Expert: Elder Greg Madden - 6/26/2007

Question
QUESTION: The preaching of Heaven has shut out our ability to perceive God’s actual promise.

Can you HONESTY tell me something biblical about what Heaven is like?  Pray about this question and wait before God.

If you want biblical support in preaching
 Tell Me Something About The Kingdom


I believe in the birth, life, ministry, death, burial, resurrection, ascension, return and everlasting reign of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. I believe the following:

Isaiah 9:7   Of the increase of His government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even for ever. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will perform this.          

And like everybody else, I also believe in Isaiah 9:6, lest you begin to think that I am not apostolic. I am an oneness apostolic Pentecostal. But the messenger is not important. It is the message from the word of God that is important. The message might seem shocking. But the message is that the preaching of Heaven was not handed down to us by the apostles. There is no biblical record of them vocally preaching Heaven. When they write about Heaven, they are not preaching or proclaiming it. But that is not the first message. The first message is that they preached the Kingdom of God throughout the Book of Acts, to the very last chapter and to the very last verse without once preaching Heaven.

I believe that the preaching of the Kingdom of God is the preaching of the gospel.

Mark 1:14  Now after that John was put in prison Jesus came into Galilee preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God 1:15  And saying “The time is fulfilled and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye and believe the gospel”.

According to the Bible, those words in Mark 1:15 are the gospel. During His earthly ministry Jesus preached the gospel in many cities by preaching the Kingdom of God. Not once does He preach His death burial and resurrection to the crowds, but rather speaks of these things to His disciples after He has separated them from the crowds. This shows us that prior to His death, the Bible defined the gospel independently of His death, burial and resurrection. The gospel is actually the glad tidings of the Kingdom. Nonetheless, His death, burial and resurrection are now preached in the gospel as a very, very important part of the gospel.

I believe that when the child, Jesus was born, that He was also the Christ (more accurately, the Messiah). I believe what His name means. His name Jesus, means that He is the
Savior. His name, Christ means that He is King.

I believe that there are no Biblical examples of anyone vocally preaching Heaven. I believe that as they preached to the crowds, they preached the Kingdom of God and not Heaven.

We actually define heaven in an unbiblical way.


I would like you to do one thing: Biblically define heaven. Please give passages of reference.





ANSWER: Samuel,

Thank you for your questions. Though if you are the same Samuel that asked me almost the same question earlier, I believe that I have already answered your question. Though with this question, you did bring up some other questions. I will try my best to address these.

"Can you HONESTY tell me something biblical about what Heaven is like?"

Here is some Biblical descriptions of heaven...

Revelation 4    
1 After this I looked, and, behold, a door was opened in heaven: and the first voice which I heard was as it were of a trumpet talking with me; which said, Come up hither, and I will shew thee things which must be hereafter.
2 And immediately I was in the spirit: and, behold, a throne was set in heaven, and one sat on the throne.
3 And he that sat was to look upon like a jasper and a sardine stone: and there was a rainbow round about the throne, in sight like unto an emerald.
4 And round about the throne were four and twenty seats: and upon the seats I saw four and twenty elders sitting, clothed in white raiment; and they had on their heads crowns of gold.
5 And out of the throne proceeded lightnings and thunderings and voices: and there were seven lamps of fire burning before the throne, which are the seven Spirits of God.
6 And before the throne there was a sea of glass like unto crystal: and in the midst of the throne, and round about the throne, were four beasts full of eyes before and behind.
7 And the first beast was like a lion, and the second beast like a calf, and the third beast had a face as a man, and the fourth beast was like a flying eagle.
8 And the four beasts had each of them six wings about him; and they were full of eyes within: and they rest F2 not day and night, saying, Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, which was, and is, and is to come. 9 And when those beasts give glory and honour and thanks to him that sat on the throne, who liveth for ever and ever,
10 The four and twenty elders fall down before him that sat on the throne, and worship him that liveth for ever and ever, and cast their crowns before the throne, saying,
11 Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created.

Revelation 5   
1 And I saw in the right hand of him that sat on the throne a book written within and on the backside, sealed with seven seals.
2 And I saw a strong angel proclaiming with a loud voice, Who is worthy to open the book, and to loose the seals thereof?
3 And no man in heaven, nor in earth, neither under the earth, was able to open the book, neither to look thereon.
4 And I wept much, because no man was found worthy to open and to read the book, neither to look thereon.
5 And one of the elders saith unto me, Weep not: behold, the Lion of the tribe of Juda, the Root of David, hath prevailed to open the book, and to loose the seven seals thereof.
6 And I beheld, and, lo, in the midst of the throne and of the four beasts, and in the midst of the elders, stood a Lamb as it had been slain, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of God sent forth into all the earth.
7 And he came and took the book out of the right hand of him that sat upon the throne.
8 And when he had taken the book, the four beasts and four and twenty elders fell down before the Lamb, having every one of them harps, and golden vials full of odours, which are the prayers of saints.
9 And they sung a new song, saying, Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation;
10 And hast made us unto our God kings and priests: and we shall reign on the earth.
11 And I beheld, and I heard the voice of many angels round about the throne and the beasts and the elders: and the number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands;
12 Saying with a loud voice, Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to
receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honour, and glory, and blessing.
13 And every creature which is in heaven, and on the earth, and under the earth, and such as are in the sea, and all that are in them, heard I saying, Blessing, and honour, and glory, and power, be unto him that sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb for ever and ever.
14 And the four beasts said, Amen. And the four and twenty elders fell down and worshipped him that liveth for ever and ever.

Samuel, if I understand you correctly, then I also agree with you that the "kingdom of heaven" is different than heaven itself. The first message John preached was the kingdom of heaven. The first message Jesus preached was the kingdom of heaven. The "kingdom of heaven", and the "kingdom of God" are synonymous terms. Both of these terms point to the Church of Jesus Christ. The Church itself is the kingdom of God on Earth. Though there are some Scriptures that these terms do pertain to the coming millennial reign of Christ. The context of the verse
determines its reference.

Let me know if this helps, or if you have any further questions.

Elder Greg Madden
http://www.forministry.com/USOKPENTEMMM1



---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Elder Madden,

Why am I so misunderstood? Is it because I can’t talk and also can not write? I failed to properly qualify my request.


Please bear with me as I attempt again. I hope this is not troubling you too much.

I asked you to biblically define heaven. Now let me further qualify my request. I need you to give me the biblical definitions of heaven in your own words using the Bible as your authority rather than other books written by theologians and experts (I find the words of experts and even encyclopedias patronizing to human traditions and neglecting Bible research).


Please give me two or three scriptures to support your biblical definition.

God bless you for your patience.


Samuel Nelson
arknsawboy@aol.com  

Answer
Samuel,

Greetings brother! I am sorry that there was a miss understanding. Though I think that I did answer your question, I will try to once again Biblically define heaven. Here goes...

In my own words, heaven is the dwelling place of God's physical
manifestation and throne. It is also called the "new Jerusalem". At this very moment in heaven, the Father is seated upon His throne.

Revelation 4    
1 After this I looked, and, behold, a door was opened in heaven: and the first voice which I heard was as it were of a trumpet talking with me; which said, Come up hither, and I will shew thee things which must be hereafter.
2 And immediately I was in the spirit: and, behold, a throne was set in heaven, and one sat on the throne.
3 And he that sat was to look upon like a jasper and a sardine stone: and there was a rainbow round about the throne, in sight like unto an emerald.
4 And round about the throne were four and twenty seats: and upon the seats I saw four and twenty elders sitting, clothed in white raiment; and they had on their heads crowns of gold.

The Holy Ghost is also revealed in heaven.

Rev. 4:5 And out of the throne proceeded lightnings and thunderings and voices: and there were seven lamps of fire burning before the throne, which are the seven Spirits of God. (see Isa 11:2)

The Lord Jesus is there in His interceder role.

Revelation 5   
1 And I saw in the right hand of him that sat on the throne a book written within and on the backside, sealed with seven seals.
2 And I saw a strong angel proclaiming with a loud voice, Who is worthy to open the book, and to loose the seals thereof?
3 And no man in heaven, nor in earth, neither under the earth, was able to open the book, neither to look thereon.
4 And I wept much, because no man was found worthy to open and to read the book, neither to look thereon.
5 And one of the elders saith unto me, Weep not: behold, the Lion of the tribe of Juda, the Root of David, hath prevailed to open the book, and to loose the seven seals thereof.
6 And I beheld, and, lo, in the midst of the throne and of the four beasts, and in the midst of the elders, stood a Lamb as it had been slain, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of God sent forth into all the earth.
7 And he came and took the book out of the right hand of him that sat upon the throne.

Heb 7:25
Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them.

Heaven is the present dwelling place of the Old Testament and New
Testament saints who have passed away.

2 Cor. 5:8
We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord.

Heaven is also the future eternal home of all born-again believers.

John 14:1
Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me.   14:2
In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.  
14:3
And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.

Heaven will one day be relocated upon the new Earth.

Revelation 21:1
And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea.  
21:2
And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.  
21:3
And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God.
21:10
And he carried me away in the spirit to a great and high mountain, and shewed me that great city, the holy Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God,   
 
Here is another Biblical description of heaven.

Rev.21:11
Having the glory of God: and her light was like unto a stone most
precious, even like a jasper stone, clear as crystal;  
21:12
And had a wall great and high, and had twelve gates, and at the gates twelve angels, and names written thereon, which are the names of the twelve tribes of the children of Israel:  
21:13
On the east three gates; on the north three gates; on the south three gates; and on the west three gates.  
21:14
And the wall of the city had twelve foundations, and in them the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb.  
21:15
And he that talked with me had a golden reed to measure the city, and the gates thereof, and the wall thereof.  
21:16
And the city lieth foursquare, and the length is as large as the
breadth: and he measured the city with the reed, twelve thousand
furlongs. The length and the breadth and the height of it are equal.   21:17
And he measured the wall thereof, an hundred and forty and four cubits, according to the measure of a man, that is, of the angel.  
21:18
And the building of the wall of it was of jasper: and the city was pure gold, like unto clear glass.  
21:19
And the foundations of the wall of the city were garnished with all manner of precious stones. The first foundation was jasper; the second, sapphire; the third, a chalcedony; the fourth, an emerald;  
21:20
The fifth, sardonyx; the sixth, sardius; the seventh, chrysolite; the eighth, beryl; the ninth, a topaz; the tenth, a chrysoprasus; the
eleventh, a jacinth; the twelfth, an amethyst.  
21:21
And the twelve gates were twelve pearls; every several gate was of one pearl: and the street of the city was pure gold, as it were transparent glass.  
21:22
And I saw no temple therein: for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are the temple of it.  
21:23
And the city had no need of the sun, neither of the moon, to shine in it: for the glory of God did lighten it, and the Lamb is the light thereof.  
21:24
And the nations of them which are saved shall walk in the light of it: and the kings of the earth do bring their glory and honour into it.   21:25
And the gates of it shall not be shut at all by day: for there shall be no night there.  

Samuel, I do hope that this answers your question. If not, then you are by no means bothering me by asking again.

Elder Greg Madden
http://www.forministry.com/USOKPENTEMMM1