Who Is in Heaven

We have considered the title given to God, with respect to his goodness and mercy; He is a Father, [Our Father.] Now let us consider the titles given to him, with respect to his greatness and majesty, [Which art in Heaven.] From there note:

Doctrine. It is an advantage in prayer, to look upon God as a Father in Heaven.

By way of explication, to show,

First; What is meant by Heaven. There are three heavens in the reckoning of the Scripture: There is, first, the lowest heaven, that where the fowls of the air are, from where the rain descends; therefore the fowls are called the fowls of heaven (Job 35:11). And (James 5:18), Elijah prayed, and the heaven gave rain. Secondly, the luminary heaven, where the sun, moon, and stars are: Therefore it is said (Matthew 10:25), The stars of heaven shall fall. Thirdly, there is the highest heaven, or the heaven of the blessed, spoken of (Matthew 7:21), Not everyone that says to me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the Kingdom of Heaven; that is, into the third heaven, the glorious heaven, the blessed presence of God. (Matthew 18:10) In heaven, their angels do always behold the face of my Father which is in heaven: [In heaven,] that is, the third heaven; so it is called by Paul (2 Corinthians 12:2), which was the highest part, because he saw and heard things which it is not lawful for a man to utter. In this heaven God is.

Secondly; How is God there, since he is everywhere?

1. Negatively; It is not to be understood so, as if he were included in heaven, or locally circumscribed within the compass of it; For the heaven of heavens cannot contain him (1 Kings 8:27). In regard of his essence, he is in all places, being infinite and indivisible: He is not included within the heavens, nor excluded from earth, but fills all places alike. (Jeremiah 23:24) Do not I fill heaven and earth? says the Lord. But yet in an especial manner is God present in heaven: That appears, because there is his throne (Psalm 103:19), He has prepared his throne in the heavens. Earthly kings, they have their thrones exalted higher than other places; but God's throne is above all, it is in heaven. He has a more universal and unlimited empire, than all the kings of the earth; so he has a more glorious throne. Heaven is the most convenient place, to set forth his majesty and glory to the world, because of the sublimity, amplitude, and purity of it. And so (Isaiah 66:1), Thus says the Lord, The heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool. Heaven is his throne, because there is his majestic presence, more of his glory and excellency is discovered: And the earth is his footstool, because there, in the lowest part of the world, he manifests his powerful presence, among the lower creatures.

Briefly, to conceive how God is in heaven, we must consider, 1. The several ways of his presence: He is in Christ, hypostatically, essentially, or (as the Apostle speaks) bodily (Colossians 2:19), The fullness of God dwells in him bodily. In the Temple under the Law, there God was present symbolically, because there were the signs and tokens of his presence. The Jewish Temple was a sacramental place, and type of Christ, in whose name and by whose merit, worship was acceptable to God. But now in Christians, he is present energetically, and operatively, by his Spirit. And in heaven, he there dwells by some eminent effects of his wisdom, power, greatness, and goodness. God has showed more of his workmanship in the structure of the heavens, than in any other part of the creation, that being the most glorious part of the world. (Psalm 19:1-3) The heavens declare the glory of the Lord, and the firmament shows his handiwork, etc. Certainly it is meet, God should dwell in the most glorious part of the world; now heaven is the most glorious part of the creation. Heathens in their straits would not look to the Capitol, where their idols were; but to heaven, where God has impressed his majesty and greatness. Whenever we look upon these visible heavens, the vast expansion of those glorious luminaries, the purity of the matter, and sublimity of its posture, it cannot but raise our hearts to think of a glorious God that dwells there. When we come by a poor cottage, we guess the inhabitant is no great person; but when we see a magnificent structure, we easily imagine some person of account dwells there: So, though the earth does declare the glory of God, and show much of his wisdom and power, yet chiefly the heavens, whenever we look upon them, we cannot choose but have awful thoughts, and be struck with a religious horror, at the remembrance of the great God, which has stretched out these heavens by his wisdom and power.

2. Therefore God is said to dwell in heaven, because from there he manifests his powerful providence, wisdom, justice, and goodness. God is not so shut up in heaven, as not to mind human affairs, and to take notice of what is done here below (Psalm 11:4), The Lord's throne is in heaven: His eyes behold, his eyelids try the children of men. Though his throne be in heaven, yet his providence is everywhere, his eyes behold, he sees how we behave ourselves in his presence; and his eyelids try the children of men: He may seem to wink now and then, and to suspend the strokes of his vengeance, but it is but for our trial. He owns his children from heaven (Deuteronomy 26:15), Look down from your holy habitation, from heaven, and bless your people. And from there he punishes the wicked (Romans 1:18), The wrath of God is revealed from heaven.

3. There is God most owned by the saints and glorified angels, therefore he is said to dwell there; as a king is beloved by his subjects, but most immediately served and attended upon by those of his own court. So that in heaven, there we have the highest pattern of all that duty which does immediately concern God. In this Prayer, Hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done; these three petitions concern God more immediately; now before we put them up, Christ would have us think of our Father in heaven, praised by [reconstructed: Angels] and saints, that fall down before his throne, crying, Honor, [reconstructed: Glory], and Praise. There he reigns, his throne is there, and there he is perfectly obeyed, and served without any opposition.

4. There God is most enjoyed, and therefore he dwells there, for there he does more immediately exhibit the fullness of his Glory to the saints and angels. In heaven God is all in all. Here we are supplied at second or third hand. Hosea 2:18: "I will hear the heavens, and the heavens shall hear the earth," etc. But there God is immediately and fully enjoyed. Here there are many wants and vacuities to be filled up; but in your presence there is fullness of joy, and at your right hand there are pleasures for evermore (Psalm 16:11). Look, as when the flood was poured out upon the world, you read, that the windows of heaven were opened (Genesis 7:11). The drops of rain were upon earth, but the cataracts and flood-gates were in heaven: so when he rains down drops of sweetness upon his people, the flood-gates are above, they are reserved for that place where they are fully enjoyed.

Thirdly, why has God fixed and taken up his dwelling place in the heavens? I answer,

1. Because mortal men cannot endure his glorious presence. Deuteronomy 5:23: "When you heard the voice out of the midst of the darkness, for the mountain did burn with fire, you said, Behold, the Lord our God has showed us his glory, and his greatness, and we have heard his voice out of the midst of the fire: now therefore why should we die? For this great fire will consume us; if we hear the voice of the Lord our God any more, then we shall die." Any manifestations of God, how easily do they overset and overcome us? A little spiritual enjoyment is too strong for us. If God pours out but a drop of sweetness into the heart, we are ready to cry out, "Hold, Lord, it is enough; our crazy vessels can endure no more." Therefore, when Christ was transfigured, the disciples were astonished, and fell back; they could not endure the emissions and beamings out of his divine glory, because of the weakness and incapacity of the present state; therefore has God a place above, where he discovers his glory in the utmost latitude. It is notable, in Scripture, sometimes God is said to dwell in light (1 Timothy 6:16), and sometimes to make darkness his dwelling place (Psalm 18:11). How does he dwell in light, and how in darkness? Because of the glorious manifestations which are above, therefore it is said he dwells in light; and because of the weakness and incapacity of our apprehension, therefore he is said to dwell in darkness.

2. To try our faith, and our obedience, that he might see whether we would live by faith, yes or no; whether a believer would love him, and obey him, though he were invisible, and withdrawn within the curtain of heaven. You know when the Israelites saw the glory of God, then they cried, "All that God has commanded us we will do" (Deuteronomy 5:27). But as soon as that manifestation ceased, they were as bad as ever. If all were liable to sense, there would be no trial of this world; but God has shut up himself, that by this means the faith of the Elect might be manifested; for faith is the evidence of things not seen (Hebrews 11:1). Where there is no sight there is exercise for faith. And that our love might be tried (1 Peter 1:8): "Whom having not seen, you love: in whom though now you see him not, yet believing, you rejoice with joy unspeakable, and full of glory." And this is that which discovers the faithless and disobedient world. Job 22:12-14: "Is not God in the height of heaven? How does God know? Can he judge through the dark cloud? Thick clouds are a covering to him that he does not see, and he walks in the circuit of heaven."

3. It is fit there should be a better place, into which the saints should be translated, when the course of their obedience is ended. Ephesians 1:3: "He has blessed us with spiritual blessings in heavenly places." The main of Christ's purchase we have in heavenly places. It is fit the place of trial and place of recompense should differ: therefore the place of trial, that's God's footstool; and the place of recompense, that's God's throne. The world, that's a place of trial, it is a common inn for sons and bastards, for the Elect and Reprobate; a receptacle of man and beast: here God will show his bounty to all his creatures. But now in the place of his residence, he will show his love to his people. Therefore when we have been tried and exercised, there is a place of preferment for us.

Fourthly, what advantage have we in prayer by considering God in heaven? Very much, whether we consider God absolutely, or with respect to a Mediator; both ways we have an advantage.

First, if we consider the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, who have their residence in heaven; consider them without respect to a Mediator. Why, the looking up to God in heaven —

1. It shows us, that prayer is an act of the heart, and not of the lips; that it is not the sound of the voice which can pierce the heavens, and enter into the ears of the Lord of Hosts, but sighs and groans of the Spirit. Christians, in prayer God is near to us, and yet far from us; for we must look upon him as in heaven, and we upon earth. How then should we converse with God in prayer? Not by the tongue only, but by the heart. The commerce and communion of spirits is not hindered by local distance: but God is with us, and we with him, when our heart goes up.

2. It teaches, the great work of prayer is to lift up the heart to God; to withdraw the heart from all created things which we see and feel here below, that we may converse with God in Heaven. Psalm 123:1. (Psalm 123:1) To you lift I up my eyes, O you that dwell in the heavens. And, (Lamentations 3:41) Let us lift up our heart with our hands to God in the heavens. Prayer does not consist in a multitude and clatter of words, but in the getting up of the heart to God, that we may behave ourselves as if we were alone with God, in the midst of glorious saints and angels. There's a double advantage which we have by this getting the soul into Heaven in prayer: it's a means to free us from distractions, and doubts. To free us from distractions and other intercurrent thoughts. Until we get our hearts out of the world, as if we were dead and shut up to all present things, how easily is the heart carried away with the thoughts of earthly concerns? Until we can separate and purge our spirits, how do we interline our prayers with many ridiculous thoughts? It is too usual for us to deal with God, as an unskilful person that will gather a posy for his friend, and puts in as many, or more, stinking weeds, than he does choice flowers. The flesh interposes, and our carnal hearts interline and interlace our prayers with vain thoughts and earthly distractions. When with our censer we come to offer incense to God, we mingle sulphur with our incense. Therefore we should labor, all that we can, to get the heart above the world, into the presence of God, and company of the blessed, that we may deal with him, [reconstructed: as if] we were by him in Heaven, and were wholly swallowed up of his glory. Though our bodies are on earth, yet our spirits should be with our Father in Heaven. For want of practicing this in prayer, these distractions increase upon us. So for doubts, when we look to things below, even the very manifestations of God to us upon earth, we have many discouragements; dangers without, and difficulties within: till we get above the mists of the lower world, we can see nothing of clearness and comfort; but when we can get God and our hearts together, then we can see there is much in the fountain, though nothing in the stream; and though little on earth, yet we have a God in Heaven.

3. This impresses an awe and reverence, if we look upon the glory of God manifested in Heaven, that [reconstructed: Bright] and luminous place. This is urged by the Holy Ghost, (Ecclesiastes 5:2) You are upon earth, and God is in Heaven; therefore let your words be few. [reconstructed: Genesis 18:27] Who am I that I should take upon me to speak to the Lord, who am but dust and ashes? We are poor crawling worms, and therefore when we think of the majesty of God, it should impress a holy awe upon us. Mean persons will behave themselves with all honor and reverence, when they supplicate to men of [reconstructed: quality]; so should we to God, who is so high and so much above us, he is in Heaven. It is a diminution of his greatness, (Malachi 1:14) when we put off God with anything, and come slightly and carelessly into his presence.

4. It teaches us, that all our prayers should carry a correspondence with our great aim. What's our great aim? To be with God in Heaven, as remembering that's the center and place of our rest, to which we are all tending. (Colossians 3:1) If you then have risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sits on the right hand of God. We come to our Father which is in Heaven; he will have his residence there, that our hearts might be there. Therefore the main things we should seek of God from Heaven, are saving graces; for these come down from above, from the Father of lights. (James 1:17) We have liberty to ask supplies for the outward life, but chiefly we should ask spiritual and heavenly things. (Matthew 6:22-23) Your heavenly Father knows that you have need of all these things: what then? First seek the kingdom of God, etc. If we have to do with a heavenly Father, our first and main care should be to ask things suitable to his being, and his excellency. If children should ask of their parents, such a thing as is pleasing to their palate, possibly they might give it them; but when they ask instruction, and desire to be taught, that's far more acceptable to them. When we ask supplies of the outward life, food, raiment, God may give it us; but it is more pleasing to him, when we ask for grace. In every prayer, we should seek to be made more heavenly, by conversing with our heavenly Father.

5. It gives us ground of confidence in God's power, and absolute dominion over all things; for God is in Heaven, above all created beings. (Psalm 115:3) Our God is in the heavens, and does whatever he pleases. So, (2 Chronicles 20:6) Are you not God in Heaven? And do you not rule over all the kingdoms of the heathen? And in your hand is there not power and might, so that none is able to withstand you? O what an advantage is this in prayer, when we think of our all-sufficient God, who made Heaven and Earth, and has fixed his throne there! What can be too hard for him?

6. Here is encouragement against carnal fear. Whatever the world does against us, we have a Father in Heaven, and this should bear us up against all their threats and oppositions. When there were tumults and confusions in the world, it is said, (Psalm 2:4) But God which sits in Heaven, shall laugh them to scorn. An earthly parent may have a large heart, but a short hand; though they may wish us well, yet they cannot defend us, and bear us out in all extremities: but our Father in Heaven will laugh at the attempts against his empire and greatness. Thus considering God absolutely, it is an advantage to reflect upon him as a Father in Heaven.

But I suppose this expression has respect to a Mediator. Therefore,

Secondly, let us look upon God with respect to a Mediator; for so I think we are chiefly bound to consider our Father in Heaven, because of Christ, who sits there at his right hand. (Hebrews 8:1) It is said there, He sat down on the right hand of the Throne of the Majesty in the heavens, a minister of the sanctuary. O this is comfortable to think of: in Heaven we have a Savior, Jesus Christ, representing our persons, and presenting our prayers to God, by which means God is reconciled and well pleased with us. So that our duty in prayer is to look up to Heaven, and to see Christ at God's right hand, [reconstructed: as our] high priest, mediating for us, that we may be accepted with God.

A notable resemblance we have between God's presence in the Tabernacle or Temple, and God's presence in Heaven.

In the Temple you know there were three partitions: [reconstructed: There was the] outward court; and the sanctuary, as the Apostle calls it, where the table of showbread was set; and there was the holy place, the Holy of Holies. Just so in Heaven there are three partitions; there is the airy heaven, and the starry heaven, and the heaven of heavens: the lower heaven, which answers to the outward court; the starry heaven, which answers to the sanctuary; and the heaven of heavens, which answers to the Holy of Holies, by a fit analogy and proportion. Well, in the Holy of Holies, says the Apostle, there was the golden censer, and the mercy seat; (Hebrews 9:4). There you find God conspicuously manifests his presence, and gives answers to his people: at the mercy seat, there will I answer you, says the Lord. So here, in this heaven of heavens, there is a mercy seat, there is a Throne of Grace, and there God will answer. We may come boldly to the Throne of Grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need. (Hebrews 4:16). Into this Holy of Holies none but the high priest did enter, and that once a year, after the sacrifice of atonement for the whole congregation; then the high priest was to come into the Holy of Holies, he was to pass through the veil with blood, and with sweet incense in his hand. Just thus is Jesus entered into the heaven of heavens for us; he is gone there to present his blood and sufferings, to appear before God for us, to present himself as a sweet-smelling sacrifice. (Hebrews 9:24). (Ephesians 5:2). Now the high priest, when he went with this blood into the mercy seat, he went in with the names of the twelve tribes upon his breast and shoulder; and Jesus also does appear before God for us, representing our persons continually before his Father. Now about the mercy seat, there were cherubim, and figures of angels; just about the Ark, there they stooped down, to show the angels do [reconstructed: attend] about the throne, to dispatch messages abroad into the world, and convey blessings to the saints. There is a Throne of Grace, a mercy seat, a Mediator there, angels at God's beck, ready to send up and down, to and fro, for the good of the saints. And mark, not only has Jesus this liberty to enter into this heaven of heavens; but all the saints have a liberty to enter, and that not only at death, but in their lifetime; for says the Apostle, (Hebrews 10:19), having therefore boldness to enter into the Holiest, by the blood of Jesus. All of us, not only when we die, and personally go to God, do we enter into the Holy of Holies, but now we have boldness: it relates to prayer, for the word signifies liberty of speech. This Holy of Holies, which was closed and shut up against us before, is opened by the blood of Jesus; the veil is rent, and now all saints have a privilege to come freely to converse with God. It is good to observe the difference between the Holy of Holies, and the heaven of heavens: the Jews, their Sanctum Sanctorum was earthly; but our Holy of Holies is heavenly. Into theirs, which was as it were God's bed-chamber, the common people were not admitted; none but the high priest could enter into the Holy of Holies: but now into ours all believers may enter, and converse with God. There the high priest could enter but once a year: now we may come to the Throne of Grace, as often as we have a cause to present to God. There the high priest entered with the blood of beasts; but we enter by the blood of the Son of God. O what a great privilege is this, that we have a Father in Heaven! In this respect the holy place is now open to us: though we have not a personal access till death, yet by the blood of Jesus we may come with boldness, presenting ourselves before the Lord, with all our wants and desires. The great distance between Heaven and Earth shall not hinder our communion with God, if we have a friend above.

Therefore it is very comfortable now to say, Our Father, who are in Heaven; that is, our gracious and reconciled Father, in and by Christ.