What on Earth Is Going On in Heaven? - Part A

I just want you to notice what John see notice what he doesn't see John, this is anything about sitting around bored forever on clouds 24 seven say anything about seeing Peter at the pearly gates of heaven welcoming us in just I saw the door open in heaven. And behold, you probably know that heaven is going to be a wonderful place but do you know why that is today on connect with Skip Heitzig Skip shares with you what the Bible reveals about the beauties and wonders of heaven.

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But notice what he doesn't see John doesn't say anything about working to be sin around bored forever on clouds 24 seven.

He doesn't say anything about seeing Peter at the pearly gates of heaven welcoming us in just I saw a door open in heaven. And behold, by the way, I heard this little joke about a cat who died and went to heaven.

We just tell it. The cat died and went to heaven, and Peter was there at the pearly gates and Peter said you know you been such a good cat.

All of these years anything you want, you name it, it shares the cats that will you know what I've lived with a poor family my whole life.

It's been tough and I can only sleep on the hard wooden floors and Peter interrupted said say no more. Instantly, a pair of fluffy satin pillow for that little cat to sleep on in heaven. So he was very excited. Few days later six little mice died in a tragic accident. They went to heaven. Peter was there at the pearly gates welcoming the mice and haven't said a anything you want here even go a little mice. Whatever you want is yours and so this one little spokes mouse said to Peter you know Peter, we've had atop our whole lives.

We had always run run run dogs chases Chases women with brooms chase us will be really nice in heaven if we could have rollerskates so Peter said say no more of these cute little tiny rollerskates were outfitted for all these little mice about a week went by and Peter decided on a checkup on the cat so Peter goes a cat sleeping on that nice little soft pillow gently wakes the cat up and says hey how you doing you happy here. The cats at Peter big stretch. I've never been happier in my life and those Meals on Wheels that he is sending over there the last okay so I decided that's good to be my new answer.

For all other animals in heaven is goes and how far you want to take this thing on John in Revelation chapter 4 and five. John describes the ultimate adventure we've seen so far as he saw and he looked that throne set in heaven, and one who sat on the throne this brilliant light show of resplendent display of God's God's magnificence and brilliance, Randy Alcorn, who is written a number of things about heaven wrote this, Satan laborers to give people an inaccurate view of heaven. Our enemies slanders three things God's person, God's people, and God's place. Some of his favorite lies concern heaven that actually makes sense. I would say that Satan has a vested interest in the lying to people about heaven because if you remember heaven used to be his hang out his days. He was forcibly evicted from heaven and it must drive him nuts as he realizes our future home was his ex home so he tells all sorts of misconceptions about what heaven is going to be like. That's why it's always good to look at what the Bible says in John chapter 4 and five. Tell us what John saw in heaven now today we continue we look at verses one through three. Last time of John chapter 4 now we turn our focus from the throne, and the one who sat on the throne to what's around the throne with the inhabitants of heaven are doing, we find the main thing they are doing is they're worshiping. So it's safe to say in heaven. One of the things are going to do is worship is not the only thing you're going to do by the way, there are more. The Bible says will be given tasks to do, you will administrate in the kingdom age are going to help rule and reign with Christ. But one of the things you and I will do is worship. In fact, I'll put it this way. One of the few things you can do right now that you will do forever in heaven is to worship God. You see, there will be any evangelization in heaven. Rock have any crusades in heaven. You will be personally witnessing to anybody in heaven you will be feeding the poor in heaven.

You will be discipling people in heaven but you will be worshiping in heaven. That's something we can do right now so how did they do it and how do they do it in heaven. How could our worship now closely reflect that which goes on in heaven is pretty exciting to even think about that. This last week we had a sister in our fellowship go to heaven. She was on her deathbed, she was quite ill for a couple of years and Saturday night. She was tuning into our broadcasts. It would always listen at home and she heard last week's description what John saw in heaven and it's so captivated her the next morning she wanted to hear it again so she got up and was listening to the live broadcast about heaven and her family was around her talking and she kept quiet and eventually she cried out to God.

God deliver me from this body while she was taken to heaven.

The place we were describing the place she could only imagine in your mind's eye. Today she's enjoying that very place and the comfort of heaven the comfort of those thoughts to her and her family was indescribable today what we want to look at as we continue this two things basically the occupants the prominent occupants in heaven. The other ones that John sees as he looks around the throne and then the occupation. What is their primary occupation is received in heaven. So let's look at the others that are in heaven.

John is definitely not alone. Verse four around the throne were 24 thrones, and on the thrones I saw 24 elders sitting close in white robes and they had crowns of gold on their heads. Who are these 24 elders. Some suggest their angels. I don't believe that angels are never called elders in the Bible. Others suggest these represent the 24 priests in the Old Testament member. There were 24 courses in the priesthood that were administered throughout the entire year for the temple worship. Again, I don't think that it they were never called elders either.

I think it's best to see the 24 elders as representing the whole church and here's why. Eight times in the New Testament believers are said to rule and reign with Christ in eternity to rule with him to reign with him and here it is 24 elders are sitting on thrones. Hoping administrate so as there were 24 priests that represented the whole nation. These 24 elders represent the whole church. I think it's pretty definitive as you go down into chapter 5 in verse nine of chapter 5, you listen to the song they sing and they say, for you have redeemed us by your blood out of every tribe and tongue and people and nation. Only the church can sing those words.

They have to be the church singing that the 24 elders representing the body of believers in heaven. I believe at least then look at verse five. There's more and from the throne proceeded lightnings, thunderings, and voices seven lamps of fire were burning before the throne, which are the seven spirits of God. What on earth is that does that mean there are seven holy spirits know it doesn't we know from Ephesians and from Corinthians. There is one body and one spirit or not. Seven this is simply apocalyptic symbolism and notice that John ties the seven spirits of God with the seven lamps burning, or if you know the temple or tabernacle, the sevenfold lampstand called the menorah so as the seven lamps are the sevenfold lampstand. The seven spirits of God. I believe represent the sevenfold working of the one Holy Spirit. There's a text for that in Isaiah chapter 11 verse two it mentions the spirit of the Lord is one. The spirit of wisdom, the spirit of understanding the spirit of counsel and power.

The spirit of knowledge and the fear of the Lord, the sevenfold description of what the single Holy Spirit does. And there's more. Verse six before the throne there was a sea of glass like Crystal and in the midst of the throne and around the throne were four living creatures get this full of eyes in front and in back is out while or what the first living creature was like a lion, the second living creature like a calf, the third living creature had the face of a man, the fourth living creature was like a flying eagle. The four living creatures, each having six wings, were full of eyes around and within, and they do not rest day or night, saying holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, who was and is and is to come. The term living creatures is a bit misleading when you think of a living creature. You might think of an animal. I remember I used to read a book to my son Nate when he was growing up call where the wild things are about when I hear the term living creature. That's what my mind goes to those wild things. The Greek term is so alive and it simply means a living thing a living thing and as you read this vision of John.

It's almost identical to what Ezekiel saw in Ezekiel 1 and 10 and he described them as cherubim cherubim. These are the four cherubim like Ezekiel around the throne of God. These are a special classification of angelic being that guard the glory of God. They help administer judgment on the earth. Frankly, I can't wait to see these four cherubim just the description it's sort of hard for me to get my mind around them. Ezekiel even says they were mobile.

They had wheels, and there were eyes on the wheels.

I just cannot wait to check this out will there's more look at chapter 5 verse six and seven and I looked, and behold, in the midst of the throne number. He saw the throne of God.

That's the throne in the midst of the throne and of the four living creatures in the midst of the elders to the Lamb as though it had been slain, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven spirits of God sent out into all the earth. Now the Lamb is Christ we find that imagery throughout the book, and the Lamb is called Christ. He's the hero of the book. He's the hero of the story because in this chapter he is said to take the scroll the title deed of the earth to bring full redemption to the earth to rule and reign forever and so here's the church along with the angelic hosts the four living creatures, worshiping and looking at Christ in heaven seeing him in his glory, which is exactly what Jesus prayed for in John chapter 17. He said father I want those that you have given me to be with me where I am and to see my glory, the glory which you have given me before the creation of the world. So were looking around and were seeing a lot more in heaven than just a throne in one sitting on. There's even more than that data. Verse 11 of chapter 5 and I looked and I heard the voice of many angels around the throne, the living creatures, the elders, the number of them was 10,000×10,000, and thousands of thousands, this is heaven filled with the angelic host is a lot of angels there's a lot of angels. 17 Old Testament books and 17 New Testament books all mention angels hundred and three times in the Old Testament. Another 165 times in the New Testament, angels are mentioned there prominent there around they minister to us. The Bible says, and there will be in heaven worshiping with us huge choir how many are there a lot units I want to do the math and 5000 times and got up hundred million angels. Did you know there was a theologian in them. The 1200's name Albertus Magnus who came up he thought with the precise number of angels. He wrote he said there are precisely 399,920,004 Angel how he ever came up with that number.

I do not know we don't know how many there are.

This construction simply means innumerable Greek it's more a day's Moriarty Doan Kai Kelly days, Koreatown translated myriads upon myriads upon thousands upon thousands this innumerable house to get the picture. There's a throne there's the Landers is four cherubim these while looking creatures with life in and around them. 24 elders representing the church and as far as the eye can see the angelic host John saw. Now let's let's turn from the occupants in heaven to the occupation there primary occupation is worship, though it is funny whenever you bring this up to people you say is they ask you to be doing have if you say will be worshiping. Typically, the responses is that all that sounds kind of boring. It sounds like one long church service.

That's how we think about it. This is why people resort to saying these things at funerals.

I know that right now he's up in heaven playing golf, golf, or I know the right now she's hiking in some mountain in heaven or some earthly activity. We always confine heaven to earthbound activities as if there could be nothing better than golf or hiking or baking or whatever.

We have to come up with something they like doing here on earth. As I read through Revelation 4 and five I get this idea that Johnny isn't bored up there is not just women's I'm going to great. We just went worshiping all the time. In fact, the theme that I keep getting from Revelation 4 and five is there's nothing more fascinating than God himself.

He is taken by this. This is shock and awe for John so let's just consider the kind of worship going on in heaven and see how that interfaces with us now because the name of this message is what on earth is going on and have an answer worship so let's see how our worship interfaces with that of heaven. You notice first of all, the proper response in worship that is in heaven look at chapter 5 verse eight now when he that is the Lamb.

When he had taken the scroll, so there's a definite action going on. The Lamb is taking the title deed to the earth which will implied full redemption through a series of judgment in his second coming.

When you taken the scroll, the four living creatures and the 24 elders fell down before the Lamb, each having a harp, golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints, and they sang a new song, saying, so it's when they saw the Lamb take the scroll there worship was a response to what he did and here's the principle I want to make worship must be intellectual now hear me follow me worship must be intellectual. It's what you see or know God to be or do. That causes a response to God. Worship is the human response or the human reaction to a divine action.

They knew what that meant when he took the scroll and now here is the intelligent response they worship the Lord is he worship involves the mind, we must think about what God has done who God is to response one person who wrote a lot of heaven said this at times throughout the day as I work in my office. I find myself on my knees thanking God for his goodness. When I eat a meal with my wife when I talk with a friend or if I take my dog out for a walk. I worship God for his goodness.

The world is full of praise trumpeters, but heaven will overflow with them, looked out the little phrase praise trumpeters. I like that. Learn to live your life. Prompted by different things.

While liquid got his tax. Thank you for that praise you for that in heaven he says will overflow with them. So the action of God prompts the reaction of the heavenly host and that is worship Jesus said in Mark chapter 12 verse 30 you shall love the Lord your God with all of your heart, all of your soul. All of your mind and all of your strength, please dismiss the idea that worship is a mindless activity that we just get pumped up into a frenzy and disengage the mind that we engage the mind and I think powerful worship is when your mind is stretched by the words of a song to give you a full understanding of God. I remember when I was first a Christian and I thought the singing God is love from above. You know that kinda stuff to sort of same words I love you I love you I love you Lord that was just worth that. And I never liked hymns as I grew up cigarettes is old stuff that are not a worship. We do that, I started reading the hymns and I started listening to the depth of knowledge and theology that the hymn writers had. And as I would sing the hymns.

It would stretch my understanding of who God is and help me worship even more that Skip Heitzig with a message from his series from the edge of eternity Skip to share how you can keep these messages coming your way to connect you and others to God in the book of Revelation, John gives us a glimpse into the throne room of heaven because of that we have great joy knowing our future is to reign with Jesus forever, and we want to share that hope with as many more friends like you through this ministry. Will you help make that possible. Your generous gift today will help keep these teachings on the air to make an eternal difference in many more lives as you connect them to Jesus. Here's how you can get give us a call at 892 to 1888 to make a donation 892 to 1889 connectwithskip.com/donate. That's connectwithskip.com/donate your support is vital that people like you to Christ. So thank you for giving generous and just a reminder, you can watch connect with Skip Heitzig on the hills on channel on Saturdays at 4 PM on check list sure to come back again next Skip help you discover what actually happens in heaven to experience it all. So Skip presentation of connection communications through