the language of heaven

Would you like to be able to speak and understand the same language that God speaks? Those of you who are linguists or who love words and learning foreign languages might think I'm referring to Hebrew, or Greek, as God's preferred language. But the language that God has always preferred to use when communicating with humankind goes way beyond just one ethnic group. Consider these Scriptures and see if you agree that the language of heaven (intended for human ears) is the physical, created order: stars, galaxies, plants, animals, sand, clay, water, wind, fire, lightning, clouds, etc., etc.

By the word of the LORD were the heavens made . . . he spoke and it came to be. (Ps.33:6,9)

The heavens declare the glory of God;

the skies proclaim the work of his hands.

Day after day they pour forth their speech;

night after night they display knowledge.

There is no speech or language

where their voice is not heard.

Their voice goes out into all the earth,

their words to the ends of the world. (Ps. 19:1-4)

Since the creation of the world God's invisible qualities - his eternal power and divine nature - have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse. (Rom. 1:20)

The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. (Jn 1:14)

Jesus began to teach by the lake . . . He taught them many things by parables, and in his teaching said, "Listen! A farmer went out to sow his seed . . ."

Then Jesus said to them, "Don't you understand this parable? How then will you understand any parable?" . . .

With many similar parables Jesus spoke the word to them, as much as they could understand. He did not say anything to them without using a parable. (Mark 4)

"The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit. . . I have spoken to you of earthly things and you do not believe; how then will you believe if I speak of heavenly things?" (Jn. 3:8,12)

That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked at and our hands have touched - this we proclaim concerning the Word of life. (I Jn. 1:1)

Did you notice how "earthy", how sensual (pertaining to the senses) God's communication to us is? None of this highly metaphysical, philosophically astute, academically refined stuff in God's manner of speaking. Oh, He can talk that way if He wants (Paul's letters tend somewhat in that direction), but that's not His preferred or most common way of speaking. He not only enjoys using very down-to- earth ways of speaking, he also enjoys speaking through the most ordinary and common of people, as this last Scripture makes quite clear to us:

In the last days, God says,

I will pour out my Spirit on all people.

Your sons and daughters will prophesy,

your young men will see visions,

your old men will dream dreams. . .

I will show wonders in the heavens above

and signs on the earth below,

blood and fire and billows of smoke.

The sun will be turned to darkness

and the moon to blood . . . (Acts 2:17-20)

When God wants to make sure His message gets through to us you can be sure He will use the most effective language possible, and it will involve all of our senses!

So, today, as we reflect again on the most amazing communication of all - the Word becoming flesh - may we resolve to continue expanding our awareness of the innumerable other ways in which our Father is speaking to us through his creation.

a robust hope

"And now abideth faith, hope and love . . ."

Have you ever wondered why hope gets short-changed in comparison to all the attention faith and love get? I think part of the problem is that the English definition of "hope" falls far short of the true, Biblical definition. In Scripture, hope is just as real and solid a reality as the past and present. It has nothing to do with the wishful thinking that it has come to mean in the English language. It originates from the same eternal Word that brought everything we know into existence.

But there is another reason why I think hope has remained such an obscure concept. Even when we talk about our hope as Christians, wanting to base it on the Bible, the focus inevitably seems stuck on trying to imagine what "heaven" will be like. After all, isn't that what we look forward to after we die? Because heaven is such an ethereal, non-physical place (where God dwells), it's no surprise that we have a hard time relating to it or even really looking forward to spending eternity there. I believe that it's time to re-examine this wimpy view of "the Christian hope" to see if it is true to Scripture, because I believe it falls desperately short.

First of all, and most important to my world view, is that hope is something very tangible and physical. It is also very relevant to the here-and-now. Whether we know it or not everyone lives according to the hope that they have. The clearer and more focused that hope is the more purposeful and "on-track" one can be. Let's look at just a few Scriptures that will help to bring into sharper focus just what the "Christian hope" is, and let these truths shape the way we live in the present.

"Be fruitful . . . fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over . . . every living creature" (Gen. 1:28)

I saw thrones on which were seated those who had been given authority to judge . . .they came to life and reigned with Christ a thousand years. (Rev. 20: 4)

"The time has come for judging . . . for rewarding . . . for destroying those who destroy the earth." (Rev. 11:18)

I saw the holy city, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride, beautifully dressed for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, "Now the dwelling of God is with men, and he will live with them." (Rev. 21:2,3)

. . . we are looking forward to a new heaven and a new earth, the home of righteousness. (2 Pet. 3:13)

What comes across clear as a bell to me in these Scriptures is that our hope is a very physical hope that is tied to God's creation. God created us to be fully engaged in this earth as caretakers and co-rulers with Him. And that responsibility only increases, not diminishes, when Jesus returns. Even after the millenium is over the Biblical picture is not of us heading up to heaven, but of God coming down from heaven to live with us! How's that for a paradigm shift! God loves the world (i.e people and all of creation) so much that he actually wants to come and live with us! Of course, He's going to have to do some remodeling before He moves in with us, but you get the picture. That's what I call a robust hope. That is something that should impact the way we live in the here and now. Don't we want to live our lives, both physically and spiritually, in such a way that it fits in with the "big picture" of what He is up to? I sure do!

We are in the Advent season, proclaiming not only the first coming of Christ (Messiah, "annointed one", King), but also the hope, the looking forward to his return again to reign. Are we living lives that are truly welcoming of Him and His agenda in this world He created us to exercise wise dominion over?

Joy to the world, the Lord is come!

Let earth receive her king:

Let every heart prepare him room,

And heaven and nature sing.

Joy to the earth, the Saviour reigns!

Let men their songs employ;

While fields and floods, rocks, hills and plains,

Repeat the sounding joy.

No more let sins and sorrows grow,

Nor thorns infest the ground;

He comes to make his blessing flow

Far as the curse is found.