I Used to Think Heaven Would Be Boring
It’s true. I used to think Heaven would be boring. Being raised in the church I heard about Heaven a lot—pearly gates, streets of gold, if you don't go there you go to Hell. I'm sure I was taught much more than this, but these were the things that stuck in my mind as a child. I remember being very concerned about whether Heaven would have grass.....because I didn't much like the idea of a city of gold streets.
I missed the whole point.
Unfortunately, I missed the whole point even beyond those children's Sunday school years and my worries over grass. I kept the mindset that Heaven would be boring throughout my teenage years because I was focused on what Heaven might be like from a totally physical and earthly-minded standpoint. My thoughts were........so we are going to sit up there in a gold city with no marriage and sing? Forever?
That was before I knew Jesus.
Now I can't wait to get to Heaven. I am going to meet Jesus face to face. The one who died to save me, who bought me with His blood. I am going to see The King who has given me purpose and a great hope to live for. God sent His Son to DIE so we could be with Him in Heaven.
If you want to boggle your brain, just read some of the descriptions of Heaven in the Bible......rainbows around the throne, a voice like a trumpet, lightning and rumblings, peals of thunder, a sea of glass like crystal, mysterious living creatures worshiping God continuously, kings throwing their crowns at His feet (Revelation 4), fruit trees and rivers bright as crystal, no night, no lamps or sun---because God is there and He is the light. (Revelation 22), warrior angels and horses (Revelation 6), thousands and thousands and thousands of angels and living creatures praising God (Revelation 5).
Of all the things Heaven will be, boring is not one of them. Heaven will be like nothing we could ever imagine----Heaven will be glorious!
And the reason Heaven will be glorious is not because of any of these mysterious creatures or gemstones or gates of pearls or streets of gold.....it will be glorious because it is where we will meet The King of Kings and Lord of Lords. Whether you believe in Him or not, you will meet Him one day.
Here's a few Biblical descriptions of this King of Kings.…
Ezekiel 1:26-28 "And above the expanse over their heads there was the likeness of a throne, in appearance like sapphire; and seated above the likeness of a throne was a likeness with a human appearance. And upward from what had the appearance of his waist I saw as it were gleaming metal, like the appearance of fire enclosed all around. And downward from what had the appearance of his waist I saw as it were the appearance of fire, and there was brightness around him. Like the appearance of the bow that is in the cloud on the day of rain, so was the appearance of the brightness all around. Such was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the Lord. And when I saw it, I fell on my face, and I heard the voice of one speaking."
Revelation 1:14-18 "The hairs of his head were white, like white wool, like snow. His eyes were like a flame of fire, his feet were like burnished bronze, refined in a furnace, and his voice was like the roar of many waters. In his right hand he held seven stars, from his mouth came a sharp two-edged sword, and his face was like the sun shining in full strength. When I saw him, I fell at his feet as though dead. But he laid his right hand on me, saying, “Fear not, I am the first and the last, and the living one. I died, and behold I am alive forevermore, and I have the keys of Death and Hades."
All the awesome descriptions of Heaven pale in comparison to the descriptions of the One who sits on the throne. The thought of coming face to face with this God is something I can't put into words.
The reactions of Ezekiel and John say it best. Ezekiel remarks "and when I saw it, I fell on my face" And John tells us "When I saw him, I fell at his feet as though dead."
Human words can't express what seeing God will be like. Ezekiel and John both use metaphors. They describe a "likeness", they try to tell what The Lord was like, but even their most vivid descriptions can't do Him justice.
I don't meditate often enough on the power and glory and terror and awe of what is to come. The descriptions of Heaven are amazing and terrifying. Jesus is coming back. Those of us who know Him will be in Heaven with Him one day.
Mark 13:26 "Then they will see the Son of Man coming in the clouds with great power and glory."
Acts 1:9-11 "And when he had said these things, as they were looking on, he was lifted up, and a cloud took him out of their sight. And while they were gazing into heaven as he went, behold, two men stood by them in white robes, and said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into heaven? This Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven.”
Matthew 25:31-32 “When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit on his glorious throne. Before him will be gathered all the nations, and he will separate people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats."
1 Thessalonians 4:16 "For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the sound of the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first."
We read these verses but do we really think deeply about what they are saying? This could happen at any moment. We could be washing the dishes or walking the dog or laying on the beach or building someone a house. And suddenly we hear yelling and the blast of a trumpet and the sky splits apart and Jesus is there with his angels, coming back for us. Are you ready for that? Does that terrify you? Because it terrifies me, and yet I want it to happen right now. Being with Jesus will be better than anything.
John Piper writes articulately about this. I read the following quote from his advent devotional in December and I haven't been able to forget it.
"One of these days lightning is going to fill the sky from the rising of the sun to its setting, and there is going to appear in the clouds the Son of Man with his mighty angels in flaming fire. And we will see him clearly. And whether from terror or sheer excitement, we will tremble and we will wonder how, how we ever lived so long with such a domesticated, harmless Christ." -John Piper
This life on earth is so short. James 4:14 describes it as a vapor, here today and gone the next. In comparison the life that begins when you die, either in Heaven or Hell will last forever. For ages and ages (Revelation 14:11)
This life is not all there is. Let that sink in. We get so caught up in things on earth. In our jobs and families and savings accounts and planning for a relaxing and fun retirement....but all that will disappear. All that will matter is whether you trusted in Jesus and gave your life to Him.
If you are a follower of Christ than you don't belong in this world. This is not our home.
Philippians 3:20 "But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ"
1 Peter 2:11 "Beloved, I urge you as sojourners and exiles to abstain from the passions of the flesh, which wage war against your soul."
Hebrews 13:14 "For here we have no continuing city, but we seek the one to come."
1 John 2:17 " And the world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever."
Heaven is our home. With Jesus. Heaven is where we belong, there will be no tears or suffering there. (Rev 21:4) We will be united forever with our King. FOREVER with JESUS. Nothing could ever be better.
While working on this post I heard for the first time the song "Well Done" by The Afters. It played through my radio as I drove home from work and I sobbed like a baby. Pretty much everything I'm trying to convey in this post of jumbled words is clear in the lyrics.
"What will it be like when You call my name, And that moment when I see You face to face? What will it be like when I come into Your glory, Standing in the presence of a love so beautiful? I'm waiting my whole life for that day, I'm waiting my whole life to hear You say, Well done, well done My good and faithful one Welcome to the place where you belong, Well done, well done My beloved child You have run the race and now you're home, Welcome to the place where you belong" -The Afters
Hearing God call our name and welcome us finally home, can you think of anything better than that? If you know and love Jesus then I'm sure you can't. The end of this life is coming sooner than we think. Are you ready for Heaven? Does it make you giddy to think about spending eternity with Jesus? Or is something holding you back?
Revelation 5:13 "And every creature which is in heaven and on the earth and under the earth and such as are in the sea, and all that are in them, I heard saying:
“Blessing and honor and glory and power Be to Him who sits on the throne, And to the Lamb, forever and ever!”"
In the end everyone meets God. And everyone bows. In the end, we who belong to Christ will eternally worship our Maker together in perfect joy. And it will never be boring.
(Originally posted at https://injarsofclayfullofgrace.wordpress.com)