Those in heaven do know what is happening on the earth and they do care. Jesus gave us two parables to demonstrate this. He explains these parables like this: “I say unto you, that likewise joy shall be in heaven over one sinner that repenteth, more than over ninety and nine just persons, which need no repentance” (Luke 15:7) and “Likewise, I say unto you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner that repenteth” (Luke 15:10). How often do people on the earth repent? Suppose Billy Graham has a stadium crusade with 100,000 in attendance. This event is broadcast all over the world by television. Tens of thousands, even millions of people could repent upon hearing him preach. Those in heaven would know about each and every repentant sinner. How do they know who really repents? We don’t know for sure, but Scripture gives us some hints that those in heaven do not have the limitations those on earth have now. “For in the resurrection they neither marry, nor are given in marriage, but are as the angels of God in heaven” (Matt. 22:30). “But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him” (1 Cor 2:9). “Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is” (1 John 3:2). Rachel was long dead (see Gen. 48:7) and departed from the earth during the Babylonian exile when Jeremiah wrote: “Thus saith the LORD; A voice was heard in Ramah, lamentation, [and] bitter weeping; Rahel weeping for her children refused to be comforted for her children, because they [were] not. Thus saith the LORD; Refrain thy voice from weeping, and thine eyes from tears: for thy work shall be rewarded, saith the LORD; and they shall come again from the land of the enemy.” (Jeremiah 31:15-16). The Lord answered her prayer. Again when Herod slaughtered the innocents, Matthew tells us: “In Rama was there a voice heard, lamentation, and weeping, and great mourning, Rachel weeping [for] her children, and would not be comforted, because they are not” (Matthew 2:18). In the story about Lazarus and the rich man in Luke 16, we see that even the rich man in hell showed concern for the people still living. Wouldn’t the people in heaven show more concern? Wouldn’t they pray for us? Jesus tells us to careful what we do to little children since they have their guardian angels interceding to the Father for them. “Take heed that ye despise not one of these little ones; for I say unto you, That in heaven their angels do always behold the face of my Father which is in heaven” (Matt. 18:10). The word “pray” simply means to ask. It comes from the Latin word “precari” meaning “request.” The main definition according to Webster’s Collegiate dictionary (and any other good dictionary is “ENTREAT, IMPLORE -- often used as a function word in introducing a question, request, or plea .” When we “pray” to the saints in heaven, we merely ask them for a request so they can pray to God along with us. We pray to God as an expression of our adoration of God and offer prayers of praise and thanksgiving, intercession and petition. We honor the saints, but we don’t give them the worship due to God alone. In the Old Covenant the Jews were awaiting the Messiah so that they could go to heaven. In the temple they prayed and sang Psalms to angels who were the only saints in heaven then (see Daniel 4:13) with the possible exception of Elijah (2 King 2:11) and Enoch (Gen. 5:24). Here are a couple of examples. “Bless the LORD, ye his angels, that excel in strength, that do his commandments, hearkening unto the voice of his word. Bless ye the LORD, all [ye] his hosts; [ye] ministers of his, that do his pleasure” (Psalm 103:20-21). “Praise ye the LORD. Praise ye the LORD from the heavens: praise him in the heights. Praise ye him, all his angels: praise ye him, all his hosts” (Psalm 148:1-2). In the New Covenant we find the human saints (Rev. 5:8) in heaven and the angel saints (Rev. 8:3-4) in heaven offering to God the prayers of those still on earth: “And when he had taken the book, the four beasts and four [and] twenty elders fell down before the Lamb, having every one of them harps, and golden vials full of odours, which are the prayers of saints.” (Rev. 5:8) and “And another angel came and stood at the altar, having a golden censer; and there was given unto him much incense, that he should offer [it] with the prayers of all saints upon the golden altar which was before the throne. And the smoke of the incense, [which came] with the prayers of the saints, ascended up before God out of the angels hand.” (Rev. 8:3-4). If we aren’t permitted to direct our prayers to them, where do they get our prayers? Those prayers are those of the saints on earth since the saints in heaven no longer need prayers to be perfect.
Posted on: Fri, 01 Nov 2013 21:42:44 +0000
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