Are there Blue Trees in Heaven...?
When I began praying prior to beginning this painting, I had no real idea in mind what it should (or would) look like when completed.
I mean, it's Heaven that we're talking about here! So I searched the Scriptures to find out all I could about what the Bible has to say about Heaven.
What I found out is that the Bible tells us a great deal about where the saved will spend all eternity. Sure, we know about Jesus telling the Apostles (and us) the He was going on up ahead to get things ready in preparation for arrival. Jesus mentioned that there are all kinds of living accommodations in Heaven, including one made especially for each of us.
John 14 The Way, the Truth, and the Life 1 “Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me. 2 In My Father’s house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also. 4 And where I go you know, and the way you know.”
5 Thomas said to Him, “Lord, we do not know where You are going, and how can we know the way?” 6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.
So,we know that there will be plenty of places to stay when we get there. No doubt, lots of sizes and shapes...but all more incredible than we had ever imagined they would be.
Physical Description of Heaven
We know that Heaven is big! About 1400 miles, by 1400 miles. (about the distance from New York City to Houston. We know that Heaven is well protected with a wall over 200 feet thick, only three openings on each side, with all of the openings with a huge pearl on one side and a big angel guarding on the other. Never allowing anything impure to enter into its gates. There are twelve incredibly beautiful layers of precious stones composing the walls of Heaven. All transparent and beautiful!
So, we know a good deal about the physical characteristics of Heaven, we also know a lot about the Spiritual characteristics of Heaven, as well. For instance, we know that there aren't any shadows in Heaven because Scripture tells us that there is no more day or night there, and that the Light of the Lord lightens all of Heaven, so no need for sun, moon or stars.
All of these factors made what I had expected to be a relatively simple (probably no more than a month to paint...or, so I thought) effort turn into a four month journey through the things relative to Heaven in the Bible, as well as outside readings including those by some who state that the Lord called them to Heaven, via accident, operation, etc., and then for some reason all were returned to continue their earthly journey.
Before dismissing their stories, as none of us knows whether someone actually went to Heaven and came back, or just imagined that they did. In either case, one thing remains consistent in all of them...and that is that none of them wanted to come back! All spoke of their awe as they were greeted by family, friends and others in Heaven...but they all, most emphatically, stated that their most incredible event was of standing in the Love of our Lord Jesus.
It is with prayer, Scripture, readings, more prayer...and finally, in just turning the whole thing over to the Holy Spirit that I was able to complete this painting...I just held the brush for the Holy Spirit in what turned out to be a wild ride. At one time, the Heaven that I was painting was kind of a bland, bright, relatively innocuous “area” where people went to be with the Lord for all eternity. Now, don't get me wrong, just being in the presence of our Most Blessed Savior is way more than I deserve...it's just that Heaven is (from all reports) something so great that we can't even imagine what it will be like for those who put their trust in Jesus as their Savior.
As I say, I was struggling to get a handle on this painting when I remembered what Paul had to say in 1st Corinthians 2:9 “No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love him”...upon re-reading it...I finally got it!
Well...that was the verse that set me free...I was finally able to understand that no matter how long I thought, prayed, fretted, or any other synonym that you want to plug in that indicated frustration...I finally got it that no matter how long, or hard, that I tried, I would never be able to come close to what Heaven will be like...so, it was at that point that I just turned it over to the Holy Spirit...the finished painting is the result...it was part of that freeing experience that resulted in some of the earthly “weirdness” that is included in the painting...
The painting is Scripturally based, with some of the Scripture references are shown below.
I mean, it's Heaven that we're talking about here! So I searched the Scriptures to find out all I could about what the Bible has to say about Heaven.
What I found out is that the Bible tells us a great deal about where the saved will spend all eternity. Sure, we know about Jesus telling the Apostles (and us) the He was going on up ahead to get things ready in preparation for arrival. Jesus mentioned that there are all kinds of living accommodations in Heaven, including one made especially for each of us.
John 14 The Way, the Truth, and the Life 1 “Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me. 2 In My Father’s house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also. 4 And where I go you know, and the way you know.”
5 Thomas said to Him, “Lord, we do not know where You are going, and how can we know the way?” 6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.
So,we know that there will be plenty of places to stay when we get there. No doubt, lots of sizes and shapes...but all more incredible than we had ever imagined they would be.
Physical Description of Heaven
We know that Heaven is big! About 1400 miles, by 1400 miles. (about the distance from New York City to Houston. We know that Heaven is well protected with a wall over 200 feet thick, only three openings on each side, with all of the openings with a huge pearl on one side and a big angel guarding on the other. Never allowing anything impure to enter into its gates. There are twelve incredibly beautiful layers of precious stones composing the walls of Heaven. All transparent and beautiful!
So, we know a good deal about the physical characteristics of Heaven, we also know a lot about the Spiritual characteristics of Heaven, as well. For instance, we know that there aren't any shadows in Heaven because Scripture tells us that there is no more day or night there, and that the Light of the Lord lightens all of Heaven, so no need for sun, moon or stars.
All of these factors made what I had expected to be a relatively simple (probably no more than a month to paint...or, so I thought) effort turn into a four month journey through the things relative to Heaven in the Bible, as well as outside readings including those by some who state that the Lord called them to Heaven, via accident, operation, etc., and then for some reason all were returned to continue their earthly journey.
Before dismissing their stories, as none of us knows whether someone actually went to Heaven and came back, or just imagined that they did. In either case, one thing remains consistent in all of them...and that is that none of them wanted to come back! All spoke of their awe as they were greeted by family, friends and others in Heaven...but they all, most emphatically, stated that their most incredible event was of standing in the Love of our Lord Jesus.
It is with prayer, Scripture, readings, more prayer...and finally, in just turning the whole thing over to the Holy Spirit that I was able to complete this painting...I just held the brush for the Holy Spirit in what turned out to be a wild ride. At one time, the Heaven that I was painting was kind of a bland, bright, relatively innocuous “area” where people went to be with the Lord for all eternity. Now, don't get me wrong, just being in the presence of our Most Blessed Savior is way more than I deserve...it's just that Heaven is (from all reports) something so great that we can't even imagine what it will be like for those who put their trust in Jesus as their Savior.
As I say, I was struggling to get a handle on this painting when I remembered what Paul had to say in 1st Corinthians 2:9 “No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love him”...upon re-reading it...I finally got it!
Well...that was the verse that set me free...I was finally able to understand that no matter how long I thought, prayed, fretted, or any other synonym that you want to plug in that indicated frustration...I finally got it that no matter how long, or hard, that I tried, I would never be able to come close to what Heaven will be like...so, it was at that point that I just turned it over to the Holy Spirit...the finished painting is the result...it was part of that freeing experience that resulted in some of the earthly “weirdness” that is included in the painting...
The painting is Scripturally based, with some of the Scripture references are shown below.
"...and nothing impure will enter its gates..."
I have painted in people entering the gate as coming in with colored clothing ("we are as filthy rags"). The children are seen entering with clean, white clothing to symbolize their innocence.
As you see them emerge from the gate, their clothing is white having been "washed in the Blood of the Lamb"
Rev. 21 "...It had a great, high wall, with twelve gates, and at the gates twelve angels, and on the gates the names of the twelve tribes of the sons of Israel were inscribed— on the east three gates, on the north three gates, on the south three gates, and on the west three gates...
...The wall was built of jasper, while the city was pure gold, clear as glass. The foundations of the wall of the city were adorned with every kind of jewel. The first was jasper, the second sapphire, the third agate, the fourth emerald, the fifth onyx, the sixth carnelian, the seventh chrysolite, the eighth beryl, the ninth topaz, the tenth chrysoprase, the eleventh jacinth, the twelfth amethyst. And the twelve gates were twelve pearls, each of the gates made of a single pearl, and the street of the city was pure gold, transparent as glass.
...And I saw no temple in the city, for its temple is the Lord God the Almighty and the Lamb. And the city has no need of sun or moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light, and its lamp is the Lamb. By its light will the nations walk, and the kings of the earth will bring their glory into it, and its gates will never be shut by day—and there will be no night there. They will bring into it the glory and the honor of the nations. But nothing unclean will ever enter it, nor anyone who does what is detestable or false, but only those who are written in the Lamb's book of life."
As you see them emerge from the gate, their clothing is white having been "washed in the Blood of the Lamb"
Rev. 21 "...It had a great, high wall, with twelve gates, and at the gates twelve angels, and on the gates the names of the twelve tribes of the sons of Israel were inscribed— on the east three gates, on the north three gates, on the south three gates, and on the west three gates...
...The wall was built of jasper, while the city was pure gold, clear as glass. The foundations of the wall of the city were adorned with every kind of jewel. The first was jasper, the second sapphire, the third agate, the fourth emerald, the fifth onyx, the sixth carnelian, the seventh chrysolite, the eighth beryl, the ninth topaz, the tenth chrysoprase, the eleventh jacinth, the twelfth amethyst. And the twelve gates were twelve pearls, each of the gates made of a single pearl, and the street of the city was pure gold, transparent as glass.
...And I saw no temple in the city, for its temple is the Lord God the Almighty and the Lamb. And the city has no need of sun or moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light, and its lamp is the Lamb. By its light will the nations walk, and the kings of the earth will bring their glory into it, and its gates will never be shut by day—and there will be no night there. They will bring into it the glory and the honor of the nations. But nothing unclean will ever enter it, nor anyone who does what is detestable or false, but only those who are written in the Lamb's book of life."
River of Life...Tree of Life...
Revelation 22: 1 Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, as clear as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb 2 down the middle of the great street of the city. On each side of the river stood the tree of life, bearing twelve crops of fruit, yielding its fruit every month.
Predator & Prey Together in Peace
Isa 11:6 The wolf also shall dwell with the lamb...and the calf and the young lion ...11:7 And the cow and the bear shall feed; their young
ones shall lie down together: and the lion shall eat straw like the ox.
ones shall lie down together: and the lion shall eat straw like the ox.
Friends on Earth...Friends in Heaven?
People often question whether we will be able to recognize family and friends who have gone before us...there is Biblical evidence that we will...see LUKE 16:19-31, I John 3:2, I Thessalonians 4:13, Matthew 8:11
Well, what if we do recognize each other...how will we handle it? I was thinking that there might even be a conversation going on right now between two old friends that meet up in heaven...maybe something like this...”hey Becky, it is sooo great to see you here...oh, Stacey, it is just amazing here...! I know...how long have you been here?...well, it just seems like an eternity...
oh, sorry...I've always wanted to do that joke...so, where were we?...oh, yes where is your mansion?...oh, i'm in that Cape Cod with the sapphire roof and emerald shutters on St. John Court...what about you?...do you know where St. James Drive and St. Peter Avenue is?...well, i'm in the Acadian style with the lapis walls and ruby roof...the one with the emerald porch?...yes, that's it...oh, I love that one...but, hey, they are all perfect, aren't they? Yep, everything here is perfect! And, so, perfect it is...and perfect it will be..."
So, are there really blue trees in Heaven?
I don't know?...but why wouldn't there be?...is there any reason to believe that with the descriptions of Heaven being such an incredible place that we should in any way restrict our thinking to those of earthly proportions? I hope that you enjoy this painting. I have learned so much about Heaven from this experience. One of the really great things about it is that I now know, is that no matter what level of artistic license I would take, I would still fall woefully short of what Heaven will really be like.
"...that none should perish.:
Our Father in Heaven sent His only Son to die in our place. Make no mistake about it...if you do not accept Jesus as your Savior you have condemned yourself to an eternity in hell. Heaven is real and so is hell.
Please don't miss out...the alternative of a life of eternal torment is too horrible to even consider... especially when there is a far better option...one that includes an eternity that is so amazing that we can't even come close to envisioning how great it really will be...
Won't you take a few minutes here, now, and turn your life over to the only real Hope in this life. A Blessed Hope that will guarantee you a life in Heaven, with Jesus, when you die. He is always there to forgive you...don't wait...tell Him that you are sorry for your life of sin and ask Him to take away your sin debt....
He will do it...He's already paid your debt for you through giving His life for our sins...don't wait...you don't really know that you have a tomorrow...do you...?
Blessings in the Holy Name of Jesus, the Christ...larry 12/25/2010