It's made me realize that my knowledge of Heaven is almost childlike.
As I got older I never did my own research into heaven. I just believed and understood the basics that I learned when I was little. Like when you die, you go straight to heaven and you have a new body, no pain or sadness. Things like that.
Heaven has never been something I thought about theologically. It's always been one of those things I figured I find out about when I died. Because it never made a difference to me, until recently.
Apparently when someone close to you dies, people feel like they can give you their opinion on all things death and heaven. There are a lot of different ideas of what happens. Which is why I've decided to actually look into it myself.
Some people believe things like I did when I was young. Some people believe there is a waiting period because you can't go to Heaven until the judgement which isn't until Jesus comes back.
Other people believe that your loved ones can look down on you and watch over you. I didn't realize people REALLY believed that. I thought it was just something they'd say to be comforting. But it's actually a belief. I don't believe that... I believe that they will be too busy worshipping God to be worrying or watching us. That's just my opinion.
I'd love to hear your opinion and what you believe about what happens when you die!
Right now I'm listening to a sermon series titled, What Happens When You Die? From John Piper. It's really making a lot of sense to me, but I don't want to just go off of what one pastor says. So tell me what you believe and why. Or if you have some good resources you could share!
Just please don't turn this into a debate and argue with other people on here.
And I'm sorry if my opinion about your loved ones looking down on you hurts anyones feelings. Everyone is entitled to their opinion.
If I get to Heaven and it turns out I'm wrong, I'll send you a sign. ;)
I want to run on greener pastures
I want to dance on higher hills
I want to drink from sweeter waters
In the misty morning chill
And my soul is getting restless
For the place where I belong
I can't wait to join the angels
And sing my heaven song
--Lyrics from Phil Wickham's Heaven song--
Blah I typed something out and then when I went to log in it dissapeared!
ReplyDeleteAnywho I believe we are held until judgement. I think as a societ we like the idea of our loved ones (or even us) going straight it happiness and gold streets but I don't think that is how it is. However, I don't think it matters because we are physically dead I personally assume we will have no concept of time so it will seem instataneous when it does happen. The only basis I have is this Bible verse:
Marvel not at this, for the hour is coming in the which all that are IN THE GRAVES shall hear His voice and come forth: they that have done good unto the resurrection of life and they that have done evil unto the resurrection of damnation."
John 5:28-29
I am interested to hear what you are learning though!
Well i've only listened to one sermon so far so I don't have a lot to say. Piper's series is a 4 part series. From what I gathered from the 1st one (and it made a lot of sense. better sense than what I'm about to say. ;) I recommend checking it out for yourself) he says that you go to heaven right away but you don't get your new body until the resurrection. he used 2 Corinthians 4:16–5:10 as his main verses for that sermon. I'm looking forward to having some time to read/listen to the others.
DeleteIn First Temple Judaism, Jews had a belief in Sheol, later translated as Hades in the Septuagint, which was primarily a place of silence to which all men go.
ReplyDeleteOriginally, the righteous were gathered into one place within Sheol, and they would be received into the bosom of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. The righteous were given their own abode within Sheol, separated from the wicked by a chasm and fiery river, much like Styx and Hades from the Greek.
In some pseudepigraphical books such as the Book of Enoch and the Apocalypse of Zephaniah go on to describe a ferry man, much like Charon from the Greek myth, as if there were some redemption to be had after death. "You have escaped from the Abyss and Hades, now you will cross over the crossing place... to all the righteous ones, namely Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Enoch, Elijah and David" -Abraham from the Apocalypse of Zephaniah.
Jesus supported the early Jewish belief in Sheol when he gave his "Parable" of Lazarus and the rich man. Lazarus went to "Paradise" or "Abraham's Bosom," while the rich man suffered the fate of the wicked. Both locations are contained within Sheol, but the wicked are unable to cross into Paradise. The way is closed, and the righteous do not see or hear the wicked on the other side of the chasm, but the wicked could see in, and speak to Abraham himself, as the rich man did, begging Abraham to send Lazarus as a spirit to speak to his family, to warn him of "this place."
From the early Pseudepigraphical books (books that are attributed to certain biblical characters, though no author is identified within the book) come the Idea of purgatory. That if you make it through the Abyss and Hades, you can achieve paradise.
The bible doesn't support this claim. However, I do believe that it supports Sheol, Paradise, and the place of suffering for the wicked, also called Gehenna in some places.
At this time, no wicked people are in hell. The final death is saved until after the thousand year reign found in the Book of Revelation. Ancient Jewish beliefs and the Book of Revelation both support Sheol, or a holding place, until judgement. Believers will face the white throne judgement, where we will be rewarded for what we have done, and some believe we will be asked to give an account of what wrong we have done. The wicked will be judged according to the severity of their sins, and with no blood of Christ to cover them, all will be thrown into the lake of fire, which is the final death.