Scripture Reading
Revelation 21:3-4
“And 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,
[4] 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.”
Introduction
Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, members of over 5,800 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, Kazakhstan, 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 18th session of the message series titled “Heaven.”
At the last session I spoke about life and culture that we will enjoy in heaven.
In detail I explained to you about the recreational facilities assigned to each of the dwelling places, and about hobbies, sports, games, and entertainment.
Today I will speak about various lives in heaven also.
The people of this the world are so pre-occupied with their busy schedules that when they can, they just want to take a complete rest without doing any kind of work.
But when they take vacations once a year, how do they feel after the vacations?
They go to mountains, the beach or even to overseas resorts for rest, but the rest lasts just only a short time. They become bored of it and feel tired because of the disorder in their regular life style.
So, when they come back home, they say that their home is the sweetest or that going to some resorts is also painful.
Whatever you do in heaven, you will never feel bored with it nor become tired, but joyous and happy in everything all the time.
Heaven is the spiritual space in which there is no flesh at all, and you will put on the heavenly body and your heart is never-changing. That’s why you will never fail to enjoy the very thing that you liked for the first time.
For this reason, you will feel happy and fresh in everything.
Therefore, when I preach about the life in heaven, may each of you imagine all the things that you will enjoy there and become filled with happiness and joy, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ I pray!
Body
Dear brothers and sisters in Christ,
In heaven various feasts will be held, and the heavenly feasts can be considered as the core of the heavenly life.
That’s because you can fully enjoy the abundance, freedom, beauty and the glory of the kingdom of heaven.
Suppose a major festivity on this earth is complete of exciting music, dance and songs; tasty food and delicious fruits follow, and the hosts and guests enjoy themselves in their finest attire.
Similarly, when heavenly feasts are held, you will put on your finest attire and crown to attend the feasts.
Heavenly feasts are accompanied with beautiful songs and graceful dances, and fresh fruits and many kinds of things to drink are supplied.
You will not only watch and enjoy special performances but also dance with the people whom you love.
Even if you are an extremely poor dancer on this earth, you will not have to worry about your dancing in heaven.
You can learn how to dance very quickly and enjoy dancing comfortably.
I have experienced similar things when I was praying in times past.
When I became filled with the Holy Spirit and was influenced by Him and in Him, I entered into the level of singing new songs in new tongues and sang praises to our Father God with both of my arms lifted and moving gracefully.
At that time my hands and arms moved very differently from before, they followed a beautiful rhythm very elegantly and moved as if they themselves were dancing.
When I was filled, influenced and inspired by the Holy Spirit in this world, I could dance that way. How much more graciously you will dance with heavenly bodies in heaven?
If you simply want to dance, you will be able to dance to any kind of music in the heavenly banquets and glorify our Father God with your personal dance.
Just as there are feasts of various kinds and scale on this earth, there will be more and varied feasts in both the scale and level in the kingdom of heaven.
First of all, in New Jerusalem will be some banquets held in the name of God the Trinity while others are held in the name of the Father, or of the Son or of the Holy Spirit individually.
When banquets are held in the name of God the Trinity, it is an occasion in which all the children from every dwelling place of heaven are invited to attend.
For example, the first heavenly banquet will be held in New Jerusalem after each of us is judged for our rewards and glory at the Great White Throne Judgment and enter our own heavenly residences. Our Father God will invite all the children residing in all the places in heaven to the banquet.
Not only the people at the 3rd kingdom of heaven but also the people in 2nd and 1st kingdoms and Paradise will be able to attend the first banquet in New Jerusalem.
From then on, the people in the 3rd kingdom can attend the banquets, but not all those in who are in the 1st and 2nd Kingdoms of heaven and those in Paradise are able to participate in them. Only representative people in each kingdom can join.
By the way, except for the residents of New Jerusalem, the people in other dwelling places will have to put on proper garments to attend the banquets held in New Jerusalem.
The reason that they will have to wear garments that are appropriate for the banquets in New Jerusalem is because the brightness of the lights is different that each resident will shine.
It is very similar to when people wear sunglasses to reduce the brightness of the sun in order to see in bright sunlight.
When the sun shines very brightly, people wear sunglasses to allow for adjusting their vision to the brightness of the sun’s light.
The reason that people residing in the other kingdoms have to change their garments when they enter New Jerusalem is similar to wearing sunglasses, it is because it is so much brighter in New Jerusalem than any other place in heaven
If they do not change their clothes, they will not be able to open their eyes properly even if they do attend the banquets in New Jerusalem.
When they change their clothes and wear proper garments in preparation for New Jerusalem, they can easily adjust to being there.
Of course, when they change their clothes, they can wear garments that are proper for banquets in New Jerusalem.
But no matter how nice the garments are that they will wear from among their own clothing, they will seem to be very shabby compared with the garments worn by residents of New Jerusalem.
Would you dare to attend a banquet held in the name of the Triune God in New Jerusalem wearing the shabbiest of your own clothes?
So, there are separated rooms for the people residing in other kingdoms of heaven to change their garments.
In the rooms are so many clothes that are proper in New Jerusalem and angels help them change clothes.
However, the people from Paradise have to put on the clothes by themselves without the help of angels.
As they change into the special garments for New Jerusalem, they are filled with indescribable grace because of the glory. But, at the same time they also have a sense of repentant trepidation because they do not feel worthy of wearing those glorious garments.
Along with wearing the prepared clothes, they put on the crown. The crown is not prepared for them in New Jerusalem, but they must carry the crown from their residences in their dwelling places.
For example, the crowns the people from the 3rd kingdom wear are very different from those of New Jerusalem residents. The round marks attached on the right side of the crowns distinguish them from the New Jerusalem residents.
The people from the 2nd, 1st Kingdoms of heaven and those from Paradise must hang the round marks on the chest part of their garments to separate them from the people of 3rd kingdom and New Jerusalem.
The people from the 2nd and 1st kingdoms wear their crowns when they attend the banquets, but the people from Paradise have to attend the banquet without crowns because they have received no crown.
So, how sorry they may feel when they join the feast held in New Jerusalem.
As a matter of fact, after the first banquet is held, it is not easy for the people in Paradise to attend any more of the banquets held in New Jerusalem.
Later I will explain to you about detailed celebrations of the banquets held in New Jerusalem during the sessions titled “New Jerusalem.”
Everything for the heavenly banquet is prepared by angels. Every aspect including decorations, food, hosting and service is arranged by angels.
Just as the comfort and quality of the service are different according to whether you fly First class, Business and Standard or coach on an airplane, everything at the banquet including the assistance and service of angels is different in each kingdom of heaven.
As the festivities in elementary school and college are totally different in the scale and mood, the difference of the banquets in Paradise and New Jerusalem is also great.
In that sense, the feast held in Paradise is not worth being called “Banquet” in the same way in which that in New Jerusalem is called a “Banquet”.
I will give you illustrations with the earthly things to help you better understand. These illustrations were given by our Father God.
If the banquets held in New Jerusalem are illustrated as banquets hosted by royal families, those in held in Paradise can be illustrated as meals that are held in social camps to comfort and strengthen the residents.
The royal feasts are designed with gorgeous and magnificent decorations, are supplied with tasty food and something special to drink, and served with wonderful music and dazzling dances.
The banquet servants are so gracious and kind to the guests and supply them with everything necessary.
But if the people hold the feast to gain a little joy, what it is like?
They may try their best to prepare for the feast, but aren’t the food and many other things shabby in comparison?
Of course the banquet held in Paradise is never as shabby and poor as a little feast at the camps on the earth, but compared with the banquet in New Jerusalem, the scale and level of the banquet cannot match it.
The feasts held in Paradise are usually collective but not personal. In other words, feasts are not held by one person.
When collective feasts are held, the people have to prepare for everything by themselves because angels do not serve them.
The people have to gather fruits and set the table, and the people have to prepare for everything necessary for the feast.
There is no evil but only goodness and love in the kingdom of heaven including Paradise. That’s why the people prepare for the feast joyfully and happily and serve one another in consideration. Thus, all the people can enjoy the feast.
The joy and ecstasy you can enjoy even in Paradise cannot be compared with the happiness you can feel at any other feasts on the earth.
How much greater joy and happiness and excitement can you feel at the banquet in New Jerusalem?
Dear brothers and sisters in Christ,
Dancing and singing songs are essential in any banquet. In the same way, dances and singing are very important at the heavenly banquets.
In heavenly banquets angels dance, sing songs and perform with a variety of musical instruments. But our Father God accepts His children’s dance and singing songs and performances more joyfully.
When you celebrate your parents’ 60th or 70th birthday, you invite professional dancers and singers. But the most touching point to the parents is when the children are united and sing the grace of the parents.
It is the same with our Father God.
No matter how gorgeously and beautifully angels danced and sang, God is much more pleased with the praise and dance of His children.
In New Jerusalem there is a special performance house for the children of God who have glorified Him through the praising, dancing and performing while on this earth.
For example, many artists and performers want to stand on the world-famous stages such as Carnegie Hall and Madison Square Garden in New York, or the Opera House in Sydney, Australia.
In New Jerusalem is the nicer and larger performing hall and wonderful performances will take place all the time.
The performances in heaven are not to boast of oneself, but only to glorify our Father God and to give joy and happiness to the Lord and the children of God.
The heavenly performances are held by the singers, dancers, players, actors and actresses who have glorified God on the earth, and sometimes they recreate what they have done on the earth.
And with the praising and dancing skills they will learn in heaven, they perform the very things that they have wanted to show on earth but failed to fully accomplish.
This applies to the members of the choirs, Performing Arts Committee, and Nissi Orchestra.
If you are able to accomplish whole spirit, enter New Jerusalem, attend the banquet held in the name of God the Trinity, and show your performances with singing, dancing and playing instruments, it is great honor for you.
If you have fulfilled the duty of praising the Lord, you will be able to magnify God with singing praises in heaven as well. To the extent that you have accomplished sanctification, you may belong to the choir of New Jerusalem or those of the 3rd, 2nd or 1st kingdoms.
If you become a singer affiliated with New Jerusalem, you are regarded as a singer of the first rank. This is the same for dancers and performers.
If they belong to New Jerusalem, they are regarded as dancers and performers of the first rank in all the kingdoms of heaven, and are known to and loved by everyone in heaven.
Whether they go to the 3rd, 2nd, 1st Kingdoms or Paradise, the people there are able to recognize them and show their love for them.
That is because the banquets held in the name of God the Trinity and the performances held at the New Jerusalem stage are broadcast live to all the corners of the kingdom of heaven.
The people in any place of heaven do not watch the banquets and performances on a small screen.
A large screen is displayed on the sky and you can see vivid presentations of the banquets as if you were attending there.
Thus, the people in the kingdoms outside of New Jerusalem can see the banquets and performances through the screens and enjoy everything vividly.
They can recognize who the singers, the performers and the dancers are at the banquets and performances and praise them thinking how honored and blessed the performers are that they are praising the Lord before God.
So, they receive much love and respect from many people in heaven.
Just as famous actors and actresses are followed by many fans wherever they are, the singers and dancers who glorify God in praising and dancing are accompanied by a big crowd.
The very crowd is that of many angels. The angels are in change of praises and call the singers and dancers “Master!”
Many fans call the singers and actors “Mr.” or “Ms” on earth but angels would not dare to address them like that, but try to give service to them as masters by calling them only “Master”
In addition to banquets and performances, you can watch movies and go on trips in heaven.
These leisure lives will be explained next time.
Conclusion
Dear brothers and sisters in Christ
Today I have preached about the heavenly banquets and performances in heaven.
Isaiah 43:21 says, “The people whom I formed for Myself Will declare My praise.”
Our Father God enjoys listening to us declaring His praise. So He loves His children who are praising Him and glorifying Him through dancing and performing.
Our Father God does not look at the outer appearance, but sees the heart, so He does not enjoy a beautiful voice, gracious dance or wonderful performances, but He receives the aroma of the heart.
The aroma of the heart is different according to how truthful your love is and how good your heart is when you praise God.
Therefore, I wish that all of you including those of you who are in charge of praises, dances and performances will accomplish whole sanctification and praise our Father God with the aroma of the heart that is acceptable to Him.
What is amazing is that our Father God sometimes sings praises.
Along with the beautiful melody and rhythm, God sings songs about the works of the redemption of the Lord Jesus and amazing works of the Holy Spirit with which He magnified God.
His singing voice cannot be imitated or mimicked by anybody and His voice is so beautiful that anyone who hears it will be charmed.
And His voice is so mighty as to shake the universe, but not everyone in heaven can hear it. But only those who are near to the throne of God in New Jerusalem can hear it.
Dear brothers and sisters, are you longing to hear His singing voice?
May each of you accomplish whole spirit and become proper for the purpose of the creation of God so that you can sing praises acceptable to God and hear the singing of God the Father, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ I pray!
[Amen]
×
Hi There
