What is the Nature of Heaven?

The Nature of Heaven

We’re Talking About Something Eternal Here
As we get ready to examine the nature of Heaven, let’s try to keep one thing in mind. Remember that we, as humans, were designed by God to live eternally, a unique and mysterious blend of physical reality (our bodies) and spiritual reality (our souls). In complete unity, we were originally designed to live with God forever. A tragic disconnect occurred as our own capacity for sin was realized by Adam. At the fall of mankind, the original design was broken and altered. Our bodies face death, even while our souls continue on beyond the grave. All along God has existed in the eternal spiritual realm, planning for the day when we will once again be reshaped in the originally intended form He had for us, a unique marriage of the physical and the non-physical, the material and the non-material, the body and the soul.

We’re Also Talking About Something Mysterious
As we begin to think about Heaven, it’s probably wise to remember our limited ability to think in the first place. We are, after all, just humans. We are limited to physical realities to a large degree, and we need to accept the reality that much of what we hope to know about God and the nature of his presence and realm is going to remain mysterious to us. Imagine trying to communicate the reality of algebra to an ant. Sure the laws of mathematics apply to both us and the ant, but try to get the ant to understand that! In a similar way, the reality of understanding the exact nature of God and of Heaven may be equally difficult for us.

We understand this almost immediately when t trying to answer one of the most basic questions about the nature of Heaven. Through the ages, people have asked the question, “Is Heaven a PLACE or a STATE OF BEING?” This is a difficult question for the Christian to answer. There is certainly much Biblical scripture to suggest that Heaven has a spatial quality, as we will shortly see as we examine the scriptures together. At the same time, we are told in the Bible that God does NOT have a body and is a spirit. So we are left with the dilemma of having to understand the nature of heaven by synthesizing these two seemingly contradictory notions.

It is very likely that the truth lies mysteriously in the middle. Is Heaven a place or a state of being? It may simply be a bit of both. While that answer may seem unsatisfying at first, it begins to become comfortable as we study other aspects of the nature of Heaven. There are some things that we can know with certainty, and as we wrap our hands around these certainties, the mysterious become less important and simply give us something to look forward to. So let’s begin to take a look at what we can know for certain…

What Defines (and Divides) the Next Life?
All of us, as living souls, will eventually come face to face with the life that follows this one. The afterlife is a reality for all of us, and we believe this based on our own innate perception and what the Bible confirms for us so clearly (more on this HERE and HERE). But there is one thing that will define our experience and shape our future. There is one defining reality that shapes our experience of the afterlife: will we or will we not be in the presence of God?

Every year we spend time visiting family in one of the hottest places on earth. It just happens to be where they live, what can we do? But we’ve noticed that our experience in this part of the country is defined by one thing: are we or are we not in the presence of air conditioning? I’m serious. If we are inside some cool place, the day is going to be very different than it will be if we have to stay outside all day.

In a similar way, our experience in the next life will be shaped dramatically, depending on whether or not we are in the presence of God. God is the source of all love and all joy. If you are with Him, you are in not only His presence but also in the presence of all that He is. If you are not in His presence, you are simply away from all that He is. If God is an evil tyrant, then it might be good to be far from Him. But if He is all that is good and worthy, we are going to want to be very near him in the life that comes.

Heaven, The Eternal Life With God
So now, as we jump into the mystery of Heaven, let’s spend some time examining what CAN be known from the scripture. One thing is for sure, whether you believe that Heaven is a place or a state of being, we can say with confidence that Heaven is the place where God IS:

Revelation 21:3
And I heard a loud voice from the throne, saying, "Behold, the tabernacle of God is among men, and He shall dwell among them, and they shall be His people, and God Himself shall be among them…”

In the simplest definition possible, Heaven is simply the place where we will BE with God. It is where He is, the comforter, the source of joy, the protector of our souls, the source of all love.

But, What Exactly Will That Be Like?
Sometimes I find myself trying to find an adjective to describe what the Bible says about Heaven. It’s not as easy as you might think. Sure, you could find ten words that, when used together, may express what you mean. But what if you were limited to a SINGLE word? What would it be? OK, let me take a stab at this. How about, “perfection”?

That’s actually a good word to use. I have a friend who always tells me that while he does not believe in God, he is convinced that if there is a good God, He would not let my friend go to hell. After all, my friend says, he is a good guy. A good God would not let a good guy go to hell, would he? I usually respond by saying that I think he may have a problem with his adjective. I tell him that as a Christian, I don’t believe in a ‘good’ God. I have placed my faith in someone even greater. I believe in a PERFECT God. Here’s my thinking on this, and how it relates to Heaven:

If there is a God, He is powerful enough to create everything that we see in our world. He is powerful enough to create something from nothing, powerful enough to create life from non-life, matter from non-matter.

If God is can do all that, he has UNFATHOMABLE power

If God has unfathomable power, he has the power to eliminate this little thing we call IMPERFECTION

If God has the power to eliminate imperfection, then He can certainly eliminate it from the realm in which HE exists

Therefore, Heaven is a place of PERFECTION

Even from this simple philosophical position, it’s easy to see why we might believe that Heaven is a perfect place. This should give us reason for concern and reason for delight. We should be concerned about our qualifications (are any of us perfect and qualified to enter into a perfect place?) and delighted that we have an assurance about our destiny in spite of our imperfection (Jesus has provided us with safe passage).

The List of “Perfects”
So let’s begin to study the characteristics of Heaven and rejoice in the fact that even though we are fallen, sinful creatures, we will someday be given the gift of perfection:

We Will Have Perfect Knowledge
I love the idea that we will someday ‘get it’ and understand everything that we now question. Someday we are going to be in the presence of the one who understand EVERYTHING. He’ll be available to answer questions. We won’t be frustrated and straining to understand and believe. We’ll be at peace with the truth:

1 Corinthians 13:9-12
For we know in part, and we prophesy in part; but when the perfect comes, the partial will be done away. When I was a child, I used to speak as a child, think as a child, reason as a child; when I became a man, I did away with childish things. For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face; now I know in part, but then I shall know fully just as I also have been fully known. But now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love.

We Will Experience Perfect Glory
Glory is a word that is used all the time in the Bible, but we often read right past it. The word really tries to describe perfect beauty and excellence and greatness. All of us appreciate beauty and excellence in our physical world because we are created in the image of God, who is not only the source of glory, but the ultimate example of glory as well.

Matthew 24:30
“…and then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in the sky, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of the sky with power and great glory.”

Matthew 25:31
“But when the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the angels with Him, then He will sit on His glorious throne.”

Mark 8:38
“For whoever is ashamed of Me and My words in this adulterous and sinful generation, the Son of Man will also be ashamed of him when He comes in the glory of His Father with the holy angels.”

Now think about whatever it is that excites you due to its excellence or beauty of greatness. Is it art? Is it music? Is it drama or literature or the perfect execution of a sports play of some sort? Do you remember the feeling you had when you were first appreciating the beauty and perfection of what you saw or read or heard? Well imagine being in THAT state forever. That is just a little expression of what it will be like to be in the presence of the beauty, excellence and greatness of Heaven. The Bible uses figurative language in describing the ‘city’ of God in an effort to help us understand that even the mundane elements of construction that we take for granted today are glorious in Heaven:

Revelation 21:18-21
And the material of the wall was jasper; and the city was pure gold, like clear glass. The foundation stones of the city wall were adorned with every kind of precious stone. The first foundation stone was jasper; the second, sapphire; the third, chalcedony; the fourth, emerald; the fifth, sardonyx; the sixth, sardius; the seventh, chrysolite; the eighth, beryl; the ninth, topaz; the tenth, chrysoprase; the eleventh, jacinth; the twelfth, amethyst. 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.

We Will Enjoy Perfect Rest
Why is it that we love to sleep in on our days off? Is it just because we are lazy? Or is it more because we become so weary of the struggles of life? Many of us understand what it is to love to work and achieve and be productive, but we also understand that life’s burdens can simply wear us out. God has promised us that Heaven will be a place of rest. Not a place that lacks WORK, but a place where the burdens and struggles of life will be lifted. We won’t have to strain to be ‘good’, struggle to maintain Godly relationships or behaviors. We will have the difficulties of life lifted from our shoulders:

Hebrews 4:9-11
There remains therefore a Sabbath rest for the people of God. For the one who has entered His rest has himself also rested from his works, as God did from His. Let us therefore be diligent to enter that rest, lest anyone fall through following the same example of disobedience.

We Will Participate in Perfect Worship
Ever had to try really hard to focus on worship when you are at church? Ever found yourself just not feeling like your mind and heart were in the right place to be worshipping God the way you would like? Ever wonder why it is you SHOULD worship God in the first place? Well none of that will be a problem in Heaven, where the mere presence of God will provoke a response of worship, without any effort on our part:

Isaiah 6:3
And one called out to another and said, “Holy, Holy, Holy, is the LORD of hosts, the whole earth is full of His glory.”

We Will Relish in Perfect Work
Sometimes when we hear the word, “work”, we think the word, “labor”. We think of work as this laborious and toilsome burden that all of us have to do to make a living and survive. But at the same time, all of us participate in some activity that is actually work, yet we don’t see the job as terrible labor. There are some activities that we are actually HAPPY to perform. They don’t even seem like work to us, while they clearly could be defined as work. The difference seems to be that we find such great significance and satisfaction in these tasks that we don’t see them as a burden. That’s really what God designed us for. He designed us to work in SATISFYING ways, and Heaven is the place where this will be possible for us. Jesus often described Heaven in parables. In some of these parables, the saints present in heaven are clearly engaged in meaningful work:

Luke 19:17
‘Well done, my good servant!’ his master replied. ‘Because you have been trustworthy in a very small matter, take charge of ten cities.’

Matthew 19:28
And Jesus said to them, “Truly I say to you, that you who have followed Me, in the regeneration when the Son of Man will sit on His glorious throne, you also shall sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.”

We Will Partake in Perfect Fellowship
Most of us, when given the chance, would prefer to hang out with friends over just about anything else. That’s because we were created in the image of the Trinitarian God who by his very nature is in relationship with the two other persons of the Godhead at all times. Our God is innately and characteristically relational. That’s why we too are so driven toward relationships. And heaven is the place where this aspect of our nature will be fully realized:

Hebrews 12:22 -24
But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to myriads of angels, to the general assembly and church of the first-born who are enrolled in heaven, and to God, the Judge of all, and to the spirits of righteous men made perfect, and to Jesus, the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood, which speaks better than the blood of Abel.

We Will Receive Perfect Recognition
And finally, Heaven is a place where each of us will be recognized and rewarded by God. Ever notice how driven we are here on earth for the recognition and praise of our peers? We strain for this kind of stuff. We sell our souls for this kind of stuff. We would do anything if someone would just pay attention. Heaven is the place where that intrinsic desire is finally satisfied. Heaven is the place where everyone is satisfied with the recognition and reward they will receive from the king. God has promised this to us:

Luke 19:15-19
“He was made king, however, and returned home. Then he sent for the servants to whom he had given the money, in order to find out what they had gained with it. The first one came and said, 'Sir, your mina has earned ten more.' 'Well done, my good servant!' his master replied. 'Because you have been trustworthy in a very small matter, take charge of ten cities.' The second came and said, 'Sir, your mina has earned five more.' His master answered, 'You take charge of five cities.'

Daniel 12:3
“And those who have insight will shine brightly like the brightness of the expanse of heaven, and those who lead the many to righteousness, like the stars forever and ever.”

1 Corinthians 3:14-15
If any man's work which he has built upon it remains, he shall receive a reward. If any man's work is burned up, he shall suffer loss; but he himself shall be saved, yet so as through fire.

Heaven is the place where all of our basic instincts and drives will finally make sense. We all know that we are driven toward knowledge, we long for beauty and excellence, we desire rest and peace, we find ourselves worshipping SOMETHING in our environment, we seek satisfying and significant work, we desire the intimacy of close relationships, and we strive for recognition and praise. Why are we so wired? We are we so possessed to try to find these things and so frustrated when we are unable to do so? It’s because we were designed in the image of God, but are not yet in the presence of God. We are not complete. We are still here in this place that is not our home. Passing through the imperfect world, we are on our way to perfection; to the place where all our desires and instincts will finally make sense and be satisfied.

But Some Needs Will Be Missing in Heaven
But while so much will be satisfied once we are reunited with the one who has created us in His Image, there will be some needs that will simply no longer exist once we leave this world. As we think about the future with God, let’s remember what WON’T be needed in Heaven and live a life here on earth that reflects the truth about our life with God:

The Need to Have Faith
We are told by God that FAITH is the mechanism through which we are saved, and when you really think about it, faith IS required when we are being asked to place our trust in something that cannot be seen:

Hebrews 11:1-2
Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.

It is the fact that God is not visible to us today that requires us to have faith that what we believe about Him is really true. But a day is coming when we will see him directly. In that day, faith will know longer exist. We will simply KNOW.

The Need to Grow
And we won’t find ourselves cracking the books in Heaven to have this knowledge. We won’t be in seminary classes, trying hard to understand the complexity of the orthodox view of the Trinity or the nature of God. We won’t get smarter with every passing day. We won’t even need to! We will already know all there is to know; there will be no need to grow:

1 Corinthians 13:11-12
Now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.

Our desire to mature as Christians will be fully realized in Heaven.

The Need to Comfort
We also won’t find ourselves crying on each other’s shoulder in Heaven. In fact, we won’t find ourselves crying at all. We won’t need each others comfort in difficult times because there won’t BE any difficult times:

Revelation 21:3
And I heard a loud voice from the throne, saying, "Behold, the tabernacle of God is among men, and He shall dwell among them, and they shall be His people, and God Himself shall be among them, and He shall wipe away every tear from their eyes; and there shall no longer be any death; there shall no longer be any mourning, or crying, or pain; the first things have passed away."

The Need to Reach Others
And finally, we won’t be planning missions trips in Heaven. We won’t be trying to figure out the best way to witness to the lost or reach those who don’t yet know Jesus. Truth is, there is only one chance to place your faith in Christ, and that time will have expired by the time we get to Heaven:

Hebrews 9:27-28
Just as man is destined to die once, and after that to face judgment, so Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many people; and he will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who are waiting for him.

We die just once, and then we are judged. There is no second chance in Heaven, even though there are so many chances for each of us down here on earth. THIS is the place where we are asked to place our faith in what cannot be seen. Once it has all been revealed to us, the opportunities for ‘faith’ will be gone.

Did You Notice This?
As we examine the nature of Heaven, we end up realizing some important truths about the nature of God and the nature of US! Ever wonder why as a human being you are constantly seeking certain things that you never seem to be able to achieve? How many of you love to learn, but have realized that the more you know, the more you discover how much you don’t know? How many of you yearn for beauty and excellence but have discovered how difficult it is to find perfection in our world? How many of you are tired and weary of the burdens you carry and desire a break from it all, but you know that is just about impossible with life the way it is? How many of you find yourself caught up in hobbies or other distractions that you obsess over in an effort to give your life meaning? How many of you would LOVE to be completely satisfied by your work, yet find yourself frustrated and burned out? How many of you desire great relationships, but have come to discover that people will often let you down? And how many of you just want to be noticed, but feel like the world doesn’t even know you exist?

Why is it that these ‘natural’ desires are part of our nature in the first place? If evolution is true, then the process of natural selection has played a rather cruel joke on all of us. It has allowed the human race to evolve with all of these drives that can never be satisfied. All these drives and desires that merely push us to frustration and despair if they can NEVER be realized. But as I am studying the nature of Heaven, I realize that these are, in fact, the promises that God has given us for the life we will live in his presence. He is the author of our human nature and he tells us that we have been created in His Image; an image of perfect knowledge, glory, rest, worship, work, fellowship and recognition. No wonder we have these innate desires and drives, and thank God that we will someday be fully satisfied in them.

But there is something more that I have learned from my study of Heaven. Now that I know what Heaven will be like, I think I have a better idea of what I am to do while I am HERE on earth. There are those pesky little things that can’t be done later when we get to Heaven. We know there will be no need for faith, know need for growth, no need for comforting others, and no need for evangelism once we get to live in the presence of God. But now, while we are here on earth THESE things should be our priority. We need to take our eyes OFF the things that we will be given in Heaven anyway, our desire for, glory, rest, distraction, significance, approval and recognition and do the things that we won’t be able to do later. This is the time for us to trust in our faith, grow in our knowledge of God, comfort those in need, and reach those who are lost. We can’t do that stuff later.

So let’s simply be patient and look forward to what we can’t have now and get at the business of what we can’t do later. Let’s live with a true understanding of Heaven that causes our lives here on earth to be radically different.