Topical Bible: Heaven: The Future Dwelling Place of the Righteous: Called a Garner

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In Christian theology, Heaven is often depicted as the ultimate dwelling place for the righteous, a realm of eternal peace and communion with God. Among the various metaphors and descriptions used in the Bible to illustrate Heaven, one of the more agricultural images is that of a "garner," or a storehouse, where the faithful are gathered and kept safe.

The concept of Heaven as a garner is rooted in the agrarian society of biblical times, where a garner was a place of security and abundance, a storehouse for the harvest. This imagery is used to convey the idea of Heaven as a place where the righteous are gathered and preserved by God, much like a farmer gathers and stores his precious crops.

In the New Testament, Jesus uses this metaphor in the Parable of the Weeds, where He describes the end of the age as a time of harvest. In Matthew 13:30 , Jesus says, "Let both grow together until the harvest. At that time I will tell the harvesters, ‘First collect the weeds and tie them in bundles to be burned; then gather the wheat into my barn.’" Here, the "barn" or garner symbolizes Heaven, the place where the righteous, represented by the wheat, are gathered and kept.

This imagery is further reinforced in Matthew 3:12 , where John the Baptist speaks of the coming Messiah: "His winnowing fork is in His hand to clear His threshing floor and to gather His wheat into the barn, but He will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire." The barn, again, is a metaphor for Heaven, emphasizing the separation of the righteous from the wicked and the secure, eternal dwelling of the former.

The use of the garner metaphor highlights several key aspects of Heaven as understood in conservative Christian theology. First, it underscores the idea of divine selection and preservation. Just as a farmer carefully selects and stores his best produce, God gathers the righteous to Himself, ensuring their eternal safety and joy.

Second, the garner represents a place of abundance and provision. In Heaven, the righteous are not only safe but also enjoy the fullness of life and blessings in the presence of God. This aligns with the broader biblical portrayal of Heaven as a place of joy, peace, and eternal communion with the Creator.

Finally, the garner metaphor emphasizes the finality and permanence of the righteous' dwelling in Heaven. Once gathered into the garner, the wheat is secure and will not be scattered or lost. Similarly, the righteous, once in Heaven, are assured of their eternal place with God, free from the trials and tribulations of earthly life.

In summary, the depiction of Heaven as a garner in the Bible serves as a powerful metaphor for the future dwelling place of the righteous. It conveys themes of divine selection, abundance, and eternal security, offering believers a vivid image of the hope and promise that awaits them in the life to come.

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Matthew 3:12
Whose fan is in his hand, and he will thoroughly purge his floor, and gather his wheat into the garner; but he will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.
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Library

Excerpts of Theodotus;
... or guarding him on account of the future, or not ... with the good God that which is
His chosen dwelling-place. ... of whom is the whole family, both in heaven and on ...
/.../theodotus/excerpts of theodotus/excerpts of theodotus.htm

Jacob and Esau
... by faith, and form plans for the future"and carry ... answered and said unto him, Behold,
thy dwelling shall be ... of the earth, and of the dew of heaven from above ...
/.../kingsley/the gospel of the pentateuch/sermon vi jacob and esau.htm

Book I.
... they were rich, entered the kingdom of heaven; for, by ... be paid to the past, but the
future earnestly desired ... who was so confident of Christ's dwelling in him ...
//christianbookshelf.org/jerome/the principal works of st jerome/book i.htm

The Crisis in Galilee
... for Pharisees and Sadducees to dispute concerning the future life. ... It is by beholding
His love, by dwelling upon it ... in the gift of life and the glory of heaven. ...
//christianbookshelf.org/white/the desire of ages/chapter 41 the crisis in.htm

The Stage as it was Once.
... again, I sometimes dream, in some republic of the future. ... of evil shall reign; Far
from thy dwelling, The dear ... Bathed in the dew of heaven each morn, Fresh is ...
/.../kingsley/lectures delivered in america in 1874/lecture ii the stage as.htm

Sermons on Selected Lessons of the Gospels.
... overthrows by bidding us consult for "another" future, [882]371 ... 1325]281 sq.,
[1326]285; saints dwelling in, in ... 1363]345; the first step to Heaven, [1364]409 ...
/.../sermons on selected lessons of.htm

Memoir of John Bunyan
... thou leave thy sins and go to heaven, or have thy ... shame and from the fear of future
punishment, and ... A circumstance had recently taken place which was doubtless ...
/.../bunyan/the works of john bunyan volumes 1-3/memoir of john bunyan.htm

Mr. Bunyan's Last Sermon:
... a cloud, attended with the thousands of Heaven; they were ... with a wall, and that wall
was called Salvation (Isa.26 ... thus till be came at a place somewhat ascending ...
/.../bunyan/the works of john bunyan volumes 1-3/mr bunyans last sermon .htm