Moving from place to place will no longer be limited to how far we can walk on our two feet or the mode of transportation that we decide to take. Instead, we’ll be able to be transported immediately to our desired destination. For example, when Jesus left this earth. He ascended to the right hand of the Father (Mark 16:19). The Lord didn’t have to send a spaceship down to get Him. His body had the capacity to ascend and move across who knows how many light years of distance to planet heaven.
And yes, I did say that. Heaven is a planet. Back in Genesis 1:1, God said, “God created the heaven and the earth.” The two centerpieces of God’s universal creation are referred to as “the” heaven and “the” earth. Throughout the Word, heaven and earth are used synonymously when talking about creation. These two things clearly go hand in hand.
I think there’s a reason for that, just as man was created in God’s image to inhabit and have dominion over the earth. I believe the earth was created in the image and likeness of heaven, God’s dwelling place. “The” heaven and “the” earth are actually twin planets.
Romans 1:19:20 says that we can understand the invisible things of God by examining the creation that we live in. Heaven is invisible to us in terms of our natural eyesight, but by examining the creation we can see, such as the planet we live on, I believe we can understand more about heaven. Of course, what we see here on earth is a corrupted copy because of the sin that entered the world. Nevertheless, I believe it is a copy of planet heaven.
Heaven Is Not a Nebulous Figment?
Also, God lives in the capital city of heaven called New Jerusalem. That city isn’t floating around out there in the universe somewhere. I would suggest that it’s on a planet like the other cities we know about in this life. And as we’ve already seen, God is going to transplant His city, New Jerusalem, to earth after the earth has been renovated by fire, right before we begin living in the eternal ages to come. In reality, He’ll simply be transporting it from one planet to another.
What I’m saying is probably contrary to many religious ideas stuck in your head. But you have to realize the Bible never teaches that heaven is some nebulous figment of your imagination where you retire for eternity, lay in a hammock, and sip papaya juice.
Heaven is a very real place! In the same breath heaven was created , the earth was created and we know what the earth is. It’s appropriate to assume since we’re created in the image and likeness of God and occupy the earth, the earth is in the image and likeness of heaven, which is the present dwelling place of God.
Traveling At The Speed Of Thought
Now, if we think back to Jesus’ glorified body, His body had the capacity to move instantly between planet earth and planet heaven. How do we know this? Because Jesus ascended to the right hand of the Father in seconds. The closest star to us is hundreds of millions of light years away. If Jesus was traveling at the speed of light, He’d still be enroute to His destination today, but we know He’s already there.
When the disciples watched Jesus’ glorified body ascend into the clouds, His body somehow had the capacity to transcend vast amounts of space in just the passage of thought. (If you thought Captain Kirk had a neat way of transportation, just wait until you experience this!) I’m not sure what you call this capability, but I know it will be amazing.
One of the reasons this transportation capability will be important is because our mansions are going to be in New Jerusalem on planet earth after God has transplanted the capital city of heaven to earth. That’s where our dwelling place will be, but that’s not where we will work. We’ll commute.
We’ll be able to cover vast amounts of space in a eye blink of time. Personally, I don’t plan on ruling over one of two solar systems; I’m believing for a couple galaxies somewhere to the south. And that’s why my body will be able to traverse great amounts of distance, naturally speaking.
Can you see how our glorified bodies will be great help in accomplishing our eternal assignments?
Excerpt permission granted by Mac Hammond Ministries
Mac and Lynne Hammond are senior pastors of Living Word in Brooklyn Park, Minnesota, which they started in 1980. Many outreaches and ministries have launched from Living Word since that time, including Maranatha Christian Academy, a Pre-K through grade 12 school with nearly 900 in attendance, and Living Free Recovery Services, a licensed outpatient treatment program.
Most recently, Mac and Lynne have launched a vision to plant fifty churches across the globe in the next five years. As of August 2024, nine churches have been planted in the Dominican Republic, Ireland, Venezuela, Bolivia, Colombia, and Guatemala with construction underway for seven more churches in El Salvador, Ethiopia, and the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Prior to becoming a pastor, Mac was a pilot. He served in the Air Force, served two tours of duty in Southeast Asia, and was honorably discharged in 1970 with the rank of Captain. Between 1970 and 1980, Mac was involved in varying capacities in the general aviation industry, including ownership of a successful air cargo business serving the Midwestern United States. A business acquisition brought the Hammonds to Minneapolis, where they ultimately founded Living Word. Currently, Mac is the host of The Winner’s Way and The Winner’s Minute broadcasts and the author of several internationally distributed books. Mac is broadly acclaimed for his ability to apply the principles of the Bible to practical situations and the challenges of daily living.
