To Heaven and Back

“And I know that this man was caught up into paradise – whether in the body or out of the body I do not know, God knows.” 2 Corinthians 12:3

March 21, 2023

How would you like a round-trip ticket to heaven and back? Farfetched? It happened to the apostle Paul sometime before he set out on his first missionary journey (Acts. 13:1-3). He said, speaking in the third person, “he was ‘caught up to the third heaven. . .this man was caught up into paradise – whether in the body or out of the body I do not know’” (2 Cor. 12:2-3). We don’t know what he saw or heard because he was prohibited from doing so. Unlike those fanciful tales told by some Christians who claim they have-been-there-done-that and write a book about it. It is safe to say that Paul may have seen a throne of the kind described in Revelation 4 surrounded by angels and maybe some of those who have finished their race and are with Jesus (Heb. 12:1-2). Scripture has purposely drawn a curtain over the sublime conditions that exist where Jesus is seated at the right hand of the throne of God (Heb. 12:2). One thing we know for sure, heaven is where awe-inspiring worship of God is taking place in the heavenly court. Don’t confuse this with an extended church service and singing the last song one hundred times. Erwin Lutzer continues in his gospel tract, One Minute After You Die, “Those who find themselves in heaven will be surrounded with many friends they have known on earth. Every description of heaven they have ever heard will pale in light of reality.” But our worship of the Lord is not to be put on hold. We must learn to worship God in the here and now for all His perfections.
H
“O sovereign and holy God, I am humbled by all you have done for me. I long to see my Savior. I let too much of a hurried life keep me from quiet time in worshipful presence before you.”