The people who populate heaven
It is more than the joy of a graduating Medical School Class that we saw the other week! It’s been six years of gruelling studies and clinical practices for them. Their shout of joy was: “we have made it!”
Indeed, those who make it to Heaven will remain there forever and ever! They will remain there for all eternity. No joy will be comparable to that of being with Christ in Heaven.
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A narrative of the Apostle John on the Island of Patmos tells us about the kind of people who populate Heaven. (Revelation 7:9-15)
First, the racial and cultural backgrounds of those who populate Heaven: “I saw a vast crowd, too great to count, from every nation and tribe and people and language, standing in front of the throne and before the Lamb. They were clothed in white robes and held palm branches in their hands.” (Revelation 7:9 NLT). They are from all Nations. They are from all races and tribes. They are from all people-groups and languages. This means that saved people from this nation will be there. And we will find in Heaven, people from all the over 70 language groups in Ghana; and from the over 3000 languages in Africa; and people from all races worldwide. No race, ethnicity, or tribe will be left out.
The creator God is the God of all the Nations and people groups worldwide! And remember the Lord Jesus promised true believers: “Don’t let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God, and trust also in me.
There is more than enough room in my Father’s home. If this were not so, would I have told you that I am going to prepare a place for you? When everything is ready, I will come and get you, so that you will always be with me where I am.” (John 14:1-3 NLT)
We also see this Bible text as the fulfilment of the Great Commission: “go and make disciples of all the nations, baptising them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.” (Matthew 28: 19 NLT.) Indeed, achieving the Great Commission by the time of the second coming of Christ is mission possible. We see this text also as the fulfilment of the following sayings of the Lord Jesus Christ: “this is how God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.” (John 3:16 NLT.) “And the Good News about the Kingdom will be preached throughout the whole world, so that all nations will hear it; and then the end will come.” (Matthew 24:14 NLT.)
Do you have the same desire to be among those who will make it to Heaven as the following song writer:
“O when the saints, Go marching in
O when the saints, Go marching in
O Lord, I want to be in that number,
O when the saints, Go marching in!”
Second, the Bible text says that those who made it to Heaven, “were clothed in white robes and held palm branches in their hands.” (Revelation 7:9b) The “white garments” represent Spiritual purity. And the “palm branches” are ancient symbols of victory and success!
Third, those who made it to Heaven were having super raise and worship in Heaven: “they were shouting with a great roar, “Salvation comes from our God who sits on the throne and from the Lamb!”
“Amen! Blessing and glory and wisdom and thanksgiving and honour and power and strength belong to our God forever and ever! Amen.” (Revelation 7: 10&12 NLT.) Their celebration and worship of Jesus Christ, the Lamb, is very significant. And what they say about Christ in this Bible text is extremely important. “that salvation comes from God and His only begotten son Jesus Christ, the Lamb.” Indeed the
Bible says in John 3:16 “For this is how God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.”
One could imagine that each of them in that crowd had their own personal salvation testimonies. Think of Mary Magdalene from whom Jesus had cast out seven demons and she was the first person to see
Jesus after His resurrection! And think of Lazarus who Jesus raised from the dead. Think of Nicodemus, the Samaritan woman, Zacchaeus, and numerous others who met Jesus then and are saved. Do you have a personal salvation testimony?
Billy Graham has said that the most hopeful word in History is “Salvation.” But salvation from what and for what? Christian doctrine talks about:
• Salvation from the power of sin. So as no longer to be a slave to sin and to have sin as your master. When you are saved, you are under a “New Management.” (See Roman 6:6, 11,13,18,22 NLT.)
• Salvation from the penalty or the punishment for sin. (See Romans 6:23.) Salvation from the punishment from sin and the presence of sin when we enter Heaven comes from Jesus Christ alone. The Lord Jesus has clearly said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me.” (John 14:6 NLT). The Bible says believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved. (Acts 16:31)
• Salvation from the presence of sin- when Jesus Christ comes the second time (See 1 John 3:3, Revelation 21:3&4.) Yes, there will be perfect salvation from the presence of sin when we arrive in Heaven.
And salvation for what? We are saved so as to receive the gift of eternal life that Jesus Christ alone gives. We are saved to be restored back to the dignity of “the image of God” which was damaged and lost because of human fallenness in sin. We are saved to enjoy in Christ a fully functional life or abundant life. (John 10:10b). We are saved unto good works of genuine love for God and service for His
Kingdom and practical godly love for neighbour: “we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.” (Ephesians 2:10 ESV)
It is those who are saved by Jesus Christ who populate Heaven. Jesus Christ still saves- believe in Him, follow Him fully, suffer for Him, and enjoy His love, friendship, and blessings. Feed on His word and live by it, and be transformed into Christ-likeness. And you will get to enjoy Him forever in Heaven.
(The author is a consultant in authentic Christian Spirituality and Discipleship and former CEO of Scripture Union)
