M-G: 6.2.15 // Heaven-Bent, Part 6

While working on Part 6 in our series of Heaven-Bent, I have amassed over 13,000 words which for some writers are merely an introduction (Yeah, I am writing this series as I go.)! I had entered into an area that many scholars simply allude to and move on. As with your encounter with some math in the previous parts, some things are very challenging to get a handle on it. So why mention it if it goes over people’s heads? And the same could be asked of my forthcoming diagrams in this series since the Bible doesn't explicitly say this is the precise current and future configuration of that which is outside of creation.

Let me offer you two verses as to why this series is more than a command to be bent vertically rather than horizontally but also an attitude of appreciating the greatness of God. Then I will make two observations, and then give some more reasons as to the why of it. If you still think this series is unworthy of the investment of your time, skip it and wait until I write on something else that interests you, or dismiss me as certifiably weird, and go ahead and throw the baby out with the bathwater.

Let’s go back to one of our core verses on being heaven bent found in Col 3:1-2,

[1] If [since] then you were raised [co-resurrected] with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God. [2] Set your mind [keep on thinking about] on things above, not on things on the earth.

The “things above” are in contrast to “things on the earth.” There are things on the earth where “the wrath of God is coming upon” (Col 3:6), unholy things. Paul reminded the Colossians, “You used to do these things when your life was still part of this world” (Col 3:7, NLT). “Things above” doesn’t have to be exclusively on the pursuit of holiness but can include pursuing admiration and adoration of Christ.

Have you ever desired to go to heaven as a believer to be with Jesus or to be reunited with loved ones who died in the Lord? Ever wonder what heaven is like? Ever wonder what it would be like to have a pain-free body? Ever look up at the starry expanse and think, “God knows me by name (Psa 8:3-4)! Ever wonder where heaven is located? Ever wonder where the lake of fire is in relation to heaven? Ever asked what eternity is like? Ever ponder how God could not have a beginning? Well, this series is just wonder-put-to-print, not on all those topics, thinking on the upward things. There is nothing wrong with simply appreciating and rejoicing in the greatness of Yahweh! I like AT Robertson's comment on Col 3:2,

“The Christian has to keep his feet upon the earth, but his head in the heavens. He must be heavenly-minded here on earth and so help to make earth like heaven.”

If we are not thrilled and enthralled with the God of heaven by our talk and walk, we will be most convincing to the lost that we are a bunch of hypocrites! Once we ponder on the greatness of God we have no choice but to go deep, very deep (Rom 11:33).

Another verse as to why I justify going “deep” in Heaven-Bent is found in Psa 145:6b (Hebrew), “Your greatness, I will declare.” Of the things done for man I will declare to be sure but to see in creation and beyond the infinite nature of His Majesty demands declaring the greatness of our God to others. I don’t think there are any English words to express fully the greatness of our God! 

Spending time in the “over my head” stuff has given me a greater appreciation of the character of God and what He is capable of doing. If I can get you excited about the God we love and serve, then this series was worth the painful effort (my finite mind attempting to understand the Infinite and failing miserably). I cannot number the times I ran into a wall of frustration, having to step away and go back at it another time, or uttered, “I quit!” Being finite and not the sharpest of tools have made this very challenging for me.

Two observations I make for you at this juncture in our series, but let me quote Moses from Deut 29:29 first,

“The secret things belong to the LORD our God, but those things which are revealed belong to us and to our children forever, that we may do all the words of this law.”

There is not a lot of data about heaven or before creation. What has been revealed is strewn throughout the Testaments. Nothing about special revelation (the Word of God)  is without purpose since the Architect was the Holy Spirit superintending the work (2 Tim 3:16; 2 Pet 1:20-21). So what “handfuls of purpose” (Ruth 2:16, KJV) have been left about heaven or before creation God has given to us or “revealed” to us. God knew we would glean from the “left behinds” and our imaginations would take to flight. I have used what morsels I could find and combined them with what I have learned of God, and along with my imagination projected my theories on the status quo of creation beyond and the future configuration of the eternal state.

In reference to my imagination, you will find (1) I have not treaded upon any cardinal doctrine of the faith, and (2) I have not violated the character of God as revealed in Scripture. In fact, I have used my understanding of God (cf. Jer 9:23, 24) to help construct my theories on how things are and will be configured in the future. All of what is revealed in Scripture is for us for the purpose of obeying “all the words,” not ignoring or picking and choosing what to obey. Hopefully, this series promotes obedience to the only God who is worthy of worship and praise and the submission of our lives to His authority.

There are three other compelling reasons why I am writing this series which include some impossible things to comprehend.

First, blame God (hah!); first and foremost, I felt led to do this! This should not be taken by any stretch of the imagination that I am “suggesting my theories are correct” because God is leading me! To be clear I am merely offering my current point of view on the configurations beyond creation and the future eternal state.

Second, the hunger in my heart drives me. God left tidbits here and there; I take that as a green light to explore but not to obsess over; it’s always best to concern ourselves with being like Christ, without whom heaven is not heaven. People can’t see heaven in us if we are not like Him. Whew, don’t we all have a long way to go on this side of eternity! It’s hard for people to see Christ in us when we got all of the weeds and bushes of the world in the way of living horizontally.

Third, as with mountain climbers, because it's there.

In Part 8 (I think), I will be introducing diagrams to help the reader visualize what I am trying to say about beyond creation and the eternal future state. It stands to reason why these diagrams cannot be scaled because for conceptualization purposes I will be mentioning great light distances along with infinity which automatically creates a graphical misrepresentation. Fortunately, you should get the idea as far as the configuration of things.

If the most distant galaxy known is 13.1 billion light years away as we speak, then we can conclude based upon light traveling ~5.9 trillion miles a light year, that the universe is, at the very least, 77 billion trillion miles in length, and in more likelihood, it is far greater than we will ever realize this side of eternity. So, if we were on the “other side” of eternity where would we be? And the survey said, “Heaven and in the very visual presence of God!”

I am of the opinion that the third heaven is outside space-time as we know it. We've already seen in Part 3 by the language used in Scripture that heaven is above the earth beyond space-time or creation (Gn 1:1), provided we take it literally and not figuratively. We will see in this series that eternity will eventually merge with the new heaven and the new earth. It is going to be incredibly exciting for believers!

Being heaven-bent is the inclination to think of things above rather than the things of earth, having a vertical worldview rather than a horizontal outlook. Looking around it is easy to get bummed out and discouraged and depressed over the circumstances going on in our nation and the world, filled with corruption, hatred, violence, and disconcerting political correctness that will drive anybody to paranoia.

Up above, everything is different; up above is our future! So, elevate your thinking with me as we explore this time-space world. If it does to you what it has done for me in my explorations, you will discover a greater appreciation of the greatness of Yahweh, leaving you speechless but very thankful that He is the sovereign LORD who saves, protects, comforts, and guides us through the wiliness of this world.  <><

To Part 7