Passage
Revelation 21: 3-4
“I heard a loud voice from the throne, saying, “Behold, the tabernacle of God is among men, and He will dwell among them, and they shall be His people, and God Himself will be among them, and He will wipe away every tear from their eyes; and there will no longer be any death; there will no longer be any mourning, or crying, or pain; the first things have passed away.”
Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, members of over 5,600 branch churches in Korea and all over the world including the United States, Canada, Peru, Honduras, Bolivia, El Salvador, Argentina, the United Kingdom, Germany, France, Russia, Italy, Belgium, Netherlands, Russia, Belarus, Ukraine, Estonia, China, Japan, Pakistan, Nepal, Indonesia, Philippines, Taiwan, India, Mongolia, Israel, Egypt, Kenya, Uganda, Democratic Republic of Congo, Gabon, Angola, Burundi, Rwanda, Nigeria, Tanzania, Botswana, Swaziland, Cote d’Ivoire, South Africa, and local sanctuary members, those who are attending the service on the Internet all over the world, and television viewing audiences,
This is the 17th session on the ‘Heaven’ lecture series.
In the last session, I told you about different dwelling places in the living environments of heaven.
When I expained about the residence of the 3rd kingdom of heaven at the last session, I spoke about “Up-down Court” that the ‘Forbes Magazine’ issued as the rank of the world’s most expensive home.
Today I want to give you one more explanation about that house. The ‘Forbes Magazine’ ranked “Up-down Court” as the world’s most expensive home only among the houses on sale.
In fact, there are some more expecnsive and more wonderful houses for world-renowned rich men and palaces for the kings and royal families in the world.
But the houses have never been on sale, and no one can measure the price. So the ‘Forbes Magazine’ measured only the price of houses on sale.
Dear brothers and sisters in Christ,
Heaven is not just a world in the dreams that children imagine while they read fairy tales. It is not an imaginary country that people desire and long for who are tired of their life on earth.
Heaven is actually much more beautiful and happier than the imaginary world in fairy tales. It exists in reality.
Many people of this world think this visible world is everything, but this world is only a shadow, and the actual entity is the kingdom of heaven.
Also, in this world, we live only for a moment, but in kingdom of heaven we will live forever.
I am telling you in detail about the heavenly kingdom which exists in reality.
1 Corinthians 15:19 says, “If we have hoped in Christ in this life only, we are of all men most to be pitied.”
But we believers are not to be pitied, but truly we are blessed because the heavenly kingdom surely exists. We are blessed because we can prepare ourselves to enjoy the greatest of all happiness in that kingdom of heaven. Therefore, I pray in the name of the Lord that you will accept this message in complete faith and hope so that you will enjoy delight and happiness in the kingdom of heaven.
Body
Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, the verse 4 from today’s passage says, “and He will wipe away every tear from their eyes; and there will no longer be any death; there will no longer be any mourning, or crying, or pain; the first things have passed away.”
Yes, it is certainly true. To begin with, in the heavenly kingdom our body will not suffer from any disease or stress, so we will always be healthy and refreshed.
Also, we won’t ever have to shed any tears of sorrow, or get frustrated due to difficult situations, or to mourn about anything.
We will know and experience only things that are delightful and bring happiness. We will always be full of thanks and praises as we are touched by the love of God the Father each and every moment. Just by being in the space of the kingdom of heaven, we will feel great peace and happiness.
Additionally, God has prepared many kinds of resort facilities to give His children more delight and greater happiness.
As I told you in the last session, those who go into the 2nd kingdom of heaven can receive one recreational facility he likes the most in his individual house.
But those who have cast off all forms of evil and become sanctified go to the third kingdom, can have whatever kinds of recreational facilities they want to have in their house.
Those who go into the city of New Jerusalem will also have whatever kind of facilities they like, but the size and scope of them will be much greater and better than those of third kingdom.
Now, what kind of resort/recreational facilities does the 1st kingdom of heaven have? In the 1st kingdom, there are some resort and recreational facilities but they are for public use.
I already told you that the houses in the 1st kingdom of heaven are like apartments of this world.
In apartments of this world, they may have some facilities inside the complex for all the residents to use. In the same way, in the 1st kingdom as well, there are public resort facilities.
For example, there are parks that have wonderful looking trees and pretty flowers, and there are also lakes and promenades that are for public use.
In the same way, people will have common use swimming pools, golfing courses, tennis courts, or amusement parks.
These public facilities are maintained by the angels to be at the best condition all the time, so even when many people use them, they don’t get dirty or worn out, and they are never “out of order”.
Also, when God’s children want to use a certain kind of facility, the angels help them in anything that they want to do, so they can use it without any difficulty. There are no angels assigned to personally attend to any individuals in the 1st kingdom of heaven., but there are angels there to assist the children of God whenever they are needed,.
In the 1st and the 2nd kingdoms of heaven, the angels do not serve individuals by reading their minds like in New Jerusalem of the 3rd kingdom. It is necessary to speak to the angels and whatever help is needed is then provided.
There are also many angels in paradise, but the main role of the angels in paradise is not to help the children of God, but to maintain various facilities in paradise.
I told you that there are no personally-owned houses in paradise, but there are places similar to public assistance shelters. Then, does that mean there are no recreational facilities in paradise?
Even in public assistance shelters on this earth, they have TV’s for everyone to watch. They also have sports facilities and equipment like tables for table-tennis, or like children’s playgrounds. Likewise, in paradise there are some recreational facilities and some facilities for sports or games.
But, the quality and level of significance of those facilities are very different from those of other dwelling places in heaven.
For example, just think about one playground. A playground in a public daycare center and one in a high-end apartment complex will be very different in its significance and quality of the facility will also vary.
It is like comparing the differences between Disneyland, and other amusement parks in Korea like Seoul Land, Lotte World, and Everland, to a playground in your town.
Even on this earth, each amusement park has great differences from each other, and in the same way, recreational facilities in the heavenly kingdoms are also very different in their quality and size in different dwelling places.
And in the third kingdom of heaven and in New Jerusalem, you don’t have those facilities for public use but you can have them in your own house, so how amazing is this!
Also, the amusement parks in the heavenly kingdom are much bigger than even Disneyland, and the rides are much more fun and exciting than those of this earth.
In heaven, we will have a perfected heavenly body, so we won’t have any fear. So, even when we ride on roller coasters, we won’t feel any fear.
We will just feel the excitement and thrill of it, so we will just be so happy and delighted. Therefore, even those who cannot ride on those rides because of fear of height or timidity can enjoy those things as much as they want in the heavenly kingdom.
And the same principle can be applied in this earth, too. That is, if you go into spirit, you can have control over the physical environment, so you can enjoy even the scariest ride.
Rides in heavenly kingdom will never be out of order, but even if your body were to fly out during the ride, you will never get injured. You can even land on the ground like a master of martial arts or the angels can hold you.
Why don’t you imagine riding on a Viking-ride with the dear Lord and screaming with joy as you ride? How happy and glad it is!
Furthermore, on this earth, you often have to wait in a long line to ride something in amusement parks, but if you have those things in your own house, you won’t have to wait at all, and you can enjoy them any time.
Also, you can invite those whom you love and enjoy things together with them, so how exciting it will be! But because most facilities in the 2nd and 1st kingdom and paradise are for public use, so they have more restriction on using them.
Also, the quality of amusement parks will be much lower. Not all the big amusement parks in New Jerusalem are present in every other dwelling place. Just as amusement parks on this earth vary greatly, those in the heavenly kingdom will also have lesser quality as dwelling place is also lesser.
But it doesn’t mean amusement parks in paradise will have only simple things like swings, slides and seesaws.
Even the amusement parks in paradise will have roller coasters and merry-go-rounds, and other rides, but the quality of those will be less than the facilities of other heavenly dwelling places.
Also, those in New Jerusalem can use recreational facilities any time they want, but those in paradise cannot use them so freely. They don’t have so many chances to use them.
For example, those who are living in Seoul can use the amusement parks relatively more easily because they are close to Seoul.
But for those who are living on isolated islands, it is not easy to go to amusement parks even if they want to go. They can visit those places only in some special occasions. Likewise, there are of course the facilities in paradise, but not everybody can use them any time they want.
Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, in heaven, other than using recreational facilities, there are many more things from which we can feel fun and excitement.
Some may think it would be boring to live with heavenly body in heavenly kingdom, but even heavenly body feels fun.
Physical fun will change, and after some time, we feel tired of it. But spiritual fun is always new and refreshing.
Even on this earth, we can see that our love will be deeper and our happiness will be greater to the extent to which we cultivate spirit in us.
Also, because the heart of spirit doesn’t change, if you like something, you will like it forever, and you won’t ever feel bored of tired of it. Then, what are some things that give you recreation and fun in heavenly life?
First, just as people on this earth have their hobbies, develop their skills, and make their lives richer. We will also have hobbies in heaven.
Not just the things that we liked on this earth, but we will also learn the things that we wanted to do on this earth, but could not do in order to work for the kingdom of God.
For example, if you really want to learn a certain musical instrument, you can learn it in heaven. Whether it is piano, violin, flute, or any other instrument, if you want to learn how to play it, you can learn and play it.
And, in heaven, everyone becomes very wise and it won’t take a long time to be able to play those instruments well. You can quickly learn and master it.
There are also many sports games other than these hobbies.
But there won’t be any combative sports like wrestling or boxing, which can harm the opponent. The games will usually be competition of individual or team’s skills.
For example, we may play some games with balls like volleyball, basketball, soccer, baseball, and tennis, or we can compete as individuals in ports and skills as in skiing, golf, bowling, or swimming.
Also, we will be able to enjoy some sports that people usually cannot enjoy on this earth such hang gliding, wind surfing, or yachting.
In heaven, we can learn how to ride them quickly, and even if we make mistakes, there is no danger of accidents or injury.
Brothers and sisters, just imagine flying across the skies of the heavenly kingdom taking in all the beautiful scenery from a hang glider. Also, imagine yourself wind-surfing or yachting in fresh and cool wind. don’t you feel so clear and refreshed and doesn’t happiness flow into your heart?
In the heavenly kingdom, there are many, many happy and joyous things.
The sports facilities or the exercising equipments won’t be dangerous at all. They are made with wondrous materials and decorated with gold and jewels to add to the joy and happiness when we exercise.
Also the exercising equipments in heaven will be individually accommodating according to the desires of the players to increase the enjoyment of the user.
For example, suppose you are bowling. The bowling balls and pins will change their colors as the players want, and the positions and the distance will be controlled automatically. Also, when you bowl, the pins will fall with such clear sound giving out beautiful lights.
We won’t have any evil desire to win against all other opponents and stand above them. So, to win the game is actually to give more joy and benefit to the other people.
Then, you may wonder, “what is the meaning of a game in which there is no winner?” but in heaven we don’t have the joy by winning a game or competition.
We will be joyous enough just by enjoying playing the games with our brothers and sisters.
Of course, there are also games in which we have fun through a competition in goodness.
God explained one of those games to us. When children of God have a heavenly banquet, some of them go to the flowers and breathe in the scent of the flower. And then, they come back and give out the fragrance in competition.
According to how much scent they breathed in, and how much they pleased others with that scent, and according to how well they mixed all the scents together, the winner will be decided.
Likewise, even when we play some kind of competitive games, it’s only to give more benefit and joy to others.
It is not that we ourselves will win and boast of ourselves, but through this kind of game, we will give joy to others and also to the Father God, so that we will also be loved by God.
Likewise, in heaven in just playing one game, we do not seek our own benefit, but everything is done in goodness, so how beautiful a place it is!
Brothers and sisters, today, with the development of science, some people enjoy computer games or some games with various kinds of equipment.
Those who like these games may wonder whether there is a game of that kind even in the kingdom of heaven.
Of course, there are many more kinds of entertainment from which we can feel much greater fun than those of this world.
Furthermore, they don’t cause any tiredness or harm the vision like computer games. Nothing in heaven is boring or tiring.
Rather, everything is made in such a way that it will only have a good and positive influence on us.
Also, many children like dolls, and are there dolls of that kind in heavenly kingdom as well? Dolls in this world have no life, so they don’t understand their owners or talk with them.
Still, children like them so much, care for them, wash them, and clothe them, giving their love to them.
But even though the owners give their love like that, the dolls never understand the love of the owners.
But it’s different in heavenly kingdom.
If a child likes a doll, but has given it up because she loves God more, in the kingdom of heaven she will receive something much better than the earthly doll.
She may be given an angel which becomes like a doll to her. But this angel will talk to the owner and act according to the desires of the owner.
Or, she may be given a lovely pet animal, so that she will feel much more fun and delight than playing with a doll. In heaven, there are many kinds of cultural events that give us happiness and moving emotions to us, other than what I have told you now.
There are many parties and performances. About these things, I will tell you in the next session.
Conclusion
Dear Brothers and sisters in Christ, in this session, I talked to you about the resort facilities and recreational life in the kingdom of heaven.
I explained that, in heaven God gives to us according to what we have done and sown on this earth, so everything will be different in each dwelling place.
For example, the angels in paradise do not personally serve or help the children of God but they just maintain the facilities in paradise.
Then, you may think, “Even on this earth, in good hotels or amusement parks, the service is so good, and so, isn’t paradise worse than this?” But let me ask you a question. Is there any place on earth where you can have good service without paying for it?
On earth attendants serve you according to what you pay them, and for a better service, you must pay them more.
Now think of the people who went into paradise. They didn’t do anything for God with faith on this earth, but only by complete grace of the Lord, they escaped from the horrible punishment of hell.
So, they will give thanks forever just by the fact that they were saved and they are in paradise.
But I hope all you Manmin members will work faithfully for the kingdom of the Lord and for other souls with the thanks and desire to pay back the grace of the Lord.
By doing so, I pray in the name of the Lord that you will receive more valuable rewards in heavenly kingdom and enjoy greater happiness and joy there.
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