“If then you were raised with Christ, SEEK THOSE THINGS WHICH ARE ABOVE, WHERE CHRIST IS, sitting at the right hand of God. Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth. For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ who is our life appears, then you also will appear WITH HIM in glory.” (Col. 3:1-4)
Where is Christ? Paul said, “I know a man in Christ (Paul is speaking of himself) who fourteen years ago—whether in the body I do not know, or whether out of the body I do not know, God knows—such a one was caught up to THE THIRD HEAVEN.” (2 Corin. 12:2)
So, Is there more than one heaven? “God made the expanse to separate the waters of the earth from the waters above the expanse. God called the space “heaven.” (Gen. 1:7-8) This is the atmosphere JUSTIN, the first heaven. Then God said, “Let there be lights in the firmament of the heavens to divide the day from the night; and let them be for signs and seasons, and for days and years; and let them be for lights in the firmament of the heavens to give light on the earth”; and it was so.” (Gen. 1:14-15) This is outer space where our sun and moon and all the other heavenly bodies are.
Jesus reveals something to us about heaven, where He is, “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. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also.” (John 14:2-3) This place is talked about in the book of Revelation, “Now I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away. Also there was no more sea. Then I, John, saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.” (Rev. 21:1-2) John goes on to explain, “The angel who talked to me held in his hand a gold measuring stick to measure the city, its gates, and its wall. When he measured it, he found it was a square, as wide as it was long. In fact, its LENGTH and WIDTH and HEIGHT were each 1,400 miles.” (Rev. 21:15-16) That is 2 billion 744 million miles3, a very huge place. The whole surface of the earth is only 196.9 million miles².
THE PLACE JESUS IS PREPARING FOR US IS UNIMAGINABLE.
Your Personal Pastor -Bill Stockham