Will time no longer exist in heaven?

Whether or not heaven operates outside the scope of earth's time sequence, clearly the inhabitants of heaven track with events happening in time (Rev. 2-3). It is a hymn, not the Bible, which says "and time shall be no more." Revelation 8:1 speaks of "silence in heaven for about half an hour." Even the presence of music in heaven implies some sort of time duration, since meter, tempo and rests, which are intrinsic to music, are all time-related. (What is a half note or a quarter note without time?)

2 Peter 3:8 says, "With the Lord [it does not say "with believers in heaven"] a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day." This is rooted in the fact of God's infinity—He exists outside of time and space, but there is no indication his creatures do.

Whether there is time in heaven or not, heaven clearly enters into the sequences on earth, right down to inhabitants rejoicing over conversions on earth (Luke 15:7) and martyrs looking for and anticipating judgments on earth (Rev. 6:9-11). The book of Revelation shows a continuous interaction of heaven with sequential events happening on earth. (This contradicts the notion that those in heaven are disconnected from or disinterested in what happens on earth.)

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Revelation 8:1

When the Lamb broke the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven for about half an hour.

2 Peter 3:8

But do not let this one fact escape your notice, beloved, that with the Lord one day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years like one day.

Luke 15:7

I tell you that in the same way, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance.

Revelation 6:9-11

When the Lamb broke the fifth seal, I saw underneath the altar the souls of those who had been slain because of the word of God, and because of the testimony which they had maintained;

 10and they cried out with a loud voice, saying, "How long, O Lord, holy and true, will You refrain from judging and avenging our blood on those who dwell on the earth?"

 11And there was given to each of them a white robe; and they were told that they should rest for a little while longer, until the number of their fellow servants and their brethren who were to be killed even as they had been, would be completed also.

Revelation 2

Message to Ephesus

 1"To the angel of the church in Ephesus write: The One who holds the seven stars in His right hand, the One who walks among the seven golden lampstands, says this:

 2'I know your deeds and your toil and perseverance, and that you cannot tolerate evil men, and you put to the test those who call themselves apostles, and they are not, and you found them to be false;

 3and you have perseverance and have endured for My name's sake, and have not grown weary.

 4'But I have this against you, that you have left your first love.

 5'Therefore remember from where you have fallen, and repent and do the deeds you did at first; or else I am coming to you and will remove your lampstand out of its place--unless you repent.

 6'Yet this you do have, that you hate the deeds of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate.

 7'He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches To him who overcomes, I will grant to eat of the tree of life which is in the Paradise of God.'

Message to Smyrna

 8"And to the angel of the church in Smyrna write: The first and the last, who was dead, and has come to life, says this:

 9'I know your tribulation and your poverty (but you are rich), and the blasphemy by those who say they are Jews and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan.

 10'Do not fear what you are about to suffer. Behold, the devil is about to cast some of you into prison, so that you will be tested, and you will have tribulation for ten days Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life.

 11'He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches He who overcomes will not be hurt by the second death.'

Message to Pergamum

 12"And to the angel of the church in Pergamum write: The One who has the sharp two-edged sword says this:

 13'I know where you dwell, where Satan's throne is; and you hold fast My name, and did not deny My faith even in the days of Antipas, My witness, My faithful one, who was killed among you, where Satan dwells.

 14'But I have a few things against you, because you have there some who hold the teaching of Balaam, who kept teaching Balak to put a stumbling block before the sons of Israel, to eat things sacrificed to idols and to commit acts of immorality.

 15'So you also have some who in the same way hold the teaching of the Nicolaitans.

 16'Therefore repent; or else I am coming to you quickly, and I will make war against them with the sword of My mouth.

 17'He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches To him who overcomes, to him I will give some of the hidden manna, and I will give him a white stone, and a new name written on the stone which no one knows but he who receives it.'

Message to Thyatira

 18"And to the angel of the church in Thyatira write: The Son of God, who has eyes like a flame of fire, and His feet are like burnished bronze, says this:

 19'I know your deeds, and your love and faith and service and perseverance, and that your deeds of late are greater than at first.

 20'But I have this against you, that you tolerate the woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess, and she teaches and leads My bond-servants astray so that they commit acts of immorality and eat things sacrificed to idols.

 21'I gave her time to repent, and she does not want to repent of her immorality.

 22'Behold, I will throw her on a bed of sickness, and those who commit adultery with her into great tribulation, unless they repent of her deeds.

 23'And I will kill her children with pestilence, and all the churches will know that I am He who searches the minds and hearts; and I will give to each one of you according to your deeds.

 24'But I say to you, the rest who are in Thyatira, who do not hold this teaching, who have not known the deep things of Satan, as they call them--I place no other burden on you.

 25'Nevertheless what you have, hold fast until I come.

 26'He who overcomes, and he who keeps My deeds until the end, TO HIM I WILL GIVE AUTHORITY OVER THE NATIONS;

 27AND HE SHALL RULE THEM WITH A ROD OF IRON, AS THE VESSELS OF THE POTTER ARE BROKEN TO PIECES, as I also have received authority from My Father;

 28and I will give him the morning star.

 29'He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.'

Revelation 3

Message to Sardis

 1"To the angel of the church in Sardis write: He who has the seven Spirits of God and the seven stars, says this: 'I know your deeds, that you have a name that you are alive, but you are dead.

 2'Wake up, and strengthen the things that remain, which were about to die; for I have not found your deeds completed in the sight of My God.

 3'So remember what you have received and heard; and keep it, and repent Therefore if you do not wake up, I will come like a thief, and you will not know at what hour I will come to you.

 4'But you have a few people in Sardis who have not soiled their garments; and they will walk with Me in white, for they are worthy.

 5'He who overcomes will thus be clothed in white garments; and I will not erase his name from the book of life, and I will confess his name before My Father and before His angels.

 6'He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.'

Message to Philadelphia

 7"And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write: He who is holy, who is true, who has the key of David, who opens and no one will shut, and who shuts and no one opens, says this:

 8'I know your deeds Behold, I have put before you an open door which no one can shut, because you have a little power, and have kept My word, and have not denied My name.

 9'Behold, I will cause those of the synagogue of Satan, who say that they are Jews and are not, but lie--I will make them come and bow down at your feet, and make them know that I have loved you.

 10'Because you have kept the word of My perseverance, I also will keep you from the hour of testing, that hour which is about to come upon the whole world, to test those who dwell on the earth.

 11'I am coming quickly; hold fast what you have, so that no one will take your crown.

 12'He who overcomes, I will make him a pillar in the temple of My God, and he will not go out from it anymore; and I will write on him the name of My God, and the name of the city of My God, the new Jerusalem, which comes down out of heaven from My God, and My new name.

 13'He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.'

Message to Laodicea

 14"To the angel of the church in Laodicea write: The Amen, the faithful and true Witness, the Beginning of the creation of God, says this:

 15'I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot; I wish that you were cold or hot.

 16'So because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of My mouth.

 17'Because you say, "I am rich, and have become wealthy, and have need of nothing," and you do not know that you are wretched and miserable and poor and blind and naked,

 18I advise you to buy from Me gold refined by fire so that you may become rich, and white garments so that you may clothe yourself, and that the shame of your nakedness will not be revealed; and eye salve to anoint your eyes so that you may see.

 19'Those whom I love, I reprove and discipline; therefore be zealous and repent.

 20'Behold, I stand at the door and knock; if anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and will dine with him, and he with Me.

 21'He who overcomes, I will grant to him to sit down with Me on My throne, as I also overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne.

 22'He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.'"

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By Randy Alcorn
Eternal Perspective Ministries
39085 Pioneer Blvd.   Suite 206
Sandy, OR 97055
(503) 668-5200
www.epm.org
www.randyalcorn.blogspot.com