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Heaven
Does the OT teach about Heaven - as in a place to go after we die?
In Jesus time, two major groups of OT believers where the Sadducees and the
Pharisees. It is easy to remember the Sadducees because they did not believe in
life after Death or Heaven as a place that people would go after they died.
They believed in heaven as only a place where God abides and that, because of
our sin, there is nothing left after death. They were "Sad - you see"s.
The Pharisees were much more biblical and, although most of them didn't act
properly, their beliefs were much closer to the correct beliefs.
Yes!!! The book of Job strongly teaches this concept.
Job started out with 1 wife, 7 sons, 3 daughters, 7000 Sheep and a bunch more
animals.
His wife wasn't killed, but his 7 sons and 3 daughers were. The Sheep, Camels,
Oxen and Donkeys were killed or stolen (important - some were stolen.)
At the end of Job we are told that God blessed Job and explicitly gave him
twice as much as he had before.
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Before
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After
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1 Wife
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1 Wife
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7 Sons
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7 Sons
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3 Daughters
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3 Daugters
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7000 Sheep
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14000 Sheep
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3000 Camels
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6000 Camels
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500 Donkeys
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1000 Donkeys
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500 pair of oxen
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1000 pair of Oxen
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He had 1 wife before and 1 wife after and his 1st wife wasn't killed. So she is
not his property or possession.
14000 sheep 6000 Camels etc.., - Yes, we see he had exactly 2x's as many
as before.
Children - he had exactly the same number as before.
Now, if the children were in the same class as the wife, there would no reason
to list them in this list, but they are listed along with the sheep and camels.
Because they are included in this list, and because it says 2x's as many, we
can conclude that the other 7 boys and 3 girls still existed even though they
had died. So. Job did receive 2x's as many children, it's just that 10 of them
he would not see again until after he had died as well.
He cannot come to me, but I WILL go to him.
David said "I WILL go to him" not "I hope there is something after death so
that I will be able to see him again - I wish I knew if something existed"
No, David knew and understood that there is a life after this life.
Exodus 3:6: I "AM" the God of....cf Matt 22:32
Sorry, but "all dogs go to heaven" appears quite clearly to be incorrect. The
book of Job also teaches that our animals don't go to heaven. Remember that
some of Job's animals were stolen, not killed. If they, like the children, went
to heaven, then Job would not have needed 2x's as many of those that were
killed. So sorry. It looks like No dogs go to heaven. Only people, with soul
AND spirity get an opportunity to go to heaven. Some thots of others: Rev.
Brian McSweeney, vice-chancellor of the Catholic archdiocese of New York: "Heav
was designed for humans ... The reason dogs may be there is for us, not for
themselves. Dogs will go to heaven perhaps becase of our relationship with
them." McSweeny also considers that Dogs that live apart from humans may "get
to go" too. Rabbi Gershon Winkler of Cuba, N.M., believes that "Every animal
based on how it lives in this world will reap its reward, its divine bliss in
the world to come." But this does not seem to be based on a clear understanding
of the Old Testament (remember that Rabbi's do not believe in the New
Testament) I can accept the POSSIBILITY that animals may be in heaven, but if
so, Rabbi Winkler's method of deciding seems to be way off base with the Bible.
In Genesis 2:18 "It is not good for the man to be alone." In more general
terms, remember that the Garden of Eden was created before Sin entered the
world. And there were animals in the Garden of Eden. This tells us that there
could quite well be animals in Heaven for the glory and pleasure of God and for
the pleasure of man. However, only the actions of Man were of concern to God so
it is unreasonable to think that animals can make their own way to heaven by
their actions. If there are specific animals in heaven it will no be because of
their relationship with God, ie, not on their own merits, rather they will
either be new creatures (possibly the same types, ie dogs) or they will be
animals with the same spirit (but no soul) that had relationships with humans.
cf Isaiah 65:25, The wold and the lamb will feed together, and the lion will
eat straw like the ok, but dust will be the serpent's food.
When God talked to Moses, Exodus 3:5 he said I am the God of Abraham.
Deut 32:50 Moses will be "gathered to your people, just as your brother Aaron
died on Mount Hor and was gathered to his people" Then, Exodus 34:6
- Moses died and was buried "in Moab, in the Valley opposite Beth Peor."
So we know the bodies of Aaron and Moses were in 2 physical different places
but both were gathered to their ancestors.
Isaiah 14:9 Kings in the grave are excited to meet the King of Babylonia.
Isaiah 14: 12-14 The King of Babylonia thought to have his throne higher than
God's in heaven.
MMP: Ecclesiastes.
What about Genesis 3:19 "until you return to the ground; since from it you were
taken; for dust you are and to dust you will return."
Genisis 5:24 - Enoch walked with God; then he was no more, because God took
him away. All the rest in this list of Adam's line "died" Enoch was
specifically named as God took him away.
Isaiah 26: 19: Your Dead will live; Their corpses will rise. You who lie in the
dust, awake and shout for joy, For your dew is as the dew of the dawn And
the earth will give birth to the departed spirits.
2 Kings 2:11 "As they were going along and talking together, suddenly a chariot
of fire and horses of fire appeared and separated the two of them and Elijah
went up to heaven in a whirlwind." (Proofs were offered to others in vrs 15-18)
showing that it was not an allegory, but an actual event. Elisha recieved
Elijah's cloak and a double measure of his spirit.
Ps 116:15
Isa 25:6-12 v8: He wll swallow up death for all time...wipe tears away from all
faces..remove the repoach of His people.
53:12
Genesis 28:10-18 Jacob's Dream. A ladder reaching heaven.
Ezekiel 37: 12 - The dead will rise again. Now, some might say this is an
allegory, but read on, 24: My servant David will be king over them, and they
will all have one sheperd,; and they will walk in My ordinances...My dwelling
place also will be with them; and I will be their God, and they will be My
people, And the nations will know that I am the Lond who sanctifies Isreal,
when My sanctuary is in their midst forever.
Proverbs
15:24 The path of life
leads upward for the wise. That he may keep away from Sheol below.
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