One Easter Sunday a friend invited me to her Russian Orthodox Church service (Russian language only, no seats). That space was dense with exquisite chanting, intoxicating incense, ornate priestly vestments and precious ancient icons — all of it penetrated with natural light from surrounding windows. My friend explained that the main objective of the service was to create a heavenly atmosphere. I envisioned the backdrop of Orthodox worship spaces having been designed with the second temple in Jerusalem in mind, which featured details such as priests in formal attire with breastplates of dazzling jewels
(Exodus 28:1-43).

Of course, neither setting adequately replicates actual encounters with heavenly glory recorded in both New and Old Testaments. Here is the Apostle John’s experience of the enthroned Jesus which John had while he was imprisoned on the island of Patmos.

…behold, a throne stood in heaven, with one seated on the throne. And he who sat there had the appearance of jasper and carnelian, and around the throne was a rainbow that had the appearance of an emerald. Revelation 4:2b-3 ESV


Years earlier, Jesus’ glory was manifested to John and three other disciples.

…Jesus took with him Peter and James, and John his brother, and led them up a high mountain by themselves. And he was transfigured before them, and his face shone like the sun, and his clothes became white as light. And behold, there appeared to them Moses and Elijah, talking with him. Matthew 17:1-3 ESV

These two glimpses into heavenly glory are consistent with breathtaking experiences described by several Old Testament prophets including Isaiah and Ezekiel.

Isaiah:

In the year that King Uzziah died I saw the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up; and the train of his robe filled the temple. Above him stood the seraphim [plural form]. Each had six wings: with two he covered his face, and with two he covered his feet, and with two he flew. And one called to another and said:

“Holy, holy, holy is the LORD of hosts; the whole earth is full of his glory!”

And the foundations of the thresholds shook at the voice of him who called, and the house was filled with smoke. Isaiah 6:1-4 ESV

Ezekiel:

Beyond the solid surface above their heads there was what seemed like a sapphire, in the form of a throne. High above on the form of a throne was a form with the appearance of a human being. I saw a brilliance like amber, like fire, radiating from what appeared to be the waist upwards; and from what appeared to be the waist downwards, I saw what looked like fire, giving a brilliant light all round. The radiance of the encircling light was like the radiance of the bow in the clouds on rainy days. The sight was like the glory of Yahweh. I looked and fell to the ground, and I heard the voice of someone speaking to me.  Ezekiel 1:26-28 NJB


Although the Apostle Paul had a blinding vision of the resurrected Jesus (Acts 9:1-19) that led to his conversion (he repeated this story multiple times), he also mentioned a second heavenly visit he was commanded not to share (2 Corinthians 12:1-6). 

Paul’s visions likely resembled the magnificent ones described by John, Isaiah and Ezekiel, but I suspect his assignment as Apostle to the Gentiles was better served by keeping certain details of both visions under wraps. With so many other spiritual tales attached to and arising from the worship of false gods of the Gentile world, details of Paul’s visions may well would have influenced his Gentile converts to favor seeking similar experiences instead of aiming toward walking in the way of Jesus in everyday life. 

Like me, many Evangelicals might enjoy ornate, historical cathedrals and ceremonies, but our traditions, unlike older liturgical ones, influence us to minimize majestic heavenly images when undertaking decisions about building design, Sunday services, and churchgoing attire. Is it because our view of walking with Jesus typically places human interactions with their utilitarian concerns first? Does this tendency curb expenditures on visible extravagances that might point to heavenly glory? 

What might be the effects of giving scant thought to glorious heavenly convergences with earth? Meditate on the four scriptures above that describe the glory of Jesus. Let them soak in. 

And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit. 2 Corinthians 3:18 ESV

by Kathleen Petersen

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