Tuesday, August 25, 2015

Will We Know Each Other in Heaven?




2 Samuel 12:15-23 "...and the LORD struck the child that Uriah's wife bare unto David, and it was very sick. David therefore besought God for the child; and David fasted, and went in, and lay all night upon the earth.....neither did he eat bread....And it came to pass on the seventh day that the child died.  And the servants of David feared to tell him that the child was dead:...But when David saw that that his servants whispered, David perceived that the child was dead...Then David arose from the earth, and washed, and anointed himself, and changed his apparel, and came into the house of the LORD, and worshiped: then he came to his own house; ...and he did eat....And he said, While the child was yet alive I fasted and wept: for I said, who can tell whether GOD will be gracious to me, that the child may live? But now he is dead, wherefore should I fast? can I bring him back again? I shall go to him, but he shall not return to me."

1 Thess 2: 17-20 "But we, brethren,being taken from you for a short time in presence, not in heart, endeavoured the more abundantly to see your face with great desire...For what is our hope, or joy, or crown of rejoicing? Are not even ye in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ at his coming? For ye are our glory, and joy."

When we think of heaven we realize that heaven will be altogether wonderful.  When we think of heaven there is a longing to be home, and perfection is in the believer’s heart.  But there is a question that bothers some people: will we know one another in heaven?   We begin with evidence from the bible that we will.


1.   David’s comfort is based upon knowing one another in heaven. Because of David’s sin with Bathsheba, the baby is very sick because in God’s perfect justice and mercy, the baby will die.  There will be no benefit from this sin for David who weeps and fasts but the child dies.  God takes the little one away.  David arises from the ground, breaks his fast, washes, stops praying and goes into the house of God and worships.  The servants don’t understand but David tells them that now the child is dead, there is no more reason for prayer, the baby won’t come back to David, but he will go to the baby.   David doesn’t mean he is going to the baby’s grave, there is no comfort in that.  There is only comfort in David knowing that he would go to be with the child in heaven.  He doesn’t mean that he won’t know the child, for that would not be comforting.  If he doesn’t know the child in heaven, how will he go to him?  David is inspired by the holy spirit and so he can only speak the truth.  

2.   Paul expected to recognize the Thessalonian converts at Christ’s second advent.  1 Thess 2:17-20.  Paul is saying, inspired by the holy spirit, that they are separated by physical presence but not in heart, but what is Paul’s hope and joy? The Thessalonians coming with Christ at the second coming.  The apostle Paul expected to recognize his beloved Thessalonians at Christ’s second coming.  He rejoiced in the thought that he would see them face to face. This is Paul’s comfort.  It’s not much of a comfort to think that at the second coming Paul would not know them, what kind of comfort would that be?  No comfort at all.  

3.   We will know one another in heaven because the apostle Paul comforts Christians who have lost loved ones by telling them that the loved ones will come with Jesus Christ at his second advent 1 Thess 4:13-18 Don’t sorrow for your friends that have died in Christ.  Jesus Christ will bring them with him.  Comfort one another with these words.  There would be no point in these words if they did not imply a mutual recognition of the saints. 

4.   Peter, James and John and king Saul recognized those who were already dead that came from glory to earth in spirit.  Saul at the end of his reign, at the depths of his foolishness went to the witch of Endor’s house and asked her to summon the spirit of Samuel..  God released the spirit of Samuel and the witch is terrified because the spirit of Samuel was sent by God.  Saul recognizes him who he knew in life but now he is in eternity.  Peter, James and John were on the mount of transfiguration when Christ is transfigured and Moses and Elijah came down from heaven and appear with Jesus.  Peter, James and John have never met Moses or Elijah,  but they knew them as soon as they saw them.  In eternity not only will we know those whom we knew on earth, we will know and recognize those whom we never knew on earth.  We will know more in eternity, not less.

5.   We will know one another in heaven because heaven is more and not less than this fallen creation.  Heaven is not just some place up there, it is paradise. The church will be in heaven, there will be perfect fellowship of the saints in heaven.  If we don’t know one another how could there be perfect fellowship?  The church is the family of God, are we expected to believe that the family will not know each other?  All the family is at last together and no one recognizes anybody? That would be some family reunion.  Those parted by the veil of death will know one another and not sorrow as others who have no hope.  The parting is not forever.  Heaven is more than earth.  If you know people here where your knowledge is restricted, how much will you know in heaven.  We shall know one another in heaven.  There is more fullness of life in the glory, not less.  Heaven will be the true reality.

What about now in heaven?  Saul recognized the spirit of Samuel, Peter James and John recognized Elijah and Moses.  Even in this fallen world God sometimes reveals a spirit.  Mary saw an angel.  Spirits are recognizable in glory.   What is heaven?  The believer’s home, we are pilgrims on earth, and we are going home.  Christ has gone to prepare that home for every believer.  For anyone who is not saved, heaven is not your home, if you are not saved it is not being prepared for you.  Who is Jesus speaking to when he says I go to prepare a place for you?  He was speaking to his disciples, his followers, those who believed in him, those who trusted him and followed him.  Is that you?  If it is, heaven is your home and someday you will go home.  Home is something that we long for.  All believers will go home. On this earth we are in the battle against the mighty enemy, the devil.  It is not smooth and pleasant and easy, but Christ has won the battle on the cross, and he will leave no one behind.  All God’s children will come home, he will lose none.  And when we come home you will know me and I will know you and best of all we will all know the Saviour. 
 
The above notes are based on a sermon by Rev Paul Dowling of Whiteabbey Congregational (Reformed)

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