In one area of heaven I saw saintly men who wore beautiful, glorious, white
robes. immediately, I thought of this Scripture:
I will greatly rejoice in the LORD, my soul
shall be joyful in my God; for He has clothed me with the garments of
salvation, He has covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a
bridegroom decks himself with ornaments, and as a bride adorns herself
with her jewels.
(Isaiah 61:10)
(Isaiah 61:10)
The people I saw in heaven had distinctive features and were from all nations
of the earth. The Holy Scriptures say:
After these things I looked, and be hold, a
great multitude which no one could number, of all nations, tribes,
peoples, and tongues, standing before the throne and before the Lamb,
clothed with white robes, with palm branches in their hands.
(Revelation 7:9)
(Revelation 7:9)
Another thing that made a lasting impression on me was the fact that heaven
is such an orderly place. Everything that was done was always done thoroughly,
properly, and with the highest degree of excellence. No work was shoddy; no
product poor; no activity mediocre.
When I saw families walking on the holy hills of heaven and praising God, it
was such a beautiful sight. Their joy and happiness were uninhibited and without
restraint. They seemed to be always going and doing marvelous deeds in the
Lord’s presence.
Everything, whether done individually or in groups, was done in an orderly
fashion. Heaven is completely free of impurities and imperfections. It is
perfect in every sense of the word. All of the alterations and changes we are
familiar with here on earth are unknown in the paradise of God. Perfect joy and
peace fill the hearts, souls, and bodies of all who are there.
PERFECT ORDER
Divine, perfect order and purpose characterize everything that happens in
heaven.
Both angels and saints are continuously engaged in excellent, joyful service.
No one is idle. No one is ever bored. God’s children, as well as the angels and
all the heavenly creatures, serve Him day and night forever.
When we receive new heavenly bodies after the resurrection of the saints, we
will never grow tired or become weak. We will never know fatigue. Our
supernatural, glorified bodies will never lose their strength. In eternity, time
is suspended and circumstances do not ravage the mind, the will, or the body.
To engage in the employments and enjoyments of heaven, we must have a
heavenly nature. And this is what happens when we are born again-we become "partakers
of the divine nature" (2
Peter 1:4), as Peter explained:
His divine power has given us every thing we
need for life and godliness through our knowledge of him who called us
by his own glory and goodness. Through these he has given us his very
great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in
the divine nature and escape the corruption in the world caused by evil
desires.
(2 Peter 1:3-4 NIV)
(2 Peter 1:3-4 NIV)
The architecture of heaven was designed and built in eternity past by the
eternal God. In one part I saw what looked like an entire block of the city of
heaven. The buildings were very large, and across the top of each was a huge,
impressive crown made of many jewels. I don’t know how many people occupied
those grand buildings because I didn’t go inside any of them. But they were all
stately and spacious, far beyond anything you have ever seen on earth.
I thought of how the Scriptures say that when we are laboring on earth for
Jesus, we are laying up treasures in heaven (Luke
18:22). I remembered these verses:
And the twenty-four elders who sat before God
on their thrones fell on their faces and worshiped God, saying: "We give
You thanks, O Lord God Almighty, the One who is and who was and who is
to come, because You have taken Your great power and reigned.
"The nations were angry, and Your wrath has come, and the time of the dead, that they should be judged, and that You should reward Your servants the prophets and the saints, and those who fear Your name, small and great, and should destroy those who destroy the earth."
(Revelation 11:16-18)
"The nations were angry, and Your wrath has come, and the time of the dead, that they should be judged, and that You should reward Your servants the prophets and the saints, and those who fear Your name, small and great, and should destroy those who destroy the earth."
(Revelation 11:16-18)
For indeed your reward is great in heaven.
(Luke 6:23)
(Luke 6:23)
And behold, I am coming quickly, and My reward
is with Me, to give to every one according to his work.
(Revelation 22:12)
(Revelation 22:12)
CHARIOTS OF GOD
As we moved to another part of heaven, the angel of the Lord said to me,
"Come and see the glory of your God."
The angel showed me the chariots of God. The wheels of them were so large
they are difficult to describe. They were studded with diamonds and precious
rubies and emeralds.
Each chariot had at least two wheels on each side. The fronts of the chariots
were low and open like sleighs. They seemed as if they were on fire, but they
were never consumed.
BODIES OF QUALITY
The features of all the people I saw in heaven were glorified and beautiful.
Not one person had any scars, and they all looked radiant and handsome.
I have heard people say, "Well, we are just going to be a vapor of smoke."
No, you are not going to be a vapor of smoke. You will have a bodily form and
features.
The Bible says there are elders around the throne:
Around the throne were twenty-four thrones, and
on the thrones I saw twenty-four elders sitting, clothed in white robes;
and they had crowns of gold on their heads.
(Revelation 4:4)
(Revelation 4:4)
The patriarchs in heaven are beautiful saints of God who have died and gone
on before us. God has given them eternal life. I saw them as they will be when
they receive their new, glorified bodies after the Resurrection.
Saints, you will be unbelievably happy in heaven. When I was in heaven,
memories of home were far away. There was no sadness there, no sorrow, no grief.
I was delighted in the joy of the Lord and awed by His beauty.
There was no darkness in heaven. There was only glory and might and power
every where, especially as you neared the throne. The River of Life flowed from
beneath the throne; it was beautiful and looked like a sea of glass:
And he showed me a pure river of water of life,
clear as crystal, proceeding from the throne of God and of the Lamb.
(Revelation 22:1)
(Revelation 22:1)
As I was going, the angel said, "Come and see the glory of God."
Saints, I was taken at a very fast pace by the angel to a place where the
high praises of God and the music seemed to grow in intensity and volume. It was
the most beautiful music you would ever want to hear. Sounds of joy and shouting
were everywhere.
The angel of the Lord said, "We are approaching the throne." I thought, "Oh,
God, how glorious, how beautiful!"