Joy in Heaven

[Dennis1209]

Have you ever wondered?

Luke 15:7 I say unto you, that likewise joy shall be in heaven over one sinner that repenteth, more than over ninety and nine just persons, which need no repentance.

I have wondered if what Jesus said includes family and loved ones that have preceded me. This verse reminds me of something else Jesus said:

Matthew 18:12 How think ye? if a man have an hundred sheep, and one of them be gone astray, doth he not leave the ninety and nine, and goeth into the mountains, and seeketh that which is gone astray?

I take what Jesus said to mean; changing your lifestyle to trying to live a righteous life following Jesus, changing your want to’s.

Not needing repentance, those whom are saved by the blood of the Lamb. “Just,” being justified by faith, and have saving faith.

Are those with the Lord aware when anyone and everyone comes to saving faith, and there is joy in heaven because of that. This leads me to think our departed loved ones are part of that joy in Salvation of everyone.

I have pondered if our saved departed loved ones still retain a special interest for the souls of their families left behind. I have shared before several times when I was in life or death situations. I thought I could feel the prayers from loved ones. Perhaps that was only hopeful thinking.  

Any thoughts if you think those departed souls with the Lord are aware, or even concerned with what is occurring with their loved ones on earth and events taking place?

I might think seeing Jesus face to face, the glorious splendors of what Jesus has prepared for us, and the wonders, would dampen any worldly concerns. But the wiping away of all our tears, seems to be in the distant future. Therefore, it seems plausible there maybe regrets and sorrows until entering eternity.

Revelation 21:4 And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away. [end of the millennium]

Based on the verse below, it is still a question.

Revelation 6:10 And they cried with a loud voice, saying, How long, O Lord, holy and true, dost thou not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth?

[AnOrangeCat]

5 minutes ago, Dennis1209 said:

I might think seeing Jesus face to face, the glorious splendors of what Jesus has prepared for us, and the wonders, would dampen any worldly concerns. But the wiping away of all our tears, seems to be in the distant future. Therefore, it seems plausible there maybe regrets and sorrows until entering eternity.

My personal thought is that it's not going to be so much that worldly concerns are dampened as that they're put into perspective. How a sports team performs or who wins a given election? Not so important. But I do think that actually being in Heaven would bestow a heightened sense of wanting to see others there, especially unsaved friends and relatives. Speaking for myself only I think I'll probably feel some regret about how I lived my life. I already do regret it in the sense that despite having had a lot of exposure to sound teaching my teenage years and 20s feel like years wasted.

[Michael37]

22 minutes ago, Dennis1209 said:

Have you ever wondered?

Luke 15:7 I say unto you, that likewise joy shall be in heaven over one sinner that repenteth, more than over ninety and nine just persons, which need no repentance.

I have wondered if what Jesus said includes family and loved ones that have preceded me. This verse reminds me of something else Jesus said:

Matthew 18:12 How think ye? if a man have an hundred sheep, and one of them be gone astray, doth he not leave the ninety and nine, and goeth into the mountains, and seeketh that which is gone astray?

I take what Jesus said to mean; changing your lifestyle to trying to live a righteous life following Jesus, changing your want to’s.

Not needing repentance, those whom are saved by the blood of the Lamb. “Just,” being justified by faith, and have saving faith.

Are those with the Lord aware when anyone and everyone comes to saving faith, and there is joy in heaven because of that. This leads me to think our departed loved ones are part of that joy in Salvation of everyone.

I have pondered if our saved departed loved ones still retain a special interest for the souls of their families left behind. I have shared before several times when I was in life or death situations. I thought I could feel the prayers from loved ones. Perhaps that was only hopeful thinking.  

Any thoughts if you think those departed souls with the Lord are aware, or even concerned with what is occurring with their loved ones on earth and events taking place?

I might think seeing Jesus face to face, the glorious splendors of what Jesus has prepared for us, and the wonders, would dampen any worldly concerns. But the wiping away of all our tears, seems to be in the distant future. Therefore, it seems plausible there maybe regrets and sorrows until entering eternity.

Revelation 21:4 And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away. [end of the millennium]

Based on the verse below, it is still a question.

Revelation 6:10 And they cried with a loud voice, saying, How long, O Lord, holy and true, dost thou not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth?

Regarding the martyrs under the altar in heaven, their complaint is interesting in that it shows they are waiting for a future event at which time their deaths will be avenged. Stephen is no doubt one of them waiting, having forgiven those who had a part in his stoning including Paul, but still looking forward to the promised outcome when all opposition to God is put down for eternity. 

Some awareness of divine operations by those in heaven is Scriptural but consulting the departed is not.

[Marilyn C]

1 hour ago, Dennis1209 said:

Have you ever wondered?

Luke 15:7 I say unto you, that likewise joy shall be in heaven over one sinner that repenteth, more than over ninety and nine just persons, which need no repentance.

I have wondered if what Jesus said includes family and loved ones that have preceded me. This verse reminds me of something else Jesus said:

Matthew 18:12 How think ye? if a man have an hundred sheep, and one of them be gone astray, doth he not leave the ninety and nine, and goeth into the mountains, and seeketh that which is gone astray?

I take what Jesus said to mean; changing your lifestyle to trying to live a righteous life following Jesus, changing your want to’s.

Not needing repentance, those whom are saved by the blood of the Lamb. “Just,” being justified by faith, and have saving faith.

Are those with the Lord aware when anyone and everyone comes to saving faith, and there is joy in heaven because of that. This leads me to think our departed loved ones are part of that joy in Salvation of everyone.

I have pondered if our saved departed loved ones still retain a special interest for the souls of their families left behind. I have shared before several times when I was in life or death situations. I thought I could feel the prayers from loved ones. Perhaps that was only hopeful thinking.  

Any thoughts if you think those departed souls with the Lord are aware, or even concerned with what is occurring with their loved ones on earth and events taking place?

I might think seeing Jesus face to face, the glorious splendors of what Jesus has prepared for us, and the wonders, would dampen any worldly concerns. But the wiping away of all our tears, seems to be in the distant future. Therefore, it seems plausible there maybe regrets and sorrows until entering eternity.

Revelation 21:4 And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away. [end of the millennium]

Based on the verse below, it is still a question.

Revelation 6:10 And they cried with a loud voice, saying, How long, O Lord, holy and true, dost thou not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth?

Hi Dennis,

`For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him those who SLEEP in Jesus.`  (1 Thess. 4: 14)

That is what I believe. I would not want any loved one or any others being aware of what is happening down here in the sinful, dark, cruel world system. 

regards, Marilyn. 

[Dennis1209]

15 hours ago, Michael37 said:

Regarding the martyrs under the altar in heaven, their complaint is interesting in that it shows they are waiting for a future event at which time their deaths will be avenged. Stephen is no doubt one of them waiting, having forgiven those who had a part in his stoning including Paul, but still looking forward to the promised outcome when all opposition to God is put down for eternity. 

Some awareness of divine operations by those in heaven is Scriptural but consulting the departed is not.

This is interesting, we were discussing this on another thread awhile back.

I assume you are referring to the martyred saints under the alter in Revelation. I would have to go back and review, but I recall thinking it was the tribulation saints only, that had their tears immediately removed. At the close of the millennium before entering eternity, it seems everyone’s tears and sorrows are removed.

Those under the alter, do you think it is the martyred saints of all time?

I am aware necromancy and praying to the saints is prohibited. I did not completely illustrate my thoughts on intercessory prayer. Say for instance, your grandparents were praying for your safety and that you would repent of your backsliding. They are called home to be with the Lord. What is the status now of those intercessory prayers?

In addition, if these martyred souls under the alter were only tribulation saints, you would think they would know the timeline of the tribulation, and where they were at in it. Providing they are allowed to know what is happening on earth.

[Michael37]

5 hours ago, Dennis1209 said:

In addition, if these martyred souls under the alter were only tribulation saints, you would think they would know the timeline of the tribulation, and where they were at in it. Providing they are allowed to know what is happening on earth.

Rev 6:9
(9)  When He opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of those who had been slain for the word of God and for the testimony which they held.

Can you spot the error in assuming the martyrs under the altar are from the future great tribulation?

 

[Dennis1209]

1 hour ago, Michael37 said:

Rev 6:9
(9)  When He opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of those who had been slain for the word of God and for the testimony which they held.

Can you spot the error in assuming the martyrs under the altar are from the future great tribulation?

 

Yes, I see where you are heading. I would not argue that thinking, but the previous verse (vs.8), places the saints in vs. nine as those martyred saints of part of the Tribulation under the alter, IMO.

Then again, it could be a shift; it is also reasonable to surmise these could be the martyred saints of all time, awaiting all the Tribulation saints. The book of Revelation does shift forward and backward in time frequently. Some call them parenthetical chapters and verses. 

Whichever view is correct, it appears the following is associated with it:

Revelation 7:17 For the Lamb which is in the midst of the throne shall feed them, and shall lead them unto living fountains of waters: and God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes. [emphasis added]

This must be a special group of people, getting their tears wiped away early in the Tribulation.

Revelation 21:4 And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.

This has to be a different group of people at the end of the millennium having their tears and sorrow removed I would think. 

[Michael37]

3 hours ago, Dennis1209 said:

Yes, I see where you are heading. I would not argue that thinking, but the previous verse (vs.8), places the saints in vs. nine as those martyred saints of part of the Tribulation under the alter, IMO.

An observation whilst we have the Seven-Sealed Scroll in view, its opening is contingent on the worthiness of the Lamb by virtue of His being slain to Redeem us.

In John's day there was nothing new about conquest, conflict, commodities, and carnage giving rise to much suffering on earth as depicted in the first four seals, and likewise there was a long history of saints being slain for the Word of God, so the complaint of the souls under the altar can be construed as reaching back to Abel.