February 11, 2020 – Click here to listen
I have a friend that is anxious about knowing whether or not he will know his wife in heaven, He does not like the fact that the Bible says that we will not marry in heaven. (Jesus was posed this question when asked about a woman who hypothetically got married but her many husbands kept dying off until she had married and remarried several times. They wanted to know whose wife she would be in heaven and Jesus said there is no marriage in heaven, and we would be like the angels. Matthew 22:30 For in the resurrection they neither marry nor are given in marriage, but are like angels in heaven. (Sorry Mormons but the Bible negates your belief system.)
Now some folks might look at having to spend eternity with their spouse as a form of hell. (LOL Before my wife pops a cork, I will not include myself with those folks nor would my buddy.) He has been married some 45 years and he and his wife are inseparable. Where he goes, she goes, and vice versa. He has some health issues and is concerned that he might die and never see her again. I tried to reassure him that we will know our friends and loved ones and there will be plenty of time to rejoice with them. Our reunions with loved ones are more likely to be filled with recounting the grace and glory of God in our lives, His wondrous love, and His mighty works. I believe we will rejoice all the more because we can praise and worship the Lord in the company of other believers, especially those we loved on earth.
What makes me think that we will know each other? Because the Bible has numerous examples of people who had died and came back to our world as recognizable. Moses and Elijah at the transfiguration, the poor beggar Lazarus in Abraham’s arms, and Jesus to name a few. The Bible – 1 John 3:2 – declares that when we arrive in heaven, we will “be like him [Jesus]; for we shall see him as he is”. Just as our earthly bodies were of the first man Adam, so will our resurrection bodies be just like Christ’s. Many people recognized Jesus after His resurrection. If Jesus was recognizable in His glorified body, we also will be recognizable in our glorified bodies. Being able to see our loved ones is a glorious aspect of heaven, but heaven is far more about God, and far less about us. Can you imagine what a pleasure it will be to be reunited with our loved ones and together worship God with them for all eternity.
So, what about those unsaved friends and family members that didn’t make it into heaven? Isaiah 65:17 clears this up for me – “Behold, I will create new heavens and a new earth. The former things will not be remembered, nor will they come to mind . . . ” In Revelation 21:3 the Bible states: “God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; and there will no longer be death; there will no longer be sorrow and anguish, or crying, or pain; for the first things have passed away.” As Eric Clapton so beautifully sang “There will be no tears in heaven.” We will only experience joy. Looking down at a suffering sibling or close friend doomed to hell for eternity would not bring joy. And this solidifies to me that we will have no remembrance of them. Now some might cite the rich man in hell seeing Lazarus in heaven to mean that we will see those in hell, but the problem with using this passage is that the verses state that the Rich Man can see Lazarus, but the story never indicates that Lazarus can see him.
While we can think about this subject and dig through the Bible looking for answers, we should instead focus on those unsaved friends and family and how we can introduce them to Jesus instead, should we not? Everything is not ours to know, but one day we will see clearly . . . Be patient and witness to someone today while you can . . .
1 Cor. 13:12
“For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face; now I know in part, but then I shall know fully just as I also have been fully known.”