Heavenly Treasures
11.18.09
Heavenly Treasures
What you BELIEVE determines WHERE you will spend eternity (heaven or hell). What you DO determines HOW you will spend eternity (rich or poor). Yes, it is possible to be “poor” in heaven, and even though everybody in heaven will be happy, love each other and have no envy or strife, some people will be “richer” in heaven than other people (read the rest of the article if you want to find out what it means to be “rich” in heaven).
Firstly let’s just settle this one point: If you believe in Jesus Christ as your Lord and Saviour, you WILL go to heaven. This message is NOT about whether you will go to heaven or not, it assumes you WILL. This message is about receiving a reward for your WORKS.
Firstly there are those people who say that everybody will be equal in heaven, have all things in common and that they don’t care about whether they will have lots of treasure in heaven or not, as long as they get there! Although the first 2 statements may be partially true, there is definitely something wrong with saying you don’t care about having treasure in heaven, as Jesus specifically taught us to store up treasures for our self in heaven: [Mat 6:19 Do not lay up treasures on earth for yourselves, where moth and rust corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal. Mat 6:20 But lay up treasures in Heaven for yourselves, where neither moth nor rust corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal].
The New Covenant is full of passages that tell us we will be rewarded according to our WORKS:
[Rev 22:12 And behold, I am coming quickly, and My reward is with Me, to give to each according as his work is].
[1 Cor 3:13 each one's work shall be revealed. For the Day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try each one's work as to what kind it is. 14 If anyone's work which he built remains, he shall receive a reward. 15 If anyone's work shall be burned up, he shall suffer loss. But he shall be saved, yet so as by fire]. These verses say we will receive a reward for our works, and if we didn’t do any works that are worth a reward, we will suffer loss and only just make it to heaven ourselves, we’ll almost be able to smell the smoke on our backsides, ha-ha!!
[2 Cor 5:10 For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive the things done through the body, according to that which he has done, whether good or bad]. Note that not all “good works” will be rewarded. Good works done from a motive of trying to be justified through it, or from any other motive other than FAITH, will be burnt up.
How can we know which of our good works will be rewarded? It’s all about the motive, and no man can judge the motive of another man’s heart. [1 Sam 16:7 For man looks on the outward appearance, but God looks on the heart]. And what should our motive be? [1 Cor 10:31 Therefore, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God]. We don’t store up treasures for ourselves to build our own empire or kingdom, but rather the Kingdom of God.
The next obvious question is this: What “treasure” is the Bible talking about? If even the streets of heaven will be paved with gold, of what use will an abundance of possessions be in heaven? The key lies in the parable of the faithful servant. When the master came back and he found the servant had doubled the 5 talents into 10 talents, he was very pleased with him: [Matt 25:20 And so he who had received five talents came and brought another five talents, saying, Lord, you delivered five talents to me. Behold, I have gained five talents above them. 21 His lord said to him, Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful over a few things; I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord].
Our reward in heaven for being faithful with what had been appointed to us is not possessions: it is responsibility. We will be entrusted with more responsibility (called “heavenly treasure” or “true riches”) in heaven if we proved ourselves faithful here on the earth. [Luk 16:10 Whoever can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with much, and whoever is dishonest with very little will also be dishonest with much. 11 Therefore if you have not been faithful in the unrighteous mammon, who will entrust the true riches to you?]
After the second coming of our Lord, the saints will rule the earth with Him and those who were faithful during their time on earth will be appointed in positions of higher authority.
[1 Cor 6:2a Do you not know that the saints will judge the world?]
[Rev 5:10 And You made us kings and priests to our God, and we will reign over the earth].
[Dan 7:27 And the kingdom and dominion, and the greatness of the kingdom under the whole heaven, shall be given to the people of the saints of the most High, whose kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and all dominions shall serve and obey him].
[Rev 2:26 And he who overcomes and keeps My works to the end, to him I will give power over the nations. 27 And he will rule them with a rod of iron, as the vessels of a potter they will be broken to pieces, even as I received from My Father. 28 And I will give him the Morning Star].
Is eternity to be a time when those still living out physical lives on the earth will be kept in subjection by a divine dictatorship? The verb translated “rule” in Revelation 2:27 is poimanei, derived from the word for a shepherd (poimen). It is the same word used by the apostle Paul in Acts 20:28 to describe the care that overseers are to show toward the Church of God. The rod or club carried by a shepherd was primarily for the protection of his sheep, not to frighten or punish them.
In Grace
Andre van der Merwe
Thank you Father that every good and perfect gift comes from you! That Your blessings make rich and add no sorrow! That You have made us partakers of your glory! Thank you that YOU are God! Bless Your Name!
Andre! This is exactly the thing I needed to read right now as I’m continually learning more and more about God’s Grace but also the end times and the new heaven and earth.
However, I have one query. You said- Is eternity to be a time when those still living out physical lives on the earth will be kept in subjection by a divine dictatorship? (I’m guessing this is rhetorical)
My query- I thought when Jesus comes again to judge the nations that after he’s finished with that and after the rapture there would be a new heaven and earth. I’m just trying to figure out exactly what you mean here. Also I think I understand that we will be given an immortal body like the one of Jesus following his resurrection but will we be taken to heaven or the new earth? haha, either way I’m cool with it, it’s exciting but I wouldn’t mind having some clarity on this.
Thanks again Andre, another cracking article this week!
Michael (the guy with the huge bandage on his head
)
Hi Michael
The rapture and the second coming and heaven are subjects of much contraversy, nothing that I’m really keen to get into. Nevertheless, from what I understand from scripture, the first resurrection will be for those who died for the sake of the gospel and they will reign the EARTH for 1000 years, but there will be a holy city where the saints live:
[Rev 20:4 And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years. 5 But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection].
The next few verses talk about it still being in the earth, and also about the city of the saints:
[Rev 20:7 And when the thousand years are expired, Satan shall be loosed out of his prison, 8 And shall go out to deceive the nations which are in the four quarters of the earth, Gog, and Magog, to gather them together to battle: the number of whom is as the sand of the sea. 9 And they went up on the breadth of the earth, and compassed the camp of the saints about, and the beloved city: and fire came down from God out of heaven, and devoured them].
And then after the 1000 years there will be a new heaven and a new earth, with the city Jerusalem in it:
[Rev 21:1 And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea. 2 And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband].
And here is the part that you were asking about, it says that the nations which are saved live in the city, and the kings of the earth will bring their riches (glory & honour) into it:
[Rev 21:23 And the city had no need of the sun, neither of the moon, to shine in it: for the glory of God did lighten it, and the Lamb is the light thereof. 24 And the nations of them which are saved shall walk in the light of it: and the kings of the earth do bring their glory and honour into it. 25 And the gates of it shall not be shut at all by day: for there shall be no night there. 26 And they shall bring the glory and honour of the nations into it. 27 And there shall in no wise enter into it any thing that defileth, neither whatsoever worketh abomination, or maketh a lie: but they which are written in the Lamb's book of life].
This would seem to suggest that there are still things that could defile or bring about corruption, but such things would not be allowed to enter the city. However, I might be wrong, as I do not in any means consider myself to be an expert in the book of Revelation. Anybody that can shed more light on this matter, please feel free to comment.
In Grace
Andre
Andre,
Thanks for spending time to answer my query. I did actually look into all this end time prophecy as well as the tribulation and rapture etc.. No one can agree on what exactly is going to occur, so I gave up reading about it all and concentrated on the things at hand.
You might find this site helpful though just in regards to this new heaven and earth. It seems we’re not alone in that we don’t fully understand what will happen either.
http://www.gotquestions.org/new-heavens-earth.html
Good stuff!
Mike