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The Mind of Heaven

From: Present Testimony: Volume 7, 1855

• 1 min. read • grade level: 9

Mark the seven or eight times in which heaven in the New Testament is said to be opened.

1. At the baptism of Jesus, the God of heaven had found, and would own "who" and " what" have rest on earth:- viz., Christ and His service (Matt. 3:16¹⁶And Jesus, when he was baptized, went up straightway out of the water: and, lo, the heavens were opened unto him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and lighting upon him: (Matthew 3:16); Luke 3:21²¹Now when all the people were baptized, it came to pass, that Jesus also being baptized, and praying, the heaven was opened, (Luke 3:21)).

2. The heavens opened, and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of man.

Time will be, when, He upholding blessing upon earth, not only the God of heaven shall set His seal upon Him, but heaven's previous, and then present hosts shall wait upon Him-Blesser of the earth (John 1:51⁵¹And he saith unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Hereafter ye shall see heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of man. (John 1:51)).

3. Heaven opened on Stephen in martyrdom. The Son of man, in heaven, lets His suffering servant know His sympathy, and sustainment, in the period that earth can hold no testimony for God (Acts 7:56⁵⁶And said, Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of man standing on the right hand of God. (Acts 7:56)).

4. The sheet let down out of heaven.

The church has no connection with earthly dispensations. It is something that comes down out of heaven, and is drawn up again into heaven, and never gets a rest upon earth; you must look into it from above (Acts 10:11¹¹And saw heaven opened, and a certain vessel descending unto him, as it had been a great sheet knit at the four corners, and let down to the earth: (Acts 10:11)).

5. Heaven opened to John-the suffering servant-and the Lord God Almighty upon the throne found to be the spring, whence the Lamb draws for his servants, when the churches are judged, all needed blessing. All upon the throne is secure (Rev. 4:1¹After this I looked, and, behold, a door was opened in heaven: and the first voice which I heard was as it were of a trumpet talking with me; which said, Come up hither, and I will show thee things which must be hereafter. (Revelation 4:1)).

6. The security of Israel's blessing in the day of its affliction shown (Rev. 11:19¹⁹And the temple of God was opened in heaven, and there was seen in his temple the ark of his testament: and there were lightnings, and voices, and thunderings, and an earthquake, and great hail. (Revelation 11:19)).

7. The security of the remnant-and the certainty of judgment (Rev. 15:5-8⁵And after that I looked, and, behold, the temple of the tabernacle of the testimony in heaven was opened: ⁶And the seven angels came out of the temple, having the seven plagues, clothed in pure and white linen, and having their breasts girded with golden girdles. ⁷And one of the four beasts gave unto the seven angels seven golden vials full of the wrath of God, who liveth for ever and ever. ⁸And the temple was filled with smoke from the glory of God, and from his power; and no man was able to enter into the temple, till the seven plagues of the seven angels were fulfilled. (Revelation 15:5‑8)).

8. The mission of God's Champion to introduce and establish God's power upon earth (Rev. 19:11¹¹And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war. (Revelation 19:11)).

If 6 and 7 are separate, then there are eight openings; if they are the same opening, then there are seven.

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Present Testimony: Volume 7, 1855

• 1 Samuel 14

• Babylon and the Beast

• Blessing of the Tribes by Jacob, The

• Church of God, The

• Ephesians, Observations Upon the Epistle to the

• Fragment: Adam and Eve

• Fragment: Companion to Christ

• Fragment: Five Eras of Judgment

• Fragment: Our Citizenship in Heaven

• Fragment: Partakers of That Which Is Christ's

• Fragment: Paul

• Fragment: The Seven Churches

• He That Descended

• Hebrews 13:7-10

• Hebrews, The Epistle to the

• Intercession of the Spirit, The

• Jesus Christ, the Son of the Father: the Church in Christ

• Kingdoms Spoken of in the Book of Daniel, Observations on the

• Leading Heads of Psalms: Psalm 40; Psalm 12

• Mind of Heaven, The

• Now and Then; or Time and Eternity

• Ordinances, On

• Partaking of Christ: Review of Rev. Maurice's Thoughts on Sacrifice

• Prayer and Fasting

• Present Testimony, The