“But we are not of them who draw back unto perdition; but of them that believe to the saving of the soul.” Hebrews 10:39

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We believe: 1. Sola Scriptura—II Tim. 3:16; Heb. 4:12 2. Solus Christus—I Tim. 2:5-6 3. Sola Gratia—Eph. 1:3-8 4. Sola Fide—Gal. 3:11 5. Soli Deo Gloria—I Cor. 10:31 Amen

Volume 1, Issue 2

February 2010

HEAVEN IS A REAL PLACE Heaven is a real place and this is a fact! The Bible (KJV) describes Heaven in great detail. It tells us that Heaven is God’s dwelling place and is inhabited by, or populated with, free moral and intelligent beings, some of whom are rulers and rule according to law. The scripture says that God has a throne and a temple in Heaven: “The Lord is in His holy temple, the Lord’s throne is in Heaven: His eyes behold, his eyelids try, the children of men.” (Psalm 11:4) The Bible says that God created the Heaven and the earth. The Hebrew text differentiates between an act of creation (BARA—Gen. 1:1) and the act of making something (ASAH—Gen. 1:7). When God creates, he brings things into existence from nothing that exists. When He makes, he forms things

from materials that already exist. Heaven was created before the earth (Gen. 1:1; Job 38:4-7). So, “What is Heaven?” you ask! The scriptures say there are three heavens and define them as follows: 1. the clouds—the atmosphere around the earth (Gen. 1:6-9; Job 26:8; Matt. 24:30); 2. where the stars are—space (Gen. 1:14-19); and , 3. Heaven—the actual place (II Cor. 12:1-4) that was created by God (Psalm 8:3); where He dwells (I Kings 8:30, 39, 43, 49); and, where His throne is located (Isaiah 66:1). This ‘third heaven’ is the focus of our lesson. Paul was caught up there. He wasn’t doubtful of where he was; he was sure that he was in third heaven. What he was unsure of was whether he was there in body or out of body.

The scriptures teach that Heaven is circuitous or round (Job 22:14; Psalm 19:6) and similar to the earth (Isaiah 40:22; Rom. 1:20; Philipp. 2:10). The Hebrew word CHUWG is used in both Job 22:14 and in Isaiah 40:22. It is translated ‘circuit’ in one scripture and ‘circle’ in the other and refers to curvature. It seems comical that man once thought the earth to be flat and sailors believed they would fall off the earth if they sailed to the edge of it. My guess is that they had not read Isaiah because if they had, they would have known that the earth was round.

The scriptures tell us that Heaven has real cities (Heb. 11:10 -16; 13:14), thrones (Isaiah 6:1) as literally seen (Hebrew—RA’AH) by Isaiah; hills and chariots (Psalm 68:16-17), floors, rainbows, lightening and thunders (Rev. 4:3, 5-6; 15:2), rivers (Rev 22:1), stones and hailstones (Josh. 10:11), trees (Rev. 2:7), streets (Rev. 22:1-3), mountains, chariots and horses (Rev.14:1; Heb 12:22-23; Zech. 6:1). Now that you’ve seen in scripture ‘what’ Heaven is, your next question may be, “Where is Heaven located?” The scriptures say that Heaven is above the earth (I Kin. 8:23) in the highest part of creation (Job 22:12; Luke 2:14) and far above (Eph.1:21; 4:10). It is located north of the earth in the northernmost part of creation (Isaiah 14:12-14; Psalm 75:6-7). The psalmist says that promotion does not come from the east, west or south, implying that it comes from the north. So, if we were to travel to the northernmost part of the earth, then travel north from there to the northernmost part of the universe, we would eventually reach heaven. But finite man cannot physically reach Heaven in such a way. In Heaven there are armies with horses (Rev. 19:14). In fact there was a war in Heaven (Isaiah 14:12 -14) when Lucifer, who ruled earth at the time, tried to invade Heaven (Ezek. 28:11-19—he was the spiritual King of Tyre since the actual King of Tyre at the time was Ithobalus II).

The good news is that from the very beginning God has chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the spirit and belief of the truth. He now calls you to himself by his written and preached Word.

He sought foolishly to overthrow God from His throne. Lucifer failed miserably! There have been conferences held in Heaven regarding the affairs of man (II Chron. 19:18-22). Micaiah saw God sitting on His throne and saw God allow a lying spirit to entice Ahab, the then King of Israel. Job 1:6 and 2:1 clearly illustrate actual events occurring in this place Heaven. This Heaven is our inheritance. Christ will return and take us there to dwell in God’s presence. II Thess. 2:8-12 comes alive in these occurrences. When believers are caught up (raptured) and the Holy Spirit is taken out of the earth then the anti-Christ will be revealed. God will then send a strong delusion on those who are left behind who did not receive the love of the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness and they will believe a lie because of this delusion. The good news is that from the very beginning God has chosen

you to salvation through sanctification of the spirit and belief of the truth. He now calls you to himself by his written and preached Word. God’s desire is that no one should perish but that all come to repentance (II Pet. 3:9). It is a fact that once you believe the truth in your heart (II Thess. 2:13) and confess it with your mouth (Rom. 10:10), you are sanctified, separated, or set apart from a profane life to a sacred one. The Word of God which is the word of truth is the tool by which we are sanctified (John 17:17). Continue to read God’s word, to study it and to believe and make it real to your everyday life. You are blessed in the light of the Word. Faithfully,

S. Morgan - ‡