I would be very interested in hearing from some of you and what you think or know what that experience will be like based on either direct scriptures or personal knowledge of things you have heard, see, read etc.
Especially TxHanna, Cabinetworker, JL1, Cat 1978, Lead Counsel, Peter, esheldon and other thoughtful/knowledgeable people who are keenly and spiritually aware.
A few thoughts......
Oddly enough the book that has it's main focus and thrust (the NT) is "getting us to heaven" speaks very little on heaven and the experience of death and entering the Kingdom of God.
That has often puzzled me. After all heaven is our ultimate goal. I finally arrived to the conclusion that the experience of heaven can't be even close to being encapsulated in human language or our very limited ability to understand it. The change is that profound. Paul said "For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known".
Maybe as profound as trying to explain to an unborn baby while in the womb what the world will be like after it leaves the womb. The language to this baby would be useless. The baby only knows a space the size of a basketball where everything is perfectly provided. They simply couldn't understand this vast space of thousands of miles beyond it's world, let alone grass, trees, relationships, rules, laws, people, animals, mountains, oceans, outer space, planets, the moon and millions other things. Far, far beyond the unborn babies ability to even begin to grasp.
Here's a few things I think we do know:
The Apostle Paul said "I say, and would prefer to be away from the body and at home with the Lord" (2 Corinthians 5:8). He also said "I desire to depart and be with Christ, which is better by far” (Philippians 1:23).
The dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed (1 Corinthians 15:52). Believers will be taken into the VERY presence of Christ in heaven. Christ is in heaven now (Acts 1:2; 3:21).
While FULLY alive in the flesh, Paul said that he was waiting eagerly for the redemption of his body (Romans 8:23). This eager anticipation for our resurrection seems not to stop when we die, but when we finally receive the resurrection of our bodies. (Love to hear what you guys think of that)
Personally, I have had only one experience that "Might" be considered heaven or a tiny slice of it. I have a niece who is disabled, what some call having a learning disability. Her dad ran off before she was born and my sister raised her on her own. She spent weeks and even Months with us while she was growing up. Her and I have always been very close and she has always called me "Dad". I love her very much and even now that she is 37 years old she still spends weekends with us and has her own room here, she is very much apart of our family.
She has her own apartment and leads a pretty independent life but has a staff that drops in once a day to check on things. She doesn't drive and can't deal with a check book but works most days.
Any way, one day she asked to have a serious talk with me. She asked me to tell her the real truth. She asked me if she will ever marry and have children. I took her hand and held her and told her the truth. I would have rather cut off my own arm that speak the words I did to her. We both cried and I told her how sorry I was and if I could, I would gladly take her place so she could have a normal life, I really would.
That night I spoke to God, I told Him how unfair this was and how angry I was about her condition and how this really broke my heart. I told Him that I fully trust and I know He had everything under control and knew what He was doing...just raw faith is all that I had.
A few days later I had an extremely vivid dream. I dreamed I walked into a beautiful home, it was massive. I walked into what I knew was a bedroom. A door opened in the bedroom and it was my niece peaking out with her head, it seemed to be some type of bathroom or something. She had a white towel around her head and she looked at me with a big smile and said "Hi Dad, look at me", She was perfectly healed and whole and clear as a bell and so very happy.
The dream effected me so much I drove over to see her the next day. As I was telling her the story about walking into this house, she stopped me and said "you walked into my bedroom, I was wearing a towel and I said to you "look at me". I couldn't believe what I was hearing. She repeated the exact dream step by step, scene by scene and what everything looked like because she had the same dream the same night. I believe it was God pulling back the curtain just a tiny bit.
I love to hear your thoughts, studies, prayers on this subject...
Ohioman
The very moment we die and what to expect (Do we know?)
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