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Question: Can heaven
sometimes be used as a name for God?
Read: Luke 15:18 Matthew
23:22
Meditation: In poetic language there is a type of word picture
called metonymy, which uses a part to stand for the whole. In today’s
language when we use the example of hands we can mean how many people
that are working for us. In the same way the word heaven is used
poetically to mean God in many parts of the Bible. This type of
comparison was used a lot in the Old Testament to avoid using the name
of the Lord in vain. Even today we use such expressions as "heaven
help us, or for heaven’s sake" as a way of expressing God’s name
by not using God’s name.
Prayer Starter: God’s name is sacred and should not be taken in
vain. We can be guilty of doing this even when we may not realize it.
Thank God that He does forgive even these sins and all the other sins in
our lives. 
Question: What is meant when
the Bible talks about the Kingdom of Heaven?
Read: Psalm 145:10-13
Psalm 22:27-28 Psalm
103:19 John 3:5 2
Timothy 4:18
Meditation: We saw yesterday that heaven can sometimes be another
name for God; therefore, when we see the kingdom of heaven in the Bible, we
can also say or substitute the Kingdom of God.
These sayings can mean three different things to the believer.
- God ruling as king over the whole universe, which we can call the
Kingdom of Power.
- God ruling over the church on earth, which is called the Kingdom of
Grace.
- God ruling over the church and angels in heaven, which is called the
Kingdom of Glory.
Jesus uses a series of parables to explain the nature of God’s kingdom.
You can read of these in the following passages from Matthew.
- The Sower 13:3-8,
- The Good and Bad Seed 13:24-30,
- The Mustard Seed 13:31-32,
- Yeast 13:33,
- Buried Treasure 13:44,
- The Pearl 13:45-46,
- The Net Cast Into The Sea 13:47-48,
- The Debtor 18:23-34,
- The Laborers In The Vineyard 20:1-15,
- The Marriage of the King’s Son 22:2-14,
- The Ten Virgins 25:1-12,
- and The Talents 25:14-30.
Prayer Starter: Let us focus our prayers toward the kingdoms
mentioned above that His Holy Spirit will help us believe His Word and to
lead the lives that we should, to help us bring others into His kingdom of
grace, and that He would hasten to bring His kingdom of glory to the earth.
Question: Where in the Bible
does it tell us what heaven looks like?
Read: Revelation 21
Meditation: Many descriptions of heaven can be found in Revelation 21
gives us one of the better examples of how heaven looks. Also we can find
descriptions of heaven in many different parts of the Bible. Psalms, Daniel,
Ezekiel, and if we were to study the Apocrypha books we would even find
more. It simply is not possible to cover all of them, but there is no doubt
that the descriptions we find tell of a very beautiful place in which all
that are there are very happy.
Prayer Starter: Heaven is a beautiful place in which God has prepared
for His people. Let us look at these pictures of heaven and give God the
thanks and praise He deserves for His love for us.
Question: What are the Pearly
Gates, and does St Peter sit at them?
Read: Revelation 21:21 Matthew
16:18-19
Meditation: Many people have always used the term pearly
gates without really know why. Today we see that Revelation tells us
that there are 12 gates into heaven, and that each gate is made out of a
great pearl with the streets being made of pure gold. Also many people
believe that Saint Peter is the keeper of these gates, which means he is the
one that allows those that are worthy to enter. Many Christians use Matthew
16:18-19 to back this claim up. They say Jesus made Peter the guardian of
heaven by giving him the keys to the kingdom and the mandate to decide who
may enter. However, as Lutherans, we say that this statement gives the keys
to the church and that the intent and content of this passage is about
forgiving or retaining of sins. We say that all Christians have this power
for we are the church. We would say that Peter does not have the power to
refuse people into heaven. God the Father has promised that all who believe
in Jesus as their savior, and that Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross and
resurrection is what determines who will be in heaven.
Prayer Starter: We see that heaven does have gates, but as we read
further they are not closed and locked. It is up to God who is to be
admitted. As we think about our prayers today we need to see that Jesus is
the one who has made it possible for us to one day enjoy heaven.
Question: What is heaven
really like?
Read: Job 26:11
Genesis 7:11 Revelation
22:1-2 Ezekiel 1:24
Isaiah 6:3 Ezekiel
1:25-26 Revelation
4:2-6
Meditation: With all of these readings today we begin to explore what
is heaven like. We see Job tell us that heaven is on four pillars. In
Genesis we see Noah describe the rain as the windows of heaven being opened.
In Revelation 21 - 22 tell us what heaven is made of and what it contains
such as trees in chapter 22. Ezekiel and Isaiah tells us of the sounds of
heaven, and Ezekiel and Revelation tells us of God’s throne. These are
just a few of the descriptions that we get from the Bible about what heaven
looks like.
Prayer Starter: Heaven is a complex and beautiful place that God has
prepared and has allowed a few of His followers to see and describe in the
Bible. We too get to see an incomplete picture of heaven that scriptures
reveals. Lord, help us to see better what You have done for us.
Question: Who lives and
will live in heaven?
Read: Mark 16:19
John 1:1-2,14 Mark
3:13 Revelation
7:11 Genesis 21:17
Job 1:6 Revelation
12:7-9 Psalm 91:1
Revelation 7:9-10
Meditation: As we read and study these verses
today we see those that live in heaven. We are told that Jesus does live
in heaven on the right hand of God the Father now, but we also are told
that Jesus lived with God even before the world was created. We also see
that the angels live in heaven, and that Satan was in heaven until a war
in heaven cast him and his followers out. The last passages reassure us
that when believers die they will abide with God until the resurrection
of the dead.
We have covered a lot of ground. I hope that the questions I asked
have help you to discover a lot more about heaven you did not know. I
know that I may not have answered all of your questions for I covered
only a small amount of the scripture that have information about heaven.
I also did not cover any of the Apocrypha books that gives even more
information. I hope that this has helped reassure you in your faith, and
encourages you to study even further on this subject.
Prayer Starter: Look to God for answers and let God’s Holy
Spirit guide you in your study of His word.
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