What’s it going to be like in Heaven?     I don’t know how many times I’ve been asked that question.    I’m sure you’ve wondered about it too.someone said, "Everybody wants to go to Heaven but nobody wants to die."    In fact I think God has placed a survival instinct within us for our journey here on earth.   

We all long for Heaven, even get homesick for heaven at times and rejoice in the hope that someday we’ll be there in the Celestial City of God with our Saviour for eternity. But for now, we sojourn in this world waiting for the day when we will be with Him.

 

One of the best selling books of all times tells the story of the Christian’s journey through this world.    It mays surprise you to know that this book was written in the 1660's and continues to encourage believers in the 21^st Century.

 

John Bunyan was born Elstow, England in 1628.    One day while passing through the streets of Bedford not far from his home, Bunyan heard "three or four poor women" sitting at a door, "talking about the new birth, the work of God in their hearts, and the way by which they were convinced of their miserable state by nature.   They told how God had visited their souls with His love in Christ Jesus, and with what words and promises they had been refreshed, comforted, and supported against the temptations of the devil."    From these women Bunyan learned to despise sin and to hunger for the Saviour.    Later, while passing into the fields, he recounts, "This sentence fell upon my soul, 'Thy righteousness is in heaven'...for my righteousness was Jesus Christ Himself, the same yesterday, today, and forever." Then "his chains fell off," and he went home rejoicing.

Bunyan came to believe in what is called believer’s baptism¹ and was baptized by immersion (immersed under the water)  in 1655 and was called to Preach the Gospel.    He was arrested on November 12, 1660 for preaching without approval of the Anglican Church and teaching that which was contrary to the law (believer’s baptism).    He spent 12 years in prison where he wrote perhaps one of the greatest classics of all time, "Pilgrims Progress."

Pilgrims Progress was written as an allegory about Christian’s² journey to the Celestial City and is second only to the Bible as the most widely sold book in the world.    I have enjoyed reading Pilgrim’s Progress several times over the years and am doing it again now.    I’d love to book in the hands (or on the Ipads and e-readers) of a whole new generation.

As I began reading Pilgrim’s Progress, Pilgrim having just talked to Evangelist heads off to the Celestial City. One of the characters who joins Christian on the way to the Celestial City, at least for a short time, is a man named Pliable.    As they walk along Pliable wants to know what the Celestial City is like and so Christian gives him a glorious description³ that has encouraged believers for centuries. Let me share it with you here that it might also encourage you to realize what God has waiting for the followers of Jesus.

Pliable:Come, neighbour Christian, since there are none but us two here, tell me now farther, what the things are, and how to be enjoyed, whither we are going.

Christian: I can better conceive of them with my mind, than speak of them with my tongue: but yet, since you are desirous to know, I will read of them in my book.

Pliable: And do you think that the words of your book are certainly true?

Christian: Yes, verily; for it was made by Him that cannot lie. (Titus 1:2)

Pliable: Well said; what things are they?

Christian: There is an endless kingdom to be inhabited, and everlasting life to be given us, that we may inhabit that kingdom for ever. (Isaiah 65:17; John 10: 27–29).

Pliable: Well said; and what else?

Christian: There are crowns of glory to be given us; and garments that will make us shine like the sun in the firmament of heaven. (2 Timothy 4:8; Revelation 22:5; Matthew 13:43).

Pliable: This is very pleasant; and what else?

Christian: There shall be no more crying, nor sorrow; for he that is owner of the place will wipe all tears from our eyes. (Isaiah 25:8; Revelation 7:16, 17; 21:4)

Pliable: And what company shall we have there?

Christian: There we shall be with seraphims and cherubims, (Isaiah 6:2; 1 Thessalonians 4:16,17; Revelation 5:11;) creatures that will dazzle your eyes to look on them. There also you shall meet with thousands and ten thousands that have gone before us to that place; none of them are hurtful, but loving and holy; every one walking in the sight of God, and standing in his presence with acceptance for ever. In a word, there we shall see the elders with their golden crowns,(Revelation. 4:4) there we shall see the holy virgins with their golden harps, (Revelation 14:1–5) there we shall see men, that by the world were cut in pieces, burnt in flames, eaten of beasts, drowned in the seas, for the love they bare to the Lord of the place, (John 12:25) all well, and clothed with immortality as with a garment (2 Corinthians 5:2).

Pliable: The hearing of this is enough to ravish one’s heart. But are these things to be enjoyed? How shall we get to be sharers thereof?

Christian:
The Lord, the governor of the country, hath recorded that in this book, (Isaiah 55:1,2; John 6:37; 7:37; Revelation 21:6; 22:17) the substance of which is, if we be truly willing to have it, he will bestow it upon us freely.
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The more affluent the culture in which you find yourself it is likely more difficult for you to appreciate Heaven.    I hope this little clip from The Pilgrim’s Progress will cause you to want get a copy and read it and also stimulate your thinking about heaven that glorious Celestial City that God has promised to the followers of Jesus.


　

1   Believer’s Baptism is the belief that only believers should be baptized as a visible expression of their faith. This was actually illegal in Bunyan’s day as it was outside the practice of the Church of England. Baptist were actually persecute all over the world until the founding of Rhode Island where true religious freedom was established around 1683.

^{2  Christian is the name of the main character in the allegory.3}   Based on the teaching of scripture.
You can obtain at free PDF copy of The Pilgrim’s Progress at the Chapel Press website by clicking on the link below. If you live in North America they will send you a free hard copy. www.chapellibrary.org/files/archive/pdf-english/ppro.pdf