DOOR TO HEAVEN
GATE TO HEAVEN
Welcome to our Christianity Oasis Christian Walk Bible study program. This is our absolutely awesome Door to Heaven Bible study looking at the Gate to Heaven Bible prophecy and how the message within affects you. This Door to Heaven Bible study on that Pearly Gate to Heaven will truly enLIGHTen your be-YOU-tiful Christian walk. Let's look into this together.
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Click the link below if you would like to read this study from the beginning. |
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DOOR TO HEAVEN
GATE TO HEAVEN
So, now we know that our bodies return to dust after
we die, our spirit is returned to God from where it came and our souls either go to Heaven or hell.
But, do Christians immediately go to Heaven?
Where does the
Heavenly Door lead?
If you're like most Christians, you
BELIEVE that when a Christian believer dies, that their soul goes
straight to Heaven.
BUT ... Is this accurate according to the WORD of
God which is the Bible?
The Bible clearly says that these Christians DO
go to Heaven, but not right away.
So where do they go first?
Let's check out the TRUTH according to what Jesus taught and what the Bible says.
The answer is as awesome as it is mysterious.
Buckle up ...
The TRUTH was shared by Jesus when He said ...
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John 3:12-13
If I have told you earthly
things, and ye believe not, how shall ye believe, if I tell you of
Heavenly things? No man hath
ascended up to Heaven, but He that came down from Heaven, even the
Son of man which is in Heaven.
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Wow ... Jesus is saying no man had ascended to
Heaven at the time of His statement.
Many may say, whoaaaaaa what about Enoch and Elijah ... Did they
not go to Heaven?
They ask this question, because it says this in the Bible ...
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Genesis 5:24
Enoch walked with God (On Earth) and he was not (Disappeared) for God took him. |
And it says of Elijah that the Lord would take Elijah up into
Heaven by a whirlwind and as Elisha and Elijah were walking a
chariot of fire with horses of fire divided the two men and Elijah
was taken up into Heaven by a whirlwind.
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2 Kings 2:1-11
And it came to pass, when
the LORD would take up Elijah
into heaven by a whirlwind,
that
Elijah went with Elisha from Gilgal. And Elijah said unto Elisha,
Tarry here, I pray thee; for the LORD hath sent me to Bethel. And
Elisha said unto him, As the LORD liveth, and as thy soul liveth, I
will not leave thee. So they went down to Bethel. And the sons of the
prophets that were at Bethel came forth to Elisha, and said unto him,
Knowest thou that the LORD will take away thy master from thy head to
day? And he said, Yea, I know it; hold ye your peace. And Elijah said
unto him, Elisha, tarry here, I pray thee; for the LORD hath sent me
to Jericho. And he said, As the LORD liveth, and as thy soul liveth, I
will not leave thee. So they came to Jericho. And the sons of the
prophets that were at Jericho came to Elisha, and said unto him,
Knowest thou that the LORD will take away thy master from thy head to
day? And he answered, Yea, I know it; hold ye your peace. And Elijah
said unto him, Tarry, I pray thee, here; for the LORD hath sent me to
Jordan. And he said, As the LORD liveth, and as thy soul liveth, I
will not leave thee. And they two went on. And fifty men of the sons
of the prophets went, and stood to view afar off: and they two stood
by Jordan. And Elijah took his mantle, and wrapped it together, and
smote the waters, and they were divided hither and thither, so that
they two went over on dry ground. And it came to pass, when they were
gone over, that Elijah said unto Elisha, Ask what I shall do for thee,
before I be taken away from thee. And Elisha said, I pray thee, let a
double portion of thy spirit be upon me. And he said, Thou hast asked
a hard thing: nevertheless, if thou see me when I am taken from thee,
it shall be so unto thee; but if not, it shall not be so. And it came
to pass, as they still went on, and talked, that, behold, there
appeared a chariot of fire, and horses of fire, and parted them both
asunder; and Elijah went up by a
whirlwind into heaven. |
BUT again ... Jesus said CLEARLY:
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John 3:12-13
If I have told you earthly things, and
ye believe not, how shall ye believe, if I tell you of
Heavenly things?
No man hath ascended up to Heaven, but He that came down
from Heaven, even the Son of man which is in Heaven. |
Oh my ... How could someone ever find harmony in
such a matter? Well ... It doesn't seem so difficult to comprehend if
you think spiritually.
Anyone who is a Christian knows that Faith and logic are two
completely different things, and that the logic of our God IS Faith.
So, let us proceed with a spiritual mindset as to be able to discern
what we read. If you read the Apostle Paul's second letter to the Corinthians, where
he tells about a vision that he once had. Paul says:
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2
Corinthians 12:2-4
I knew a man in Christ above fourteen
years ago, (whether in the body, I cannot tell; or whether out of the
body, I cannot tell: God knoweth;) such an one caught up to the
Third Heaven.
AND ...
I knew such a man, (whether in the
body, or out of the body, I cannot tell: God knoweth;) How that he was
caught up into
Paradise, and heard unspeakable
words, which it is not lawful for a man to utter.
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DOOR TO HEAVEN IS OPEN
GATE TO HEAVEN AWAITS YOU
It appears that there are Three Heavens or perhaps it would be better
said as being three levels, stages or realms of Heaven. Paul has shown
us that there are these stages of
Heaven and a
Paradise.
The words
"caught up" are in harmony with what we read of Elijah. Maybe Enoch and Elijah
were taken to a different level of Heaven than what Jesus spoke of
... Maybe they were taken to PARADISE.
Now remember what
Jesus said ...
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John 3:12-13
If I have told you earthly things, and
ye believe not, how shall ye believe, if I tell you of
Heavenly things?
No man hath ascended up to Heaven, but He that came down
from Heaven, even the Son of man which is in Heaven. |
Let us look into WHY Jesus spoke these words.
It was in response to a man asking Him the words ...
How can this be ...
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John 3:1-13
There was a man of the Pharisees,
named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews: The same came to Jesus by
night, and said unto him, Rabbi, we know that thou art a teacher
come from God: for no man can do these miracles that thou doest,
except God be with him. Jesus answered and said unto him,
Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be
born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.
Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old?
Can he enter the second time into his mother's womb, and be
born?
Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I
say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit,
he cannot enter into the Kingdom of God.
That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born
of the Spirit is spirit. Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye
must be born again. The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou
hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh,
and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit.
Nicodemus answered and said unto him, How can these things be?
Jesus answered and said unto him,
Art thou a master of Israel, and
knowest not these things? Verily, verily, I say unto thee, We
speak that we do know, and testify that we have seen; and ye
receive not our witness. If I have told you earthly things, and
ye believe not, how shall ye believe, if I tell you of heavenly
things? And no man hath ascended up to heaven, but he that came
down from Heaven, even the Son of man which is in Heaven. |
Again ... Anyone who is a Christian knows that Faith
and logic are two completely different things, and that the logic of
our God IS Faith.
So, let us proceed with a spiritual mindset as to be able to discern
what we read.
Check out the Trinity Study ...
You found that we were created in God's image in that we have three distinct parts.
The soul, the body and the spirit.
The Bible says that when we die each one goes a certain place ...
Jesus explains what happens when our soul passes from this realm to the next.
He said that when a righteous man died, their Soul goes to Abraham's Bosom.
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Luke 16:22
And It came to pass that the beggar
died and was carried by the angels into Abraham's Bosom. |
Abraham's Bosom is also known as
PARADISE.
Remember when Jesus was on the Cross, and the thief who was crucified
next to Him said, Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy Kingdom.
And Jesus said to him ...
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Luke 23:42-43
And he said unto Jesus, Lord, remember
me when thou comest into thy kingdom.
And Jesus said unto him ...
Verily I say unto thee, "Today" shalt thou be with me in
"Paradise." |
INVITATION TO THE DOOR TO HEAVEN
PARADISE IS BEFORE THE GATE TO HEAVEN
Jesus promised the man that he would be with Jesus in Paradise "TODAY" and we know that when Jesus died on the
Cross, that He did NOT go straight to Heaven, but He was in the earth
for the 3 days and 3 nights.
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Matthew 12:40
For as Jonas was three days and three nights in
the whale's belly;
so shall the Son of man be three days and three
nights in the heart of the earth. |
Then after three days and 3 nights, He
rose from the dead and then 40 days later, when He ascended, He went
to Heaven to be seated at the right hand of God.
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Acts 1:2-9
Until the day in which he was taken up, after that he through the Holy
Ghost had given commandments unto the apostles whom he had chosen: To
whom also he shewed himself alive after his passion by many infallible
proofs,
being seen of them forty days,
and speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom
of God: And, being assembled together with them,
commanded them that they should not depart from
Jerusalem, but wait for the promise of the Father,
which, saith he, ye have heard of me. For John truly baptized with
water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days
hence. When they therefore were come together, they asked of him,
saying, Lord, wilt thou at this time restore again the kingdom to
Israel? And he said unto them, It is not for you to know the times or
the seasons, which the Father hath put in his own power. But ye shall
receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye
shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and
in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth. And when he had
spoken these things, while they beheld, he was taken up; and a cloud
received him out of their sight. |
Soooooooooooo, where did Jesus go for the 3 days and
3 nights that He told the man next to him on the Cross was Paradise?
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Luke 23:43
And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, Today shalt
thou be with me in Paradise. |
Abraham's Bosom is the Spiritual Paradise
that Jesus
promised the man on the Cross next to Jesus during the Crucifixion.
What is ABRAHAM'S BOSOM which is also known as
PARADISE?
Let's look closer at what Jesus said about Abraham's
Bosom ...
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Luke 16:19-31
There was a certain rich man, which was clothed in purple and fine
linen, and fared sumptuously every day: And there was a certain beggar
named Lazarus, which was laid at his gate, full of sores, And desiring
to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man's table:
moreover the dogs came and licked his sores. And it came to pass, that
the beggar died, and was carried by the angels into
Abraham's Bosom:
the rich man also died, and was buried; And in hell he lift up his
eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in
his bosom. And he cried and said, Father Abraham, have mercy on me,
and send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water, and
cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame. But Abraham said,
Son, remember that thou in thy lifetime receivedst thy good things,
and likewise Lazarus evil things: but now he is comforted, and thou
art tormented. And beside all this, between us and you there is a
great gulf fixed: so that they which would pass from hence to you
cannot; neither can they pass to us, that would come from thence. Then
he said, I pray thee therefore, father, that thou wouldest send him to
my father's house: For I have five brethren; that he may testify unto
them, lest they also come into this place of torment. Abraham saith
unto him, They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them. And he
said, Nay, father Abraham: but if one went unto them from the dead,
they will repent. And he said unto him, If they hear not Moses and the
prophets, neither will they be persuaded, though one rose from the
dead. |
AGAIN, we see that Jesus said that when Lazarus
died, that he was carried by the angels into:
ABRAHAM'S BOSOM
Now, the rich man in Jesus' parable dies and is
buried but his soul goes to
hell,
and Jesus said he
looks up in agony and sees ABRAHAM afar off, and Lazarus in his
BOSOM.
Next, the rich man cries out, Father ABRAHAM, have mercy on me, and
send Lazarus, so that he can dip the tip of his finger in water, and
cool my tongue, because I am suffering in this flame.
HEAVENS TO BETSY
DOOR TO HEAVEN PIT STOP
TO DO LIST BEFORE GATE TO HEAVEN
WOW ... Check this out. Abraham's Bosom and hell are close enough to each
other (Spiritually speaking)so that voices can be heard from one place to the other, and
those in hell and those in Abraham's Bosom also known as Paradise can
see one another.
Jesus goes on with the story:
But, Abraham said, Son remember that you received
good things in your lifetime and likewise, Lazarus received evil
things, but now he is comforted and you are in pain.
Abraham's Bosom is a place of comfort.
Besides, Abraham adds, between us and you is a great
gulf, so that those who want to pass from here to you cannot, and
those who wish to pass to us from there cannot.
Now stick with me and ya gotta think SPIRITUALLY. A
gulf is an immeasurable space.Remember, Abraham is talking to
the rich man over this gulf between them, and the gulf is infinite. The earth of course, is finite.
Now this is
gonna get VERY strange so put on your Spiritual thinking
caps ...
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Revelation 2:7
He that hath an ear, let him
hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; To him that
overcometh will I give to eat of the
tree of life,
which is in the midst of the
Paradise
of God. |
Now, if ABRAHAM'S BOSOM is
PARADISE ,
and the tree of life is in the middle of PARADISE, then the
tree of life
is in the middle of
ABRAHAM'S BOSOM
That brings up still more fascinating possibilities.
HEAVENLY HISTORY
Let's take a little trip all the way back to the book of Genesis.
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Genesis 2:9
And out of the ground made the LORD God to grow every tree that is
pleasant to the sight, and good for food; the
tree of life
also in the midst of the garden,
and the tree of knowledge of good and evil. |
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Genesis
3:22-24
And the LORD God said, Behold, the man is become as one of us,
to know good and evil: and now, lest he put forth his hand, and
take also of the
tree of life,
and eat, and live for ever: Therefore the LORD God sent him forth from
the garden of
EDEN,
to till the ground from whence he was taken. So He drove out the man;
and He placed at the east of the garden of
EDEN
Cherubims, and a flaming sword which turned every way, to keep
the way of (protect) the
tree of
life. |
PARADISE BEFORE THE DOOR TO HEAVEN
WHEN DO WE GO TO THE GATE TO HEAVEN
We've just discovered that the Garden of EDEN may
have been a physical expression of the SPIRITUAL PARADISE.
Perhaps God originally created EDEN on earth, as a
physical representation of the Spiritual Paradise located in another
place in His universe (Another Realm) ...
After the incident with Adam and Eve, and now of course, we can gain
admittance back into PARADISE by God's Grace and FAITH in JESUS.
HERE IS SOMETHING INTERESTING ... THE BIBLE TELLS US WITHIN THE DESCRIPTION OF THE UPCOMING ...
NEW HEAVEN AND NEW
EARTH ...
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Revelation
22:14
In the midst of the street of it, and on either side of the river, was
there the
tree of life,
which bare twelve manner of fruits, and yielded her fruit every month:
and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations. |
Jesus tells us that when those that are resurrected and rise from the
dead, are not married to those they were married to on Earth and do
not marry in Heaven but rather become as
ANGELS. He goes on to explain that they
are not actually DEAD because God is the God of the living.
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Mark 12:18-27
Matthew
22:24-32
For in the resurrection they neither marry, nor are given in marriage,
but are as the angels of God in heaven. But as touching the
resurrection of the dead, have ye not read that which was spoken unto
you by God, saying, I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and
the God of Jacob? God is not the God of the dead, but of the living. |
Isn't that just awesome? When we pass on to the next realm, we are not
DEAD but rather spiritually alive with no flesh. No more pain and no
more tears. They are in Abraham's Bosom which is Paradise. They stay
there until they are raised to Heaven just before the RAPTURE.
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See
Rapture Study at the end of this page to learn more. |
THIS IS FURTHER EXPLAINED BY THE APOSTLE PAUL ...
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1 Corinthians 15:51-52
Behold, I show you a mystery; We shall not all sleep,
but we shall all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye,
at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound,
and the dead shall be raised incorruptible,
and we shall be changed. |
Raised?
If Christian believers who have died are already in Heaven
who are these "dead in Christ" souls being raised?
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1 Thessalonians 4:16-17
For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a
shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of
God:
and the dead in Christ shall rise first:
then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with
them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever
be with the Lord. |
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Daniel 12:2
And many of them that
sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake,
some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting
contempt. |
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John
5:25-30
Verily, verily, I say unto
you, The hour is coming,
and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of
God: and they that hear shall live.
For as the Father hath life in Himself; so hath He
given to the Son to have life in Himself; And hath
given Him authority to execute judgment also, because
He is the Son of man.
Marvel not at this: for the hour
is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear
His voice, And shall come forth; they that have done good, unto
the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the
resurrection of damnation.
I can of mine own self do nothing: as I hear, I judge:
and my judgment is just; because I seek not mine own
will, but the will of the Father which hath sent me.
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We find that a believer does NOT go
directly to Heaven when they die ... You already figured that out tho,
didn't you, you clever rascal?
If NOT ... Let me repeat this SIMPLE TRUTH which makes it CLEAR
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THE BIBLE CLEARLY INDICATES THAT WHEN A CHRISTIAN DIES ...
THEY TAKE ON A NEW INCORRUPTIBLE FORM AND RISE TO HEAVEN
AT THE LAST TRUMPET.
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1
Corinthians 15:51-54
Behold, I shew you a mystery;
We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, In a moment, in
the twinkling of an eye, at the
last trump:
for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall
be raised incorruptible,
and we shall be changed. For this corruptible must put on
incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. So when this
corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have
put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is
written, Death is swallowed up in victory. |
Most Christians cannot agree on the timing of the
Rapture.
BUT, most Christians agree the Rapture is yet to be ...
SO ...
IF IT WAS TRUTH that the dead in Christ, go directly to Heaven ... What are they doing rising on the last day and meeting the Raptured
Christians in the air at that same Trumpet of God?
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1 Thessalonians
4:16-17
For the Lord himself shall
descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the
archangel, and with the trump of God:
and the dead in Christ shall rise
first:
Then we which are alive and remain
shall be
caught up together with them
in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever
be with the Lord. |
THESE SOULS ARE SOMEWHERE ELSE UNTIL THAT
LAST TRUMPET WHEN THEY ARE CALLED UP JUST BEFORE THE CHRISTIAN
RAPTURE.
THAT SOMEWHERE ELSE IS ... ABRAHAM'S BOSOM.
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See
SECOND CHANCES study at the end of this page to learn more. |
DOOR TO HEAVEN SUMMARY
GATE TO HEAVEN CONCLUSION
Abraham's Bosom is so awesome that Jesus called it
Paradise. Paradise is what Eden was like. Could Abraham's Bosom be a Spiritual Garden of Eden
or even the Garden of Eden itself?
That is something you can ponder on and decide upon.
I will close with the dictionary definition of
Paradise ...
So, if you know of a Christian that has
passed on to the next realm or know someone that is about to ...
Encourage and comfort them with these words ...
AS IT IS WRITTEN TO DO SO ...
And allow this TRUTH to enhance your Heavenly
Hope of entering the Door to Heaven or perhaps a Gate to Heaven.
Let's continue our
journey.
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