First Printing Preface

PREFACE

Early in the spring of the year 2000 I felt a strong spiritual prompting to write a book on the subject of heaven. Powerfully drawn to the task I began to organize the ideas in rough outline form in free evenings at home. As the structure grew this inward desire from God to learn and share more about heaven increased exponentially.

In my experience the only lasting medicine that continually uplifts the soul of man is “heaven.” As a practicing physician the desire for this work was born out of a great need to offer my patients and fellow saints hope, motivation, and encouragement in the midst of frustrating malfunction of the fleshly body. I have been trained to offer knowledge, procedure, and medicine to cure, fix, and comfort the ailing. The goal is improvement of the quality of life God has given. Sadly though, the truth of the matter is people still eventually die and before death the body experiences more tribulation. Facing this reality only a focus of thoughts heavenward sustains with the comfort we so desperately need.

At first, when overwhelmed by the task of a book on heaven, I immediately questioned the leadership of God. I reasoned, “Who was I to write such a book? Why did I feel like God would ask me?” As I share this debate with God let me be the first to say that by no means I claim inspiration or superior knowledge of anything new. The belief that the inspired canon of Divine Scripture had been completed led to greater reasons not to write the book. I thought, “God has His inspired Word and the Holy Spirit to speak for Him - so why should He want or request anyone else to write on the subject?”

Procrastination came in the wisdom shared by Solomon in Ecclesiastes 12:12, “Of making many books there is no end, and much study wearies the body.” I knew from Solomon’s teachings of “nothing new under the sun” someone else had written on the subject from the point of view I felt led. Yet as I searched high and low, the few titles I found addressed the perspective of truth God laid on my heart.

Fearing I might board that all to familiar ship to Tarsus taken by rebellious Brother Jonah of old, which I know all to well every creaking board and the shipmates by first name, the work slowly continued. As the outline was assembled the Lord provided an opportunity to develop each of the topics while preaching a revival at Martinville Baptist Church in Hamburg, Arkansas. The good people of that church listened to eight messages on heaven over an old-fashioned two-week revival that included a week of cottage prayer meetings and then a week of preaching. Whew! They just do not do it like that anymore. No one complained through eight forty-five minute messages and many encouraged the work wanting a copy of the final product.

About this time God called me to temporarily fill the pulpit at First Baptist Church at Crossett, Arkansas, which took much of my spare time for nearly a year. Toward the end of that time of service the chapters were written in Bible study format for a Wednesday night study. The good people there like many in the past listened patiently to twelve nights of forty-five minute lessons. As I served the next year at Mt. Olive Baptist Church of Crossett as Interim Pastor the same study was written in a more expanded format. Also audiotapes were made of the series that are available through the web site www.heavenpastpresentfuture.com. The Lord’s churches again and again have encouraged and supported this desire to share these truths. Much gratitude goes to so many who had a part in both large and small ways. Space would not contain all the people who contributed. I am afraid to list them for fear I would leave some out. The important thing is that God knows in His records. He will reward them for their contribution to the work of His kingdom.

This book contains approximately 850 verses of Scripture. By God’s design and calling this is of great importance to me. I felt it more important to let the Scripture speak for Itself than quoting endless passages of popular Christian eschatologists in libraries or marketed in ministries and book stores today. As much as possible I have tried to refrain from comments about Scriptures that are self explanatory to allow the Holy Spirit more room in giving understanding. Spiritual understanding of truth only comes by the Holy Spirit of God.

1 Corinthians 2:9-10

9 However, as it is written: "No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love him"- 10 but God has revealed it to us by his Spirit. NIV

I chose the New International Version simply due to ease of reading and the fact the people of First Baptist Church of Crossett had used this translation for over ten years. Also the bold, italics, and underlines are always mine just for emphasis of the point mentioned.

I accepted Jesus Christ as my personal Savior and Lord February 4, 1974 and followed the command of believers’ baptism in church membership later that year. Soon thereafter by His grace He called me into the ministry. Since publicly declaring that desire on July 16,1976 the subject of heaven has often had been the focal point of my meditation and thinking. Early Seminary training laid the foundation of my childish understanding. Those readers familiar with the writings and sermons of God-called men of the past will find some of their thoughts here. Time has blurred memory of proper credit of so many men of God who have taught me countless truths in the past years. May this thought serve to credit these men for any truth conveyed to this young student of the Scriptures.

My first major studies on heaven came in the early eighties in a lengthy Wednesday night study called “The Chronology of the End-Time Events.” Hours were spent sorting the prophecies of the Bible to assemble on multiple sheets of paper the moment-by-moment unfolding of “history future.” During that study, the spiritual understanding of the heavenly picture of the tabernacle “not made of hands” or “of this world” was developed. A simple presentation of this organization of the heavens is seen in Figure 2 – The Present Heavens (See Appendix) of the book.

In these chapters I have felt led to present the overall purpose and work of God in heaven past, present, and future. It includes in Figure 1 - The Fulfillment of the Times (See Appendix) a chart of what I believe to be the major highlights of God’s fulfillment of the times. It is a compilation of many different unpublished visuals obtained from my files of others Bible studies of the past, so many of its parts will be familiar to the seasoned student. Hopefully this chart will generate greater understanding of God activity with His creation over the expanse of time from times beginning in eternity past until time is one with God the Father again in eternity future.

It is hoped this is not a book of endless detail. I desired a forest book instead of a tree book. Due to my lack of expertise this approach is probably more appropriate. Other scholars can provide the endless particulars in published reference volumes and commentaries. I have attempted to get away from the endless technical minutiae of the spiritual gift of teaching by putting some word study aids in footnotes. This might help ease the task of reading for the casual enjoyment of the book.

Finally I dedicate this book to my wife Tammy, daughters Charity and Jordan, sons William and Stephen, grandchildren, near relatives, and dear fellow saints in the brotherhood of Christ. These people have patiently allowed me hours on the computer with thoughts of a distant wonderful land.

May these thoughts inspire more than ever faithfulness to share Jesus Christ - the hope of heaven to a lost world. May they also bring sustaining comfort as we deal together with each “thorn in the flesh” and “messengers of Satan to buffet us.” God our Father in the proper time will make it all better one day.

Hebrews 11:13-16

13 All these people were still living by faith when they died. They did not receive the things promised; they only saw them and welcomed them from a distance. And they admitted that they were aliens and strangers on earth. 14 People who say such things show that they are looking for a country of their own. 15 If they had been thinking of the country they had left, they would have had opportunity to return. 16 Instead, they were longing for a better country-a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared a city for them. NIV

In His Love,

William W. Henry Jr.

	Heaven Past Present Future Ministries ENCOURAGEMENT TO ETERNAL FOCUS IN UNITY AND FELLOWSHIP OF THE GOSPEL Click here to return to table of contents
PREFACE Early in the spring of the year 2000 I felt a strong spiritual prompting to write a book on the subject of heaven. Powerfully drawn to the task I began to organize the ideas in rough outline form in free evenings at home. As the structure grew this inward desire from God to learn and share more about heaven increased exponentially. In my experience the only lasting medicine that continually uplifts the soul of man is “heaven.” As a practicing physician the desire for this work was born out of a great need to offer my patients and fellow saints hope, motivation, and encouragement in the midst of frustrating malfunction of the fleshly body. I have been trained to offer knowledge, procedure, and medicine to cure, fix, and comfort the ailing. The goal is improvement of the quality of life God has given. Sadly though, the truth of the matter is people still eventually die and before death the body experiences more tribulation. Facing this reality only a focus of thoughts heavenward sustains with the comfort we so desperately need. At first, when overwhelmed by the task of a book on heaven, I immediately questioned the leadership of God. I reasoned, “Who was I to write such a book? Why did I feel like God would ask me?” As I share this debate with God let me be the first to say that by no means I claim inspiration or superior knowledge of anything new. The belief that the inspired canon of Divine Scripture had been completed led to greater reasons not to write the book. I thought, “God has His inspired Word and the Holy Spirit to speak for Him - so why should He want or request anyone else to write on the subject?” Procrastination came in the wisdom shared by Solomon in Ecclesiastes 12:12, “Of making many books there is no end, and much study wearies the body.” I knew from Solomon’s teachings of “nothing new under the sun” someone else had written on the subject from the point of view I felt led. Yet as I searched high and low, the few titles I found addressed the perspective of truth God laid on my heart. Fearing I might board that all to familiar ship to Tarsus taken by rebellious Brother Jonah of old, which I know all to well every creaking board and the shipmates by first name, the work slowly continued. As the outline was assembled the Lord provided an opportunity to develop each of the topics while preaching a revival at Martinville Baptist Church in Hamburg, Arkansas. The good people of that church listened to eight messages on heaven over an old-fashioned two-week revival that included a week of cottage prayer meetings and then a week of preaching. Whew! They just do not do it like that anymore. No one complained through eight forty-five minute messages and many encouraged the work wanting a copy of the final product. About this time God called me to temporarily fill the pulpit at First Baptist Church at Crossett, Arkansas, which took much of my spare time for nearly a year. Toward the end of that time of service the chapters were written in Bible study format for a Wednesday night study. The good people there like many in the past listened patiently to twelve nights of forty-five minute lessons. As I served the next year at Mt. Olive Baptist Church of Crossett as Interim Pastor the same study was written in a more expanded format. Also audiotapes were made of the series that are available through the web site www.heavenpastpresentfuture.com. The Lord’s churches again and again have encouraged and supported this desire to share these truths. Much gratitude goes to so many who had a part in both large and small ways. Space would not contain all the people who contributed. I am afraid to list them for fear I would leave some out. The important thing is that God knows in His records. He will reward them for their contribution to the work of His kingdom. This book contains approximately 850 verses of Scripture. By God’s design and calling this is of great importance to me. I felt it more important to let the Scripture speak for Itself than quoting endless passages of popular Christian eschatologists in libraries or marketed in ministries and book stores today. As much as possible I have tried to refrain from comments about Scriptures that are self explanatory to allow the Holy Spirit more room in giving understanding. Spiritual understanding of truth only comes by the Holy Spirit of God. 1 Corinthians 2:9-10 9 However, as it is written: "No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love him"- 10 but God has revealed it to us by his Spirit. NIV I chose the New International Version simply due to ease of reading and the fact the people of First Baptist Church of Crossett had used this translation for over ten years. Also the bold, italics, and underlines are always mine just for emphasis of the point mentioned. I accepted Jesus Christ as my personal Savior and Lord February 4, 1974 and followed the command of believers’ baptism in church membership later that year. Soon thereafter by His grace He called me into the ministry. Since publicly declaring that desire on July 16,1976 the subject of heaven has often had been the focal point of my meditation and thinking. Early Seminary training laid the foundation of my childish understanding. Those readers familiar with the writings and sermons of God-called men of the past will find some of their thoughts here. Time has blurred memory of proper credit of so many men of God who have taught me countless truths in the past years. May this thought serve to credit these men for any truth conveyed to this young student of the Scriptures. My first major studies on heaven came in the early eighties in a lengthy Wednesday night study called “The Chronology of the End-Time Events.” Hours were spent sorting the prophecies of the Bible to assemble on multiple sheets of paper the moment-by-moment unfolding of “history future.” During that study, the spiritual understanding of the heavenly picture of the tabernacle “not made of hands” or “of this world” was developed. A simple presentation of this organization of the heavens is seen in Figure 2 – The Present Heavens (See Appendix) of the book. In these chapters I have felt led to present the overall purpose and work of God in heaven past, present, and future. It includes in Figure 1 - The Fulfillment of the Times (See Appendix) a chart of what I believe to be the major highlights of God’s fulfillment of the times. It is a compilation of many different unpublished visuals obtained from my files of others Bible studies of the past, so many of its parts will be familiar to the seasoned student. Hopefully this chart will generate greater understanding of God activity with His creation over the expanse of time from times beginning in eternity past until time is one with God the Father again in eternity future. It is hoped this is not a book of endless detail. I desired a forest book instead of a tree book. Due to my lack of expertise this approach is probably more appropriate. Other scholars can provide the endless particulars in published reference volumes and commentaries. I have attempted to get away from the endless technical minutiae of the spiritual gift of teaching by putting some word study aids in footnotes. This might help ease the task of reading for the casual enjoyment of the book. Finally I dedicate this book to my wife Tammy, daughters Charity and Jordan, sons William and Stephen, grandchildren, near relatives, and dear fellow saints in the brotherhood of Christ. These people have patiently allowed me hours on the computer with thoughts of a distant wonderful land. May these thoughts inspire more than ever faithfulness to share Jesus Christ - the hope of heaven to a lost world. May they also bring sustaining comfort as we deal together with each “thorn in the flesh” and “messengers of Satan to buffet us.” God our Father in the proper time will make it all better one day. Hebrews 11:13-16 13 All these people were still living by faith when they died. They did not receive the things promised; they only saw them and welcomed them from a distance. And they admitted that they were aliens and strangers on earth. 14 People who say such things show that they are looking for a country of their own. 15 If they had been thinking of the country they had left, they would have had opportunity to return. 16 Instead, they were longing for a better country-a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared a city for them. NIV In His Love, William W. Henry Jr. Click here to return to table of contents
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