Heaven

  
     Heaven!  How long since you were excited about heaven?  In some religious places, church in name only, you may not have even heard the word "heaven" in a long time.  But, there is a hell to shun and a heaven to gain.  Where are you headed, my friend?   I know some may see it different, but I believe Revelation four contains a dramatic end to the church age, the age of grace, and the beginning of something beyond wonderful.  It starts with a voice that said to John "come up here".  And, oh, the sights John saw. We, too, will one day see these sights. The first thing that caught his eye was God almighty, so beautiful that John used the beauty of jewels and rainbows to describe His glory.  John met His maker at that moment.  Then his eyes were filled with the twenty four elders, representative of the church and Israel, clothed in white righteousnes, wearing gold crowns of authority.   Then he saw the "seven" Spirits of God, the number "seven" meaning complete and perfect.  He saw the formerly invisible Holy Ghost, on whose wings he had made his journey from the dust of Israel to golden streets of heaven.    He saw those streets, beholding the beauty of God's throne room.  He saw the heavenly creatures and I believe that he, along with the elders cast his crown at the feet of God and began to sing "thou art worthy".  What a song!  And, what a sound, the sound of the clashing of the crowns being cast at the feet of God.  The more he looked, the more wondrous things became.

    Some thing, however, in chapter four was missing from his view.  After all, how can the eyes of man, even with heavenly eyes, take in all that heaven is?  Something was missing.  Chapter five reveals what it is.  A book was held up and a loud voice asked "who can open this book?"  No man, of heaven or earth, was able to open it and John said he began to weep.  Something to be seen could not be seen until that book was opened and someone stepped forward who could open that book.  Then, as he wept, an elder stepped up and told him "Don't weep, the Lion of Judah, the root of David, will open the book".   And, then, suddenly, stood a Lamb!  Suddenly, what was missing from his view became visible.  John saw Jesus!   My God, what a moment.  He saw what Jesus had been and what Jesus now was.  He saw that clothing of the Holy Ghost that Jesus had been wearing all along, even when He walked among those disciples.  And then the worship of the redeemed really kicks into gear. An innumerable host, ten thousand times ten thousand, thousands of thousands began to sing "worthy is the lamb".  And the elders fell at His feet and worshipped Him.  Oh, what a moment of recognition and worship!

     It is at that point that John is suddenly aware of not only God Almighty, the church, the Holy Ghost, the glory of heaven, the Lamb called Jesus but when he saw that host,  he became aware of the multitude of the redeemed.  Maybe it is only my imagination, but at that moment, in the midst of worship beyond dreams, he sees and knows those who have made it.  No, there will be no "rose garden" in the sky meeting, but there will be a meeting.  There, at the feet of the Lamb, in the midst of worship, we will look across the multitude and see that Mom made it.  Dad made it. That baby we lost prematurely, made it. Our spouse made it.  Our kids, they made it. And, our grandkids.  And, oh, there are those we won to the Lord, they made it. And, some of our friends, there they are.   John must have looked across the crowd and no doubt, noticed that Peter and the other disciples made it.  Something in us will recognize those we have loved before.  No, we may not run over and hug them, though we might.  We will be to busy in our mutual mission now, doing what we were created to do, saved to do, taken to heaven to do, that we might not do that family reunion right at first.  For the first ten thousand years, we will sing the song of the redeemed, sharing the mutual harmony that only a singing family might understand. And, then, after ten thousand years, maybe we will start all over and sing another ten thousand years or so. "Blessing, and honour, and glory, and power, be unto him that sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb for ever".

    My friend, lift up your eyes.  Point your feet toward eternal destiny.  Worship now, practicing, for what you will do there.  Let "Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven"  guide your journey