Which comes first- which follows, Heaven or Earth?

For thus says the Lord that created the heavens; God himself that formed the earth and made it; he has established it, He- Created it not in vain, he formed it to be inhabited: I am the Lord; and there is none else.

Isa 45:18

What is Heaven?

Heaven—the divine realm of Spirit—exists within, awaiting realization through the awakening of the soul (Salvation). 

Heaven is manifested on Earth through the transformation of the human Mind. This represents Heaven established on Earth, within the essence of humankind.

The Heavenly Dimension provides insight into the omniscient perspective of God, transcending the limitations imposed by time and space. It enables us to understand how every facet of human history is intricately interwoven with purpose and intention. Omniscient refers to the state of being all-knowing, embodying infinite knowledge and wisdom. When Jesus compared the “Kingdom of the Heavens” to various conditions present on Earth, He elucidated, in terms comprehensible to the outer man, that the Kingdom of God resides within you.

“The kingdom of God cometh not with observation: neither shall they say, Lo, here ! or, There ! for lo, the kingdom of God is within you.” Luke 17:20, 21

WHAT ARE REALMS?

Realms or planes of existence are like different dimensions that exist alongside our material world.

Realms are non-physical and have their own unique energies and vibrations.

Metaphysical realms are the invisible domains that interpenetrate our visible material world.

All Things On Earth Originate In Heaven

The 2 Planes Of Reality

Heaven and Earth: Two States of Mind – the Ideal and the Manifestation.

According to Revelation 21:1, we are meant to have new ideals that manifest on earth. God envisioned two planes of consciousness, namely, the heavens and the earth.

In the book of Ephesians, the phrase “heavenly realms” is mentioned five times. It highlights the significance of the connection between Christians and the exalted Christ, who was resurrected and enthroned at God’s right hand in Heaven.

Heavenly realms encompass both angelic & demonic Dimensions on our timeline.

Ephesians 1:20 "God raised Christ from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly realms."
Ephesians 6:12 "Spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms, showing the existence of dark forces opposed to God's purposes."

The Concept of “Time” in Heaven

Time ceases to be linear for the spiritual; it exists beyond our ability to conceptualize, as spiritual beings are in the eternal presence of the Divine Lord.

Humans, on the other hand, experience time sequentially, constrained by its progression.

For God, there is only an Eternal Now, with no “past” or “future.”

He sees and knows the entirety of human history and events from an outside perspective because he is the creator of time itself.

All spirit exists beyond time and death, as described in passages like Ecclesiastes 3:11, which states that God “has set eternity in the human heart.”

The Bible testifies that God exists in eternity, beyond the limitations of time, and “inhabits eternity” (Isaiah 57:15).

Eternity:

1. Existence without end, infinite time.
2. Existence outside of time.

Heaven is a realm where our souls discover eternal joy and fulfillment, finding peace and unity with the Creator. It is a realm where happiness and love know no bounds, where all earthly limitations fade away and we experience ultimate contentment.

Is There A 5th Dimension?

Picture Heaven as the ethereal realmPicture Heaven as the ethereal realm beyond our earthly existence, where the spirit breaks free and soars to unimaginable heights of divine communion.

It is the quintessential destination, a place where the soul discovers solace and eternal bliss, surpassing the boundaries of time and space.

It exists beyond our realm, encompassing all potential quantum possibilities yet to manifest in our 3D reality.

In this realm, consciousness, which is God, actively molds the fabric of reality itself.

In higher dimensions, particles have the capability to exist in multiple locations simultaneously until they are observed.

This phenomenon is known as superposition and it pertains to the ability of subatomic particles to be in multiple quantum states at the same time.

At the quantum scale, particles do not possess defined properties until they are measured, allowing them to exhibit multiple states concurrently.

Psalm 33:6 beautifully declares, “By the word of the Lord, the heavens were made.”

This verse illuminates the profound role of God as the transcendent Consciousness who ingeniously sculpted formless energy into exquisite forms, infusing them with His divine Energy.

Spiritual warfare takes place in the Heavenly Realms…

The Bible outlines spiritual adversaries like thrones, powers, rulers, and authorities. These entities have influence in different realms, yet Jesus can transform us and open our eyes to the Father’s work in the celestial realms. With this revelation, we can align our desires with God’s divine will.

Jesus reveals humanity’s true enemy is us…

Our enemy is ourselves: fears, desires, and ignorance (and sin). Scripture shows us that our primary struggle lies in overcoming the “world” and our own “flesh.”

PUTTING ON HEAVENLY ARMOR

God’s armor strengthens and empowers us from within. Prayer, faith, and the presence of Christ ground us and enable us to resist worldly temptations. Instead of obsessing over demons, we should prioritize self-reflection, grasping God’s plan, and nurturing our spiritual character.

ARMOR OF GOD: ‘Stand firm!
With the belt of truth buckled around your waist.
With the breastplate of righteousness arrayed.
With your feet fitted with the readiness of the gospel of peace.
Take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one.
Take the helmet of salvation.
And the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. ‘
Ephesians 6:14-17

Heavenly Thought: Not irrelevant, directly impactful to Earth.

Though we understand that these heavenly realms exist in another dimension, it is a mistake to believe that they are irrelevant to earthly matters. On the contrary, the Bible teaches that what occurs in these spiritual realms directly affects what happens on earth. This concept depicts Heaven being established on earth, within the souls of humankind. The kingdom of heaven is not a physical place, but rather a state of being in harmony with God and spiritual truths.

When the kingdom is established within an individual soul, it begins to emerge outwardly. Heaven is realized “on earth,” manifested through that person’s thoughts, words, and actions.

The Kingdom of heaven expands through the gospel call going forth and souls being regenerated by the Holy Spirit (John 3:3-8), not through human-powered awakening.

It was Jesus’ mission to illuminate this profound truth and initiate the inward and outward manifestation of God’s kingdom in human experience.

The Kingdom of Heaven is not some far-off place in the clouds; it is all around us, here and now, if we have the ability to perceive it.

Heaven is present in the midst of the mundane and ordinary.

READ: Calvin on Piety: Practical Dimensions

Every blade of grass, every breath we take, contains a glimpse of eternity, a reflection of the Creator who made all things and sustains them constantly. We often fail to recognize this awe-inspiring reality. The kingdom has the power to renew our minds, enabling us to perceive God’s magnificence even in the tiniest aspects of life.

As Thomas Merton put it, “Heaven is here and now, if we would but taste it and see.“

We must shake off the distractions, the labels, and the noise, and relearn how to truly See. Then, in that Seeing, we come to know Heaven within and all around, interpenetrating the physical world we walk through each day. The Kingdom Of God remains hidden in plain sight.