1 Peter 2:5 - Building Up a House of Heaven
In 1 Peter 2:5, Peter writes that believers are being built up as “a spiritual house.” What does this mean?
Belief in heaven is central to many cultures. Descriptions of it vary, but they often portray a paradise where nature and society are perfected. This idea has persisted despite criticism that it is an irrational wish-fulfilling fantasy and a denial of responsibility to improve the world.
1. God’s Presence
When people speak of God’s presence, they usually mean a special way that He manifests His shekinah glory (a term for His divine glory) in some place. In the Old Testament, this was especially noticeable in the tabernacle and later the temple. Only the high priest could enter the Holy of Holies and experience the Lord’s special presence.
The Old Testament prophets often spoke of God’s promise to dwell with His people. This was a promise that would come to full fruition in the New Covenant when Jesus returned.
It is important to remember that even when we sin, we can run to the Lord’s presence. God’s presence is a powerful force that sustains us, no matter what we face in this life. It is an empowering knowledge that can transform your life.
2. Angels Will Serve You
There are “innumerable angels” (Hebrews 12:22) working with us to carry out God’s plans and purposes. And it’s not just the archangels Michael and Gabriel – every believer has an angel that belongs to them, and you can ask your angel for help on any subject – there are no taboo topics!
The requests range from Housesofheaven.com healing, access to God’s supernatural guidance, overcoming challenges, smooth travel plans and even the simplest things like letting go of negative thoughts. And the best thing about it is that your angel will answer your request! They can connect to you through sound (buzzing in your ear), sight (orbs of colored light) and even smell and taste (fragrances you can’t explain). So get ready for them to amaze you!
3. Nothing Can Destroy It
Peter tells believers they are being built up into a spiritual house. He doesn’t describe what this house looks like. But he does warn believers not to neglect their work, since their life is a sacrifice to God.
Across cultures, heaven is described in many different ways. Plurality and redundancy are common: the mountaintop paradises of Greek mythology, the Platonic heaven for contemplatives, and the bureaucratic heavens of imperial China; the hunters’ paradises of Australian Aboriginal beliefs; and the utopian communities of 19th-century spiritualists, who blended clairvoyance with ideas of progress, evolution, and social equality.
But what do houses of heaven look like? The most obvious answer is that they are heavenly. They are not subject to decay, erosion or damage. They will remain beautiful for billions of years.
4. Everlasting Happiness
Man is born with an innate longing for happiness. He seeks it in many ways and can achieve momentary pleasures in the world. But they are not enough to bring true satisfaction. Ultimately, a whirlwind of misfortune will overturn his palace of pleasure and leave him in ruins.
Man’s natural desire for happiness can be satisfied only by the beatific vision of God. Yet his happiness in heaven includes accidental goods that depend on the fact that he will be resurrected and be united with other humans and nonhuman creatures.
Brown’s book is admirable for its clarity, its argumentative precision and its capacity to enter into a fruitful dialogue with contemporary accounts of heavenly life and eternal happiness. Despite its length, it is accessible to a general readership.
5. You Will Be in God’s Presence Forever
When you are in God’s presence, your life becomes an endless feast. He fills your soul with joy and peace, so you can rest without fear. He will never be far away. But you cannot hear His voice clearly if your mind is full of the chatter of TV, email, social media and more. You need quiet time to focus on him.
Many Christians believe that Jesus’ promise “In my Father’s house are many mansions” (John 14:2-3) refers to a literal house with individual rooms for each of His followers. They think that when people die, they will go directly to heaven. But that is not what Scripture teaches. It teaches that communion with God is the chief end for which human beings are made.