Eric Casagrande      /          Genelyn Novabos

 

 

Heaven Full  &  Hell Empty

  

About a month ago, I was reading a response by my dear friend, Pastor Francis Riley, to an email from a Christian lady, who was promoting the idea that we are now living in the seven year tribulation period. Now of course, Pastor Riley, being a man open to the guidance of the Holy Spirit, and understanding the Gospel of Grace, set the record straight with the lady, telling her that we are not in the tribulation period, and the four horsemen of Revelation chapter six, are not currently out riding.

Amen! Preach it, brother!

As I wrote in a previous article – see “The Misunderstood Gospel” – the reason people come up with so many absolutely twisted doctrines and teachings on the end-times, is because they simply don’t understand the Gospel of Grace, as had been very clearly revealed, through the person of Jesus Christ.

If the foundation of your house is misaligned and built on sand – then what can you expect of the above-ground floors?

The book of Revelation is not primarily concerning a description of end-time events – although it does very powerfully give that perspective. But rather, its primary focus is on giving a revelation of Jesus Christ! In fact, that is precisely what the opening five words of the book, speaks to us (Revelation 1: 1) –

 

“The revelation of Jesus Christ …“

 

Furthermore, as I’ve mentioned above, the book of Revelation states that it’s only through having a personal revelation of Jesus Christ, whereby one receives wisdom in understanding the events surrounding the end-times (Revelation 1: 1) –

 

“The revelation of Jesus Christ, which

God gave him [Apostle John], to show

  his servants what must soon take place.“

 

Do you see it? God wanted John to be able to show us what would happen in the final days – but it could only be properly understood through having a personal revelation of Jesus Christ! And if you don’t have this revelation of Jesus, then your perspective and understanding of prophecy, is always going to be askewed from the truth.

In this vein, please bear with me as I touch upon a very important issue. 

Unfortunately, I have come across many writings in which the author puts forth the idea that there will be relatively few numbers of people in heaven, compared to the great numbers that will end up in hell for eternity.

My friends, that is completely false, and goes against the Word of God!

The biblical truth of the matter, is that it’s just the opposite. Heaven is going to be jam-packed to the rafters … while, comparatively speaking, hell is going to be nearly empty. In fact, I can prove it to you from the scriptures. Turn with me now to Revelation 7: 9-10, where the apostle John lays out for us, the following description of heaven’s occupancy rate:

 

“After this I looked, and behold, a great multitude

which no man could count, of all nations, and

kindreds, and people, and tongues, stood before

the throne, and before the Lamb, clothed with

white robes, and palms in their hands.

 

And cried with a loud voice, saying: Salvation

to our God who sits upon the throne,

and unto the Lamb.“

 

Would you care to go back and read those two verses, again? John clearly says, by revelation of Jesus Christ, that in heaven there will be a ‘great multitude‘ that ‘no man could count‘. Notice he didn’t say: ‘Well bless my soul, many are called, but only a few will make it.’

No! It’s just the opposite!

Imagine, according to John’s revelation of Jesus Christ, there will be so many people in heaven, that nobody will be capable of counting them, for the sheer number! Think of all the great men over the years, highly steeped in the maths and the sciences — yet John says that none of them – NO MAN – will be able to count the number of people, from all tongues and tribes of the earth!

Hallelujah! Glory to the Lamb!

Now someone might say to me: ‘Brother Eric, that’s just one verse. You can’t build a doctrine on a single text alone!’ Well I would agree with you. So let’s take a look at what Revelation 19: 1-2 has to say about it:

 

“After this I heard what sounded like the

roar of a great multitude in heaven,

shouting: Hallelujah! Salvation and

glory and power belong to our God.

 

For true and just are His judgments.

He has condemned the great prostitute

who corrupted the earth by her adulteries.

He has avenged on her the blood of

His servants.“

 

Well isn’t that interesting? John – by revelation of Jesus Christ – gives witness that he heard the roar (i.e. very loud shout or yell), of a great multitude in heaven! Now tell me – how many times have you heard a virtually empty sports stadium, give out a great roar? Absolutely never! You need – as the apostle John describes – a great multitude of people to create that kind of a deafening sound!

This is now the second witness of the great numbers of people making it into heaven, as a result of the finished work of Christ at the cross, and His resurrection from the dead. But you know the old saying of ‘three for a quarter’, so turn with me now to Revelation 19: 6-8, and read what it describes for us there:

  

“Then I heard what sounded like a great multitude,

like the roar of rushing waters, and like loud

peals of thunder, shouting: Hallelujah!

For our Lord God Almighty, reigns!

  

Let us rejoice and be glad, and give him glory!

For the wedding of the Lamb has come, and

His bride has made herself ready.

  

Fine linen, bright and clean, was given

her to wear.“

  

So once again, by the revelation of Jesus Christ (Revelation 1: 1), John makes it perfectly clear there are no small numbers of born-again believers in heaven! There are so many people there, John once more describes them as a ‘great multitude‘ — and he further tells us their voice is so loud, that it sounds like the rushing of many waters, and like peals of thunder!

Did you ever stand by a mighty river, and listen to the sound as its waters rush past you? Did you ever stand by a set of rapids, and hear the roar of the water as it furiously sped by the jagged rocks? Or maybe you’ve listened to the window-shaking blast of thunder’s rumble, after a flash of lightning? Now tell me – do you really think a tiny group of people could make a comparably loud noise? No way, my friend!

But we are not finished yet. Turn your bibles to Revelation 19: 11-14, and see what else that John has to say about this matter:

 

“I saw heaven standing open, and there before

me was a white horse, whose rider is called

‘Faithful and True’. With justice He judges

and makes war.

 

His eyes are like blazing fire, and on His head

are many crowns. He has a name written on

Him that no one knows but He Himself.

 

He is dressed in a robe dipped in blood,

and His name is the Word of God.

 

The armies of heaven were following Him,

riding on white horses, and dressed

in fine linen, white and clean.“

 

Please note that John says that ‘armies of heaven‘ were following Christ, back to the earth. Not a handful of people – but rather, armies! Further, we know these people to be the born-again bride of Christ, because the description of their clothing (fine line, white and clean), matches the way John described the clothing worn by the bride of Christ at the Wedding Supper of the Lamb (see Revelation 19: 8 above).

Clearly, there are tremendous numbers of people in heaven!

In closing, I will try your patience with one more bit of evidence. Open up your bibles to Luke 14, where the Jesus is describing the ’marriage supper’. Look at the closing verses (Luke 14: 22-23), where it says:

 

“And the servant said: ‘Lord, it is done as you

have commanded, and there is still room.’

 

And the Lord said unto the servant: “Go out into

the highways and hedges, and compel them to

come in, that my house may be filled.”

 

My friends, Christ made it perfectly clear that it’s the will of God for His house to be filled! Not to be empty, as some people are wrongly teaching (with no revelation of Jesus Christ). But filled up to the rafters!

God ‘commanded‘ his servants to go out into the world (the highways and hedges), and bring all of them into His house [through Jesus Christ]. When the servant did so and there was yet empty space in the house, God told them to get right back out there, and this time to ‘compel‘ them (the world), to come into His house [through Jesus Christ].

The word ‘compel‘, means to do something in such a way that is powerful and irresistable! There is no way someone could turn it down. It’s the Heavenly Father – through Jesus Christ – making the world an offer that is almost impossible to refuse!

Why is He making such a gracious offer? Because as it says very openly in 2 Peter 3: 9, He is not willing that any should perish! He loves you, my friend, and wants a relationship with you for all of eternity.

Don’t let anyone tell you that God doesn’t love you! He loves everybody in the world – without discrimination. And He was more than willing to prove it, through His Son, Jesus Christ, at the cross!

Oh hallelujah! 

 

 

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