HEAVEN OPENED - Until Christ came to die and rise again, heaven was closed, for nothing unclean could enter there, and death had “passed upon all men, for that all have sinned.” Since that wonderful day when Christ ascended back to heaven, “to be absent from the body” is “to be present with the Lord.” Heaven someday will even receive our resurrected bodies. Heaven thenceforth will be open eternally to all the redeemed. “The gates of it shall not be shut at all by day: for there shall be no night there.” - “And he saith unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Hereafter ye shall see heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of man.” - In Jacob’s dream, angels were ascending and descending on a great ladder between Earth and heaven. Christ promised a future reality in which He Himself would be the ladder to the opened heaven. Until Christ came to die and rise again, heaven was closed, for nothing unclean could enter there, and death had “passed upon all men, for that all have sinned.” Even those who died in faith could only be “comforted” in “Abraham’s bosom” deep “in the heart of the earth,” because “it is not possible that the blood of bulls and of goats should take away sins.” Then Christ died and rose again “to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself.” In His spirit, “he also descended first into the lower parts of the earth,” and “when he ascended up on high, he led captivity captive,” leading all pre-Calvary saints with Him into heaven.

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Heaven Opened

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Until Christ came to die and rise again, heaven was closed, for nothing unclean could enter there, and death had “passed upon all men, for that all have sinned.”  Since that wonderful day when Christ ascended back to heaven, “to be absent from the body” is “to be present with the Lord.” 

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Heaven someday will even receive our resurrected bodies. Heaven thenceforth will be open eternally to all the redeemed. “The gates of it shall not be shut at all by day: for there shall be no night there.”

BY HENRY M. MORRIS, PH.D.

“And he saith unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Hereafter ye shall see heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of man.” - (John 1:51)

 

In Jacob’s dream (Genesis 28:12), angels were ascending and descending on a great ladder between Earth and heaven.

Christ promised a future reality in which He Himself would be the ladder to the opened heaven.

But that was to be “hereafter.”

Until Christ came to die and rise again, heaven was closed, for nothing unclean could enter there, and death had “passed upon all men, for that all have sinned” (Romans 5:12).

Even those who died in faith could only be “comforted” in “Abraham’s bosom” deep “in the heart of the earth” (Luke 16:22, 25; Matthew 12:40), because “it is not possible that the blood of bulls and of goats should take away sins” (Hebrews 10:4).

Then Christ died and rose again “to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself” (Hebrews 9:26).

In His spirit, “he also descended first into the lower parts of the earth,” and “when he ascended up on high, he led captivity captive” (Ephesians 4:8-9), leading all pre-Calvary saints with Him into heaven.

Then was fulfilled the wonderful scene predicted in Psalm 24:7: “Lift up your heads, O ye gates; and be ye lift up, ye everlasting doors; and the King of glory shall come in.”

Since that wonderful day when Christ ascended back to heaven, “to be absent from the body” is “to be present with the Lord” (2 Corinthians 5:8).

Heaven someday will even receive our resurrected bodies. John prophesied it this way: “I looked, and, behold, a door was opened in heaven: and the first voice…said, Come up hither, and I will shew thee things which must be hereafter” (Revelation 4:1).

Heaven thenceforth will be open eternally to all the redeemed. “The gates of it shall not be shut at all by day: for there shall be no night there” (Revelation 21:25).

The Institute for Creation Research (ICR) wants people to know that God’s Word can be trusted in everything it speaks about—from how and why we were made, to how the universe was formed, to how we can know God and receive all He has planned for us.

After 50 years of ministry, ICR remains a leader in scientific research within the context of biblical creation. Founded by Dr. Henry Morris in 1970, ICR exists to conduct scientific research within the realms of origins and Earth history, and then to educate the public both formally and informally through professional training programs, through conferences and seminars around the country, and through books, magazines, and media presentations. Click here for more information about ICR founder Henry M. Morris.

https://www.icr.org/article/11789/

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We Are Climbing Jacob's Ladder

African-American spiritual

CLICK HERE . . . to view complete playlist . . . 

https://puricarechronicles.blogspot.com/2018/07/we-are-climbing-jacobs-ladder-we-are.html

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God in Your Dreams

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WHO IS THIS KING OF GLORY? - Jesus is “the Lord of glory.” And, since he is continually being revealed to the church through Scripture and by the Holy Spirit, Christians have the unbelievable privilege of seeing the very glory of God through “the face of Christ.” Furthermore, God’s people were made to reflect his glory to the world as they grow in their relationship with Christ. There should be a certain radiance about the people who claim to know him, for, as Paul says, they “are being transformed into his image with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.” “Who is this King of glory? The Lord strong and mighty, the Lord mighty in battle. “Lift up your heads, you gates; lift them up, you ancient doors, that the King of glory may come in. Who is he, this King of glory? The Lord Almighty — he is the King of glory.” Psalm 24 is a song about the glory of God. But what exactly is God’s glory? David asked the question, “Who is this King of glory?” and answered with a resounding declaration about God’s strength and might. Psalm 96 likewise describes strength as an aspect of God’s glory; however, the list goes on to include his “marvelous deeds,” his “majesty,” his “holiness,” his “righteousness” and his “faithfulness.” When Moses asked to see God’s glory, God said that he would allow his “goodness” to pass before him. All of these things comprise its weight, its essence, its brightness and light! God’s glory is further revealed to the world in the person of Christ.

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Who is this King of Glory?

Jesus is “the Lord of glory.” 

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And, since he is continually being revealed to the church through Scripture and by the Holy Spirit, Christians have the unbelievable privilege of seeing the very glory of God through “the face of Christ.” Furthermore, God’s people were made to reflect his glory to the world as they grow in their relationship with Christ. There should be a certain radiance about the people who claim to know him, for, as Paul says, they “are being transformed into his image with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.”

The Jesus Bible, NIV

 

“Who is this King of glory?

The Lord strong and mighty,

the Lord mighty in battle.

 

“Lift up your heads, you gates;

lift them up, you ancient doors,

that the King of glory may come in.

Who is he, this King of glory?

The Lord Almighty —

he is the King of glory.” — Psalm 24:8-10

 

Psalm 24 is a song about the glory of God.

But what exactly is God’s glory?

David asked the question, “Who is this King of glory?” and answered with a resounding declaration about God’s strength and might.

Psalm 96 likewise describes strength as an aspect of God’s glory; however, the list goes on to include

his “marvelous deeds” (Psalm 96:3),

his “majesty” (Psalm 96:6),

his “holiness” (Psalm 96:9),

his “righteousness” and

his “faithfulness” (Psalm 96:13).

When Moses asked to see God’s glory, God said that he would allow his “goodness” to pass before him (Exodus 33:18–19).

The point is that just a sampling of the texts about God’s glory confirms that it is the sum of every amazing attribute God possesses and every perfect action he does.

All of these things comprise its weight, its essence, its brightness and light!

God’s glory is further revealed to the world in the person of Christ.

He claimed to possess this glory when he prayed, “Father, glorify me in your presence with the glory I had with you before the world began” (John 17:5).

John likewise attested to Christ’s glory when he wrote, “The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth” (John 1:14).

Matthew describes Jesus’ glory in his account of the transfiguration, saying, “[Jesus’] face shone like the sun, and his clothes became as white as the light” (Matthew 17:2).

And Peter wrote, “We were eyewitnesses of [Jesus’] majesty. He received honor and glory from God the Father when the voice came to him from the Majestic Glory, saying, ‘This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased.’ We ourselves heard this voice that came from heaven when we were with him on the sacred mountain” (2 Peter 1:16–18).

In summary, Jesus is “the Lord of glory” (1 Corinthians 2:8). 

And, since he is continually being revealed to the church through Scripture and by the Holy Spirit, Christians have the unbelievable privilege of seeing the very glory of God through “the face of Christ” (2 Corinthians 4:6).

Furthermore, God’s people were made to reflect his glory to the world as they grow in their relationship with Christ.

There should be a certain radiance about the people who claim to know him, for, as Paul says, they “are being transformed into his image with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit” (2 Corinthians 3:18).

Response

o  Take a moment to reflect on God’s amazing attributes.

o  Sing a song of worship praising him through song.

Article drawn from The Jesus Bible, NIV.

https://store.faithgateway.com/products/the-jesus-bible-niv-edition-cloth-over-board-gray-linen

The Jesus Bible, NIV

Sixty-six books. One story. All about one name. Encounter the living Jesus in all of Scripture. Includes exclusive articles from Louie Giglio, Max Lucado, John Piper, Ravi Zacharias and Randy Alcorn to help you see Jesus in every book of the Bible.

https://www.thenivbible.com/blog/king-of-glory/

https://puricarechronicles.blogspot.com/2019/12/you-deserve-glory-terry-macalmon-you.html

https://puricarechronicles.blogspot.com/2020/05/what-it-means-to-glorify-god-glorifying.html

https://puricarechronicles.blogspot.com/2020/05/the-earth-shall-be-filled-with-glory-of.html

https://puricarechronicles.blogspot.com/2020/09/king-of-glory-who-is-this-king-of-glory.html

https://puricarechronicles.blogspot.com/2020/11/glorifying-god-god-is-creator-of.html

https://puricarechronicles.blogspot.com/2019/10/the-glory-of-god-after-messiah-was.html

https://puricarechronicles.blogspot.com/2019/11/spiritual-realms-of-authority-gods.html

KING OF GLORY - Who is this king of glory? - King Jesus stands in stark contrast with all earthly kings, for He is the eternal King. He is the King whose coronation was foretold in advance by the prophets. Christ is perfectly righteous and forever victorious, yet He is lowly — humbling Himself to the point of death on a cross. His weapon is not mass destruction, but the mass restoration of lives. On Palm Sunday, King Jesus rode into Jerusalem not to conquer the city like an earthly king, but to conquer your heart and mine. He entered the city not as a man of the sword but as a man of sorrow, not as a man of hatred but as the God of love - is Christ the King of your life? - "They took palm branches and went out to meet him, shouting, 'Hosanna!' 'Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!' 'Blessed is the king of Israel!'" - Historically, the Sunday before Easter is celebrated as Palm Sunday, a day for the church to reflect on and celebrate the kingship of Jesus. Palm Sunday was a unique moment in Jesus' lifetime — the first time He allowed His followers to crown Him King. Through this historic event, we see the glory of Jesus that sets Him apart from every prophet and king who ever lived. King Jesus stands in stark contrast with all earthly kings, for He is the eternal King. He is the King whose coronation was foretold in advance by the prophets. Christ is perfectly righteous and forever victorious, yet He is lowly — humbling Himself to the point of death on a cross.

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King Of Glory

WHO IS THIS KING OF GLORY?

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King Jesus stands in stark contrast with all earthly kings, for He is the eternal King. He is the King whose coronation was foretold in advance by the prophets. Christ is perfectly righteous and forever victorious, yet He is lowly — humbling Himself to the point of death on a cross. His weapon is not mass destruction, but the mass restoration of lives. On Palm Sunday, King Jesus rode into Jerusalem not to conquer the city like an earthly king, but to conquer your heart and mine. He entered the city not as a man of the sword but as a man of sorrow, not as a man of hatred but as the God of love - is Christ the King of your life?

Michael Youssef, Ph.D.

"They took palm branches and went out to meet him, shouting, 'Hosanna!' 'Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!' 'Blessed is the king of Israel!'" - (John 12:13).

Historically, the Sunday before Easter is celebrated as Palm Sunday, a day for the church to reflect on and celebrate the kingship of Jesus.

Palm Sunday was a unique moment in Jesus' lifetime — the first time He allowed His followers to crown Him King (see John 12:12-19).

Through this historic event, we see the glory of Jesus that sets Him apart from every prophet and king who ever lived.

King Jesus stands in stark contrast with all earthly kings, for He is the eternal King.

He is the King whose coronation was foretold in advance by the prophets.

In fact, hundreds of years before Jesus entered Jerusalem, Zechariah prophesied, "Rejoice greatly, Daughter Zion! Shout, Daughter Jerusalem! See, your king comes to you, righteous and victorious, lowly and riding on a donkey" (Zechariah 9:9).  

The difference between King Jesus and every other earthly king can be found in this one verse.

Christ is perfectly righteous and forever victorious, yet He is lowly — humbling Himself to the point of death on a cross.

His weapon is not mass destruction, but the mass restoration of lives.

On Palm Sunday, King Jesus rode into Jerusalem not to conquer the city like an earthly king, but to conquer your heart and mine.

He entered the city not as a man of the sword but as a man of sorrow, not as a man of hatred but as the God of love.

Earthly kings may lord their authority over their subjects, but King Jesus compels us by His love and invites us into His Kingdom.

On that first Palm Sunday, the masses cried out, "Hosanna!" which means "Save now."

In doing so, they were proclaiming, "The king who will reign forever, whose sacrifice will redeem us, whose strength will carry us, whose might will defeat Satan — He is here."

Jesus purposely rode into Jerusalem on a donkey in order to fulfill the prophecy of Zechariah, and the crowd recognized His kingship.

The celebration of Christ's kingship on Palm Sunday begs the question: Is Christ the King of your life?

Prayer: Jesus, You are the rightful, righteous, eternal King. Help me by Your Spirit to live a life of submission to You. Thank You for Your love and sacrifice. All glory and praise belong to You. I pray in the name of Jesus. Amen.

DR. MICHAEL YOUSSEF

Even before he was born, it was evident that God had a vision for Michael Amerhom Youssef. Against doctors’ recommendations to terminate the at-risk pregnancy, Michael’s parents chose life after God intervened, sending the family pastor to reassure them that this child would be “born to serve the Lord.” His mother gave birth and lived to see him surrender his life to the Lord in 1964 at age 16.
Dr. Michael Youssef was born in Egypt and lived in Lebanon and Australia before coming to the United States and fulfilling a childhood dream of becoming an American citizen. With degrees in theology and social anthropology, God has gifted Dr. Youssef with a bold voice to bring Biblical clarity to today’s issues and speak to a worldwide audience.

https://au.ltw.org/read/my-devotional/2019/04/who-is-this-king-of-glory