8. Heaven a Place of Eternal Happiness.
"That part of space in which the omnipresent Jehovah is supposed to afford more sensible manifestations of his glory. Hence this is called habitation of God; and is represented as the residence of angels and blessed spirits."—Webster. Heaven is both a place and a state. "I go to prepare a place for you," said Jesus; and "Where I am there shall my servant be." "I will that those whom thou hast given me be with me where I am, that they may behold my glory." "In my Father's house there are many mansions." To, and at, and from are predicated of heaven in the Scriptures, just as they are of the sun, or the earth. The bodies of Enoch and Elijah, who were translated without dying, are somewhere. The glorified body of Jesus is somewhere. The bodies of the saints, after the general resurrection, will be somewhere. They will occupy space. The paradise in Eden and the literal Canaan were types of a place as certainly as of a state. Heaven is the Christian's eternal home; his house not made with hands; his better country, even a heavenly. There shall be mutual recognition and intelligent converse in heaven. This is taught in the transfiguration scene, where Moses and Elias appeared in glory, and conversed with Jesus in the presence and hearing of Peter, James, and John. Heaven is a state; the saints are glorified, soul and body. "The sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us." "There shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying." "They shall not hunger nor thirst any more." "Then shall we know even as we are known, and see as we are seen." "Glorious things are spoken of thee, O city of God." There shall be no sin in heaven; "Nothing that loveth or maketh a lie." "There shall be no night there;" "that is to say," says Mr. Harbaugh, "there no dependent or secondary planet exists." There, consequently, none of the unpleasant extremes involved in day and night are found. There no dark night-sides of nature cover the lovely face of paradisean realms. No cycles in the heavenly worlds ever cause the joyous life of the saints to ebb back from the waking energies of bliss into dull stupor, under the overshadowings of darkness and gloom. That world needs no repose; for life, in right relations, is rest in its own peaceful flow of bliss. No curse. In all that land wasting disease is unknown. No malice shall be feared; for "the sun shall not smite thee by day, nor the moon by night." Heaven is a prepared place for a prepared people. "They shall see his face." The heart feels that union is the height of joy. They shall hear his voice, saying, "Come ye blessed, enter thou into the joy of thy Lord." "His servants shall serve him." They shall receive a crown of life, and that crown shall shine through all eternity, to tell of the triumph he has achieved through the blood of the Lamb. The Christian's heavenly inheritance is an infinite and an eternal weight of glory.
John XIV, 2. 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.
3. 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 XVII, 24. Father, I will that they also, whom thou hast given me, be with me where I am; that they may behold my glory, which thou hast given me: for thou lovedst me before the foundation of the world.
1 Thess. IV, 17. Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.
Rev. III, 21. To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne.
1 Cor. II, 9. But as it is written, 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.
1 John III, 2. Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is.
2 Peter I, 2. For so an entrance shall be ministered unto you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.