Introduction:
Of course you have heard the lines that all the fun is in Hell,
and Heaven is where you sit around strumming harps. There is so much
misconception around both places. So let’s look at what the Holy Bible
says about both options, starting of course with Heaven.
Heaven
There are great theological debates as to exactly what
heaven is or where it will be. For the purpose of this page, I am going
to describe Heaven or Paradise
as the place where we can go to spend eternity with Almighty God when we
die. It is the place where most people deep down hope they will go,
probably because they don’t really like the alternative. So what is
Heaven like?
Here are some of the ways The Bible describes it.
“Now the dwelling of God is with men, and he will live with
them. They will be his people and God himself will be with them and be
their God. He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no
more death or mourning or pain, for the old order of things has passed
away.” (Revelation 21)
Paul writing in Corinthians tells how he was caught up to Heaven and
heard inexpressible things that he was not permitted to tell. But he
also says this “No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived
what God has prepared for those who love him”.
Jesus said he was going back to his Father’s house to prepare a place
for his followers where they can be with him.
“They are before the throne of God and he who sits on the throne will
spread his tent over them. Never again will they hunger or thirst.
Scorching heat will not beat upon them. For the Lord will be their
shepherd and he will lead them to the springs of living water. And God
will wipe away every tear from their eyes.” Revelation 7v15ff.
Hell
There was a joke doing the email rounds that went like this.
The devil came to a man and said “Would you like to come to hell rather
than heaven?” The man replied “Surely hell is full of desolation and
suffering.” The devil answered “Why don’t you come for a visit and have
a look?” So the man went to have a look round and saw lovely beaches,
and long stylish golf courses and beautiful women everywhere. He was
most impressed and said to the devil, “Let me come to join you in Hell.”
Instantly he was taken to a place of desolation and suffering. As the
devil turned to leave him in his torment the man shouted “But where is
what you promised me?” The devil smiled. “Oh that was just my
recruitment drive.”
Now I am really averse to the Hell-Fire preaching that some
evangelists use to frighten people into salvation. But Hell is a reality
talked about in the Bible and I have to write about it. Hell was created
for the punishment of the evil Satan/Devil and his fallen angels, not
actually for people. But unfortunately there is nowhere else to go.
Popular ideas state that we just go over to the “other side”. Jesus said
quite clearly this is not the case and gave clear warning of the
outcomes of rejecting Almighty God.
Jesus said in Matthew 13v 41” The Son of Man (Jesus – The Son of God)
will send out his angels and they will weed out of his kingdom
everything that causes sin and all who do evil. They will throw them
into the fiery furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of
teeth. Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of
their Father (God)”.
So how do you get to join God in his heaven? I have covered this in
"How to
become a Christian".
When we stand before Almighty God as the Bible says we surely
will, what will he say to you? “Come on in my beloved”, or “I’m sorry I
never knew you”? There is a verse in the Bible that says “Every knee
shall bow and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord”. That
means everyone. Depending on when you say it depends on where you go. If
you say it willingly during your life, before you die you will be
invited into this glorious heaven.
For those who are stubborn and wait till after they die they will
have no choice but to bow the knee and confess that Jesus Christ is
Lord. But the Bible says that then it will be too late and they will not
be allowed in. And no amount of blagging will get God to change his
mind, because although we might pick and choose at the truth, Almighty
God will not. And his decision will not be based on spite or cruelty.
You see, God has a role for those that love him. He will put everything
under their rule. That is one reason that God will not allow anyone who
doesn’t love or want him into his Heaven. How can God possibly give his
authority to someone who didn’t want to know?
If you have read the
skeleton, you will know
about the Garden of Eden and man’s role in it. In Eden, God walked and talked
with man in perfect harmony and gave man authority over the earth. Eden was a reflection of Paradise
where God will live once again with his beloved people for ever and ever
and give them authority to rule again. Once found in
Eden, The Tree of Life is now to be found in
Paradise.
Jesus gives an example of three servants who were called together by
their boss who was going away. This boss gave one man five talents, one
man two talents and the third man one talent, each according to his
ability. The man with five talents used his money to double up, as did
the man with two talents. The third man with one talent however, went
and hid his boss’s talent. When the boss returned he called the men to
him and was well pleased with the first two men, putting them in charge
of many things. But he was angry with the third man who gave him back
his one talent and took the talent away from him and then cast him out
into the darkness. |