Let’s briefly explore some prophecies of heaven. Though heaven may be timeless, the Bible speaks of heaven’s eternity in human terms.
At Hand
The first thing we may notice is that heaven is at hand. What does that mean?
“Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” (Matthew 3:2 CEV)
“From that time Jesus began to preach, saying, ‘Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.’ ” (Matthew 4:17 ESV)
This can be better translated as “the reign of heaven draws near.” It’s not yet the fullness of the kingdom in the return of Christ, but the reign of Christ in the hearts and lives of the saints.
Written
The most important thing in life is where we are headed for eternity. Is your name written in heaven?
“But don’t rejoice because evil spirits obey you; rejoice because your names are registered in heaven.” (Luke 10:20 NLT)
When
When is the kingdom of heaven?
“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” (Matthew 5:3 ESV)
The kingdom or reign of God has come (Matthew 12:28; Luke 10:9-11; 11:20) and will come (Matthew 6:10; 25:34; Luke 22:18). It is both now and future. How? Some submit to heaven’s reign now. The fullness of the kingdom will come when Jesus returns. Where is our reward?
“Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you.” (Matthew 5:12 KJV)
Resurrection
There is a resurrection to life and a resurrection to judgment.
“Do not be amazed at this, because a time is coming when all who are in the graves will hear His voice and come out—those who have done good things, to the resurrection of life, but those who have done wicked things, to the resurrection of judgment.” (John 5:28-29 HCSB)
When will the dead in Christ rise?
“For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the sound of the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first.” (1 Thessalonians 4:16 ESV)
Intermediate State
Where will our spirits be between the death and resurrection of the body at Christ’s return? This is called the intermediate state. Perhaps Steven the martyr gives us a clue in his dying words.
“They went on stoning Stephen as he called on the Lord and said, ‘Lord Jesus, receive my spirit!’ ” (Acts 7:59 NASB)
Jesus at that time was in heaven. So, where was Stephen’s spirit to be received? Obviously, into heaven. Are Abraham, Isaac and Jacob dead or living?
“But even Moses showed in the burning bush passage that the dead are raised, when he called the Lord ‘the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.’ For He is not the God of the dead but of the living, for all live to Him.” (Luke 20:37-38 NKJV)
Abraham, Isaac and Jacob are spoken of as alive, not dead. A vision reveals Moses and Elijah.
“who, appearing in glory, were speaking of His departure, which He was about to accomplish at Jerusalem.” (Luke 9:31 NASB)
Was this a vision of present reality or the future? Notice that they talked of a then future event, not a past event seen from the future. What does heaven include?
“You have come to the assembly of God’s firstborn children, whose names are written in heaven. You have come to God himself, who is the judge over all things. You have come to the spirits of the righteous ones in heaven who have now been made perfect.” (Hebrews 12:23 NLT)
The account of a named beggar, Lazarus and an anonymous rich man indicates two conscious human spirits after death. Too late, the rich man regrets his selfish life in hell and the destitute beggar is carried by angels to Abraham’s side. This is eternity’s Great Reversal.
“One day the poor man died and was carried away by the angels to Abraham’s side. The rich man also died and was buried. And being in torment in Hades, he looked up and saw Abraham a long way off, with Lazarus at his side.” (Luke 16:22-23 HCSB)
After death, the faithful look forward to being in God’s presence.
“You will show me the way of life, granting me the joy of your presence and the pleasures of living with you forever.” (Psalm 16:11 NLT)
The souls of deceased martyrs are pictured as being in heaven, conscious and asking God a question.
“And when he had opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of them that were slain for the word of God, and for the testimony which they held: And they cried with a loud voice, saying, How long, O Lord, holy and true, dost thou not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth?” (Revelation 6:9-10 KJV)
Paul also spoke confidently of being absent from the body and present with the Lord.
“So we are always confident, knowing that while we are at home in the body we are absent from the Lord. For we walk by faith, not by sight. We are confident, yes, well pleased rather to be absent from the body and to be present with the Lord.” (2 Corinthians 5:6-8 NKJV)
Marriage
Jesus will marry the church.
“For husbands, this means love your wives, just as Christ loved the church. He gave up his life for her… He did this to present her to himself as a glorious church without a spot or wrinkle or any other blemish. Instead, she will be holy and without fault… This is a great mystery, but it is an illustration of the way Christ and the church are one.” (Ephesians 5:25-32 NLT)
This is symbolic as there is no marriage in heaven, not in the human sense.
“At the resurrection people will neither marry nor be given in marriage; they will be like the angels in heaven.” (Matthew 22:30 NIV)
Any theory of angels marrying women in the Old Testament is likewise debunked by this verse. However, there is a symbolic marriage of the Lamb.
“Let us be glad and rejoice and give Him glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and His wife has made herself ready.” (Revelation 19:7 NKJV)
Revelation divulges that the Bride of Christ has become a city, New Jerusalem.
“Then 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.’ And he carried me away in the Spirit to a great and high mountain, and showed me the holy city, Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God” (Revelation 21:9-10 NASB)
New Heavens
Arguments over the intermediate state become moot, when we realize that it is only a forerunner to all eternity, where heaven and earth come together. A great and joyful new status quo as God lives with humanity.
“Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the former heaven and the former earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. I saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, made ready as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. I heard a loud voice from the throne say, “Look! God’s dwelling is here with humankind. He will dwell with them, and they will be his peoples. God himself will be with them as their God.” (Revelation 21:1-3 CEB)
Is this a new heaven or a renewed heaven? The original Greek seems to mean “new, which as recently made is superior to what it succeeds.”
Is your name written in heaven? Does heaven rule your life? Do you look forward to being in God’s presence forever? You decide!
