Christians ought thereby to be comforted when in sorrow, and always stimulated to duty, Phil, iii., 20 ; Col. iii., 4, 5 ; James v., 7 ; 1 John iii., 2, 3. It is their duty also to love, watch, wait for, and hasten unto the coming of their Lord, Luke xii., 35, 37 ;
1 Cor. i., 7, 8 ; Phil, iii., 20 ; 1 Thess. i., 9, 10 ; 2 Tim. iv., 8 ;
2 Pet. iii., 12 ; Eev. xxii., 20.
Unbelievers should be rilled with fearful apprehension, and with all their might they should seek place for immediate re- pentance, Mark xiii., 35, 37 ; 2 Pet. iii., 9, 10 ; Jude 14, 15. — Brown's Second Advent.
CHAPTER XXXVII.
HEAVEN AND HELL.
1. What is the New Testament usage as to the terms dvgavng, "heaven," and rd enovpdvm, u heavenly places ?"
'Ovpavog is used chiefly in three senses. 1st. The upper air where the birds fly, Matt, viii., 20 ; xxiv., 30. 2d. The region in which the stars revolve, Acts vii., 42 ; Heb. xi., 12. 3d. The abode of Christ's human nature, the scene of the special manifes- tation of divine glory, and of the eternal blessedness of the saints, Heb. ix., 24 ; 1 Pet. hi., 22. This is sometimes called the " third heaven," 2 Cor. xii., 2. The phrases " new heaven," and " new earth," in contrast with " first heavens" and " first earth,"
2 Pet. iii., 7, 13 ; Rev. xxi., 1, refer to some unexplained change which will take place in the final catastrophe, by which God will revolutionize our portion of the physical universe, cleansing it from the stain of sin, and qualifying it to be the abode of bless- edness.
For the usage with regard to the phrase " kingdom of heaven," see above, Chap. XXIV., question 5.
The phrase rd snovgdvia is translated sometimes, " heavenly things," John iii., 12, where it signifies the mysteries of the un- seen spiritual world ; and sometimes " heavenly places," Eph. i.,
3 ; and ii., 6, where it means the state into which a believer is introduced at his regeneration ; see also Eph. i., 20, where it means the " third heavens ;" and Eph. vi., 12, where it signifies indefinitely the supermundane universe.
2. What are the principle terms, both literal and figurative, which are used in Scripture to designate the future blessedness of the saints ?
Literal terms : — " life, eternal life, and life everlasting, Matt.
460 HEAVEN.
vii., 14 ; xix., 16, 29 ; xxv., 46. Glory, the glory of God, an eternal weight of glory, Kom. ii., 7, 10 ; v., 2 ; 2 Cor. iv., 17. Peace, Kom. ii., 10. Salvation, and eternal salvation, Heb. v., 9." Figurative terms : — " Paradise, Luke xxiii, 43 ; 2 Cor. xii., 4 ; Rev. ii., 7. Heavenly Jerusalem, Gal. iv., 26 ; Rev. iii., 12. Kingdom of heaven, heavenly kingdom, eternal kingdom, king- dom prepared from the foundation of the world, Matt, xxv., 34 ; 2 Tim. iv., 18 ; 2 Pet. i., 11. Eternal inheritance, 1 Pet. i., 4 ; Heb. ix., 15, The blessed are said to sit down with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, to be in Abraham's bosom, Luke xvi., 22 ; Matt, viii., 11 ; to reign with Christ, 2 Tim. ii., 11, 12 ; to enjoy a Sab- bath or rest, Heb. iv., 10, 11." — Kitto's Bib. Ency.
3. What is revealed with respect to heaven as a place ?
All the Scripture representations of heaven involve the idea of a definite place, as well as of a state of blessedness. Of that place, however, nothing more is revealed than that it is defined by the local j^resence of Christ's finite soul and body, and that it is the scene of the preeminent manifestation of God's glory, John xvii., 24 ; 2 Cor. v., 9 ; Rev. v., 6.
From such passages as Rom. viii., 19-23 ; 2 Pet. iii., 5-13 : Rev. xxi., 1, it appears not improbable that after the general des- truction of the present form of the world by fire, which shall ac- company the judgment, this world will be reconstituted, and glo- riously adapted to be the permanent residence of Christ and his church. As there is to be a " spiritual body," there may be ir the same sense a spiritual world, that is, a wrorld adapted to the theater of the glorified spirits of the saints made perfect. As nature was cursed for man's sake, and the creature, through him, made subject to vanity, it may be that they shall share in his redemption and exaltation. See Fairbairn's Typology, Part II., Chap. II., sec. 7.
4. Wherein does the blessedness of heaven consist as far as revealed f
1st. Negatively, in perfect deliverance from sin, and from all its evil consequences, physical, moral, and social, Rev. vii., 16, 17 ; xxi., 4, 27.
2d. Positively. (1.) In the perfection of our nature, both ma-
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