By Jim Mettenbrink
Last week was our first look into what the Bible says about heaven, the place of eternal bliss that is not on earth or this universe. Not much. In fact, regarding our current abode, Peter, the apostle, wrote, “But the heavens and the earth which are now preserved by the same word, are reserved for fire until the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men…. But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night, in which the heavens will pass away with a great noise, and the elements will melt with fervent heat; both the earth and the works that are in it will be burned up. Therefore, since all these things will be dissolved, what manner of persons ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness, looking for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be dissolved, being on fire, and the elements will melt with fervent heat?” (2 Peter 3:7, 10). The eternal heaven where God dwells is in a place other than this material universe. That heaven is not of this world is implied by “There shall be no night there: They need no lamp nor light of the sun….” (Revelation 22:5).
Although Revelation, the last book of the Bible, is written in apocalyptic style of which the Jews were familiar, the last chapters are clearly about judgment day and the scene is in heaven. Even then little is said – “And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away” (Rev 21:4). In other words, none of the sadness of this world is in heaven.
Further, “For in the resurrection they neither marry nor are given in marriage, but are like angels of God in heaven” (Matthew 22:30). No marriage, except one –“Let us be glad and rejoice and give Him glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and His wife has made herself ready.” And to her it was granted to be arrayed in fine linen, clean and bright, for the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints. Then he said to me, “Write: ‘Blessed are those who are called to the marriage supper of the Lamb!’” (Rev 19:7-9). The Bride is church made up of faithful Christians. There is one more important revelation about heaven. – Next