Heaven 2

1. Lesson 1 was devoted to "The Reality Of Heaven."

• Heaven is a real place.

• It is a real place prepared for the righteous.

2. Lesson 2 will attempt to answer "Some Questions About Heaven."

• The Bible plainly answers some questions about heaven.

• Some questions are answered by implication.

• Some question are not answered.

1. Universalism says "yes."

2. The Bible says "no."

• Matt. 7:21; Heb. 5:9

• John 3:16; 3:36

1. This question is prompted by Jesus' statement found in Matthew 7:13,14.

• Jesus teaches only a "few" will enter heaven.

• Some interpret a "few" to mean a handful.

• This is an incorrect assumption.

• A "few" is a relative term.

• It could be used of 5,10,15,20 percent or more.

• The world has 5.4 billion people.

• One percent of this number would be 54 million.

• Two percent of this number would be 108 million.

• Furthermore, there have been those saved in every generation.

2. The Bible teaches there will be a multitude in heaven "which no man can number." (Rev. 7:9).

3. Jesus taught that "many" Gentiles would be saved. (Matt. 8:10-12).

1. The Bible does not directly answer this question, but it does answer it by implication.

2. Here are some statements or accounts that imply we will know one another in heaven.

• David said of his deceased child. (2 Sam.12:23).

• The account of the transfiguration of Christ implies we will have our same identity in eternity. (Matt.17:1-8).

• The account of the rich man and Lazarus manifests we have our identities in heaven. (Lk.16:19-31).

• Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob retain their identities. (Matt. 8:11).

1. Some contend they do, but this is without support.

2. The Bible teaches men do not go directly to heaven. (Jno. 3:13; Acts 2:29, 34).

3. The righteous will reside in "Abraham's bosom" or paradise until the judgment. (Lk. 16:19-31; 23:43-46).

1. The Bible does not address this question directly.

2. It is implied temptation will not exist.

• Satan is the tempter. (Matt. 4:3; 1 Thess 3:5).

• He will not be in heaven. (Matt. 25:41).

• The absence of the tempter would imply there will be no temptation.

• The Bible teaches there will be no tears, mourning, or pain in heaven.

• The absence of these things implies the absence of temptation and sin.

• Temptation and sin leave an ugly trail.

1. The answer is "no."

2. Jesus implied this by His statement in Matthew 22:30.

3. David's statement implies there will be some relationship in heaven. (2 Sam. 12:23).

1. Is it large enough to hold all the saved?

2. Some have interpreted the size of heaven literally.

• The Bible speaks of heaven as 1500 square. (Rev. 21:16).

• This makes heaven 2,250,000 square miles.

• It is thought this would not hold all the saved.

• The Bible does not say heaven is merely 1500 miles square, but states it is 1500 miles high.

• This makes heaven 3,375,000,000 cubic miles.

• This increases the size of heaven by 1500 times.

3. All of this, of course, is being too literal.

• This is a figurative description of heaven, and the intent of it is to show that heaven is a very large, beautiful city.

• Furthermore, how big is a soul? How much space will a person require in heaven?

• It is foolish to worry about the size of heaven.

• We should be more concerned about getting there.

• It is big enough for all who obey Jesus.

4. The omnipotent God who has created an infinite universe would never has a space problem.