The Gospel Brings Heaven to Earth

What makes you happy? Depending on your stage in life, it may be your spouse, children, or grandchildren. Your work might be deeply satisfying, as mine was, or it may be retirement, with the freedom to plan your days as you like. Even though earthly happiness is fleeting, we want to have it. Who wouldn’t rather be happy than sad or disappointed? I was visiting with a couple last night at assisted living, as I do most nights with my pup. The wife, who has dementia, is utterly content with her quiet life there. I have another friend, who is a decade older, with senility, who laments about not being able to remember people or events. However, she is not unhappy because she never forgets that she has Christ and He has her. Unfortunately, the one who is so content with life here has nothing appealing when she thinks of life beyond the grave. It occurs to me that she is too happy (i.e., comfortable) with her life here, not thinking that she needs something more—something from heaven. There is absolutely nothing on this earth, including our loved ones, who can give us the joy that the gospel provides because the gospel is from heaven. Only that which has its source in the perfection of heaven can offer us blissful contentment.

The Superiority of Heavenly Thoughts, Ways, and Prayers

“For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.” (Isaiah 55:8-9) “This is an appeal to people to exchange their sinful ‘thoughts’ and ‘ways’ for God’s, which are higher (nobler and more magnificent)…Because God is perfectly wise in all his thoughts and ways, his people can take great comfort amid hardship and when, inevitably, they are unable to understand the mysteries and tragedies of life.” (1) God, in his mercy, has, however, provided us a way to elevate our thoughts and ways. Through prayer, with the help of the Holy Spirit, we can rise out of our mire and confusion for heavenly help. “We asked that God would have mercy upon us, and blot out our sin. He heard us. But when He had blotted out our sins like a cloud, then we had more prayers…for sanctifying grace, for constraining and restraining grace; we have been led to crave for a fresh assurance of faith, for the comfortable application of the promise, for deliverance in the hour of temptation, for help in the time of duty, and for succour in the day of trial. We have been compelled to go to God for our souls, as constant beggars asking for everything. Bear witness, children of God, you have never been able to get anything for your souls elsewhere. All the bread your soul has eaten has come down from heaven, and all the water of which it has drank has flowed from the living rock—Christ Jesus the Lord. Your soul has never grown rich in itself; it has always been a pensioner upon the daily bounty of God…He has heard you in the day of trouble, has strengthened you, and helped you, even when you dishonoured Him by trembling and doubting at the mercy-seat..” (2) Jesus’s salvation is the only way to enjoy heavenly blessings; it is only through the gospel that we can have anything from heaven on earth. Let’s scrap our hope in earthly happiness and put our hope, instead, in that which comes from heaven, especially Jesus and his gospel.

Jesus brings the gospel to us on earth

God supernaturally gave Moses knowledge of the patriarchal family’s dreams. He writes in Genesis 28, “[Jacob] dreamed, and behold, there was a ladder set up on the earth, and the top of it reached to heaven. And behold, the angels of God were ascending and descending on it! And behold, the Lord stood above it and said, ‘I am the Lord, the God of Abraham your father and the God of Isaac…Behold, I am with you and will keep you wherever you go, and will bring you back to this land. For I will not leave you until I have done what I have promised you.’ Then Jacob awoke from his sleep and said, ‘Surely the Lord is in this place, and I did not know it.’ And he was afraid and said, ‘How awesome is this place! This is none other than the house of God, and this is the gate of heaven.'” (Genesis 28:12-17) Perhaps this illustration of the ladder is in Jesus’s mind when he encountered Nathanael for the first time. “‘Truly, truly, I say to you, you will see heaven opened, and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man.'” (John 1:51) “When Jesus spoke of the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man, he was saying that he is the ladder. He is the bridge that came from heaven to earth, the only bridge by which it is possible for men and women to pass from earth to heaven…He is the Word, the Light, the Lamb, the Son of God, Rabbi, the Messiah, the King of Israel…[Jesus] was talking about something that is still future, that is still to come. In other words, although no one has seen the fulfillment of this verse yet, all will one day see it when Jesus Christ returns…a moment of great joy and rejoicing for Christ’s followers.” (3) Jesus is the only way to enjoy heavenly blessings; it is only through the gospel that we can have anything from heaven on earth. There is grace and mercy for those who have put their hope in earthly happiness but will surrender themselves to Christ and the gospel before leaving this world.

Heaven Comes Down

“No one has ever seen God; the only God, who is at the Father’s side, he has made him known.” (John 1:18) “There never had been, nor was, nor could be, any mere man that could go up to heaven, and learn the mysteries of God, and of the kingdom of heaven, and return and instruct men in them: but he that came down from heaven; meaning himself, who is the Lord from heaven, and came from thence to do the will of God by preaching the Gospel, working miracles, obeying the law, and suffering death in the room of his people, and thereby obtaining eternal redemption for them.” (4) “He who comes from above is above all. He who is of the earth belongs to the earth and speaks in an earthly way. He who comes from heaven is above all. He bears witness to what he has seen and heard, yet no one receives his testimony. Whoever receives his testimony sets his seal to this, that God is true. For he whom God has sent utters the words of God, for he gives the Spirit without measure. The Father loves the Son and has given all things into his hand. Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life; whoever does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God remains on him.'” (John 3:31-36) “The Father gives to Jesus the Spirit without measure. Others had been and will be empowered by the Spirit to some extent, but Jesus has a measureless anointing from the Spirit.” (5) “It is impossible for a sharper line of distinction to be drawn between Christ and all human teachers, even when divinely commissioned and speaking by the power of the Holy Ghost. And who does not perceive it? The words of prophets and apostles are undeniable and most precious truth; but in the words of Christ we hear a voice as from the excellent Glory, the Eternal Word making Himself heard in our own flesh.” (6) Jesus is the only way to enjoy heavenly blessings; it is only through the gospel that we can have anything from heaven on earth.

It’s reasonable to want happiness here, to enjoy our children’s weddings, visits with cherished friends, or a great book or movie. But these are temporary pleasures, incomparable with our eternal joy of having Christ and his having us. The gospel reminds us that we can find a superior life and complete satisfaction in God’s dew-like drippings and heavenly overflows. “For this commandment that I command you today is not too hard for you, neither is it far off. It is not in heaven, that you should say, ‘Who will ascend to heaven for us and bring it to us, that we may hear it and do it?’ Neither is it beyond the sea, that you should say, ‘Who will go over the sea for us and bring it to us, that we may hear it and do it?’ But the word is very near you. It is in your mouth and in your heart, so that you can do it.” (Deuteronomy 30:11-14)

Related Scripture: Genesis 26:24-25; Exodus 3:4-6; Joshua 5:13-15; Job 33:14-18; Proverbs 30:4; Ezekiel 1:1; Matthew 3:16-17; Mark 14:62; John 1:9-14; 8:23; 1 Corinthians 2:9; Ephesians 4:10; 1 Timothy 2:5; Hebrews 7:26; 9:24; Revelation 1:7.

Notes:

1. English Standard Version Study Bible Notes, Isaiah 55:8-9, (digital edition), Crossway, 2008.

2. Spurgeon, Charles, Morning and Evening Devotions, Morning 2/6, Barbour Books, 2018.

3. Boice, James, Boice Expositional Commentary Series, Genesis 28; John 1:51, Baker Books, Software version, 1998.

4. Gill, John, John Gill’s Exposition on the Whole Bible, John 3:13, www.studylight.org/commentaries/geb/john-3.html

5. ESV Study Bible Notes, John 3:31-36, Ibid.

6. Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown’s Commentary On the Whole Bible, John 3:31-36, Zondervan, 1999.

February 8, 2024