Chapter 2
II. Why Is There A Heaven?
A. To separate good from evil.
1. Luke 16:19-26 describes “a great ________ fixed” between heaven and hell, so that no one can pass over from one place to the other. (vs.26)
This tells us that lost people in hell never have a second chanceto be saved. If they did, Abraham would have surely told him to
just be patient and wait until “his time was up.”
Illustration: What do you tell a child who is hurting and itching terribly with the chicken pox? “Just don’t itch them! Try and remain calm, and they will all be gone in a few days.”
But Abraham could give no such false hope to the rich man in hell. Throughout all of eternity, there will be no way to ever be relieved of the torment in hell, and no way to ever cross over to heaven.
Have you ever wondered if anyone could mess up some-
day in heaven, and then be kicked out of it down to hell?
Well, the answer is “No!” There are no trap doors in
heaven. All who enter there are forever with the Lord.
There is no way to get from heaven to hell.
2. According to Revelation 21:27, nothing can enter into heaven that defileth, neither worketh abomination, nor maketh a ____________.
3. Outside of the gates of the heavenly city are “dogs, and sorcerers, and whoremongers, and _________________, and idolaters, and whosoever loveth and maketh a lie.” (Revelation 22:14,15)
Note: So heaven is a place in which nothing evil can enter. It is a place to separate good from evil for all of eternity. For more on this point, please refer to the previous booklet on the subject: Hell.
— Another reason why there is a heaven:
B. To give comfort and rest.
1. According to Luke 16:19-25, Lazarus “was __________ by the angels into Abraham’s bosom” (up to heaven). (vs.22)
2. In verse 25, the rich man is told that Lazarus received evil things during his lifetime upon earth, “but now he is ______________.”
Illustration: What do you do for a child who has fallen down and been hurt, and is crying? You pick him up and hold him.
What do you do when a little child has been scared by a dog, or by lightning and thunder, or by a bad dream, and is crying? You pick her up and hold her.
What you are doing in both instances is comforting the child. And that is the exact picture we get of Lazarus in heaven.
First, he is picked up by the angels and carried to heaven. But he is not deposited in a big room all by himself, like a crying child left off at the day care center — from his mother’s arms to an unfamiliar and large place. There is no such treatment for Lazarus.
Secondly, he is placed directly into Abraham’s bosom — his lap.
What a beautiful picture of comfort, after having faced such a lonely,
painful life. The moment Lazarus dies, he is passed from
the loving arms of one, to the the loving arms of another.
3. Revelation 14:13 says that those who die in the Lord are blessed, because “they may ________ from their labours.”
4. In John 14:2, we are told that in the Father’s house are many ___________.
5. According to verses 2 and 3 of that chapter, Jesus has gone to “____________ a place for you” (for believers).
6. After He has it prepared, He promises to one day “come again, and __________ you unto myself.” (vs.3)
7. According to Luke 12:37, those who are faithfully watching for Jesus’ return will be seated down to a meal, and Jesus “will come forth and __________ them” (serve them the meal).
Illustration: Heaven is not a place like America was when the pilgrims arrived here. At that time, this country was big and beautiful, but it was also rough and wild. It required a lot of back-breaking work to get lumber for homes. It was a land of great potential, but it was certainly not a place of rest. A lot of hard work had to be done!
Heaven is big and beautiful, but the work there has already been done. The mansions will be built and waiting for us. The streets will already be paved with gold. At our first meal there, we will not even have to cook. We will not even have to walk around and pick up our food, because Jesus will serve it to us. We will truly enter into a place of rest!
REVIEW:
1. The first reason there is a heaven is to ________________ good from evil.
2. Between heaven and hell there is a great _____________ fixed. 3. Outside of the heavenly city are murderers, idolaters, and whosoever loveth and maketh a __________. 4. The second reason there is a heaven is to give _______________ and rest. 5. Lazarus was ______________ by the angels into Abraham’s bosom. 6. Although Lazarus received evil things upon earth, in heaven he was __________________. 7. Those who die in the Lord are blessed because they may ________ from their labors. 8. Jesus has gone to heaven to _____________ a place for us. 9. Those who are faithfully watching for Jesus’ return will be seated to a meal in heaven, and __________ will serve it to them.
Chapter 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, Final Test Liberty Bible Course Directory