50% of American Evangelicals believe that Jews and members of other religions – even if they believe in God – are not eligibile for eternal life in heaven, according to a new PEW survey.
But the question we may ask is why 73% believe in afterlife in heaven?
For David is not ascended into the heavens: but he saith himself, “The LORD said unto my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand, Until I make thy foes thy footstool.” (Acts 2:34-35)
The Jerusalem Post covered a new Pew Survey
In general, the survey found that the majority of Americans believe in heaven (73%), but they are conflicted about who can go there.
Indeed! Let us investigate the Bible as to who goes there! The first and most fundamental statement of Christianity that begins our consideration by the now often venerated Apostle Peter on the day of Pentecost was that the great king David was not ascended into heaven. It is not ambiguous! In context it is the core of Peter's argument as to Christ's role, that King David had not ascended. That is one Jew not in heaven, yet surely even Christians would think him eligible for eternal life.
This king David, despite his sin was called by God 'my Servant' and was blessed by God with eternal promises, including some to him personally that imply eternal life. These promises were associated by prophet Jeremiah with the covenant with day and night.
Thus saith the LORD; If ye can break my covenant of the day, and my covenant of the night, and that there should not be day and night in their season; Then may also my covenant be broken with David my servant, that he should not have a son to reign upon his throne; and with the Levites the priests, my ministers. As the host of heaven cannot be numbered, neither the sand of the sea measured: so will I multiply the seed of David my servant, and the Levites that minister unto me. (Jeremiah 33:20-22)
Peter's argument is that Jesus (Y'shua) the descendant of King David was Anointed King-Priest (ie made Christ) and was the son who would reign eternally. The great text of Isaiah 9 speaks of King David,
For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even for ever. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will perform this. (Isaiah 9:6-7)
This is reinforced before the conception of Christ,
And the angel said unto her, Fear not, Mary: for thou hast found favour with God. And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name JESUS. He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David: And he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end. (Luke 1:30-33)
Where was King David's throne? In Zion. Where are the people of Jacob? Where therefore is the kingdom?
Peter announced as a durable fact of Christianity – and it cannot be contradicted - that David did not go to heaven; and that in context means not in any form.
Is it only Peter? Then we have Paul in his great foundation speech in Antioch proving Y'shua of Nazareth was Anointed King, which in Hebrew is Messiah and in Greek is Christ.
God hath fulfilled the same unto us their children, in that he hath raised up Jesus again; as it is also written in the second psalm, Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee. And as concerning that he raised him up from the dead, now no more to return to corruption, he said on this wise, I will give you the sure mercies of David. Wherefore he saith also in another psalm, Thou shalt not suffer thine Holy One to see corruption. For David, after he had served his own generation by the will of God, fell on sleep, and was laid unto his fathers, and saw corruption: But he, whom God raised again, saw no corruption. (Acts 13:33-37)
Paul says in no uncertain terms that he proves Messiah/Christ (whom he had been eyewitness to in resurrection) because David prophesied of one who was remarkable of all flesh in not corrupting. Paul implies all knew as fact David's whole being saw the corruption that is known to all flesh. Remember the interval of three days in the tomb, when it was known in that era that corruption set in after that time as shown in what is said of Lazarus after four days (John 11:39). If David was then existing in any form the argument of Paul is null and void.
So let us go to Christ's words. If David a Jew isn't in heaven, we find also that Abraham isn't either.
The Jews were sure Abraham was dead (see John 8:52-53). Christ a Jew did not contradict them, but rather pointed out that references to the Fathers proved a future resurrection.
Jesus answering said unto them, “The children of this world marry, and are given in marriage: But they which shall be accounted worthy to obtain that world, and the resurrection from the dead, neither marry, nor are given in marriage: Neither can they die any more: for they are equal unto the angels; and are the children of God, being the children of the resurrection. Now that the dead are raised, even Moses shewed at the bush, when he calls the Lord the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob. For he is not a God of the dead, but of the living: for all live unto him.” (Luke 20:34-38)
If Abraham is fully dead into dust with nothing of him existing until a resurrection, this makes sense, but if not, then why did not Christ clarify that the faithful Fathers were already angels? Surely the Son of God knew all things! At the time Christ spoke Abraham clearly was not an angel, but was dead, as there had not been a resurrection. Christ is clear on this point as at a later time he says the resurrection is still coming,
Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice, And shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation. (John 5:28-29)
Christ's teaching was so clear all the females who served the food knew. Here is Martha.
Jesus saith unto her (Martha), Thy brother shall rise again.
Martha saith unto him, I know that he shall rise again in the resurrection at the last day. (John 11:23-24)
So far we have found a lot of faithful Jews did not go to heaven. In this many Christians are dead right. Do we in fact know of any who have gone to heaven? We do! It is so remarkable it is famous. Elisha was witness.
It came to pass, as they still went on, and talked, that, behold, there appeared a chariot of fire, and horses of fire, and parted them both asunder; and Elijah went up by a whirlwind into heaven. (2 Kings 2:11)
What we might note about this is that Elijah is seen going up. In fact we are told the same of Christ. A whole group saw him go up.
When he (Christ) had spoken these things, while they beheld, he was taken up; and a cloud received him out of their sight. And while they looked stedfastly toward heaven as he went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel; Which also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven. (Acts 1:9-11)
Then we are told in a few direct statements:
The dead praise not the LORD, neither any that go down into silence. (Psalm 115:17)
I should have been as though I had not been; I should have been carried from the womb to the grave. (Job 10:19)
As the cloud is consumed and vanisheth away: so he that goeth down to the grave shall come up no more. (Job 7:9)
For I know that my redeemer liveth, and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth: And though after my skin worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God: Whom I shall see for myself, and mine eyes shall behold, and not another; though my reins be consumed within me. (Job 19:25-27)
Thy dead men shall live, together with my dead body shall they arise. Awake and sing, ye that dwell in dust: for thy dew is as the dew of herbs, and the earth shall cast out the dead. (Isaiah 26:19)
There is nothing that can contradict the weigh of agreement of utter unknowing death in dust until a day of bodily resurrection. The resurrected are to be as angels. The angels have bodies that may be touched. Jacob wrested with an angel. Our Lord in the resurrection says,
Behold my hands and my feet, that it is I myself: handle me, and see; for a spirit hath not flesh and bones, as ye see me have. (Luke 24:39)
Believing the God of the Bible!
So where is the evidence, the foundation for any to believe anything else other that what is said directly? Why do so many believe in things they have no direct statement of and can't see any evidence for and hold dogmatically to it? Some expert told them? Or it confirms fluffy feel good biases? Let us consider truth must be sought with a pure heart and all beliefs must be tested to avoid the curse of 2 Thessalonians 2 :11)
Another 62% of US adults say they believe in hell.
Those who expressed belief in both heaven and hell were further surveyed and asked to describe the nature of these places. The majority (69%) say heaven is free of suffering, 65% say individuals are reunited with their loved ones who previously died, 60% the dead can meet God and 60% say that individuals in heaven have “perfectly healthy bodies.”
In contrast, hell is a place of psychological suffering (53%), where people become aware of the suffering they created in the world (53%) and where individuals experience physical suffering (51%).
Around a quarter of American adults (26%) do not believe in heaven or hell.
Nearly half of Americans (58%) say they believe in God as described in the Bible. Another third (32%) say they believe in some other higher power.
According to Paul as Christ was not left in hell, it follows he was in hell when he died. Here is the original prophecy of David.
For thou wilt not leave my soul in hell; neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption (Psalm 16:10)
Even David believed that his soul was to go to hell. He expects not to be left there in Hell. But in Hell, he can't praise God. There is a great mechanism for the dust of hell to be remembered to be resurrected: the book of the living
The LORD said unto Moses, Whosoever has sinned against me, him will I blot out of my book. (Exodus 32:33)
Let them be blotted out of the book of the living, and not be written with the righteous. (Psa 69:28)
He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white raiment; and I will not blot out his name out of the book of life, but I will confess his name before my Father, and before his angels. (Rev 3:5)
If the 58% wish to truly believe the God of the Bible, they might one day actually read the Bible as written, not as they think it is written – or as 'experts' told them it was written. They might seek to put all effort into being written in the book of life themselves rather than ponder who might not inherit eternal life. As to going to heaven that is a place that is way too special, reserved only for some special Jews.
Because there is a huge paucity of information or confirmation than anyone faithful will go to heaven – but we have been told explicitly as to who has gone to Heaven – and as Jesus was a Jew and Elijah was a Jew, we know for sure that from what we are told in the Bible that two Jews have visibly gone to Heaven.
The thing is, they are both slated to return to earth! To be seen on earth.
Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the LORD: And he shall turn the heart of the fathers to the children, and the heart of the children to their fathers, lest I come and smite the earth with a curse. (Malachi 4:5-6)
For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him. For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep. For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. (1Thess. 4:14-17)
And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. (Matthew 24:30)
Where is the kingdom of heaven? Where is David's throne?
What did John see? He saw it come down, to earth.
I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. (Revelation 21:2)<
To not understand the glory of the promised new Eden is to miss the whole purpose of Creation!
For thus saith the LORD that created the heavens; God himself that formed the earth and made it; he hath established it, he created it not in vain, he formed it to be inhabited: I am the LORD; and there is none else. (Isaiah 45:18)
Behold, is it not of the LORD of hosts that the people shall labour in the very fire, and the people shall weary themselves for very vanity? For the earth shall be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the LORD, as the waters cover the sea. (Habbakkuk 2:13-14)
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