11 Myths About Heaven
Welcome to Session 8 of the Discovering Jesus in the Old Testament online Bible study! Today we’ll look at 11 myths about heaven that make it look like a place you don’t want to be. We’re excited to study this with you!
Here’s how this will work:
- Watch this week’s video session above.
- Once you watch the video, answer the questions in the discussion section of this page. The questions relate to both the previous week’s study in the book as well as the video content. We hope these interactions will be both challenging and encouraging!
- After the video, we will let you know the personal study assignment for the next week in your Discovering Jesus in the Old Testament study book. That’s it!
Before Next Week
Complete Chapter 8–Jesus the Suffering Servant (pages 127-142) in your creative devotional study book. See you next week!
Related Posts
Books Quoted in This Week’s Video
- Why Does God Allow Evil, by Clay Jones
- The Weight of Glory, by C. S. Lewis
- The Problem of Pain, by C. S. Lewis
Discussion Questions
After watching the video “11 Myths About Heaven,” answer the questions below in the comments to get to know your fellow Bible study friends!
- What one thought stuck out to you in this week’s video? Why did it stand out?
- What one thought stuck out to you from this week’s chapter? Why did it stand out?
- Page 114 question 11: How can you apply Isaiah’s words to something facing you now?
- Page 123 question 36: What stands out to you the most in Revelation 1:9-20?
1.I’m sure I have read before about the 11 myths, maybe on your website I can’t remember, I have searched for some answers becauseI have a personal interest in #’s 9 and 10, as soon as I’m able and can make the time I would like to email you some questions about it.
2.Jesus being the Alpha and Omega, Beginning and the End, the 1st and the Last, and Emmanuel, God With Us.When it keeps repeating, it has to be important.
3.I don’t have anything that comes to mind right this second, but if I thought of something, I know my faith would need to stand firm that all would be well.
4 What stood out to me was that Jesus is repeatedly described as the Alpha and Omega, the Beginning and the End, the 1st and the Last. Another thing that is totally inconsequential is that I wouldn’t have thought of Jesus as having hair white like wool.
Hi, Yvonne! 1) I wrote an article for Crosswalk entitled “10 Questions About Heaven You Want to Know But Are Too Embarrassed to Ask.” Some of the items overlapped. 2) Yes! 4) The descriptions in Revelation are highly symbolic, so I don’t know if his hair will be white when we see him at the judgment. It’s an interesting little fact, though.
How you explain the 11myths and backed them up with scripture.
That the word is God.
3.when I have sin ask God to forgive me. Try to live my life for God.
How Jesus was describe in verse 13 to verse 17.
Hi, Becky! 1) My husband likes to call myths about heaven, “Extreme Makeover Metaphysical Edition.” 2) I love how that was foretold in the OT too. 3) Yes! 4) The descriptions are really interesting.
I have increasing gratitude, week after week, because not only do we learn what scripture says about important topics (heaven), we learn what the scriptures do not say. Thus, through your study, we are continually being challenged to be deep thinking, thoughtful, believers. But if this knowledge is not applied, we are not changed.
This week, through the myths being dispelled, I realized that my love and awe for the Lord Jesus Christ has risen to a veritable crescendo. What gloriousness awaits us! How good, how merciful is He to prepare the place for us and then to assure us that He will not leave us, but will return just for me/you.
In a world of hurt, this truth about heaven, is timely and is the antidote to fear and dread. And should result in renewed awe and worship of our Savior and King!
In terms of application, question 11 on page 114 leapt off the page. I need to be careful; don’t be afraid; be calm; don’t lose heart. How practical and good of God to remind me how to live.
Hi, Shawna–So true: when knowledge isn’t applied, it doesn’t change us. Yes–what gloriousness awaits us–I love how you worded all this. Thanks for sharing, Shawna.
Jean, Pam and Karla, just a note to thank you for the prayers, sweat and time put into these lessons. Our group of wonderful ladies is listening and learning each Tuesday morning. Our faith has is being enriched and is growing weekly.
Thank you!
Good morning Jean, we have a question regarding page 113, Discovering Jesus, when Mr. Oswalt says God never asks us to believe without rational foundation. What about things that occur that cannot be understood? Can you help us understand?
Hi, Linda–I apologize for the late reply–I’ve been out of the country and had poor internet access. Oswalt is commenting on Isaiah 7:11, where the Lord tells King Ahaz to ask for any sign that God will protect him from his enemies, but Ahaz refuses because he’s already decided to turn to Assyria for help. He is talking about general belief and trust in God and means that God has given enough evidence of his existence that those who want to believe will find their beliefs justified. The evidence for God’s existence and for the resurrection is quite strong. Oswalt cites Jesus in John 7:17: “If anyone’s will is to do God’s will, he will know whether the teaching is from God or whether I am speaking on my own authority.” If anyone truly wants to do God’s will, God will see to it that the person will find the evidence they need to trust Jesus’s words. Now, we may not understand some things about God (for example, how he can know the future), but still believe they are so because the evidence supports it (fulfilled prophecy is strong evidence that God knows the future). We may not understand why he allows a particular event to occur, but we still believe the evidence that God is good, all-wise, and all-powerful.