Riches In Heaven?

[pray4peace]

When we read in the bible we see that earthly riches, crowns, and palaces are not what Jesus wants or is about. Why then do the writers of the bible describe visions of heaven with jewels, and the kingdom with trinkets and gold all about? Why would we care about such things in heaven when we are taught that riches are empty and have no true value or bring happiness? I could care less about gold and riches in heaven, that is not why we should want to go there. What is this all about?

 

[Todd_Easton]

My :twocents:…

I don’t think the gold and jewels are not meant to be taken literally but as a weak analogy of the otherwise indescribable splendor of heaven.

 

[banjo]

When we read in the bible we see that earthly riches, crowns, and palaces are not what Jesus wants or is about. Why then do the writers of the bible describe visions of heaven with jewels, and the kingdom with trinkets and gold all about? Why would we care about such things in heaven when we are taught that riches are empty and have no true value or bring happiness? I could care less about gold and riches in heaven, that is not why we should want to go there. What is this all about?/quote

Perhaps you could cite some specific verses regarding your question.

 

[COPLAND_3]

St. Thomas says

I answer that, It is befitting Holy Writ to put forward divine and spiritual truths by means of comparisons with material things. For God provides for everything according to the capacity of its nature. Now it is natural to man to attain to intellectual truths through sensible objects, because all our knowledge originates from sense. Hence in Holy Writ, spiritual truths are fittingly taught under the likeness of material things. This is what Dionysius says (Coel. Hier. i): “We cannot be enlightened by the divine rays except they be hidden within the covering of many sacred veils.” It is also befitting Holy Writ, which is proposed to all without distinction of persons — “To the wise and to the unwise I am a debtor” (Romans 1:14) — that spiritual truths be expounded by means of figures taken from corporeal things, in order that thereby even the simple who are unable by themselves to grasp intellectual things may be able to understand it.

 

[deb1]

When we read in the bible we see that earthly riches, crowns, and palaces are not what Jesus wants or is about. Why then do the writers of the bible describe visions of heaven with jewels, and the kingdom with trinkets and gold all about? Why would we care about such things in heaven when we are taught that riches are empty and have no true value or bring happiness? I could care less about gold and riches in heaven, that is not why we should want to go there. What is this all about?

The writers are attempting to help us grasp something that is beyond their ability to adequately explain so they use symbolic language.

If I say it is raining cats and dogs that does not mean that I advocate animal abuse. I think that the same concept is true of the biblical writers. They have to speak in a way that we humans can grasp or else what it the point of even trying to explain heaven to us.

 

[jmcrae]

When we read in the bible we see that earthly riches, crowns, and palaces are not what Jesus wants or is about. Why then do the writers of the bible describe visions of heaven with jewels, and the kingdom with trinkets and gold all about? Why would we care about such things in heaven when we are taught that riches are empty and have no true value or bring happiness? I could care less about gold and riches in heaven, that is not why we should want to go there. What is this all about?

It just means to say that Heaven is a place where everything is beautiful and comfortable, where we will never feel a sense of want or need.

 

[Todd_Easton]

My :twocents:…

I don’t think the gold and jewels are not meant to be taken literally but as a weak analogy of the otherwise indescribable splendor of heaven.

Sorry folks. I meant to say: I don’t think the gold and jewels are meant to be taken literally but as a weak analogy of the otherwise indescribable splendor of heaven.

 

[pray4peace]

Thanks so much, for all of your replies. You have helped me understand a little better on why the writers described heaven this way.
I think it sounds like heaven is so beautiful and wonderful, that man cannot envision something that he is not capable of understanding or able to describe by mere words.

Blessings

 

[Gottle_of_Geer]

When we read in the bible we see that earthly riches, crowns, and palaces are not what Jesus wants or is about. Why then do the writers of the bible describe visions of heaven with jewels, and the kingdom with trinkets and gold all about? Why would we care about such things in heaven when we are taught that riches are empty and have no true value or bring happiness? I could care less about gold and riches in heaven, that is not why we should want to go there. What is this all about?

Christ will be our riches - we “possess everything” in Him as it is. ​

 

[surfinpure]

A very good question, and some great answers on this thread!

I think it is also worth considering that perhaps in Heaven we will finally be able to enjoy and appreciate Creation as it was meant to be enjoyed and appreciated. While we remain on earth, when we encounter great riches we are tempted by greed and jealousy and idolatry. But in Eternal Glory, we will be freed of temptation and sin, and we will be able to behold the majesty that the Lord created, in just the way He always intended for us to behold it. Remember that “In the Beginning” the Lord looked at His marvelous creation and said it was “all very good.”

 

[drafdog]

Said it before, am saying it again. The scriptures are a collection of stories, songs and lore written by a nation of poets and story tellers. What you are looking at is poetic license and was not, is not, was never meant to be taken literally.

Matthew

 

[tm30]

When we read in the bible we see that earthly riches, crowns, and palaces are not what Jesus wants or is about. Why then do the writers of the bible describe visions of heaven with jewels, and the kingdom with trinkets and gold all about? Why would we care about such things in heaven when we are taught that riches are empty and have no true value or bring happiness? I could care less about gold and riches in heaven, that is not why we should want to go there. What is this all about?

Our “riches” in heaven will be the degree to which we merit penetration of the beatific vision of God. There’s no adequate language to describe the beatific vision, but to fall back on whether or not you’re a thimble-full or an ocean-full of grace as dictating how much glory you experience in heaven.

Even in heaven, man cannot grasp the entirety of God, but our merits - our treasure - will win for us a greater or lesser grasp of His entirety, depending on our level of holiness in this life.