In today’s post, I will take a little aside and just spend some time thinking about something wonderful and delightful, something joyful to look forward to. In this study, I would like to take a look at what it is going to be like for Christians when they enter heaven. While the Bible does not tell us everything, it does tell us that there will be an abundant entrance waiting for us. II Peter 1:11 says, “For so an entrance shall be ministered unto you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.”
What will this abundant entrance into heaven look like? Let us take a look.
“Entrance.”
“Entrance” means “a coming in or a coming into.”
Into what will we enter? Jesus said to His disciples, “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 unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.” (John 14:2,3) We will enter into a place specifically prepared for us. Jesus is now in heaven preparing a place for each believer. When He is done preparing, He will come again and take us to be with Him. But some of us will go to be with Him before He is ready to come back. We will pass from this world into the next. When we do so, we are going to be “absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord.” (II Corinthians 5:8)
What is waiting for us when we go to be present with the Lord? Into what will we enter? We will enter a heavenly house and we will be clothed with immortality. Mortality will be swallowed up of life. II Corinthians 5:1-4 says, “1) For we know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building of God, an house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. 2) For in this we groan, earnestly desiring to be clothed upon with our house which is from heaven: 3) If so be that being clothed we shall not be found naked. 4) For we that are in this tabernacle do groan, being burdened: not for that we would be unclothed, but clothed upon, that mortality might be swallowed up of life.”
How shall we enter into this heavenly house? What will it be like when we put off our mortal bodies and be clothed with immortality? We shall not enter into our house alone, but this entrance will be ministered unto us.
“Minister” in this verse means, “to furnish, to fully supply, to nourish.”
Somehow, we will be ushered into the presence of the Lord, be clothed upon with immortality, and escorted into our heavenly house. Who will escort us in? Well, I am not sure if the Bible says. However, it does tell us that, when Lazarus the beggar died, he “was carried by the angels into Abraham's bosom.” (See Luke 16:22) Will the angels usher us into heaven too? I do not know, but the angels are sent to have charge over us and to keep us in all our ways. Also, they are “all ministering spirits, sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation?” (See Hebrews 1:14) At any rate, we do know that we will be ministered unto and fully supplied, furnished and nourished with the blessings of the Lord upon our entrance into Jesus’ presence and into our heavenly house.
In what way will we be ministered to? Abundantly.
In this verse, “abundantly” means, “copiously, richly.” There will be plentiful abundance, full and overflowing. We will have all we need of a heavenly house, all we need of eternal life, constant abiding in the presence of the Lord, and satisfaction with the pleasures of the Lord’s house. Here are some more verses which tell some of what is laid up for those who love the Lord.
- Abundant satisfaction with the supply from God’s house, the fountain of life, and quenching of thirst from the river of God’s pleasure. “8) They shall be abundantly satisfied with the fatness of thy house; and thou shalt make them drink of the river of thy pleasures. 9) For with thee is the fountain of life: in thy light shall we see light.” (Psalm 36:8,9)
- God’s righteousness and God’s likeness. “As for me, I will behold thy face in righteousness: I shall be satisfied, when I awake, with thy likeness.” (Psalm 17:15) (Also See I John 3:2)
- Being able to see God. “26) And though after my skin worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God: 27) Whom I shall see for myself, and mine eyes shall behold, and not another; though my reins be consumed within me.” (Job 19:26,27) Of course, this verse is referring to the bodily resurrection which is further in the future; but, if we are to be ushered into the presence of the Lord, it is quite possible we will see God when we enter our heavenly house and are clothed upon with eternal life.
- A dwelling place in the house of the Lord. “Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the LORD for ever.” (Psalm 23:6)
There is more, but this is just a little peek into the things that will be ministered to us when we leave this world and enter into the eternal one with the Lord Jesus. These things are delightful enough, but they do not even begin to describe what awaits us. That is far beyond our ability to comprehend. “…Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him.” (I Corinthians 2:9)
As we enter into all this gloriousness, we know that we are entering into something that has no end. It will be everlasting. “Everlasting” means “eternal, forever, perpetual.” There will be no end. When we get to glory, we will just begin to experience and understand the goodness of God, the security of His dwelling, the abundance of the river of His pleasure, light, life, and the never ending joy of His presence. These wonderful blessings will go on and on and on without any end. Look up and be glad. The best is yet to come.