Revelations.

Today I had a revelation. For me it was profound and deep, a bit too deep in parts.

About two and a half years ago, I decided to read all of the Bible from the first book to the last, there would be no race, no time in which I wanted to finish, to get to the last book. There have of course been detours where I’d read different stories, and not follow the rule, I had given myself of reading one chapter a day, for on some days I’d read the Psalms or Daniel or about ‘funny’ Jonah, my Kids would love it when I read about him and of course at Easter time and Christ mas time, I’d read about those stories again, but in general I’d read, following on each day from where I left my soft, leather, book marker.

Today I arrived at Revelation chapter 21, of course in my whole life I’ve probably read this particular chapter 100 times and I have read the whole Bible from the first book, to the last maybe about 3 times, but today as I read, I noticed something different.

“Then I saw a new Heaven and a new Earth, the old Heaven and the old Earth have disappeared,” Taken from the New Living Translation (NLT) that got my attention for you and I know this earth. It went on, “He will remove all their sorrows, and there will be no more death, crying or pain. I think it’s here, it says in the King James Version, “He will wipe away all tears from their eyes,” And I’ve always thought, I wouldn’t be able to enjoy Heaven if -------- was not there with me, I would think of them in hell suffering, forever – eternity, which is a long time to be in the lake of fire, that I read about again this week.

The chapter goes on, of just how amazing Heaven is with, “The wall of the city was built on foundation stones inlaid with 12 gems of jasper, sapphire, agate, emerald, onyx, carnelian, chrysolite, beryl, topaz, chrysoprase, jacinth and amethyst,” That’s a very impressive list with half I haven’t heard of, the chapter goes on, “All who are victorious will inherit all those blessings,” And then I read, “Nothing evil will be allowed to enter, no one who practices shameful idolatry and dishonesty….”

Now when I was younger, I wanted to be wherever my Mum ended up, be it Heaven or hell, but she is so sweet, I used to think, I wouldn’t make it to Heaven with her. I made the decision to follow Jesus when I was 13, it was one of the happiest days of my life. Before that day, I’d wish that I could still know about Heaven for those who were good enough to go and for those who really didn’t want to go, there was hell but me, I wanted to make a 3rd option and that is to stay right where I am now, on good old Earth!

You and I know of, either by book, film or history some pretty evil people, who would be out of place in Heaven, and some who would try and steal the precious jewels I’ve mentioned above.

There are 2 very precious people in my life who I love very dearly. My Children. I am very stubborn, my Husband is very stubborn and we have 2 very stubborn Children, and we 4 have very strong views and each of us can win our OWN arguments! I wanted my Husband with me in Heaven, but he is very anti-God, and over the many years that we have been married I have come to accept that he won’t be there. This morning when I read chapter 21, I did shed some tears for my Children. I really want them with me, I don’t want them to be in the lake of fire forever – eternity. I wished they could be in the 3rd option, but that idea is just in my head. They are good Kids, but Good doesn’t get you to Heaven. They have heard the Gospel, that we are all sinners and need a Savour and that Jesus is the way to Heaven, when they ask for their sins to be forgiven and grew up in Church. But now they don’t go to Church and have all sorts of views, of which we are all entitled to. 

So, this morning as I read, I thought if there is going to be a new Heaven and a new Earth, then it would be just that. I have no memory of my life before I was born, just the memory I have now, I know no other world or life just this one, there have been good times and bad, but I’m here on Earth in 2020. So, if I did live before, I wouldn’t know it, I wouldn’t know another Mum or any other Kids that I had (or didn’t have) and the Biggy is, that I have NOT cried for them, missed them or wondered how they are. Will that be how it is in Heaven, when it says, “He will wipe all tears from your eyes?” Will I have NO recollection of Paul, Daniel and Meghan?

At the end of the day, what if I am right and the Bible is right, how on earth, do I persuade my Children that there is a Heaven to gain and a hell to avoid?

This year we have all been, ‘distracted’, by events in the news of home and abroad, but 100 years from today, none of it will matter. What will matter is where will we, you and I spend eternity? Then, all arguments will cease.