Cloud of witnesses

[Hiskid 0]

My pastor lost his daughter this week. They asked for us to write letters to their kids about God/Heaven.
So I am doing this my question is are the cloud of witnesses our loved ones in Heaven? Does anyone have any ideas on what to tell these kids?
I want to encourage them!

[owen 0]

Hi,

I found two biblical reference about cloud of witness which I thought might help you(unless you already know)

Heb 12:1 Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset [us], and let us run with patience the race that is set before us,

Hebrews 11 talked about all men in the Bible who have gone before us and walked in Faith in God all the rest of their lives until they were taken up into heaven. And in Hebrews 12 Paul called them clouds of witness.

Heb 12:23 To the general assembly and church of the firstborn, which are written in heaven, and to God the Judge of all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect,

This is also a verse that about the cloud of witness but in this passage it is called and to the spirits of just men made perfect.

Yes, the cloud of witnesses are those people, old and young that includes our loved ones, who went with God in heaven. They are indeed watching and cheering us to walk in faith and finish the race this is why Paul called them witnesses.

When my son turned to 4, I and my wife had decided to include this biblical truth everytime we talked with him about God because we truly believe that children as young as they are, must also have a glimpse of the reality of two realms, the physical and the spiritual realm. That these two realms are real and they do exist together. I believe by doing this my wife and I are starting to create a mentality of what heaven is in our son's mind and also building their spiritual faith that sees beyond what they can see in the natural. I remeber when we told him that about the story of Abraham and Isaac that they are now in heaven, and they are watching him, he looked at us with serious face, pondering and trying to understand everything we told him.

We can encourage children by this truth by telling them that we all have one home that we are going to and that is God in heaven. And those loved ones who has passed away and gone to heaven are actually watching us, and one day we will see them when we finish doing His will here on earth. They may not be here with us physically and can not see them, but the Bible teaches us and assures us that they are just in the other realm, in the heavenly city waiting for us when we have done everything here, then we will meet them again.

Also, it is important to tell them that they were not lost nor cease to exist, but they have come into God's perfection and glory, while us we have to continue doing His will here.

If you have a chance, it would be very helpful explaining these things to kids with nice and colorful biblical posters or pictures describing what heaven looks like. It makes a difference because kids learn fast if you have visual aids to show them.

I hope this makes sense to you.

[Hiskid 0]

And those loved ones who has passed away and gone to heaven are actually watching us
this is what I have always thought. I think of them as cheering us on!
thank you for your input.