When Heaven Becomes an Idol
Wednesday, October 23, 2019
By Dr. Ray Rooney, Jr.
Reprinted from: American Family Association
Back in the early 50’s Walt Disney envisioned a “magical park” just for families. His vision became a reality on July 17, 1955, in Los Angeles, California with the opening of Disneyland. Disneyworld opened in Orlando, Florida in October of 1971. Over 700 million people have visited Disneyland since it opened (Disneyworld has an average attendance of over 52 million per year). Although many people were involved in building both parks, only one man is responsible for their creation: Walt Disney.
Despite the “Magic Kingdom” being the creation of one man, no one really ever went to any of the Disney theme parks to see or be with Walt Disney. They went (and still go) to enjoy themselves. Can you see where this is going?
There are a myriad of nuances concerning the word “idolatry.” However, all the definitions seem to coalesce into a single thought: idolatry is God replacement. Whatever we use to set God aside is by definition, an idol.
I have heard a lot of sermons, read a lot of books, and had a lot of discussions with people about heaven. My experience tells me that people are excited about reuniting with loved ones, being permanently mended from physical and emotional handicaps, and having all their desires met simultaneously and endlessly (eternal bliss). What seems to be missing from most of the sermons, books, and discussions about heaven, though, is any real longing or desire to stand and then live forever face to face with God Almighty.
Of all the millions and millions of people who have visited Disneyland or Disneyworld few, if any, cared that they did not meet Walt Disney while at the park (while he was alive and certainly not now). People don’t go to amusement parks to meet the person who is responsible for all the rides, exhibits, and shows. Generally speaking, they go to have fun with people they care about.
I fear that heaven has become nothing more than a spiritualized version of Disneyland in the modern church. If the only appeal to heaven is our own personal gratification wherein meeting the one who both envisioned and then built heaven is not really longed for or even necessary…then heaven has replaced God and has become an idol.
Mankind’s existence begins in the Garden of Eden where Adam and Eve are with God. Every way there is to be with Him. And that includes physically. They saw Him. They walked with Him. Then sin entered the picture and being with God was no longer possible. Even getting close to God became dangerous (setting foot on Mt. Sinai; Exodus 19:12, entering the Holy of Holies in the tabernacle and later temple; Exodus 28:34-35, or even touching the Ark of the Covenant; 2 Samuel 6:6-7).
The entire biblical narrative is the story of being able to get back with God. The Bible concludes with the electrifying and exhilarating news:
I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God” (Revelation 21:3).
That is the fulfillment of David’s hope in the 23rd Psalm:
And I shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever (v.6).
It is difficult to understand how heaven has been turned into a phantasmagoric everlasting theme park created to satisfy and fulfill all our wants and desires when the Bible makes it absolutely clear that heaven is about one thing and only one thing: being with God.
Consider this statement from Jesus:
In my father’s house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also [emphasis mine] (John 14:2-3).
In Jesus’ mind, this “place” that He is preparing for His followers is to serve one purpose: “that where I am you may be also.” Now, assuredly, being in His presence will meet every possible need and fulfill every possible desire of each person, but when people are quick to point out what they expect in heaven and nowhere on their list is being with God…there is a problem.
(For the purist and academician I realize that technically New Jerusalem isn’t even in heaven as per Revelation 21:2. The purpose of this blog is to address our inappropriate desires and expectations rather than flesh out the intricacies of life after death [or as N.T. Wright puts it: life after life after death].)
It wasn’t just Jesus who centered the true hope of heaven as being with God. In 2 Corinthians, Paul takes his readers on a journey beyond this life. After writing of our heavenly dwelling and being swallowed up by life in the future, he returns to the present with this word of hope:
Yes, we are of good courage, and we would rather be away from the body and at home with the Lord [emphasis mine] (2 Corinthians 5:8).
Paul never lost sight of the ultimate goal of Christianity: being with God as we once were in Eden.
I realize how worked up some people get with the “Rapture” passage of 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17 but once again, I fear we are majoring on minors. Regardless of what your take is on the rapture look at how Paul concludes the news of Christ’s return:
and so we will always be with the Lord (1 Thessalonians 4:17).
People have made the transition into the air the big event but with Paul the really big news was, and remains, being with the Lord!
In summarizing the reason for writing the book of Hebrews, the author reminds the readers of how unapproachable God has been to mankind. They are reminded of Mt. Sinai and that if any living creature touched the holy mountain it would die. Then he says,
But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to innumerable angels in festal gathering, and to the assembly of the firstborn who are enrolled in heaven, and to God, the judge of all, and to the spirits of the righteous made perfect, and to Jesus, the mediator of a new covenant…[emphasis mine] (Hebrews 12:22-24).
The benefits of heaven are immortality, perfect wholeness, and absolute fulfillment. They are not the goal. The goal always has been and always will be being with God. The benefits are tied directly to being with God.
The big draw to heaven isn’t what we get out of it. The big draw is being face to face with God like we never have in this life. No veils. No types. No symbols. Looking into our Creator’s face. Reaching out and touching Him. Living eternally with Him.
If being with God isn’t all that central or important to your beliefs about heaven…then you’ve made heaven into a replacement for God. And that is idolatry.
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This article by Dr. Ray Rooney, Jr. is spot on. Also, in almost every sermon I’ve ever heard, or discussion or study among people, the emphasis if preaching on or talking about heaven is self-directed. Selfish in nature. Worldly by its nature. Most completely ignoring the clear, plain words of the Holy Bible with regard to all that was shall pass away. Be forgotten. Forever.
That anyone attaining eternal life in heaven will receive a new name, a new body, a spiritual body. All that they knew, were, had — would pass away and be forever forgotten.
Most I have ever heard discussing heaven make it sound like an eternal family reunion, an eternal family picnic in the most lovely and expensive park in the world. That God Almighty, God, Jesus and the Holy Spirit, Creators of all things have had all of mankind’s history unfold so They could bring them to a park called “Heaven” to party for eternity. Without pain, without ants, bugs, weeds, or cold food meant to be served hot — and, of course, every friend and relative people want or expect to be there will certainly show up. No matter what those people may have believed, not believed, been or not been in the sight of God.
Heaven, and the coming end of this corrupted, fallen, sin-filled, selfish, lost and broken world is to restore Paradise as originally created by God and Jesus Christ the Lord.
To bring about perfection again. This time in finality.
Why?
Not for each individuals selfish, foolish and carnally based thinking — but to once more be restored and to commune with the Living God. To be in the very presence of God Almighty. The Creator. To be in the very presence of THEE LIVING Jesus Christ. He who took on flesh, knew temptation yet was sinless, blameless and through His love took upon Himself our every sin so we might be forgiven if we believe on Him and OBEY His words. If we OBEY and remain faithful, and GROW in spiritual maturity. GROW in faithfulness.
Heaven is a place where we are to worship, honor, praise, rejoice with the Lord Jesus face to face and be in no need of sun, moon, stars, electricity or any source for LIGHT! For our every need! Because those who attain eternal life in heaven will have done so not only from faith in Jesus, obedience to God and Christ, but in the knowledge heaven is the place where God and Jesus actually reside for every individual attaining eternal life in heaven to be in Their very presence. To SEE, to KNOW, to BE WITH…to worship and give thanks to.
Not a party center.
Not a place for family reunions and picnics.
Unless it be God’s will.
Anything we are imagining, thinking, discussing, preaching, teaching is idol worship. Idolatry. Make no mistake.
A. W. Tozer said that for a person to imagine what God looks like and hold that image in their mind is idolatry. A. W. Tozer is a spot on correct!
Idol worhsip is not only what is commonly associated as such.
If we make heaven something other than the place where God lives and we are, if so blessed, to live eternally with Him and Jesus — to honor, worship, praise and live with Them, in the home They made for us through our walking the narrow a straight path, entering at the narrow gate, in faithfulness, in OBEDIENCE — anything other is idolatry. Not of God. Of our own minds and making.
Heaven is for the obedient and faithful. Not to be sold, discussed, preached about or on, thought of as some luxury eternal vacation condo with every amenity every worldly heart could ever desire and enough room for all the relatives and friends we like to party and feast with us for eternity.
It’s God’s home. First. Ours by invitation.
Think on it thusly, treat it thusly.
Ken Pullen
ACP — A Crooked Path
Wednesday, October 23rd, 2019
The New Heaven and the New Earth
Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling placea of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people,b and God himself will be with them as their God.c He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.”
And he who was seated on the throne said, “Behold, I am making all things new.” Also he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.” And he said to me, “It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. To the thirsty I will give from the spring of the water of life without payment. The one who conquers will have this heritage, and I will be his God and he will be my son. But as for the cowardly, the faithless, the detestable, as for murderers, the sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars, their portion will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur, which is the second death.”
The New Jerusalem
Then came one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls full of the seven last plagues and spoke to me, saying, “Come, I will show you the Bride, the wife of the Lamb.” And he carried me away in the Spirit to a great, high mountain, and showed me the holy city Jerusalem coming down out of heaven from God, having the glory of God, its radiance like a most rare jewel, like a jasper, clear as crystal. It had a great, high wall, with twelve gates, and at the gates twelve angels, and on the gates the names of the twelve tribes of the sons of Israel were inscribed— on the east three gates, on the north three gates, on the south three gates, and on the west three gates. And the wall of the city had twelve foundations, and on them were the twelve names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb.
And the one who spoke with me had a measuring rod of gold to measure the city and its gates and walls. The city lies foursquare, its length the same as its width. And he measured the city with his rod, 12,000 stadia.d Its length and width and height are equal. He also measured its wall, 144 cubitse by human measurement, which is also an angel’s measurement. The wall was built of jasper, while the city was pure gold, like clear glass. The foundations of the wall of the city were adorned with every kind of jewel. The first was jasper, the second sapphire, the third agate, the fourth emerald, the fifth onyx, the sixth carnelian, the seventh chrysolite, the eighth beryl, the ninth topaz, the tenth chrysoprase, the eleventh jacinth, the twelfth amethyst. And the twelve gates were twelve pearls, each of the gates made of a single pearl, and the street of the city was pure gold, like transparent glass.
And I saw no temple in the city, for its temple is the Lord God the Almighty and the Lamb. And the city has no need of sun or moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light, and its lamp is the Lamb. By its light will the nations walk, and the kings of the earth will bring their glory into it, and its gates will never be shut by day—and there will be no night there. They will bring into it the glory and the honor of the nations. But nothing unclean will ever enter it, nor anyone who does what is detestable or false, but only those who are written in the Lamb’s book of life.
Footnotes:
a 3 Or tabernacle
b 3 Some manuscripts peoples
c 3 Some manuscripts omit as their God
d 16 About 1,380 miles; a stadion was about 607 feet or 185 meters
e 17 A cubit was about 18 inches or 45 centimeters
The River of Life
Then the angela showed me the river of the water of life, bright as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb through the middle of the street of the city; also, on either side of the river, the tree of lifeb with its twelve kinds of fruit, yielding its fruit each month. The leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations. No longer will there be anything accursed, but the throne of God and of the Lamb will be in it, and his servants will worship him. They will see his face, and his name will be on their foreheads. And night will be no more. They will need no light of lamp or sun, for the Lord God will be their light, and they will reign forever and ever.
Jesus Is Coming
And he said to me, “These words are trustworthy and true. And the Lord, the God of the spirits of the prophets, has sent his angel to show his servants what must soon take place.”
“And behold, I am coming soon. Blessed is the one who keeps the words of the prophecy of this book.”
I, John, am the one who heard and saw these things. And when I heard and saw them, I fell down to worship at the feet of the angel who showed them to me, but he said to me, “You must not do that! I am a fellow servant with you and your brothers the prophets, and with those who keep the words of this book. Worship God.”
And he said to me, “Do not seal up the words of the prophecy of this book, for the time is near. Let the evildoer still do evil, and the filthy still be filthy, and the righteous still do right, and the holy still be holy.”
“Behold, I am coming soon, bringing my recompense with me, to repay each one for what he has done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end.”
Blessed are those who wash their robes,c so that they may have the right to the tree of life and that they may enter the city by the gates. Outside are the dogs and sorcerers and the sexually immoral and murderers and idolaters, and everyone who loves and practices falsehood.
“I, Jesus, have sent my angel to testify to you about these things for the churches. I am the root and the descendant of David, the bright morning star.”
The Spirit and the Bride say, “Come.” And let the one who hears say, “Come.” And let the one who is thirsty come; let the one who desires take the water of life without price.
I warn everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: if anyone adds to them, God will add to him the plagues described in this book, and if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God will take away his share in the tree of life and in the holy city, which are described in this book.
He who testifies to these things says, “Surely I am coming soon.” Amen. Come, Lord Jesus!
The grace of the Lord Jesus be with all.d Amen.
Footnotes:
a 1 Greek he
b 2 Or the Lamb. In the midst of the street of the city, and on either side of the river, was the tree of life
c 14 Some manuscripts do his commandments
d 21 Some manuscripts all the saints
Revelation 21 & 22 — English Standard Version
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