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1.
THE EARTH
Israel, for example, has an earthly hope; Israel has been promised an inheritance that still remains to be realised.
A covenant was made with Abraham, was confirmed to Isaac and Jacob (Israel), and this awaits fulfilment. In
Genesis 12:1-3 the promise was given: `... I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy
name great; ... and in thee shall ALL FAMILIES OF THE EARTH be blessed'. Peter reminded the men of ISRAEL of this
promise as recorded in Acts 3:25. They however, did not as a nation accept their Messiah, and consequently could
not enter into the promise at that time.
In the future, the promise will be fulfilled at the Second Advent of Christ, and the time may not be long before
Israel, in their extremity of need, turn to their God and repent. The prayer usually called the Lord's prayer, includes
the request of blessing on the earth. `Thy will be done in earth as it is in heaven'.
Much could be written on this subject, including the return of our Lord as promised in Acts 1:11 and described in
Zechariah 14:4. The time is coming when the earth shall be filled with the knowledge of the Lord as the waters
(living) cover the (dead) sea. What a glorious prospect for this stricken world! The Lord Who was once rejected,
will come again in power to take His place, not only as King of the Jews, but as King of kings and Lord of lords. In
1 Thessalonians 4:16,17, we find that those addressed were expecting to meet the Lord in the air; these will return to
the earth and realise their hope with Him there.
2.
THE HEAVENS
We must leave the hope connected with the earth and think for a few moments of the Heavens. Is there a sphere
of blessing connected with the Heavens, and is there a company whose faith is linked with this sphere? We read of
those who are blessed with Abraham. Does this mean that their expectation is an earthly one, and connected with
Genesis chapter 12? It is true that Abraham was promised an earthly blessing, but Hebrews chapter 11 shows that
Abraham lived a life of faith and to him it was revealed that there was a better country. He looked for a city and it is
clear that this was a heavenly city, not an earthly one.
Those who are blessed with Abraham are those who by faith look and live in view of attaining to this higher
sphere of blessing. Revelation chapter 21 describes this heavenly city, the New Jerusalem descending from God out
of heaven. The number twelve is associated with it and the names of the twelve tribes of Israel are written on the
gates. Here is a heavenly city, linked with the faithful overcomers largely from Israel, but quite different from the
earthly hope.
3.
THE HEAVEN OF HEAVENS
Briefly, then, we find that there is an earthly hope and also a higher blessing in the Heavens; some people will be
blessed under the rule of the Lord of lords on the earth, while some are looking for a better country connected with
the New Jerusalem which finally descends to the New Earth. If this is so, we may well ask if there is also a hope
related to the third sphere, the Heaven of Heavens. It would be strange if the first two spheres are to be blessed
without the third sphere being the object of blessing too.
To write fully on this subject would need more than the space available, but we have a hint in the Greek words
which are translated heaven, or heavenly places. The Greek word for heaven is ouranos and heavenly is ouranios.
Another word is found in the Greek but is not easily translated - epouranios. The addition of ep gives us a
connection with our third sphere. In the first prayer of Ephesians 1:17-23 Christ is described as the Head over all
things to the Church, which is His Body. In the next chapter, in Ephesians 2:5, 6, we read of those who are:
quickened with Christ
raised up together with Christ
and who sit together in (super) heavenly places in Christ.
To be seated with Christ at the right hand of the Father is a hope that transcends anything that we have ever
imagined, but we bow before Him and give thanks.