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NASB | 2 Samuel 12:23 "But now he has died; why should I fast? Can I bring him back again? I will go to him, but he will not return to me." |
AMPLIFIED 2015 | 2 Samuel 12:23 "But now he is dead; why should I [continue to] fast? Can I bring him back again? I will go to him [when I die], but he will not return to me." |
Bible Question:
I believe that one will know their loved ones when they get to heaven. I can't find where it states or suggests it in the Bible. Could someone direct me to where the scripture might be found. Thanks, Don |
Bible Answer: Faith comes by hearing the word of God. Before we can "believe" something, it must be told to us. And God has not told us that we will know the people we know now, or recognize them as such when we are in heaven. It is evident that we will think differently in heaven than we think now. Here on this earth we separate "loved ones". From whom? "Hated ones"? “Ones we don't care too much about”? “Ones we don't know and don't care to know”? In heaven we will be like Jesus. That's what we are told (1 John 3:2). And Jesus had a way of asking, "Who is my mother? And who are my brethren?" If we are thinking like that in heaven, we will be saying, "All of these are my loved ones”. "For whosoever shall do the will of my Father which is in heaven, the same is my brother, and sister, and mother". I have wondered what it would be like when I am looking for my mother and she is looking for her mother, and she is looking for her mother, ad infinitum. What would the ultimate siciogram be like? Who would want to be with whom? The people had already asked Jesus the question, "Whose wife will she be?" What if one thought of her as their loved one" while she was thinking of another man as her "loved one"? Jesus said there would be none of that. Now, is there any comfort in these words? I think it is comfort that people are seeking when they ask the question. We seem to want the comforts we know now: to be with people who are like us; same genomes, same color, same language, same tribe, same nation, same denomination. But the things that make us similar to some people make us different from others. They divide us and make it difficult for us to relate. If it were that way in heaven, would we be divided again? Would we be having the scourge of racism all over again? I am guessing that since we shall all be like him, then we shall all be like each other. We will all be loved ones and we will all get along. I have often wondered why these discussions on the topic of knowing our loved ones in heaven do not include the possibility that we will be able to introduce ourselves to one another in heaven. If we can, then we may find that part of the joy of heaven will be in meeting new friends and renewing acquaintances with old friends, including those who were “loved ones” here below. It seems to me that both of those kinds of meetings can be equally joyful. But the greatest joy of all will be seeing him! We will meet the Lord … and so shall we ever be with the Lord. Wherefore, comfort one another with these words. Now this kind of answer may not help me to become one of your "loved ones", but I think that in heaven you will love even me. We shall all be changed. We shall all be loved ones over there. |