Thirty-five hundred years ago in the book of Job in the Old Testament, (the first book written in the Bible) God gave us two amazing scientific facts in one verse. (Job 26:7) says, “He stretcheth out the north over the empty place, and hangeth the earth upon nothing.” One scientific fact is that the earth is hung in space upon nothing. History tells us that man did not know this, but what man did believe about the earth was scientifically in error. The Egyptians, for example, believed that the earth was a saucer held up by four pillars with a ring of mountains around the edge to keep the water from running off. The Greeks believed that the earth rested upon the back of Atlas. Because this theory was so popular and widespread, we still see its effects today. For example, when you obtain a book of maps it is called an Atlas. The Hindus believed that the earth was carried on an elephant’s back and that the elephant was standing on a turtle swimming in a cosmic sea. When Columbus discovered America in 1492 A.D. most people believed the world was flat, and that if you went to far you would fall off into oblivion. In Isaiah Chapter 40:22 it says,  “ It is He that sitteth upon the circle of the earth, and the inhabitants thereof are as grasshoppers.” Reading this scripture is said to have given Columbus the faith to launch out on his epic voyage to discover the New World because he believed the Bible where it said that the earth was a circle and not flat. Amazingly the Bible did not include any of these myths and fairy tales, but simply stated that the earth was hung upon nothing. Science cannot give us a better description than this. Here is another amazing scientific fact. There is an empty place or void in the north of our universe. It was first discovered with the 200-inch telescope on Mount Palomar, California, and is now being studied by three separate observatories across the country. Lucifer (Satan) in his rebellion (when he tried to overthrow God) spoke of this void in the north. Isaiah 14:13 tells us, “For thou hast said in thine heart, I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the side of the north.” This must refer to this empty corridor in the north where there are no stars. Heaven is thought to be originally from there. One fascinating passage is found in Psalms 48:1-2. “Great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised in the city of our God, in the mountain of his holiness. Beautiful for situation, the joy of the whole earth, is Mount Zion, on the sides of the north, the city of the great King.” Without a doubt, this is a reference to the New Jerusalem and not to the earthly Jerusalem. “But you are come unto mount Zion, and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of angels (Hebrew 12:22).” When the Bible says, “Beautiful for situation,” as the verse continues to explain, it is a reference to the fact that the city is or, was originally located in the north of our universe. From “the sides of the north” God has a beautiful overview of the entire universe and of the whole earth that He created. The Heavenly City described in the book of Revelations Chapter 22 is on it’s way to earth, where it will be located forever. ( See our class on Revelations Chapters 21 & 22 in the “Bible Prophecy” section of this web site.). It appears from a study of the Scriptures that Heaven is or was located in the North in our universe. When they would offer the sacrifices in the Old Testament they would offer them northward toward the Lord. Notice what Moses said in Leviticus 1:11, “And he shall kill it on the side of the altar northward before the Lord: and the priests, Aaron’s sons, shall sprinkle his blood round about upon the altar.” The implication is clear that the Lord in his Heavenly City was at that time in the north. “Northward before the Lord,” says God’s Word. North is always the same direction from this planet no matter what time of day. If you were to point to the north in the morning, twelve hours later you would still be pointing in the same direction. No matter where the earth is in its orbit about the sun, north is always the same direction in relationship to the earth. So no matter what time of day or what time of year, north is always the same direction. One day this New Jerusalem will come down from Heaven to the new earth according to Revelation 21:1,2. “And I saw a new Heaven and a New Earth; for the first Heaven and the first Earth were passed away; and there was no more sea. And I John saw the Holy City, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of Heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.” The Holy City actually comes down and lands on the New Earth, that God will create, after Jesus has ruled here for a thousand years and the Great White Throne Judgement occurs, and the Lord makes a New Heaven and Earth. In  Matthew Chapter 24: 29-30 Jesus said, “ Immediately after the tribulation of those days shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from Heaven, and the powers of the Heavens shall be shaken:” “And then shall appear the sign of the Son of Man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth morn, and they shall see the Son of Man coming in the clouds of Heaven with power and great glory.” So, when does the sign of the Son of Man appear? From these two verses we can clearly see that the sign of the Son of Man will appear at the rapture, when all the saved are resurrected. Will the sign of the Son of Man be when we see Jesus coming in the clouds of Heaven or will it be the appearing of the Heavenly City, or both?  All the Saved believers in Jesus Christ will be taken up to the Heavenly City for the Marriage Supper of The Lamb. What a great place to have it. You can read about the Heavenly City in our classes in Revelations Chapter 21 & 22. Wouldn’t that be something to see the Heavenly City sitting up there as big as the moon for a 1000 years waiting to come down on the earth? We the saved will be able to travel back and forth to it at the speed of thought just like Philip when he was translated and appeared before the Ethiopian Unick who was reading the Book of Isaiah, about Jesus Christ but did not have a clear understanding of the Scriptures, and Philip explained them to him, and the Ethiopian got Saved..(Acts 8:26-40). Also, “By faith Enoch was translated that he should not see death; and was not found, because God had translated him: “for before his translation he had this testimony, that he pleased God.”(Hebrews 11:5). Jesus was translated from the heart of the earth where he went and preached to the Spirits in prison when his body was in the tomb under the Shroud. Jesus also walked through walls and appeared and disappeared many times. We saved believers have a home in heaven waiting for us in this Heavenly City, the New Jerusalem. Jesus tells us, “In my Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there you may be also.” (John 14:2,3). 

Say this prayer to be saved: Jesus, I want to know you, and to live forever in Heaven, I know I have made mistakes and done bad things- and I am sorry. Please forgive me. I know I don’t deserve it, but I accept your love and I accept you as my Saviour. I believe you died on the cross for my sins ,and rose from the dead. Please come into my heart and life and fill me with your Holy Spirit and give me peace. Amen.