Very close, I believe. Heaven is very close. At one point Jesus illustrated how close Heaven is by taking Peter, James and John up a mountain (you would expect to go up something like a mountain to reach Heaven). At the top an amazing thing happened. Jesus' appearance was totally changed. His face became alive with light...having the radiance as bright as the sun. His clothes took on an electric brightness suggesting they had some kind of energy as well. But the really amazing thing was the visitors Jesus started talking to on top of the mountain: Elijah and Moses. These great men of the Old Testament had died centuries before but were instantly recognizable, somehow, to the disciples. They must have come from Heaven and provide exciting proof that there is life after death. Not only that but in their conversations with Jesus they discussed the upcoming events that would include His death in Jerusalem. How encouraging that, not only is there Heaven, but there is a "master plan" that God controls and that included Jesus' amazing death and resurrection. It must have encouraged and reinforced Jesus to review the upcoming difficult stages of His life, knowing that it was His Father's plan and had such great purpose. But the disciples were struck with shock and amazement...Peter filled the emotional moment with talking....and then a cloud came over the mountain and the voice of God, Himself spoke: "This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased; listen to him." It wasn't a time for Peter's talk...it was time to listen to Jesus. And as the disciples fell on their faces in fear the first words of Jesus for them to hear were, "Rise, and have no fear." When they rose, only Jesus remained.
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This great event showed the reality and closeness of Heaven. It showed that God has a place where we go, if we have trusted in Him, where we will see others who have gone before. God is there and there is a vital relationship between men and God in that place. We see that the difficult events of life on earth are under the control and plan of God. And we see that God has sent His Son for us. We should listen to him as His father tells us and we should trust Him and we shall then follow Him to the Heaven that the disciples sampled on top of that mountain.
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from Matthew 17:1-8, Luke 9:31
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blessings
Rob Smith
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