Essay 60 (2-14-05)

WHAT JESUS SAID ABOUT HEAVEN

Since we believe in the preexistence of Christ as we do, we may suppose that the earthly Jesus had some recollection of where he came from. Detailed memory, I mean, as one might recall his childhood home. We may wonder if in moments of solitude he thought about his previous existence in heaven with his Father - his favorite reference for God. Or, if he ever talked with his closest disciples about such matters.

His disciples may not have known of his preexistence, not early on at least. It was probably a later theological development, as in John 1. Such concepts as "He was in the beginning with God" would likely be baffling to the likes of Peter, even when he could readily recognize Jesus as the Messiah and the Son of God. Such claims as "Before Abraham was, I am" (John 8:58) would have been incomprehensible to the earliest disciples. John 13:3 makes it clear that Jesus knew that "he had come from God and was going to God," but such theology may have been beyond where the apostles were at the time.

That may explain why Jesus said so little about heaven. It would have been too much for his disciples, as it would be for us. Too, had he described heaven in its glorious details - assuming he could couch it in terms we could understand - it might make us so eager to go there that we would not be sufficiently worldly to do our work on earth.

In 2 Cor. 12 Paul reveals that he had a moment in heaven, and he heard - and maybe saw - things that were ineffable or unutterable. That means he couldn't put it into words. It was also "unlawful" for him to reveal it, even if he could. That must mean the Lord told him that he couldn't talk about it. But he reveals that he couldn't find words to tell us anyway - even if he could!

We might rightly wonder if Jesus felt that same restriction, both ways. To reveal intimate details about where he came from may have been both ineffable and unlawful.

I've said all this to say that the first point to make about what Jesus said about heaven is that he didn't say all that much. In terms of what he could have revealed - again assuming that we could deal with it - he revealed next to nothing. What he did say about heaven was mostly indirect - in connection to other subjects.

For instance, one of his most interesting references to heaven is in Mt. 18:10 where he speaks in a protective way of children, and then says, "I say to you that in heaven their angels always see the face of my Father who is in heaven."

This also speaks to what Jesus believed about angels. Even though they were in God's presence - and had an advantageous position to help children - they could and did move between heaven and earth instantly.

Does this passage suggest that Jesus believed in guardian angels? Each of us not only has an angel - or angels! - to watch out for us, but those angels are as much in heaven, and in the very presence of God, as they are on earth - as if space were irrelevant.

Jesus had a way of telling his disciples what they already knew about heaven, such as angels being there and God being there. Over and over again, as in Mt. 18:10, he places God in heaven. As in the prayer he taught, "Our Father who art in heaven," and sprinkled throughout the Sermon on the Mount are references to "your Father who is in heaven." Surely Jesus believed that God was everywhere, even in our hearts, but heaven is his home.

In the Lord's Prayer our Lord revealed a startling truth about heaven - God's will is being done there! Indirection again. He has us pray that we will do God's will on earth, and in doing so he reveals that it is being done in heaven. A strong hint that heaven is already inhabited with creatures who do God's will - beside angels, would this include all the redeemed up to Jesus' time, already in heaven?

Perhaps the most exciting - and the most revealing - thing Jesus ever said about heaven was to the thief: "Today you will be with me in Paradise." Again, while he reveals nothing about the nature of heaven, he does say that both he and the thief would be there in a matter of hours. Paul makes it clear in 2 Cor. 12:2-4 that Paradise is "the third heaven," where God is.

What a breath-taking truth! We can each hear Jesus say to us as part of the community of faith and hope. I hear him say to me - and I am no more worthy than the thief - "Leroy, you are soon to be with me in heaven." Wow! I can scarcely take it in.

That is why Ouida understands - I remind her after each funeral we attend! - that when I am "absent from planet earth" (I borrow from Alexander Campbell) she is to call the Southwestern Medical School in Dallas and tell them to come get what's left of me. I've tried to take such care of myself that they will have a body that can be harvested for the good of others. No mortician, no coffin, no body at a "funeral." Perhaps a memorial service, but I won't be there, and I don't want there to be any suggestion to the contrary, such as the presence of a body.

Paul said it better than I: "When we are absent from the body we are present with the Lord" (2 Cor. 5:8), and "I have the desire to depart and be with Christ, which is far better" (Philip.1:23). The apostle would hardly have expressed such hope if he had anticipated waiting in a grave or some intermediate Hades. Even in 2005 he still wouldn't be with Christ!

I am also impressed that Jesus believed that we can lay up treasures in heaven, not unlike a savings account: "Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and thieves break through and steal; but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break through and steal" (Mt. 6:19-20). He adds a riveting truth: For where your treasure is there will your heart be also.

Does this not suggest that each of us will have his own treasure account, causing some to have greater reward than others? And while "laying up treasures in heaven" might not always be our motive for good works, might Jesus' words make us mindful that we are indeed providing for our own future good as we help others? This appears to be what Jesus says to the rich young ruler in Mt. 19:21: "If you want to be perfect, go, sell what you have and give to the poor and you will have treasure in heaven." Isn't it all right for us to do good things - and not do bad things - because we want to go to heaven?

Our Lord does provide a few details about heaven, even if they are not all that revealing about its nature. Heaven is a "place" with "many mansions" where we will be with Christ (John 14:2-3), and we will be equal to angels in that there will be no marriage and no more death (Lk. 20:35-36).

Jesus talked about heaven the way he talked about God in that he never tried to prove the existence of either. He took their existence as a given. He realized, as we must, that they are infinite and incomprehensible subjects. He told his disciples that he had many things to say to them, but they were not yet ready to receive them. Being the master teacher that he was, he wisely did not say much about some subjects.

As for heaven, the marvel may be that he said as much as he did. I would not have been surprised had he talked about there being humor in heaven. Perhaps he hinted at it when he said we would be like angels. Angels have a sense of humor, don't they?

Notes

There are three previous essays about heaven in this series - numbers 17, 18, 19. These, along with all the 59 previous essays, are available at www.leroygarrett.org.

My dear friend Ron Hasty is posting these essays to you from his computer for the time being. Due to my vision problem I have had to work with white type on black background. This is offensive to some computers which receive them black on black and unreadable. When I am able to return to the usual white background, I will resume posting the essays. We thank Ron. In making response, you may address me directly.

Ouida and I will be at the ACU Lectures Feb. 20-23, and I will share a display booth with Cecil Hook. Is that too much? If you are to be there too, drop by to see us.

We are pleased to add names to our mailing list - upon request.

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