It’s a temporary state

Good morning everyone,

Our theme for this month: Salvation past, present, and future”

Our Bible verse for today: “When he opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar souls of those who had been slaughtered because of the word of God and the testimony they had given. They cried out with a loud voice: “Lord, the one who is holy and true, how long until you judge those who live on the earth and avenge our blood?” So they were each given a white robe, and they were told to rest a little longer until the number would be completed of their fellow servants and their brothers and sisters, who were going to be killed just as they had been.” Revelation 6:9-12 (CSB)

Our thought for today: “It’s a temporary state”

In Revelation 6:9-12 we are reading about some Christian martyrs who had been killed for their faith and who have been waiting in the intermediate heaven for the fulfillment of all things. Like much in the book of Revelation, this passage includes some strange imagery that is not easily explained. But in his book “Heaven,” author Randy Alcorn did an excellent job of drawing some insights from this scene which help us to better understand some important truths about the intermediate heaven.

1. When these people died, they obviously left earth and relocated to heaven.

2. They remembered their lives on earth.

3. They were fully conscious and aware of themselves, others, God, and the situation on earth.

4. They were free to communicate with God.

5. They asked God a question and they received an answer. That means that even though they were in heaven, they did not know everything and there was still learning going on. Evidently, in heaven we continue to explore and learn things.

6. The fact that they were given white robes to wear could be symbolic language, but it could also indicate that each individual has a form that is something more than we would normally think a spirit would have. They were recognizable and they were clothed.

7. There was a strong sense of family ties with “brothers and sisters.”

It’s unlikely that this was a unique group with a special experience that no one else would have. All people depicted in the Bible are real people who are like the rest of us and who are representative of the rest of us. Normally what’s true for them is also true for us. So, it’s safe to assume that in many ways their experience is similar to what ours will be.

We’ve now spent several days considering the intermediate heaven. But since it is a temporary destination for us, I think we have now spent enough time thinking about it. Therefore, we will now move on to thinking about the New Heaven, the New Earth, and our resurrection bodies.

God bless,
Pastor Jim

(If you like what you are reading in these daily devotionals, and if you would like more content from Oak Hill Baptist Church, join us on Sundays at 10:00, in-person if you are nearby or, if you are geographically distant or if you just can’t make it, online at www.YouTube.com/@oakhillbaptistcrossville

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