What is Heaven Like?

  I felt strongly led by the Lord to repost a series I wrote about Heaven way back in 2008!  It's a little long so you can read it in segments if you want, but I believe the Lord Jesus wants us to focus on our glorious future right now and keep our eyes on Him and not on all the evil plans of the enemy. Why? Because I believe we are going home soon. So, it is my hope and prayer that the description of Heaven below will bless and encourage you and keep your hope and joy alive as we wait for our King to return!

1. Will we have physical bodies in Heaven?

The first thing to know is that Heaven is only a temporary dwelling place. Our eternal home will be when Heaven and the New Earth combine after the second coming of Jesus and the 1000 year reign. But that's another story. We don't know much about what our bodies will be like in Heaven, but we do know from scripture that we will be recognizable. When Moses and Elijah appeared with Jesus on the Mount of Transfiguration, they appeared in bodies that were recognizable. (Luke 9:28-36)
After the Rapture, we will all be given new eternal bodies. (I Corinthians 15:35-54) We can also look to the example of Jesus's glorified body after He was raised from the dead.

Our new bodies will
be Spiritual in nature, but physical, touchable.
be able to walk, run, laugh, communicate, and work
be powerful and eternal (never grow old)
have all our 5 senses and maybe even more we don't know about
never grow tired or get sick or need to sleep

I don't know about you, but that's pretty exciting to me.

2. Will we be able to eat and drink?

Yes! I believe we will be able to eat and drink. For one thing, Jesus shared a meal of fish with the disciples after He was resurrected. And what about the Marriage feast depicted in Revelation. A feast to me means lots of good food! (and we probably won't get fat either!) I can't wait.

3. Will we have relationships? Families? Friends?

Our God is a relational God. He's the ultimate Father of the biggest family in the universe. He created families beginning with Adam and Eve. God himself is a triune entity. Three beings in one. He loves relationships. The Bible speaks about us being "adopted" into His family and Jesus calls His disciples His brothers, sisters, mothers and children. So, yes, I believe that we will have the best relationships in Heaven than we could have ever had on earth and we will all be a part of one big family.

4. What is the difference between heaven and the new earth?

The present heaven that the Bible refers to is the current place where God dwells. Paul refers to it as the third heaven when he indicated that he was caught up to the third heaven in 2 Corinthians 12. We get glimpses of it in scripture. In Daniel and Isaiah we see visions of the great throne room of heaven where God sits on his throne. These pictures are awesome and glorious! But the scripture indicates heaven is not where we'll live forever. When Jesus returns to defeat Satan and set up his kingdom on earth, we will be with Him. 1 Thess 3:13 We will reign with Him for a thousand years on earth and then the scriptures indicate that God will create a new heaven and a new earth even more fabulous than this one. Mankind was created to live on earth and I truly believe earth will be our eternal home.

5. Will we remember our lives on earth?

There is every indication from scripture that we will remember in detail our lives while on earth. The martyrs standing before God in Revelation clearly remember the torment they suffered on earth. In the story of Lazarus and the rich man in Luke 16, the rich man remembers not only his life but all of his family still on earth and begs Lazarus to return and warn his family. When we stand before the Beta judgement seat, we must give account of our acts of faithfulness while here on earth so we can receive our reward. 1 Corinthians 3:14. How can we do that if we have no memory of our lives? There are many other examples, but I fully believe our memory will be intact and probably be more clear than ever.

6. Will we be able to pray for our loved ones on earth and be aware of what's happening on earth?

Several times in the book of Revelation, we see saints in heaven either rejoicing or praying for things that are happening on earth, so I fully believe that we will be aware of what's going on back on earth, perhaps not with specific people, but certainly with major events. In the Transfiguration in Luke 9, Moses and Elijah appeared with Jesus and spoke to him about his ministry and the things that must come. Obviously they were totally aware of who Jesus was and what he came to earth to accomplish. Since we will have access to the throne room in heaven, I have no doubt that we will be able to come to God with our requests. In Revelation 6, the saints are asking God to do something specific on earth, so that would definitely indicate to me that can offer our prayers to God right to His Face. How awesome is that?

7. What sort of rewards will we receive in Heaven?

The Bible has much to say about rewards and crowns given to God's children for the things they did on earth. It grieves me greatly when I meet Christians who have received Christ but believe they don't have to do anything else on this earth except maintain that belief and wait either to die or the Lord to return. They may make it into Heaven, but they would have lost so much in the way of rewards and authority. Several times in Revelation, crowns bestowed upon believers are mentioned. Now, you may say, I don't want a crown. But I believe these crowns represent "ruling authority"

"To him who overcomes and does my will to the end, I will give authority over the nations." Rev 2:26

"Be faithful even to the point of death, and I will give you the crown of life." Rev 2:10

It is clear from these and other scriptures (Luke 19:17, 1 Corinthians 6:2-3, 2 Tim 2:12) that we will reign with Christ on the New Earth. This was God's intention for man from the beginning as we see in Genesis. When God created Adam, He gave him dominion over every living thing and told him to rule. (Genesis 1:28) On the new Earth, we will be restored to the place God originally intended. What will we rule? I assume we will rule cities, counties, countries on earth, depending on the level of authority we are given. And that level of authority depends on what we do here on earth.
In Luke 19, Jesus tells the parable of the ten talents or minas he gives His servants. To the one who was faithful to use his talents and increase their value Jesus said:

'Well done, my good servant!' his master replied. 'Because you have been trustworthy in a very small matter, take charge of ten cities.' But to the one who did nothing with his talent, but hid it in the dirt, Jesus said. 'Take his mina away from him and give it to the one who has ten minas"

Does it matter what we do here on Earth for Jesus? Absolutely!

8. Will the new Earth be like Eden?

In the sense that the new Earth will be beautiful beyond description, yes, but in the sense that the New Earth will be nothing but a huge garden, Scripture does not indicate that at all. In fact, Scripture speaks of cities and countries and kings and tall ships (Thank goodness!) and a whole economic and political system. But it will be without crime, pollution, death, diseases, famine, plague or natural disasters. As Randy Alcorn says in his book Heaven: "The earthly beauty we see now won't be lost. We won't trade Earth's beauty for Heaven's, but retain earth's beauty and gain even deeper beauty"

In 1 Corinthians 2:9, it says "No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love him"

9. Will we be ourselves? Will we retain our unique identity?

Many religious beliefs tell us that we will all become part of some cosmic power when we die, that we will all sort of blend together in oneness. I don't know about you but that idea doesn't appeal to me at all. What's the point of going to heaven if I won't really be aware of myself anymore? The truth is, Scripture does give us an indication that we will be unique individuals in the afterlife. In Luke 15, Jesus relays multiple parables: The Lost Sheep, The Lost Coin, and (my personal favorite) The Prodigal son. Each story is about how valuable we are as individuals to God and the depths to which He would go to bring us home. Think about it. God is a God of diversity. He didn't even create two snowflakes alike, let alone people. Psalm 139 tells us that God formed us in our mother's womb. God did. He tenderly made us just the way we are, unique for His unique purpose. Now, why would our uniqueness go away when we get to Heaven? Doesn't make sense. On the Mt. of Transfiguration (Matt 17) where Jesus stood with Moses and Elijah, the disciples recognized both the ancient prophets and Jesus spoke to the as individuals. So, I not only think we will be unique individuals in Heaven (or New Earth) but we will be the same unique individuals as we are now.

10. What will we do in Heaven and throughout eternity?

When God created Adam and Eve in the garden, He didn't tell them to just sit around and do nothing. He told them to rule the Earth, to be fruitful and multiply. They were to manage the garden. They had jobs. In other words, God created work. It wasn't meant to be a four letter word like it is today. The Curse or fall of man made work menial, hard and frustrating. The good news is that on the new Earth, with the curse removed, work will once again be something we look forward to doing. In addition to our jobs ruling the new Earth, I believe we'll be given other jobs according to our individual talents and abilities. In other words, they'll be things that we enjoy doing, things that we were created to do. Our work will bring us joy and fulfillment and purpose and bring glory to God. Perhaps, you've always had a desire to paint, to write music, to dance, to cook, to write a book! But in this fallen world, you never had the chance to realize your dreams. The new Earth is a place where Dreams come True!

11. What will our bodies be like? age, male/female, size, senses, super abilities, emotions?

Our best example in the Bible of what our bodies will be like was of Jesus Himself after he rose from the dead. Scripture indicates He had a glorified body and that one day we will be like Him. We know the following after the Resurrection: Jesus was still distinctly male, he remained at or close to His age when He died, He was not abnormal in size or stature. He expressed emotions: laughter, love. . .etc. He possessed all His senses: Sight, smell, touch, taste, and hearing. He had the ability to walk through walls and project Himself over distances. Therefore, He did have super abilities.

Though the Bible doesn't specifically say, many theologians believe we will all remain at an age when our bodies will be at their prime. Somewhere around our late 20's, early 30's. In other words, if you die when you are 100 years old, you will not spend eternity in that state. In fact, God's original plan for mankind was that we never age (Adam and Eve). Since aging, deformities and diseases were all caused by the fall, none of these things will affect our new bodies.

From the example of Jesus, we see that we will have senses, but personally, I believe they will be super-enhanced in Heaven. Flowers will smell sweeter, food will taste better, music will sound more harmonious. And God is a God of emotion. Just read through the Bible and you cannot deny it. He created us to have emotions. Here on Earth, they are tainted by sin, but in Heaven, all our emotions will be much stronger and more wonderful than we can imagine. Super abilities: Who knows? The sky (no Heaven) is the limit. Jesus could walk through walls. I like to think that we'll be able to fly. Or better yet, dive to the deepest part of the ocean without scuba gear. Nothing is impossible with God!

12. Will we be capable of sin?

I know many people who are fearful even now of getting to Heaven, commiting some sin, and being cast out. I don't believe that can happen. In Revelation, God describes Heaven as a place where there will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain. Since sin causes all those things, it is logical to conclude that there will be no sin in Heaven or in our eternity. In Hebrews 9, the Scripture says that Jesus died to put an end to sin. It's over, done with. Gone. Amen

13. What will we know in Heaven and will we be able to learn?

When we pass from this temporary physical world into the eternal spiritual world, we will see things we never thought existed. The Apostle Paul describes our present state as looking into a dull mirror in 1 Corinthians 13:12. I love the way the Amplified Bible states it:
For now we are looking in a mirror that gives only a dim, blurred reflection of reality as in a riddle or enigma, but then when perfection comes, we shall see in reality and face to face! Now I know in part, imperfectly, but then I shall know and understand fully and clearly, even in the same manner as I have been fully and clearly known and understood by God.

So it would seem that we will know a lot more than we do now and understand many more things. Will we know as much as God? Absolutely not. We will still be created beings. Even the angels don't know everything. (1 Peter 1:12)

What about learning? God created learning. He instructs us over and over in scripture to study, learn and grow in our understanding. Why would all of that stop in eternity? Can you imagine all the wonderful things there are to learn about the universe, about God, about ages past (talk about a history lesson) I don't believe we'll instantly know all these things. Inside our human nature, God has planted desires to investigate, search, and discover. Why would He deny us that thrill when we are in Heaven? Because we'll have jobs in Heaven, a purpose, and tasks to complete, it only makes sense that we would be constantly learning. And since Scripture does not contradict this and God created our desire to learn, I believe we'll do much learning in Heaven and it will be fun too!

14. Will there be books in Heaven? And will books written on earth be in Heaven?
 

Well, we know of one book that God promises will be in Heaven--His Holy Word, The Bible. Scripture declares that it is eternal. So why wouldn't there be other books as well? The world's great history books, books on theology, science, psychology etc... why not? Since we will still be learning, what better way than through books?  What about fiction books? Though there are certainly some unworthy books found on this earth, there are also tons of beautiful stories created out of the gift God has given some of His children. I believe any book that speaks the truth and glorifies God will be found in Heaven. Personally, I can't imagine a place without a great fiction to read, can you?

15. What will our daily live be like?

For part of the answer, I go to Genesis and study the description God gives us of Adam and Eve's life before the fall. They had meaningful and enjoyable work. (To care for the garden and the animals), abundant food (they could eat of any tree save one), a beautiful environment, unhindered friendship with God (He would come and walk with them in the evening) and relationships with other people and animals. They also had a day of rest, just like God ordained. So, rest and relaxation will definitely be a part of our lives in Heaven. Sound good? Aren't these all the things we all strive for in our earthly lives?

Also, as we've already discussed, each of us will be given important tasks of rulership in Heaven (or the new earth) These will be things we not only enjoy but that are talents are perfectly suited for. No more dragging yourself to work or school and staring at the clock waiting to go home. No. I imagine we will all be anxious to get to work each morning. We will look forward to it with great anticipation because our work will fulfill us and through it, we will please God. Work was created before the Fall and was meant to be enjoyable. God, Himself, is a God who enjoys work. Why shouldn't we?

16. Will we sleep? Eat? Play?

The Bible speaks a lot about rest and entering our rest, but will we actually sleep in heaven? I don't believe the Scriptures are clear on that. Our bodies will be perfect but will they ever run down, get tired? My personal opinion is that they won't, but I don't know for sure. For those of us who enjoy sleep, perhaps it will be a part of your routine. For others, like myself, who struggle getting a full night's sleep, and would rather stay up and be productive, perhaps we won't need to sleep. Either way, it's heaven, and it will be perfect.

As I discussed earlier, would it be heaven if we couldn't eat? Our best example of this is the resurrected Jesus. In His glorified body, he both ate and drank. Also Revelation speaks of a grand wedding feast. So, yes, I believe we will eat, and we will enjoy it. I receive vegetables and fruit from a local organic farm and I have to say that the fresh produce is so much more flavorful and so much better than the stuff you buy in a grocery store. But I believe food on the new Earth will be even better. I can't wait.

Will we play? Just look at all the fun activities God has created for our enjoyment on earth. Sports, Art, Music, Movies, Good Books, Games...etc. Do you think those will end in Heaven, on the new earth? The Bible tells us that Every good thing comes from God. My opinion is that they will not end, but be even more fun, even more enjoyable. Maybe you've always wanted to oil paint but didn't have the time or talent to pursue it. Perhaps you'll be able to in Heaven. Maybe you've always wanted to play baseball, but in this competitive, crooked world, you never made it. Maybe in Heaven you can play with the Angels!

17. Will we have homes?

Jesus said in John 14 "In my Father's house are many mansions. . .I go to prepare a place for you." To me, this means that we will all have homes just like we have here on earth. Places that are just ours where we can go after working or playing and just rest. Places with our most precious things set around us, where we can have guests over for dinner or a movie. Why not? Isn't that one of the wonderful things we enjoy on this earth? And since Jesus is preparing it, I believe He'll stock our homes full of the things that mean the most to us. He'll furnish it according to our tastes and needs. He knows everything about us. I truly believe that when we first walk into our new house, we'll feel like we finally have arrived home.

18. Will animals inhabit Heaven or the New Earth?

I'm a real animal lover. I take in every stray cat that comes to my house. (We currently have 3, but have had up to 6 in the past) I've also had birds, bunnies, rats (yes, I know, Yuk) hamsters, and fish. One of my favorite things to do is visit a zoo or wild animal park. So, I can't imagine Heaven without animals. Well, rejoice... here's what the Bible has to say about that:

"The wolf also shall dwell with the lamb, The leopard shall lie down with the young goat, The calf and the young lion and the fatling together; And a little child shall lead them. The cow and the bear shall graze; Their young ones shall lie down together; And the lion shall eat straw like the ox. The nursing child shall play by the cobra’s hole, And the weaned child shall put his hand in the viper’s den. They shall not hurt nor destroy in all My holy mountain, For the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the LORD as the waters cover the sea." Isaiah 11:6-9
 

Sounds like a lot of animals to me! And not only that, but they'll be friendly too. And don't forget that when we return with Jesus at the Second coming, we are all riding horses! So we know for sure that horses are in heaven! 

19. Do animals have souls? and how does God consider them?

Consistently throughout scripture, God used animals to further His purpose. He used ravens to feed Elijah (1 Kings 17) He made a giant fish swallow Jonah (Jonah 1:17), he sent a fish with a coin in its mouth to the disciples (Matt 17:27) and he used a donkey to get Balaam's attention and save his life. (Numbers 22). God created animals. He loves them. And since they appear to have feelings and thoughts, they must have souls.
 

"What is the price of two sparrows—one copper coin? But not a single sparrow can fall to the ground without your Father knowing it." Matt 10:29
 

20. Will we see our beloved pets in Heaven?

This is a particularly poignant question for me because I have lost several precious pets over the years. The Bible is not entirely clear on this issue but it does give us some clues. As we've already seen, there will be animals on the New Earth. And we know from Romans 8:21-23 that animals, along with all of creation suffer in this present fallen age, waiting for God to make things right. So, it would make sense to me that God would simply bring back some or all of those animals who suffered here on earth and regenerate them for the New Earth. Why not? And if we asked Him to bring back our pets, why wouldn't He? God is a good God, full of grace and mercy and the giver of all good gifts. So, I for one, have no doubt that I will see my pets who have passed away, fully restored and healthy.

21. Will dreams be fulfilled and missed opportunities regained?
 

Let's face it. We live in a fallen world. Things aren't the way they're supposed to be. When God created Adam and Eve, He wanted them to rule the world, to be prosperous and multiply. His plans were good plans. In John 10:10, Jesus tells us He came to give us Life and life more abundant... to have life to the full! The Lord longs to bless us. (Part of that blessing may be allowing trials in our lives to build our characters and bring people to Him, but ultimately they are blessings) He has a plan for our lives--a purpose that fits exactly how we were made. But sometimes things don't work out that way. Sometimes circumstances occur that drag us down. We lose our hope or get sidetracked by the world or Satan's lies. And our lives don't end up the way we had dreamed or the way God intended. But never fear. This earth is not our only chance! As we've seen in this post, we will have full, meaningful lives for all of eternity on the New Earth. So, maybe you've always wanted to travel to France, or learn how to ski, or write a novel (hey, there's an idea!), or play an instrument, or basically just do something important with your life, but you never had the chance here on Earth. You will be able to do all those things in Heaven. Suppose some disease or accident has kept you in bed or in pain or in a wheelchair. Here's what Joni Eareckson Tada has to say about that. (She's been a paraplegic since her youth) "I haven't been cheated out of being a complete person---I'm just going through a 40 year delay, and God is with me through that. Being glorified--I know the meaning of that now. It's the time after my death here, when I'll be on my feet, dancing!"
There will be no more sorrow or disappointments or lost dreams in eternity. If God placed a dream inside of you, then He will fulfill it, either in this world or the next.

22. Will there be new inventions and new technologies?

I say, why not? God is a creator. He has a creative mind. When He creates, He looks at it and says it is good. And mankind, created in God's image has the same creative mind. Even in our fallen society, look what mankind has achieved? Look at the art of Rembrant, Monet, Michelangelo. The music of Chopin, Bethoven, The Beatles! Look at our inventions: Cars, trains, rocket ships to the moon. And just in my generation: Digital TVs, Computers, Cell phones, microwaves, DVDs, the internet. Just think what immortal man can come up with in a perfect world with the creativity of God flowing through him? Sure God can just say the word and bring something into existence but He knows how much we enjoy creating things ourselves. I don't know a single person who doesn't enjoy making something, who doesn't get fulfillment out of creating something new whether it be a cake or a computer program, or a new song. The possibilities are endless, and exciting!

As we've seen, Heaven is a glorious place. We will have bodies that never get sick or tired or grow old. We will eat and drink and have parties with our friends. We will work and create things that give our lives meaning and fulfillment. We will read and learn and play sports and watch movies and do all the wonderful things we enjoy here on this earth, but at a much higher level. We will be surrounded by such beauty that this earth will pale in comparison. We'll play with animals, have our pets with us. All our dreams will be fulfilled!
 

Now, in light of that, how then should we live?

Suppose you and a bunch of other people are all invited to a huge mansion for a week and told that in order to be happy you had to go through the rooms and get as much stuff as you could. The catch was, you had to fight against the other people in order to get the things you wanted. But suppose that at the end of the week you knew you had to relinquish everything you had gathered before you left the mansion. Now, also suppose that you were told that if you spent the week getting to know the Master of the mansion and speaking with him, following him around and doing what he said, that when you left at the end of the week, there would be a chest full of treasure waiting for you outside the door that you could take with you. Which would you choose?

Since nothing we have or can gain on this earth lasts except the things we do for God, and this life is but a blip on the screen of eternity, it would make sense to spend our time here following Jesus and obeying and trusting Him. Anything else is a waste of our time. As we saw, we will be rewarded in Heaven with greater joys and responsibilities depending on what we do here on earth. So, what are we waiting for? Let's start storing up our treasures in heaven.
 

Matthew 6:19-20 Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal.

But in keeping with his promise we are looking forward to a new heaven and a new earth, the home of righteousness. So then, dear friends, since you are looking forward to this, make every effort to be found spotless, blameless and at peace with him. 2 Peter 3:13-14

Make a daily effort to focus on Heaven and what it will be like. I guarantee that soon the things of this world will lose their allure.

 

Check out my Pinterest Page on What is Heaven Like!

If Heaven sounds like a place you'd like to go to, but you aren't sure you're going, click on "How to get Saved"

It's not too late!  Though time is getting shorter and shorter!