the Jews called three places heaven: (1) the atmosphere where the birds fly; (2) space, the location of the stars; (3) the place where God dwells. Paul an apostle of Jesus, referred to the third heaven describing his conversion to Jesus (14 years earlier) on the road to Damascus to persecute Christians (2 Cor 2:1-6; Acts 9:1-9; 22:6-9; 26:12-17). However, Paul said little about what he saw – a light brighter than the sun (Acts 26:13). That makes sense. God is the source of light here (created before the sun; Genesis 1:3-4, 14-19) and in heaven (Revelation 21:23; 22:5). Other than that, Paul only said he heard the voice of Jesus (Acts 26:14-15). But he did not see God, only the brightest light ever.
Just to be sure, in the last chapter of the Bible God reiterated one of the last things about heaven– Heaven has no sin, or unrepentant people, non-Christians or apostate Christians – absolutely no sin. “Blessed are those who do His commandments, that they may have the right to the tree of life, and may enter through the gates into the city. But outside are dogs and sorcerers and sexually immoral and murderers and idolaters, and whoever loves and practices a lie” (Rev 22:14-15)! No, hell is their eternity. “But the cowardly, unbelieving, abominable, murderers, sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death” (Rev 21:8). However, the most important revelation about heaven is to be considered – Next!