Choose Glorious Or Gruesome
“And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment:” (Hebrews 9:27)
Choose Your Gate
Mordecai along with the king’s officers sat in the king’s gate. In ancient times prominent men conducted business in the city gates.
“And there came two angels to Sodom at even; and Lot sat in the gate of Sodom: and Lot seeing them rose up to meet them; and he bowed himself with his face toward the ground;” (Genesis 19:1)
God said to Abraham: “That in blessing I will bless thee, and in multiplying I will multiply thy seed as the stars of the heaven, and as the sand which is upon the sea shore; and thy seed shall possess the gate of his enemies; And in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed; because thou hast obeyed my voice.” (Genesis 22:17-18)
The first gate listed in the Bible was destroyed by fire and brimstone when God judged Sodom. The second mention of the word gate is one of the many blessings and promises of God to Abraham. In both Judaism and Christianity Abraham is the father of our faith. The last gates referenced are found in Revelation the last book of the Bible. These gates lead to a majestic life of unspeakable joy in paradise, free of death, disease, stress, sorrow and everything unpleasant painful and evil.
“And Abraham said, My son, God will provide himself a lamb for a burnt offering: so they went both of them together.” (Genesis 22:8)
“The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.” (John 1:29)
God provided himself a sacrifice, the Lamb of God. He made a way for us to move from judgement to life everlasting. Glory to God!
God said: “Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” (Philippians 2:9-11)
The Gates, Wall and Streets of Heaven: Glorious Life
“And had a wall great and high, and had twelve gates, and at the gates twelve angels, and names written thereon, which are the names of the twelve tribes of the children of Israel: …And the twelve gates were twelve pearls: every several gate was of one pearl: and the street of the city was pure gold, as it were transparent glass.” (Revelation 21:12,21)
“Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city.” (Revelation 22:14)
The city of heaven is approximately 1,500 square miles. The length, width and height are the same. (Revelation 21:16) The wall is approximately 216 feet high. (Revelation 21:17) It is constructed with precious gemstones.
“And the foundations of the wall of the city were garnished with all manner of precious stones. The first foundation was jasper; the second, sapphire; the third, a chalcedony; the fourth, an emerald; The fifth, sardonyx; the sixth, sardius; the seventh, chrysolyte; the eighth, beryl; the ninth, a topaz; the tenth, a chrysoprasus; the eleventh, a jacinth; the twelfth, an amethyst.” (Revelation 21:19-20)
The Lake of Fire: Gruesome Death
“And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever… And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.”
(Revelation 20:10,14-15)
God’s Promise of Magnificence and Perfection
“But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him.” (1 Corinthians 2:9)
God’s Invitation of Eternal Life
“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.” (John 3:16)
“Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.” (John 14:6)
“And he said unto me, It is done. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give unto him that is athirst of the fountain of the water of life freely.” (Revelation 21:6)
