HEAVEN — It’s All About God

When God first appears in the Bible He is busy about making a new world. By the power of His word light appears, a firmament is made, waters come together and dry land appears. By His word, plants of all kinds, sizes, and beauty spring forth from the ground and then a sun and moon grace the sky.

Creation progresses. We continue to hear that powerful voice causing fish to fill the waters and birds the air. Soon, again at God’s command, animals and creeping things flood over the earth. Then all becomes quiet later on the sixth morning.

There is no mighty voice. Instead we see God, with a broad smile on His beautiful face, kneeling on the ground doing something in the soil. What’s this? He’s forming a man! Then He leans over His creation and puts His mouth to the clay mouth of the carefully crafted form on the ground and breathes into it His life. Suddenly fingers twitch and toes wiggle. The clay body turns a ruddy red, and then starts glowing as though a light were shining from within. Finally his eyelids open and a big grin greets the One still smiling over him. God stretches out His had to help His son rise to his feet for the long-anticipated embrace. And while both enjoy the intimate moment the first words Adam hears are, “Son, I love you SO MUCH!”

“Here, come with Me for a moment. We have a lot to do today, but I want to first show you something quickly.” And with that the Creator takes His new friend to the far reaches of the firmament, the exosphere, about 6,000 miles up from the earth. “From here to the center of the earth is about 10,000 miles,” the Saviour says and then pauses because He notices Adam doing some quick calculations. “Wow!” Adam exclaims. “If I did my calculations right that is about 4 trillion cubic miles. And I am less than 30 cubic feet.” God smiles and nods. “You did them right,” and then thinks to Himself, “We are going to have a great time together!”

After a couple minutes God says, “We need to get back to earth. I have a surprise for you—your new home, and want you to watch Me make it.” And before his eyes Adam sees a beautiful garden come up out of the earth at God’s command. He doesn’t know whether to be awed by it’s loveliness or the power of His Creator.

Finally, he finds words to say. “Just moments ago You showed me a 4 trillion cubic mile ball You created for me, a speck of dust in comparison, to live in and move about safely and comfortably. And now, by the word of Your mouth, You created a beautiful garden to spring forth from the earth to be my awesome home. Why? Who am I? Why would you go to all this effort and expense of time and space for me, a man made from common clay?”

The Creator smiles and puts one of His mighty hands on Adam’s broad shoulder. “Because you are special, my Son. The Father and I made you after our likeness so we could express ourselves in you and through you and your offspring in ways we have never been able to before. We love all our creation, but up to today, we have always been limited to just how far we could interrelate. And this morning, when you opened your eyes and looked into mine, I saw our likeness for the first time. If you are faithful, eternity will slowly reveal the expanses available to not only you but also the Godhead of Whom I am part.”

“Offspring? Faithful?”

“Yes. We’ll talk about the ‘offspring’ another day, but now let Me show you a couple trees in the garden.” And with that Adam gets his first lesson about faithfulness and an antagonist bent on destroying everything God has made for man.

But there is still work to do, so the Creator explains, “Before you you see all the creatures I have made for your enjoyment and help. And I have created and empowered you to be master of this world. You will be as god to them. All these creatures of sea, air and land will be subject to your bidding. Our first job is to name them, and by naming them we will be defining their characteristics.”

God then takes His son’s hand and leads him to a creature standing close by with eyes fixed devotedly on Adam and its tail wagging in happy anticipation. And God says, “What shall we call him?” Adam replies immediately, “Let’s call him ‘Dog’. I want him to be man’s devoted companion forever.”

The Creator smiles and says, “That’s exactly what I was thinking.”

For the rest of the morning and into early afternoon the Creator brings both beast and fowl to Adam, to see what he would name them. And with every one God would say after Adam would call out its name, “Yes, that’s what I was thinking.”

But when all was done Adam turned to God with a big, unspoken question on his face. The Creator knew precisely what he was wanting to say. “It’s about the male and female pairs, right?” God asks.  Adam’s brow relaxed and a smile teased at his lips. “How did you know?” God replied with a big grin, “I made you after our likeness, didn’t I?” Adam leaped into His arms again with a big “thank you” hug of anticipation. Dog barked happily at his side. Then Adam pulled away and said excitedly, “Well?…”

Gen 2:21 And the LORD God caused a deep sleep to fall upon Adam, and he slept: and he took one of his ribs, and closed up the flesh instead thereof; [22] and the rib, which the LORD God had taken from man, made he a woman, and brought her unto the man.

Again we find God doing something with His hands as He leans over the sleeping Adam. The word used for “made” in Hebrew actually means “built”. This is the first (and only) time in Creation Week this word is used. It involves an intimate involvement of the creator with his creation, of a plan and its detailed execution. Adam was formed from the earth, as a potter forms a vessel from clay. But Eve was built up from a part of Adam who was made in God’s image, and then carefully designed and constructed in every detail to be man’s helpmate in all things. When completed the Creator proudly takes her by the hand and presents her, in all her beauty and loveliness, to the waking Adam.

For the second time that Adam opens his eyes he sees another part of God—His excellence in creativity, His sensitivity to Adam’s felt needs, His love of beauty and gentleness. With his eyes still fixed on examining every detail of this love-gift from his Creator he says, “She shall be called Woman, for she was taken out of man.” And God said, “I thought that was what you would call her.” Dog barked again.

But all this was not yet enough for God. Creation was an exciting time for all, but soon life would go on and busyness would quickly overtake them. God didn’t want to lose hold of this divinely-crafted couple, He and His Father had big plans for them. So while the morning of the 6^th day was being slowly replaced by the evening of the 7^th, God completed His creative works in one last display of foresight, love and power. He sculptured a 24-hour period of time to commemorate this momentous week, to preserve its purpose and potential forever—He would personally meet with His children to bless them and empower them for the new week every Sabbath Day– providing they, too, would stop their work and be desirous to spend time with Him.

However, the couple was soon to find another dimension of God’s love. They doubted Him and fell for Satan’s perversion of God, accusing Him of keeping something wonderful from them. The next day found the couple hiding in the bushes. Their garments of light had gone out, leaving them feeling naked and ashamed. And what did God do? Did He separate Himself from their defilement? No, no! He went in “search” for them.

Gen 3:7 And the eyes of them both were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together, and made themselves aprons. [8] And they heard the voice of the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool of the day: and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God amongst the trees of the garden. [9] And the LORD God called unto Adam, and said unto him, Where art thou?

God’s heart of love did not recoil from His creation because they sinned. They needed Him all the more for comfort, forgiveness, hope and help. But sin separated them from God, thinking that God would be mad at them and perhaps strike them down, or punish them terribly. Where would they get such ideas? Why would they be afraid of the One who loved them so much to do all He did for their comfort, safety and happiness?

Then Adam and Eve learned something else about the depth of God’s love for them. The Gospel Plan was unveiled. God the Father would give up His Son, their Creator, to take their punishment on Himself! He would become man and die in their place, if they would only put their trust wholly back on Him. What love!

Does this sound like a vengeful, self-centered, evil-minded God? Oh no! From a human perspective it would seem to have been an easy thing for the all-powerful Creator to simply speak a word to evaporate those two little people. Without even a thought we do something like that in computer games all the time when things don’t go our way—we just press the Reset button and begin again from scratch. But God isn’t human. Love wouldn’t even consider such an awful thing. The Father and Son would rather risk eternal separation from each other than see those two created in Their image to be lost forever without a second chance. Yes, both man and woman had sinned; they had failed in the simplest test of trust and devotion, but were they not inexperienced in battling the powers of darkness and falsehood? No, love would not allow a reset button for God, but it would for mankind!

Christ was treated as we deserve, that we might be treated as He deserves. He was condemned for our sins, in which He had no share, that we might be justified by His righteousness, in which we had no share. He suffered the death which was ours, that we might receive the life which was His. “With His stripes we are healed.” Desire of Ages, p 25

It is Jesus, our Creator and Redeemer, the One who gave up heaven to give us hope, who came to our earth to show us what love was really like.

1Co 13:4 CEV Love is kind and patient, never jealous, boastful, proud, or [5] rude. Love isn’t selfish or quick tempered. It doesn’t keep a record of wrongs that others do. [6] Love rejoices in the truth, but not in evil. [7] Love is always supportive, loyal, hopeful, and trusting. [8] Love never fails!

Jesus told us that He will return to heaven and prepare a place for us. How precious of Him to tell us that! But wait! That’s not all He said. Was it going to be a little mud house or grass shanty until we prove ourselves “worthy” of something better? Will He remember how weak and self-centered and rebellious we had been all our life? No, no! When we come to Him in humbleness and contrition, and truly repent of our estrangement from His love, He forgives completely and treats us as if we had NEVER sinned! No, it won’t be a mud shanty. It will be… well, let’s read what He says:

John 14:2 In my Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.

Heaven is going to be a wonderful place because God is there, and He is the Author of true love.

Only when sin is forever removed from the universe will we understand how 

 lavish

 and playful

and doting

and generous

 and helpful

 and inspiring

 and challenging

 and powerful

 and understanding

 and imaginative

 and patient

 and creative God’s love really is.

The Father and Son have LOTS of awesome things planned for us, so much in fact that eternity won’t be long enough to do them all.

But there is something that love is not:CONTROLLING or MANIPULATING. God, through the sacrifice of His Son, has given us the power of choice and will respect our decision—even if it is to hold on to some little pet indulgence or resentment rather than give Him our total devotion and let Him make us like Himself. What a measly sacrifice for so great an offer!

John 3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

The last we hear is Christ coming for us. But He doesn’t come alone. Oh no! All heaven is emptied as both Father and Son and all the angels come barreling toward earth, eager to give us the most royal escort into heaven that ever has been or ever will be. Now if that isn’t love…

Mat 16:26 For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul? [27] For the Son of man shall come in the glory of his Father with his angels; and then he shall reward every man according to his works.

Eternity, heaven, isn’t just about the absence of sin and death and suffering. It’s totally about spending time with Those who have loved us and planned for us and sacrificed for us, and now can enjoy us with Their lavish omnipotent love. Us — beings created and fully redeemed to totally interact with divine Minds!

How much better can it get?