When God created the universe, He made so much more than this planet and the plant, animal, and human life on it. In addition to the observable, material universe—stars, planets, and things we can see, God filled His creation with an even more-real dimension of life that those of us in the material world cannot see.
The heavenly or invisible realm of the universe is filled with more life and more beauty than the material world in which we dwell.
Imagine heaven. It is not just more beautiful than earth. It is filled with angels of so many types and ranks, cherubim and seraphim, archangels, heavenly elders, and beasts and figures of all kinds, such as the worship-leading “Living Creatures” with multiple wings and the faces of lions, oxen, men, and eagles, Revelation 4:6-8.
In addition to all the spiritual beings, God created a throne for Himself, surrounded by twenty-four additional thrones (Revelation 4:4), a sea of crystal, streets of gold. None of it is easy to imagine; all of it is beyond our comprehension. For “eye has not seen, ear has not heard, nor has it entered into the heart of man what God has prepared for those who love him,” 1 Corinthians 2:9.
(Never let the weakness of your own imagination convince you that heaven is not one million times better than earth. Would God give us oceans, Rocky Mountains, Grand Canyons, and Redwoods on earth, then send us to Heaven to play harps on a cloud for eternity? No way.)
God exists in a very real heavenly realm. It is not invisible because it is not real. It is invisible because it is dangerous. God keeps that world invisible to protect us. We are not ready to see it and would find it both terrifying and tantalizing. If you experienced it now, the rest of your life on earth would be filled with longing and homesickness to return.
God hides your heavenly future so you can live a full life here. You will have plenty of time to experience heaven during your eternal life … in heaven!
We will see it all one day. Hang onto that. Until then–
Read the books of the Old Testament prophets for their pictures unlocking the mysteries of heaven.
Consider Zechariah. In chapter one, an angel reveals to Zechariah horses that are sent to do reconnaissance on the world. Like reporters, the horses patrol the earth and report back. Unlike reporters[1], the horses report that “the whole earth is calm and quiet” Zechariah 1:11.
(Are there animals in heaven, you ask? There are horses, we know that much. My opinion is there are probably more animals in heaven than on earth.)
A few chapters later, the prophet encounters a different set of horses. These are not quiet patrols on some secret recon mission.
“I looked up again, and there before me were four chariots coming out from between two mountains—mountains of bronze. The first chariot had red horses, the second black, the third white, and the fourth dappled—all of them powerful. I asked the angel who was speaking to me, “What are these, my lord?” The angel answered me, “These are the four spirits of heaven, going out from standing in the presence of the Lord of the whole world. The one with the black horses is going toward the north country, the one with the white horses toward the west, and the one with the dappled horses toward the south.” When the powerful horses went out, they were straining to go throughout the earth. And he said, “Go throughout the earth!” So they went throughout the earth.
“Then he called to me, “Look, those going toward the north country have given my Spirit rest in the land of the north” Zechariah 6:1-8.
What is going on in this passage? This time the notes in my study Bible were not as helpful as I would have liked. So I turned again to the ENDURING WORD BIBLE COMMENTARY. The commentary first noted that some believe the two mountains to be Mount Zion and the Mount of Olives. Describing the mountains as bronze indicates this is a vision of judgment. Next, consider the colors of the horses: “In the usual scriptural symbolism, RED speaks of war, BLACK of famine and death, WHITE of victory, and DAPPLED [spotted] of pestilence.”[2]
This vision of horses is a vision of God’s judgment on sin. Does judgment make you uncomfortable?
Stop focusing on the judgment and look at the sin.
God judges the school shooter.
God judges the pedophile who destroys innocent children and never gets caught.
God judges the warmonger whose greed brings hate and grief to untold millions of people.
Even a cursory reading of the Bible indicates how incredibly, amazingly patient God is. He does not judge lightly. He “takes NO pleasure in the death of the wicked” (Ezekiel 33:11) but He does judge.
And when judgment comes to the wicked, it brings to the innocent peace. It brings God peace. Consider verse 8:
“Look, those going toward the north country have given my Spirit rest in the land of the north” Zechariah 6:8.
The commentary explains, “God’s Spirit is at rest when His enemies and the enemies of His people are judged.”
Or, as the New American Standard translates this verse, “See, those who are going to the land of the north have appeased My wrath.”
Judgment of the guilty brings peace to the holy, both God and His people.
Dear God, improve our imagination of how amazing life in heaven will be. Give us more insight into that very real world that you nevertheless prevent us from seeing. Give us a sense of the life and the many different amazing, remarkable beings we will one day encounter in heaven. And help us understand their roles, even when the role is one of judgment. Give us insight about the critical nature of your wrath, how important it is and how much peace it can bring to the innocent. Finally, remind us not to exercise judgment ourselves, but to “leave room for the wrath of God” Romans 12:19.
AΩ.
[1] The Whole Earth is Calm and Quiet. Zechariah 1:8-11. – Household Words:
Household Words: 