A personal Tour of Heaven

Revelation 1:1 The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave Him to show to His bond-servants, the things which must soon take place; and He sent and communicated it by His angel to His bond-servant John

Heaven's Featured Attraction
Out of all the books in the Bible, none gives us a more detailed picture of the reality of heaven than the book of Revelation.  Only the Bible can give you accurate, true descriptions of this place.  As wonderful as it is, and as true as it is that it is the destination of those who have by grace alone through faith alone trusted in Christ alone, the place is not the focus.  If anything, the Person of Christ occupies the central theme of Heaven.  Jesus Christ is indeed the darling of Heaven. 

With that said, I would like to take the next several blogs to explore Heaven, and understand how the Bible communicates the glory of God through the visions of John in Revelation.  My prayer is that you, dear believer, will find encouragement and hope as we look together at these exquisite chapters of God's word.  If you are reading this blog, and have never experienced salvation through Jesus Christ, my prayer would be that the Holy Spirit would so move in your heart to receive and embrace Heaven's treasure - Christ Jesus.

How Revelation Communicates the Reality of Heaven
Five chapters in Revelation deal with the subject and reality of Heaven.  In giving a broad sweeping glance of Revelation 1, 4, 5, 7, 21 and 22, we can note the following observations about Heaven:

1. Heaven is God centered.  Revelation 1 alone mentions some 40 names or descriptions of Jesus Christ.  In Revelation 4 and 5 we find the throne of God, and the Lamb, dominating the scene.  Revelation 7 depicts God being surrounded by His saints, and the angels, praising Him for salvation.  Then in Revelation 21 and 22 we see the new Heavens and the New earth, centralized around the uncreated glory of God.

2. Heaven's Glory is Jesus Christ.  In Revelation 21:23 we discover that the glory of God is the light of the Heavenly reality to come, and that Christ is described as the lamp. 

3. Heaven's pleasure is God's people enjoying their God.  In Revelation 4 and 5 we see the 24 elders, representative of the Saints of all ages, casting their crowns at the Savior's feet.  Throughout Revelation we find the saints of God singing songs of praise, doxologies, to the glory of God.  Heaven is far from boring.  It is unendingly joyful.  For the people of God, beholding one another, behold the glory of God in and through and among them. 

4. Heaven is a real place.  Heaven is not an ethereal dreamscape, floating on clouds.  It is a real place, being built by Jesus Himself (John 14:1-6).  The New Heavenly Jerusalem, described in Revelation 21-22, is enormous.  As it comes out of Heaven, its boundaries would be large enough to cover almost all of North America, however its height, 1500 miles, would extend out into space.  There is enough square footage in the New Jerusalem to hold literally billions of people.  And that's just the city, not counting what will be the New earth!

Tomorrow we will continue with our tour of Heaven.  May the Lord bless you dear reader this day. 

When Christians will defy gravity

Acts 1:9 - And when he (Jesus) had spoken these things, while they beheld, he was taken up; and a cloud received him out of their sight.

1 Thessalonians 4:17 - Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.

What is the "rapture"

    We saw in the last blog the truth of resurrection.  The resurrection of believers at the end of the age occupies one of the eight "definites" outlined in part one of this particular blog series on eschatology.  As we consider the Lord's return, another doctrine surfaces that has connection to the resurrection of believers - namely the believer's catching away by Christ or what is called  "The Rapture".  The word "rapture" comes from a Latin term "rapturo", which in turn is a translation of the Greek word from the original language of 1 Thessalonians 4:17 - "to be caught up". 

The reality of the rapture

    Almost no one disputes the reality of the rapture or "catching away" of Christians at Christ's return.  With His return will come the total and unmingled wrath of God on this world.  1 Thessalonians 1:10 reminds us that Christians do not have to worry about enduring God's wrath.  Clearly the rapture, much like our physical resurrection, has direct connection to the Lord ascending into Heaven in Acts 1:9.  No doubt the miraculous ascent of Christ will be repeated corporately in the life of every Christian.  If a Christian has already went to be with the Lord, upon Christ's return, that saint will be resurrected in a new body and then raptured, followed immediately by the living saints' bodies being transformed and raptured.  1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 gives us the fullest treatment of this mass miracle.  Other passages too give hints to the details surrounding this event in passages such as Matthew 24; 1 Thessalonians 5; 2 Thessalonians 2 and 1 Corinthians 15:50-57.

The question about the rapture's timing and occurence

    As we can include this doctrine in the definite doctrine of the believer's resurrection, we do have one area of which there is no consensus - namely the rapture's timing.  If you will recall, we gave three categories of doctrine: definites, positions and opinions.  In regards to the timing of the rapture, we would have to state that a number of opinions exist as to when it will occur. 

Pre-trib, Mid-trib or post-trib?    

    Three major opinions exist as to when the rapture will occur.  Many Bible teachers point to a period of time in which God's wrath will be unleashed upon planet earth that is called "The Great Tribulation".  From texts such as Daniel 9:23-27, we come to realize that this period will last 7 years.  Questions of course center around whether or not the church will be raptured "before", "mid-way" or "towards the end" of this period.  The opinions are respectively referred to as "Pre-trib", "mid-trib" and "post-tribulationalism". 

   

    If space permitted, we could appeal to many texts to rally support for each of these opinions.  Being that the Lord has purposely inserted a "mystery" element into the chronology of prophetic events, piecing together the sequence of events on Bible prophecy can prove challenging.  The reader is encouraged to look at passages such as Matthew chs 13 and 24-25; Daniel 9:23-27; Jeremiah 30; 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 and ch 5; 2 Thessalonians 2 and Revelation 3,6,7,14 for further study.  I will let the reader determine from the scriptures where they fall on this issue.

Some further observations about the tribulation   

    The one thing all three opinions have in common is that all who engage in such a discussion are Pre-millennialists.  A-millennialists and Post-Millennialists tend to view the tribulation period as either having occured at the destruction of Jerusalem by the Romans in 70 A.D or as a general reference to the "tribulation" all Christians suffer for Christ through the church's history.  Views such as these are called "Preterism" (which is a word meaning past) and use such texts such as Matthew 24 in an attempt to rally biblical support.  Though some respectable Bible teachers hold to these views, this author is not a preterist (believing that the tribulation occured in the past).  As always, our reasons for holding truth lies not in who holds them, but whether or not the Bible teaches such things.   

So why does the rapture matter?

    1 Peter 3:15 states - "But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear".  The point of any definite doctrine, position or opinion on prophetic matters is to give reasons to the world why Christianity alone possesses hope for the here and hereafter.  Every Christian should have a good enough understanding of what they believe to help unbelievers see the hope of Christ.  This includes where one stands on the rapture. 

    Whether or not I believe the next big event is the rapture, the revelation of the anti-Christ or some major war does have immediate bearing on how I will live.  Being able to grapple with questions about the problem of evil and suffering, tsunamis and starving children are examples as to why it is our responsibility to live out our theology and have a living theology. 

Bible Prophecy and the resurrection

Philippians 3:10-11 -  "That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death;  ¹¹If by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead."

Salvation or Christian faith in its three stages
    When we talk about salvation, it is common to speak of salvation occuring in a three-fold way: What happened in my human spirit at a point and time in the past - regeneration/conversion through faith; what is occuring as a process in my human soul right now - sanctification and what will occur in the future when my soul and spirit are untied with my transformed human body - glorification. 
   
  The first has to do with God convicting and quickening in my human spirit so that I by faith can see the awfulness of my sin and the awesomeness of Christ - thus SAVED FROM THE PENALTY OF SIN (Romans 5:1). 

    Following from this is the ongoing process of the Spirit making me more like Christ in my soul, and I co-operating with His work by prayer and the word in sanctifcation - thus SAVING ME GRADUALLY FROM THE POWER OF SIN (Romans 6:4-11; 8:1-5). 

    When we speak of what will occur when I as a believer go on to be with the Lord, salvation is then spoke of in future terms - whereby I WILL BE SAVED FROM THE PRESENCE OF SIN (Philippians 3:21; 1 Peter 1:9).  It is with this last stage of salvation that the idea of resurrection takes center stage.
 Resurrection was first revealed in the Old Testament
    The idea of resurrection was given by God to man almost immediately from the fall.  We see inklings of it in Adam's naming of Eve (life-bearer) in Genesis 3:20, indicating his reception of God's promise of salvation to her in Genesis 3:15.  Abraham of course is the first person credited in history for believing in it, since in placing Isaac on the altar he believed God could raise his son from the dead (Hebrews 11:19).  Job, the oldest book in the Bible, mentions the faith of Job in seeing God with his own eyes in resurrection (Job 19:25).  In prophetic scriptures such as Daniel 12:1-3 the resurrection forms the hub of events in the final judgment.    

Resurrection fully revealed in the New Testament
     The New Testament gives us a complete and detailed picture of what to expect at resurrection.  As much as this concept is used to illustrate what happens spiritually at conversion (see John 5:24-25; 1 Peter 1:3); our concerns here deal with the physical resurrection that every Christian can look forward to at Christ's return.  1 Corinthians 15:45-58 gives us the fullest treatment on the importance and explanation of the resurrection.  In other words, we can note five pairs of truths about the resurrection from 1 Corinthians 15:45-58....
1.  15:45-49 The believer's resurrection will be formed upon Christ's resurrection
2.  15:50-51  The believer's resurrection will involved being transformed from this decaying body into a non-decaying body
3.  15:52   It will be an instant event, not an ongoing process like our current sanctification
4. 15:52    The resurrection will occur instantly at Christ's return
5. 15:53   The resurrection will be taking the old and changing it into a new body
6. 15:53   The resurrection  will bring to pass the completion of salvation for every Christian
7. 15:54-55 The resurrection will signal that death is done for8. 15:54-55 The resurrection will signal that sin is done away
9. 15:57  It reaches back into our present to give us power for the Christian life
10. 15:58 It reaches back into our present to give us purpose for Christian service
When surveying the more than 40 passages that speak of resurrection in the New Testament, we can offer this conclusion about the doctrine of the resurrection for our Christian identity....
Resurrection is rooted in Christ's first work - the cross and empty tomb, reassures about Christ's current work - sanctification and renders proof of Christ's future work - His return

How God governs history and prophecy

REVIEW FROM YESTERDAY

In yesterday's blog we considered the area of Bible prophecy that deals with how God is governing both past and present, as well as the future.  The first view we looked at - dispensationalism, pictures our world and universe like a big house - over which God is the Chief Sovereign.  In today's blog we want to consider a second system, which suggests God governs our world and prophetic events by means of covenants.  We will then offer a third suggested picture that combines the best of both these valid options. 

WHAT IS COVENANT THEOLOGY?

    The second position suggests that God uses a more "covenantal" approach in promoting His plan of salvation.  Two covenants are proposed by what is called "Covenant theologians".  The first is the covenant of works, which was given by God to Adam and Eve.  Based upon their obedience to certain commands, God would determine whether or not they would attain eternal fellowship with Him.  They failed of course and so God had to offer a second covenant called "The Covenant of Grace", whereby through faith in His promise, Adam and his descendants could be saved by grace through faith. 

    Throughout history, God offered versions of the covenant of grace to Abraham and David, with the ultimate fulifllment in Jesus Christ.  Through His obedience to the Father Christ fulfilled the broken Covenant of works, thus being our New Adam (compare Romans 5:11-21).  Furthermore, Christ paid for the Covenant of Grace on the cross.  Covenant theologians tend to see all of the promises to Israel being fulfilled in the church, and thus consider the church to be "The New Israel".  Since Israel forfeited her role as God's chosen nation, the church has replaced her as God's covenant people.  Most of the time, but not always, folks who are into covenant theology will either be A-millennial or Post-millennial. 

A SUGGESTED POSITION - COMBINE THE STRENGTHS OF BOTH

        Both positions are ways of taking the biblical record and determining how it is God is administering salvation and how He will end the world.  Dispensationalism has the strength of keeping the distinction between Israel and the church.  It also matches best with what Paul writes in Romans 11 about God's dealings with Israel and the Gentiles.  Being that Dispensationalism by nature is into making "distinctions", it can sometimes run the risk of drawing lines too sharply.  

       Covenant theology's strength best explains how the events of the first three chapters of Genesis relates to the rest of the Bible.  The weakness of Covenant theology is in how it replaces Israel and makes all of her promises applicable to the church.   If we are recipients of Israel's blessings, then we must also be willing to accept the curses too.
        

       It is the opinion of this blogger that combining the strengths of both systems might be the best approach in understanding Israel, the church and God's purposes for prophecy.  Of course the reader is encouraged to search the scriptures, since the Bible alone can form our conclusions on whatever matter we may be studying.  

REMEMBER, ESSENTIALS UNITY, NON-ESSENTIALS FLEXIBILITY, ALL THINGS LOVE      

Maintaining the continuity of what took place in the fall with the ultimate purposes of God in Bible prophecy will provide a necessary starting point for one's eschatology.  Furthermore, understanding that God still has a plan for Israel, and that plan is seen in the coming of Christ will provide the appropriate end point for one's eschatology as it relates to The church, Israel and Prophecy.

Prophecy, Israel and the church

Romans 11:26 "And so all Israel shall be saved: as it is written, There shall come out of Sion the Deliverer, and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob"

2 Thessalonians 2:1 "Now we beseech you, brethren, by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and by our gathering together unto him"

1 Thessalonians 1:10 "And to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, even Jesus, which delivered us from the wrath to come."

One sure thing, God's people won't have to suffer wrath

    One of the "definites" of eschatology is the fact that the people of God will not have to suffer the wrath of God at the end of the age.  If you will recall from part one of this blog series, "definites" comprise the core area of any Bible doctrine.  The fact that God's saints won't have to undergo the final outpouring of wrath in the end is an unmoveable truth (please compare 1 Thessalonians 1:10).  Its the one fact that distinguishes the destiny of the saints from those who reject Christ ultimately and finally.

   
    Now in today's blog we want to consider positions that stem from this definite conviction.  When it comes to identifying the people of God in the Bible, the Bible tells us that there are two such designations - Israel and the church.  The place where differences arise is in whether or not these are two different names for God's people, or whether thet are two distinct categories with distinct characteristics.  We will now briefly consider the major positions on these, as well as there implications for understanding Bible prophecy.  The first position we will consider is what Bible teachers call "dispensationalism".

Two positions on how God has administered salvation in human history

POSITION ONE: DISPENSATIONALISM

      How God deals with His people and how He runs our world and salvation is a major discussion in the study of eschatology.  The first position pictures our world as "God's house" over which God has placed human beings and His people to manage and run.  In the Old Testament it was Israel, and in the New Testament it is the church.  This system or "economy" of God's dealing with Israel, and then the church, is what we call "dispensationalism". 

What is a dispensation?

 A dispensation is a period of time by which He administrates salvation and tests human beings in response to whether they will trust in Him or rebel.  Dispensationalists see Israel and the church as two sets of God's people, with Israel being now set aside but later restored.  Dispensationalists differ on how many "periods" or "dispensations" there have been in history.  Typically the scheme is to have a dispensation of law, followed by the current church age, with a final age of the Millennium (which is why dispensationalists are typically Pre-millennial).

This description of course is very general and does not take into consideration that various adjustments that have occured in this viewpoint over the years.  However for now this will suffice in helping us understand this particular approach to the Bible as it pertains to eschatology (or the study of prophecy).  In tomorrow's blog we will look at a second approach to understanding how God guides history and prophecy - Covenant theology

A closer look at the positions on the Millennium

In yesterday's blog we began discussing the Bible's teaching on the Millennium.  We focused briefly on Pre-millennialism.  In today's blog we want to briefly discuss two other positions that have existed throughout the history of biblical Christianity. 

Why the Millennial views are important for the Christian to know

      How will the world end?  Is there a purpose to life?  Will history end more on a positive note or a negative one?  Can Christianity give true hope in the midst of changing times?  Questions like these are answered by studying Bible prophecy.  1 Peter 3:15 reminds us to give an account to the world for the hope that is in us.  I always tell people when studying prophecy, to consider all the passages that speak on the subject.  Our limitation in studying prophecy, unlike other Bible doctrines, is that much of what we study as not yet happened.  However that does not mean that we should not have something to say to a world in need of the Gospel.  1 John 3:2-3 tells us that the soon return of Christ purifies the saint of God and gives much hope in the here an now. 

With that said, lets continue our study of the positions on the Millennium by noting Amillennialism and Post-millennialism. 

A-millennialism - This position is the one held most commonly among Christians worldwide. It suggests that Christ began His reign at His ascension into Heaven and is ruling and reigning over a spiritual kingdom right now.  Being that it denies a literal 1,000 year reign of Christ, the term "A-millenialism" is used (a=no and millennium = 1,000 years).  History will continue in its downward spiral and at the end Christ will return, judging the world and satan, and bring about the new heavens and new earth.  Some have appealed to passages such as Matthew 13 for proof.  Amillenialism's strengths are its simplicity, its scriptural justification and that it is held by the vast majority of Christians worldwide.  However one has a hard time holding to this position in light of Revelation 20, which clearly states four times that Christ "will reign 1,000 years".  Also too, most Amillenialists (not all) do not see a future restoration of national Israel, a teaching that is taught in passages such as Romans 11.

Post-millennialism - This position has been in and out of popularity.  It proposes that Christianity will continue to increase until the whole world is taken over by the gospel.  Though not every individual will be saved, yet post-millennialists contend that every nation will eventually see many of their people saved.  It generally teaches that the church will in a sense evangelize until so many people are converted that Christ will then return at the end of the future golden age or "millennium" )post = "end" millennium= 1,000 years).  Post-millenialists take passages such as Psalm 2 and missionary passages such as Matthew 28:18-20 to refer to the triumph of the gospel over unbelief.  The perks to this position is the optimism it communicates and its robust view of missions.  Some of the greatest, conservative Bible teachers of church history have been Post-millenialists.  Unfortunately its greatest criticism have been the general trend of history is decline rather than improvement. 

That completes the overview of the Millennial views.  Tomorrow we will continue in our study of prophecy and end times (eschatology).  I pray that you, dear reader, are increasing in hope and faith in our soon coming King, Jesus Christ.   

Bible prophecy and the Millennium

Acts 1:7 "And he said unto them, It is not for you to know the times or the seasons, which the Father hath put in his own power."

1 Thessalonians 4:13 "But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope."

Two guard rails of Bible prophecy

    The two passages above give us guard rails to use when studying eschatology or what is more commonly called "Bible Prophecy".  On the one hand, eschatology by its nature is not a precise science, being that God has not told us how everything (in minute detail) fits together.  We can certainly make definite statements in warning people of Christ's literal bodily return, however the timing and chronology of events can be a bit more tricky.

    With that said, the second text reminds us of how important it is to know what we believe on Bible prophecy, since our responsibility is to tell people why it is we have such hope about what Christ is going to do in the future, and why it is they need to get ready for His return (please read 1 Peter 3:15).

In the essentials unity, in the non-essentials flexibility, in all things love

    Christians in general, and Baptists in particular, have held that when it comes to viewpoints on the timing and events surrounding Christ's return, legitimate differences do exist that should never cause Christians to break fellowship with one another.  For instance, in the September 22, 2011 edition of Baptist Messenger, a paper produced by the Baptist General Convention of Oklahoma (Southern Baptist), a fine series of articles were written by Godly, respected Bible scholars.   Though differing in their takes on the timing of events surrounding Christ's return,  they all affirm the literal bodily return of Jesus Christ.  From yesterday's blog, we would say that the literal bodily return is a "definite", the various views on - say the millennium - are "positions" and the various views on - say the rapture - are "opinions". 

Defining the Millennium and its major positions

    In our last blog we saw the 8 definite areas of Eschatology.  Today we want to begin noting some key positions that one finds when studying this area of doctrine.  Clearly all Christians are in agreement that Christ will have a literal, bodily, visible return.  According to Bible Teacher John MacArthur, 1 out of every 25 New Testament passages speak on His return. 

   With that said, the areas of difference arise from what is believed will occur once He returns, and whether or not to expect a 1,000 year reign on earth, or if the kingdom is more of a spiritual kingdom.  Three major positions exist on this matter, with all of them centering around the nature of what Bible teachers call "The Millennium" or "the 1,000 year reign of Christ".  Today's blog will feature what is called "Pre-millennialism". 

Premillennialism - This is by far the most familiar to many readers.  Those who hold to this teach that, when Christ returns, He will set up a literal earthly kingdom for 1,000 years, followed by a brief loosing of Satan to deceive the nations, the Great white throne judgment and then the bringing in of the "New Heavens and New Earth".  Pre-millennialists draw their conclusions by combining the "earthly" descriptions of Christ's return in the Old Testament and Matthew 24, as well as the term "1,000 years" in Revelation 20.   

Among the strengths of the Pre-millennial position is first of all its longevity, being the longest held view in the history of the church.  Biblically this position is able to handle the many "earth-bound" descriptions of the coming kingdom seen in the Old and New Testaments as well as giving room for the future restoration of Israel at Christ's return.  Many Pre-millennialists (not all) will also point out that the promises of God to Abraham and David of the Savior and King coming through their bloodlines were and are to be fulfilled in both a heavenly and earthly way.  Some of the weaknesses of the position are that in a literal Millennium, there is a mixture of both resurrected saints and people born who are living in unressurected bodies.  Others have pointed out that many of the disciples' desire for an earthly manifestation of Christ's kingdom was seemingly dismissed by Jesus when he emphasized the coming Kingdom's predominately "spiritual" and "unseen" characteristics. 

More could be said, however we will only offer thumbnail sketches of these major positions.  The aim right now is to introduce the reader to the major viewpoints in Bible Prophecy, so as to encourage further study of scripture.  In tomorrow's blog we will look at two other positions on the Millennium.