Heaven  and  Hell

Heaven  Is

Ecclesiastes 5:2

Be not rash with thy mouth,

and let not thine heart be hasty to utter any thing before God:

for God is in heaven, and thou upon earth:

therefore let thy words be few.

Wait a minute, God lives in heaven.  If he lives there, how could he have created it after he was already there?  The answer must be somewhere, but where Mr. Astronomist?  “I don’t know; it doesn’t show up on the Hubble.”

Heaven #1 - where birds fly

Genesis 1:20

And God said, Let the waters bring forth abundantly the moving creature that hath life, and fowl that may fly above the earth in the open firmament of heaven.

Heaven #2 - where the stars are

Genesis 1:15

And let them be for lights in the firmament of the heaven to give light upon the earth: and it was so.

Heaven #3 - where God is

II Corinthians 12:2

I knew a man in Christ above fourteen years ago, (whether in the body, I cannot tell; or whether out of the body, I cannot tell: God knoweth;) such an one caught up to the third heaven.

Heaven #1 is the Genesis 1:1 atmosphere above the earth.

Heaven #2 is the Genesis 1:6-8 firmament (outer space) where the stars and galaxies are.

Heaven #3 is where God is.

Psalm 103:19

The LORD hath prepared his throne in the heavens;

and his kingdom ruleth over all.

God’s throne is in the heavens

(has to be heaven #3).

God’s throne is above the stars on the edge of the northern part of the universe, just outside of it.  There is a sea of glass (ice) before the throne.  

Revelation 4:6

And before the throne there was a sea of glass like unto crystal:

So heaven #3 is outside the universe with a “sea of glass” (called “the deep”) separating it from heaven #2.  It’s far away and no rocket will ever get there.

I don’t know why it is where it is, but that’s where God is and that’s where I’m going some day for a little while.

There is very, very little information in the Bible about the heaven where God is and where I am going upon death or rapture.  Paul was unable to speak about what he saw,

II Corinthians 12:3-4

And I knew such a man, (whether in the body, or out of the body, I cannot tell: God knoweth;) how that he was caught up into paradise, and heard unspeakable words, which it is not lawful for a man to utter.

and John gave some details about Jesus Christ (Revelation 1) and about the area around the throne (Revelation 4 and 5).

The other details of heaven, where God’s throne is now, that you hear so often, are not about heaven #3.  “Come on man, what about those streets of gold, those mansions, that tree of life, and those gates of pearl?”  They will exist, but not in heaven #3.  And they do not exist now for the souls of heaven dwellers.

So any book you read about someone mysteriously going to heaven for a few minutes and seeing these things and winged angels are a bunch of baloney.  At best, they had a vision or a dream.  The author forgot to study his Bible before pulling the sheep wool over your eyes.  Actually, he didn’t need to, it became a bestseller anyway!

You see, heaven #3 is where our glorified body and soul go when we get raptured away.  But, after the seven year duration of the tribulation (Revelation 6-18), Christ returns to earth (Revelation 19) with his bride and angels for His millennial reign on the earth.

And after that thousand years, the earth and heavens are burned up and made new again (II Peter 3:7-13, Hebrews 1:10-12).

And after that, the new Jerusalem comes down out of heaven to the earth or close to it (Revelation 21:1-3).  There will forever be the eternal throne of God and of the Lamb (Revelation 22:1-3).

That is where we will be eternally (except when you are ruling on-site in various parts of the new heavens).

And that (the new Jerusalem) is where the pure gold street (singular), your mansion, the tree of life, and the gates of pearl will be – not in heaven #3.

And that is where and when there will be no more tears, death, sorrow, crying, or pain (Revelation 21:4).

Sorry, but you will have to wait a little over a thousand years for those things to disappear.

Why?

One reason is that you will witness the great white throne judgment at the end of the thousand years (Revelation 20:11-15) and see unsaved people cast into the eternal lake of fire.  Tears will abound.

Suggestion – warn them now!

Their blood is not on your hands because everyone is capable of making their own decision.  They have been given the measure of faith (Romans 12:3) and they are without excuse.  But you could gain some fantastic rewards at the judgment seat of Christ by telling them now.

Romans 1:20

For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen,

being understood by the things that are made,

even his eternal power and Godhead;

so that they are without excuse:

So all you Christians who think you are going to spend eternity in the heaven that is now, read your Bible and think again.

If the rapture happened today, you would only spend seven years and a fraction in that heaven.  Then you would return to heaven on earth, which is where Christ will be coming (on a white horse that is absolutely spectacular).

Then, a thousand years on earth with Christ as king of the kingdom of heaven.  After that, a new heaven and a new earth with God and Savior Jesus Christ ruling the kingdom of heaven from the new Jerusalem.

Revelation 22:3

And there shall be no more curse:

but the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it;

and his servants shall serve him:

Hell  Is

Hell, now that’s quite another matter – very intense.  If someone is in hell, it must be a place.

Luke 16:23

and in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments,

and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom.

And, as your concordance will help you find,

hell is a place of fire under you.

Luke 16:24

And he cried and said, Father Abraham,

have mercy on me, and send Lazarus,

that he may dip the tip of his finger in water,

and cool my tongue;

for I am tormented in this flame.

It is kindled by God’s anger

and the fire is not quenched.

Deuteronomy 32:22

For a fire is kindled in mine anger,

and shall burn unto the lowest hell,

and shall consume the earth with her increase,

and set on fire the foundations of the mountains.

Mark 9:48

where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched.

It is prepared for the devil and his angels,

but accepting of those who reject Christ.

Matthew 25:41

Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand,

Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire,

prepared for the devil and his angels:

John 3:36

He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life:

and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life;

but the wrath of God abideth on him.

It is your unsaved soul that goes down there, burning but not burning up.  It will be waiting for its appearance in 1,007+ years at the great white throne judgment (Revelation 20:11-15).

After failing that test, which you also had the answers to ahead of time, you will be cast into the eternal lake of fire.  Hence the old saying, “jump from the frying pan into the fire”.  Not so funny now, huh?

 

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You are free to believe:

Hell doesn’t exist

OR

God wouldn’t do that to anyone

OR

God hates the sin but loves the sinner

OR

hell is just a separation from God

OR

death = grave

OR

the transliterated Sheol, Hades, and Gehenna

don’t mean "hell" in English

OR

Rob Bell is right

OR

anything else your pride can come up with.

BUT,

The Bible says hell is there waiting for you

if you reject Jesus Christ.

Roll them bones and take your chances - not me!

       

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Let me ask you a question.  Let’s say you willingly sacrificed your only son to save someone else’s life.  That living person knowingly denied that the sacrifice took place and effectively spit on your dead son’s grave.  Would you have any regard for that person?  The answer is NO, n-o NO!

God is a balanced being, just and righteous.

Proverbs 16:10-11

A divine sentence is in the lips of the king:

    his mouth transgresseth not in judgment.

A just weight and balance are the Lord’s:

    all the weights of the bag are his work.

He offered you righteousness for free and if you reject it, He is going to reject you.  Just hold onto your pride like the devil and you will end up as his neighbor.

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Why hell fire?  I don’t know; I would not have done it that way. I would just let you die and disintegrate.  But it’s not my decision, it’s God’s (Isaiah 55:8-9).  I am just a messenger.  “Yes Lord, I told ‘em”.

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In the words of Jesus himself - 

Luke 16:23

And in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments .....

Mark 9:48

where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched.

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