Have we gotten heaven all wrong?

The oft-cliched Christian notion of heaven — a blissful realm of harp-strumming angels — has remained a fixture of the faith for centuries. Even as arguments will go on as to who will or won’t be “saved,” surveys show that a vast majority Americans believe that after death their souls will ascend to some kind of celestial resting place.

But scholars on the right and left increasingly say that comforting belief in an afterlife has no basis in the Bible and would have sounded bizarre to Jesus and his early followers. Like modern curators patiently restoring an ancient fresco, scholars have plumbed the New Testament’s Jewish roots to challenge the pervasive cultural belief in an otherworldly paradise.

The most recent expert to add his voice to this chorus is the prolific Christian apologist N.T. Wright, a former Anglican bishop who now teaches about early Christianity and New Testament at Scotland’s University of St. Andrews. Wright has explored Christian misconceptions about heaven in previous books, but now devotes an entire volume, “How God Became King: The Forgotten Story of the Gospels,” to this trendy subject.

Wright’s insistence that Christianity has got it all wrong seems to mark a turning point for the serious rethinking of heaven. He’s not just another academic iconoclast bent on debunking Christian myths. Wright takes his creeds very seriously and has even written an 800-plus-page megaton study setting out to prove the historical truth of the resurrection of Jesus.

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Evermyrtle

Heaven: A great Mystery!!

Here are a few verses which hopefully will shed some light upon heaven. With all of the doubts in the world about our LORD GOD AND LORD JESUS CHRIST, we as Christians believe and know in our heart, THEY are in heaven and are waiting for us.

Gen. 1:6 And GOD said, Let there be a firmament in the midst of the waters, and let divide the waters from the waters.
7. And GOD made the firmament, and divided the waters which were above the firmament: and i was so.
8. And GOD called the firmament Heaven…………………..

1 kings 8:30 ………………….And hear you in heaven thy dwelling place: and when you hear, forgive.

32. Then hear you in heaven and do, and judge your servants, condemning the wicked…………………

2 Chron. 20: 6 And said, O LORD GOD of our fathers, art not your GOD in heaven?……………….

Ecc. 5: 2 Be not rash with your mouth, and let not your heart be hasty to utter any thing before GOD who is in heaven and you are on earth: therefore let our words be few.

Is. 14:12 How art thou fallen from heaven O Lucifer, son of the morning: how art thou cut down to the ground, which did
weaken the nations:

Matt. 3:16 And JESUS, when he was baptized, went up straightway out of the water: and lo, the heavens were opened unto HIM, and HE saw the SPIRIT OF GOD descending like a dove, and lighting upon HIM:
17. And lo a voice from heaven saying, "This is MY BELOVED SON, in whom I am well pleased.

Matt 5:20 For I say to you, that except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees you shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven.

John 3:31……………………………..HE that comes from heaven is above all.

Rev. 11: 12. And they heard a great voice from heaven saying unto them, come up hither; And they ascended up to heaven in a cloud; and their enemies beheld them.
- Steven Dotson
  
  In most of these references you have cited, the term "heaven" or "heavens" merely denotes the sky or atmosphere around the earth. This is even admitted to be so by the, of all things, the Jimmie Swaggart Reference Bible (hardly a bastion of Christian Reconstructionism).
  
  You need to "search the Scriptures" (Jn. 5:39) but also search these Hebrew and Greek terms out in a good concordance.
  - Evermyrtle
    
    If you will read what I wrote, that I made no claims about what heaven is, I only copied these scriptures to help, hopefully people, like you and me, to be able to understand a little about the heaven with some of the terms used in GOD' SWORD. There is nothing there to lead anybody in any specific direction.
    
    Did you know that all of the space above the earth can be considered heaven?? You will find this in Gen 1: 6-9 and that it does not define exactly the expanse of the firmament or "heaven is. "
    
    I have been searching the scriptures for 70 years. How about you?
    - daves
      
      We have a long way to go if we are waiting for God’s people to practice social justice, nonviolence and forgiveness. Our world is very violent and sees little hope of that changing in our lifetimes.
      - http://conservativebyte.com Michael G.
        
        Define that. What do you mean by "social justice?"
      - Evermyrtle
        
        What do you mean by "Social justice?"
      - http://conservativebyte.com Michael G.
        
        I have no idea what the silly thing is. I hear it periodically, but haven't run into a definition of it. That's why I'm asking.
  - bighoss
    
    Also, the reference to Lucifer is not, as some suppose, a reference to Satan, but is a reference to Nebuchadnezzar, and is a strongly figurative passage of condemnation for that haughty ruler.
- blackhawk
  
  While Jesus was on the Cross ;Did He not say " TODAY you will be in Heaven with Me ???
  - Evermyrtle
    
    Many thanks!! Indeed, that is where HE is,
  - msjallen
    
    When Jesus Christ dismissed His spirit:
    His human spirit went into the presents of God the Father – Luke 23:46
    His human body went to the grave of Joseph of Arimathea (Luke 23:53)
    His soul went to Hades or Sheol – Ps 16:10; Acts 2:27; Eph 4:9 (“Abraham’s bosom” or “Paradise” – Luke 23:43). The Old Testament saints were sent to 3rd heaven (Eph 4:8; 1 Pet 3:18-22).
    Jesus Christ rose from the dead on the third day and after that day all believers go to heaven when they die and meet the Lord face to face in their interim body until the rapture when we will recieve our resurrection body just like our Lord's.
    - http://conservativebyte.com Michael G.
      
      Scripture doesn't say anything about an 'interim' body. Could you point out where this is mentioned.
      We stand before Christ before the "Bemis" Seat, but only in spirit form. Our final body will be rejoined with the soul on the last day.
  - http://conservativebyte.com Michael G.
    
    He said: "Today you will be with me on Paradise."
  - william henry
    
    The statement to the thief on the cross was : I tell you today, you will be with me in "Paradise", not Heaven. When Jesus died His body was buried by Nicodemus and Joseph of Arimethea, His Spirit was "commended into the Hands of the Father, His Soul went to Sheoul or the place of the dead for 3 days, after which He came out of Sheoul (His soul) back into his body (in the tomb with the boulder in front) and His Spirit was sent back into the body from the Father. When that occurred His Body filled with Light and left a "negative" impression on the "grave clothes" which we know as the Shroud of Turin (which He folded up and left where He had laid). Also, we will live on the earth with Him when He returns. Remember He is bringing the "New Jerusalem" with Him for us to live "Here" after we receive new resurrected bodies". Which deals with new DNA, it is really going to be quite amazing, just not in the silly little way we "Christians" think.
eVERMYRTLE

GLORY TO GOD FOREVER AND EVER, AMEN
- Jim
  
  AMEN!
Guest

It is becoming more clear to me that Zionica.com is a provocateur about Christianity and the authors likely do not even study the Scriptures, nor do they understand the Kingdom of God.
- Steven Dotson
  
  Let me guess. You are a premillennialist right?
Marilyn Smith

Here? There? Who cares? We will be with Jesus and He will be King! What more can we desire? When Jesus becomes King, all will be as it should be…whether we are playing harps? or working at whatever He gives us to do. He will restore all things. He will bring the Holy City down to us and dwell with us. He said it. I believe Him. Why speculate on something that the Lord has said that "eye have not seen, nor ear hath heard" what He has prepared for His children? Must we forever argue about things we know nothing about? Overcomers, do the work that God has called us to do now…tomorrow we rest and enjoy!
http://www.divinenewsnetwork.com Min. Thomas Allen

Small Biblical Crash Course.

Correct heaven is not opened to us yet. The dead sleep till the second coming of Christ. There are two resurrections, the first will be when Jesus calls us who are saved, which is those who sleep (are dead) and those who are still alive to meet him in the air…

1 Cor. 15:51, "Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed,
52 In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed." (KJV)

1 Thess. 4:17, "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." (KJV)

Rev. 20:6, "Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years." (KJV)

Luke 17:34-36, "I tell you, in that night there shall be two men in one bed; the one shall be taken, and the other shall be left. Two women shall be grinding together; the one shall be taken, and the other left. Two men shall be in the field; the one shall be taken, and the other left." (KJV)

Rev. 20:5, "But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection." (KJV)

Then the second resurrection will be the final judgment of the wicket left behind after the 1,000 years are up…

Rev. 20:12-15, "And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works. And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works. And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire." (KJV)

The second death will be complete destruction of the body and soul back to oblivion… Even Hell which will be the actual earth on fire when the wicket surrounds the city of God will not burn forever cause God will renew the earth..

Rev 20:9, "And they went up on the breadth of the earth, and compassed the camp of the saints about, and the beloved city: and fire came down from God out of heaven, and devoured them." (KJV)

Rev. 20:14, "And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death." (KJV)

Rev. 21:8, "But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death." (KJV)

Isa. 47:14, "Behold, they shall be as stubble; the fire shall burn them; they shall not deliver themselves from the power of the flame: there shall not be a coal to warm at, nor fire to sit before it." (KJV)

Mal. 4:3, "And ye shall tread down the wicked; for they shall be ashes under the soles of your feet in the day that I shall do this, saith the Lord of hosts." (KJV)

After the wicket which surrounded the city of God has been burned up with the devil God will create the new new earth…

Rev. 21:1, "And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea." (KJV)

Rev. 21:4-5, "And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away. And he that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new. And he said unto me, Write: for these words are true and faithful." (KJV)

God will even wipe our memories of the old earth and the wicket from our minds… We can not enjoy heaven if we are still sorrowing for those we loved that were wicket…

Isa. 66:17, "For, behold, I create new heavens and a new earth: and the former shall not be remembered, nor come into mind."

God bless you all…
- JulesV29
  
  You should have written this article — your explanation is fabulous!! When you really think about it–our puny human brains could never has conceived of a Heavenly Father who created us without divine intervention. God is there for us and Heaven is HOME!!
  - http://www.divinenewsnetwork.com Min. Thomas Allen
    
    Thank you and God bless you. You are also correct… Hour fleshy minds cannot conceive God.
    
    1 Cor. 2:9, "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." (KJV)
    - http://www.divinenewsnetwork.com Min. Thomas Allen
      
      Our fleshy minds i meant lol
- msjallen
  
  I agree with you but doesn’t "sleep" for the believer mean when we die now we are face to face with the Lord in an interim body waiting for the Rapture with the Lord and recognize those who have gone before us?
  2 Cor 5:8 we are of good courage, I say, and prefer rather to be absent from the body and to be at home with the Lord.
  - http://conservativebyte.com Michael G.
    
    From what I've seen and been taught we don't have an 'interim' body. Our body stays ion the grave until it is called out of it. We will see Jesus "in the sprit". On the Final Day our spirits will be reunited with our bodies (which will now be made new, incorruptible, fit for Heaven).
    This is why those who end up in Hell will be in a much worse situation than before when they are reunited with their new bodies, which will now go with their spirits into the Lake of Fire. (If I'm a little off track someone will be sure to point out my error. That's okay).
- bighoss
  
  Your analysis falls apart when you consider the import of John 5: 28-30.
  
  28 Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice,
  
  29 And shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation.
  
  The "HOUR", Min. Allen! The evil dead and the righteous dead all hear his voice and come forth from the grave in the same HOUR. You simply can not reconcile that with two resurrections 1000 years apart. You and other dispensational premillennialists just can not make your convoluted eschatology consistent with these words of Jesus himself.
  
  Your Biblical "crash course" has CRASHED and burned.
  - Evermyrtle
    
    Satan cometh quoting scriptures!!
  - http://conservativebyte.com Michael G.
    
    ''Take a look at Vin's Dictionary pp 972 – 973 (numerous reference points), See John 5: 29 (1st part) "the resurrection of life." "…hence the insertion of 'is' stands for the completion of this resurrection, of which Christ was "the firstfruits;" 20: 6; (c) of "the rest of the dead," after the Millennium (cp.. Rev. 20 : 5); John 5: 29 (2nd Part), "the resurrection of judgement; " Acts 24 : 15 (2nd Part) "of the unjust;" …'"
    So not all come out of the grave at the same time.
    - bighoss
      
      The Bible can and does sometimes use different words to describe the same thing.
      
      John 5:29 says nothing to alter the import of John 5: 28, which clearly and plainly teaches that the righteous dead and the unrighteous dead shall be raised in the same hour.
      
      As Revelation 20:5, your concept faces a problem there in that if the first part of that passage consists of the righteous dead, then the only righteous dead that it could be describing are those that it specifically identifies, namely "those that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus and for the word of God". Clearly, it is not necessary for one to be beheaded in order for one to be saved. How are you going to deal with that one?
- della
  
  Absent from the body; present with the Lord! Does not sound like your spirit will be lying in a grave somewhere, now does it? Those who are already in heaven will return with Jesus. I am not good at remembering exactly where things can be found in the Bible, I just try to remember what is in the Bible. There is heaven!
http://conservativebyte.com Michael G.

From what I've been taught in years past from several unrelated sources, none of the harp-strumming will be going on. We will ne given assignments that we would enjoy, find rewarding personally, and rewarding to the kingdom in general. Goodness knows, there are several things I want to do.
- cyoder
  
  " Eye hath not seen or ear heard or has it entered into the heart of man…." Heaven will not be like anything we can image, but it will be marvelous and highly enjoyable.
- Dionesius3
  
  I'm all for running a very profitable business selling tour maps there, Won't that be just the best? Or how about reading Shakespeare all day right next to old William himself and being able to ask him about some of the hard bits.
  And lastly getting to see all the people running up to Charton Heston saying "MOSES,MOSES" and hearing the real Moses saying "Hey wait a minute he only played me in the movie! I am the real Moses!!!"
  - http://conservativebyte.com Michael G.
    
    This brought a nice smile to my face.
    I would like to sit at the feet of Jesus and just listen to Him.
    - Dionesius3
      
      It was a tongue-in-cheek comment. But I am glad you smiled.
Dionesius3

This is nothing more than the attempted re-introduction of Post-millenialism. The idea that things are just going to get better and better till it causes God's kingdom to come here on earth. A bunch of warmed over old heresy. Being foisted as a "New discovery". Get real people, we are not going to bring God's Kingdom to earth by practicing Social Justice and good Stewardship. If that were possible then God would not be in control. Man would be in control. This is the silliest article I think I have ever read on this site. It is akin to the articles you see from time to time spouting "New Gospel Discovered in a Basement" and it turns out to be some silly Gnostic garbage from 600 years after Christ. Except with this story its some Liberal twist on Post-millenialism a belief system that has been thoroughly denounced for 100 years.
- blackhawk
  
  Heaven can be easily proven. WAIT until you die .If it's not there you wont know it BUT if it is ;Your only comment will be Oh SH*T.
  - Dionesius3
    
    Funny, but what does that have to do with what I said in my post?
- Wordman
  
  And the problem is…?
- Guest
  
  Good summmary Dion3. Three glaring things are wrong with this article: 1. it ran in the Wash Post so it's immediately suspect as made up leftist garbage; 2. N. T. Wright wrote some good stuff but at the end of the day he's essentially an Episcopalian, a denom who have embraced gay marriage, gay priests and recently spoke out in favor of abortion; and 3. the words "social justice" (another concept dear to the Epis church) appear in the article. I don't have any idea what heaven is, Mr Wright is entitled to his opinion, but there is no reason to believe anything in this article is particularly enlightening.
Ruth Walker

Everyone is welcome to his own idea about all made-up things. What is the nature of the tooth fairy?
Wordman

And the problem is…?
- Dionesius3
  
  To quote a famous comdian "Here's Your Sign" -Get real people, we are not going to bring God's Kingdom to earth by practicing Social Justice and good Stewardship.
  - Steve03
    
    Nor will you get there by failing to feed the hungry, refusing to welcome the stranger, denying justice to the powerless, and twisting God's word to make it justify greed, waste, and pollution.
    - bighoss
      
      Amen–there will be many in hell who justify abandonment of the needy and downtrodden by cavalierly condemning acts of love and mercy to such unfortunates as a "social gospel."
      - Dionesius3
        
        "Social Gospel" denotes a particular theological belief system that includes, Denying the virgin birth, denying the miracles, denying the inspiration of Scripture, and promoting the Communist economic system as the most Biblical. I am sure you don't adhere to these basic beliefs do you? If you do then feel free to term yourself a follower of the "Social Gospel".
        
        I believe in taking care of the poor, and downtrodden, having just laws and courts, having Liberty and respect for private property, and promoting the Capitalist form of Economic growth as being the best solution to most of the world's problems. And getting a feww hundred million folks saved wouldn't hurt in the long run either. But I forcefully reject the "Social Gospel" as being anything near the true "Gospel".
      - Steve03
        
        Neither do those who promote the "social gospel" adhere to those beliefs. The the social gospel assumes, as do the prophets and the Gospels, that God judges people and nations on (among other things) how they treat the poor, the alien, and the powerless. If the "social gospel" is not observed, God doesn't care how loudly the rich sing the hymns, where or whether the Ten Commandments are posted, or how richly the temples and churches are appointed.
        By the way, the doctrine that holds that giving the food poor, medical care, education, or legal assistance they could not otherwise afford simply encourages them to be lazy is called "social Darwinism."
      - Dionesius3
        
        You are both wrong and a liar if you deny that proponents of the " social Gospel" do not have the beliefs stated above. The whole movement was started by communist. And it is promoted by liberal scholars. And that is the facts about your beloved " Socialist Gospel".
      - bighoss
        
        I did not endorse the broad concept of the "social gospel." I only criticized those who try to avoid their duty to the poor and needy by equating such activity with the "social gospel."
Wordman

That was supposed to be a reply to Dionesius3's talk against Postmils.
Chris

There can be no heaven. Scientifically impossible
- http://conservativebyte.com Michael G.
  
  There can be no Chris. Scientifically possible.
  - http://rationalresponses.blogspot.com/ Jeff Dixon
    
    Since Chris exists, there is a 100% chance that he exists. We know that he exists because there is concrete evidence that he does. There is no evidence that heaven exists. God, heaven, hell, these are all concepts that people talk about that have no concrete evidence of their existence.
    - Evermyrtle
      
      As soon as you meet HIM face to face you will change your mind, if not before. If before that will be wonderful, if not before, it will be too late to change it then.
      - http://rationalresponses.blogspot.com/ Jeff Dixon
        
        Superstitious nonsense.
      - http://conservativebyte.com Michael G.
        
        Nonsense.
      - http://rationalresponses.blogspot.com/ Jeff Dixon
        
        Yes, your views on the world are nonsense.
      - http://conservativebyte.com Michael G.
        
        Afraid not. but you have missed the point entirely.
        What is your educational background besides being a smart (you know what)?
      - http://rationalresponses.blogspot.com/ Jeff Dixon
        
        I did not miss the point at all. Evermyrtle stated that I would be meeting god. There is no evidence of this god and beliefs in a god are superstitious nonsense.
        
        As far as my educational background, I have a masters degree in business, not that it is relevant to the topic at hand.
      - http://conservativebyte.com Michael G.
        
        Only a masters in busnes? You haven't been around much. Thank God you were never in my class. I would have found a way to flunk you out for sure; and you can be sure of that one. I've done it before, and would do it again.
      - http://dl.dropbox.com/u/22306708/Jn6.37.png Despeville
        
        Michael, you must be another one in a long, long list of people here who noticed staggering ignorance of Dixon. He tries to mask it in his superficiality and by being a habitual internet plagiarizer. Of course he believes he is really "smart" and "educated" and others lie about his ignorance because they have common "faith agenda" which testifies to his debilitating schizophrenia and immobilizing paranoia.
      - http://conservativebyte.com Michael G.
        
        I couldn't agree more. I just get tire of the nonsense, and get a little angry, then I throw it back at 'em.
bighoss

When Jesus said, "I GO to prepare a place for you," He was speaking not of where He then was–on earth–but to where he was soon going–to HEAVEN. End of story and end of silly academic distortions of what and where Heaven is.
- Dionesius3
  
  Logic does not apply to Biblical scholars.
- Dionesius3
  
  Or I should say most Biblical scholars.
  - http://conservativebyte.com Michael G.
    
    Care to explain that further?
NavyBugchaser

Heaven is not a place to layabout and strum harps. The Scriptures state that we will be kings and priests and will judge angels. I think that we will be doing work up there, but it won't be tiresome wearisome kind of work. But will be work none the less. It will be to do the bidding of GOD, perhaps we will have a planet or a galaxy to oversee. I know one thing we will be eternally singing the praises of GOD, so if nothing else we will be in one gigantic choir and we all will have perfect pitch and voice. Consider that the angels don't goof off, but have assigned duties and I believe that we will be the same. The one thing I still wonder is why we will have mansions(or rooms according to some translations) in our Father's house.
- NavyBugchaser
  
  I know Christ said that He was going to prepare a place for us before coming back to take us home, but I still have to scratch my head on it. My reasoning is that since there will not be any night there, ever, and we will never tire or need to go to sleep, why do we need a room? Since there is no time there, all of time is now, just as Aslan told one of the children that came to Narnia. He said that he called all time as now. That is enough to boggle the mind. There won't be a yesterday nor will there be a tomorrow. It will always be eternity now! Such a thing as this makes my silly finite mind spinning. I can understand, to a point, eternity future, but eternity past-especially when it comes to GOD always having been here and never having a beginning is just to much for me to understand. Perhaps, we will understand it better when we enter eternity ourselves. ion.
  - Dionesius3
    
    No clocks, no rising and setting sun. Think of being an actor on stage and finishing your part and then leaving that time/space/world and stepping back into reality. In the play you may have portrayed a character for 30 years of his life span, but once off stage you are actually only 10min. older. The difference with eternity is no time passes. There is no yesterday or tomorrow there is only now. You too will be able to see all of time and history as God does and you will have a greater understanding than yoou can even imagine now. And yet it will still be less understanding than God even then. So there will still be questions to be asked and things to be learned.
    - NavyBugchaser
      
      Time-space continuum has always fascinated me. I have read some of what Einstein and Brian Greene have talked about these, but eternity transcends these. I teach Sunday School and one time I told my class that Hell lasts for 1 second, but it is a second that is ticked off by a clock that is broken, and because it is broken that second will never tick. Our finite minds always thinks in the prison of time. Truthfully, even in our captivity of time yesterday and tomorrow is an abstract idea. Because it never is tomorrow and what we count as yesterday was a moment we lived in just now but has passed away.
      - NavyBugchaser
        
        I read another idea that we separate eternity past and eternity future by our existing in this thing we call time, but the reality is, that we are existing even now in eternity, for what NOW is is part of eternity itself. There is no separation, especially in GOD's eyes. HE sees the beginning of what we have called time past and also sees our time future and it's all the same to HIM. That is how I reconciled that HE can hear all of the prayers of every being on the Earth. Since HE is outside the confines of time, HE has all of eternity to hear and answer every prayer. That is not to take what He does and make light of it. I am probably wrong, but even so however HE does do it, it is pretty awesome!
      - msjallen
        
        Talk about separation; the worse kind of hell will not be the fire but separation from God for all eternity. That is something to give a lot of thought to since God provides for all including salvation.
- Dionesius3
  
  And what is wrong with laying about? And strumming harps? Seems to me there will be opportunity to enjoy just about anything we could imagine and MANY things we can even imagine.
  - Mark
    
    If God has a problem about being slothful down here, I hardly think He will approve of it in Heaven. Even Adam wasn't suppose to be a goof off before the Fall. He was suppose to work in the Garden. The difference is, that after the Fall, that work became complicated and unpleasant.
    - http://rationalresponses.blogspot.com/ Jeff Dixon
      
      So, in your idea of heaven, people will be working for all eternity? lol.
    - Dionesius3
      
      Your missing a critical point there buddy, this is eternity and your still thinking in terms of time. Boredom is both a concept and a state of mind that is bound to time. You couldn't get bored in eternity if you tried because it is not possible.
    - Dionesius3
      
      And as to your slothful ness comment, God is concerned about it here because we are bound to time, and time here is precious and must not be wasted. In ETERNITY there is no time to be wasted. And there will be no work that needs to be done. Where God is there is perfection, work has to occur here due to the consequences of the fall. Adam's job as you call it was to simply be care taker of the Garden. To " dress the vines" etc. that is far from WORK and is the vocation of many multimillionaires today.
  - http://conservativebyte.com Michael G.
    
    If that's what I would be doing, then I'll be board within a short space.
- http://rationalresponses.blogspot.com/ Jeff Dixon
  
  NavyBugchaser67p · 9 hours ago
  Heaven is not a place to layabout and strum harps. The Scriptures state that we will be kings and priests and will judge angels.
  
  Just how many people do you think are going to heaven? They will ALL be judging angels?
  - Mark
    
    The saints from the beginning of time will be in Heaven, both those from the Old Testament and the Church age and the Tribulation Saints. Quite a large number actually. You must remember that Satan led a third of the Heavenly host away, and that is a pretty vast number of fallen angels. That means the Heavenly Host will be twice as vast and, therefore, probably those who will be in Heaven will be as the grains of sand on all of the world's seashores.
    - Mark
      
      Besides all of that, if each saint would be reponsible for taking care of the stars and galaxies, there are billions upon billions of galaxies, which each one of them containing billions and billions of stars, so go figure. Regretably, there will no doubt be more who will be in the everlasting torment and doom of Hell, then in Heaven, for many are called, but few are chosen. But even so, that few will still be an astronomical number.
NavyBugchaser

I also discount us asking all of those silly questions that people say that they are going to ask GOD when they get to Heaven. When we arrive there, all of those silly questions will be meaningless and besides, like the song that says when we get there will we shout for joy or be stunned into silence. To stand in His presence or to fall flat on our faces in awe. I think it will be a very awesome experience that we will not waste His or our time on superfluous trivia. Consider how John fell before Christ, in awe, in Revelat
NavyBugchaser

That should read Revelation.
- Dionesius3
  
  Did you by chance read the article?
  - NavyBugchaser
    
    What I have read of the article, I saw nothing where they say anything about what we will or won't do, other than goofing off playing harp. I really didn't see where they made a poing about anything, except to say that N.T. Wright and the other guy had similar ideas. I like the works of Wright, I have a few if his books and a video he did in regards to evil and Christs cure of it.
June

What the doubter has to say is of no concern to me. What God tells me about Heaven is what I believe. He tells me He is preparing a place for me. One day I will be with Him in Heaven. It is foolishness for a christian to even be concerned about what the unsaved has to say. God is well aware of what is truth and what is not truth. He is in control of everything.
bighoss

And YOU have a nifty DODGE that permits you to cheaply avoid the issue I raised.
- http://conservativebyte.com Michael G.
  
  Take it up with MacDonald Publishing Company. They are the ones who published the Dictionary, not me. If you have a beef, it's with them not me. I happen to agree with the position, and that's it. I'm not gonna' argue it with you. If you disagree with it, that's your problem.