Hello friend; I’m Mack Lyon. The program’s In Search of the Lord's Way. It’s great to have you with us today. I don’t know about others, but churches of Christ once sang a hymn titled “How Beautiful Heaven Must Be?” I haven’t heard it in a long, long time. Anyway that will serve as the title for our study today. Say, we’re so glad to have you with us!
Warmest greetings to you, my friend. It’s so good to have you in our Bible study In Search of the Lord’s way to prepare to go to heaven. Depending on which poll a person is reading, 92 to 96 percent of Americans believe in God; and 82 to 89 percent believe in heaven. Suppose we look into what the Lord said about that. After all, He’s going to be the judge, you know.
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Jesus, our Lord, once said, “Strait is the gate, and narrow is the way that leads to life and few there be that find it.” That is Matthew 7: 14; and that is the familiar old King James Version. Well then, it’s as the old-time preacher said, “’Taint everybody’s that’s been talkin’ ‘bout heaven, that’s gonna be goin’ there.” Anyway, it isn’t our purpose today to focus on who’s going to heaven and who is not, as much as “How Beautiful Heaven Must Be,” and how to get there. I want to go to heaven and, I want you to go along with me. Will you? My friend, do you want to go? Stay with us, then. Ken Helterbrand’s going to lead us as we sing, and then I’ll be back to read Revelation 21, verses 14 through 21. Brother Ken, let’s see if we can find that song, and we will sing it sometime; what do you say.
Our Bible reading today is from the book of Revelation chapter 21; and you know that is the last book of the Bible. And we will begin reading at verse 14 and we will read through verse 21. “Now the wall of the city had twelve foundations, and on them were the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb. And he who talked with me had a gold reed to measure the city, its gates, and its wall. The city is laid out as a square; its length is as great as its breadth. And he measured the city with the reed: twelve thousand furlongs. Its length, breadth, and height are all equal. Then he measured its wall: one hundred and forty-four cubits, according to the measure of a man, that is, of an angel. The construction of its wall was of jasper; and the city was pure gold, like clear glass. The foundations of the wall of the city were adorned with all kinds of precious stones: the first foundation was jasper, the second sapphire, the third chalcedony, the fourth emerald, the fifth sardonyx, the sixth sardius, the seventh chrysolite, the eighth beryl, the ninth topaz, the tenth chrysoprase, the eleventh jacinth, and the twelfth amethyst. The twelve gates were twelve pearls: each individual gate was of one pearl. And the street of the city was pure gold, like transparent glass.” Now let us go to God in prayer. Holy Father, God in heaven, our creator, our guide, our Lord, the Lord of our lives, we approach You with thanksgiving for this picture of heaven and we pray that You will bless us in the study of it. How beautiful heaven must be! In Jesus’ name we pray, Amen!
The last book of the New Testament is a “revelation” to the seven churches of Asia of the things that at that time, that time the book was written (in the last decade of the first century) were to “shortly come to pass.” That is Revelation 1 and 1. The message of that book has been exceedingly confused, and even perverted by spectacular speculations of false prophets about things that are supposed by them to be yet future these nearly 2,000 years later. The penman identified himself in chapter one, verse nine: “both your brother and [your] companion in the tribulation and patience of Jesus Christ.” He was a fellow-citizen then with them who were in the kingdom at that time. Oh say friend, the kingdom of Jesus Christ must have been in existence at the time then, wouldn’t you say? Well, he was also a brother with them in the tribulation they were suffering right then. He and they were suffering great tribulation as he wrote. He was exiled on the Isle of Patmos for the word of God when he received and wrote that revelation. And, he was a brother in the patience, or the patient endurance, of that tribulation. The message of the book of Revelation, then, is about the tribulation which they would suffer very shortly, and an encouragement to remain faithful to the end. And the verses we read awhile ago are descriptive of their reward-- heaven.
The word “heaven” appears 56 times in the 22 chapters of the book of Revelation. Where is heaven? Well, it isn’t a place on the map. It isn’t an earthly place. It isn’t a state, or circumstances that we experience now, or achieve in this life. It’s a real place, though; just as real as if it could be located on the globe. As He was preparing His apostles for the approaching death Jesus promised, “I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go to prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am there you may be also” (John chapter 14, verses 2 and 3). And in Acts 1:11 John and the other apostles watched Him as He ascended into heaven. One of my many “favorite Scriptures” is 1 Peter chapter 1, verses 3 and 4. And those verses say: “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to (1) an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and that does not fade away, reserved in heaven for you.”
Well, where is that inheritance. I want to go see it! It’s in heaven, friend. Despite the fact that we can neither see it or touch it or smell it or taste it or hear it, it’s real. “.....we do not look at things which are seen, but at things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal” (2 Corinthians 4, verse 18). But, doesn’t the Bible speak of three heavens. Yes, you’re right about that; it does.
The first heaven is the atmosphere immediately above the surface and surrounding the earth in which the birds fly and the clouds gather. The Bible speaks of the “fowl of heaven” in Genesis 7:23 and that is the King James Version. The second heaven is above that one and is what we commonly call “outer space.” It’s where the sun, the moon, the stars and the planets are. The Psalmist said, “The heavens declare the glory of God” (Psalm 19:1). We’re learning a lot more about this vast area of our universe, and the more we learn about it, the more the heavens declare the glory of God. The third heaven is the eternal dwelling place of God (Isaiah 66 and 1). It is up above the others from whence the Son of God came to dwell among us. It was Jesus who said, “No one has ascended to heaven but He who came down from heaven, that is, the Son of Man...” (John chapter 3, verse 13). “He who descended is also the One who ascended far above all the heavens, that He might fill all things” (Ephesians 4 and 10). It’s also the eternal dwelling place of the saints (2 Corinthians 5 and 1). No one and I repeat now, hear me now no one has ever gone into the third heaven and returned to tell us what he saw and heard, notwithstanding the claims of modern preachers and teachers, both men and women, to the contrary. The apostle Paul wrote of himself in 2 Corinthians 12:1 to 6: “I know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago-- whether in the body I do not know, or whether out of the body I do not know, God knows-- such a one was caught up to the third heaven...and heard inexpressible words, which it is not lawful for a man to utter.” So, even the apostle Paul could not tell us what he saw or heard in the third heaven. The apostle John was exiled on Patmos, and was given a vision of God’s throne in heaven, but he was not actually there.
Now: why do we sing “How Beautiful Heaven Must Be?” I would like to suggest that you read all of the last two chapters of Revelation this very day. There you will read of it as a city built foursquare. In other Scriptures it’s described as a “country” as in Hebrews chapter 11, verse 16. Revelation is a book of signs and symbols, friend. Heaven, then, is not literally or physically a city fifteen hundred miles wide, fifteen hundred miles high and then again fifteen hundred miles long. It isn’t made up of pure gold like glass. It isn’t surrounded, as the ancient cities were, by a wall of jasper seventy-two yards wide. In reality it doesn’t have twelve gates, each made of a real pearl. Its streets are not really paved with pure gold. And it doesn’t really have a beautiful river flowing right down, as clear as crystal, right down the middle of Main Street. God uses these terms in the description we read to describe heaven, using terms that we as humans can grasp. He had tried to convey the magnificent beauty as it really; I should say if he had tried to reveal that beauty as it really is, we wouldn’t understand it at all; we wouldn’t understand what He is talking about. He is presenting a spiritual place for us, friend-- an eternal home for our spirits.
What, then, is so appealing about heaven that we sing about it? Well, first of all, Heaven is home! Be a place ever so humble, it is home; if it is home it’s beautiful, isn’t it? When we lived in New Jersey, I was amazed that some people were living in houses built by some of their ancestors a way back to Colonial days. They didn’t compare in beauty with the new homes in some of the new residential areas, but they were home! Some of the adults had grown up living there! Mother and dad; grandmother and granddad, great grandmother and great granddad had played in the yard of this old house. Oh say, those people had never entertained the idea of trading one of those old houses for one of the new ones in a new housing development. Our Lord Jesus has gone into heaven and is preparing a place for us! Oh, I have no doubt at all; its beauty will exceed any human language or, what any human language or tongue can describe! In Revelation 21:7 God promises the overcomers of the great tribulation they were suffering, “….they shall inherit all things, and I will be [their] God,” He said, “and they shall be My sons,” or my people. Yes, friend; “How Beautiful Heaven Must be!”
But heaven will be beautiful because of what will not be there; as much as the beauty of living in heaven will be anything else. Recently my wife, Lois, and I and another couple went to a very nice restaurant to eat. It’s a lovely place and the food was delicious. But there were intoxicating drinks served there. Well, the eight people at a nearby table had had some drinks before they arrived there, and with what they ordered at the table, they became loud, then louder, then very much louder and they were coarse until they disturbed the peace and quiet and conversation for everyone else in that dining room. I thought then about Revelation 21:7 and 8: “He who overcomes shall inherit all things, and I will be his God and he shall be My son. But the cowardly, unbelieving, abominable, murderers, sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters and all liars shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death.”
During the recent fires in Oklahoma, I thought there’ll be no such fires, or tornadoes, or earthquakes, or hurricanes or other such disasters that cause destruction, death and pain here on the earth. There’ll be no funerals or mortuaries, emergency rooms or emergency vehicles over there. Revelation 21:4 says, “God will wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying, nor pain, for the former things have passed away.”
In just about every city in the country, every morning the radio and television news programs report overnight homicides, stabbings, infanticides, child-abuse, robberies, arsons, rapes and attempts at other such evils. Revelation 21:7 and 8 says, “He who overcomes shall inherit all things, and I will be his God and he shall be My son….And do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived. Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor homosexuals, nor sodomites, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners will inherit the kingdom of God.”
My friend, Heaven will also be beautiful because of what will be there. God, I mean the almighty and true God will be there! And Jesus Christ, the Son of God, the Redeemer will be there. And every person who was ever redeemed by His blood and lived by His word will be there. What will we be doing over there? We will be worshiping God (Revelation 22 and 9). I mean we’ll be worshiping Him as He wanted us to worship Him, on earth, “in Spirit and in truth.” Our worship here is often perverted by a lack of the spirit of worship. At other times the places of worship are perverted because of its keeping, failure to keep God’s revealed truth. If you are not what God calls a “true worshiper,” you probably won’t be happy in heaven. Let us pray. Holy Father, we give You our thanks and our praise now for the message before us; and we pray that we will all want to go to heaven when the time comes. In Jesus’ lovely name we pray. Amen!
The old hymn I asked Ken Helterbrand to find a while ago says it so well. “We read of a place that’s called heaven; It’s made for the pure and the free; These truths in God’s word He has given; How beautiful heaven must be. In heaven, no drooping, nor pining; No wishing for elsewhere to be; God’s light is forever there shining; How beautiful heaven must be. Pure waters of life there are flowing; And all who will drink may be free; Rare jewels of splendor are glowing; How beautiful heaven must be.”
Well, I pray that in my limited way, I’ve enhanced not only your desire to go to heaven, but I have brought you to the point of thinking, “What must I do to be ready to go to heaven?” Listen carefully because there are many ways being taught, and you want to know the Lord’s way, don’t you?
I’m sure you are among the 92 to 96 percent of Americans who believe in God, or you wouldn’t be still with me. But, do you believe in Jesus Christ as His only begotten Son? Salvation is in no other (Acts 4 and 12). And, we read from God’s own word about what or who would not be in heaven; therefore, you know you can not continue in a life of sin and go to heaven. That change is called repentance. Jesus preached more about repentance than anybody. Some people in New Testament times believed in Jesus, but they wouldn’t “confess Him.” They loved the praise of men more than the praise of God (John 12:42 and 43). With the mouth confession is made to salvation (Romans 10:32). If you really believe in Jesus as the Son of God, you will want to die with Him to the old world, be buried with Him in baptism, and raised to walk in newness of life according to Romans 6:3 and 4. And Acts 2:38 says, baptism is “for the remission of sins;” some versions say “forgiveness of sin.” Well, having been cleansed by the blood of Jesus, you’ll want to live for Him the rest of your life, and then go to heaven. And I hope you will! God bless you. And if we may assist you, we would love to do it. “How Beautiful Heaven Must Be.” Lets you and I not miss it, friend!
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