letters to surfers

Where do you think heaven is located?

Answer by Robert Brow   (www.brow.on.ca)   June 2000

There no reference in the Bible to heaven as a particular location. But any model of a Creator and a creation (Genesis 1 pictures an Artist and the world he evolves) makes a distinction between the world of the artist and the world of the created. Van Gogh is distinct from his canvas of irises and his sunflowers.

Theistic faith in the resurrection of the body at least means we move from our present bodily invironment to another environment where our bodies can engage in a richer quality of life (we have already done this once when we moved from out mother's womb).

In a Trinitarian model the environment of the three Persons of the Trinity preceded the creation of our bodies and their present environment ("Let us make man in our image"). But it seems that eventually their purpose is to include us in their loving oneness which is pictured as a perfect city (Revelation 21:1-2, 22-26, 22:1-3.)

I expect to be resurrected immediately when I die to be part of the reign of the Messiah. The "new heavens and new earth" (Revelation 21:1) may be inaugurated when the Messiah hands over the Kingdom to the Father (1 Corinthians 15:25-26). But in any case none of the measurements that scientists call the various dimensions can work for the location and work of what God is doing.


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