“Say friend, what's the most precious thought that thrills your mind and heart? What drives you on in spite of the trials and toils of life? Well for a Christian, it is the thought of our future heavenly home. A place where we can go and spend eternity in the pleasure and bliss of unspeakable glory. BUT MANY ASK: ‘Is this just a fantasy, a pipe dream for foolish people?’”

I’m Dennis Finnan, host and speaker on the World, the Word & You! Broadcast and in the next half-hour, we're going to find the amazing truth about this eternal "City of the Stars."

…This past week I was looking through many of our modern hymnals and comparing them to the old ones most churches have retired because of physical age of the bindings. Do you know what I found? Consistently, the newer hymnals, which have a delightful array of hymns and songs of the faith, have retired many or most of the songs that spoke of a place called Heaven. Yes, without a doubt, songs that speak of “Heaven,” no longer seems to be popular for the saints of the 21^st century.  How sad, for as I queried the old hymnbooks I found a plethora of songs that rejoiced in anticipation of the promise of Heaven to come for the children of God, that is the spiritual body of Jesus Christ. Well, I want to revive your interest in this most blessed of Biblical themes, but before we do, another pause is awaiting us as, we listen to another moment of music. Stay tuned as we’re going to examine “THE CITY OF THE STARS!”

… Isaac Watts, a most gifted songwriter of past years wrote:

"There is a land of pure delight, where saints immortal reign, infinite day excludes the night, And pleasures banish pain. There everlasting spring abides, and never-withering flowers; Death like a narrow sea, divides, this Heavenly land from ours."

Indeed, the saints of the past had true spiritual vision, for their eyes were first fixed on Jesus, and the place where He abides in glory, a place called HEAVEN!  I wonder friend are your eyes fixed on Jesus and the promise of His eternal home for you? Well, if Heaven is indeed in your future, you need to know all you can about this truth. Where can you find out about it? Well, the only One who knows the fantastic truth about Heaven is God Himself, and the only place we can find out what He says about it is in His Word the Bible. So today let's examine Heaven, the eternal city of the stars, and find out what lies in store for all who will go there by the grace and mercy of Jesus Christ.

To begin, the Bible clearly tells us that “Heaven” first of all, is a real literal place! Now the afterlife for many people is many things. To the Muslim, heaven or the afterlife is a great Harem in the sky in which the Muslim man is going to live and indulge his carnal lusts with glorious endowed women. The Buddhist's idea of the afterlife is called Nirvana, or "nothingness."  The Hindu looks forward to eventually just being absorbed into the universe, becoming completely unaware of anything but mere existence. For the Hindu, the afterlife is looked forward to with the idea of forever vacations called reincarnations -- ever transmigrating through the eons of time in new lives and adventures. Indeed, man's fantasizing of the life to come, is myriad.

However, what they all have in common is these thoughts are based on man's wishful thinking and not on the written infallible and inerrant Word of God. For the Bible casts aside all these carnal fantasies for truth, for the One who created all things, the Lord God of Heaven, who is revealed to us in this age is none other than Jesus Christ. What does He and the Bible have to say about Heaven? Well it begins with the fact that our eternal God resides in a real literal place called Heaven, somewhere out there among the stars or beyond.

Yes, the Bible describes heaven throughout the Old and New Testaments as such. In fact, regardless of which translation of the Bible you refer to, the word heaven is mentioned almost 500 times in over 400 different verses. The usual word in the Hebrew Old Testament for heaven is "shamayim," which is a plural noun that means "the heights." Then in the New Testament the Greek word is "ouranos," it refers to something “raised up, high and lofty.” Heaven therefore in a general terminology can be a description of a place which is a plane and place of a great expanse or existence. Actually, the Bible speaks of THREE HEAVENS. The first is,

1. THE TERRESTRIAL HEAVENS (Gen. 2:19; 7:3, 23; Ps. 8:8)– The beautiful blue sky above us

This is the literal atmosphere that surrounds the earth. All one needs to do to see it is look up on a beautifully bright sunny day or an exquisitely clear sunrise or sunset. The second is what we call,

2. THE CELESTIAL HEAVENS (Deut. 17:3; Jer. 8:2; Matt. 24:29)- The universal expanse of the stars and planets.

Yes, this is what we see when we look up on a starry night, the planetary or celestial heavens called the universe. How beautiful it is and how expansive it is, beyond our comprehension.

3. THE HEAVEN OF HEAVENS (Deut. 10:14; 1 Kings 8:27; Ps. 115:16; 148:4; 2 Cor. 12:2). – The actual abode of God Himself and all His angels and saints.

This is the third Heaven. Now the Bible says the first two heavens or expanses will one day pass away and cease to exist. However, the third heaven is everlasting as its owner and resident is the eternal God Himself. This third heaven is the place described in the Bible where God's children of all ages will spend eternity with God and His elect angels. Now Jesus Christ Himself described the reality of this place when he said to His disciples,

John 14:1-3 (NLT)  ""Don't be troubled. You trust God, now trust in me. 2 There are many rooms in my Father's home, and I am going to prepare a place for you. If this were not so, I would tell you plainly. 3 When everything is ready, I will come and get you, so that you will always be with me where I am."

Why even the Psalmist and Isaiah the prophet, by divine revelation, saw a glimpse of this eternal “City of the Stars” when they wrote,

Psalms 46:4 (NIV)  "There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God, the holy place where the Most High dwells."

Isaiah 57:15 (NIV)  "For this is what the high and lofty One says-- he who lives forever, whose name is holy: "I live in a high and holy place, but also with him who is contrite and lowly in spirit, to revive the spirit of the lowly and to revive the heart of the contrite."

Isaiah 63:15 (NIV)  "Look down from heaven and see from your lofty throne, holy and glorious…"

Indeed, the Bible is filled with quotes and teaching that Heaven is the literal place of God's holy residence, where the saints and angels live now and for eternity. However, this "city of the stars" we are told has many facets of truth we can glean to learn more about it. For instance, in the Bible we can learn that some of the characteristics of Heaven are as follows:

(1)  It is inhabited by mankind and other living beings (Heb 12:22–24),

(2)  It is a place of great beauty (Rev 21:1–22:7),

(3)  There will be no physical reproduction there (Mk 12:25),

(4)  It is a holy place (Rev 21:27),

(5) We will joyously serve and gladly worship and fellowship with God there (Rev 4–5), and

(6) Being in heaven will give us a new thrilling perspective on everything that exists (Isa. 66:24).

Yes, Heaven is a wonderful place that awaits all who become children of God in this life.

Now in my studies of heaven, I've discovered a number of important things about it I would like to share with you. To make them simple and easily understandable, I'll give them to you now in outline form with Scripture references to back them up. So listen now to the fantastic teachings found in the Bible about Heaven. I've discovered that …

(1) HEAVEN IS A PLACE OF INCOMPREHENSIBLE BEAUTY & GLORY

Yes, for the Bible writers describe its very existence in terms of human valuable and beauty. We read in
Revelation 21:23-25 (NIV)  "The [Heavenly] city does not need the sun or the moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light, and the Lamb is its lamp. 24 The nations will walk by its light, and the kings of the earth will bring their splendor into it. 25 On no day will its gates ever be shut, for there will be no night there."

John the apostle goes on to describe the heavenly city called the New Jerusalem. He says of its building,

Revelation 21:18-21 (NIV)  "The walls were made of jasper, and the city of pure gold, as pure as glass. 19 The foundations of the city walls were decorated with every kind of precious stone. The first foundation was jasper, the second sapphire, the third chalcedony, the fourth emerald, 20 the fifth sardonyx, the sixth carnelian, the seventh chrysolite, the eighth beryl, the ninth topaz, the tenth chrysoprase, the eleventh jacinth, and the twelfth amethyst. 21 The twelve gates were twelve pearls, each gate made of a single pearl. The great street of the city was of pure gold, like transparent glass."

Now some believe that this is a literal description of Heaven, which it may well be, but I tend to think that John's descriptions were simply earthly pictures of heavenly things. So when John used the images of costly beautiful jewels and precious metals ¾ it was his way of saying that Heaven will be built of materials that will boggle the mind, the eye and the imagination. It's beauty and glory are in human terms inexpressible, for one is forced to say ¾ nothing of beauty, value and delight will be lacking in God's eternal Heavenly home for the redeemed.

(2) HEAVEN IS A PLACE OF AN EXCITING FUTURE & ENJOYABLE WORK

How sad many have conjured up thoughts that saints will be floating on clouds, aimlessly strumming golden harps. Nothing is further from the truth. We find in the Bible that God describes Heaven as a place of many labors and work. However this work is described as "joy" and "rest." Rest that is from the drudgery and toil work bears in this life. In Heaven we will be given labors that each saint will perform to his or her greatest delight and joy. What's more, we will be fully equipped to do them with absolute perfection and joy. As the songwriter once wrote,

"There's no disappointment in Heaven, no weariness, sorrow or pain. No hearts that are bleeding or broken, no song with a minor refrain. The clouds of our earthly horizon will never appear in the sky. For all will be sunshine and gladness, with never a sob nor a sigh."

Yes, there are two things we will carry with us into the glory of Heaven ¾  our "character" and our "capacity". The creative gifts and talents in this life will not be wasted in the next. Various, beautiful and most rewarding service and work awaits all the saints in Heaven. We surely will be busy doing things that thrill our soul and spirit! In fact, the Bible says it is written of the redeemed.

Revelation 7:15 (NIV)  "Therefore, "they are before the throne of God and serve him day and night in his temple; and he who sits on the throne will spread his tent over them."

Revelation 22:3 (NIV)  "No longer will there be any curse. The throne of God and of the Lamb will be in the city, and his servants will serve him."

Yes, we are saved in this life to "serve" the King of Kings, and what a delight it will be to be engaged in exciting, challenging and accomplished work for God in Heaven for all eternity.

(3) HEAVEN IS A PLACE WHERE SIN, EVIL AND SORROW IS BANISHED FOREVER
 

Although we experience many wonderful things in this life ¾ alas, it is marred by sin. The whole creation groans under the curse of sin (Rom. 8:22). Our bodies and soul are consumed by this curse of the environment and it usually brings us much grief and sorrow. But thanks be to God, we are told that God will banish all sin, evil and sorrow in His heavenly home. Although we'll go there as saved sinners, we must all first be transformed to enter therein. This transformation requires that the sin nature within us all, must first be destroyed forever.

This is why God ordained death, so that we will not live on forever in our corrupted sinful state. Every true believer upon death is cleansed of his or her fallen sin nature, and made pure as Christ Himself.  As a result, the Bible tells us Heaven will be a pure and perfect place. We read in.

Revelation 7:16 (NIV)  "Never again will they hunger; never again will they thirst. The sun will not beat upon them, nor any scorching heat."

Revelation 21:4 (NIV)  "He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.""

Revelation 21:27 (NIV)  " Nothing impure will ever enter it, nor will anyone who does what is shameful or deceitful, but only those whose names are written in the Lamb's book of life."

It's not likely that anyone will regret the absence of tears, death, mourning, crying, pain, insecurity, sin, sickness, the curse of sin, deceit, hunger, thirst and all these things that break our hearts. Indeed, Heaven will be a perfect place for a perfected people called the saints of God through Jesus Christ.

(4) HEAVEN WILL BE A PLACE OF FOND MEMORIES & ABIDING FELLOWSHIP
 

Some think God is going to erase all memory of the past life in our future. We will in their eyes be amnesiacs!  Indeed, much of our earthly memories will contain painful sorrowful things, but God is not going to erase anything from our minds. Rather, He is going to fill it so much with that which is good and grand, that these memories will never come to mind in any hurtful or mournful way. In this manner, we will recognize our loved ones there, remember our good times together in the past life, and more, we will know everyone there in the most intimate and personal way. Companionship and fellowship are definitely one of Heaven's planned benefits.

How I long to be with the saints I love, and wish to know. How grand it will be to meet Adam and Eve, to see Noah and His sons, to meet great King David, and the Old Testament prophets, to become a close friend with the apostle Paul – Oh, it will surely be glory! Well, lastly for this broadcast, I think one of Heavens most beautiful facets is that,

(5) HEAVEN IS A PLACE WHERE ANYONE WHO DESIRES, WILL BE PERMITTED TO ENTER  
 

How blessed it is to know that God plays no favorites. I believe with all my heart that God will grant Heaven and eternal life to everyone who reaches out to God and desires it. God will not turn away anyone who will apply for the free gift of Heaven and eternal life. However, there is an application form everyone has to fill out. This form is found in the commitment of our hearts and lives to love, honor, serve and obey Jesus Christ as our Savior and Lord, beginning in this life. Yes, the Bible remind us that God the Son said,

John 14:2-3 (NIV)  "In my Father's [heavenly home] house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you. 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am."

John 14:6 (NIV)  "Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me."

1 Timothy 2:4 (NIV)  "God wants all men to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth."

Revelation 21:6-7 (NIV)  "He said to me: "It is done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. To him who is thirsty I will give to drink without cost from the spring of the water of life. 7 He who overcomes will inherit all this, and I will be his God and he will be my son."

Revelation 22:17 (NIV)  "The Spirit and the bride say, "Come!" And let him who hears say, "Come!" Whoever is thirsty, let him come; and whoever wishes, let him take the free gift of the water of life."

Mind you, the last page of the Bible and the last words spoken from Heaven to men are these. Could anything be said more clearly? Yet God knows that because men are created creatures of free will, as amazing as it is ¾ many will chose not to go to Heaven! Jesus said looking over the host of humanity of His day,

Matthew 23:37 (NIV)  ""O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those sent to you, how often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing."

It's frightening to realize that this free offer of salvation and the gift of eternal life with Christ in His heavenly home will be vehemently rejected by many. But then the only other choice they have is to enter a place called Hell. May God give all who are listening today, open eyes and hearts to see, hear and desire to be cleansed from all sins through the precious but shed blood of Jesus Christ, who paid in full our entrance requirements for heaven and eternal life.

 May no one listening today turn away from this greatly and glorious promise of the CITY OF THE STARS, for it awaits all who will come by way of and through Jesus Christ. Come my friend, for all things are ready, and God has prepared a place for you. Call upon Jesus Christ wherever you are and claim His forgiveness and grace, and with that, the glorious promise of life eternal in the City of the Stars. It's yours for the asking…

… Now, what affect does the promise and prospect of Heaven have on those who choose to go there when they die? The answer is it energizes them to greater works of service to the Lord Jesus and His Church, and gives them a supreme desire to be truly conformed to the image of their God and Savior, Jesus Christ. Yes, sanctification, joy, consolation, endurance, the ennobling of our affections, confidence and glorious anticipation become the treasured possession of every saint that longs for Heaven and to see Jesus Christ.

Now friend, am I speaking of you? Or is your heart cold to God, darkened by sin and its terrible effects? Or maybe you are a Christian, but you're not going anywhere, and your life is a miserable image of God in Christ. Then I suggest you get on the glory train that is rocketing to the city of the stars, for there you'll be revived and find great joy and work that will carry us through this life to the inheritance of life eternal that waits all of God's true saints. To God be the glory, great things He has done!

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·         Radio talk #4506

·         Broadcast date: November 04, 2006

·         Speaker: Dennis L. Finnan, Commentator

·         Program: The World, the Word & You! Radio Broadcast

·         Address: P.O. Box 60033 Grand Junction, CO 81506

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The World, the Word & You! Broadcast is a non-denominational ministry based on the historic fundamental evangelical interpretation of the Scriptures. A copy of our doctrinal statement is available upon request. These weekly radio commentaries are not exhaustive studies of any particular subject due to the time limit of broadcasting. Actual broadcasts can be heard in selected areas around the nation, as funding provides. Dennis Finnan has been the speaker for over 27 years, and serves as General Director.

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