What Do You Picture Heaven to Be Like?

[saintiaint]

Heaven might be the eternal blissful feeling we sometimes get. That moment in life, when we stop yearning and are completely at peace with ourselves and the world.
Some get this when high on a drug. But this is even better.
I can't help thinking Heaven is very much tied to our feelings. Awesome love drowns our soul.

 

[Brakelite]

Did Jesus not speak of a paradise and an abyss beyond this world?

And what's that got to do with Lazarus claims to have been there?

 

[ThePuffyBlob]

St. Matthew 12:36 But I say unto you, That every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment.
St. Matthew 12:37 For by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned.

Ephesians 5:3 But fornication, and all uncleanness, or covetousness, let it not be once named among you, as becometh saints;
Ephesians 5:4 Neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor jesting, which are not convenient: but rather giving of thanks.

 

[Brakelite]

When Lazarus was dead, why would he not have seen anything else God created beyond this world, before coming back to life on Earth?

Jesus called Lazarus from the grave. Not from heaven. People who die are dead. Even Jesus Himself said, Lazarus sleeps. Lazarus wasn't swanning off somewhere having a good time and then got called back to this hell hole. If that were true, Lazarus would have been really peeved at Jesus for bringing him back. Same with all the others that Jesus resurrected. And if you die before the secund coming, you also will come up from the grave... You won't be coming down from heaven to be resurrected. What would be the point?

 

[Brakelite]

I did not say Lazarus was called back to life on Earth from Heaven or Hell. I said he would have seen things beyond this world when he was dead.

KJV Ecclesiastes 9:10
10 Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might; for there is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom, in the grave, whither thou goest.
KJV Isaiah 38:18-19
18 For the grave cannot praise thee, death can not celebrate thee: they that go down into the pit cannot hope for thy truth.
19 The living, the living, he shall praise thee, as I do this day: the father to the children shall make known thy truth.

 

[Grunt Hemlock]

a crystal sea

a river with fruit on both sides

no sea at all

our imagery is not always the same

maybe heaven WILL be like Ft Lauderdale

 

[Grunt Hemlock]

our imagery of THE DEAD is not consistent, either

the few instances of scripture that could seem to indicate "Soul Sleep" do not really stand up to Jesus description in Luke 16 of Beggar Lazarus, the rich man and Abraham - all of whom are definitely CONSCIOUS

As to what Lazarus of Bethany saw while dead - we know not - but we know Jesus was crying before He brought Lazarus of Bethany back to life - some say He grieved to have to pull Lazarus of Bethany back from Paradise

We don't know much of the final fate of Lazarus of Bethany - I think his sister Mary might also have been Mary Magdalene, the woman with the alabaster jar

We know that Jesus' enemies wanted to kill Lazarus - there is no further mention that they ever did

There is a tradition that Lazarus and Joseph of Arimethea travelled to ancient England and spread the gospel there - but it is not in the Bible

King Saul had the witch of Endor call up the spirit of Samuel - who talked with Saul - how the Soul Sleep believers try to get around this is beyond me - Bible flat out says Samuel was called up, conscious and spoke with Saul; but some SDA Soul Sleepers say "NO - it didnt happen - it was a DEMON - not Samuel"

(Insert the Roll Eyes emoticon of your choice)

 

[Grunt Hemlock]

a place where you can play with kittens and puppies

Hey A_R - do the kittens and puppies ever GROW UP to be mature cats and dogs? Do ALL DOGS really GO TO HEAVEN?

 

[April_Rose]

Hey A_R - do the kittens and puppies ever GROW UP to be mature cats and dogs? Do ALL DOGS really GO TO HEAVEN?

I don't know lol I haven't actually been there yet and I sure hope so. I believe that all animals go to Heaven though.

 

[Ronald David Bruno]

Besides being with Jesus and my friends and family,.. I picture Heaven to be a place where you can play with kittens and puppies whenever you want to, eat as many sweets as you want without having to vomit, seeing beautiful gardens and waterfalls, and living in beautiful white mansions with either beautiful backyards and beaches by them and always being bathed in sunshine and seeing beautiful rainbow colors. While also being able to ride the rainbows and walk the streets of gold. (Just using my imagination on this one.)

I like that vision. Good question, people always ponder what it will be like.
I think it looks like earth, only perfect, more brilliant colors. We look at a beautiful object from a distance but as we get closer, we start seeing flaws, defects. We see that in each of us, in the animals, we see the ugliness, the evil, the sin. In heaven, it will be perfect. Your joy will be as your most elated and happiest moment, only continuously. The love will be overflowing with everyone you see. Music, creativity, everyone knowing their gift and showing it. Can't wait.

 

[Brakelite]

"Whatsoever thy hand is able to do, do it earnestly: for neither work, nor reason, nor wisdom, nor knowledge shall be in hell, whither thou art hastening." (Ecc. 9:10)

"For hell shall not confess to thee, neither shall death praise thee: nor shall they that go down into the pit, look for thy truth. The living, the living, he shall give praise to thee, as I do this day: the father shall make thy truth known to the children." (Is. 38:18-19)

Why do these verses mean Lazarus would not have seen anything beyond this world when he was dead?

Because Lazarus was dead. Dead means you aren't alive. A dead person is less aware of what is going on around him as an unconsciousness person. There is no biblical evidence that a dead person can think, see, feel, hear, speak or taste anything, but rather the opposite. His body starts to decay immediately... As Lazarus's sister said, "by now he stinks". No eyes, no see. His whole being is dead. Until the resurrection.
KJV Ecclesiastes 9:10
10 Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might; for there is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom, in the grave, whither thou goest.
The word is grave. It isn't burning torment as the word hell in your version implies

 

[Brakelite]

I wonder about that too. I love the sea, but we know there will be a river.

Hope the river has a wave machine.

 

[Brakelite]

I wonder about that too. I love the sea, but we know there will be a river.

But in all seriousness, the 'sea' could mean the great oceans which divide humanity being the result of the upheavals of the flood. Before the flood there would have been seas, after all, the rivers have to go somewhere right? But the continents were united.

 

[Brakelite]

Our whole being is not just our physical body, but also our spiritual body, the soul, which cannot be killed (Matt. 10:28), and thus it is immortal.

KJV John 4:24
24 God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.
KJV 1 Timothy 6:15-16
15 Which in his times he shall shew, who is the blessed and only Potentate, the King of kings, and Lord of lords;
16 Who only hath immortality, dwelling in the light which no man can approach unto; whom no man hath seen, nor can see: to whom be honour and power everlasting. Amen.

 

[Grunt Hemlock]

Heb 4:12

For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.

Soul and Spirit are different.

 

[charity]

Heb 4:12

For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.

Soul and Spirit are different.

Hi there, @Grunt Hemlock,

The soul is the whole person energized by life. For God breathed into Adam's nostrils and he became a living soul. He was not a living soul until that moment. He will not be a living soul when the 'breath of life' returns to God at his death. Only at the resurrection from the dead will death be swallowed up of life, and man once more be a living soul (being).

Thank you
In Christ Jesus
Chris

 

[Grunt Hemlock]

If it clears things up any, Chris, I personally don't believe in the "Soul Sleep" mumbo-jumbo purported by SDA's and others - it flies in the face of the conscious dead in Luke 16 and the passage of Samuel being called up by witch of Endor at Saul's request. Also, Paul contrasted being alive on earth with "being present with the Lord" - not being unconscious.

Ain't no Soul Sleep.

It's a myth.

 

[Grunt Hemlock]

soul said:

"On the cross, Jesus said the following to another being crucified: "Amen I say to thee, this day thou shalt be with me in paradise." (Lk. 23:43)"

Very true - the repentant thief on the Cross was that day with Christ in paradise - not unconscious and not knowing anything.

 

[Grunt Hemlock]

"The eye of the soul is the will." — Jesus

Where is that from, soul, GOD CALLING?

It is not something Jesus said in the Bible, is it?

 

[Grunt Hemlock]

" But I am hard-pressed from both directions, having the desire to depart and be with Christ, for that is very much better; yet to remain on in the flesh is more necessary for your sake. (Philippians 1:21–24)"

Paul contrasted remaining alive with departing and BEING WITH CHRIST.