Shalom, Trekson.
Hi Retro, All I can say dude is you're really lacking in imagination. All of Christ's teachings on the kingdom of heaven is ours as we appropriate it by faith. If you don't want to believe in heaven I guess you don't have to but I assure you, you won't be disappointed when we get there. I mean really, the millennium age is for the still living physical righteous of the earth that missed out on the rapture. The spiritual has a different destination. Seriously, what would we need to be on the earth for? Are we going to spend a thousand years farming for food we don't need to eat? skipping through fields of daisies? taking nature walks? We can't all be hanging around Jerusalem as there will probably be billions of us. Here's the definition of faith. Heb. 11:1 - "Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen."
Sounds like heaven to me! You just need the faith to believe it is real. No faith, no heaven. You can logically explain away all the scriptures regarding heaven if you want to. Atheists spend a lot of time doing that. Me, I've got a whole universe to explore!
I don't have any imagination?! Are you serious?! I'm a Trekkie! Always have been since the early days of Jim Kirk and Spock! My first recollection of a color TV set was with that program running. (We owned a black-and-white set, and I was at a friend's house.) I LOVE Star Trek and have watched every episode of every series! But, we have to remember that all of that is FANTASY! We're barely able to say we've visited the moon and our closest neighbors with probes, and on NONE of them has life ever been found! The earth was made for mankind, and mankind was designed for the earth. Someday, God MAY permit us to travel to distant galaxies, stars, solar systems, and planets, but if He does, it is NOT recorded within the Bible, and I guarantee you based on the Bible that such travel will be in eternity AFTER the Millennium and AFTER the Great White Throne Judgment and AFTER the New Earth with its New Sky has been re-created and AFTER the New Jerusalem has landed!
We're not IN the Kingdom from the sky, yet, and WHY should I believe in a "Heaven" of which the Scriptures are SILENT?! THINKING THAT WE'RE GOING TO HEAVEN WHEN WE DIE
IS the fantasy! Haven't you read about the Millennium at all?!
Revelation 20:4-6
4 And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years.
5 But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection:
6 Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years.
KJV
Haven't you ever been told that we will "live and reign with Christ a thousand years"? That's not in the "now"; that's in the future when Yeshua` returns! We will live and reign with the Messiah a thousand years. So, according to prophecy, where will the Messiah reign for that thousand years? Over what will the Messiah reign for that thousand years?
It will not be until we are on the New Earth, breathing in the air of the New Sky, that we'll finally be HOME! The New Jerusalem - our Father's tent - will be our house and the New Earth will be our backyard! We'll be able to stroll along leisurely within the New Garden of Eden, God's Paradise or God's Park, as it spills out onto the surface of the New Earth! All the things people say are in heaven - the streets of gold, the gates of pearl, the foundations of precious stones, the golden city, the Tree of Life, the Water of Life - these are all to be found in the New Jerusalem! We don't go to "Heaven"; "Heaven" comes to us! THAT'S Scriptural!
Secondly, you've got a bad definition of "spiritual." I'd like to help you (and others) with that. Look at 1 Corinthians 15:35-57:
1 Corinthians 15:35-57
35 But some man will say, How are the dead raised up? and with what body do they come?
36 Thou fool, that which thou sowest is not quickened, except it die:
37 And that which thou sowest, thou sowest not that body that shall be, but bare grain, it may chance of wheat, or of some other grain:
38 But God giveth it a body as it hath pleased him, and to every seed his own body.
39 All flesh is not the same flesh: but there is one kind of flesh of men, another flesh of beasts, another of fishes, and another of birds.
40 There are also celestial bodies, and bodies terrestrial: but the glory of the celestial is one, and the glory of the terrestrial is another.
41 There is one glory of the sun, and another glory of the moon, and another glory of the stars: for one star differeth from another star in glory.
42 So also is the resurrection of the dead. It is sown in corruption; it is raised in incorruption:
43 It is sown in dishonour; it is raised in glory: it is sown in weakness; it is raised in power:
44 It is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body. There is a natural body, and there is a spiritual body.
45 And so it is written, The first man Adam was made a living soul; the last Adam was made a quickening spirit.
46 Howbeit that was not first which is spiritual, but that which is natural; and afterward that which is spiritual.
47 The first man is of the earth, earthy: the second man is the Lord from heaven.
48 As is the earthy, such are they also that are earthy: and as is the heavenly, such are they also that are heavenly.
49 And as we have borne the image of the earthy, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly.
50 Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither doth corruption inherit incorruption.
51 Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed,
52 In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.
53 For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.
54 So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory.
55 O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?
56 The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law.
57 But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
KJV
Here's the Greek of this passage, zeroing in on the part involving "spiritual":
Pros Korinthious A 15:35-57
35 Alla erei tis, "Poos egeirontai hoi nekroi? Poioo de soomati erchontai?"
36 Afroon, su ho speireis ou zoo-opoieitai ean mee apothanee;
37 kai ho speireis, ou to sooma to geneesomenon speireis alla gumnon kokkon ei
tuchoi sitou ee tinos toon loipoon,
38 ho de Theos didoosin autoo sooma kathoos eetheleesen, kai hekastoo toon
spermatoon idion sooma.
39 Ou pasa sarx hee autee sarx,
alla allee men anthroopoon,
allee de sarx kteenoon,
allee de sarx pteenoon,
allee de ichthuoon.
40 Kai soomata epourania,
kai soomata epigeia;
alla hetera men hee toon epouranioon doxa,
hetera de hee toon epigeioon (doxa).
41 Allee doxa heeliou,
kai allee doxa seleenees,
kai allee doxa asteroon;
asteer gar asteros diaferei en doxee.
42 Houtoos kai hee anastasis toon nekroon.
Speiretai en fthora,
Egeiretai en aftharsia;
43 speiretai en atimia,
egeiretai en doxee;
speiretai en astheneia,
egeiretai en dunamei;
44 speiretai sooma psuchikon,
egeiretai sooma pneumatikon.
Ei estin sooma psuchikon,
estin kai (sooma) pneumatikon.
45 Houtoos kai gegraptai:
“Egeneto ho prootos anthroopos Adam eis psucheen zoosan,”
ho eschatos (anthroopos) Adam eis pneuma zoo-opoioun.
46 All’ ou prooton to pneumatikon alla to psuchikon,
epeita to pneumatikon.
47 Ho prootos anthroopos ek gees choikos,
ho deuteros anthroopos ex ouranou.
48 Hoios ho choikos,
toioutoi kai hoi choikoi,
kai hoios ho epouranios,
toioutoi kai hoi epouranioi;
49 kai kathoos eforesamen teen eikona tou choikou,
foresomen kai teen eikona tou epouraniou.
50 Touto de feemi, adelfoi, hoti sarx kai haima basileian Theou kleeronomeesai
ou dunatai, oude hee fthora teen aftharsian kleeronomei.
51 Idou musteerion humin legoo: Pantes ou koimeetheesometha, pantes de
allageesometha,
52 en atomoo, en hripee ofthalmou, en tee eschatee salpiggi; salpisei gar, kai
hoi nekroi egertheesontai afthartoi, kai heemeis allageesometha.
53 Dei gar to ftharton touto endusasthai aftharsian kai to thneeton touto
endusasthai athanasian.
54 Hotan de to ftharton touto enduseetai aftharsian kai to thneeton touto
enduseetai athanasian, tote geneesetai ho logos ho gegrammenos:
"Katepothee ho thanatos eis nikos."
55 Pou sou, thanate, to nikos?
pou sou, thanate, to kentron?
56 To de kentron tou thanatou hee hamartia, hee de dunamis tees hamartias ho
nomos;
57 too de Theoo charis too didonti heemin to nikos dia tou Kuriou heemoon
Ieesou Christou.
Greek New Testament
35 Alla = 35 But
erei = will-say
tis, = someone,
"Poos = "How
egeirontai = are-raised-up
hoi = the
nekroi? = dead?
Poioo = What-sort-of
de = but
soomati = body
erchontai?" = do-they-come?"
36 Afroon, = 36 Stupid,
su = you (singular)
ho = that-which
speireis = you-sow
ou = not
zoo-opoieitai = is-brought-to-life
ean = if
mee = not (unless)
apothanee; = it-dies-off;
37 kai = 37 and
ho = that-which
speireis, = you-sow
ou = not
to = the
sooma = body
to = the-one
geneesomenon = shall-be
speireis = you-sow
alla = but
gumnon = naked/bare
kokkon = kernel
ei = if
tuchoi = perchance
sitou = of-wheat
ee = or
tinos = of-some
toon = of-the
loipoon, = remaining-ones,
38 ho = 38 the
de = but
Theos = God
didoosin =gives
autoo = to-it
sooma = a-body
kathoos = like
eetheleesen, = He-wishes,
kai = and
hekastoo = to-every-one
toon = of-the
spermatoon = seeds
idion = its-own
sooma. = body.
39 Ou = 39 Not
pasa = all
sarx = flesh
hee = the
autee = same
sarx, = flesh,
alla = but
allee = else/different
men = indeed
anthroopoon, = of-men,
allee = else/different
de = but
sarx = flesh
kteenoon, = of-animals,
allee = else/different
de = but
sarx = flesh
pteenoon, = of-birds,
allee = else/different
de = but
ichthuoon. = of-fish.
40 Kai = 40 And
soomata = bodies
epourania, = of-above-the-sky,
kai = and
soomata = bodies
epigeia; = of-above-the-ground;
alla = but
hetera = other/different
men = indeed
hee = the
toon = of-the
epouranioon = above-the-sky
doxa, = glory/fame/apparency,
hetera = other/different
de = but
hee = the
toon = of-the
epigeioon = above-the-ground
(doxa). = (glory/fame/apparency).
41 Allee = 41 else/different
doxa = glory/fame/apparency
heeliou, = of-sun,
kai = and
allee = else/different
doxa = glory/fame/apparency
seleenees, = of-moon,
kai = and
allee = else/different
doxa = glory/fame/apparency
asteroon; = of-stars;
asteer = a-star
gar = for
asteros = from-a-star
diaferei = differs
en = in
doxee. = glory/fame/apparency.
42 Houtoos = 42 In-this-way
kai = and
hee = the
anastasis = resurrection
toon = of-the
nekroon. = dead.
Speiretai = It-is-sown
en = in
fthora, = corruption,
Egeiretai = It-is-wakened
en = in
aftharsia; = incorruption;
43 speiretai = 43 it-is-sown
en = in
atimia, = dishonor/infamy/indignity/disgrace,
egeiretai = it-is-wakened
en = in
doxee; = glory/fame/apparency;
speiretai = it-is-sown
en = in
astheneia, = weakness,
egeiretai = it-is-wakened
en = in
dunamei; = power;
44 speiretai = 44 it-is-sown
sooma = a-body
psuchikon, = breathing,
egeiretai = it-is-wakened
sooma = a-body
pneumatikon. = blasting/blowing.
Ei = If
estin = there-is
sooma = a-body
psuchikon, = breathing,
estin = there-is
kai = and
(sooma) = (a-body)
pneumatikon. = blasting/blowing.
45 Houtoos = 45 In-this-way
kai = and
gegraptai: = it-is-written:
“Egeneto = "Was-made
ho = the
prootos = first
anthroopos = man
Adam = Adam
eis = into
psucheen = a-breather
zoosan,” = living,"
ho = the
eschatos = last
(anthroopos) = (man)
Adam = Adam
eis = into
pneuma = a-blaster/blower
zoo-opoioun. = life-giving.
46 All’ = 46 But
ou = not
prooton = first
to = the
pneumatikon = blasting/blowing
alla = but
to = the
psuchikon, = breathing,
epeita = after-that
to = the
pneumatikon. = blasting/blowing.
47 Ho = 47 The
prootos = first
anthroopos = man
ek = out
gees = of-ground/dirt
choikos, = dusty/dirty/terrene/soil-like,
ho = the
deuteros = second
anthroopos = man
ex = out
ouranou. = of-sky.
48 Hoios = 48 Like/As
ho = the
choikos, = dusty/dirty/terrene/soil-like,
toioutoi = truly-this/of-this-sort
kai = and/also
hoi = the
choikoi, = dusty/dirty/soil-like-ones,
kai = and
hoios = like/as
ho = the
epouranios, = of-the-above-the-sky,
toioutoi = truly-this/of-this-sort
kai = and/also
hoi = the
epouranioi; = of-the-above-the-sky-ones;
49 kai = 49 and
kathoos = just-as
eforesamen = we-have-worn
teen = the
eikona = icon/image/likeness
tou = of-the
choikou, = dusty/dirty/soil-like,
foresomen = we-shall-wear
kai = and/also
teen = the
eikona = icon/image/likeness
tou = of-the
epouraniou. = of-the-above-the-sky.
50 Touto = 50 This-thing/That-thing
de = but
feemi, = I-say,
adelfoi, = brothers/siblings,
hoti = that
sarx = flesh
kai = and
haima = blood
basileian = a-Kingdom
Theou = of-God/God's
kleeronomeesai = does-inherit
ou = not
dunatai, = is-able/can,
oude = neither
hee = the
fthora = corruptible
teen = the
aftharsian = incorruptible
kleeronomei. = inherit.
51 Idou = 51 Look
musteerion = a-mystery/a-secret
humin = to-you
legoo: = I-tell:
Pantes = All
ou = not
koimeetheesometha, = we-shall-sleep,
pantes = all
de = but
allageesometha, = we-shall-be-made-different,
52 en = 52 in
atomoo, = an-indivisible-moment
en = in
hripee = a-jerk
ofthalmou, = of-an-eye,
en = in
tee = the
eschatee = last
salpiggi; = shofar/trumeting;
salpisei = a-shofar/trumet-shall-sound
gar, = for,
kai = and
hoi = the
nekroi = dead-ones
egertheesontai = shall-be-awakened
afthartoi, = incorruptible-ones,
kai = and
heemeis = we
allageesometha. = we-shall-be-made-different.
53 Dei = 53 Must
gar = for
to = the
ftharton = corruptible
touto = this-one
endusasthai = put-on/don/invest
aftharsian = incorruption
kai = and
to = the
thneeton = mortal
touto = this-one
endusasthai = put-on/don/invest
athanasian. = immortality.
54 Hotan = 54 When
de = but
to = the
ftharton = corruptible
touto = this-one
enduseetai = shall-put-on/shall-don/shall-invest
aftharsian = incorruption
kai = and
to = the
thneeton = mortal
touto = this-one
enduseetai = shall-put-on/shall-don/shall-invest
athanasian, = immortality,
tote = then
geneesetai = shall-be
ho = the
logos = saying/word
ho = the
gegrammenos: = written:
"Katepothee = "Is-gulped-down
ho = the
thanatos = death
eis = into
nikos." = victory/conquest/triumph."
55 Pou = 55 Where
sou, = of-you/your,
thanate, = Death,
to = the
nikos? = victory/conquest/triumph?
pou = where
sou, = of-you/your,
thanate, = Death,
to = the
kentron? = stinger?
56 To = 56 The
de = but
kentron = stinger
tou = of-the
thanatou = Death
hee = the
hamartia, = sin,
hee = the
de = but
dunamis = power/venom
tees = of-the
hamartias = sin
ho = the
nomos; = Torah;
57 too = 57 to-the
de = but
Theoo = God
charis = gratitude/thanks
too = to-the
didonti = Giver
heemin = to-us
to = the
nikos = victory/conquest/triumph
dia = through
tou = the
Kuriou = Lord/Master
heemoon = of-us/our
Ieesou = Yeshua`/Jesus
Christou. = Anointed/Messiah/Christ.
35 But someone will say, "How are the dead raised up? But, with what sort of body do they come?"
36 Stupid, that which you sow is not brought to life unless it dies off;
37 and that which you sow [is] not the body that shall be; the one you sow but a bare kernel if perchance of wheat or of some of the remaining ones,
38 but God gives a body to it like He wishes, and to every one of the seeds its own body.
39 Not all flesh [is] the same flesh, but indeed unique that of men, but a different flesh of animals, but a different flesh of birds, but a different of fish.
40 And bodies of-above-the-sky, and bodies of-above-the-ground; but other/different indeed the of-the above-the-sky glory/fame/apparency, other/different but the of-the above-the-ground (glory/fame/apparency).
41 else/different glory/fame/apparency of-sun, and else/different glory/fame/apparency of-moon, and else/different glory/fame/apparency of-stars; a-star for from-a-star differs in glory/fame/apparency.
42 In-this-way and the resurrection of-the dead. It-is-sown in corruption, It-is-awakened in incorruption;
43 it-is-sown in dishonor/infamy/indignity/disgrace, it-is-awakened in glory/fame/apparency; it-is-sown in weakness, it-is-awakened in power;
44 it-is-sown a-body breathing, it-is-awakened a-body blasting/blowing. If there-is a-body breathing, there-is and/also (a-body) blasting/blowing.
45 In-this-way and/also it-is-written: "Was-made the first man Adam into a-breather living," the last (man) Adam into a-blaster/blower life-giving.
46 But not first the blasting/blowing but the breathing, after-that the blasting/blowing.
47 The first man out of-ground/dirt dusty/dirty/terrene/soil-like, the second man out of-sky.
48 Like/As the dusty/dirty/terrene/soil-like, truly-this/of-this-sort and/also the dusty/dirty/soil-like-ones, and like/as the of-the-above-the-sky, truly-this/of-this-sort and/also the of-the-above-the-sky-ones;
49 and just-as we-have-worn the icon/image/likeness of-the dusty/dirty/soil-like, we-shall-wear and/also the icon/image/likeness of-the of-the-above-the-sky.
50 This-thing/That-thing but I-say, brothers/siblings, that flesh and/also blood a-Kingdom of-God/God's does-inherit not is-able/can, neither the corruptible the incorruptible inherit.
51 Look a-mystery/a-secret to-you I-tell: All not we-shall-sleep, all but we-shall-be-made-different,
52 in an-indivisible-moment in a-jerk of-an-eye, in the last shofar/trumeting; a-shofar/trumet-shall-sound for, and the dead-ones shall-be-awakened incorruptible-ones, and we we-shall-be-made-different.
53 Must for the corruptible this-one put-on/don/invest incorruption and the mortal this-one put-on/don/invest immortality.
54 When but the corruptible this-one shall-put-on/shall-don/shall-invest incorruption and the mortal this-one shall-put-on/shall-don/shall-invest immortality, then shall-be the saying/word the written:
"Is-gulped-down the death into victory/conquest/triumph."
55 Where of-you/your, Death, the victory/conquest/triumph? where of-you/your, Death, the stinger?
56 The but stinger of-the Death the sin, the but power/venom of-the sin the Torah;
57 to-the but God gratitude/thanks to-the Giver to-us the victory/conquest/triumph through the Lord/Master of-us/our Yeshua`/Jesus Anointed/Messiah/Christ.
See, the beauty of this chapter is that it is an eloquent list of comparisons, and the words "psuchikon" and "pneumatikon" are contrasted, along with the contrasts of "soomata epourania" and "soomata epigeia," as well as "tou choikou" and "tou epouraniou." One of the key contrasts fits with the contrast of the First Adam and the Last Adam, the first man and the second man, respectively. The first man was said to be made a "psucheen zoosan" while the second man was said to be made a "pneuma zoo-opoioun" (the hyphen used strictly to separate between the omega (oo) and the omicron (o) to show which comes first); that is, the first man was said to be made a "living breather" while the second man was said to be made a 'life-giving blaster/blower." It's not the difference between physical and non-physical; it's the difference between a physical body that is a breath away from death and a physical body that is super-strong to the point of giving life! It contrasts the bodies from above the sky with the bodies from above the earth. It contrasts the "dusty/dirty" bodies with the bodies from above the sky!
A final contrast can be seen between the "flesh and blood" here (which cannot inherit incorruption) with the "flesh and bones" of the Messiah in Luke 24:39. His resurrected body is NOT immaterial or non-physical! His resurrected body IS material and stronger than any typical human body! It is able to be handled, to eat, to drink, to talk, and to walk with His students for several days after His resurrection and before His ascension! Sure there are some differences, just as there are some differences between a grain of wheat and a stalk of wheat, but they are both PHYSICAL!