DEATH DETHRONED – HEAVEN by Dr. Shah, Clearview Church, Henderson

Introduction: Few days ago, as Nicole and I were at Barnes and Nobles, I saw a special edition of Time magazine titled: “Heaven and the Afterlife: What Awaits Us?” I bought it so I can use it for my introduction in today’s message, but the articles were far from interesting. One thing that I did find interesting was a one-page article titled “Heaven by Numbers,” which circle and bar graphs on Near Death Experiences (NDE) reported by people. Here’s what they found: Many people reported seeing their life flash before their eyes during an NDE – 28% all at once; 30% from birth to present; 26% in apparently random order; and 17% in reverse order. What was also interesting is that “Among cardiac-arrest patients, those who experienced an NDE report more positive life changes 2 and 8 years out. Among the changes, their compassion for others increased, their involvement in family life increased, their concerns with spiritual matters increased; their fear of death decreased; their conviction that there is life after death increased; and their appreciation for ordinary things increased. This is our final message in our Easter series titled DEATH DETHRONED, where we are looking at Death, the Afterlife, and what Jesus has done for us. Today our focus will be on heaven. We’re going to learn that heaven is a real place of full and unending enjoyment of life in the New Heaven and New Earth. It is a place that God has created where there will be no longer anything accursed. This is the inheritance of everyone who has received Jesus as their Savior and King. Choosing Jesus is choosing heaven forever.

2 Peter 3      11 Therefore, since all these things will be dissolved, what manner of persons ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness, 12 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? 13 Nevertheless we, according to His promise, look for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells.

Context: Just as hell have doubted the presence of a real hell, some people have also doubted the presence of a real heaven. Some people believe that it has been created by religious people as a crutch for themselves. Others believe that it is just wishful thinking. Yet others thing that it is just a state of mind. They have all kinds of images of heaven: a subtropical beach, a lush and beautiful garden, a never-ending party, etc. Some Christians are even dismissive about heaven – “I don’t know and I don’t care. We’ll just see it when we get there.” None of these views and attitudes are correct. 2 Peter 3:13 says, “Nevertheless we, according to His promise, look for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells.”

Question: What do you believe about heaven? Do you think that it is just wishful thinking? Do you think it is just a big party? Do you even care? If your life were to end today, where would you go? Heaven or Hell?

We must turn to the Bible and see what it has to say about heaven. Keep in mind the proper study of the Bible, the proper balance of Old and New Testament, and the grid of Creation, Fall, and Redemption. I want to add something else today, we also need to bring the proper balance of theological, philosophical, moral, and aesthetic issues (Jerry Walls and Jonathan Kvanvig). It’ll make sense as we go further in this message. With that said, let’s dive in (Grudem, Systematic Theology; Alan Gomes, 40 Questions about Heaven and Hell):

1. What is Heaven? 

Although, heaven is used to describe the atmosphere and the sky, it is also used to describe the place where God dwells. The atmosphere is the first heaven, the celestial is the second heaven, and God’s abode is the third heaven. Here we are referring to the third heaven.

Psalm 103:19 “The LORD has established His throne in heaven, and His kingdom rules over all.”

Isaiah 66:1 “Thus says the LORD: “Heaven is My throne…”

Matthew 6:9 “In this manner, therefore, pray: Our Father in heaven…”

1 Peter 3:22 “who has gone into heaven and is at the right hand of God, angels and authorities and powers having been made subject to Him.”

2. It is a real place.

Luke 24      50 “And He led them out as far as Bethany, and He lifted up His hands and blessed them. 51 Now it came to pass, while He blessed them, that He was parted from them and carried up into heaven.”

Acts 1:9 “Now when He had spoken these things, while they watched, He was taken up, and a cloud received Him out of their sight. 10 And while they looked steadfastly toward heaven as He went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel, 11 who also said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand gazing up into heaven? This same Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will so come in like manner as you saw Him go into heaven.”

Acts 7     55 “But he, being full of the Holy Spirit, gazed into heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God, 56 and said, “Look! I see the heavens opened and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God!” If Stephen could see in so much detail, even whether Jesus was standing or sitting, it means that heaven is not that far away. That gives me chills!

3. In the end, God will remake the Heavens and the Earth.

Here the reference is to the earth and the first (atmospheric) and second (celestial) heavens.

Hebrews 1      10 And: “You, LORD, in the beginning laid the foundation of the earth, And the heavens are the work of Your hands. 11 They will perish, but You remain; And they will all grow old like a garment; 12 Like a cloak You will fold them up, And they will be changed. But You are the same, And Your years will not fail.”

Hebrews 12     26 whose voice then shook the earth; but now He has promised, saying, “Yet once more I shake not only the earth, but also heaven.” 27 Now this, “Yet once more,” indicates the removal of those things that are being shaken, as of things that are made, that the things which cannot be shaken may remain.

2 Peter 3:10 “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.” Does this mean that God will completely annihilate and remake the old heavens and the old earth? No, he will renew. Romans 8      21 “because the creation itself also will be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God. 22 For we know that the whole creation groans and labors with birth pangs together until now.”

Isaiah 65.     17 “For behold, I create new heavens and a new earth; And the former shall not be remembered or come to mind. 18 But be glad and rejoice forever in what I create; For behold, I create Jerusalem as a rejoicing, And her people a joy. 19 I will rejoice in Jerusalem, And joy in My people; The voice of weeping shall no longer be heard in her, Nor the voice of crying.”

Revelation 20:11 “Then I saw a great white throne and Him who sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away. And there was found no place for them.”

Rev. 21      1 Now I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away. Also there was no more sea. (Sea represents the fear of storms and the boundaries that cannot be crossed. This does not mean that there will be no water. We’ll see that in a moment.) 

4. The New Heavens and the New Earth will be glorious.

Revelation 21      2 Then I, John, saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. 3 And I heard a loud voice from heaven saying, “Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people. God Himself will be with them and be their God. 4 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.” Although God is everywhere, he will be on earth with us. Of course, heaven will still be there and God will still be in the third heaven. There will always be a distinction between heaven and earth, but we will have access to heaven.

Revelation 22      1 And he showed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding from the throne of God and of the Lamb. 2 In the middle of its street, and on either side of the river, was the tree of life, which bore twelve fruits, each tree yielding its fruit every month. The leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations. (This means we will eat in the New Heavens and the New Earth.) 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. 4 They shall see His face, and His name shall be on their foreheads. 5 There shall be no night there: They need no lamp nor light of the sun, for the Lord God gives them light. And they shall reign forever and ever. 

5. The New Heavens and the Earth will not grow old.

• We will still be learning and growing.
• We will remember our past.
• We will know each other.
• We will worship God.
• We will enjoy rest.
• We will work and create.
• We will enjoy our loved ones and meet new people.
• We will have responsibilities.

I wish I had more time to cover all this.

6. The Preparation for the New Heavens and the New Earth starts here. 

• Look for it.
• Work to make this world more heavenly – “Heaven Here and Now” worship album by Clearview.
• How you grow here will determine what you do there. Revelation 5:10 “And have made us kings and priests to our God; and we shall reign on the earth.”
• Store up treasures in heaven. Matthew 6       19 “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal; 20 but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. 21 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”

Where is your heart? Will you be in the New Heavens and the New Earth? Are you saved?