What is Heaven?

2 Thessalonians 1:9 ESV

They will be punished with everlasting destruction and shut out from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his might

This verse might seem to condemn. Let’s look at the flip side.

Before we get to do that, the verse starts with “they”. Who are “they” who will suffer punishment?

Verse 8

in flaming fire, inflicting vengeance on those who do not know God and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus.

Those who do not know God, those who do not obey the gospel of Jesus.

The punishment is reserved for them. So what is the punishment. Verse 9 says that

eternal destruction,

Ok what does the verse further says about the punishment

away from[a] the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his might,

Away from the presence of the LORD.

What is the word used in Greek here for “away from”

Original: ἀπό
Transliteration: apo

Thayer explains the word as

of separation of a part from the whole

So the separation from the presence of the LORD is the punishment.

Ok now to the flip side. If separation is the punishment, what is the reward, the blessing?

Being in the presence of the LORD exactly is Heaven.

Ok if the presence of the LORD is the eternal reward, should we wait till we are dead to be with the LORD.

With the blood of Jesus, the glory of God is come among us. He is with us. He will never leave us or forsake us. So right now we are in the presence of the LORD.

Heaven knows earth. Are you consciously aware of HIS presence? Do you delight in HIM? The more you do, the more you bring Heaven on earth and the more you become like HIM.

You can think of Heaven as a place. I will tell you this, HE is the Heaven, the delight of my soul, the song of my spirit. Author of my salvation.

In Jesus Name we glorify HIM. Amen