Visions of Heaven Study Guide
Monday – This week our study guide readings will focus on what heaven might be like. One way we might infer a bit of what heaven might be like would be to look at what the Garden of Eden was like – this was paradise before sin entered the world, and with it, death. Read Genesis 1:28-3:19 looking for how life was originally meant to be by God, and what changed after Adam and Eve sinned. What can you infer from this about what heaven might be like? You might read the story a second time; you’ll find there is more here than you might see at first glance.
Tuesday – The Hebrew Prophets sometimes painted a picture with words of what life would be like when God restored all things. This restoration was associated with the coming of the Messiah; hence it is called the Messianic Age. Christians believe this began with Jesus’ earthly ministry, death and resurrection; but will not be completely experienced until his Second Coming. These scriptures represent the prophetic vision of life in heaven. As you read them, what do they teach us about what life will be like when God makes all things new? Read Isaiah 2:1-5, Isaiah 11:1-9 and Isaiah 65:17-25. Note that the prophet paints a picture of the new heaven and new earth that is based upon what he knows of this earth. How should these pictures of heaven shape how we live on earth now?
Wednesday – Jesus came, in a sense, as the Son of the Heavenly King, and he made a way for us to enter heaven, gave us instructions on how to get there, and gave us, in his ministry and teachings, glimpses of what life is like in heaven.. Read Matthew 18:1-4. What does this tell us about heaven, and how might it shape how we live today to prepare ourselves for heaven? Read John 14:1-4. Now, let’s look at Jesus’ resurrection body and see what we might infer about our heavenly bodies from these passages. Read Luke 24:28-35, 36-43. What was Jesus’ resurrection body capable of?
Thursday – Church was meant to be a community that gives a foretaste of heaven and, when believers gather for worship Christ is present in their midst in a way that foreshadows heaven. Read I Corinthians 15:35-58. Verse 58 gives us the implication of our hope in heaven for our daily lives. Hebrews refers to heaven as our “Sabbath rest” – when you think of rest and renewal, what do you think of? How might heaven be like this? While the apostles speak frequently of our hope for eternal life, they seldom try to describe what heaven will be like. Why do you think this is?
Friday – Today we turn to the Book of Revelation where we have the most detailed pictures of what heaven will be like. As you read, ask what the author is trying to convey about heaven by his metaphorical description. Read Revelation 21 and 22:1-5. How can you hope in heaven positively shape your Christian life and faith today? This life is the journey that has heaven as its final destination. Are you preparing for heaven now? How?
Saturday- Take action today. We have been taking a look at what heaven is like throughout this week. We often think about heaven as a distant or far off place. But there are times when we catch a glimpse of heaven here and now. In our communion liturgy we say that the meal is a sample of the Kingdom to come. How might you take today to bring the Kingdom of God (heaven) to someone you know? Feel free to share what you did with us on our twitter @faithpointum or facebook page facebook.com/faithpointum
3 Comments
Joy P
Monday – What I could get from the Genesis reading about what heaven might be like:
Verse 5 – “no people to cultivate the soil” God waters, we cultivate. Hmmmm, strangely similar to what we are called to do here on Earth. Could it be that in heaven there is still a partnership that God allows us to have with Him concerning the work that is to be done? Since we will no longer be physical beings, would that exclude our physical exertion in cultivating crops (coming from a farmer’s wife)? Why would we need to cultivate crops? Does this point to a continuation of partnership in spiritual matters and God’s work that was started here on Earth? Does this mean that heaven is still not the ideal but that there is still work to be done?
Verse 9 – “trees that were beautiful and that produced delicious fruit.” Heaven will have things of use AND also things of beauty…..for no other use than to just be beautiful. Why would we need crops if we are not physical beings at that point?
Verse 10 – “A river flowed from the land of Eden, watering the garden and then dividing into four branches.” I’m very sure there is some major symbolism going on here with the description of each of these branches…..what it means…don’t know.
Verse 16 &17 – “But the Lord God warned him, “You may freely eat the fruit of every tree in the garden— except the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. If you eat its fruit, you are sure to die.” There may be places we cannot go….that are off limits in heaven.
Verse 19 -“So the Lord God formed from the ground all the wild animals and all the birds of the sky. He brought them to the man to see what he would call them, and the man chose a name for each one.” We will have a part in the work of God. (Will there still be work to do in heaven?)
Verse 24 – “This explains why a man leaves his father and mother and is joined to his wife, and the two are united into one.” We will be united as one to God.
Verse 25 – “Now the man and his wife were both naked, but they felt no shame.” We will be free to be ourselves with no shame in being that way.
3:8 – “the man and his wife heard the Lord God walking about in the garden.” God will be with us!! Near us….closer than we’ve ever been before.
Always so many questions. I look foward to reading what other people are getting from this study.
Erin M
Monday — Response to Joy and then some probably.
So I absolutely love the thought that there is still work to do in Heaven. What else would we do…sit around? Not this girl! I feel like the whole idea (based on this weeks message and my own thoughts) of Heaven and being a Christian all together, is to be with God and have relationship with him. All things centered, right? In heaven and on earth. Not too sure what that work would be like- maybe cultivation crops. If not for our consumption (Our souls probably wont eat?) but maybe to sustain other life. Animals, plants, bugs… Or maybe we will consume in the after life, thats not too hard to believe! Especially if Adam and Eve could eat from “any” tree of the garden, and Eden is to be like Heaven.
When brings me to Verse 9- Even if we dont need crops or arent physical beings at this point… Wouldn’t it be pleasant to have things growing around us anyways, simply for our own enjoyment? Flowers for example are beautiful for us to look at but arent necessary for our existance. Ants need a place to hang though and bees too. There were all kinds of creatures in the garden so It may be safe to assume there will be in Heaven as well. We may be above it all as far as not needing to eat in heaven- so yes I think these things will be there simply for beauty. God’s creation is outstanding. I love to sit and stare at what He has made, to me it is only a glimpse of what we have in store for us in the Kingdom.
Im not sure about the river either… and why was there gold there? Perhaps also to look at? eh…maybe not.
What I take from the Tree of Life is this (Get ready– this is good!): The beginning of Faith/Trust, and Testing. God warned them that if they ate the forbidden fruit they would die. This is exactly like Mom (or Dad) saying “Dont touch the oven…it’s hott” You don’t learn until you touch it. (And burn the crap out of your finger!) Once the pain subsides you realize, Dad was right. Why didnt I just listen to him and trust that what he said was true?? We have to find out for ourselves. The tree was Gods first challenge for man kind..we failed, like we often do. But in the end, they fessed up and went back to God. “I heard you in the garden, and I was afraid because I was naked; so I hid.” Right after they took the bite they felt ashamed because they knew that they went against God. Don’t we do the same thing today- Dont our children feel sad or ashamed when we catch them writing on the walls with MARKER! And then they say “Ok mommy, only on paper” and then they do it AGAIN!!!
The test is this- Be with God- no matter what the temptation. No matter how juicy the apple looks.
Do His will- Which is to trust him, and be with him in our daily lives, in our hearts, and in our minds, always. (Even when the pot doesnt look hot, or the walls look so bare) If we do these things we will have our way in Heaven. Becuase when we are one with Him our way will be His too. . . .
PREACH!! (lol)
mherman (Author)
Tuesday: eh – prophets. Not my favorite. I always feel like I am missing something. Trying to read code – solve a puzzle without all of the pieces. I pondered this one all day. Over simplified it I am sure. But, Heaven will be peaceful. No kidding, right? But, I mean peaceful beyond anything that we can imagine. Hunters will eat peacefully along side their usual prey. Wild beasts will follow the commands of little children. It’s not my kind of imagery but it certainly describes a peace that seems unnatural to me!!!
A thought that keeps popping into my head – why do we think of Heaven in terms of what will make us happy? Why do we think “Heaven must have ___________(favorite activity) or it wouldn’t be heaven!” We were created to love God what if that pure love was restored? Wouldn’t that be heaven? Being able to be exactly what you were created to be? Being able to focus only on loving God? Hmmm…what if heaven is all about God, and not about me? What if, in Heaven, God’s people become the people he created us to be? What if being those people, actively loving God – the way that he wants/needs to be loved becomes our favorite thing & brings about a feeling of pleasure and happiness beyond that which we feel when we are taking part in our favorite earthly activity. Something that seems unnatural to us now but will be the natural state in Heaven.
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