Will We Know Each Other in Heaven? (Repreached)

2 Samuel 12:15-23

The picture that the bible paints of heaven is altogether wonderful.  And we who are believers more than likely can confess that we do not think about heaven enough, although there is something about it that makes us want to be there.  It awakens a deep emotion in the heart of every believer, a perfection or maybe a feeling of going home because we are pilgrims in this world and heaven is our home and that is where we are going.  But there is one question that bothers people, and that is this:  will we know one another in heaven.

I (Paul Dowling) believe that the bible tells us or at least very strongly hints to us that we will know one another in heaven.   Many of the great men in history believed that we will know one another in heaven.  But, one might say, can you give any evidence from the bible?  Here are several points:

-David's comfort is based upon knowing one another in heaven.  In 2 Sam 12 the passage is about David's sins, and a baby boy is born by adultery, and God in his perfect justice has determined that the child will not live.  The child becomes very sick and dies.  There is no profit from this sin for David.  David prays while the child is alive, weeps and fasts for 7 days and then the child dies.  And then David breaks his fast, washes himself, ceases to pray and the servants don't understand so he tells them why he is not broken more now than when the child was alive. V23  "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."  There is no more  reason to pray, we don't pray for the dead.   But now he is dead, why should I fast any longer?  Can I bring him back again?  There is only comfort in those words for David if he would know his baby son in the next world.  I don't think there is much comfort in saying that he would go to him but he won't know him when he sees him, what comfort is there in that?  None at all.  David says I will go to him, its comforting to him to think that and say that because he believes that he will know his son when he says them.  David hoped to meet his child again in another world.  The separation would not be forever.  

-Because the apostle Paul expected to recognize the Thessalonian converts at Christ's second coming.  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.  Wherefore we would have come unto you, even I Paul, once and again; but Satan hindered us.  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?"    What does this mean?  Paul is saying that he wanted to come and meet the converts but he was hindered, he couldn't come.. separated in presence but not in heart.  Paul is hoping for and looking forward to seeing them at Christ's second coming.  Its not much comfort to think that we are separated now but at Christ's second coming you will be there but I won't know you.  What comfort is there in that? None.

Bible Men: Elisha Part 1, Anointed by Elijah

Elisha Part 1:  Anointed by Elijah and Witness of his translation into heaven

1 Kings 19:16-21, 2 Kings 2:1-17

Elisha is one of the more colorful people in the bible.  He was a prophet, a man of God, anointed  by Elijah in obedience to the word of the Lord God "...and Elisha the son of Shaphat of Abelmeholah shalt thou anoint to be prophet in thy room." (1 Kings 19:16).  This shows us that prophets were chosen of God, not men that lifted themselves up.  And so it should be today.   God has given various gifts as it pleases him, and moves believers to use those gifts each in their particular way, and then the gift/gifts bear fruit to the glory of God.  Some men (and women) lift themselves up, and strive to do works they desire to do themselves, without the leading of the Lord.  By their fruits we shall know those whom God has chosen..

And so Elijah departed the place where the LORD God spoke to him and found Elisha plowing with twelve yoke of oxen before him, and he with the twelfth (V19).  Elisha was found not sitting at leisure, but passing the time in a meaningful way.   And so when God wants us for a certain task, how will He find us?  Will we be idle? or will we be passing the time by the leading of the Lord?  Ephesians 5:15-17 "See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise, redeeming the time, because the days are evil.  Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is." 
At any rate, it is now that Elijah came to Elisha and cast his mantle (cloak) upon Elisha, thus showing Elisha that he was chosen for the special purpose of being Elijah's servant and successor.  Elisha was taken from plowing a field  to sow the seed of the word (of God), in the same way that some of the apostles were taken from their lives as fishermen, to be made "fishers of men".

After anointing Elisha by casting his mantle upon him,  Elijah was continuing on his way, because Elisha had to run after him (V20) with this request:  "Let me, I pray thee, kiss my father and my mother, and then I will follow thee." The Lord Jesus, in a similar instance, when someone desired to go and bid farewell to his family before following Jesus, told them "No man, having put his hand to the plow, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God."  (Luke 9:61-62)  But in this instance, Elijah graciously gives him permission to go back again, saying "Go back again, for what have I done to thee?" (V20) And so, after slaying a yoke of oxen and feeding the people, Elisha "rose and went after Elijah, and ministered unto him"  (V21) Important here that Elisha did not see himself as an equal, but a servant to Elijah, the man of God. 

Bible Men: Elijah and the Still Small Voice

Elijah and the Still Small Voice

1 Kings 19:1-18

The still small voice is one of the most precious events in the life of Elijah, it came at a time when he was very depressed, a time so many can relate to.

In my previous posts concerning Elijah, we read of King Ahab.  His wife was named Jezebel, who was a very wicked woman.  She worshipped the "gods" and was dominant over her husband.  Jezebel heard how Elijah had confronted the prophets of Baal and how he had slain all of them afterwards. 1 Kings 19:2 "Then Jezebel sent a messenger unto Elijah, saying, so let the gods do to me, and more also, if I make not thy life as the life of one of them by tomorrow about this time."  Those were very foolish words from Jezebel as time would tell..

 I have heard it said that Elijah was fearful and that's why he "arose and went for his life, and came to Beersheba..and left his servant there"(1 Kings 19:3) In thinking about this verse now, I would rather apply Proverbs 16:9 "A man's heart deviseth his way, but the LORD directeth his steps." We will see that the LORD had a wonderful lesson for Elijah, which he would only learn when he was by himself.  Beersheba belonged to Judah, the part of the nation of Israel that served the LORD, the God of Israel.  After leaving his servant there, Elijah went on himself another day's journey into the wilderness, where he "sat down under a juniper tree: and he requested for himself that he might die;and said "It is enough; now, O LORD, take away my life; for I am not better than my fathers." (V4)  Sometimes we may feel like dying too, when it seems that things are so against us, that it is better to be with the Lord..   It is notable here that Elijah "lay and slept under a juniper tree" (V6) To me that says that Elijah had put forth his request,  and then left the matter in the  will of the LORD, and so should we also.

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.

The Creation: Cloud Hearts in the Sky

I love watching the clouds because there are faces and shapes for all to see if you just look up.  The account of Elijah and the cloud in 1 Kings 18:43 is a favorite of mine:  "And it came to pass at the seventh time, that he said Behold, there ariseth a little cloud out of the sea, like a man's hand......"

The photo below was taken early one morning from the property of St. Peter's heritage church.  Can you see the hearts?  It was a blessing to see this formation which only lasted minutes.  This photo is untouched.

Daily Living: The Wonderful Gift of Rain

Job 5:8-10 "I would seek unto God, and unto God would I commit my cause: which doeth great things and unsearchable; marvellous things without number: Who giveth rain upon the earth, and sendeth waters upon the fields."

Psalm 147:7-8 "Sing unto the LORD with thanksgiving; sing praise upon the harp unto our God: Who covereth the heaven with clouds, who prepareth rain for the earth, who maketh grass to grow upon the mountains."

Isaiah 55:10 "For as the rain cometh down, and the snow from heaven, and returneth not thither, but watereth the earth, and maketh it bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to the sower, and bread to the eater
1 Kings 18: 41,44-45 "And Elijah said unto Ahab, Get thee up, eat and drink; for there is a sound of abundance of rain.  And it came to pass at the seventh time, that he said, Behold, there ariseth a little cloud out of the sea, like a man's hand.  And he said, Go up, say unto Ahab, Prepare thy chariot, and get thee down, that the rain stop thee not.  And it came to pass in the mean while, that the heaven was black with clouds and wind, and there was a great rain....."

I used to take rain for granted.  Living on Canada's West Coast there was always abundance of rain.  We didn't pay much attention to it, seldom used an umbrella.  It was just part of life and was never extreme.  We used to joke that people who carried umbrellas must surely be tourists, for no local would ever carry an umbrella. There were no hurricanes, tornadoes or large hail..  I loved walking in the rain, and listening to it on roofs of cars.  When I was a child my bedroom was below ground and my mother would turn on the sprinkler at bedtime so the sound of it would mimic rain and I would fall asleep.