Heaven

What is Heaven?

Heaven is the home of the Lord God. Matthew 6:9 "Our Father which art in Heaven...

2 Corinthians 12:2 speaks of a man caught up to the third heaven.
The first heaven is the are where birds fly. The second heaven is where spacecraft go. The third heaven is the home or throne of Lord God.
Heaven is a building 2 Corinthians 5:1 "For we know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved, we have building of God, an house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens."
Heaven is a building of God. It is not man- made, 2 Corinthians 5:1.
Heaven is called a garner. Matthew 3:12 "...gather His wheat into garner." This occurs at the division of the wheat (good going to heaven and the chaff being burned).
Heaven is called the Kingdom of God and of Christ. Ephesians 5:5
"...hath any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God."
Heaven is called the Father's House. John 14:2 "In My Father's house..."
Heaven is called a place of rest. Hebrews 4:9 "There remaineth therefore a rest to the people of God."
Heaven is called paradise. 2 Corinthians 12:4. "And I knew such man ...caught up into paradise."

Conclusion

Do you want to go to Heaven? Are you prepared? Heaven is for prepared people.

An unbeliever would find it very uncomfortable in heaven because of its holiness.

Story: A king gave to his clown a walking stick in honour of his being the best clown, the biggest fool. It was only to be given to one who was greater fool. One day the king is dying and the clown came to visit him. the clown asked him what preparations he had made for going to heaven. "None." Then solemnly the clown gave the king and walking stick remarking, "you are the greatest fool."


Hell

Definition

What is Hell? Hell is banishment from the presence of God. 2 Thessalonians 1:9 "Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of His power."

Hell is a place of torment and punishment. Luke 16:23 "And in hell he lift us his eyes, being in torments."

Some scoff and say, "Where is Hell?" The Bible says it is "down," Isaiah 14:9.

Ezekiel 32:27 "...which are gone down to hell..."

Numbers 16:30- 33, the earth opened and they went down alive into the pit (Sheol).

One of the problems in the study of hell is the various terms that are used.

In the original languages three terms are used:
1.) Sheol 2.)Hades 3.) Gehenna
Unfortunately in English these have been translated: hell, pit, grave.
These translations lose something of the force of the original, and give Jehovah's Witnesses and others a loophole to say that hell is only the grave.

Degrees of Punishment in Hell

Deuteronomy 32:22 "For a fire is kindled in mine anger, and shall burn unto the lowest hell, and shall consume the earth with her increase..."

Matthew 10:15; Mark 6:11; Luke 10:12 "More tolerable for Sodom and Gomorrah than for..."

The justice of God demands degrees of punishment. Perhaps those who will suffer the hottest flames of hell are those who reject Him the most times.

Conclusion

How does one get to hell? by neglect. Hebrews 2:3 "How shall we escape, if we neglect..."
How does one avoid hell? by receiving Jesus as His personal Savior, Proverbs 15:24.

Source: One hundred Bible Lessons
By: Alban Douglas