The following "Question" was asked by a member of the congregation at Grace Community Church in Panorama City, California, and "Answered" by their pastor, John MacArthur Jr. It was transcribed from the tape, GC 70-5, titled "Bible Questions and Answers."  A copy of the tape can be obtained by writing, Word of Grace, P.O. Box 4000, Panorama City, CA 91412 or by dialing toll free 1-800-55-GRACE.  Copyright John MacArthur Jr., All Rights Reserved.

Question

Once our disembodied spirits go into heaven, would we be able to see events taking place on the earth, such as the Great Tribulation and salvation of other souls?  Once up there, would our prayers have any more effect for the salvation of souls, once we have been freed from sin?

Answer

Interesting questions.  Relative to your first question, after our spirits leave to go to be with the Lord, and of course that's what happens at death, Philippians 1:21, Paul says, "Far better to depart and be with Christ" (there's no middle ground), and 2 Corinthians 5, "Absent from the body--present with the Lord."  And yet we await the resurrection of the body which occurs at the rapture of Christ, when "the dead in Christ rise first" (1 Thessalonians 4).  So our spirits are in heaven, and the question that you are asking is, "Will we be able to look down here and see?"  I don't know the answer to that question.  I don't know whether we will be able to or not, but I don't believe that even if we were able we would want to.  I always think about the fact that being in the presence of Jesus Christ will be such a consuming reality and such an utter fulfillment, and our existence there will be so glorious, that there would be absolutely no interest in what is going on down here. 

I think that we will have entered into a dimension of living in which we will exist for the glory of the Lord Jesus Christ, not for the preoccupation of the difficulties of earth.  So I think to be with the Lord is a consuming thing, and once we enter into that, the Bible says once we are with the Lord, we will ever be with the Lord.  I think that it is going to be in the communion with the risen glorified Christ and all the other saints that are there.  I would sure rather sit down, if I have such opportunity, and spend those seven years getting to know some of the saints of old than looking back here being preoccupied with whatever is happening.  My sort of inner feeling is that what happens in this world would be beyond our concern and probably be beyond our capability of seeing.  I don't know whether we need to divide those two?

Now the second question: There is nothing in the Scripture to indicate that there is any prayer at all in heaven by anybody, but there will be a lot of praise.