What Are My Loved Ones Experiencing In Heaven?
First, we need to understand that the current heaven is like the earth, it's temporary. What do I mean? God promises to redeem all those who accept Jesus as their personal Savior and love Him, cling to Him, depend upon Him, and trust Him; other words, those who have a true devoted relationship with Him, will be redeemed on the earth as it is heaven. AND redemption of mankind will usher in the redemption of Earth. At the end of the age, there will be a NEW Heaven and a NEW Earth.
Next, you need to know that Heaven and Hell, just like Earth, are very real PLACES. Heaven has cities, buildings, streets, and people there. Hell has people isolated from one another and very hot fire that never stops burning. Earth is THE place to make the decision WHERE you will spend eternity either in Heaven or Hell. Once you die and leave this Earth, it is too late to change your mind.
Also, let me point out, it is in the NEW Heaven where tears & memories will be wiped away, not in this current Heaven.
That all being said, let's get to 3 verses in the Bible that clearly tell us a lot about life in the current Heaven. Let me also say that because we already know God's character not to be a "respecter of persons", we can be assured that what we can conclude from this group of people, otherwise known as 'martyrs' in these Scriptures is true of all people in the current Heaven.
Revelation 6:9-11
9 When the Lamb broke open the fifth seal, I saw at the foot of the altar the souls of those whose lives had been sacrificed for [adhering to] the Word of God and for the testimony they had borne.
10 They cried in a loud voice, O [Sovereign] Lord, holy and true, how long now before You will sit in judgment and avenge our blood upon those who dwell on the earth?
11 Then they were each given a long and flowing and festive white robe and told to rest and wait patiently a little while longer, until the number should be complete of their fellow servants and their brethren who were to be killed as they themselves had been.
What Life in Heaven is Like
1. When people die on Earth, they relocate to Heaven. This is what Jesus said to my heart in the emergency room the night Jalon died, "I'm just going to be his baby-sitter for awhile." God had been telling me my address was not Texas or any other state I've lived in but my address was His Throne Room. When I keep my focus on Him and His Throne Room, I am connected to my loved ones in a way only God could provide.
2. The people in the verses above have the same identity and personal history as martyrs in Heaven as they did on Earth. They are remembered for their lives on Earth and the "stand" they maintained for Jesus and didn't back down.
3. They "called out" in verse 10 which suggest they are able to express themselves audibly in a physical form, with vocal cords or other tangible means to express themselves.
4. Also, verse 10, they raised their voices indicating they are rational, communicative, and emotionally passionate - like people on Earth. They called out or raised their voices as "a loud voice" which speaks of unity and a shared perspective. Heaven is a place of unity.
5. These martyrs are fully conscious, rational and aware of each other, God, and they know the situations going on on Earth.
6. They remember their lives on Earth. They ask God to intervene on Earth and act on their behalf to bring justice to those who murdered them. They know they were murdered and they're praying for justice and retribution with great concern for others in the Earth. They know enough to realize their murderer(s) have not yet been judged.
7. They are free to ask God questions. They need to learn and desire understanding and pursue it. They don't know everything; hence, they wouldn't have questions.
8. They see God's attributes that makes His judgment of sin more easily understandable than what they possibly discerned or knew on Earth.
9. Each person is a distinct individual. In verse 11, they were each given a white robe. God values every individual person of His family He created. Not all people on Earth place value to become part of God's family.
10. Wearing white robes suggests physical forms since disembodied spirits don't wear clothes. They probably had symbolic meaning to each but it's not hard to realize they were physical since Joh, the Revelator, could actually see them.
11. God answers their questions. Verse 11 shows us that communication and process is in the current Heaven. God promises to fulfill justice for the martyrs' request, but tells them they will need to "wait a little longer. This suggests waiting for "TIME" to pass and, no doubt, with great anticipation.
12. The people in Heaven have a strong family connection with us on Earth. We are called their "fellow servants and brothers in verse 11. God is father to all of us according to Ephesians 3:15. There is no wall of separation within the bride of Christ. We are one family no matter our location - Heaven or Earth. God knows down to the last detail all that is happening and will happen on earth and He knows exactly how many martyrs there will be. He is prepared to return and set up His Kingdom when the final martyr dies.
Our Loved Ones are experiencing Life with God in Heaven. The difference is there is no sin, crime, violence or corruption in the present Heaven as there is in the current Earth.
I will share more in later posts.
Watch this video for more: https://www.instagram.com/p/DFlXfQBSfvU/
In the video, Rebecca shares things she's never shared before about things that happened surrounding the death of her young son, Jalon Micah.
