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Each month the Glen Park Gospel Church produce a one page newsletter called the Green Leaf. It's available from the chapel each Sunday. Anything that may be of mild interest will be published here.

What is Heaven Like?

Heaven conjures various images for different people: Streets paved with gold, A cherub in a cloud with a harp, An endless Church service. The Bible also portrays Heaven with many images. See Isaiah 65:17-25. Heaven is also tied with what we ourselves will be like in that realm. And God understands that it is difficult for us to know:

"He has made everything beautiful in its time. Also, He has put eternity into man's heart, yet so that he cannot find out what God has done from the beginning to the end." Ecclesiastes 3:11. See also 1 John 3:2

Perhaps the most succinct definition is that Heaven is being with God, and conversely Hell is being without God. God is perfect, faultless, so Heaven must be the same. And so must we on arrival.

"But our citizenship is in heaven and from it we await a Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ who will transform our lowly body to be like His glorious body..." Philippians 3:20,21. See also Corinthians 15:42-44

In Heaven we will recognise each other and even people we have never met. Jesus disciples saw Moses and Elijah on a mountain, even if Peter's response was a bit silly:

And Peter said to Jesus, "Lord, it is good that we are here. If you wish I will make three tents here, one for you and one for Moses and one for Elijah" Matthew 17:2-23 (4)

Whether infant, old or infirm, we will be made complete in Jesus:

“For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison." 2 Corinthians 4:17
Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me and do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of heaven." Matthew 19:14
See also 1 Corinthians 13:12, Ephesians 4:13, Revelation 21:4.

Heaven will be multi-cultural:

"After this I looked, and behold, a great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages standing before the throne and before the Lamb..." Revelation 7:9

There will be work to do:

"And night will be no more. They will need no light of lamp or sun, for the Lord God will be their light, and they will reign forever and ever." Revelation 22:5

Reigning is not about us being in control, but we will have purpose, responsibility, and partnership with God just as was first given to Adam and Eve:

Then God said, "Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. And let them have dominion..." Genesis 1:26

Thought for the Month

"Aim at Heaven and you will get earth 'thrown in': aim at earth and you will get neither."
C.S. Lewis, from the book: Mere Christianity

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