Topical Bible: Heaven: God: Answers his People From

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In the Christian tradition, heaven is often understood as the dwelling place of God, a realm of divine presence and glory. It is from this exalted place that God communicates with and answers His people. The Bible provides numerous instances where God responds to the prayers and needs of His followers from heaven, affirming His sovereignty and intimate involvement in the lives of believers.

Biblical Instances of God Answering from Heaven

1. Solomon's Prayer and God's Response: In 2 Chronicles 7:14, God promises Solomon that He will hear from heaven and forgive the sins of His people if they humble themselves, pray, and seek His face. This passage underscores the conditional nature of divine response, emphasizing repentance and humility as prerequisites for God's intervention: "and My people who are called by My name humble themselves and pray and seek My face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, forgive their sin, and heal their land."

2. Elijah and the Prophets of Baal: In 1 Kings 18, the prophet Elijah challenges the prophets of Baal to a contest to demonstrate whose deity is true. Elijah's prayer is answered by fire from heaven, consuming the sacrifice and proving the LORD's supremacy. This dramatic event illustrates God's power to answer from heaven in a visible and miraculous way: "Then the fire of the LORD fell and consumed the burnt offering, the wood, the stones, and the dust, and it licked up the water that was in the trench" (1 Kings 18:38).

3. The Psalmist's Assurance: The Psalms frequently express confidence in God's ability to hear and respond from heaven. Psalm 20:6 declares, "Now I know that the LORD saves His anointed; He answers him from His holy heaven with the saving power of His right hand." This verse reflects the belief that God's heavenly abode is a source of salvation and strength for His people.

4. Jesus' Baptism: In the New Testament, the baptism of Jesus is marked by a divine response from heaven. As Jesus emerges from the water, the heavens open, and a voice declares, "This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased" (Matthew 3:17). This event signifies God's approval and the commencement of Jesus' public ministry, highlighting the communicative link between heaven and earth.

5. Stephen's Vision: In Acts 7:55-56, as Stephen is martyred, he gazes into heaven and sees the glory of God and Jesus standing at the right hand of God. This vision serves as a divine affirmation of Stephen's faith and mission, providing comfort and assurance in the face of persecution.

Theological Implications

The concept of God answering from heaven carries significant theological implications. It affirms God's transcendence and immanence, portraying Him as both above creation and actively engaged with it. The heavenly responses emphasize God's authority, His ability to intervene in human affairs, and His willingness to communicate with His people. This divine interaction is often contingent upon the faith, repentance, and obedience of believers, as seen in the biblical narratives.

Heaven as a Place of Divine Authority

Heaven is depicted as the seat of God's authority, where His will is perfectly enacted. The Lord's Prayer, taught by Jesus, includes the petition, "Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven" (Matthew 6:10), suggesting that heaven is the standard for divine order and righteousness. God's answers from heaven are thus expressions of His sovereign will, aligning earthly realities with heavenly purposes.

In summary, the Bible presents heaven as the realm from which God answers His people, demonstrating His power, presence, and providence. Through prayer, faith, and obedience, believers can experience the reality of God's heavenly responses in their lives.

Torrey's Topical Textbook

1 Chronicles 21:26
And David built there an altar to the LORD, and offered burnt offerings and peace offerings, and called on the LORD; and he answered him from heaven by fire on the altar of burnt offering.
Torrey's Topical Textbook

2 Chronicles 7:14
If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Nehemiah 9:27
Therefore you delivered them into the hand of their enemies, who vexed them: and in the time of their trouble, when they cried to you, you heard them from heaven; and according to your manifold mercies you gave them saviors, who saved them out of the hand of their enemies.
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Psalm 20:6
Now know I that the LORD saves his anointed; he will hear him from his holy heaven with the saving strength of his right hand.
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Library

God Seeks Intercessors
... that those who in it have received from heaven, in the ... them to understand the boldness
they may use with God. Teach them to expect and look out for answers. ...
/.../murray/the ministry of intercession/chapter xiv god seeks intercessors.htm

Putting God to Work
... movements, history, and unfolding progress of God's Church in ... the interest the angels
in heaven have in ... of the saints and in accomplishing the answers to those ...
//christianbookshelf.org/bounds/the weapon of prayer/ii putting god to work.htm

Habakkuk-On his Watch-Tower
... As Paul has it"all his conversation is in heaven: all his treasures and ... much by the
fulfilment of all God's promises; nor by God's full answers to his ...
/.../whyte/lord teach us to pray/ix habakkuk-on his watch-tower.htm

Daniel, the Praying Captive
... And as elsewhere, God employs angelic intelligences to convey information as to
prayer answers. ... Praying men and the angels of heaven are in close touch with ...
/.../bounds/prayer and praying men/x daniel the praying captive.htm

God and his Saints
... is mainly an invocation of blessing from Heaven on the ... A man who answers God's love
by his love ... monastic type, whereas it belongs to every one of God's people. ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture f/god and his saints.htm

Where to Carry Troubles
... our dearest on earth as from our Friend in heaven. ... We have here an example of how
God answers His servants' prayers ... the earth may teach us how much God will do ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture h/where to carry troubles.htm

God's Dealings with the Earth During the Tribulation Period.
... Then will be the time when God answers that prayer. ... that we read, "and they gnawed
their tongues for pain, and blasphemed the God of heaven because of their ...
//christianbookshelf.org/pink/the redeemers return/3 gods dealings with the.htm

But that He Judgeth all Things, this Answers to his Having ...
... But that he judgeth all things, this answers to his ... are known unto Thine eyes, O
our God, and have ... received not dominion over the lights of heaven, nor over ...
/.../augustine/the confessions of saint augustine/chapter xxiii but that he.htm

Questions and Answers
... in and keep out everything that is not like heaven. ... cannot sin," because they are
"born of God." This statement ... her child, but she at once answers, I cannot! ...
/.../byers/sanctification/chapter xii questions and answers.htm

Communion with Christ and his People.
... risen Lord, and by His Holy Spirit He answers us by ... life-ministry is the same: we
are workers together with God. ... will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.". ...
/...//christianbookshelf.org/spurgeon/till he come/communion with christ and his.htm