The world has a way of commandeering things. It can take something that was at once wholesome and descriptive of one meaning and turn it to mean something that is completely different. Words, images, and even phrases, once taken by the world can come to represent something that is the polar opposite of what the previous generation knew them to be. But there is one thing that has been misrepresented, mis-stated and misunderstood since the very day it was uttered into existence…Heaven.
I believe there is no other greater misunderstood idea than that of Heaven. Where it is, what it does, how you get there, who goes, and what it even means, are all issues that the world has had a field day with. I always cringe when a popular Hollywood movie has a central figure die and they head off to Heaven. There is no telling where and what angle they may take concerning an individual’s spirit attempting to approach Heaven. But you can be sure of one thing, they will take great personal liberty in interpreting what Heaven is and how you get there.
Today we see a monumental moment in 2 Kings chapter 2, the ascension of Elijah. Elijah, through the power of God, has done amazing miracles, defeated great evil, and walked a walk with God that at times had pushed him beyond what he thought he could stand. In fact, we saw that in 1 Kings 19, it was this very man that was on the run, physically exhausted, emotionally distraught, and at the end of his proverbial spiritual rope. The great man of God, the great prophet Elijah, had actually asked God to take his very life. God ministered to his every need and sent Elijah back out for a few more tasks. But today, God will take Elisha, but he won’t die. And He will do it in a most unusual way, even for God.
Elijah has recruited his replacement per God, Elisha. (Now I have always wondered why God did this. I mean really, to have a guy named Elijah followed by a guy named Elisha?) We pick up the chapter with them both strolling along, and the topic of the conversation was God taking Elijah to Heaven that day. Apparently, there was a common prophecy about this as not only Elijah and Elisha were aware but also every prophet they encountered. God does not have accidents, this was an event that He wanted an audience for and so He does indeed gather a crowd to witness this amazing event. God puts on a memorable show, there are chariots of fire, horses of fire and a great windstorm that carries Elijah up directly into Heaven. I can only imagine the aftermath as God’s show draws to a close. Silence. Now the witnesses must deal with the facts of what they saw.
Now recall that the prophecy was clear. God was taking Elijah to Heaven. We know that enough people took the prophecy seriously that there was a crowd of at least 50 prophets gathered to watch. But when it comes to Heaven, the world will either not believe, or they will decide to believe what they prefer. Immediately the prophets approach Elisha and want to find out where Elijah went. What? Double what? They were told by God that He was taking Elijah to Heaven. They heard it, Elisha heard it, and Elijah heard it. But yet, immediately after God takes him in a fiery display, they doubt. They persist and hound Elisha into agreeing to a search party even though he knows they will find nothing. For three days they search. They find nothing.
Today, Heaven is one of the most misunderstood and doubted subjects on the planet. Even as men of God physically watched Elijah ascend, they doubted. The feeble minds of men are so ready to doubt or explain away what they do not understand. Folks, just because you can’t understand something doesn’t mean it’s not real.
Everything you need to know about Heaven, God has told us in His Word. But in order to find the truth you must first seek it. Some of the hottest opinions I hear about Heaven are from people that have never split open the Word of God. Where do they get their ideas of Heaven? Usually two places, popular media like movies and TV, and their own logic. It always breaks my heart when someone unexpectedly dies, and the mourning family automatically goes to the logic that all people go to Heaven. Even if the person was a real rapscallion in life, the mourners somehow think that death will cleanse the evil from a heart, allowing that heart to live in Heaven merely because death came calling.
Folks, hear me clearly on this. The most important subject you can ever study in this life is Heaven. You need to know the truth about it. Not what you’ve seen in movies. Not what you’ve seen on TV. Not what you’ve read in best-selling fiction books. Not what your friends and family have told you. And not what you want to believe. Every person on this planet has an eternity before them, that is a guarantee from God. But the location of your eternity can be very different. And the destination of your eternity depends on your decision concerning Heaven.
God’s Word is crystal clear on Heaven. Heaven is the home of Almighty God. Since God is perfectly righteous, Heaven is a perfectly righteous place. That means sin cannot be allowed into the place where God resides, ie Heaven. God’s Word also tells us (and simply looking at the world proves it) that all people are born with a sin nature, ie, all people sin. And all it takes is one sin in a lifetime to make a sinner. All people are sinners and therefore if you extrapolate, no sinner will be allowed into the presence of God. What to do? This is where I tell you the Good News. The Gospel of Jesus Christ. God saw this need and He filled it like only God can do. He sent His only Son here to live as a man and show us the way. He didn’t send an angel, a message in the clouds, or a booming voice, he physically sent His Son for us to see, hear, watch and emulate. But in order to allow us into Heaven, He had to do something with our sin. So, He sacrificed His only Son on a Cross. Jesus was humiliated, scorned, beaten, tortured and hung on a Cross to die. But glory be to God, Jesus is not dead. He was triumphantly raised three days later to once and for all defeat the death penalty of our sin. Because of Jesus Christ, there is a way for us to be in Heaven with God. The one and true Heaven, the only Heaven.
Folks, today you can ensure that your eternal home will be with God in Heaven. All you need to do is look to Jesus. Admit that your sin separates you from God, that you cannot take your sin into Heaven. Then ask Jesus to be your Lord, admit that His sacrifice was sufficient to cover your sins. Ask Him to save you from the death of you sin. And in the glory of the Good News, He is faithful to save all that call upon His name.
The world has some crazy ideas about Heaven today. That all people go to Heaven. That some people are good enough to get there on their own. That Heaven is here on this Earth. That there is no Heaven at all. That if you do enough good for others you can earn your way to Heaven. That by being part of the right man-made religion you can get to Heaven. Friends, I’m sorry if this offends you, but these are all lies. We are told directly from the mouth of God all we need to know about Heaven and exactly how to get there. What you think about God’s instructions does not change them.
Today, I pray at all costs you are seeking Heaven and God’s path to get there. We are not long for this world and eternity lies on the other side for every life that takes a breath today. Search for the truth, search for the one true Heaven…for there is only one Heaven and there is only one way to get there...Jesus Christ.
“‘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.” He who was seated on the throne said, “I am making everything new!” Then he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.” He said to me: “It is done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. To the thirsty I will give water without cost from the spring of the water of life. Those who are victorious will inherit all this, and I will be their God and they will be my children. But the cowardly, the unbelieving, the vile, the murderers, the sexually immoral, those who practice magic arts, the idolaters and all liars—they will be consigned to the fiery lake of burning sulfur. This is the second death.” Revelation 21:4-8
Wow! Beautiful shot!