Heaven Exists
Before we get into the existence of heaven, let's consider exactly when do we go? As with numerous Biblical topics, many churches, under Christianity's umbrella, have different beliefs on these topics. The following are my thoughts as reinforced by the specified verses from several Bible versions.
As a believer, as soon as you die, you go to heaven. The briefest, most precise biblical verse addressing this issue is Luke Chapter 23, verse 43. Jesus told the thief on the cross, “Truly I say to you. Today you will be with me in Paradise.” Not to be flippant, Jesus did not say, “Just wait until I come back two more times and I will give you a new body.” He said, 'Today!' That was and continues to be His promise.
Let Scriptures Enlighten Us. We are told that in Heaven there is a diverse assembly of Jesus, angels, and the believing women and men who were sanctified and made perfect. These individuals are not decomposing in some grave awaiting their resurrection, but have preceded us to Heaven and await our joining them.
However, do you realize that you were born headed for hell? The truth, according to the Bible, is that hell,—not heaven—is our default destination. Unless our sin problem is solved once and for all, we can’t enter heaven. As soon as unsaved persons die, they are judged and dispatched to Hell. Luke Chapter 16 offers a glimpse of life in hell: The time came when the beggar (a believer) died and the angels carried him to Abraham’s side. The rich man (a non-believer) also died and was buried. He was sent to the place of death and was in great pain. He saw Abraham far away with Lazarus in his arms. He called, ‘Father Abraham, have mercy on me! Send Lazarus to me so that he can dip his finger in water and cool my tongue. I am suffering in this fire!’ Friends, if that does not describe hell, what does?
Possibly, the Biblical verses causing the most consternation are found in John Chapter 5, verses 25-29. “Verily, verily I say unto you, the hour is coming and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God; and they that hear shall live. For as the Father hath life in Himself, so hath He given to the Son to have life in Himself, and hath given Him authority to execute judgment also, because He is the Son of Man. Marvel not at this; for the hour is coming in which all that are in the graves shall hear His voice and shall come forth—they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life, and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation.”
This particular passage allows some to consider that we will be bound in our earthly graves until the resurrection. Based on this and other passages, some Seventh-Day Adventists teach that when believers and nonbelievers die, they are in an unconscious state until the resurrection of the dead. Most of Christianity, however, does not agree with that philosophy. Southern Baptists, as do most Protestant Churches, believe those that die in Christ go immediately to Heaven. Many students of the Bible believe that phrase, “those in which all that are in the graves shall hear His voice and shall come forth,” refers to those that were in the grave until Jesus was born to his ministry here on earth.
Seldom do I include an entire chapter from the Bible in these brief essays. However, Hebrews 12 is such a seldom referenced, yet relevant and instructive travel guide for our journey to heaven, it needed to be presented here from the easy to read version (ERV).
The Saved accept God's Discipline. We have all these great people around us as examples. Their lives tell us what faith means. So we, too, should run the race that is before us and never quit. We should remove from our lives anything that would slow us down and the sin that so often makes us fall. We must never stop looking to Jesus. He is the leader of our faith, and he is the one who makes our faith complete. He suffered death on a cross. But he accepted the shame of the cross as if it were nothing because of the joy he could see waiting for him. And now he is sitting at the right side of God’s throne. Think about Jesus. He patiently endured the angry insults that sinful people were shouting at him. Think about him so that you won’t get discouraged and stop trying.
You are struggling against sin, but you have not had to give up your life for the cause. You are children of God, and he speaks words of comfort to you. You have forgotten these words: “My child, don’t think the Lord’s discipline is worth nothing, and don’t stop trying when he corrects you. The Lord disciplines everyone he loves; he punishes everyone he accepts as a child.”
So accept sufferings like a father’s discipline. God does these things to you like a father correcting his children. You know that all children are disciplined by their fathers. So, if you never receive the discipline that every child must have, you are not true children and don’t really belong to God. We have all had fathers here on earth who corrected us with discipline. And we respected them. So it is even more important that we accept discipline from the Father of our spirits. If we do this, we will have life. Our fathers on earth disciplined us for a short time in the way they thought was best. But God disciplines us to help us so that we can be holy like him. We don’t enjoy discipline when we get it. It is painful. But later, after we have learned our lesson from it, we will enjoy the peace that comes from doing what is right.
You have become weak, so make yourselves strong again. Live in the right way so that you will be saved and your weakness will not cause you to be lost. Try to live in peace with everyone. And try to keep your lives free from sin. Anyone whose life is not holy will never see the Lord. Be careful that no one fails to get God’s grace. Be careful that no one loses their faith and becomes like a bitter weed growing among you. Someone like that can ruin your whole group. Be careful that no one commits sexual sin. And be careful that no one is like Esau and never thinks about God. As the oldest son, Esau would have inherited everything from his father. But he sold all that for a single meal. You remember that after Esau did this, he wanted to get his father’s blessing. He wanted that blessing so much that he cried. But his father refused to give him the blessing, because Esau could find no way to change what he had done.
You have not come to a place that can be seen and touched, like the mountain the people of Israel saw, which was burning with fire and covered with darkness, gloom, and storms. There is no sound of a trumpet or a voice speaking words like those they heard. When they heard the voice, they begged never to hear another word. They did not want to hear the command: “If anything, even an animal, touches the mountain, it must be killed with stones.” What they saw was so terrible that Moses said, “I am shaking with fear.”
But you have come to Mount Zion, to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem. You have come to a place where thousands of angels have gathered to celebrate. You have come to the meeting of God’s firstborn children. Their names are written in heaven. You have come to God, the judge of all people. And you have come to the spirits of good people who have been made perfect. You have come to Jesus—the one who brought the new agreement from God to his people. You have come to the sprinkled blood that tells us about better things than the blood of Abel.
Be careful and don’t refuse to listen when God speaks. Those people refused to listen to him when he warned them on earth. And they did not escape. Now God is speaking from heaven. So now it will be worse for those who refuse to listen to him. When he spoke before, his voice shook the earth. But now he has promised, “Once again I will shake the earth, but I will also shake heaven.” The words “once again” clearly show us that everything that was created will be destroyed—that is, the things that can be shaken. And only what cannot be shaken will remain.
So we should be thankful because we have a kingdom that cannot be shaken. And because we are thankful, we should worship God in a way that will please him. We should do this with respect and fear because our God is like a fire that can destroy us.
Heaven. The term “heaven” is found close to 700 times in biblical scriptures. Heaven, as described in the Bible, is a real domain. Actually, scripture refers to more than one province of heaven. The apostle Paul was “caught up to the third heaven,” but he was prohibited from revealing exactly what he experienced there (2 Corinthians 12:1-9). Because a third heavenly realm exists, logic says, there must be two other heavens.
The first heaven is frequently referred to as the “sky” or the “firmament.” Was this a 'heaven on earth' that Adam and Eve lived in with their own natural bodies? Maybe Earth was encapsulated in the first heaven's firmament once upon a time? Is the first heaven now a spiritual boundary that containing the sky and the clouds we see in place? Something keeps our earth's atmosphere in place. Our moon doesn't hold atmosphere even though it is the largest moon in our solar system and its gravitational force is 1/6 as powerful as earth's gravity.
The second heaven could refer to the interstellar galaxies where all celestial objects, i.e., stars, planets, and moons abide. (Genesis 1:14-18). However, the Bible does not include the term “second heaven” anywhere. Some religious sects consider the term second heaven as a reference to Satan’s domain. They take the biblical descriptions of Satan being “the ruler of the kingdom of the air” (Ephesians 2) and demons being “the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms” (Ephesians 6) as a source of their beliefs. Accordingly, they espouse that “second heaven revelations” are false visions, coming from Satan in an attempt to deceive God’s prophets on earth.
I believe reasoning demons into the second-heaven domain goes beyond what the Bible states. Anybody who looks for new prophecies from God set themself up for falsehoods. God has spoken, and our biblical canon is sealed until after the second coming.
The third heaven is where God dwells and the exact location is not revealed. This is not just a distinctly spiritual realm where angels reside with God. Revelation describes gates of pearl and city streets of such pure gold, they were transparent.
Jesus promised there are rooms there in his Father's house for Christians (John 14:2). Heaven is also the destination of Old Testament saints who died trusting God’s promise of the Redeemer. Ephesians 4 says, “He went up.” What does that mean? It means Christ came down from heaven by being born, and He is the One who sacrificed his life, then he ascended. He went up into the highest heaven after His torment and death fulfilled the exacting payments for our sins. And that same Christ gave these gifts to people: He made some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to go and tell the Good News, and some to care for and teach God’s people. Christ gave these gifts to prepare God’s holy people for the work of serving, to make the body of Christ stronger. This work must continue until we are all joined together in what we believe and in what we know about the Son of God. We must think not only of ourselves but reach out to others as well. Our goal is to become Christ like and mirror his perfection.
The apostle John was privileged to see and report on the heavenly city (Revelation 21:10-27). John witnessed that forthcoming heaven (probably, the new earth) possesses the “glory of God” the very presence of God. Because heaven has no night and the Lord Himself is the light, the sun and moon are no longer needed.
The city is filled with the brilliance of jewel stones and crystal clear jasper. Heaven has twelve gates, each made from a single pearl, and twelve foundations. The Garden of Eden is restored, once again a paradise. The river of the water of life flows freely and the tree of life is available once again, yielding fruit monthly with leaves that “heal the nations” (Revelation 22:1-2). No matter how articulate John was in describing heaven, the reality of heaven is beyond the ability of humankind to describe (1 Corinthians 2:9).
Heaven is a place of “no more troubles.” There will be no more tears, pains, or sorrows (Revelation 21:4). Death will be conquered forever. There will be no more separation from Jesus (Revelation 20:6). The most incredible aspect of the third heaven is, we will be in the presence of our God and our Savior (1 John 3:2). We will be face to face with the Lamb of God who loved us and sacrificed Himself so that we can enjoy heaven for all eternity.
Are We Spirits In Heaven Or Do We Have Bodies? Earlier in this essay, you were told of Lazarus and the rich man as an example that we are dispatched to heaven or hell as per our faith or condition of sin. I'll use Luke Chapter 16, verses 20-24, again to show not only do we have bodies in heaven, but they will be recognizable to others. “There was also a very poor man named Lazarus. Lazarus’ body was covered with sores. He was often put by the rich man’s gate. Lazarus wanted only to eat the scraps of food left on the floor under the rich man’s table. And the dogs came and licked his sores. “Later, Lazarus died. The angels took him and placed him in the arms of Abraham. The rich man also died and was buried. He was sent to the place of death and was in great pain. He saw Abraham far away with Lazarus in his arms. He called, ‘Father Abraham, have mercy on me! Send Lazarus to me so that he can dip his finger in water and cool my tongue. I am suffering in this fire!” One was in Heaven and one was suffering in the fires of hell!
Both men were dead to the world. But now, Lazarus, the 'Rich Man', and even Abraham were alive and self-aware. Thus, when we die, we who trust in Christ will be with Him in a conscious state. At the moment of earthly death, we become embodied beings. Paul states, we have a spiritual body, eternal in Heaven. Based on those verses, I believe even our Spiritual Bodies will reflect the attributes of our earthly bodies. Abraham had arms that held Lazarus. The rich man's eyes saw Lazarus and just wanted Lazarus to dip a finger in water to cool his tongue.
Do those verses tell us on the day we die we become conscious spirits with human-like shapes, forms, and substance? Not totally disembodied beings. Paul states, we have a spiritual body, eternal in the Heavens, but our physical bodies remain on this earth until the resurrection of the dead that died before the coming of Christ. Then, at the second coming, our old bodies are raised, changed, and rejoined with our spiritual bodies and we live forever with Christ. But until then, our dead lifeless bodies remain on this earth. That is what I gleaned from these and other verses. What I can't answer is: How could the 'Rich Man', who is in hell, see Lazarus, who is in Heaven? My only guess is—God wanted this episode to be a teaching point.
I think Paul was addressing the first-generation believers who were fearful over the souls of friends, faithful to God, that had died before the coming of Christ. Paul tells them not to be troubled. Paul tells us that Jesus “will bring with Him those who sleep in Jesus” (1 Thessalonians 4, verse 14). 1 Thessalonians 5, verse 23 states that our bodies will be preserved blameless at Christ’s coming. We are told in 1 Corinthians 15, verses 35-49, that the dead bodies will be raised and changed. Our bodies are important to God and form an integral part of His plans for us. He wants to continue to know us in our new, perfect bodies which will be, once again, glorified in His image.
That is the best explanation I could formulate. Please keep in mind I have no knowledge of the original languages, nor a seminary degree in theology. I'm just a believer with several supporting study Bibles and a will to explore and share His Word. If I confuse you, seek out someone more qualified. It could be your Pastor or any other Disciple of Jesus.
Our main purpose in Heaven. Isaiah Chapter 43, verse 7, “Even Every One That Is Called By My Name, For I Have created him for my glory, I have formed him; yea, I have made him.” That makes it explicitly clear that God created all of mankind for His glory. But don't let this puff you up with false pride or a 'Big-Head.' The entire universe and all the worlds within were created to show His majesty. We also glorify God by believing in and glorifying Jesus the Christ. Revelation Chapter 5, verses 12-13, “Saying with a loud voice, “Worthy is the Lamb who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and might and honor and glory and blessing! Then I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and on the sea, and all that is in them, saying: “To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be praise and honor and glory and power, forever and ever!”
Therefore, according to the Bible, our ultimate purpose is to glorify God the Father and his Son. That is why we were created and placed on this Earth and why later we will be taken to our permanent eternal home. God has unique plans and purposes for each person. Jeremiah Chapter 29, verse 11, “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” Let's explore what those plans might be?
Heavenly Plans And Our Work Therein. Yes, there is work to be done after our earthly demise and when the New Earth and New Heavens will be created. There will be different tasks for each of us. Our daily tasks probably will change from season to season, if not more frequently. While residing in Heaven, we will never be bored. Listen to this next verse and think of the enjoyment of those acting as servants to the Lord. Isaiah Chapter 40, verse 31, “But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary, and they shall walk, and not faint.”(KJV)
The idea of working in Heaven or on the New Earth is a foreign concept to many people. Yet Scripture clearly teaches the satisfying righteousness of work. When God created Adam, he “took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it.” (Genesis 2, verse 15). Work was part of the original Eden even as that place was a 'Paradise on Earth! Work is a part of human and spiritual life. God is a worker. He didn't create the universe and retire. “My food,” Jesus said, “is to do the will of Him who sent me and to finish His work.” (John 4, verse 34). Jesus also said, “My Father is always at His work to this very day, and I, too, am working” (John 5, verse 17). Jesus found great satisfaction in His work.
Likewise, we will have our own tasks to do. Satisfying and enriching work that we can't wait to get back to. Work that will never be a drudge. 1st Corinthians Chapter 6, verse 3 “Do you not know that we are to judge angels? How much more, then, matters pertaining to this life!” Now judging angels might not seem like work but look at all the troubles we are having today with judges that are not godly declaring gender is a choice, not a fact of birth, and that murdering a baby in or out of the mother's womb is lawful.
We know even the animals will all get along with each other. Isaiah Chapter 65, verses 17-25, tells us of these New Heavens and New Earth. “See, I will create new heavens and a new earth. The former things will not be remembered, nor will they come to mind. But be glad and rejoice forever in what I will create, for I will create Jerusalem to be a delight and its people a joy. I will rejoice over Jerusalem and take delight in my people; the sound of weeping and of crying will be heard in it no more. “Never again will there be in it an infant who lives but a few days, or an old man who does not live out his years; the one who dies at a hundred will be thought a mere child; the one who fails to reach a hundred will be considered accursed. They will build houses and dwell in them; they will plant vineyards and eat their fruit. No longer will they build houses and others live in them, or plant and others eat. For as the days of a tree, so will be the days of my people; my chosen ones will long enjoy the work of their hands. They will not labor in vain, nor will they bear children doomed to misfortune; for they will be a people blessed by the Lord, they and their descendants with them. Before they call, I will answer; while they are still speaking, I will hear. The wolf and the lamb will feed together, and the lion will eat straw like the ox, and dust will be the serpent’s food. They will neither harm nor destroy on all my holy mountain.” My God, what blessings you promise to bestow upon us!
We will build houses and plant vineyards. So it is clear we will work even as Adam and Eve were expected to do. Might not some of us be asked to harvest and distribute straw and grains to the animals? For we humans certainly do enjoy the companionship of animals.
Don't be confused by John Chapter 14, verses 2-3 where we are told our dwellings within heavenly mansions await. “In my Father's house are many mansions, if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there you may be also.” The Heavenly Mansions will be our own palaces before the return of Jesus Christ and we return to earth. Once returned to the New Earth, Isaiah 65:21 (GNT) again tells us; “People will build houses and get to live in them - they will not be used by someone else. They will plant vineyards and enjoy the wine - it will not be drunk by others. Like trees, my people will live long lives. They will fully enjoy the things that they have worked for.”
God is the primary worker and, as His image-bearers, we were created to work. Heavenly work will be satisfying. We will set goals and fulfill them—all to God's glory.
We Can Play. Ever wonder what it would be like to play with a panda bear? Or wrestle with an African Lion? Well, this too might become a reality in God's Heaven. All animals will be tame, none will prey upon others, or us. Isaiah Chapter 11, verses 6-9, “The wolf also shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the kid; and the calf and the young lion and the fatling together; and a little child shall lead them. And the cow and the bear shall feed; their young ones shall lie down together, and the lion shall eat straw like the ox. And the sucking child shall play on the hole of the asp, and the weaned child shall put his hand on the cockatrice' den (or cobra, viper, snake, serpent). 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.”
Children In Heaven? As we read in the previous verse, even children have worthwhile purposes in Heaven. Zechariah Chapter 8, verse 5, “And the streets of the city shall be full of boys and girls playing in the streets thereof.” Malachi Chapter 4, verse 2, “But unto you that fear my name shall the Sun of righteousness arise with healing in his wings; and ye shall go forth, and grow up as calves of the stall.” Possibly, all the faithful saved parents whose children died may be able to see them playing and growing up in Heaven. Think about that! All glory be to our Lord!
Are We To Stay In Heaven Forever? I think not. Before you throw darts my way, consider what happens during and immediately after the 1000 Year Reign. Yes, we'll live forever in the grace, comfort, and protection of God, but we will be returning to the New Earth.
We Will Worship God. Isaiah Chapter 66, verses 22-23, “For as the new Heavens and the new earth, which I will make, shall remain before me, saith the LORD, so shall your seed and your name remain. And it shall come to pass, that from one new moon to another, and from one sabbath to another, shall all flesh come to worship before me, saith the LORD.”
We Will Sing Hymns. Isaiah Chapter 26, verse 19 (ESV), “Your dead shall live; their bodies shall rise. You who dwell in the dust, awake and sing for joy! For your dew is a dew of light, and the earth will give birth to the dead.” Isaiah Chapter 38, verse 20, “The Lord was ready to save me, therefore we will sing my songs with stringed instruments all the days of our lives, in the house of the Lord.” Zephaniah Chapter 3, verse 17, “The LORD thy God in the midst of thee is mighty; he will save, he will rejoice over thee with joy; he will rest in his love, he will joy over thee with singing.”
We'll Have Eternally Perfect Bodies. 2nd Corinthians Chapter 5, verses 1-10 speaks of our new bodies. “We know that our body—the tent we live in here on earth—will be destroyed. But when that happens, God will have a home for us to live in. It will not be the kind of home people build here. It will be a home in heaven that will continue forever. But now we are tired of this body. We want God to give us our heavenly home. It will clothe us and we will not be naked. While we live in this tent, we have burdens and so we complain. I don’t mean that we want to remove this tent, but we want to be clothed with our heavenly home. Then this body that dies will be covered with life. This is what God himself made us for. And he has given us the Spirit as the first payment to guarantee the life to come. Imagine our bodies being youthful, vigorous, and perfect!
So we always have confidence. We know that while we live in this body, we are away from the Lord. We live by what we believe will happen, not by what we can see. So I say that we have confidence. And we really want to be away from this body and be at home with the Lord. Our only goal is to always please the Lord, whether we are living here in this body or there with him. We must all stand before Christ to be judged. Everyone will get what they should. They will be paid for whatever they did—good or bad—when they lived in this earthly body.”
Everlasting Joy Is At God's Doorstep, As Is Every Lasting Torment. Whether in the Heaven above us today or the new Heavens and New Earth to be created in our Christian futures, there will be no tears but everlasting joys. Psalms 16, verse 11, “Thou wilt shew me the path of life, in thy presence is fullness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore.” Revelation 21, verses 4-18 (NIV) “He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away. He who was seated on the throne said, 'I am making everything new!' Then he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.” He said to me, “It is done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. To the thirsty I will give water without cost from the spring of the water of life. Those who are victorious will inherit all this, and I will be their God and they will be my children.
But the cowardly, the unbelieving, the vile, the murderers, the sexually immoral, those who practice magic arts, the idolaters and all liars—they will be consigned to the fiery lake of burning sulfur. This is the second death.”
Yes, heaven exists and awaits our presence there. All praise, honor, and glory to God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit!
