Eternal Perspective - a picture of Heaven

The other night we were talking and a question came up about looking at life from an eternal perspective. I have heard the term and know its something of value but realized I didn't have an eternal perspective. My mind kinda bent and I realized I had a bunch of questions about heaven and earth. I also had a bunch of pieces of information that didn't connect.

Once I got home I searched out information to fix the short circuit in my brain. I think I'll have to write a few blogs on this because so much came to mind after looking it up. And its not all that complicated. Out there maybe, but not complicated.

One of my first questions was that if we were gonna be in Heaven eternally after we die what are we gonna do there? From my understanding we're going to worship God constantly before His throne, so what else could there be to do?

A few things I found out about Heaven kinda threw off my oversimplified perspective. Below are some points and a few scripture references. Some of these points have too many references to list, so I just put a few.

1. God, His angels and all who are in Heaven can see what is happening on earth and they respond to what takes place on earth. (Ps. 33:13, Jer. 51:48)
   
2. There are armies in Heaven (Rev. 19:14)
3. There are many areas of Heaven - some of these could be the same but it still shows there are many places in the Heavenlies.

• Heavenly realms (Eph. 6:12)
• 3rd Heaven (2 Cor. 12:2)
• Paradise (Lk. 23:42; 2Cor. 12:4)
  
• Heaven & the highest heavens (Neh. 9:6)
• Under the Earth (Php. 2:10, Rev. 5:3, 5:13)
  
• Heavenly bodies (Acts 7:42, Matt. 24:29) - not sure what these are gods or places
• Place between Earth and Heaven (Eze. 8:3) This is not Purgatory, but a place where Ezekiel was shown visions of what was taking place in Jerusalem at the temple.

4. There are more than just angels in Heaven, but there are:

• Thrones, powers, rulers and authorities (Col. 1:16)
• Rulers, powers, authorities, powers of this dark world and spiritual forces of evil (Eph. 6:12)
• Heavenly bodies (Acts 7:42, Matt. 24:29)
• Heavenly hosts (Ps. 148:2)
• Stars (Re 9:1)
  
• Heavenly beings (Ps. 8:5)
  
• Seraphim (Isa. 6)
  
• Cherebim / Living creatures (Eze. 1,2, 10:20)
  
• Four Winds (Dan. 7:2, 11:4; Zec. 2:6, 6:5)
  
• Servants (Ps. 103:21)
  
• Horses (2 Kings 2:11, 6:17; Rev. )
• Multitudes who praise, proclaim and prophesy of God (Rev. 11:15, 19:1)

Now I dunno about you, but looking at just these few points (there's more) really painted a different picture of Heaven than what I was thinking. There seems to be a lot going on up there. From this I can conclude that there is much to do.

I dunno what I'll do if and when I get there, I could stand around His throne and proclaim what He is gonna do next, I could be in the army of God, I could just worship or do a little of all of these things. Who knows but it sounds way more exciting than I initially thought.

Don't get me wrong, I've always known that we will see His face and experience His glory and grace in Heaven. That totally does excite me but at the same time, I cannot comprehend it. I have only experienced and understand just a fragment of His glory. I'm definately in search for more.

His grace, I can say has changed me completely but I cannot explain it in words unless I say what He has done. And even what grace has changed me and my life, I think it'd be just a fraction of what it would be like in Heaven.

So, looking at scripture and seeing all these wild things does give me a broader picture of Heaven. Even though it is super trippy, I can say I hope to be there with Him one day. I have heard there is no place better.

Ps 27:4 One thing I ask of the LORD, this is what I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the LORD and to seek him in his temple.