"Don't Dump Cold Water On All That God Has Revealed"

When I started talking to people about this book study, one staff member commented, "Since there is so much mystery surrounding Heaven, should we even speculate about what we cannot understand? Doesn't the Bible say that Heaven is beyond our imagination?". Chapter 2 answers this common question.
First of all, it is pointed out the Bible uses familiar concepts to bridge the gap of our small minds when discussing Heaven. A garden, a city, a kingdom are a few such pictures. The problem is that too many times, we think Heaven is a non-physical place and therefore these pictures are only analogies of something far more spiritual. Our failure to see Heaven as a physical place causes us to push Heaven aside under the excuse that it is beyond our mere minds to think about, let alone long after our future home. Remember to read 1 Cor 2:9 in context and see that God has revealed mysteries to us through His Spirit and His Word. Also, while there are many things we cannot know about God, Jesus spoke often of Heaven. Additionally, Paul commands us to diligently keep seeking things above. We must be careful not to get caught up in the stereotypical views of Heaven. One of the ways we can do that is by viewing Heaven through Scripture. What a novel concept!!
One encouragement Randy makes is to "look around you and imagine what all this would be like without sin and death and suffering and corruption". It is wonderful to think that such a place awaits for us where fellowship and worship will take place and sin will not creep its dirty head. I know that too often I get distracted in my worship-not in Heaven!
I know that these first couple of chapters are introductory, but it is good to set out some of these principles so that we can know for ourselves and encourage others that Heaven IS a physical place and there is Scripture we can meditate on.