1 Peter 1:1-5, Part 1

[Hidden In Him]

Our Heavenly Inheritance, And What The Spirit Is Revealing Today, Part 1

Exactly what will the inherence awaiting us in Heaven be like? The apostle Peter began his first letter by mentioning it, for the hope of Heaven was vital to being able to persevere in the face of trials and sufferings and yet remain faithful to God:

Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, to the sojourners of the dispersion of Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia and Bythnia, chosen amid the sanctification of the Spirit unto obedience and the sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ, according to the foreknowledge of God the Father. Grace and peace be multiplied unto you. Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His great mercy has given us birth again unto a living hope, through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, unto an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and unfading, having been kept for you in Heaven, being safeguarded through faith in the power of God unto a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. (1 Peter 1:1-5)

What exactly, then, was this unfading inheritance that was being kept for them in Heaven, which they were safeguarding through their faith in the power of God? Men like Ezekiel and the apostle John saw visions of Heaven, and gave us glimpses of what it will be like. Ezekiel saw the throne room of God and the Father Himself, and described both as follows:

22 The likeness of the firmament above the heads of the living creatures was like the color of an awesome crystal, stretched out over their heads. 23 And under the firmament their wings spread out straight, one toward another. Each one had two which covered one side, and each one had two which covered the other side of the body. 24 When they went, I heard the noise of their wings, like the noise of many waters, like the voice of the Almighty, a tumult like the noise of an army. And when they stood still, they let down their wings... 26 On the likeness of the throne was a likeness with the appearance of a man high above it. 27 From the appearance of His waist and upward I saw, as it were, the color of amber with the appearance of fire all around within it, and from the appearance of His waist and downward I saw, as it were, the appearance of fire with brightness all around. 28 Like the appearance of a rainbow in a cloud on a rainy day, so was the appearance of the brightness all around it. This was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the Lord. (Ezekiel 1:22-28)

Stephen likewise saw the Lord Jesus Christ seated on God's right hand, confirming that all power and authority had now been given unto Him:

54 When [the Sanhedrin] heard these things they were cut to the heart, and they gnashed at him with their teeth. 55 But he, being full of the Holy Spirit, gazed into Heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God, 56 and said, “Look! I see the Heavens opened, and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God!” (Acts 7:54-56)

The apostle John saw Heaven in Revelations, and mentioned seeing the river of Life, with the Tree of Life growing alongside it:

And he showed me the pure river of the water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding from the throne of God and of the Lamb. 2 In the middle of its street, and on either side of the river, was the tree of life, which bore twelve fruits, each tree yielding its fruit every month. The leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations. 3 And there shall be no more curse, but the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it, and His servants shall serve Him. 4 They shall see His face, and His name shall be on their foreheads. 5 There shall be no night there: They need no lamp nor light of the sun, for the Lord God gives them light. And they shall reign forever and ever. (Revelation 22:1-5)

The apostle Paul was also taken up into Third Heaven, where he witnessed seeing even things he could not describe in human terms (2 Corinthians 12:1-6).

Though Paul gave no details in his letter to the Corinthians, it is likely the apostle Peter knew very well the details of Paul's account, as did many others in the New Testament church, for Peter's quote to start this letter suggests he was very familiar with the rewards awaiting the faithful in eternity.

So what did these heavenly accounts have in common? They were given through visions, and the word states that dreams and visions will be granted to the church in the end-times on an unparalleled level. Both Heaven and Hell accounts are being revealed with increasing frequency today, so that prophecy now appears to be coming to pass, and the reason is simple. Great persecution of Christians will be returning, even in the West, and the church will again need to know exactly what it is they are persevering for. And humanity needs to know that there is more to our existence than just this life. Satan has made humanity materialistic and faithless, so the Lord saved the most detailed accounts for our day. So just as Peter quoted Joel 2 on the day of Pentecost, the time for the relevance of visions and dreams is now fast approaching once again.

But Peter, standing up with the eleven, lifted up his voice, and said unto them... "This is what was spoken by the prophet Joel, 'And it shall come to pass in the last days' says God, 'that I will pour out My Spirit upon all flesh. And your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams. 29 And also upon My menservants and on My maidservants will I pour out of My Spirit in those days, and they shall prophesy. (Acts 2:14, 16-18).


The Architecture Of Heaven

With that said, the following two-part study will contain a few highlights of what the Spirit has been saying about our eternal abode. I used to collect and read numerous Heaven accounts, and below are a few excerpts from some of the more memorable ones. Of note are the numerous descriptions of the architecture in Heaven. Though many don't realize it, life in Heaven is much like earthly life, only it is perfection and any hint of corruption has been removed. But there are cities and buildings of all shapes and sizes, and they all serve different purposes in the day affairs of men, just like here on earth:

Jesus and I passed towns, buildings and little offices. The buildings were for whatever "business" or interaction that takes place in Heaven. I saw people coming and going, and they were all smiling. Some sang songs I recognized from earth, while others sang heavenly songs I had never heard. Many carried little bundles, and some carried books. While I don't believe there is an exchange of money in Heaven, people were going in and out of those buildings to get things. I saw a woman walk into one place with a bundle of some type of goods and later walk out with a book. (Lairdon, We Saw Heaven, P.30)

But even the mansions Jesus said are being built for us don't just appear magically. They are being built by the saints of God for loved ones on their way to Heaven, in accordance with the foreknowledge of God of what each believer would enjoy most. As numerous accounts state, the creativity is breath-taking, and everything is handcrafted down to the finest details.

We soon reached [the home], and I was truly charmed with it in every way. It was fashioned much like my brother Nell's home, and built of polished woods. It was only partly finished, and was most artistically done. Although uncompleted, I was struck with the fact that everything was perfect so far as finished. There was no debris anywhere; no chips, no shavings, no dust. The wood seemed to have been perfectly prepared elsewhere - where, I have no idea. The pieces were made to fit accurately, like the parts of a great puzzle. It required much skill and artistic taste to properly adjust each in its place... [and] the house was slowly growing into beauty and symmetry. (Springer, My Dream Of Heaven, P.42-43)

Of all the buildings I saw in Heaven, none of them had locks on any doors, and the doors were not closed. Whether they were mansions, smaller homes, or apartment buildings (yes, some people liked living in condominiums in Heaven), all were open. But out of respect, I don't believe anyone enters anyone else's home when the resident is not there. In Heaven, it seems the architecture includes large pillars. Every home had large porches with pillars and huge archways. Some of the houses were made out of what appeared to be a type of brick or stone material. Others were made out of a type of wood. Yet as I looked, there were no nails or even pegs. Not a piece was sawn, but everything was crafted and fit perfectly together. I saw a veranda on one home that looked like it was made of onyx. You could see through it; it was as clear as glass. Inlaid in the porch were precious stones and gold and silver, and there were great diamonds... I saw a home made of clear stone, embedded with roses that were alive and growing, and gave off the most beautiful aroma. When I put my ear up to anything solid in Heaven, I heard it humming the most beautiful songs. Some of the songs were ones we sing on earth, but others were not. Everything gave praise and glory to the Lord. (Sigmund, My Time In Heaven, P.38-40)

 

[Hidden In Him]

From another account, the furnishings are unique to each individual's taste as well, but they are likewise perfection.

As we went up a path, I saw a gigantic house above the trees. I know it was a mansion, and that it didn't simply look that way because I was a little boy... Jesus and I waited for what seemed like a period of about three minutes, and then He knocked again, before anyone ever came to the door. A man opened the door... [and] then invited us inside; Jesus and I walked in and sat down in what I would call a living room or den area. The furniture there is different from that on earth in this respect: It is as if comfort "lives" in the furniture of Heaven. Earthly furniture becomes uncomfortable after you sit in it for awhile, and you find yourself squirming and shifting periodically. In Heaven, comfort finds you. I sat down on a black velvet couch, and comfort reached up and "cuddled" me. I was so comfortable that I never had to move once. After we finished talking, the man took us through the house. His mansion seemed just like houses on earth, but it was total perfection. The windows had curtains over them. The walls were decorated with paintings, which in this in this particular house reminded me of modern art on earth, except better. Also, there were photographs of the man's family members, and there were plants everywhere. In addition, the mansion was filled with beautiful furniture and luxuries. Some things I did not recognize. Each mansion was suited to the person who lived there, for every child of God has his or her own mansion in Heaven (John 14:2). This one had different rooms, such as dining room, living room, kitchen, den, and so forth. (I am sure there were bedrooms, but I did not go upstairs). (Lairdon, I Saw Heaven, P.28-30)

One woman related seeing a wife being taken by her husband through a mansion he had built for her in advance of her dying. This one stands out because of the creativity it described:

Before Rebecca could speak, Frank took her hands and welcomed her to her heavenly home... He led her into a large room made of polished, pale grey marble. The walls and floors, however, were covered with beautiful roses of every type and color. Attempting to gather some up so she would not crush them, Rebecca found them to be embedded into the marble. Frank explained to her that a group of boys and girls had come to the house one day asking if it really were for the Springers. Upon being told that it was, they replied that they had loved the couple in life and wanted to help make the house even more beautiful. The girls, who carried bouquets of roses, began to toss them over the floors and against the walls, where they remained attached, giving the appearance of fresh flowers. The boys produced tool cases, and through some celestial art embedded each flower in the marble. Rebecca asked Frank who these young people were, and he named them for her. She realized that her love for these children on earth had brought her additional happiness in Heaven. (Rebecca Springer's account, as told by Roberts Lairdon in We Saw Heaven, P.102-103)


Children And Animals In Heaven

As suggested by the previous account, those who die as children go to Heaven as children, yet their education in Heaven appears to be superior to anything on earth. Their development proceeds beyond the capacity of even full grown adults here. yet they possess no pride or jealousy, only a desire to bless others.

I saw that as children grew older they began to attend school, just as they do on earth. But there the schools were amazing. I was not permitted to know what they were taught, but a child in Heaven is far above the highest level of intelligence here. Children would learn things that geniuses on earth could not possibly know or understand. (Sigmund, My Time In Heaven, P.35)

Marietta, the angel and the two children began to ascend to a beautiful city surrounded by flowers and stately buildings, shady trees and colorful melodious birds. The further they went, the more beautiful and melodious the buildings and the whole atmosphere became. The numerous avenues led to a central area where there was a building that appeared to be constructed of delicately carved marble. It supported a vast dome. This was the home of all the infants in Heaven. Along the avenues, there had been other buildings. These were the "nurseries" where infants were first brought and instructed in the truths of Heaven. This angelic servant proceeded to explain that when an infant died on earth, the guardian angel escorted it to Heaven and grouped it with others of similar artistic, scientific or social abilities, were that child could best develop... In the nurseries, these babies were loving tended and instructed by angels, who also played the most beautiful music imaginable for the tiny ones to whom they had been entrusted. (Lairdon, We Saw Heaven, P.84-85)

A little girl who looked about eight years old and had beautiful, blonde hair came up to me. She knew me, and I recognized her, too. I remembered that she had died of cancer. I think she was some kind of ambassador in Heaven, because all she did was go from group to group and sing glorious songs... Then she said, "Brother Richard, would you like to hear me sing?" She started singing in the most beautiful soprano voice you could imagine. This was the most beautiful song I had ever heard - and the girl's talent was especially remarkable because of her apparently young age. She was not the only child I saw. There were many others, each with abilities far greater than any adult's on earth... In one place I saw a young boy sitting before a piano that seemed to extend a hundred feet in every direction. It looked like a grand piano, yet in the middle of it stood an upright harp... he played the most beautiful music. It was a little like Bach, a little like Brahms, and a little like Beethoven. Yet I cannot tell you what the song was. When I left Heaven, I left the tune there. But there was music, and there were words to that song, ad people joined in. While this child was playing the piano, the angels were standing at attention. Some had their arms raised, worshipping God. The notes of the song that this little boy were playing reverberated through Heaven. Choirs were joining in. It was unbelievable. It was glorious. And the little child was leading all of it. (Sigmund, My Time In Heaven, P.30-31)

Along with the joy children have in being able to minister, they still play like children, enjoy games together, and know the joy of playing with animals like on earth, only more so because there they are said to have a greater ability to communicate:

Jesus and I continued walking. As we went over a few hills, I noticed more things. I saw all kinds of animals, every kind you could think of, from A to Z. Sometimes people have questioned this, but if you think about it, why should there not be animals in Heaven? The Bible talks about horses in Heaven, so why would God have only one kind of animal?... I saw a dog, a baby goat, and a lion of great strength. There were birds singing in the trees, all sizes of birds, and they seemed to be singing the same song. After they stopped singing, it almost seemed as if they were talking among themselves! There were other animals that I saw at a distance, but I could not identify them. (Lairdon, I Saw Heaven, P.31-32)

The boys saw trees bearing delicious fruit, beautiful expanses of fragrant flowers, exotically-colored birds with their glorious songs, and animals of all sorts, both familiar animals such as deer, lions, elephants and rabbits, and those they had never seen before. They even climbed upon lion's back, ran their fingers through his mane and put their hands in his mouth! There was no hostility or danger there. (Lairdon, We Saw Heaven, P.144)

I saw children who were old enough to walk and play and run, and they played just as they would on earth... I didn't see anyone play baseball, but I did see children climb tall trees and jump out of them, floating down like little cotton balls. It was great excitement for them. No harm could come to them - they were in no possible danger. I saw children playing along the shores of the seas and the lakes. They played in the water, on the water, and under the water; they swam through the water or just sat at the bottom of the lake... In one place, I saw children having footraces. They ran faster than a horse on earth can run. It was amazing. In another place, I saw them riding horses. The horses loved it, and they loved the children. The horses had the power of thought, and the power of speech. It was a wonderful experience. (Sigmund, My Time In Heaven, P.34-35)

In Part 2, we will cover more of the beauties of Heaven's landscaping, and the joyous activities that even adults engage in.


Questions And Applications

1. What things came to your mind in reading this study? Do you believe we will truly have mansions in Heaven, or is it just what you regard to be a more materialistic interpretation of things "too good to be true"?

2. Are you the type who likes spending time with children and animals? If so, what would you enjoy most about being in their company?

3. If you could spend time with anyone in eternity, who would it be? Friends, family, animals, angels, children, prophets, the Lord Himself (as much as possible) or maybe other Bible characters you know from history?

4. Scripture says He gives us the desires of our hearts, so what would your ultimate dream home be like in Heaven? Post pictures of the kind of mansion, rooms, furnishings etc. you'd like to have in your home in eternity.