Originally posted by Symmetric Chaos😂
Satan described it as infinite amounts of "free love".
Okay my version is that we all go back to where we came from. 😕 LOL
If we are part of the creative process then we can create whatever we may like. We are a microcosm of the macrocosm. All things are in constant movement. If we get bored with with one creation then we could create something else, but in knowing this, there is no limit to what we could experience or whom we can see.
Kinda cool actually.
I can let my imagination run, but I really don't know (what heaven would be like). My mind is finite.
The Bible, however, states the following:
Heaven is a real place. The word heaven is found 276 times in the New Testament alone. Scripture refers to three heavens. The Apostle Paul was “caught up to the third heaven," but he was prohibited from revealing what he experienced there (2 Corinthians 12:1-9).
If a third heaven exists, there must also be two other heavens. The first is most frequently referred to in the Old Testament as the "sky" or the "firmament," which appears as an arch that is spread over our earth. This is the heaven that contains clouds, the area that birds fly through. The second heaven is the interstellar space, which is the abode of supernatural angelic beings and celestial objects (Genesis 1:14-18).
The third heaven, whose location is unrevealed, is the abode of the Triune God. God's plan is to fill heaven with believers in Jesus Christ. No wonder the word heaven is interchangeable with "eternal life"! Jesus promised to prepare a place for true Christians in heaven (John 14:2). Heaven is also the destination of Old Testament saints who died trusting God's promise of the Redeemer (Ephesians 4:8). Whoever believes in Christ shall never perish but have eternal life (John 3:16).
The Apostle John was privileged to see and report on the heavenly city (Revelation 21:10-27). John witnessed that heaven possesses the "glory of God" (Revelation 21:11). This is the Shekinah glory or the presence of God. Because heaven has no night and the Lord is the light, the sun and moon are no longer needed (Revelation 22:5).
The city is filled with the brilliance of costly stones and crystal-clear jasper. Heaven has 12 gates (Revelation 21:12) and 12 foundations (Revelation 21:14). The paradise of the Garden of Eden is restored: the river of the water of life flows freely and the tree of life is available once again, yielding fruit monthly with leaves that "heal the nations" (Revelation 22:1-2). However eloquent John was in his description of heaven, the reality of heaven is beyond the ability of finite man to describe (1 Corinthians 2:9). Yet it is more real than this earth, which will pass away.
Heaven is a place of "no mores." There will be no more tears, no more pain, and no more sorrow (Revelation 21:4). There will be no more separation because death will be conquered (Revelation 20:6). The best thing about heaven is the presence of our Lord and Savior. We will be face to face with the Lamb of God Who loved us and sacrificed Himself so that we can enjoy His presence for eternity.
Originally posted by ushomefreeThe Bible, however, states the following:
Heaven is a real place. The word heaven is found 276 times in the New Testament alone. Scripture refers to three heavens. The Apostle Paul was “caught up to the third heaven," but he was prohibited from revealing what he experienced there (2 Corinthians 12:1-9).
Originally posted by Symmetric Chaos
It's good but Milton has a way of taking a very long time to say everything. There's also the whole "English wasn't standardized" problem.
Very true.
I like Milton. But I loathe Paradise Lost. It's impressive for its scope and execution, no doubt. It's just not entertaining. Others can be obtuse to modern audiences and still have an amazing impact once you understand them well. So it's not the comprehension barrier. Milton is just so...bereft of excitement, and his language is very methodical and austere. The opening chapters, and his portrayal of Satan, are rightly applauded as the best part of the work. But, just as rightly, the rest of the work isn't applauded nearly as much.
I prefer his shorter works. Lycidas, for example, is a fine story, very lyric, and at around 200 lines doesn't get bogged down by its own weight.