Bible Facts About Heaven

SweetHomeofDepartedSaints
JohnR.Rice

"...apreciousunfoldingoftruthconcerningtheFather'sHouse,designedtocomforttheheartsofthose
whohavebeenbereavedandtostirotherswithadesiretoknowtheOnewhosepresencemakesHeaven,
thattheymaybewithHimforeverineternity.Thereare8chapters,andeveryoneclearandscriptural.
AnidealbookforministerstoputintothehandsofthosewhoaremourningthelossofChristianfriends
andrelatives."
H.A.Ironside

PostOfficeBox1099Murfreesboro,Tennessee37133
Copyright1940by
JohnR.Rice
www.SwordoftheLord.com
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Allrightsreserved.Nopartofthispublicationmaybeusedorreproduced,storedinorintroducedintoa
retrievalsystem,ortransmittedinanyformorbyanymeans(printed,written,photocopied,electronic,
audioorotherwise)withoutpriorwrittenpermissionofthepublisher.
AllScripturequotationsarefromtheKingJamesBible.

TableofContents
I.TheComfortofHeaven
HowsaintsofoldlovedtotalkandsingaboutHeaven.Howthesocialgospelandunscripturalpreaching
havecheatedpeopleoutofjoyfulanticipationofHeaven.
II.Heaven,aReal,LiteralPlace
Heaven,acitywithstreets,walls,ariver,trees,fruit,mansions.PeoplewithliteralbodiesinHeaven
Jesus,Enoch,Elijah,etc.
III.HeavenImmediatelyFollowsDeathforChristians
Nopurgatory,nolimbo,nosoulsleeping.HowJesus,thethiefonthecross,Enoch,ElijahandLazarus
wentinstantlytoHeavenatdeath;Paul'stestimony.
IV.ChristiansKnowEachOtherinHeaven
PersonalitycontinuesinHeaven.Knowledgemuchgreater.Therewewillrecognizenotonlythefacebut
theheart.LazarusandAbraham,Stephen,MosesandElijah,mymother'sdyingtestimony,thatinHeaven
theyknowoneanother.
V.InHeavenTheyObserveUsonEarthwithCompleteKnowledgeandEagerInterest
IfJesusknowsall,whynotthesaints?SamuelknewaboutSaul.TherichmaninHellandLazarusand
AbrahaminHeavenknewaboutthefiveunsavedbrothers.MosesandElijahknewaboutthecoming
deathofJesus.ThesaintsunderthealtarofRevelation6:911willknowaboutpersecutiononearth.Joy
inHeavenoversinnerssavedonearth.Christiansonearthcompassedaboutbygreatcloudofheavenly
witnesses.
VI.Christian,"ToDieIsGain":WeShouldLongforHeaven
ManyChristiansactlikeheathensatfunerals."BlessedarethedeadwhichdieintheLord."Whata
Christiangainsatdeath:thepresenceofChrist,seeinglovedonesagain,beingdonewithsin,nomore
sinfulcompanions,heartscomforted,rest,eternalrewards.
VII.ChristMayComeTodaytoTakeHisOwn
ThehopeofaChristianisnotdeathbutthesecondcoming."Iwillcomeagain,andreceiveyouunto
myself."Hiscomingisimminent.Christiansaretowatchcontinually,expectantly.Thejoyofgoingto
Heavenwithoutdying.
VIII.ChristtheWaytoHeaven;MakeSureYouAreGoingThere
WhatmenhavedoneinhopeofgainingHeaven.Jesustheonlyway;howChristpaidforsins;howHe
invitessinners.AllwhoreceiveandtrustHimforsalvationaresureofHeaven.Howtomeetlovedones
there.Adecisiontomaketoday.

HowtoUseThis
First,enjoyit.SaintsofoldrejoicedastheytalkedaboutHeaven.TheirsongswereaboutHeaven.And
JesuscommandedHisdisciples,"Rejoice,becauseyournamesarewritteninheaven"(Luke10:20).
PrayGodtomakeHeavenrealtoyou.Itisnotfaraway.AngelsgoandcomecontinuallyfromHeavento
earthandback.Heavenlybeingswatchuswithinfinitetenderness.Theyrejoicewhenasinnerrepents.
SearchouttheScriptures.Carefullycheckeveryreference.Letnounbeliefstealawayyourjoyinthe
blessedpromisesaboutHeaven.
IfthismessagecanmakeHeavenrealandsweettoyou,itwillhavebeenwellworthwhile.
InMississippiIsatlatetalkingtotwooldsaintsofGodabouttheLordandthehappylandtowhichthey
wouldsoonbegoing.Aswetalked,prayedandpraisedtheLordtogether,Heavenseemedverynear.
ThenextdayasIdrovefivehundredmiles,fromMississippiacrossLouisianaandpartofTexas,I
dictatedtoMissViolamostofthisbook.ItwassweettomysoulandItrustwillbesweettoyours.
Next,usethisbooklettocomfortpeople.Multitudeswhohavelostlovedonesbydeathareanxiousto
knowwheretheyareandwhethertheywillmeetthemagain.Oh,iftheyknewwhatisintheBibleabout
Heaven,howmuchlighteritwouldmaketheirburdens!
Great peace canGod's message about Heavengive toa troubled heart, so give them this bookand
earnestlypraythatGodwillmakeHeavenrealtothem.EarthhasnosorrowthatHeavencannotheal.
Someareold,sickandtroubled.Thisworldlosesitsappealwhenthestepsbecometottering,thehearing
becomesdim,andfailingeyesdon'tseeastheyoncedid.Withlovedonesgone,richesorfameor
pleasurebecomebaublesandtrash.Giveelderlypeoplethisbooktocomforttheirheartsandlightentheir
way.
Somearesickwithanincurablediseaseandhavenotmuchtime.Theywouldrejoiceinthegoodnews
aboutafarcountrywhichafterallisnotveryfar,aplacewheretheSaviourhaspromisedtotakethemif
theytrustHim.
Putthisebookinthehandsoftheelderly,sorrowing,sick,thetroubled.BytalkingtothemaboutHeaven,
JesuscomfortedtheapostlesthenightbeforeGethsemane'sburdenandbeforeCalvary'sawfulsacrifice.
EvenonthecrossHetalkedtothedyingthiefabouttheParadisetowhichHewouldtakehimthatvery
day.
Third, use this ebook to win souls. Many times hearts have grown tender as they found the sweet
provisionGodhasmadeinHeavenforthosewhowilltrustHim.ThemessageofHeavenisasoul
winningmessage.Jesustoldthedoubtingandtroubleddisciples,"Iamtheway,thetruth,andthelife:no
mancomethuntotheFather,butbyme."JesusisthewaytoHeaven.Sousethisbooklettogetmany
saved.

At the close is a decision form, making it easy for readers to write down their names in a solemn
transactionoftrustingJesusChristforsalvationandclaimingHimopenly.Thedecisionmustbemadein
theheart,butitwillhelptogiveassuranceandhonorGodifitismademoredefiniteandmorepublicbya
solemn,signedagreement.Thisdecisionslipmaymakeiteasierforsometoseehowsimpleitistotrust
inJesusChristforsalvation.
Prayerfullyuseit,andmakesurethatitisnotamereformbutanhonestactionofaheartinfullsurrender
andtrust,givingoverthewholeheart,lifeandsoultoJesusChrist.
Andnow,dearreader,ifyoulovetheLordJesusandhavetrustedHimasSaviour,thenonegladdayI
willmeetyouintheHomeland,intheFather'shouseofmanymansions;andtheretogetherwewillsing
redemption'ssongandworshipHimforever.

1TheComfortofHeaven
"Letnotyourheartbetroubled:yebelieveinGod,believealsoinme.InmyFather'shouseare
manymansions:ifitwerenotso,Iwouldhavetoldyou.Igotoprepareaplaceforyou.AndifI
goandprepareaplaceforyou,Iwillcomeagain,andreceiveyouuntomyself;thatwhereI
am,thereyemaybealso.AndwhitherIgoyeknow,andthewayyeknow.Thomassaithunto
him,Lord,weknownotwhitherthougoest;andhowcanweknowtheway?Jesussaithunto
him,Iamtheway,thetruth,andthelife:nomancomethuntotheFather,butbyme." John
14:16.
Heavenwassorealtomanyofthesaintsofagespast.
Oh,singtomeofHeaven
WhenIamcalledtodie,
theysang.IcanrememberinmyyouthhearingChristianssingwithtearsstreamingdowntheirfaces:
Ihaveamotheroveryonder,
Ihaveamotheroveryonder,
Ihaveamotheroveryonder
Ontheotherbrightshore.
SomegladdayI'llgoandmeether,
SomegladdayI'llgoandmeether,
SomegladdayI'llgoandmeether
Ontheotherbrightshore.
Itwassungmanytimesinlittlechurchesaspeoplewentfromonetoanothershakinghandssungwhile
tearsofjoyrandownfaces.Otherverseswere:"Ihaveafatheroveryonder"orbrotherorsister,andlast
ofall,"IhaveaSaviouroveryonder."Itwasveryrealtothem.
There'llbenosorrowthere,
There'llbenosorrowthere.
InHeavenabove,whereallislove,
There'llbenosorrowthere
wasasongMothersang.Itsmemoryissweet.ThesaintsofGodseemedto'standonJordan'sstormy
banksandcastawishfuleyetoCanaan'sfairandhappyland,wheretheirpossessionslie.'
Tomany,thelaststanzaoftheoldhymnwrittenbySamuelStennettseemedtoexpressasincereheart
longing:

WhenshallIreachthathappyplace,
Andbeforeverblest?
WhenshallIseemyFather'sface,
AndinHisbosomrest?
PeoplesangmanysongsaboutHeaven."IntheSweetByandBy,""WhenWeAllGettoHeaven,""Oh,
Come, Angel Band," the magnificent "Glory Song" sung around the world in the TorreyAlexander
meetings,hadtheirtremendousholdonpeople,nodoubtbecauseofthehappyhopetheyexpressedfor
Heaven. The human heart longs for an assurance of a blessed, immortal place where those made
righteous,theforgiven,theblessedareathomewithGod;whensin,disappointment,humanfailure,
heartache,diseaseanddeathareforeverended!
Itseemsthatinrecentyearstherehasbeenmoreconfusioninpeople'smindsaboutHeavenandless
understandingoftheBibledoctrineconcerningthatgloriousplace.Foronething,ismsandfalsecults
haveincreasedtoconfusethemind.Thentherehasbeenagreatdecreaseinpreachingaboutdeath,Hell,
Heavenandjudgment.Modernismandworldlinesshavediscouragedtheflabby,softlivinghirelingsof
thepulpitfrompreachingaboutdeathandwhatfollows.
ButyoucannotdismissHellwithoutdismissingHeaven.Youcannotignoreorevadethefateofthe
unrepentantsinnerandteachthesaintsthegloriesthatawaittheredeemedofGod.Thesocalled"social
gospel"laysstressuponthislife,notonthenext.Inmanyquartersitisnowregardedasveryold
fashionedandpasse'tourgepeopletopreparetodie.Socialsecurity,betterhousing,relieffortenant
farmers, better living conditions for the poor and the care of underprivileged childrenthese have
occupiedsomuchoftheteachingandpreachingofthesemoderndays,thatpreachershavelefthungry
heartedpeopleignorantaboutHeaven.
WeoughttothinkandpreachaboutHeavenfarmorethanwedo.Saintsshouldrejoicebecausetheir
namesarewritteninHeavenandshouldthinkofthejoyinHeavenoveronesinnerthatrepents.Sinners
shouldbecontinuallywarnedthattheywillmisstheeternaljoysandgloriesofHeavenandwill,likethe
richman,liftuptheireyesinHell,beingintorment,iftheydonotrepent.
Thisworldisonlyananteroomofthenext.Thisshortlifeisincidentalcomparedwitheternity.This
worldisnothometotheChristian.Hereweareonlysojourners,temporarydwellersinaforeignland.
OurcitizenshipisinHeaven.OurtreasureshouldbeinHeaven.Ourthoughtsshoulddwelllovinglyand
longinglyonthatsweethomeofthedepartedsaints,ofourSaviourandofourHeavenlyFather.

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