I have this strange idea that, from the point of view of heaven, everything about dying is reversed, at least, for those who live there, which is anyone who has faith in Jesus who has died…
I think everyone in heaven greets the baby or child who died, saying, “Congratulations!” “Why?” the child replies. “Well, you got here so early, you see. You’re one of the lucky ones. You didn’t have to suffer on earth for very long.”
And to the very old person who comes through those gates they say, “Ninety eight years old! My goodness, how on earth did you manage to last so long, in that terrible place, carrying the chains of earth-bound flesh and living with suffering and grief for so long?”
Of course I can’t prove any of this from scripture: it’s just a silly philosophical idea of mine, I admit, and by the way I wouldn’t recommend hurrying up one’s own arrival in heaven, even if one is a Christian: that is frowned upon I am sure.
There are twelve gates of the New Jerusalem, you know, each one with an angel, and a name of one of the twelve tribes of the children of Israel; I guess that is to keep the anti-Semites away. “What? I have to go through a gate marked with a Jew’s name? Well I’m not coming in then.” “Well there is always the other place….”
But scripture certainly does indicate that the highlight of one’s arrival in heaven is meeting the Good Shepherd Himself, the Lamb of God, Jesus, Yeshua, and that meeting, I would expect, takes place the very moment one comes through the gates; for every Christian’s dearest hope is to hear Him say, “Well done, good and faithful servant.”
But eventually, all these souls will be reunited with their bodies, when Jesus returns.
And had a wall great and high, and had twelve gates, and at the gates twelve angels, and names written thereon, which are the names of the twelve tribes of the children of Israel: On the east three gates; on the north three gates; on the south three gates; and on the west three gates. And the wall of the city had twelve foundations, and in them the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb. Revelation 21:12-14
I don’t believe that “ faith alone “ gets us to Heaven, His 10 commandments are there for good reason - as we are now discovering. However I so appreciate your heart and your work.
That said , Beware the Noahide laws.