Greg Laurie - What Heaven Knows about Earth

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What do people in heaven know about what's going on here on earth? Follow-up question, do they even care? Are people in heaven watching us right now? Are they looking down from glory and observing what we're facing and what we're going through? It seems there are two trains of thought on this subject. Some would suggest that when you're in heaven, the last thing you would care about is what is happening on earth. And to the point, if you knew of something tragic or sad that had happened on earth, it would ruin heaven for you. The other train of thought is people in heaven are watching our every move. They sometimes even intervene in our lives. Sometimes they speak to us and they guide us.

Okay, you might be surprised to hear me say both of these views are incorrect, and both of these views are not biblical. So, let me give you a biblical view of what people in heaven know about earth. Now, someone might be thinking, "Well, why even talk about this, who even cares"? Well, you care if you have a loved one in heaven. Now, as you probably know, our son Christopher went to be with the Lord 13 years ago. He was only 33 years old. It was a life-altering event. I had a very close relationship with Christopher, as I do with my son Jonathan. We talked every single day. And to suddenly have communication cut off and no longer be able to hear from them, or talk to them, or know what they're doing, it's like you've been cut off. And so, there were two things I wanted to know about in the aftermath of my son's death.

Number one, I wanted to know more about heaven. So, I wouldn't say I'm an expert on heaven, but I would say I'm a student of heaven. And I would add this, I also wanted to know more about how I can bring hope when tragedy strikes. Because when you lose a loved one, or when you find out that you're terminally ill, or something huge happens to you, you wonder, "How am I going to survive it"? I wanted to know how I can bring hope to people like this because God brought hope to me in my hour of need. Because here's the bottom line. As you get older, you're gonna know more people that have gone on to heaven. You're gonna know more people who die.

Some of you are thinking now, "Thanks for that depressing thought, Preacher". Well, it's just reality. Someone's gotta tell you, so I guess it's gonna be me. Listen to this, hate to break the news to you, life is hard, it just is. But God is good, and God's gonna give you what you need in life so don't be afraid. He won't necessarily give you what you need before you need it. He'll never give it to you after you need it. He'll always give it to you when you need it. The Bible says he's a present help in time of trouble. So, before we dig into this passage here in Revelation 6, let's think of some other passages that tell us a little bit about what heaven knows about earth. The first one that comes to mind is found in Luke 16.

And here's the point I want to make, people in eternity are aware of the fact that their loved ones are not saved. People in eternity are aware of the fact that their loved ones are not saved. Going back to Luke 16, it's a behind-the-scenes look at the afterlife. Some think it's a parable, but a parable's an illustration. This is a real story because names are attached. And it's a story of two men. One was rich, one was poor. One had no interest in God, one believed in God. They both died. The rich man had a big funeral. It would have been on all the television stations. Everyone would have known about it. The poor man, nobody even cared about him.

By the way, his name was Lazarus. And Lazarus lived from the food that fell from the rich man's table. So, they both died and they entered into eternity. Lazarus, not the same Lazarus that Christ raised from the dead, by the way, but Lazarus in this story is immediately escorted by the angels into heaven, into what is called Abraham's bosom. The rich man, meanwhile, is sent down to Hades or a place of torment, and he's literally in flames. He realizes how horrible this is. And we read in 16:28 him saying, "I have five brothers, and I want to warn them about this place of torment so they won't have to come here after they die".

So, this indicates a knowledge in heaven, in the afterlife, about what is happening on earth. And I bring this up because sometimes people say things like, "Well, you'll be oblivious of what is happening on earth. And you won't remember anything about what happened on earth". What are you talking about? This guy is aware of the fact that he has brothers that are alive on earth still, and he doesn't want him to end up in this horrible place of judgment that he finds himself in. So, when you get to heaven, you don't know less, you know more, right? Because the Bible says that in that day, we will know as we are known, 1 Corinthians 13:12. We will know as we are known.

By the way that word means to come to know. This indicates that there is still a process of learning in heaven and in the new earth. It's not like you die and go to heaven and all of a sudden, you know everything. You know as much as God knows. No, that's not true. Only God is omniscient, all knowing. I will keep learning and growing in heaven. In fact, Ephesians 2:6 says, "God has raised us up with Christ and seated us in the heavenly realm so in the coming ages, he might show the incomparable riches of his grace". And that word "show" means to reveal. So, this phrase "coming ages" indicates there's a progressive, ongoing revelation in which we learn in heaven more and more about the grace of God. Isn't that gonna be exciting?

Here's another point. Number two, when people believe in Jesus on earth, it's public knowledge in heaven. When people believe in Jesus on earth, it's public knowledge in heaven. In Luke 15, Jesus told three stories of people who lost something. There was a woman who lost a coin. There was a father who lost a son. And there was a shepherd who lost a sheep. And in the case of the shepherd, he went searching until he found that stray sheep and brought it back wrapped around his neck rejoicing. And then this point is brought there. In Luke 15 Jesus says, "In the same way, there'll be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous people". So, know this, when you're engaged in evangelism, this is pleasing the heart of God. And when a person believes in Jesus on earth, there is joy in heaven. But notice it says that there's joy in the presence of the angels of God.

Sometimes we'll say, "When an unbeliever comes to Christ, the angels rejoice". Well, that's kind of true, but it's not exactly what it says. It says there's joy in the presence of God. Could that verse actually be suggesting that the great joy is not among the angels alone, but it's among us? In other words, is it possible that in heaven, I would be aware that my life or testimony or witness had some impact on someone who had just believed? In other words, I'm in heaven and I know someone that I shared the gospel with just came to faith. Maybe it's my son, or my granddaughter, or maybe a relative even beyond that, or someone else. But there's a direct connection between heaven and earth. We think heaven is so far away, think of it more as another dimension that you enter into when you go into the afterlife.

So, go back to Revelation chapter 6, verse 10 and 11. We have the martyrs crying out, "How long, O Lord, holy and true, until You judge and avenge our blood on those that dwell on the earth"? Bringing me to my next point, people in heaven may know more about the time and place of events on earth than we realize. Again, people in heaven may know more about the time and place of events on earth than we realize. Who are these people? They're mere mortals. They're people like you and me. They've been put to death for their faith, but they're aware of things. For starters, they're aware that they were killed for following Christ, and they know that was an injustice. So, they're the same people in heaven that they were on earth, there's a direct continuity. The martyrs are fully conscious, rational, and aware of each other, aware of God, and aware of what is happening on earth. Also note they're aware of the passing of time on earth. They say in verse 10, "How long, O Lord, holy and true, until You judge and avenge our blood"? And then in verse 11, "It was said to them that they should rest a little while longer".

Now, I bring this up because sometimes people say in heaven, we're not aware of the passing of time. Why would you say that? These folks who were put to death for their faith, they're fully aware of the passing of time. Also, I would add, there's a direct connection between these believers in heaven and those that are still on the earth. They refer to their fellow servants and their brothers. Again, this is connected to these people in particular, but if it's true of them, could it not be true of us? So, my point is simply this, heaven knows more about earth than you realize. Now we come to another part of chapter 6. The sixth seal is open, and God's judgment comes to planet earth in full force. And there are cataclysmic events that are happening. They're so big that people are freaking out.

Look at Revelation 6, verse 12. "And I looked and He opened the sixth seal, and behold, there was a great earthquake; and the sun became a sackcloth of hair, and the moon became like blood. And the stars of heaven fell to the earth, as a fig tree drops its late figs when it's shaken by a mighty wind. And then the sky receded as a scroll when it's rolled up, and every mountain and island was moved out of its place. And the kings of the earth, and the great men, and the rich men, the commanders, the mighty men, every slave every free man, hid themselves in the caves and the rocks of the mountains". Notice that everyone is affected, the famous and the unknown, the powerful and the weak, the rich and the poor. Verse 16 of Revelation 6, "And they said to the mountains and the rocks, 'Fall on us and hide us from the face of Him that sits on the throne and from the wrath of the Lamb!'" Verse 17, "For the great day of His wrath has come, and who is able to stand"? These non believers want to hide from God. They say to the mountains and rocks, "fall on us".

You know it's said there's no atheists in foxholes. I don't think that's completely true. There are people that, on their very deathbeds, will reject God. Of course, there are some that will believe and thank God for his mercy that is extended. What if I'm talking to somebody right now who's on their deathbed? You've done some horrible things with your life, and you've made some horrible decisions. And you've said things to God that you wish you could take back. And you think, "It's too late for me". It's never too late for you. No matter what sin you've committed, if you will call out to Jesus Christ, he will forgive you. And if you want to know more about that, I'll tell you how in just a few moments. Now the scene closes with the asking of the rhetorical question in verse 17, "Who is able to stand"? And the answer is no one. Yes, again I want to emphasize, God will give chance after chance for people to believe even in the tribulation period. But if people end up being judged in this final day, it's on them. It's not on God. He takes no pleasure in this. He doesn't want to do it. But because he is just, he will.

Now we come to Revelation chapter 7, look at verse 1. "After these things I saw four angels standing at the four corners of the earth, holding the four winds of the earth, that the wind should not blow on the earth, or on the sea, or any tree. And I saw another angel ascending from the east, having the seal of the living God. And he cried with a loud voice to the four angels to whom it was granted to harm the earth and the sea, saying, 'Do not harm the earth and the sea or the trees till we have sealed the servants of God on their foreheads.'" Question, who are the 144.000? Simple answer, they're not Jehovah's Witnesses. I bring this up because the Watchtower Society says that there are 144.000 Jehovah's Witnesses. They're the fulfillment of this prophecy. Well, that's ridiculous because this hasn't happened yet. This is a future event that will happen in the tribulation period which has not begun yet.

So who, pray tell, are the 144.000? Well, we know they aren't Jews because they come from the 12 tribes of Israel. And in verses 4 to 8, you have the specific tribes that they will actually come from, including the tribes of Judah, Asher, and Zebulun. These Jews have embraced Jesus as their Messiah. Some might call them Messianic Jews. Call them what you like, these are Jewish people that have embraced the Jewish Messiah, and they believe in him. And now God has called them to a special purpose. They're sort of like super-charged, super-powered missionaries combing the planet with the everlasting gospel. It's said of them that they have their own psalm, which is kind of cool. They have their own psalm, it's unique to them. It's also said of them that they're spiritually pure. Then later in Revelation 14:4, it is said of the 144.000, they follow the Lamb, that's Jesus. They follow the Lamb wherever he goes.

And also it's said to us here that no lie is found in their lives, and they're blameless. They're sort of like spiritual superheroes. Nothing can stop them, they're literally indestructible. And this really ticks off the Antichrist because he wants to stop them, but he cannot. There's a special mark on them that distinguishes them, and the Antichrist cannot stop them. And did you know God has put a mark on you? Now, when we think of mark, we think of it in the negative way like the mark of the beast. But there's a good mark. Think of it this way, it's like an ID tag, right? You put your ID tag on your luggage. Like when I go to the airport and I wait for my luggage, it's like everybody has black luggage, right? And a lot of us have luggage probably from the same company. And so, it comes down the little belt there. And I've had people walk up with my bag. And a couple of times, I've walked off with someone else's bag.

So, check the ID tag to figure out who the luggage belongs to. You have an ID tag, it says something along the lines of, "property of the Lord Jesus Christ". He placed that mark on you when you believed. Ephesians 1 says after you heard the message of truth, that is the gospel, you believed and you were sealed in him with the Holy Spirit of promise, given as a pledge, or a down payment, of our inheritance. So, God has put his mark on you. You belong to the Lord. You're the Lord's property. I heard the story of an older man who had walked with the Lord for years. And one day he was getting tempted to sin. And he prayed, "Lord, your property is in danger again".

So, it's a great thing to know that God's ID tag is on you, that you're under the protection of God. But isn't this a stark contrast? Because we have those that have the mark of the beast and those that have the mark of the Lord. Listen, if you have the mark of the Lord, no one can stop you. Listen to this, I am indestructible until God is done with me. But here's the point, you're gonna go as long as God wants you to go, so don't worry about it. Don't think, "Oh, what if this is my last day"? Well, if it is, it is. And if it isn't, it isn't. But here's what you need to know. You'll go as long as God wants you to go. And when your time has come, you'll be escorted by the angels into the presence of God. So, the 144.000 are protected by God because they have his mark. Those that follow the Antichrist have his mark as well.

So, let me ask you this, if you were alive at this time, whose mark would be on your life, Antichrist or Jesus Christ? Let me bring it into the present moment. Whose mark are you carrying right now? The mark of Christ or the mark of antichrist? Now, some of you will push back and say, "Well Greg, even you said Antichrist has not appeared yet. So clearly, I'm not carrying the mark of Antichrist". Well, in a broad sense, you are either for Christ or you're for antichrist. Because antichrist is not just referring to a man that is coming, also known as the beast and the son of perdition, and other phrases that are used. It also speaks of a mentality. For instance, if you deny that Jesus is the Son of God, you are antichrist. Because 1 John 2:22 says, "Who is a liar? It's a man who denies that Jesus is the Christ. Such a man is antichrist who denies the Father and the Son". Listen to this, when someone professes faith in Jesus and walks away, they're antichrist.

1 John 2:18 says, "Dear children, this is the last hour; and as you've heard, the Antichrist is coming. But even now many antichrists have come. This is how we know it's the last hour. They went out from us, but they did not really belong to us. For if they belonged to us, they would have remained with us. But their going out showed that none of them belong to us". So, if someone professes faith and walks away from Jesus and never returns, they're antichrist. And if someone follows Jesus and falls away and returns, well, they're just a prodigal. That's a lot of people out there. Maybe I'm talking to a prodigal right now, someone that was raised in the church, someone that knows what is right. But you've gone astray. And you feel, "Well, I've gone so far, I could never return". No, you can return, and that will confirm that you belong to Jesus Christ. But if you don't return, it confirms that you are actually antichrist.

So, we should seek to follow the example of the 144.000. Remember, they followed Jesus wherever he goes. They live honest, blameless lives, and they fearlessly proclaim the gospel everywhere. Look at what he does to this group of 144.000. So many people come to Christ as a result of their testimony. Revelation 7:9 says, "Behold, a great multitude that no one could number of all nations, tribes, peoples and tongues". That may be the largest revival in human history. So much for the vengeful God that enjoys judging people. This happens in the tribulation period. Let me land this plane now and come back to what heaven knows about earth. These scenes that are happening on earth are viewed in heaven. And right now, heaven is watching. Do you want to make heaven cheer? Believe in Jesus Christ, and then he will put his mark on you. He will put his ID tag on you, and you will come under his protection. And you will have the absolute assurance that when you leave this life and go to the afterlife, you go into God's presence in heaven.

As I said before, we decide in this life where we will spend the afterlife. My question to you is, if you were to die today, where would you go? According to the Bible, there are two destinations, heaven or hell. If you put your faith in Jesus, you go to heaven. If you end up in hell, you have no one to blame but yourself. God is giving you a warning right now. This is your wake-up call, and he's saying, "Believe in me". He's calling you to himself. Jesus Christ, as Son of God, died on the cross for you 2.000 years ago. And he was crucified and he bore your sin. Jesus came to pay a debt he did not owe because we owed a debt we could not pay. But the good news is, is Jesus rose again from the dead three days later, and he's alive. That's right. Jesus Christ is alive. And he's standing at the door of your life, wherever you are, and he is knocking. And he's saying if you'll hear his voice and open the door, he will come in.