Highlights
It is amazing how just one Scripture passage can take us on a journey throughout the entire Bible.When I use to teach fiber optics I would tell our new salespeople to take just one product and become an expert on that product. Why? Because the task of learning any new discipline can be overwhelming until we break it down into smaller steps. I knew, if they learned one product, it would cause them to learn how this product was useful and attached to other products. One question would follow another... and zap! They too could become experts!
The Bible can often be overwhelming until we tell ourselves that, "I am going to become an expert on the story of David and Goliath." Or, "I am going to become an expert of what Jesus means by calling Himself the Good Shepherd." Or, "I am going to become an expert in how the Tabernacle or Temple was constructed." All studies will take you to other locations of knowledge. That is why I like studying everything... but in bits!
So, our task this week is to become an expert on the Transfiguration. The Transfiguration study from Mark 9:1-9 has taken me to the following related passages:
The Other Transfiguration Accounts: Matthew 17:2; Luke 9:28-36
Note: The Gospels do not always share the same stories. When they do, the differences in the account can add a wealth of meaning.
2 Kings 2:1-12-Since Elijah appeared in Mark 9 I want to find out more about Elijah's passing. In this case, Elijah NEVER died!
1 Samuel 28-3-35-I want to find out about Samuel coming back from the dead in the story of Saul and Witch of Endor. And, any similar accounts, if any! I have not looked at Lazarus being raised from the dead in John 11 by Jesus... but I will!
1 Corinthians 15 where the Apostle Paul teaches on the resurrection and gives us his understanding of the after life.
Revelation 5:6a which seems to indicate that Jesus will retain His crucifixion wounds as the eternal lamb on the throne.
John 20:26-27 is the story of Jesus asking 'doubting' Thomas to put his fingers in Jesus wounds. Evidently Jesus is not bleeding... another rabbit trail for another day!
And today, as I started the formal writing of my sermon, I am comparing the Transfiguration of Christ with Moses receiving the Ten Commandments. In both accounts their faces glowed. And, as you can imagine... this has led me to a bunch of 'other' passages.
In Depth (... as time permits)
What happens in the after life is COMPLICATED! It involves a level of physics that is currently beyond our understanding. However, we are not to worry. God has it all worked out. Trust me! We will like the way God has worked it out. I always think about Genesis 18:25... "Shall not the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob do that which is right?" The answer is of course, "Yes!"
Death of Beleivers
After all, think about what physical death involves. At the moment of physical death our souls transcend to heaven in a form compatible and evidently recognizable in the heavenly environment.
When Does Judgment Take-Place?
We do not really know when judgment takes place. Is it immediate for every soul who dies? Or, as implied in Revelation... is judgment at some future date? Now judgment for the believer IS in some ways immediate... if you are in Heaven, then you made the TEAM! Way to go! So, in that sense, because of your heartfelt confession and profession of faith in Jesus Christ you are in Heaven. However, Christians will also face a form of judgment. We will give an account of unconfessed sins before God. 1 Corinthians 3:11-15 tells us the works of our lives will be tried in the fire, we will be saved, but we will be tried (judged) by fire... so to speak.
(11) For no one can lay any other foundation than that which has been laid, which is Jesus Christ. (12) But if anyone builds on the foundation with gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay, or stubble; (13) each man's work will be revealed. For the Day will declare it, because it is revealed in fire; and the fire itself will test what sort of work each man's work is. (14) If any man's work remains which he built on it, he will receive a reward. (15) If any man's work is burned, he will suffer loss, but he himself will be saved, but as through fire.
Therefore, all of our works will be evaluated by God. The appointed time for this TYPE of judgment is unknown. Is it when we die or on some FINAL DAY of judgment? The Scriptures are unclear as to what level of symbolism is involved in the Scriptures regarding judgment and the after life. Anyone who tells you THEY KNOW is kidding themselves! However, as in ALL THINGS, God has given us what we NEED TO KNOW!
Alternate Views of Heaven
The following conflicting views of Heaven both have some Scriptural support. However, NO ONE KNOWS FOR SURE! Here are at least two views. And, remember, there are many variations of the two views of Heaven.
View #1-Paradise is Now Heaven
Heaven is not the END POINT! Heaven is an intermediate point in our after life journey. REMEMBER! We have to be resurrected. People are often shocked when I make this declaration. Why? Because the ENDPOINT is when Christ returns and restores this earth FOR ALL OF ETERNITY! I don't have time in this blog, but see Revelation 21. In short, Heaven will come down to earth and God in Christ will be Earth's renewal. This understanding will provide balance in your understanding of those who want to run around claiming the end of the world is at hand! That is not a promise in Scripture.
Jesus told the repentant thief on the cross that "...this day thou shall be with me in paradise." Is paradise Heaven? The answer is... No and Yes! In the Old Testament we won't see a real clear picture of Heaven or Hell, except references to terms like Hades or Sheol that are best translated as "THE ABODE OF THE DEAD." An additional term used by the Israelites in the New Testament is the "BOSOM OF ABRAHAM." For the Israelites, everyone went to the "abode of the dead." The good, the bad, and the ugly! Now the "abode of the dead" contained EVERYBODY who died, but prior to Christ's death and resurrection, the "abode of the dead," also called SHEOL was compartmentalized into two areas:
- Paradise
- And, the place without God called Hell/Gehenna!
Fire is often related to Gehenna and Hell. Therefore, some people, believe Hell-Gehenna might be a place of second-chance purification. In any event, Hell or Gehenna is ultimately a place WITHOUT THE PRESENCE OF GOD FOR ETERNITY. Be careful about to precise a definition.
So Where Was Elijah and Moses?
The faithful of the Old Testament were waiting for Jesus to come. Elijah and Moses waited for the day of Jesus coming as the Messiah. Upon Jesus' death, Jesus descended into the abode of the dead (Sheol, Hades, Abode of the Dead, Bosom of Abraham NOT HELL!). The part of the abode which Jesus descended to was... you guessed it! Paradise! Jesus, in a role similar to Moses and Joshua, comes and preaches the good news. Jesus then takes the "righteous" to Heaven. This has the effect of merging Heaven and Paradise. Remember, until this time Heaven was a separate entity. Heaven is the dwelling place of God. Once again, Jesus takes the thief with Him to paradise to gather the Old Testament believers to take them to Heaven! As mentioned, at this time Heaven and Paradise become one! If you are a believer in Jesus Christ you will go to Heaven upon your death. You will go from physical sleep into a reality of being with God. We call this eternal life. Now remember, Heaven is only an intermediate stop. God's dwelling is only an intermediate stop because God has even bigger plans to make ALL THINGS NEW!
TEACHING POINT: It is my opinion the messenger (angel) in the garden, which the women thought was the gardener was actually the thief on the cross. Here is what I like to think happened! On the way to Heaven, Jesus dropped off the thief to announce the good news of His resurrection to the women and the disciples. However, I could be wrong... but I think it is a cool idea! As an aside, we discover in Matthew that some who had been dead for sometime made an appearance. Take a look at Matthew 27:50-53...
(50) And when Jesus had cried out again in a loud voice, He gave up His Spirit. (51) At that moment the curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. The earth shook, the rocks split (52) and the tombs broke open. the bodies of many holy people who had died were raised to life. (53) They came out of the tombs after Jesus' resurrection and went into the holy city and appeared to many people.
Wow! I think Jesus allowed some folks, for God's reasons alone, to show themselves to the living! These were probably some recently deceased within a generation because they would have to be recognized by their families. By the way, they still went on to Heaven!
Now back to the story... Jesus gets everyone to the "Promised Land" (Heaven) and then returns for His resurrection. This demonstrates CHRIST WILL PROVIDE BELEIVERS VICTORY OVER DEATH!
It demonstrates we will have a Spirit-presence of some sort upon our physical death, BUT will one day be resurrected as Christ was resurrected. Resurrected with a form that can be touched. It will be a form that will be incorruptible. It will be a return to Eden. (See 1 Corinthians 15 again). What I love about the Apostle is his ambiguity regarding the 'form' we will take. However, WE WILL LIKE IT!
Conclusion: As people die they go to this merged Heaven. A place that has absorbed Paradise. We will not go to the Hell/Gehenna part of the "abode of the dead," unless you are an unbeliever. Some think the Hell/Gehenna portion of the "abode of the dead" remains in place for people to get ready for the ultimate day of judgment. Remember, the Scriptures tell us that EVERYONE will be RESURRECTED, THE LIVING AND THE DEAD!
View #2-Heaven and Hell Only
This view of heaven and hell is straight-forward. In this view, the words for the after life are semantic variants influenced by culture. Heaven, Paradise, Bosom of Abraham are all the same. Hell, Gehenna are the same. Sheol and Hades refer to death in general. The latter is a simplistic statement, but close enough for our purposes today.
Conclusion: I prefer the first view, but I can make a Biblical case for both. I can also pose difficult questions to both views. In any event, the use of these terms has been co-opted by the translators. In an attempt to be understood in the current culture, Heaven and Hell have taken on meanings defined by culture. In Bible Study, we should always keep correcting our views by how the words were used by those who said them. It indeed may make it easier to mold the Bible to our culture, but we lose a lot in our Biblical understanding when we ignore the culture in which the words were used. IN ANY EVENT, GOD HAS IT ALL WORKED OUT!
Tomorrow, Saturday, I will have my sermon completed. We will have Cowboy Church on Sunday no matter the snows. However, if you can't make it my sermon will be posted here. The sermon will be a comparison of Jesus Transfiguration with Exodus 19. Exodus 19 is Moses receiving the Ten Commandments!
See you then!
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