Chapter 14.17
Heaven
Third Heaven – Seven Heavens – The New
Earth – Tree of Life
Things IN Heaven - Things NOT in Heaven – The
New Jerusalem
Foundations, Gates with Angels, Streets,
Lights, Rooms
In my Father's house are many rooms; if it were
not so, I would have told you.
I am going there to prepare a place for you. And
if I go and prepare a place for you,
I will come back and take you to be with me that
you also may be where I am - John
14:2-3
First Word
First
of all,
God is the possessor of Heaven; and its vastness is the only thing that could
possible contain Him... if that were possible and earth would only be His
footstool.[1] After “The Day of the Lord”, Heaven will become a
place where men will dwell in the presence of the Almighty God; face to face ….
Without dying.
The Word Heaven, Kingdom of Heaven, Heavenly City and The New Jerusalem are
all synonymous with the DWELLING
PLACE OF GOD. Heaven
in Hebrew is Samayim (plural) and in the Greek Ouranos
(Most of the time plural). There is not
much difference between ‘heaven” and “the heavens”; Jesus passed through
the Heavens[2] how
many ever they are. We have certainly
heard of seventh
heaven and I have seen teaching on as many as TEN heavens, none of which are in the Book.
By the power of God; the universe, the heavens[3]
and earth will be purged by fiery catastrophic events and purified. When the new heavens are created, there will
literarily be “HEAVEN ON
EARTH”
and the
While some Bible Students Belief System embraces that the earth will be renovated; urban renewal. In my BS, I believe we get a brand new earth[4]
and Satan gets to keep this old one, although it’s now a burning ball of HELL fire hurled off into
utter darkness away from the presence of God; forever.[5]- No URBAN RENEWAL
Side Bar
In Catholic and medieval theology there are THREE heavenly realms;
1)
Coelum
Aqueum;
our troposphere extending about 12 miles up which contains the air we breathe
and the birds of the air, rain, snow, frost, hail, lightning and the four
winds.
2)
Coelum
Sidereum
the stratosphere up 12 to 31 miles where temperatures drop with increasing
altitude. Commercial Airplanes fly 30 to 39 miles up where the air is of a
lower density and cooler maximizing fuel efficiency.
3)
Coelum
Empyreum;
the expanse of the universe; the sun, moon, stars and planets; A three
dimensional continual expanse extending in all directions; boundless;
Infinite... Heaven.
The Third Heaven
Many
have written on the subject of heaven and its location describing the
first, second and third heaven. The Apocrypha includes SEVEN heavens
although there is no evidence of this in the Bible. Shamayim – Raquie – Shehaqim – Machen –
Machon – Zebul – Araboth.
Because of my Belief System,
I embrace the FIRST EARTH
AGE;
the one before Adam and Eve, that of Genesis 1:1 and the SECOND EARTH AGE; that of the
creation of Genesis 1:2; I fully embrace the THIRD
EARTH AGE when
the earth is judged and we receive a new heaven and a new earth. Paradise is in
the third age dispensation of God.
(If this is the first time you have ever heard of this, I encourage you to read
about The Gap Theory, the Other Flood or Satan’s flood.
The third
heaven;
to start with, this is where God lives;[6]
this is where Jesus intercedes for us with God.[7] It belongs to God[8]
and as expanse as it is, it cannot fully contain Him. Earth is so small that it’s just a footstool
for God.[9]
John the revelator
was allowed a glimpse into the future of the third age of heaven, but was restricted
as to what he could reveal[10],
however the part that God wants us to know is recorded in scripture and is very
plain on what is there and what is not.
“When the plain
sense of Scripture makes common sense, seek no other sense; Therefore, take
every word at its primary, ordinary, usual, literal meaning unless the facts of
the immediate context, studied in the light of related passages and axiomatic
and fundamental truths, indicate clearly otherwise”. Hal Lindsey
Things NOT in heaven
ü There will be no
crying
or tears
or mourning
or sorrow.
ü There will be no
pain;
no sickness
nor death.
– All of these things will have passed away. [11]
ü Heaven will not
have a temple,[12]
for God and the Son are the temple.
ü There will be no
need for the sun
or moon[13]
because the glory of God and the Son will light it.
ü No scorching heat
from the sun bearing down - No night[14]
and the gates will never be shut
ü No sin or impurity;
nothing shameful
or deceitful, only purity. [15]
ü Neither hunger
nor thirst.[16] –
No husband or wife; no marriage[17]
ü There will be no
salty sea,[18]
just the flow of fresh living waters from the throne.
Things IN Heaven
God is there[19]
and the Son[20] and
the Holy Spirit[21] and Angels;[22] God’s throne[23] is also
there surrounded by 24 other thrones[24] representing
the 12
tribes of Israel and the 12 Apostles,
bringing the old and new testament together.
John the Revelator was allowed to get a glimpse into heaven and saw the real Ark of the Covenant, so we know it’s there containing the
original Ten
Commandments.[25] The Ark that Moses constructed was only a
copy,[26] a
shadow of the real Ark in Heaven.[27]
There is a city,
a New Jerusalem; The Holy City that is a part of the Heavens. There is also the original golden bowls[28] and the original 7 candlestick menorah.[29] Also there is a River of Life[30] flowing
from the throne of God watering the trees.
Fruit
trees of every description are
there as well as The Tree of Life[31] from
the Garden
of Eden, something Adam and Eve missed out on, so
The Tree of Life
The Tree of Life is a
fruit bearing tree with leaves with healing properties. Eating the fruit[39] of the tree produces good works,[40] blessings,[41] fulfillment,[42] sensitivity,[43] it revitalizes and renews; it imparts wisdom;[44]
the knowledge
of Spiritual things providing entrance through the sacred gate into the Kingdom
of God’s eternal life.[45]
The word healing[46]
in the Greek should be translated Health as there is no curse of sickness. The FRUIT of the tree that brings health to the
nations is love,
joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.[47] It’s
all
The Tree
of Life was guarded in the Garden of Eden, but is now available to all
men. The tree is more likely “trees”
on both sides of the river of life.
However, the tree could be large enough to span the entire river with
waters running through it; anyway the fruit is good eats.
The tree is symbolic of the
Cross of Jesus with its leaves providing spiritual living bread.[48]
Reading from the Apocrypha - The
Tree of Life
ü
2
Esdras 8:52 – In the Tree of
Life is found rest, goodness & wisdom
52 For unto you
is PARADISE opened, THE TREE OF LIFE is planted, the time to come is prepared,
plenteousness is made ready, a city is builded, and rest is allowed, yea, perfect
goodness and wisdom.
ü
2
Enoch 8:3-5 – The Tree of
Life looks like golden fire.
3 in the midst
of the TREES THAT OF LIFE, in that place whereon the Lord rests, when he goes up
into PARADISE; and this tree is of
ineffable goodness and fragrance, and adorned more than every existing thing;
and on all sides it is in form gold-looking and vermilion and fire-like and
covers all, and it has produce from all fruits.
4 It’s root is in the garden at the
earth’s end.
5 And paradise is
between corruptibility and incorruptibility.
ü
1
Enoch 24:4-5 –
The Tree of Life is
a tree like none other
4
And the seventh mountain was in the midst of these, and it excelled them in
height, resembling the seat of a throne: and fragrant trees encircled the
throne. And amongst them was a tree such
as I had never yet smelt neither was any amongst them nor were others like it:
it had a fragrance beyond all fragrance, and its leaves and blooms and wood
wither not for ever:
5
and its fruit is beautiful, and its fruit resembles the dates of a palm. Then I
said: 'How beautiful is this tree,
and fragrant, and its leaves are fair and its blooms very delightful in
appearance
The City
Jesus
said His father has a home with many rooms[49]
and He was preparing a place for us and He would return and take us there. We
will live there with God and the Son.
With the limitations of John’s mind, he describes
to us what he can understand;[50]
he describes a part of Heaven, a city, The New Jerusalem, The Holy City[51]
where God dwells among men. We cannot
comprehend the awesomeness of our new home with Christ. We can only see “a shadow”[52]
of it in our spirit painted with the limited imagination
of what we have seen on earth.
The Holy city is as transparent gold and the walls are as transparent
Jasper[53]
and elevated above everything else.[54]
The
City measured
The base is a four square,
1,500 miles wide, 1,500 miles deep and 1,500 miles high. We have been given the dimensions of the Holy City,
the length,
width and height, but not the shape. What if it’s not a cube? What if the shape is like a four sided pyramid, like the
Great Pyramid of Gizeh, which prophecies the coming of Jesus
Christ. What if it is a polished crystal
with the throne on top with the river of life; the living waters flowing down
all four sides? Something to think
about, especially if you have ever read the book “Great Pyramid Proof of God”, and
the symbolism of Christ in it. What if
the “Great
Pyramid” is a shadow of things to come? (Just
my BS, a fun thought, no theology implied, but certainly
possible.)
Revelation
21:16 – The base of the city is square
16 The city was laid
out like a square, as long as it was wide. He measured the city with
the rod and found it to be 12,000 stadia in
length, and as wide and high as it is long. (But what
is the shape? Pyramid or Cube?)
The total area of the city as a
cube would be 2,250,000 square miles. An
approximate area running from the Appalachian Mountains to the Rocky Mountains
then from the Gulf of Mexico to the Canadian border.
The number 12 is prominent in verse 16 & 17, if you look
close. Twelve is the number of Divine
Power, Rule and Authority.
While the number three is the trinity, it is also the number for the
resurrection. Four is the number of creation. Three times four is the rule of God over creation; thus the
number twelve. (No
resurrection; no God over creation.)
Just for fun, the number 15 is “Rest” and that number multiplied to 1500 is the ultimate rest.
Although the believer will be busy, he will never tire.
The
Walls
This Wall is made of Jasper
and is 144 cubits or 240 feet high, or about 24 stories tall.
Tall Wall Y’all
Revelation 21:18 – Wall made of Jasper.
18 The wall was
made of jasper; the city of pure gold, as pure as glass NIV
Twelve
Foundations
The foundation has twelve
layers; each named for one of the
Twelve Apostles. Each one with a different Simi-transparent
color. Twelve is a very prominent number
here, it is the number of complete religious government.
The city seems to be transparent with the light of God radiating out
through the walls and the colors in the foundation. What an awesome sight. (I added the colors in the text.)
Revelation 21:14 – Twelve levels
14 The wall of
the city had twelve
foundations, and on them were the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb.
NIV
Revelation 21:19-20 – The colors of the
Foundation Stones
19 The
foundations of the city walls were decorated with every kind of precious stone.
The first foundation was jasper (blue), the second sapphire (shade of blue), and the third chalcedony
(sky
blue), the
fourth emerald
(bright
green),
20 the fifth sardonyx
(red
& white), the sixth carnelian (reddish) , the seventh chrysolite (golden), the eighth beryl
(sea
green), the
ninth topaz (yellow green), the tenth chrysoprase
(shade
of green), the eleventh jacinth (violet), and the twelfth amethyst
(purple).
NIV
Twelve
Gates
The great Jasper wall contains
Twelve Gates with each gate made out of a SINGLE
PEARL.[55] There are three gates on each side with each
one named for one of Israel’s Twelve Tribes.[56] Each gate is guarded by its own angel. Why; I don’t know as the gates are never shut[57]
and only the righteous ever enter. The
sight of the angels must be just stunning and overwhelming and are a testimony
to the awesomeness of God. In my BS, I believe
these dudes are over 9 feet tall; just saying.
Revelation 21:12-13 – Twelve Gates
12 It had a
great, high wall with twelve gates and
with twelve
angels at the gates. On the gates
were written the names of the twelve tribes of
13 There were
three gates on the east, three on the north, three on the south and three on
the west. NIV
Lighting, Streets & Rooms
There is no night for
the glory of God and the lamb are the light.[58] Coming through each gate, the streets will be
made of pure gold, transparent as glass, the rooms will be adorned with Ivory
and sweet sounds of string music coming from the harp. The bathrobes will smell of the fragrance of
myrrh, aloes and cassia.
Revelation 21:21 – The Street are of pure
transparent Gold
21 The street of
the city was of pure
gold, like transparent glass.
NIV
Psalms 45:8 – The rooms are adorned with ivory
8 All your robes
are fragrant with myrrh and aloes and cassia; from palaces adorned with ivory
the music of
the strings makes you glad.
NIV
The Take Away
This symbolism brings together the Old Testament;
the twelve
tribes of Israel with the twelve gates and the New Testament; the twelve apostles with the twelve foundations. I love it
So there you have it; we have no idea what
the new heavens will look like, but we can know some of the things that will be
there and some of the things that won’t.
The thing that we should rejoice about is
that the believer will be there face to face with Jesus and we will see Him as
He actually is and we will be like Him, and we will have a glorified body that
will never die.
1 Corenthians 2:9 – We cannot comprehend what
Heaven looks like.
9 However, as it
is written:
"NO
EYE HAS SEEN, NO EAR HAS HEARD,
NO
MIND HAS CONCEIVED WHAT GOD
HAS
PREPARED FOR THOSE WHO LOVE HIM"
NIV
1 Corenthians 15:51-52 – We will all be changed
into a different body
51 Listen, I
tell you a mystery:
We will not all sleep, but we will all
be changed
52 in a flash, in the
twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will
sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and
WE WILL BE CHANGED.
NIV
1 John 3:2 – We shall be like Him
But we know that
when he appears,
WE SHALL BE LIKE HIM,
for we shall see Him
as he is.
NIV
[1] 1 Kings 8:27 – God cannot be contained in any
of the highest Heavens
[2] Hebrews 4:14 – Jesus passed through the
Heavens
[3] 2 Peter 3:10-12 – The
Heavens will be destroyed by fire.
[4] Isaiah 65:17 – I will create new heavens and a new earth - Isaiah 66:22 - New heavens... New Earth
[5] Revelation 21:1 – The
first heaven and earth pass away
[6] Genesis 28:17 – God lives
in the Heavens -- Deuteronomy 26:15 – God’s
dwelling place is Heaven
[7] Romans 8:27 – Jesus
intercedes for us in Heaven
[8] Genesis 14:19 – God is
the owner, the possessor of Heaven
[9] Isaiah 66:1 – The earth is only a footstool for God
[10] 2 Corenthians 12:2-4 – I
was caught up to the THIRD HEAVEN in Paradise
[11] Revelation 21:4 – No crying, tears, pain or
death
[12] Revelation 21:22 – No temple
[13] Revelation 21:23 – No sun or moon
[14] Revelation 21:25 – No night
[15] Revelation 21:27 – No sin or impurity
[16] Revelation 7:16 – No hunger nor thirst
[17] Revelation 22:30 – No marriage
[18] Revelation 21:1 – No sea
[19] Daniel 7:9 – God is in heaven
[20] Hebrews 10:12 – Jesus sitting at the right hand of God in heaven
[21] Revelation 14:13 – The Holy Spirit is in heaven
[22] Matthew 22:30 – Angels are in Heaven
[23] 1 Kings 22:19 – God’s throne is in heaven
[24] Revelation 4:4 – 24 other thrones are in heaven
[25] Acts 7:44 – The real Ten Commandment are in Heaven – Exodus 32:15 – Moses
had a COPY of the Ten Commandments
[26] Hebrews 9:23 – They were
just COPIES of things in heaven --
Hebrews 8:5 – The tabernacle of God is a COPY of what is in heaven
[27] Revelation 11:19 – The
real Ark of the Covenant is in heaven -- The ark
prepared according to the PATTERN he had seen in heaven
[28] Revelation 5:8 – There
are Harps and golden bowls in heaven
[29] Revelation 1:12 - The Menorah is in heaven
[30] Revelation 22:1 – The River of Life is in heaven
[31] Ezekiel 47:12 – The
leaves are for
[32] Revelation 19:9 – Wedding Supper is in heaven
[33] Revelation 5:8 – There
are Harps and golden bowls in heaven
[34] Isaiah 44:23 – Everyone
in Heaven will sing -- Hebrews 2:12 – We will
sing praises to God -- Revelation 14:3 – The Believers all sang a new song -- Revelation 15:3 – We will Sing the song of Moses and the song of the Lamb
[35] 1 Corenthians 13:9-10 –
We will continue to learn
[36] Revelation 7:15 – We will serve
[37] 1 Peter 1:3-4 – The Believer will be there
[38] Nehemiah 9:6 – There are Multitudes in Heaven worshiping God
[39] Galatians 5:22-23 – Tree of Life has fruit.
[40] Proverbs 11:30 – The Tree of Life produces good
works.
[41] Proverbs 3:18 – Blessings from the Tree of
Life
[42] Proverbs 13:12 – The Tree of Life produces fulfillment
[43] Proverbs 15:4 – The Tree of Life produces sensitivity.
[44] Proverbs 3:13-18 – Wisdom is a Tree of Life
[45] Genesis 3:22 – Eat from
the Tree of Life and live forever
[46] Revelation 22:2 – The Tree of Life brings healing
[47] Galatians 5:22-24 - The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness,
faithfulness, gentleness, self-control
[48] Revelation 2:7 – Those that
overcome will eat from the Tree of Life
[49] John 14:2-3 – Many rooms
in Heaven; I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be
where I am
[50] 1 Corenthians 2:9-10 – We
cannot comprehend what Heaven looks like. "NO EYE HAS SEEN, NO EAR HAS
HEARD, NO MIND HAS CONCEIVED WHAT GOD HAS PREPARED FOR THOSE WHO LOVE HIM”
[51] Revelation 21:2-3 – A
city made for us, the bride of Christ; God himself will be with them and be
their God.
[52] Colossians 2:17 – Things
we see now are only shadows of things to come --
Hebrews 8:5 – Things are but a copy of what is
in Heaven
[53] Revelation 21:10-11 – The Holy City, Jerusalem, coming
down out of heaven from God, High on a mountain; Clear as Crystal
[54] Micah 4:1 – It will be elevated above everything else
[55] Revelation 21:21 – Each
Gates made out of one pearl
[56] Ezekiel 48:31-34 – Each
of the twelve tribes had a gate with their
name on it.
[57] Revelation 21:25-26 – The
Gates will never be shut for there is no night
[58] 1 John 1:5 – God is
light, so there can be no darkness -- Revelation 21:23-24 – The light comes
from the Glory of the Lord
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