How would you respond to the following questions or statements about the nature of heaven?
I would like to know: “What is heaven like?”
1 Corinthians 2:9 says: “No eye has seen, no ear has heard, nor has it entered the mind of man, the things that God has prepared for those who love him.” On the basis of this verse we must admit that heaven’s glories, its wonders, its joys, its bliss, are beyond our understanding and imagination. These cannot be understood exactly. Agree? Or, disagree?
Only those who believe Jesus Christ is their Savior will have the privilege of enjoying heaven’s wonders. True? Or, false?
Our confidence, and the confidence of all who believe in our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, is that we will be granted the blessed end of eternal life in heaven.
To aid our understanding of what heaven is like, the Bible uses fantastic language and visionary pictures to communicate heaven’s beauty, grandeur, brilliance, serenity, and wonder. Revelation 21:9-21 below is an example of this.
Revelation 21:9-21 And one of the seven angels, who had the seven bowls full of the seven last plagues, came and spoke with me saying, “Come here! I will show you the bride, the wife of the Lamb.” 10 And he carried me away in spirit to a great and high mountain, and he showed me the holy city, Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, 11 having the glory of God. Her radiance was like a most precious gem, like a jasper stone that is transparent as crystal. 12 The holy city had a great and high wall, having twelve gates, and at the gates twelve angels, and names were inscribed on them, which are the names of the twelve tribes of the sons of Israel. 13 There were three gates on the east and three gates on the north and three gates on the south and three gates on the west. 14 And the wall of the city had twelve foundation stones, and on them the twelve names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb.
15 And the angel who spoke with me had a golden measuring rod, in order that he could measure the city and her gates and her walls. 16 And the city was laid out as a square, and its length was as great as the width. And he measured the city with the rod, 12,000 stadia; the length and the width and the height of her were equal. 17 And he measured her wall, 144 cubits, a man’s measure, which is an angel’s measure. 18 And the material of her wall was jasper, and the city was pure gold, of the same nature as pure glass. 19 The foundation stones of the wall of the city were adorned with every precious gem. The first foundation stone was jasper; the second sapphire; the third chalcedony; the fourth emerald; 20 the fifth sardonyx; the sixth sardius; the seventh chrysolite; the eighth beryl; the ninth topaz; the tenth chrysoprase; the eleventh jacinth; the twelfth amethyst. 21 And the twelve gates were twelve pearls, each one of the gates was a single pearl. And the street of the city was pure gold like transparent glass.
To further aid our understanding of what heaven is like, the Bible describes heaven, the nature of which we cannot understand, in earthly terms we can understand. The following verses are examples of this. They describe heaven in the earthly terms of a wedding and marriage reception, supper, and feast, or sitting on thrones, or a beautiful city.
Revelation 19:7-9 “Let us be glad and rejoice! And let us give glory to him! For the wedding of the Lamb has come, and his wife has made herself ready.” 8 And there was given to her fine linen, bright, clean, to put on. For the fine linen is the acquittals of the saints. 9 And he said to me, “Write: ‘Blessed are those who are invited to the wedding banquet of the Lamb.’ ” And he said to me, “These are the true words of God.”
Revelation 21:2 And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully attired for her husband.
Matthew 22:1-14 And when Jesus responded, he again spoke to them in parables, saying, 2 “The kingdom of heaven is like a king who gave a wedding banquet for his son. 3 And he sent out his slaves to call those who had been invited to the wedding banquet, but they were unwilling to come. 4 Again he sent out other slaves, saying, ‘Tell those who had been invited, “Behold, I have prepared my dinner. My oxen and fattened cattle have been slaughtered, and everything is ready. Come to the wedding banquet.” ’ 5 But having paid no attention, they went away, one to his own field, another to his business, 6 and the rest seized his slaves, mistreated them and killed them. 7 So the king became angry, and having sent his troops, he destroyed those murderers and set their city on fire. 8 Then he said to his slaves, ‘The wedding banquet is ready, but those who had been invited were not worthy. 9 Therefore go to the outlying thoroughfares, and as many as you should find, invite to the wedding banquet.’ 10 And so those slaves went out to the roadways. They gathered all those whom they found, both wicked and good. And the wedding banquet was filled with guests reclining at the tables. 11 But when the king went in to view the guests reclining at the tables, he saw there a man who was not dressed in wedding clothes. 12 And he said to him, ‘Friend, how did you come in here without having wedding clothes?’ And he was made speechless. 13 Then the king told the servants, ‘Bind his feet and hands. Cast him into the outer darkness; in that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. 14 For many are invited, but few are chosen.’ ”
Matthew 25:10 But while they were going away to buy the oil, the bridegroom came, and the virgins who were ready went in with him to the wedding banquet; and the door was shut.
Luke 13:28,29 In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth, whenever you shall see Abraham and Isaac and Jacob and all the prophets in the kingdom of God, but you yourselves are being cast out. 29 And they will come from east and west and from north and south, and they will recline at the table in the kingdom of God.
Luke 22:30 . . . that you may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom, and you will sit on thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel.
Focus:
Our aim in this lesson is to learn what the Scriptures teach us about what heaven is like, so we may grow in our understanding and confidence of what our Lord has blessed us with by his grace for all eternity.
Searching the Scriptures:
1. In this first section of this Bible study we will discover when heaven was prepared and for whom.
Matthew 25:34 informs us that heaven was prepared at the time of the creation of the world.
Matthew 25:34 Then the King will say to those on his right, “Come! you who are the blessed ones of my Father, inherit the kingdom that was prepared for you from the beginning of the world.”
Hebrews 4:3,4 tell us heaven was finished already at the creation of the world before the seventh day.
Hebrews 4:3,4 For we who have believed enter that rest, just as he has said, “AS I SWORE IN MY WRATH, THEY SHALL NOT ENTER MY REST,” and yet his works were finished from the foundation of the world. 4 For he has spoken somewhere concerning the seventh day in this manner: “AND GOD RESTED ON THE SEVENTH DAY FROM ALL OF HIS WORKS;”. . .
The following verses reveal that heaven is received as an inheritance and a free gift.
Galatians 3:29 And if you are Christ’s, then you are Abraham’s seed, heirs according to the promise.
Romans 8:17 Now if we are children, then we are heirs – heirs of God, and co-heirs with Christ; if indeed we suffer with him that we might also be glorified with him.
1 Peter 1:4 . . . into an inheritance imperishable and undefiled and that does not fade away, reserved in heaven for you, . . .
The verses below state that the inheritance and gift of heaven is given to believers in Jesus, who have been justified with the forgiveness of their sins and dressed in the righteousness God provides to all who believe in Jesus.
Revelation 7:13-15 And one of the elders replied, saying to me, “These who are clothed in the white robes, who are they, and from where did they come?” 14. Then I said to him, “My lord, surely you know.” So he said to me, “These are the ones who are coming out of the great tribulation, and they washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.” 15 Therefore, “they are before the throne of God, and serve him day and night in his temple, and he who sits on the throne will spread his tabernacle over them;” . . .
Revelation 19:7, 8 Let us be glad and rejoice! And let us give glory to him! For the wedding of the Lamb has come, and his wife has made herself ready.” 8 And there was given to her fine linen, bright, clean, to put on. For the fine linen is the acquittals of the saints.
Romans 3:21, 28 But now a righteousness from God, apart from law, has been revealed, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets, … 28 For we conclude a man is justified by faith without works of law.
Matthew 22:11, 12 “But when the king went in to view the guests reclining at the tables, he saw there a man who was not dressed in wedding clothes. 12 And he said to him, ‘Friend, how did you come in here without having wedding clothes?’ And he was made speechless.”
Galatians 3:10, 11 inform us that those who try to earn their way into heaven by their own works and efforts will not receive heaven as God’s reward.
Galatians 3:10, 11 For as many as are of the works of law are under a curse; for it is written, “CURSED ARE ALL WHO DO NOT ABIDE BY EVERYTHING THAT HAS BEEN WRITTEN IN THE BOOK OF THE LAW IN ORDER TO DO THEM.” 11 Now it is evident that no one is justified before God by law, because “THE RIGHTEOUS WILL LIVE BY FAITH.”
To summarize what we have discovered in this first section of this Bible study about when heaven was prepared and for whom: Heaven was prepared at the creation of the world for the believers in Jesus Christ, who are justified by their faith in him with the forgiveness of their sins and the righteousness of Christ that God credits to their faith.
2. In this second section of this Bible study we will discover where, and what, heaven is.
The following verses reveal heaven is up in the sky.
Acts 1:1, 2, 9-11 The earlier written narrative I made, O Theophilus, was of all that Jesus began both to do and to teach 2 until that day he was taken up after giving orders by the Holy Spirit to the apostles, whom he had chosen… 9 And after he said these things, while they were looking on, he was taken up, and a cloud took him from their eyes. 10 And as they were looking intently into the sky while he was going up, behold, two men in white clothing stood beside them, 11 who also said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into the sky? This Jesus, who has been taken up from you into heaven, in this same way will come just as you have seen him going into heaven.”
2 Corinthians 12:2-4 I know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago – whether in the body I do not know, or out of the body I do not know, God knows – such a man was caught up to the third heaven. 3 And I know such a man – whether in the body or apart from the body I do not know, God knows – 4 that he was caught up to paradise and heard words too sacred to tell, which are not permitted for a man to speak.
While heaven is up in the sky, its exact location remains uncertain. Heaven is a real place. However, being a spiritual, non-physical realm, heaven’s geographical location is without boundaries and cannot be marked specifically. Its exact location can only be referred to as up. The residing place of the angels bears this out. Matthew 18:10 below states the holy angels always see the face of God in heaven. They are, then, always in God’s presence in heaven. Yet Hebrews 1:14 and Psalm 91:10, 11 below declare the holy angels are at the same time our guardian angels here on earth. The angels are on earth at the same time they are in heaven. Unlike this physical earth, heaven is a spiritual, non-physical realm that cannot be pinpointed on a map.
Matthew 18:10 See that you do not despise one of these little ones, for I tell you that their angels in heaven always see the face of my Father who is in heaven.
Hebrews 1:14 Are not all angels ministering spirits, who are sent out into service for the sake of those who will inherit salvation?
Psalm 91:11, 12 For he will command his angels concerning you, to guard you in all your ways. 12 They will lift you up in the palms of their hands, so you will not strike your foot against a stone.
While heaven is a real place, it is more than that. In the previous Bible study, Deliverance From Hell, we learned that hell is a state of being separated from God and his blessings forever. Heaven is exactly the opposite. Heaven is a state of being with the Lord to enjoy seeing him face to face and to enjoy his blessings for all eternity, as revealed by the verses below.
The following verses reveal heaven is a state of being with God to enjoy his presence.
Job 19:25-27 Now I indeed know that my Redeemer lives, and he, the Last One, will stand upon the earth. 26 And after my skin is destroyed, yet from my flesh I will see God, 27 whom I, indeed even I, will see for myself, and my eyes will behold and not some stranger’s. O my heart languishes within my breast!
Revelation 21:3 And I heard a loud voice from the throne, saying, “Behold! The tabernacle of God is among men, and he will dwell among them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be among them, and will be their God.
Psalm 16:11 You will make known to me the path of life; In your presence is fullness of joy; At your right hand are pleasures for evermore.
The following verses indicate that in contrast to hell, heaven is a state of being able to enjoy God’s blessings of paradise forever.
Luke 23:43 And he (Jesus) said to him, “Truly I say to you, today you will be with me in paradise.”
Matthew 25:34, 41, 46 “Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come! you who are the blessed ones of my Father, inherit the kingdom that was prepared for you from the beginning of the world. . . 41 Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you accursed ones, into the eternal fire that has been kept in readiness for the devil and his angels. . . 46 And they will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.”
Revelation 7:15-17 Therefore, “they are before the throne of God, and serve him day and night in his temple, and he who sits on the throne will spread his tabernacle over them; 16 never will they hunger again, never will they thirst again, never will the sun strike down upon them, nor any burning heat, 17 For the Lamb at the center of the throne will shepherd them, and will lead them to streams of living water; And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.”
To summarize what we have discovered in this second section of this Bible study about what and where heaven is: Heaven is a real place, the location of which remains uncertain. It is also a state of being together with the Lord to see him and to enjoy his fellowship and blessings forever.
3. In this third section of this Bible study we will discover what the blessedness of heaven consists of.
The verses below from the Book of Revelation reveal the blessedness of heaven consists of what is removed from us, namely the consequences of sin that we experience and suffer in this world. In the blessedness of heaven the old order of things as we know them now will be taken away from us forever.
Revelation 7:16, 17 “. . . never will they hunger again, never will they thirst again, never will the sun strike down upon them, nor any burning heat, 17 For the Lamb at the center of the throne will shepherd them, and will lead them to streams of living water; And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.”
Revelation 14:13 And I heard a voice from heaven saying, “Write: Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on.” “Yes,” says the Spirit, “that they rest from their labors, for their deeds follow with them.”
Revelation 21:4 “And he will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and there will be no more death, nor will there be any more mourning or crying or pain; because these earlier things have passed away.”
The following verses inform us that heaven’s blessedness includes what is given and awarded to us there, namely all the blessings of eternal life with the Lord.
Revelation 19:8 And there was given to her fine linen, bright, clean, to put on. For the fine linen is the acquittals of the saints.
Revelation 2:10 Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life.
John 5:21 For just as the Father raises the dead and gives them life, so also the Son gives life to whom he wishes.
Philippians 3:20, 21 For our citizenship is in heaven, from which we also eagerly await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, 21 who will transform our lowly body into conformity with his glorious body according to the power that enables him to even subject all things to himself.
2 Timothy 4:8 From now on the crown of righteousness is stored up for me, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give to me on that day – and not only to me but even to all who have loved his appearing.
Ephesians 1:3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ, . . .
Based on what the preceding verses teach us, the blessedness of heaven stated negatively consists of freedom from every evil, and stated positively consists of an unspeakable blessedness.
In theological terms the blessedness of heaven consists of internal blessings, which pertain to our bodies and souls, and external blessings, which pertain to the nature of our heavenly surroundings.
To summarize what we have discovered in this third section of this Bible study about what the blessedness of heaven consists of: The blessedness of heaven consists, on the one hand, of what is removed from us, namely what we suffer now in this world, and on the other hand, what is given to us in heaven. This blessedness is internal and external.
4. In this fourth section of this Bible study we will discover what the external blessedness of heaven includes.
Even though Moses prayed to see the Lord’s glory, he was deprived of seeing the Lord face to face and the fullness of the Lord’s glory. See Exodus 33:17-23 below. In this world we also are deprived of being able to see God face to face and to behold his glory. 1 Timothy 6:16 below tells us God dwells in an unapproachable light that we cannot see.
Exodus 33:17-23 And the Lord said to Moses, “I will do this thing also which you have spoken, for you have found favor in my eyes and I have known you by name.” 18 Then Moses said, “Show me, I pray you, your glory.” 19 And he said, “I indeed will cause all my goodness to pass before you. And I will proclaim the name of the Lord before you. And I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion.” 20 But he said, “You are not able to see my face, for no man may see me and live.” 21 Then the Lord said, “Behold, there is a place by me. And you may stand upon the rock. 22 And it will come about when my glory passes by that I will put you in a crevice of the rock and will cover you with my hand over you while I am passing by. 23 Then I will remove my hand and you will see my back, but my face shall not be seen.”
1 Timothy 6:16 (God), . . . who alone possesses immortality, dwells in unapproachable light, whom no person has seen nor is able to see. To him be honor and sovereignty everlasting. Amen.
The following verses inform us that we are deprived of the blessing of seeing God face to face in the fullness of his glory because our sins have separated us from God. Being sinners, we cannot dwell with him.
Isaiah 59:2 But your iniquities have caused a separation between you and your God. And your sins have hidden his face from you, so that he will not hear.
Psalm 5:4 For you are not a God who delights in wickedness; No evil dwells with you.
In this world we are able to see God only through his masks, the masks of his creation and his Word.
Romans 1:20 below indicates we can see God’s invisible qualities in his creation. His creation is like a mask, through which we are able to see God but are protected from his glory that would otherwise consume us sinners.
Romans 1:20 For from the creation of the world his invisible qualities have been clearly seen, being understood by the things that have been made, not only his eternal power but also his divine nature, so that they are without excuse.
Based on 2 Corinthians 4:3-6 below, it can be said that by faith we are able to see the glory of God in the person of Jesus Christ through the gospel of God’s Word. The Word of God is another mask, which enables us to see God but which protects us from his consuming glory.
2 Corinthians 4:3-6 And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled in those who are perishing, 4 in whom the god of this age has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, so they do not see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. 5 For we do not preach ourselves but Jesus Christ as Lord, and ourselves as your bond-servants for the sake of Jesus. 6 For God, who said, “Light will shine forth out of darkness,” is the One who has shone in our hearts the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.
1 Corinthians 13:12 reveals, however, that through the masks of God’s creation and Word we can only see poorly. Our sight is literally like looking at ourselves in a bright metal plate that reflects our image obscurely, so what we are seeing in and hearing from God's Word is like an enigma and riddle. Thus our present knowledge of God and his glory is only partial. When we are in heaven, then we will see clearly and know thoroughly.
1 Corinthians 13:12 For now we see by means of a mirror in an enigma, but then face to face; now I know in part, but then I will know thoroughly just as I also have been known thoroughly.
Our sins have separated us from God and have deprived us of being able to be with him, so we can see him and his glory. Because Jesus has atoned for our sins and reconciled us to God, however, we now look forward to being with him and dwelling with him forever. The fellowship Adam and Eve enjoyed with God at their creation, but which they lost through their fall into sin, will be restored to us in heaven. See 1 Thessalonians 4:17 and Revelation 21:3 below.
1 Thessalonians 4:17 Then we who are living, who are remaining, will be carried away into the clouds at the same time with them to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will always be with the Lord.
Revelation 21:3 And I heard a loud voice from the throne, saying, “Behold! The tabernacle of God is among men, and he will dwell among them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be among them, and will be their God.”
The following verses inform us that when we can dwell with God in heaven, we will then see the face of God and behold his glory, which we cannot see now.
Job 19:25-27 Now I indeed know that my Redeemer lives, and he, the Last One, will stand upon the earth. 26 And after my skin is destroyed, yet from my flesh I will see God, 27 whom I, indeed even I, will see for myself, and my eyes will behold and not some stranger’s. O my heart languishes within my breast!
Psalm 17:15 Indeed I, in righteousness, I will see your face; I will be satisfied with your likeness when I awake.
Matthew 5:8 Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.
1 John 3:2 Beloved, now we are children of God, and it has not yet been revealed what we will be. We know that whenever he shall appear, we will be like him, because we will see him just as he is.
Revelation 22:4 . . . and they will see his face, and his name will be on their foreheads.
Being able to see the face of God and his glory is called a beatific vision, or sight. In heaven we will be blessed with this beatific vision like the holy angels are now. See Matthew 18:10 below.
Matthew 18:10 See that you do not despise one of these little ones, for I tell you that their angels in heaven always see the face of my Father who is in heaven.
In John 14:2 below Jesus’ referring to heaven as his Father’s house, which has many rooms, reminds us of the joy and pleasure we will experience being in God’s loving fellowship. In that blessed fellowship with God we will see that he is the highest good and we will delight in him. Whereas now we only know him poorly through his masks of creation and the Word, there in heaven we will possess a perfect, or full knowledge, of him. We must bear in mind, however, that there will be a difference between our knowledge of God and his knowledge of himself. We still will not be able to know every aspect of God, for we would have to be God ourselves to know everything about him, who surpasses our understanding.
John 14:2 In my Father’s house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you, because I am going to prepare a place for you.
In the heavenly Jerusalem we will see, and be present with, the millions of God’s holy angels, as the following verses make clear.
Hebrews 12:22 . . . but you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to thousands upon thousands of angels in festal assembly.
Revelation 5:11 And I looked, and I heard the voice of many angels around the throne and the living creatures and the elders, and their number was thousands upon thousands and thousands times thousands.
The following verses clarify that in heaven we will be with the believers of all ages, that is the church triumphant, with the holy angels, with God, and with our Savior Jesus Christ.
Revelation 7:9 After these things I looked, and behold, a great multitude, which no one was able to count, from all nations and tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, and holding palm branches in their hands; . . .
Hebrews 12:22-24 . . . but you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to thousands upon thousands of angels in festal assembly, 23 and to the church of the firstborn who have been enrolled in heaven, and to a Judge – God of all, and to the spirits of righteous ones who have been made perfect, 24 and to Jesus, the mediator of a new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling that is speaking better than the blood of Abel.
The believers of all ages will be together in the church triumphant. In heaven the believers will know one another -- those they had known on earth, as well as those they had never known on earth. They will know one another, even those they had not met before, just as Peter knew who Moses and Elijah were, though he had never seen them before and though they had left life on this earth hundreds of years before Peter was born. Consider the following verses.
Matthew 17:3,4 And behold, Moses and Elijah appeared to them while talking with him. 4 Then when Peter responded he said to Jesus, “Lord, it is good for us to be here. If you wish, I will make three booths, one for you, and one for Moses, and one for Elijah.”
1 Corinthians 13:12 For now we see by means of a mirror in an enigma, but then face to face; now I know in part, but then I will know thoroughly just as I also have been known thoroughly.
Revelation 5:8-12 and 15:2, 3 below reveal what will uplift us in heaven -- all the heavenly music made by the choirs of angels and saints. Music is a key ingredient of the heavenly bliss we will enjoy.
Revelation 5:8-12 And when he took the book, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb, each one holding a harp and golden bowls full of incense. These are the prayers of the saints. 9 And they sang a new song, saying, “Worthy are you to take the book and to open its seals, For you were slaughtered and purchased for God with your blood men from every tribe and language and people and nation, 10 and made them a kingdom and priests for our God, and they will reign upon the earth.” 11 And I looked, and I heard the voice of many angels around the throne and the living creatures and the elders, and their number was thousands upon thousands and thousands times thousands, 12 saying with a loud voice, “Worthy is the Lamb that had been slaughtered to receive the power and riches and wisdom and strength and honor and glory and praise!”
Revelation 15:2,3 And I saw something like a sea transparent as glass, mingled with fire, and upon the sea that was transparent as glass stood those who had won the victory of freedom from the beast and from his image and from the number of his name, holding harps of God. 3 And they sang the song of Moses, the bond-servant of God, and the song of the Lamb, saying, “Great and marvelous are your works, O Lord God Almighty! Righteous and true are your ways, O King of the nations!
From the following verses we learn our heavenly abode will be a paradise, a park, with our Father’s heavenly mansions and his fellowship.
Luke 23:43 And he (Jesus) said to him, “Truly I say to you, today you will be with me in paradise.”
John 14:2 In my Father’s house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you, because I am going to prepare a place for you.
Revelation 2:7 He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes, I will grant him to eat from the tree of life, which is in the paradise of God.
Our surroundings in heaven will be unlike anything we see and experience here on earth. From the Bible we gain a foretaste of our heavenly surroundings.
The following verses reveal that in our heavenly surroundings we will be delivered from all evil. We will experience an absence of all evil in our bodies and souls and in our surroundings. We will experience no evil within ourselves or outside of ourselves. We will come out of this great tribulation of evil and misery that we are in now to enter heaven where the old order of things -- the consequences of sin and the devil’s afflictions -- are gone and can never trouble us again. Temptations will have ceased. Disease, illness, ailments, and defects will be gone. Death will be done away with. This deliverance from evil and experiencing an absence of all evil will be the answer to our prayer in the Seventh Petition of the Lord’s Prayer, “Deliver us from evil.”
2 Timothy 4:18 The Lord will rescue me from every evil deed and will bring me safely into his heavenly kingdom. To him be the glory forever and ever. Amen.
Revelation 21:4 And he will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and there will be no more death, nor will there be any more mourning or crying or pain; because these earlier things have passed away.
Revelation 7:14,16,17 “These are the ones who are coming out of the great tribulation, and they washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.” 16 . . . never will they hunger again, never will they thirst again, never will the sun strike down upon them, nor any burning heat, 17 For the Lamb at the center of the throne will shepherd them, and will lead them to streams of living water; And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.
Isaiah 25:8 He will swallow up death forever; And the Lord God will wipe away tears from all faces. And the reproach of his people he will remove from all the earth. For the Lord has spoken.
Isaiah 49:10 They will not hunger nor thirst, Nor will glowing heat or the sun smite them; For he who beholds them with tenderest affection will lead them, And he will guide them unto springs of water.
1 Corinthians 15:26, 53-55 The last enemy that will be abolished is death… 53 For this perishable must put on the imperishable and this mortal must put on immortality. 54 Then when this perishable will have put on the imperishable and this mortal will have put on immortality, then will come about the statement that is written: “DEATH HAS BEEN SWALLOWED UP in victory. 55 O DEATH, WHERE IS YOUR VICTORY? O DEATH, WHERE IS YOUR STING?”
Isaiah 65:17 tells us that our blessedness in heaven will also consist of not remembering the evil and misery and tribulations that we suffered on this earth. Those things that hurt us now will not come to our minds in heaven. Ignorance is bliss, as the old saying goes. In heaven the ignorance of all the evils and miseries in this world that afflict us now will be a heavenly bliss of spirit and mind.
Isaiah 65:17 For behold I will create new heavens and a new earth, And the former things will not be remembered, nor will they come to mind.
The following verses reveal that the moral state of our heavenly surroundings will be righteous and holy. 2 Peter 3:13 and Psalm 17:15 tells us that we ourselves will be righteous. Our old sinful nature will be gone. The actual sins that infect this present world will be non-existent in heaven. This is clear from Psalm 5:4 that says no evil and wickedness can dwell with God.
2 Peter 3:13 But according to his promise we are looking for new heavens and a new earth, in which righteousness dwells.
Psalm 17:15 Indeed I, in righteousness, I will see your face; I will be satisfied with your likeness when I awake.
Psalm 5:4 For you are not a God who delights in wickedness; No evil dwells with you.
The following verses from the Book of Revelation inform us that in heaven we will reign with Christ Jesus forever:
Revelation 3:21 He who overcomes, I will grant to him to sit with me on my throne, just as I also overcame and sat with my Father on his throne.
Revelation 5:10 You (Christ) . . . made them a kingdom and priests for our God, and they will reign upon the earth.
Revelation 22:5 And there will no longer be any night, and they will not have need of the light of a lamp or of the light of the sun, because the Lord God will shed light upon them, and they will reign forever and ever.
To summarize what we have discovered in this fourth section of this Bible study about what the external blessedness of heaven consists of: The external blessedness of heaven consists of our being with the Lord to see him face to face, and to enjoy the fellowship of the Lord, his holy angels and the saints in a paradise, which will be filled with heavenly music and will be free of all sin and evil.
5. In this fifth section of this Bible study we will discover what the internal blessedness of heaven includes.
Psalm 17:15 and Hebrews 12:22, 23 below inform us that our internal blessedness in heaven will be being righteous like God is. We will be perfect in spirit. We will be in God’s image and likeness. Our sinful nature will be gone. We will be restored to the innocence and holiness of the divine image that Adam possessed at his creation but lost through the fall into sin. We will be like God and Christ. During our Christian life on earth our being restored to the image of God is an on-going process of our sanctification as a fruit of our faith. In heaven God’s image will be restored to us fully. We will be like the holy angels, confirmed in holiness and never able to sin or turn from God again. Our will will be perfect like God’s will is, in perfect harmony with his will and free to live in holiness and love forever. We will harbor no desire to sin or for any kind of evil. We will be so blessed and satisfied with beholding God, as Psalm 16:11 and Psalm 21:6 below state, that we will not want to forsake him.
Psalm 17:15 Indeed I, in righteousness, I will see your face; I will be satisfied with your likeness when I awake.
Hebrews 12:22, 23 . . . but you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to thousands upon thousands of angels in festal assembly, 23 and to the church of the firstborn who have been enrolled in heaven, and to a Judge – God of all, and to the spirits of righteous ones who have been made perfect,
Psalm 16:11 You will make known to me the path of life; In your presence is fullness of joy; At your right hand are pleasures for evermore.
Psalm 21:6 For you make him most blessed forever; You make him glad with joy in your presence.
Psalm 16:11; 126:5, 6; Isaiah 35:10 below reveal that our internal blessedness in heaven will be pure joy. These verses state that being in the presence of God, who is the essence of love, goodness, kindness, gentleness, and righteousness, we will experience a joy and gladness that surpasses our understanding. The presence of God will lift up our hearts and enthrall us completely. Eternal life with God in heaven is identified as a joy and happiness in Matthew 25:23 below. This heavenly joy is called Paradise in Revelation 2:7 and Luke 23:43 below. This joy is the same happiness that existed in Eden before the fall into sin.
Psalm 16:11 You will make known to me the path of life; In your presence is fullness of joy; At your right hand are pleasures for evermore.
Psalm 126:5, 6 Those who sow in tears will reap with shouts of joy. 6 He who surely walks along weeping, carrying his bag of seed to sow, will surely come with shouts of joy, carrying his bundles of grain.
Isaiah 35:10 And the ransomed of the Lord will return, and they will come to Zion with shouts of joy And everlasting gladness upon their heads. Joy and gladness will overtake them, and sorrow and sighing will slip away.
Matthew 25:23 His master said to him, “Well done, O Good and Faithful Slave! You were faithful over a few things, I will put you in charge over many things. Enter into the joy of your master.”
Revelation 2:7 He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes, I will grant him to eat from the tree of life, which is in the paradise of God.
Luke 23:43 And he (Jesus) said to him, “Truly I say to you, today you will be with me in paradise.”
Hebrews 4:9, 10, Revelation 14:13, and Revelation 7:16 below reveal that the internal blessedness we will enjoy in heaven will be a rest and peace from all the labors, toils, burdens, and difficulties which trouble us now, including not having to bear the cold of night or the heat of day, as stated in Revelation 7:16 and Psalm 121:5, 6 below. In heaven we will be comforted and delivered from our sufferings as the beggar Lazarus was comforted and delivered from his sufferings according to Luke 16:22, 25 below
Hebrews 4:9, 10 Consequently, there remains a Sabbath rest for the people of God. 10 For the one who has entered into his rest also himself rests from his works, just as God did from his own works.
Revelation 14:13 And I heard a voice from heaven saying, “Write: Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on.” “Yes,” says the Spirit, “that they rest from their labors, for their deeds follow with them.”
Revelation 7:16 . . . never will they hunger again, never will they thirst again, never will the sun strike down upon them, nor any burning heat, . . .
Psalm 121:5, 6 The Lord is your keeper; The Lord is your shade on your right hand. 6 The sun will not smite you by day, Nor the moon by night.
Luke 16: 22, 25 Now it came to pass the beggar died, and he was carried by the angels to Abraham’s bosom; then the rich man died also and was buried. 25 But Abraham said, “Child, remember that you received your good things during your life, and Lazarus likewise the bad things. But now he is comforted here and you are tormented.”
Our heavenly rest and salvation does not amount to an inactivity and idleness, however. We will be active in heaven, as is evident from the following verses.
Revelation 7:9, 10, 15 and 14:1-3 indicate we will be standing before the throne of God and praising him and the Lamb Jesus Christ.
Revelation 7:9, 10, 15 After these things I looked, and behold, a great multitude, which no one was able to count, from all nations and tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, and holding palm branches in their hands; 10 and they are crying out with a loud voice: “Salvation is our God’s, who sits on the throne, and the Lamb’s” . . . 15 Therefore, “they are before the throne of God, and serve him day and night in his temple, and he who sits on the throne will spread his tabernacle over them; . . .”
Revelation 14:1-3 And I looked, and behold, the Lamb was standing upon Mount Zion, and with him one hundred and forty-four thousand having his name and the name of his Father written on their foreheads. 2 And I heard a voice from heaven like a sound of many waters and like a sound of loud thunder, and the voice which I heard was like harpists playing on their harps. 3 And they sang a new song before the throne and before the four living creatures and the elders; and no one was able to learn the song except the one hundred and forty-four thousand – those who had been purchased from the earth.
Revelation 22:3 below, like Revelation 7:15 above, indicate we will be active in serving God and the Lamb Jesus Christ.
Revelation 22:3 And there will be nothing accursed any longer. And the throne of God and of the Lamb will be in it, and his bond-servants will serve him, . . .
Revelation 1:6 and 5:10 below reveal we will be active in reigning with Christ.
Revelation 1:6 . . . and made us a kingdom, priests to God and his Father – to him be the glory and the sovereignty forever and ever. Amen.
Revelation 5:10 . . . and made them a kingdom and priests for our God, and they will reign upon the earth.
The following verses reveal what internal blessedness our bodies will have.
Philippians 3:20, 21 and1 John 3:2 below state our bodies will be transformed to be like Jesus’ glorified body.
Philippians 3:20, 21 For our citizenship is in heaven, from which we also eagerly await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, 21 who will transform our lowly body into conformity with his glorious body according to the power that enables him to even subject all things to himself.
1 John 3:2 Beloved, now we are children of God, and it has not yet been revealed what we will be. We know that whenever he shall appear, we will be like him, because we will see him just as he is.
From 1 Corinthians 15:51-53 and 15:42-44 below we learn that our heavenly bodies will be spiritual bodies. Our bodies will be imperishable and incapable of aging, dying or decaying. They will be glorious bodies, free of the marks of sin and beautiful -- shining like the sun in brilliance according to Matthew 13:43 below. Our bodies will have power, life, vitality, and abilities that are at their peak of capability. They will be immortal bodies, having everlasting life. The bodies of the damned, by comparison, will continue to be plagued and marked by the ugliness sin brings to them--aged, weakness, defects, and inferiority. This is not true, however, of the saints in heaven, whose bodies are blessed with perfection, immortality, strength and beauty.
1 Corinthians 15:51-53 Behold, I tell you a mystery: we will not all sleep, but we will all be changed, 52 in a moment, in a twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet; for the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and indeed we will be changed. 53 For this perishable must put on the imperishable and this mortal must put on immortality.
1 Corinthians 15:42-44 In this manner also is the resurrection of the dead. It is sown a perishable body; it is raised an imperishable body; 43 it is sown in disgrace, it is raised in glory; it is sown in weakness, it is raised in power; 44 it is sown a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body. If there is a natural body, there is also a spiritual body.
Matthew 13:43 Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father.
The following passages reveal what further internal blessedness we will have in heaven.
According to the following verses our bodies will be resurrected to life everlasting. Everlasting life is endless as eternity. No longer will we be plagued by the end of life and all that is dear to us, as we are now on earth. Death, sickness, and all that causes death will be gone.
John 6:40 “For this is the will of my Father, that everyone who looks at the Son and believes in him shall have eternal life, and indeed I will raise him up on the last day.”
Revelation 21:4 And he will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and there will be no more death, nor will there be any more mourning or crying or pain; because these earlier things have passed away.
Luke 20:36 . . . neither are they able to die anymore, for they are like the angels, and they are sons of God, being the sons of the resurrection.
1 Corinthians 15:54 Then when this perishable will have put on the imperishable and this mortal will have put on immortality, then will come about the statement that is written: “DEATH HAS BEEN SWALLOWED UP” in victory.
1 Corinthians 15:26 The last enemy to be destroyed is death.
In the following verses we see that we will have salvation from hell and everlasting life in heaven.
John 3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only-begotten Son, that everyone who believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.
Matthew 25:46 And they will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.
John 8:51 Truly, truly, I say to you, if anyone keeps my word, he shall absolutely never experience death.
John 11:25, 26 And Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live even if he dies, 26 and all who live and believe in me shall absolutely never die. Do you believe this?”
1 Peter 1:3, 4 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to his great mercy has caused us to be born again into a living hope by means of the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 4 into an inheritance imperishable and undefiled and that does not fade away, reserved in heaven for you, . . .
Psalm 23:6 and 1 Thessalonians 4:17 below say we will be blessed with living with the Lord forever.
Psalm 23:6 Surely goodness and lovingkindness will follow me all my days, And I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.
1 Thessalonians 4:17 Then we who are living, who are remaining, will be carried away into the clouds at the same time with them to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will always be with the Lord.
The Bible has numerous names for eternal life, as shown in the following verses.
Eternal life is a joy.
Matthew 25:23 His master said to him, “Well done, O Good and Faithful Slave! You were faithful over a few things, I will put you in charge over many things. Enter into the joy of your master.”
John 16:22 Therefore you also, to be sure, now have grief, but I will see you again, and your heart will rejoice, and your joy no one takes away from you.
Eternal life is a rest.
Hebrews 4:9, 10 Consequently, there remains a Sabbath rest for the people of God. 10 For the one who has entered into his rest also himself rests from his works, just as God did from his own works.
Revelation 14:13 And I heard a voice from heaven saying, “Write: Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on.” “Yes,” says the Spirit, “that they rest from their labors, for their deeds follow with them.”
Eternal life is living, life, and a crown of life.
Ezekiel 18:32 For I take no delight in the death of anyone who dies,” declares the Lord God. “So repent and live!”
Matthew 7:14 How narrow is the gate and confined is the road that leads to life! And there are few who find it.
Revelation 2:10 Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life.
Eternal life is the kingdom of heaven.
Matthew 5:20 For I say to you that unless your righteousness exceeds that of the experts in the law and the Pharisees, you shall absolutely not enter into the kingdom of heaven.
Matthew 7:21 Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter into the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.
Eternal life is the kingdom prepared from the creation of the world.
Matthew 25:34 Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come! you who are the blessed ones of my Father, inherit the kingdom that was prepared for you from the beginning of the world.
Eternal life is an inheritance.
Acts 20:32 Respecting the present circumstances I entrust you to God and to the word of his grace, which is able to build you up and to give you the inheritance among all those who are sanctified.
1 Peter 1:4 . . . into an inheritance imperishable and undefiled and that does not fade away, reserved in heaven for you, . . .
Galatians 3:18 For if the inheritance is from law, it is no longer from a promise; but God granted it to Abraham freely by means of a promise.
Ephesians 1:14 (The Holy Spirit), . . . who is the down payment of our inheritance, up to the redemption of his possession, to the praise of his glory.
The following verses tell us that in heaven we will be like the angels. We will be immortal. We will never die. We will not marry nor have families, who will give us in marriage
Luke 20:35, 36 . . . but those who are worthy to attain that age and the resurrection of the dead do not marry, nor are they given in marriage; 36 neither are they able to die anymore, for they are like the angels, and they are sons of God, being the sons of the resurrection.
Matthew 22:30 For in the resurrection they neither marry nor are they given in marriage, but they are like the angels in heaven.
The following verses reveal that each believer will enjoy a fullness of bliss in heaven.
Romans 8:18 and 2 Corinthians 4:17 below give us an insight into the bliss we will enjoy in heaven. These verses inform us that as great as our sufferings and afflictions on earth may be, the glory waiting for us in heaven is far greater. It surpasses our understanding, according to 1 Corinthians 2:9 below. In the presence of God and Jesus we will at long last experience the love, peace, righteousness, joy, and rest we so long for now. We all will enjoy this bliss. There are no degrees of bliss in heaven, for every believer will be fully content beholding God, as Psalm 16:11 below states.
Romans 8:18 For I consider that the sufferings of this time now are not worthy to be compared to the glory about to be revealed to us.
2 Corinthians 4:17 For the momentary lightness of our tribulation is producing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all measure and proportion.
1 Corinthians 2:9 No eye has seen, no ear has heard, nor has it entered the mind of man, the things that God has prepared for those who love him.
Psalm 16:11 You will make known to me the path of life; In your presence is fullness of joy; At your right hand are pleasures for evermore.
There are no degrees of bliss in heaven. All in heaven enjoy the same bliss of being with God. There are degrees of glory, however. Some believers in heaven will have a greater brightness and brilliance than others in heaven will have. 2 Corinthians 9:6 and Daniel 12:3 below clarify there are degrees of glory and brilliance in heaven. Those greater degrees of glory are rewards of grace. 2 Corinthians 9:6 says that those who sowed richly will reap rewards richly. In like fashion Daniel 9:6 says that those who led many to salvation will shine like the stars forever. With respect to those degrees of glory as rewards of grace, Revelation 22:12 says Christ comes with his rewards of grace. Christ will give his rewards of grace and the degrees of glory on the basis of the believers’ works of faith, which works of faith follow them into heaven, according to Revelation 14:13 below. Not one work of faith and love for the Lord will be forgotten or overlooked, as Matthew 10:42, Mark 9:41, and Matthew 25:34-36 below clarify. Accordingly, Jesus’ twelve disciples and apostles will have a greater degree of glory than we will have and shine brighter than we will shine. This is clear from Luke 22:30 below, where Jesus says that his twelve disciples will sit on thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel, which are positions of greater honor than we will have.
2 Corinthians 9:6 Now this I say, he who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully.
Daniel 12:3 And those who have understanding will shine like the brightness of the vaulted heavens, and those who turn the many to righteousness, like the stars forever and ever.
Revelation 22:12 Behold, I am coming quickly, and my reward is with me, to give to each one as his deeds are.
Revelation 14:13 And I heard a voice from heaven saying, “Write: Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on.” “Yes,” says the Spirit, “that they rest from their labors, for their deeds follow with them.”
Matthew 10:42 And whoever in the name of a disciple shall give one of these little ones only a cup of cold water to drink, truly I say to you, he shall absolutely not lose his reward.
Mark 9:41 For whoever shall give you a cup of water to drink in the name that you belong to Christ, truly I say to you that he shall absolutely not lose his reward.
Matthew 25:34-36 “Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come! you who are the blessed ones of my Father, inherit the kingdom that was prepared for you from the beginning of the world. 35 For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me a drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, 36 I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.’ ”
Luke 22:30 . . . that you may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom, and you will sit on thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel.
In heaven we will not have the sinful natures we now have with their pride and petty jealousies. So in heaven we will not be jealous of those who enjoy a greater degree of glory than we have and who shine more brilliantly than we do. In heaven we will rejoice in the greater glory they possess as Christ’s reward of grace for their works of service, which they have done. Revelation 22:12 above spoke of Christ giving to each according to his deeds.
To summarize what we have discovered in this fifth section of this Bible study about what the internal blessedness of heaven consists of: We will be confirmed in the righteous image of God. His presence will fill us with the greatest joy and contentment. We will rest from all that ever burdened us, and we will rest in God’s peace. Our bodies will be transformed into Christ’s glorious likeness to live forever like the angels in a bliss which surpasses our imagination. We all will enjoy this bliss equally; however, some will have a greater degree of glory than we will have.
6. In this sixth section of this Bible study we will consider what is the purpose of this teaching of heaven.
The doctrine of heaven is gospel for us who believe. Because of Jesus’ resurrection we were born again, that is brought to faith in, a living hope of the imperishable inheritance of eternal life reserved for us in heaven, as 1 Peter 1:3, 4 below states.
1 Peter 1:3, 4 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to his great mercy has caused us to be born again into a living hope by means of the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 4 into an inheritance imperishable and undefiled and that does not fade away, reserved in heaven for you,
The purpose of this gospel teaching of heaven, then, is to encourage us and to give us hope, so we remain in the faith for our eternal life and salvation. It is an encouragement to believe in Jesus and to gladly remain in the faith, so we may have the promised reward of eternal life in heaven, as Matthew 5:12 below says.
Matthew 5:12 Rejoice and be overjoyed, for great is your reward in heaven; . . .
From Colossians 3:1-4 below we can see that the purpose of the teaching of heaven is to set our minds on the heavenly things above, which are waiting for us, so we do not become entangled in the worldly things and in earthly concerns.
Colossians 3:1-4 Since, therefore, you have been raised with Christ, seek the things above, where Christ is sitting at the right hand of God. 2. Set your minds on the things above, not on the things upon the earth. 3. For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. 4. Whenever Christ, who is your life, shall be revealed, at that time you also will be revealed with him in glory.
Finally, the purpose of the gospel teaching of heaven is to assure us of eternal life and a bliss in God’s presence, which strengthens our faith and keeps us in the faith. Our certainty of eternal life in heaven arises from our faith in Jesus and his substitutionary sacrifice for our sins, as we are taught in John 3:16 below.
John 3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only-begotten Son, that everyone who believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.
To summarize what we considered in this sixth section of this Bible study about the purpose of this teaching of heaven: The purpose of the doctrine of heaven is to give us believers in this world of tears and death a living hope of the better life to come through Christ, to encourage us in the faith, and to prevent us from becoming caught up in this present world and life which are passing away.
Applying the Scriptures:
1. Each day we pray the Lord’s Prayer, which includes the Seventh Petition “Deliver us from evil.” How does our prayer of the Seventh Petition relate to the glories of heaven we studied in this lesson? What are we praying for?
2. What, if anything, have you learned through this lesson about heaven and its glories that you did not know or understand before?
3. When were the glories of heaven prepared? What does this tell us about the foreknowledge of God and his plan of salvation?
4. A scribe, or expert in the law, asked Jesus, “Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?” (ref. Luke 10:25) A certain rich ruler also asked Jesus, “Good teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?” (ref. Luke 18:18) How would you answer their question? Consider John 3:16 and Acts 16:30, 31.
5. Does the doctrine of heaven lead you to appreciate the grace of God and our Savior Jesus? If so, why?
6. How would you explain what heaven is to a small child?
7. Many Christians carry a cross of loneliness now. Could the doctrine of heaven be a comfort that enables them to bear their cross? If so, how? Consider what God will remove from us when we are in heaven and who will be in heaven with us.
8. The question is asked repeatedly whether we will know anyone in heaven. How would you answer this question from what you have learned in this lesson? Consider also1 Corinthians 13:12.
9. In heaven what will we remember about this world and our life in it? Consider Isaiah 65:17.
10. In heaven the image of God, which Adam lost in the fall, will be restored to us fully. For each of the divine attributes listed below, explain what characteristic our body or soul will have in heaven.
Glorious:
Almighty:
Eternal:
Unchanging
Intellect and knowledge
Wisdom:
Goodness:
Holiness:
Love:
Just and righteous:
11. Some have thought that being in heaven is likely to be boring. From what you have learned in this lesson, what do you think?