Boredom in Heaven
12/13/2012
“In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.” John 14:2.
The word used above for house in the Greek alludes to God’s abode (the
expanse of Heaven). Therefore, when we read the word “mansions” we
should immediately be struck with awe. The Greek word “monē”,
translated into English as mansions, is also translated as abode or
dwelling place. But considering God’s magnificence, and the expanse of
Heaven, we can be assured our dwelling place in Heaven will be far
superior to any human perception of an earthly mansion.
When
we think of a mansion here on earth most of us are able to conjure up
numerous images of palatial manors. The dictionary describes “Mansion”
as a large and stately house. Hollywood instantly comes to mind. But
there is nothing on earth that we can compare our Heavenly abode.
By-in-large, Heaven is a mystery to those of us still living and
breathing. Therefore the mansion or abode that Jesus went to prepare for
each of His followers must likewise be a mystery.
So
what is Heaven? It is the seat of order of things eternal and
consummately perfect, where God dwells and other heavenly beings as
well. What will we be doing in Heaven for an eternity? We have not been
presented with any kind of itinerary as to our eternal existence in
God’s abode, thus conjecture seems to be our only avenue. Okay then,
what won’t we be doing? Well, one thing is for sure, we know from our
Lord’s own declaration that there will be no marriage or procreation in
Heaven “For in the resurrection they neither marry, nor are given in marriage, but are as the angels of God in heaven.” Matthew 22:30.
This verse simply means we will be immortal, as are angels. Thus there
will be no need for the further procreation of human beings.
“For
we know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved, we
have a building of God, an house not made with hands, eternal in the
heavens. For in this we groan, earnestly desiring to be clothed upon
with our house which is from heaven:” 2 Corinthians 5:1-2.
Paul’s reference to our earthly house means our current bodies, which
will be dissolved. But then Paul mentions another house. Paul refers to
our glorified bodies when he says clothed with our house from Heaven.
This is not our “monē”,
our abode or dwelling place. We will receive our glorified bodies
instantaneously when we die or when we are raptured, but Jesus has spent
the last two thousand years preparing our personal mansion in Heaven.
Occasionally
when the question of what we will be doing in Heaven is broached it
seems as though the questioner is concerned more about boredom setting
in than anything else. Boredom is a humanistic trait in full association
with evil. With the mere thought of an abode such as a mansion awaiting
us, a mansion unlike anything of an earthly nature, what else might we
consider to be waiting for us on our arrival into Heaven? What we have
been given is an expectation of great things which await us in Heaven,
none of which will entice our humanistic sinful tendencies. Why? Because
we will no longer have any sinful tendencies. But what we will have is “…an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away…”. 1 Peter 1:4.
“For
our conversation is in heaven; from whence also we look for the
Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ: Who shall change our vile body, that it
may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working
whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself.” Philippians 3:20-21.
Paul speaks of our conversation in Heaven. The Greek word used in this
instance, and in this instance only, for conversation is “politeuma” which signifies the condition, or life, of a citizen, citizenship; “politeuma”
is the heavenly status of believers. Unlike our status on earth where
we should be living orderly lives all in accordance to God’s will, our
citizenship in Heaven will be godly and orderly, completely void of
anything that would be contrary to God’s perfect existence.
Pretty
much everything we humans seek after as entertainment here on earth
will be non-existent in Heaven. What will we do without football,
baseball, basketball, NASCAR? What about Nintendo, Wii, X-Box and all
the rest? How will we survive without television? What about all the
extracurricular activities we find so necessary to our existence today?
Little league, golf, vacations, will they be available in Heaven? Once
we’ve mastered sitting on a cloud and playing the harp will we become
bored out of our minds and wish there was something more fulfilling in
Heaven? What good is the most magnificent mansion without all our
wonderful earthly distractions?
Since
eternity has no beginning and no end, there will be no end to our
existence in Heaven. If we were ever to become bored with our Heavenly
mansion, how would that boredom ever end? It wouldn’t, it would be
eternal. Boredom is fully satanic in nature. This satanic influence,
which has become part of just about everyone’s life on earth, has no
bearing on Heaven. Boredom exists only in this realm which flows with
two opposing supernatural influences. Heaven has only One Godly
supernatural influence. That being the case, boredom, chaos, apathy and
rebellion will never raise their ugly heads in Heaven.
Heaven
is where we find the Throne Room of God. We who the Father has drawn
have chosen Heaven over Hell and we will be physically with God for all
eternity. That aspect of Heaven is incredible in and of itself. As our
current thought processes try to grasp what it will be like when we
finally see God face to face, any thought of boredom should be
obliterated. When our minds move past the idea of existing with God in
His presence for all eternity, it’s only human nature to revert back to
the question “What will we be doing and what will be our
responsibilities as we settle into our Heavenly mansions?” But in Heaven
that human nature will be nonexistent.
The
idea of physically doing the same thing in Heaven that we may derive
pleasure and entertainment from while here on earth is preposterous.
Most of what is associated with entertainment on earth is satanic, so no
need to look for that kind of entertainment in Heaven. Anything and
everything that draws our attention away from God here on earth will not
exist in Heaven.
If
you get little to no joy from your worship time with the Lord here on
earth, then you won’t like Heaven. If you view fellowshipping with
likeminded “in Christ” believers as tiresome and fruitless, then your
idea of Heaven is probably not going to fulfill your desires. If you
desire the pleasures of this world more than you desire God you probably
consider this world your home, in which case you’re not looking forward
to relocating to Heaven. If you’ve been taught that Heaven is a place
where saints sit around on clouds and play harps continually, then an
eternity of staring at that prospect might well be very unappealing. If
you consider Bible study boring, then that attitude might well reflect
your idea of what to expect in Heaven. Man and his sightless perceptions
block the truth of what Heaven is all about. Once we get past the fact
that with God there can be no concept of boredom, Heaven then opens up
limitless possibilities. An abode (a mansion) awaits us. When we look to
Heaven with the expectation that the proportions of that abode are of a
scope and of a dimension beyond that of which our imaginations can
grasp, then we will begin to marvel at the concept of a Heavenly mansion
being prepared for us by our Lord. What an eternity of exploration
awaits!
God
took Adam from the place where He had created him and placed him in new
surroundings which were far more pleasurable and beautiful. The place
where Adam was created is earth, and God returned man to the place of
his creation after his rebellion. This action was a punishment.
Therefore, after all these years mankind has no true concept of what the
Garden of Eden consisted of. But its magnificence had to have been far
reaching.
There
are aspects of earth that we consider beautiful and even alluring at
times, but we must remember we live in a completely fallen and cursed
world. Thus, we don’t really know beauty in its pure form. Throughout
all of earth’s history mankind has had their God given senses horribly
dulled. We live in a realm filled with wickedness and unpleasant
consequences that are derived from bad decisions. Compared to Heaven we
have been living in a wasteland, thus trying to picture in our mind’s
eye what Heaven and our awaiting mansion consists of is not humanly
possible.
Paul speaks of being caught up into the third Heaven “I
knew a man in Christ above fourteen years ago, (whether in the body, I
cannot tell; or whether out of the body, I cannot tell: God knoweth;)
such an one caught up to the third heaven. And I knew such a man,
(whether in the body, or out of the body, I cannot tell: God knoweth;)
How that he was caught up into paradise, and heard unspeakable words,
which it is not lawful for a man to utter.” 2 Corinthians 12:2-4.
Paul could not even bring himself to speak a word of what he saw. As a
matter of fact he tells us it would be unlawful for any man to utter
such things. Without a doubt what Paul saw was to the human mind
indescribable. No earthly words could have done Heaven justice therefore
it was not lawful for a man to utter such things.
We were meant to enjoy our God and His Kingdom with full disclosure. Because of Adam and Eve’s rebellion, we must
wait for God to reveal it to us when we are finally glorified. But it
will be immensely more beautiful and entertaining than anything earthly.
Will there be even one moment in Heaven when boredom will set in and we
find ourselves wishing for a good baseball game? No. Why? Because there
are no “moments” in Heaven, our existence there will be one beautiful
and constant flow of God and man joined together in indescribable love
and communion.
There
is no comparison anywhere on earth that might be viewed as heavenly,
only Heaven itself will suffice. No, there will be no boredom in our new
mansions, or in all of Heaven for that matter, only pure indescribable
joy, which is Jesus Christ our Lord. I’m sure everyone at some point
ponders Heaven. Yet ponder as they will, only those who have said yes to
Jesus Christ will ever enter therein.
God bless you all,
Ron Graham
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