Treasures in Heaven

[Guest agua]

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[Guest LadyC]

i have never really understand that, but it doesn't really matter to me. spending eternity with God is reward enough for me!

[OneLight]

We have treasures, rewards and works tested by fire. What stands, I believe, will determine what we will be doing for the rest of eternity. If we look at the servant that had 5 talents, and invested them so when the master returned, there were 10, the Master told him

[leoxiii]

Good points, OneLight!

I am sure it also has something to do with being the least and the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. The more treasures, the greater you are. The less treasures, the lesser you are.

[humanoid]

Mat 6:19 Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal:

Mat 6:20 But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal:

Mat 6:21 For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.

Treasures on earth can be material stuff.

What are these treasures in heaven?

great question. this is something i've been thinking a lot about lately.

it's first important to know that heaven is not some mere spiritual paradise consumed with fluffy pink clouds and plump infants playing harps. it is the "kingdom of light", the city of god. it exists in this physical universe.

secondly, the bible says we will have physical, immortal bodies in the highest heavens. jesus ascended into the heavens physically, and so will we.

so heaven is celestial paradise - an area of this universe which is undefiled and pure. "you will be with me in paradise", jesus told the thief on the cross.

i love this quote from thomas watson:

"Heaven cannot be fathomed. If the skirts and suburbs of the palace, namely, the stars and planets are so glorious, that our eyes cannot behold the dazzling luster of them; what glory then is there in the celestial palace itself!"

also some insight from the puritan jonathan edwards:

"The blessed abode of Christ and saints and angels is the third heaven, because it is above the other two; and so Christ is said to be made higher than the heavens. Hebrews 7:26, "For such an high priest became us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and made higher than the heavens," i.e. higher than the visible heaven. This heaven is far above the stars. So it is said that Christ ascended far above all heavens. Ephesians 4:10, "He that descended is the same also that ascended up far above all heavens, that he might fill all things," i.e. far above all the heaven that we see."

"The word paradise signifies a most pleasant and delightful garden, of which the garden of Eden was a type. The garden of Eden was without doubt a place that was delightful beyond what we can easily conceive. But if this earthly paradise was so delightful, how pleasant and glorious may we conclude the heavenly paradise to be; that was not made merely top be the residence of some of the innocent creatures of God during their time of probation, as Eden was, but was prepared by infinite wisdom and skill for the everlasting dwelling-place of the great King of heaven and earth, and of his Son Jesus Christ; the place where they might show their glory, and wisdom, and love forever, and which is to be the habitation of confirmed saints and angels! When God made the universe, he made many parts of it for inferior uses, in which he displayed marvelous skill. Then he made the earth, and the sun, and moon, and stars, and the visible heavens, which appear truly glorious; but there was one part of the creation that God made more especially for himself, to be his own dwelling-place, the place of his glorious rest; and we may conclude that this is beyond all comparison more glorious than the other parts of it. If some parts of the visible world are so glorious, as the sun, moon, and stars how glorious may we conclude the highest heavens to be!"

so yes we will have material possessions in heaven. this is not a greedy thing at all. it is what jesus commands: we should not desire things on this planet but the things in heaven. it is what paul commands:

"set your mind on things above, not on earthly things." Colossians 3:2

"You sympathized with those in prison and joyfully accepted the confiscation of your property, because you knew that you yourselves had better and lasting possessions." Hebrews 10:34

"Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade--kept in heaven for you..." 1 peter 1:5

it is something god will be glad to administer to his children. jesus said he is preparing dwelling places for us in celestial paradise and will come back and bring us there. we will reside there with our new immortal bodies.

what a wonderful future we have!

[OneLight]

Mat 6:19 Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal:

Mat 6:20 But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal:

Mat 6:21 For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.

Treasures on earth can be material stuff.

What are these treasures in heaven?

great question. this is something i've been thinking a lot about lately.

it's first important to know that heaven is not some mere spiritual paradise consumed with fluffy pink clouds and plump infants playing harps. it is the "kingdom of light", the city of god. it exists in this physical universe.

secondly, the bible says we will have physical, immortal bodies in the highest heavens. jesus ascended into the heavens physically, and so will we.

so heaven is celestial paradise - an area of this universe which is undefiled and pure. "you will be with me in paradise", jesus told the thief on the cross.

i love this quote from thomas watson:

"Heaven cannot be fathomed. If the skirts and suburbs of the palace, namely, the stars and planets are so glorious, that our eyes cannot behold the dazzling luster of them; what glory then is there in the celestial palace itself!"

also some insight from the puritan jonathan edwards:

"The blessed abode of Christ and saints and angels is the third heaven, because it is above the other two; and so Christ is said to be made higher than the heavens. Hebrews 7:26, "For such an high priest became us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and made higher than the heavens," i.e. higher than the visible heaven. This heaven is far above the stars. So it is said that Christ ascended far above all heavens. Ephesians 4:10, "He that descended is the same also that ascended up far above all heavens, that he might fill all things," i.e. far above all the heaven that we see."

"The word paradise signifies a most pleasant and delightful garden, of which the garden of Eden was a type. The garden of Eden was without doubt a place that was delightful beyond what we can easily conceive. But if this earthly paradise was so delightful, how pleasant and glorious may we conclude the heavenly paradise to be; that was not made merely top be the residence of some of the innocent creatures of God during their time of probation, as Eden was, but was prepared by infinite wisdom and skill for the everlasting dwelling-place of the great King of heaven and earth, and of his Son Jesus Christ; the place where they might show their glory, and wisdom, and love forever, and which is to be the habitation of confirmed saints and angels! When God made the universe, he made many parts of it for inferior uses, in which he displayed marvelous skill. Then he made the earth, and the sun, and moon, and stars, and the visible heavens, which appear truly glorious; but there was one part of the creation that God made more especially for himself, to be his own dwelling-place, the place of his glorious rest; and we may conclude that this is beyond all comparison more glorious than the other parts of it. If some parts of the visible world are so glorious, as the sun, moon, and stars how glorious may we conclude the highest heavens to be!"

so yes we will have material possessions in heaven. this is not a greedy thing at all. it is what jesus commands: we should not desire things on this planet but the things in heaven. it is what paul commands:

"set your mind on things above, not on earthly things." Colossians 3:2

"You sympathized with those in prison and joyfully accepted the confiscation of your property, because you knew that you yourselves had better and lasting possessions." Hebrews 10:34

"Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade--kept in heaven for you..." 1 peter 1:5

it is something god will be glad to administer to his children. jesus said he is preparing dwelling places for us in celestial paradise and will come back and bring us there. we will reside there with our new immortal bodies.

what a wonderful future we have!

Heaven is only a temporal place. Read Revelation 21. God is going to create a new heaven and a new earth, then the New Jerusalem is coming to the new earth so we can be with Him forever.

[humanoid]

Heaven is only a temporal place. Read Revelation 21. God is going to create a new heaven and a new earth, then the New Jerusalem is coming to the new earth so we can be with Him forever.

are you saying we'll be on earth for eternity?

[Guest LadyC]

at least for the thousand year rein... and as i understand it, for eternity. God's kingdom is not going to remain in heaven. it will be here, on earth. but earth will not look like it does now.

[2Joyful]

Mat 6:19 Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal:

Mat 6:20 But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal:

Mat 6:21 For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.

Treasures on earth can be material stuff.

What are these treasures in heaven?

Blessings Aqua, My understanding concerning these scriptures: The treasures are (blessings) that God sends us, they are send for one purpose only, as a blessing. Yet some people began boasting, that its all about them, and when something happens to them, the people stumble and fall. But when you receive those blessings in thanksgiving, you won't just keep it to yourself, others will be blessed, therefore God sees and you began to move into an overflow. When people takes that blessing and boast, it has no value, thats why they are the most unhappy and unfulfilled people you will met. Treasures are not only material things, its anything that touches your heart from the heart of God. And as we give out of our heart, God sees. Revelation 22:12-14 sums it up: "And behold, I am coming quickly, and my reward is with me, to give to everyone according to his work. Blessed are those who do His commandments, that they may have the right to the tree of Life, and enter through the gates into the city." You see our treasures are not to be stored up and hoarded, they are to become an overflow to the entire world......jot

[humanoid]

at least for the thousand year rein... and as i understand it, for eternity. God's kingdom is not going to remain in heaven. it will be here, on earth. but earth will not look like it does now.

well i completely disagree with this belief, because the bible completely disagrees with it:

"But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ..." Philippians 3:20

"Now we know that if the earthly tent we live in is destroyed, we have a building from God, an eternal house in heaven, not built by human hands." 2 Corinthians 5:1

we are told that we shall be with jesus throughout all eternity, for we are his bride. so if we want to know where we will spend eternity, we only need to find out where jesus will spend eternity:

"You are from below; I am from above. You are of this world; I am not of this world." -Jesus

Jesus said, "My kingdom is not of this world. If it were, my servants would fight to prevent my arrest by the Jews. But as it is, my kingdom is not from here." -Jesus

"They (christians) are not of the world, even as I am not of it." -Jesus

"In my Father's house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am." -Jesus

i think some take revelation 21, where it depicts heaven coming down to earth, too literally. it is supposed to be symbolical of the presence of all that is good, holy and pure on planet earth for the first time since the fall. the city of god will not physically descend and land onto this planet.