Do you take church seriously? Many men don't. A lot of churches make it very difficult to. But you should, and here is why: whatever the reality of church is for you, corporate worship also involves participation in heavenly reality. The Bible presupposes that when we gather together in worship, the Lord Jesus and his elect angels are present as well (Mt 18:20; 1 Tim 5:21; 1 Cor 11:10; Heb 12:22–24; 13:1–2; Rev 1:20). This was the idea behind constructing the temple as a throne-room after the heavenly model, with God seated between the cherubs (e.g., Ex 25:22, 40; Heb 8:5; 1 Sam 4:4; Ps 80:1; 99:1; Num 7:89). Just as worshipers at the temple were participating in the heavenly court “on earth, as it is in heaven,” so worshipers today enter into the presence of God and his angels when they meet together to break bread. This is the significance of John receiving his Revelation on the Lord’s Day; he was caught up in the spirit to the heavenly reality in which he was already invisibly participating.
Attending church is entering the heavenly court
Attending church is entering the heavenly…
Attending church is entering the heavenly court
Do you take church seriously? Many men don't. A lot of churches make it very difficult to. But you should, and here is why: whatever the reality of church is for you, corporate worship also involves participation in heavenly reality. The Bible presupposes that when we gather together in worship, the Lord Jesus and his elect angels are present as well (Mt 18:20; 1 Tim 5:21; 1 Cor 11:10; Heb 12:22–24; 13:1–2; Rev 1:20). This was the idea behind constructing the temple as a throne-room after the heavenly model, with God seated between the cherubs (e.g., Ex 25:22, 40; Heb 8:5; 1 Sam 4:4; Ps 80:1; 99:1; Num 7:89). Just as worshipers at the temple were participating in the heavenly court “on earth, as it is in heaven,” so worshipers today enter into the presence of God and his angels when they meet together to break bread. This is the significance of John receiving his Revelation on the Lord’s Day; he was caught up in the spirit to the heavenly reality in which he was already invisibly participating.