HEAVEN AND HAPPINESS

PROF. BEN ONYEUKWU (REV.)

NCE(Eng.) ND/HD (Journalism); BA (Hons) MA, PhD.

Call: +2348037346939  E-mail: professorbenonyeukwu@yahoo.com

 HEAVEN AND HAPPINESS

Devotional Text: Matt. 25:34-40

Introduction:

Heaven is a place of supreme happiness, where the saints or the righteous will live forever with God. The Bible describes it, as a place of eternal glory, (II Cor. 4:17) and God’s Rest, (Heb. 4:9-10), as it further states that, when the righteous enters in Heaven, which is the final state, there will be no change, both in kind and duration, (Rev. 3:12). According to Louis Berkhof, Heaven is the eternal abode of the believer, though, some think of it, as merely a condition, but God’s word clearly represents it, as a place, (John 14:2-3).

GENERAL REMARKS

(1)    Heaven is a place of eternal comfort, (Luke 16:25).

(2)    Heaven is also a place of perfect security, (Matt. 6:19-20)

(3)    Heaven is equally a place of eternal life for the righteous, (Matt. 25:46).

(4)    Heaven, as well, connotes righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Ghost, (Rom. 14:17).

HEAVEN AS A PLACE OF ETERNAL HAPPINESS

The Scripture clearly shows that the great multitude which God would save from every nation, tribe, people and tongue, would stand before His throne, and before the Lamb in jubilation of the great salvation which God granted their souls, (Rev. 7:9-10). It further stresses that these ones will never again face hunger, nor thirst, nor suffer the heat of the sun, for God will wipe away every tear from their eyes, (vs. 16-17). The biblical assertion above truly reveals the uninterruptable happiness which heaven offers the saints that would not submit to the antics of the devil, but would stand firm for the Lord, in spite of every damaging temptation. In fact, Heaven, new or old, would have no place for death, nor sorrow, nor crying, nor pain, for God will wipe away every tear from the eyes of His people, (Rev. 21:4). In His connection, therefore, this lesson states that Heaven is a place, where there is no;

(i)                  sorrow, but happiness and rejoicing, (vs. 4);

(ii)                death, nor pain, but life and joy, (vs. 4);

(iii)               tear, nor crying, but jubilation and singing, (vs. 4).

HEAVEN AS A PLACE OF ETERNAL COMFORT

Without controversy, Heaven is a place of eternal comfort. and comfort brings happiness. The story of Lazarus, the beggar, clarifies this solemn truth. The Scripture shows that the man, Lazarus, was in real sorrow and anguish on earth. But, in his trouble, he did not stop loving the Lord. To this end, he was taken to paradise, at the end of his life, where he became happy, by reason of the comfort he received, (Luke 16:23-25). This confirms the biblical fact that “blessed is the man who endures temptation; for when he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who Love, Him”, (James 1:12). By this, also, this lesson asserts that:

(i)                  the crown of life is a gift of comfort to the over comers of temptation on earth, (vs. 12);

(ii)                the gift of crown of life will definitely stir-up great happiness in heaven, (vs. 12);

(iii)               the joy of the crown of life is a means of eternal comfort in heaven (vs. 12).

HEAVEN AS A PLACE OF ETERNAL REST

Heaven is also said to be a place of eternal rest, which the Bible, simply refers to as “Sabbath” or “God’s Rest”. For, it is written, there remains, then, a Sabbath-rest for the people of God; and anyone who enters “God’s Rest” also rests from his own work, just as God did from His”, (Heb. 4:9-10).

God’s Rest, as cited above, is the rest, He would give to His people, after every toil, suffering, affliction, tribulation and every brutality from Satan and the world, which means that God has an eternal plan to comfort and make His people happy, after the hard times of the world, but, the;

(i)                  unrighteous will never be part of God’s Rest, (I Cor. 6:9-10);

(ii)                sinful individuals, also, will never be in heaven for the rest, (Gal. 5:19-21);

(iii)               dogs (unholy persons) will be outside the gate in regret for their actions, (Rev. 22:15)

In conclusion, let it be restated that, Heaven is a place, where there is no hunger or thirst, (Rev. 7:16), a place of comfort, (Luke 16:25), and a place of God’s Rest (Heb 4:9-10), and all the aforestated, connote eternal happiness . PLEASE, BE THERE!