Heaven on Earth
This final section of the study of Heaven will examine the earthly portrait of Heaven in the Old and New Testaments; the texts studied, it is assumed, describe an earthly down payment or shadow of Heaven. For ease of examination, the texts have been grouped into three categories: land, buildings, and times & seasons. Within each category major examples are considered - for example, under the theme of land, the Garden of Eden; under the theme of building, the tabernacle; under the theme of time, the Sabbath. The goal is twofold; to rejoice 1) in the several ways that Heaven is depicted for the hope of God's people, and 2) in how we partake of the various aspects of Heaven even now in Christ Jesus.
Land
The Garden of Eden, Genesis 2-3
1. For what (apparent) purpose had the LORD God planted the Garden?
2. What is at the center of the Garden? How does this occupy the center of God's fellowship with man? How does man worship in the Garden? Has God given us any similar instructions, with words and physical elements, that are fundamental for life and faith?
3. Although they are not specifically mentioned in this text, what function do the stars and greater light and lesser light perform? What might your conclusion about this suggest about the role of creation for man's worship and work? Reflecting on your comments in the previous questions, what role might the heavenly lights play in the worship in Heaven?
4. Based on Genesis 3:8, what seems to happen in the Garden? How is this related to your answer for #1? How might your answer alter or strengthen your perception concerning the connection between your present work and worship? What possible conclusions might be drawn about Heaven?
5. Since the four-fold river has its source in the Garden, what does this suggest about the Garden? What would you surmise is the center of Heaven?
6. Why must man be banished from the Garden? When man trespasses the "second" purpose of the Garden, what else suffers? When man is restored to God, what else is brought along?
7. Read Psalm 46:5 and Ezekiel 47:1-12; what is the common element between those prophetic texts and Genesis 2? Read Exodus 25:7 and 1 Chronicles 29:2; what does Genesis 2 have in common with those passages? Read Exodus 25:3,11,13,18, etc. What is common to Genesis 2? Reflecting on the issues this study has covered and your responses in #7, for what reasons might the Garden of Eden be considered "Heaven on earth"?
8. If you were to describe Heaven for somebody today using (or modifying) the images of the Garden of Eden, what would you say? What would expect Heaven to undo? What might you expect Heaven to maintain about the Garden of Eden?
9. How does creation express its current disposition, being burdened with man's sin? What is creation hoping for? Read Romans 8:20-22. How do Romans 5:1-5 and 2 Peter 3:10-13 shape your understanding of Genesis 2-3?
The Land of Israel
Isaiah 35
1. The return of the exiles to the land is portrayed by what imagery? How does this recreation recall the Garden of Eden?
2. How does the return affect the people?
3. How does Christ Jesus demonstrate that He is the fulfillment of this passage? Read Matthew 8:14-17 and Matthew 11:4-6.
Isaiah 65:17-25
1. When YHWH creates the new heavens and the new earth, how are the consequences of this newness described in regard to His relationship with Jerusalem? Animal life? Human life? Human relationships?
2. What, therefore, is absent from the new creation? What reference is there to judgment upon Satan?
3. How does this description recall the Garden of Eden?
4. How is fellowship portrayed in 65:24? What does this say about the restored fellowship between YHWH and man?
5. Reflecting on the issues this study has covered, for what reasons might Isaiah 65:17-25 speak of Heaven? What hope does Isaiah 65:17ff. offer the one who reads Genesis 2-3?
6. If you were to describe Heaven for somebody today using (or modifying) the images of Isaiah 65:17-24, what would you say?
The Christocentric nature of this passage will be discussed in conjunction with Revelation 21-22.
Ezekiel 36:8-15
1. In Ezekiel the phrase "mountains of Israel" refers to the core homeland where Israel first settled after conquering Canaan. Ezekiel 36 addresses the issue of Israel's restoration. What does God promise concerning the land?
2. Another Old Testament passage shapes the imagery of this text; what passage is it? What is the echo of that passage to tell us? How is the undoing of the curse of Genesis 3 heard in this passage?
3. This text also teaches us that the restoration of Israel is not merely of the heart. Does verse 12 remind you of any other specific phrase used by God? Read Ezekiel 36:28.
4. What does the restoration of the land declare?
5. Reflecting on the issues this study has covered, for what reasons might Ezekiel 36:8-15 speak of Heaven? What hope does Ezekiel 36:8-15 offer the one who reads Genesis 2-3?
6. If you were to describe Heaven for somebody today using (or modifying) the images of Ezekiel 36:8-15, what would you say?
7. How does Colossians 1:15-20 help us keep Christ at the center of Ezekiel 36:8-15?
Ezekiel 45-48
1. In an ordinary distribution of land, the residents would strive to receive an equitable portion, in size and fertility. The new distribution of the land is to convey what about Israel's future? Rather than a occupancy that is built on a self-centered life, the orientation of the tribal lands declares that life will be focused where?
2. How is your answer to the previous question and the geometrical allotment of the land in chapter 48 related? How does Ezekiel 48:35 confirm your response?
3. According to chapter 47, what creates the superabundant renewal of the land?
4. What tells us in these chapters that the geography and topography should be interpreted in a way that is not literalistic but yet literal?
5. Reflecting on the issues this study has covered, for what reasons might Ezekiel 44-48 speak of Heaven? What hope does Ezekiel 44-48 offer the one who reads the history of Israel in the Old Testament?
6. If you were to describe Heaven for somebody today using (or modifying) the images of Ezekiel 44-48, what would you say?
7. How does Colossians 1:15-20 help us keep Christ at the center of Ezekiel 36:8-15?
Joel 3:18 & Amos 9:13-15
1. What kind of land can His people expect in the days ahead? From what/who does the fruitfulness of the land originate? Again, with what passages does this resonate?
2. What stress should be placed on "they" in these verses?
3. How is the theocentric nature of the restored land accented?
4. What connection between these Old Testament prophetic passages and John 2:1-11 can you make? How does 1 Peter 1:10-12 support your conclusion?
Zechariah 14:8-11
1. For what reason is water of such importance in the restoration of Israel?
2. What is the significance of the elevation of Jerusalem?
3. The New Testament teaches us that the prophetic passages have their fulfillment in Jesus. John 2:19-22 and John 12:32 lead to conclude what about the passage from Zechariah?
The New Heavens and the New Earth
Revelation 21-22
1. The initial words of this passage echo what other passages in Scripture? Why should that echo be heard?
2. What connotation does the word new (verse 1) carry? How does verse 4 help us draw conclusions? How will 2 Corinthians 5:17-21 ultimately frame your answer?
3. For what possible reason is there no sea? Consider Genesis 6-9 in your response.
4. From where is the new Jerusalem? Why would the focus be drawn to the new Jerusalem? In other words, the new Jerusalem is considered whose dwelling place?
5. The exclusion of the sinners (verse 8) states what about the new Jerusalem?
6. How does 21:3,7 echo the primary expression of the covenant in the Old Testament?
7. Before the description of the new Jerusalem is examined, a question of singular importance must first be answered: What or who is the new Jerusalem? Read Ephesians 2:19-22 and 1 Peter 2:4-6.
8. What is the significance of describing the city geometrically, with jewels and precious materials? What purpose does the inscription of the tribes on the gates serve? What significance does the foundation, with its inscribed names, have? Read Ephesians 2:19-22.
9. Read Exodus 25:8; in the Old Testament what purpose did the Temple have? How has this been accomplished? Read Hebrews 9:1-10:7. Why, then, is there no Temple? What can we conclude about the fellowship between the Christ and His bride?
10. How do the inhabitants behold the glorious presence of God and the Lamb? Without a Temple how can worship occur? How might this speak to the issue of the destruction of the Temple in Jerusalem a score of years before the revelation to St. John? For what reason, the, do we build earthly structures for worship?
11. If the land outside of the city is not described, what is the obvious focus of the revelation? Why are the gates not shut? Why are there no cherubim guarding the access to the city?
12. After reading Genesis 2-3 one should see several connections between that passage (as well as other Old Testament texts) and Revelation 21-22. Why is there no need for the Genesis 1 function of the greater light and lesser light? How is "God is the source of all genuine life" affirmed in Revelation 22:1? Keeping Genesis 3 in mind, since the tree of life reappears, what has been restored to man? How does 22:4 confirm this?
13. What curse will have been removed? Reconsider why man was put into the Garden; what will man's labor, if one may use that term now, be like in Heaven?
14. Who will reign? Over what?
15. What hope does Revelation 21-22:6 offer to the reader? If you were to describe Heaven for somebody today using (or modifying) the images of Revelation 21-22, what would you say?
