14. 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. John 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." Acts. 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. Acts 14:19-20. Paul calls it both the "Third Heaven" and "Paradise." 2 Cor. 12:1-4. The two then must be
HEAVEN 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. From this we see that we must distinguish between Heaven proper, and its suburb Paradise, and the New Jerusalem.
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. Heaven then is our "Father's House," it is a HOME, and a place of "many Mansions." John 14:2. It will be delightful to go there. Some people live in fear of death (Heb. 2:15), and cannot bear to think of it, but those of us who know that Heaven is to be our Eternal Home ought not to fear "Death," for it is "Death" that opens the door for our "Exodus" from earth to glory.
When Jesus comes back it will be in "Two Stages." First He will descend into the atmosphere of our earth, bringing with Him the "Souls" of the Righteous dead now in Paradise. 1 Thess. 3:13, 4:14. While Jesus tarries in the upper air, the "Souls" of the Righteous dead will continue on down to the earth and get their bodies, for the "Dead in Christ" shall rise FIRST. 1 Thess. 4:13-17. This is the First Resurrection. See the Chapter on the Resurrections. Then we (the Saints) which are alive and remain when Christ comes back, shall be "caught up" without dying (like Enoch and Elijah), with the Resurrected Saints to join the Lord in the air. From that place of meeting we shall go to the "Judgment Seat of Christ" (2 Cor. 5:10), where we shall be judged, not to find out whether we shall be saved, for that was settled at the Cross (see the Chapter on the Judgments), but that we may receive our reward for our earthly services for our Lord. From there we shall go to the "Bridal Hall" of Heaven, where in the presence of the "Friends of the Bridegroom" (the Old Testament Saints) and the Angelic Hosts of Heaven, we shall be united, as the Church, the "Bride of Christ," to our Heavenly Bride-
| PROFESSION OF CHRIST HLS 4 14-16 | CHRIST MEETING CHURCH THE GRAY | HARRICE OF THE CHURCH | IN HEAVEN DURING THE REMOVATION OF THE EARTH 'BY FIRE' |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| CHRIST MEETING CHURCH THE GRAY | THE KINGDOM IN MY STORY THE PROTESTANT SLOPE THE BUDDY THE CHURCH OF THE NEW BORN THE PAPER CHURCH THE NATION'S | THE TRIBULATION THE PAPER CHURCH 'SCARLET' OF WOMAN | REVELATION THE RIBBING IN THE CHRIST 'THRONE OF DAVID' THE MILLENNIUM |
| | | | THE CHURCH IN THE NEW JERUSALEM ON THE NEW EARTH | groom, the ceremony being performed by God the Father. After the Wedding the Bride, the Church, shall take up her residence in the "New Jerusalem," and all that is descriptive of the inhabitants of that "Holy City," as given in chapters 21 and 22 of the Book of Revelation, has reference to the Saints after they have received their Resurrection bodies and been Judged, and not to their condition in the "Intermediate State." See the Chart of "The Church."
When Christ returns to the earth at the "Second Stage" of His Second Coming, to rule and reign over the "Millennial Earth" as KING, He will bring His Bride, the Church, with Him; and we shall reign with Christ from the Heavenlies for 1000 years. This we could not do if we did not have our Resurrection bodies. After the Millennial reign of Christ we shall return with Him to the New Jerusalem, which will then descend from Heaven (Rev. 21:1-2) and take up its position on the New Earth, and we shall spend the countless Ages of Eternity with Christ.
THE FINAL STATE OF THE WICKED
While the Righteous dead shall be raised at the Second Coming of Christ, the Wicked dead shall not rise until 1000 years later, that is, not until the end of the Millennium. The Resurrection of the Righteous is called the "Resurrection of LIFE," that of the Wicked, the "Resurrection of DAMNATION." John 5:28-29. See the Chart on "The Resurrections." Like the Righteous, the Wicked as soon as they are raised are summoned to Judgment, but not to the same Judgment Seat. The Wicked are to be judged at the "Great White Throne" Judgment. The Judge is the same, but the Court is different. See the Chart of "The Judgments." They will not be judged to see whether they are entitled to "Eternal Life," for their destiny was fixed at death, but to ascertain the "degree" of their punishment. That being fixed they are sentenced to the "Lake of Fire," which is the "SECOND DEATH." Rev. 20:11-15.
THE FINAL STATE
THE SECOND DEATH
It is said of the "Righteous Dead" that after their resurrection they can "DIE NO MORE." Luke 20:36. But it is said of the "Wicked Dead" after their resurrection and Judgment that they shall "DIE AGAIN." Rev. 20:12-15. What is this "SECOND DEATH"? What was their "First Death"? It was the separation of their "Soul" and "Spirit" from their "Body," so that their "Soul" and "Spirit" could exist in the flames of the "Hell Section" of "The Underworld" as did the "Soul" and "Spirit" of the "Rich Man." Luke 16:24. But as the Wicked after Judgment are consigned to the "LAKE OF FIRE" where a physical body would be consumed, it is necessary that they "DIE AGAIN," that is, lose their resurrection body, and go only "Soul" and "Spirit" into the "Lake of Fire," for "Soul" and "Spirit" can exist in flames. This explanation permits the "Lake of Fire" to be a Lake of LITERAL FIRE, and is in harmony with Christ's teaching to that effect.
From this we see that the Wicked are not to be annihilated or restored but are to survive for all Eternity in a disembodied form in the Lake of Fire. Dear reader, in which place will you spend the "Intermediate State"? Will it be with Christ in "Paradise" awaiting the "Resurrection of Life," or in "Hell" with the Rich Man awaiting the "Resurrection of Damnation"? Is your name written in the "Book of Life"? Will you be caught out at the "First Resurrection"?
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