What Heaven Knows About Earth: The Knowledge of Our Passed Loved Ones

Today's episode of a new beginning is brought to you by harvest partners, helping people everywhere know God.

Learn more@harness.org and while you're there, browse our library of free e-books designed to help you grow in your faith, what you know about what is going on here are people we know more about what we know is one of the most common questions people ask about eternity are ones where today Pastor Greg Laurie provides answers should so far away more as a another mention of the heavenly grandstand departed loved ones, watch the events of our lives or question, blissfully unaware of our struggles is an interesting question today. Pastor Greg Laurie finds inside God's word large or long for new beginning in our continuing series in Revelation later on some details about a new release Revelation, we come to a new section in our series on the book of Revelation with the sake of an illustration. Let me compare it to a fill though I don't know about how you guys go to a movie, but forgot the MRI. It always involves popcorn and milk… Sure how that started those two things, but that's what we got popcorn and milk that so sometimes I'll think of the gum on the movie starting. There's a long line of the concession stand at Josie, but I got to get the popcorn and multiply.

Kathy, you don't want to miss the beginning of the film you find out who the main characters are the plot lines are being established, and she always shows up about four minutes late and that you think who's that.

Why do they do that. That's why you have to be there in the beginning of the movie so if the book of Revelation were of film we would know know who the main characters are both good and bad.

The hero appears in chapter 1, and of course it's Jesus Christ the good guys are in chapters 2 to 3. That's the church that I was now the villain in his bad guys come barreling in. In chapter 6 is the four ominous Horsemen of the Apocalypse annul the real action of the book is beginning to build that the music is swelling and I were sinking deeper into our seats and on about you coming back to theaters, but after I walked out of the theater. It was embarrassing to see how much popcorn I dropped to my seat and on the floor.

I felt bad for the people cleaning it up so now this is the big moment as the story continues on, and now we see conflict affected looks at this moment in the book of Revelation is all the bad guys are winning because we see wickedness taking hold as Satan rides roughshod over planet Earth.

Good guys are getting pummeled by the antichrist but spoiler alert. Jesus Christ returns in the end, and we win in the end, just in case you didn't know, so Revelation chapters 6 to 19 are really the heart of the book.

These chapters contain 21 judgments that will be unleashed on the world during the seven year tribulation.

We have three distinct series of judgments that will both fall planet Earth.

During this time known as the tribulation basically is going to be seven seals, seven trumpets and seven bowls. Let me say that again seven seals, seven trumpets and seven bowls but let me say at the outset. God takes no pleasure in this.

You know sometimes people want to portray God is angry, you know, the lightning bolt in the sand so excited about bringing judgment on planet Earth. Nothing could be further from the truth because the Lord says in Scripture. I take no delight in the death of the wicked.

There are positive aspects of the judgment of God. Believe it or not number one on God's judgment frightens us, and that's not a bad think it's supposed to.

It'll make you think twice before you do that thing. And as you watch God's judgment of the repercussions Commodore person's life when they done the wrong thing. It's a warning to you to not also do the wrong thing number two God's judgment sobers us, it forces us to reassess the way we been living our lives in. Sometimes it causes us to change our priorities at CS Lewis is said pain is God's megaphone to reach a deaf world. The psalmist said before I was afflicted I went astray.

But now I have kept your words of God can use these things to get our attention.

Another thing about the judgment of God, it humbles us, it strips away our self-righteousness and reminds us about sinful we are reminding us that were not in control of our own lives and it reminds us that we desperately need God in our life. And one last thing about the judgment of God. It reassures us to know Greg, you got that one wrong no. It reassures us and reassures us that though finally be justice in the world. Every day we get up in the morning and we read news sites about horrible unthinkable events that take place crimes that are committed horrible sinful things that are done we think that's not right, but we remind ourselves one day. There's a final Court of Justice outdoor scene unfold here in the book of Revelation.

Now we come to a group of courageous believers were put to death people that would not take the mark of the beast people that would not pledge their allegiance to the antichrist and think maybe even people that you have shared the gospel with double miss the rapture but come to faith later we read about them in Revelation 6. Starting in verse nine. When he opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of them that have been slain for the word of God and for their testimony which they held. He might underline those two things are come back to their slain for the word of God and the testimony they help they cried with a loud voice thing how long the Lord, holy and true, until you judge and avenge our blood on those who dwell on the earth, then a white robe was given each of them was said to them that they should rest a little while longer, until both the number of their fellow servants and of their brothers who would be killed as they were, was completed so.

There who are these people that appear in heaven who been put to death for their faith in Christ. These are people who have come to believe in Jesus during the tribulation. Again, these are people who miss the rapture. These are people who refused to take the mark of the beast.

Why would they put to death.

Two reasons are given but you Revelation 69 there were slain for the word of God and for the testimony they help number one they stood for the word of God.

Number two, they had a powerful testimony.

Let me ask you a question do you stand for the word of God. You speak up for what is true. Maybe people are saying things in a conversation that you know contradict what the Bible says do you have the courage to say, let me just offer my opinion, and the Bible says it's funny menu bring a Bible. People freak out. Don't think just a very presence of a Bible alarms some people, but you may quote it because you have one nearby, or you may have memorized diverse and you share with the Bible says and then also there were put to death because of their testimony. Listen, every Christian has a testimony. Now the question is is it a good one. Or is it a poor one. A testimony is your story of how you came to faith in Jesus Christ.

We read later in the book of Revelation of people that overcame the devil and will get to this in the future. Message that I'm calling how to overcome the double but we read that they overcame the devil by the blood of the Lamb by the word of their testimony, and they loved not their lives until death, and so they use the blood of the Lamb and their testimony so your testimony, your story of how you came to believe in Jesus as a powerful bridge to start a conversation about your faith might even be surprised to know that I what I'm sharing my people are people I don't start with a sermon. I don't cruise around with a little pulpit like this on wheels you know that I have in the market nonstop reach a sermon not I usually start with my own story of how I came to believe in Jesus as a young kid at the age of 17 and what really got through to me. So they have their testimony and their persecuted and if you stand for the word of God. And if you're bold with your story of what Christ is done for you. You will face a degree of persecution that were told in second Timothy 312. All who desire to live godly lives will suffer persecution.

Mr. Greg Laurie will have the second half of his message in just a moment were encouraged when we hear the pastor Greg's teaching and preaching is touching lives right by New York on I would say that your crusading that where Barney, 2000 wasn't for my mom for me at your grade will be here they probably saved my life after your Christian church. I married my wife baptized together but they dogood is out and that's your loss. My daughter and your teachings are not subject help me through a very dark time now I have two beautiful sunny and we left off, living his life. Thank you so much for always doing a good word Lord I appreciate your grateful to secure the changed lives to pastor Greg's teaching and be sure to tell a friend about pastor Greg's upcoming SoCal harvest October 3 at Angel Stadium in Southern California help them find hope in Christ for information go to harvest.org that's harvest.org will you join us for a fascinating series in the book of Revelation we want to point out that Pastor Greg has just published a book, a commentary on the book of Revelation will tell you more later or get details now@harvest.org. Now we come to the heart of this message. Remember were talking about what to people in heaven know about what's going on here on earth follow up question.

Do they even care are people in heaven watching this right now are they looking down from glory and observing what were facing and what were going through. It seems like there's two trains of thoughts on this subject.

Some would suggest that when you're in heaven. The last thing you would care about is what is happening on earth and to the point if you knew of something so tragic or sad that it happened on earth. It would ruin heaven for you. The other train of thought is people in heaven are watching our every move they sometimes even intervene in our lives. Sometimes they speak to us in a guy that's okay. You might be surprised to hear me say both of these views are incorrect in both of these views are not biblical. So let me give you a biblical view of what people in heaven know about her and felt someone might be thinking what what why even talk about this.

Who even cares about you care if you of a loved one in heaven now, as you probably know our son Christopher went to be with the Lord. 13 years ago. He was only 33 years old. It was a life altering event either very close relationship with Christopher as I do with my son Jonathan.

We talked every single day in this suddenly have communication, all in no longer be able to hear from them or talk to them or know what they're doing. It's like you've been cut off and so there were two things I wanted to know about.

In the aftermath of my sons death.

Number one I wanted to know more about heaven, so I wouldn't say I'm expert on heaven, but I would say I'm a student of heaven, and I would add this.

I also wanted to know more about how I can bring hope when tragedy strikes because when you lose a loved one, or when you find out that your terminally ill or something huge happens to you. You wonder how my going to survive and I wanted to know how I can bring hope to people like this because God brought hope to me in my hour of need, because there's a bottom line as you get older you get to know more people that have gone on to have it you get to know more people who die some of your thinking out thinks of that depressing thought preacher well it's just reality. Someone's gotta tell you, so I guess it's going to be me. Listen to this date to break the news to you.

Life is our it just is.

But God is good and God can give you what you need in life. Don't be afraid you won't necessarily give you what you need before you need it will never give it to you after you needed. He'll always give it to you when you needed the Bible says he's a present help in time of trouble.

So before we dig into this passage, Sharon Revelation 6, let's think of some other passages that tell us a little bit about what heaven knows about earth. The first one that comes to mind is found in Luke 16 and here's the point I want to make people in eternity are aware of the fact that their loved ones are not.

Say people in eternity are aware of the fact that their loved ones are not saved. Going back to Luke 16.

It's a behind-the-scenes look at the after life. Something gets up terrible with the parables in the lustration. This is a real story because names are attached and it's a story of two men. One was rich. One was for one had no interest in God one believed in God. They both die. The rich man had a big funeral.

It would've been on all the television stations everyone would've known about it. The poor man nobody even cared about them. By the way, his name was Lazarus and Lazarus live from the food that fell from the rich man's table. So they both died in the entered into eternity. Lazarus not the same Lazarus that Christ raised from the dead by the way, when Lazarus in this story is immediately escorted by the Angels into heaven, into what is called Abraham's bosom. The rich man, meanwhile, is sent down to Hades, or a place of torment, and he's literally in flames he realizes how horrible this is. We read in 1628 him saying I have five brothers and I want to warn them about this place of torment so they won't have to come here after they die. So this indicates a knowledge in heaven in the afterlife about what is happening on earth and I bring this up because sometimes people say things like, will you be oblivious of what is happening on earth and and you will remember anything about what happened and if what you talking about this guy is aware of the fact that he is brothers that are alive and are still in the doesn't want him to end up in this horrible place of judgment that he finds himself in. So when you get to heaven you don't know lest you know more right because the Bible says that in that day. We will know as we are known first Corinthians 1312 we will know is we are no by the way, that word needs to come to know. This indicates that there is still a process of learning in heaven and in the new work the phone like you die and go to heaven of all of us and you know everything you know is much as God knows no that's not true. Only God is omniscient, all-knowing. I will keep learning and growing in heaven affect Ephesians 26 says God has raised us up with Christ and seated us in the heavenly realm. So in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace and that word show means to reveal so this phrase coming ages indicates there's a progressive ongoing revelation in which we learn in the heaven. More and more about the grace of God is, and that going to be exciting.

There's another point number two when people believe in Jesus on earth it's public knowledge and have when people believe in Jesus on earth it's public knowledge in heaven. Luke 15, Jesus told three stories of people who lost something. There was a woman who lost a calling that was a father who lost a son, and there was a shepherd who lost a sheet in the case of the shepherd. He went searching until he found that stray sheep and brought it back wrapped around his neck, rejoicing, and then this point is brought there. Luke 15 Jesus says in the same way, though, be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over 99 righteous people so know this when you engage in evangelism. This is pleasing the heart of God and what a person believes in Jesus on earth. There is joy in heaven but notice it says that there is joy in the presence of the angels of God sometimes will say when a nonbeliever comes the Christ, the angels rejoice. Well, that's kind of true but it's not exactly what it says it says there is joy in the presence of God.

Could their first actually be suggesting that the great joy is not among the angels alone, but it's among us.

In other words, is it possible that in heaven I would be aware that my life or testimony or witness had some impact on someone who would just believe in other words, I'm in heaven. I know someone, I share the gospel with just came to faith.

Maybe it's my son or my granddaughter or maybe a relative, even beyond matter or someone else, but there's a direct connection between heaven and earth. We think heaven is so far away. Think of it more as a another dimension that you enter into. When you go into the afterlife to go back to Revelation chapter 6 verse 10 and 11. We have the martyrs crying out how long the Lord, holy and true, but do you judge and avenge our blood on those that dwell on the earth ringing me to my next point people in the heaven may know more about the time and place of events on earth that we realize again. People in heaven may know more about the time and place of events on earth.

Then we realized. For these people there mere mortals there. People like you and me. They been put to death for their faith, but there were aware of things. For starters, there aware that they were killed for following Christ and they know that was an injustice so that the same people in heaven that they were on earth there's a direct continuity. The martyrs are fully conscious, rational and aware of each other aware of God and aware what is happening on earth. Also note there aware of the passing of time on earth is in verse 10, how long the Lord, holy and true to you judge and avenge our blood and their members. 11.

It said to them that they should rest a little while longer.

I bring this up because sometimes people say in heaven were not aware of the passing of time. Why would you say that these folks were put to death for their faith are fully aware of the passing of time.

Also I would add, there's a direct connection between these believers in heaven and those that are still on the earth. They were further fellow servants and their brothers again. This is connected to these people in particular. But if it's true of them could it not be true of us so my point is simply this.

Heaven knows more about her.

Then you realize heaven Pastor Greg Laurie study series in the book of Revelation. Today's message focuses on that very subject what heaven knows about earth there's more insight to come. But listen, if you missed any of the insight pastor Greg brought us today from Revelation 6.

You can get a replay of the presentation online@harvest.org, you know, the book of Revelation is a rewarding study of Bible prophecy, and in our current series and in a new book from Pastor Greg wishing the full picture of its authorship. The time in which it was written and the circumstances in which our redemption takes place. The apostle John wrote the book of Revelation.

John was one of the apostles that one would Jesus Christ. In fact, in his gospel. He described himself as a disciple that Jesus love.

He outlived all the other disciples and they trying to put them to death. According to church tradition and a pot of boiling oil. John would not die. So instead, the banished him distant island of Patmos and isolated little island out in the middle of nowhere, and when he was placed on that island. No one ever thought they would hear from John again. Maybe even John felt abandoned by God.

I don't know but I know this much Jesus Christ came to the apostle John on the island of Patmos and the Lord took John into the future third catapulted him into the next dimension and he saw things that no man had ever seen before. John had a front row seat to the beginning of the tribulation. He tells us about the antichrist. The mark of the beast. The battle of Armageddon and the second coming of Jesus Christ also tells us about the millennial reign of Jesus with the lamb and the lion will lie together and John tells us about the momentous event when heaven and earth all come together again any will these words down in a book that is simply called Revelation. It's the Revelation of Jesus Christ. Revelation means unveiling this book given feel Jesus Christ to Revelation is our home. The next several weeks, you're on a new beginning. We hope you can be with others just as often as possible, but you can dig even deeper into this final book of the Bible by way of a new book pastor Greg is just released tells about this new resource pastor. Yeah, I think far too often we think of Revelation we we think it's ominous and horrible and yes there are some very heavy duty events described in this book, but it is a book that reveals Jesus Christ to us. It's a book that is filled with promises.

That's what we called it Revelation, a book of promises.

This is a book he would leave out of a coffee table or by your nightstand, a book that is over 400 pages long, but understand it's a very assessable book.

The way that I wrote it.

I did so in a way that you can understand what the Bible teaches on the end times because I know you have an interest in these things, but up but I want to help you know how it applies to you. There's not a lot of theological verbiage that will confuse you. Everything isn't down to earth terminology that you will understand and it will show you how all of these great events that are in our future apply to you and D today living I think you're gonna love this new resource from harvest ministries that were simply calling Revelation a book of promises. I think you're right and we're making this new book available to thank you for your investment in the work we do here.

Each day is an investment in change lives for eternity. So send that investment today to a new beginning. Box 4000, Riverside, CA 92514 or call us at 1-800-821-3300. We can take your call anytime. That's 1-800-821-3300 or go online to harvest.org and don't forget to get involved in our large upcoming evangelistic event October 3 called SoCal harvest. It takes place live at Angel Stadium in Southern California. Pastor Greg welcomes Phil Wickham and for King and country, and of course will bring an important gospel message.

Obviously if you're in the area, be sure to attend and bring someone who needs to meet the Lord. But no matter where you live, you can invite a friend to watch online along with you@harvest.org/SoCal that's also where you find full details on SoCal harvest began coming up October 3. Next time more insight on those believers were martyred. The great tribulation, and how much heaven knows about what's happening hereunder join us here on the new beginning pastor and Bible teacher Greg Moore and everybody thinks or listening to this podcast to learn more about harvest ministries follow the show and consider supporting it. Just go to harvest.org and find out how to know God personally go to harvest.org and click on know God