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What is Heaven? A Glimpse Through the Eyes of Jesus

What happens after we die? Is there really a place called heaven? Throughout history, humanity has pondered the afterlife, imagining serene landscapes, reunions with loved ones, or perhaps just an end to suffering. Popular culture often paints pictures of fluffy clouds, winged angels, and golden harps. While comforting to some, these images often fall short of the breathtaking reality the Bible describes. For those exploring faith or new to Christianity, understanding the biblical view of heaven offers a hope far more profound and glorious than any human imagining – a hope centered entirely on God Himself and made accessible through His Son, Jesus Christ.

The Bible speaks of heaven not merely as a destination but primarily as the place where God dwells in unveiled glory, where His presence is fully experienced, and His will is perfectly done. It’s the ultimate home for those who belong to Him through faith in Jesus. Far from being a static, boring existence, the biblical picture is one of dynamic joy, worship, fellowship, and meaningful activity in a renewed creation, free from all the brokenness of our current world. Jesus didn’t just talk about heaven; He came from heaven and returned to heaven, and He is the key to understanding and entering a place like that.

Let’s explore what the Bible reveals about heaven, focusing on how Jesus Christ illuminates our understanding and secures our hope for an eternal future with God.

Understanding Heaven Through Jesus Christ

The word “heaven” in the Bible can refer to the sky, the cosmos, or, most significantly, God’s dwelling place – the realm of His throne and glory. The ultimate hope for believers isn’t just floating in an ethereal realm after death but dwelling with God forever in a “new heaven and a new earth” (Revelation 21:1) – a completely restored and perfected creation where God’s presence fills everything. The central joy and defining characteristic of heaven, in every sense, is being with God and His Son, Jesus Christ.

Here are ten foundational truths about heaven, revealed by or centered on the wonderful person of Jesus:

Fact 1: Heaven is Real and Prepared by Jesus

Jesus spoke of heaven as a real place, His Father’s house, and assured His followers He was going there specifically to prepare a place for them. He promised to return and take them to be with Him, offering concrete hope, not vague speculation. His words treat heaven not as a myth or metaphor, but as a definite future reality being actively prepared for believers by the Lord Himself.

Importance: Knowing heaven is a real place prepared by Jesus Himself provides immense comfort and security, especially when facing loss or the reality of death. It transforms hope from wishful thinking into a confident expectation based on Jesus’s promise. For you, a truth like that means your future hope isn’t an illusion; it’s a prepared reality secured by the One who loves you and conquered death. It gives tangible meaning to the promise of eternal life.

Scripture: John 14:2-3 (ESV) “In my Father’s house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am, you may be also.”

Fact 2: Heaven is Where God Dwells in Glory

The Bible consistently portrays heaven as the place of God’s throne, the center of His rule, and the place where His glory – His infinite worth, beauty, and power – is fully manifest. Descriptions in books like Isaiah, Ezekiel, and Revelation depict incredible scenes of light, majesty, and worship surrounding God’s presence. The unhindered presence of the holy, loving, Triune God fundamentally defines heaven.

Importance: Understanding heaven as God’s glorious dwelling place corrects misconceptions that focus primarily on human reunions or earthly comforts. While fellowship with loved ones will be part of heaven’s joy, the ultimate joy is God Himself. For you, recognizing a focus like that helps orient your ultimate hope correctly. The greatest promise of heaven is not just escaping hell or seeing relatives but seeing and dwelling with God in all His glory, which is the deepest satisfaction the human soul can experience.

Scripture: Revelation 4:2-3 (ESV) “At once I was in the Spirit, and behold, a throne stood in heaven, with one seated on the throne. And he who sat there had the appearance of jasper and carnelian, and around the throne was a rainbow that had the appearance of an emerald.”

Fact 3: Jesus Came From Heaven and Returned There

Jesus’s identity is intrinsically linked to heaven. He existed with the Father in glory before He came to earth (John 17:5). He spoke of Himself as the one who “descended from heaven” (John 3:13). After His resurrection, His disciples witnessed His ascension back into heaven, where He is now seated at the Father’s right hand, ruling and interceding for believers. His journey confirms the reality of heaven and His authority within it.

Importance: Jesus’s origin from and return to heaven validates His divine identity and the reality of the heavenly realm He spoke about. He wasn’t just a wise man making guesses; He was speaking from firsthand knowledge. For you, knowing Jesus came from heaven and returned there provides confidence that He has authority over both realms. It assures you that the One you trust for salvation is now reigning in glory, representing you before the Father from the very place He promises to bring you.

Scripture: Acts 1:9-11 (ESV) “And when he had said these things, as they were looking on, he was lifted up, and a cloud took him out of their sight. And while they were gazing into heaven as he went, behold, two men stood by them in white robes, and said, ‘Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into heaven? A Jesus like that, who was taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven.’”

Fact 4: Being with Jesus is the Essence of Heaven

While heaven involves many wonderful things, the Bible emphasizes that the core desire and ultimate joy for believers is simply being with Christ. The Apostle Paul expressed a longing “to depart and be with Christ, for that is far better” (Philippians 1:23). Jesus Himself prayed that His followers would be with Him where He is, to see His glory (John 17:24). Fellowship with Jesus is the heart of heavenly hope.

Importance: Focusing on being with Jesus as heaven’s essence prevents us from valuing the gifts (a perfect place, reunion, etc.) more than the Giver. It clarifies that heaven is fundamentally relational. For you, a perspective like that means your ultimate hope is centered on a person – the wonderful Savior who loves you. A relationship with Jesus is the greatest treasure, both now and in eternity. Knowing heaven means being fully present with Him provides a powerful motivation to deepen your relationship with Him today.

Scripture: Philippians 1:23 (ESV) “I am hard pressed between the two. My desire is to depart and be with Christ, for that is far better.”

Fact 5: Heaven Involves Worship and Rejoicing

Biblical glimpses into heaven consistently depict scenes of joyful worship and adoration directed towards God and Jesus Christ (the Lamb). Revelation describes vast multitudes singing praises, celebrating God’s holiness, power, and salvation. Heaven is not a place of passive inactivity, but one of dynamic, heartfelt worship, expressing profound gratitude and awe in God’s presence.

Importance: Understanding that heaven involves joyful worship counters the misconception of it being boring or uneventful. It reveals that our deepest fulfillment will be found in rightly relating to God with adoration. For you, a picture like that gives a foretaste of eternal joy. It also informs how you can experience a bit of heaven on earth now – by engaging in heartfelt worship and praise. It assures you that eternity will be filled with meaningful, joyful activity centered on God.

Scripture: Revelation 7:9-10 (ESV) “After a sight like that I looked, and behold, a great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, with palm branches in their hands, and crying out with a loud voice, ‘Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!’”

Fact 6: Heaven is Free from Sin, Suffering, and Death

One of the most comforting biblical truths about the future heavenly state (the new heaven and new earth) is the complete absence of everything that causes pain and sorrow in our current world. God promises a reality where He will wipe away every tear, and there will be no more death, mourning, crying, or pain because the old order associated with sin will have passed away forever.

Importance: The promise of a future free from all suffering offers immense hope, especially amidst the trials and tragedies of present life. It assures you that the brokenness caused by sin is not permanent. For you, knowing heaven means the end of pain, grief, and death provides profound comfort and resilience. It gives perspective on current hardships, anchoring your soul in the certainty of future restoration and perfect peace in God’s presence, made possible by Jesus’s victory.

Scripture: Revelation 21:4 (ESV) “He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.”

Fact 7: Jesus is the Only Way to Heaven

Just as Jesus is the only way to salvation and relationship with the Father, He is also the only way to heaven. His perfect life, sacrificial death, and resurrection are what bridge the gap created by sin, making it possible for imperfect people to enter God’s perfect, holy presence. Access to the Father’s house is solely through faith in the Son He sent.

Importance: Understanding Jesus as the exclusive way to heaven clarifies the path to eternal life. It emphasizes that entry into God’s presence isn’t based on good works, religious affiliation, or universalism, but on a personal relationship with Jesus Christ received through faith. For you, a truth like that provides certainty about how to secure your eternal future. Trusting in Jesus alone gives you the confidence of knowing the way to the Father’s house because Jesus is the Way.

Scripture: John 14:6 (ESV) “Jesus said to him, ‘I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.’”

Fact 8: Believers Have Citizenship in Heaven Now

While believers physically reside on earth, the Bible states their true citizenship is already in heaven. Our ultimate identity, allegiance, and inheritance are rooted in the heavenly realm because of our union with Christ. Living as citizens of heaven means our values, priorities, and perspective should be shaped by our eternal destiny, not just temporary earthly concerns.

Importance: Recognizing your heavenly citizenship provides a powerful sense of identity and belonging, regardless of your earthly circumstances. It reminds you that your ultimate home and security are not found in a world like that. For you, living as a citizen of heaven means adopting an eternal perspective. It influences your choices, values, and how you navigate life’s challenges, knowing you belong to a greater Kingdom and are living for an eternal reward secured by Jesus.

Scripture: Philippians 3:20 (ESV) “But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ…”

Fact 9: Heaven Culminates in a New Heaven and New Earth

The final biblical picture of eternity is not disembodied souls floating on clouds but a fully renewed physical creation – a new heaven and a new earth. God will make all things new, merging heaven and earth as He comes to dwell permanently with His redeemed people in a perfected, tangible world where righteousness reigns, and the glories of both the spiritual and physical realms are fully integrated under Christ’s rule.

Importance: The hope of a renewed earth counters the idea that the physical world is inherently bad or destined only for destruction. It affirms the goodness of God’s original creation and promises its ultimate restoration. For you, a hope like that gives value to the present stewardship of creation. It anticipates a future that is robust, physical, and filled with meaningful activity in resurrected bodies, not just ethereal existence. It’s a comprehensive hope for total renewal.

Scripture: Revelation 21:1 (ESV) “Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more.”

Fact 10: Jesus Will Reign Forever in Heaven

The eternal state is characterized by the reign of God and of the Lamb, Jesus Christ. He is described as the light of the new Jerusalem, the King whose rule will never end. Heaven is the place where Jesus’s lordship is fully acknowledged, His victory is completely manifest, and His people joyfully serve Him and reign with Him forever. His eternal reign is the guarantee of heaven’s perfection and security.

Importance: Knowing Jesus will reign forever provides ultimate security and confidence in the future. It assures you that heaven is not just a pleasant state but a well-ordered Kingdom under the perfect rule of the loving Savior. For you, submitting to Jesus’s lordship now is preparation for participating in His eternal reign. It gives assurance that the future is in the hands of the One who loves you and who has conquered all His enemies, guaranteeing everlasting peace and justice.

Scripture: Revelation 22:3-5 (ESV) “No longer will there be anything accursed, but the throne of God and of the Lamb will be in it, and his servants will worship him. They will see his face, and his name will be on their foreheads. And night will be no more. They will need no light of lamp or sun, for the Lord God will be their light, and they will reign forever and ever.”

A Hope Secured by Jesus

What is heaven? It is far more wonderful than we can fully comprehend – the place of God’s unveiled glory, perfect fellowship with Him and with Jesus Christ, freedom from all sorrow and sin, joyful worship, meaningful existence, and ultimately, dwelling with God in a renewed creation forever. It’s a reality prepared by Jesus, accessed only through Jesus, and centered entirely on Jesus.

For those seeking hope beyond a temporary world, the biblical vision of heaven offers a secure and glorious future. It’s not earned by merit but received as a gift through faith in Jesus Christ, who lived, died, and rose again to open the way. If you place your trust in Him, heaven is your guaranteed inheritance, your true home. Why not accept His invitation today? Let hope like that anchor your soul and inspire you to live today in light of the wonderful eternity secured by Jesus.

Thank you today for letting Olive Branch Publishing offer you insights that can help you grow as a new Christian in today’s world.