A question about Heaven

[Bro. Dave Gardner]

God gives people galaxies in Heaven? What would you do with it?

Scripture, along with a little sanctified imagination, suggest utterly fantastic possibilities.

 

[Hmm]

I doubt it's meant to be read literally. What does it mean to say that a city has a height? And does God really need a reed to measure things?

 

[Emmylouwho]

The New Jerusalem, the city of God which will come to rest upon the earth:

Rev 21:16 AKJV And the city lies foursquare, and the length is as large as the breadth: and he measured the city with the reed, twelve thousand furlongs. The length and the breadth and the height of it are equal.

375 miles cubed. (smallest interpretation--assuming he measured the circumference)

Would I have to live there? I’m not really into city living.

 

[A Realist]

Scripture, along with a little sanctified imagination, suggest utterly fantastic possibilities.

"Sanctified imagination"?? Is that a suggestion that a Christian can just go around making stuff up to satisfy his/her vision about what heaven is like?

One can have hopes about what it's like in heaven.....but the plain fact is that beyond the bible saying it's a great place, everything else is speculation and wishful thinking.

 

[Bro. Dave Gardner]

God gives people galaxies in Heaven? What would you do with it?

Scripture, along with a little sanctified imagination, suggest utterly fantastic possibilities.

 

[Emmylouwho]

The New Jerusalem, the city of God which will come to rest upon the earth:

Rev 21:16 AKJV And the city lies foursquare, and the length is as large as the breadth: and he measured the city with the reed, twelve thousand furlongs. The length and the breadth and the height of it are equal.

375 miles cubed. (smallest interpretation--assuming he measured the circumference)

I have to admit, it’s funny to think of someone measuring something 12,000 furlongs long with a reed.

 

[Emmylouwho]

Scripture, along with a little sanctified imagination, suggest utterly fantastic possibilities.

How does one get one’s imagination sanctified?

 

[Bro. Dave Gardner]

I doubt it's meant to be read literally. What does it mean to say that a city has a height? And does God really need a reed to measure things?

It is wisest to interpret Scripture literally unless there is a compelling case for symbolism. Otherwise it is meaningless, which is unscriptural.

2Ti 3:16 AKJV All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:

 

[Sorn]

Would I have to live there? I’m not really into city living.

You don't like city living, which means you prefer open country living presumably? and yet you wonder what you might do with a Galaxy???

The point was a galaxy is like open country side times a few billion. You'd have eternity to craft whatever beautiful vistas, environments, landscapes you wanted on the many worlds.
And in answer to your next question, yes, you'd move around and spend time here and then over there etc, enjoying it all with others too.

Just a possibility, but i'm sure the new creation will be VAST!

 

[Emmylouwho]

You don't like city living, which means you prefer open country living presumably? and yet you wonder what you might do with a Galaxy???

The point was a galaxy is like open country side times a few billion. You'd have eternity to craft whatever beautiful vistas, environments, landscapes you wanted on the many worlds.
And in answer to your next question, yes, you'd move around and spend time here and then over there etc, enjoying it all with others too.

Just a possibility, but i'm sure the new creation will be VAST!

And in your very own galaxy, you’d get to craft vistas and landscapes... what about life? Would you be able to create living things to inhabit your galaxy?

 

[Bro. Dave Gardner]

-deleted-

 

[Sorn]

"Sanctified imagination"?? Is that a suggestion that a Christian can just go around making stuff up to satisfy his/her vision about what heaven is like?

One can have hopes about what it's like in heaven.....but the plain fact is that beyond the bible saying it's a great place, everything else is speculation and wishful thinking.

'...everything else is speculation and wishful thinking...'

No!, everything may be speculation (absolutely nothing wrong with that), but not everything will be wishful thinking. Some things people propose to be in the new heavens and earth may well be, they guessed correctly, they just don't know it and probably doesn't happen often either.

 

[Mountainmanbob]

The New Jerusalem, the city of God which will come to rest upon the earth:

Rev 21:16 AKJV And the city lies foursquare, and the length is as large as the breadth: and he measured the city with the reed, twelve thousand furlongs. The length and the breadth and the height of it are equal.

375 miles cubed. (smallest interpretation--assuming he measured the circumference)

And that would hold a whole lot of people.
Especially taking into account that it's a narrow road.
M-Bob

 

[Bro. Dave Gardner]

Would you be able to create living things to inhabit your galaxy?

You might be able to persuade some to relocate if you were careful not to mock or offend them.

 

[Emmylouwho]

It is explicitly against forum rules to rate a post which is clearly not intended to be humorous as "funny."

Sorry. I misinterpreted your intentions.

 

[Sorn]

And in your very own galaxy, you’d get to craft vistas and landscapes... what about life? Would you be able to create living things to inhabit your galaxy?

Don't know, no reason to think animal and plant life won't be there. The bible also speaks of other creatures in heaven etc. By no means should you assume that the bible gives a full account of what creatures God has created elsewhere or will create.

 

[Bro. Dave Gardner]

Would I have to live there? I’m not really into city living.

I do not believe it is intended for permanent residence by all.

 

[Hmm]

It is wisest to interpret Scripture literally unless there is compelling case for symbolism. Otherwise it is meaningless, which is unscriptural

If cuboid cities, being as high as they are wide and long, are not compellingly symbolic I'm not sure what would be.

 

[Sorn]

I doubt it's meant to be read literally. What does it mean to say that a city has a height? And does God really need a reed to measure things?

If its not literal then the symbology or picture language is to be understood as bigger and better, by a huge massive margin, than anything that came before it.

 

[Emmylouwho]

You might be able to persuade some to relocate if you were careful not to mock or offend them.

But could you create them? I doubt there’s a soul who’s own idea of Heaven is inhabiting some other person’s galactic modification.