The
Scriptures speak of two places, "Heaven" and "Hell," where the
"righteous" and "wicked" respectively are to spend eternity. The one
demands the other. There can be no Heaven without its counterpart Hell.
If there is no Hell there is no Heaven, for the same Book speaks of
both.
I. HEAVEN
Heaven is a "PLACE," it is not a state or condition. The New Jerusalem
is not Heaven, though it is a city of Heaven. The Apostle John tells us
that he saw it "coming down from God OUT OF HEAVEN." Rev 21: 2. It is
the "PLACE" that Jesus told His Disciples He was going away to prepare
for them. Joh 14: 2. It did not exist at the time Jesus was on earth. It
was built between the time Jesus ascended in A. D. 30, and the time
when John saw it in vision descend from Heaven in A. D. 96, or if not
yet built, it will be built before the Rapture of the Church, for it is
to be the Residence of the Bride, the Lamb's Wife. Rev 21: 9-10. Of
Abraham we read—" He looked for a City which hath foundations, whose
'builder' and 'maker' is GOD." Heb 11: 10. The New Jerusalem is that
City. The Apostle says—" Here we have no continuing city (permanent
abiding place), but we seek one to come." Heb 13: 14. The Scriptures
speak of three Heavens. (1). The Heaven of the earth's atmosphere. "God
gave you rain from heaven." Act 14: 17. (2). The Heaven of the Stars.
The "High Places" where the "Principalities and Powers" of evil have
their abode. Eph 6: 12. (3). The Heaven where God dwells. It was to this
"Third Heaven" that the Apostle Paul was caught up, when at Lystra he
was stoned and his spirit apparently left his body. Act 14: 19-20. Paul
calls it both the "Third Heaven" and "Paradise." 2Co 12: 1-4. The two
then must be identical, or "Paradise" be a part of the "Third Heaven."
It is to this "Paradise Section" of Heaven that the "Soul" and "Spirit"
of the Righteous go since the Resurrection of Christ. See the Chapter on
"The Spirit World," page 88. The word "Paradise" means a "garden" or
"enclosed place." It must therefore be a most beautiful place of trees
and flowers and fruits. There the "Spirits" of the Righteous in their
"Soulish" bodies, conscious and happy, and in fellowship with loved ones
and the saints of all Ages, await the First Resurrection, when, having
received their glorified bodies, and been judged at the Judgment Seat of
Christ, and married to the Lamb (Christ), they go to dwell in the New
Jerusalem, the home of the Bride. See Chart, page 274. From this we see
that we must distinguish between Heaven proper, and its suburb Paradise,
and the New Jerusalem. But we must not forget, that while Paradise, the
place where the Saints of God now dwell, is a glorious place, and the
Saints are there in the enjoyment of Heavenly things, that they are
under certain limitations. They have not as yet received their
resurrection body with all its glorious powers, nor been judged so as to
receive their reward, or crown, if they are entitled to any. The
description of Heaven and the New Jerusalem as given in the Book of
Revelation from the third chapter to the end of the Book, is still
future, and the things there described will not come to pass until after
the Rapture of the Church, so what is said of the New Jerusalem and its
occupants does not apply until after the Judgment of Believers.
Larkin, Clarence (2012-06-18). Rightly Dividing The Word [Illustrated]
(Kindle Locations 3126-3128). PreservedWords. Kindle Edition.