What Will Heaven Be Like?

May 19, 2021 | Dennis Heppner, Faith

What will heaven be like

Truthfully, I don’t exactly know. I don’t pay much attention to the stories of “out-of-body” experiences or near-death encounters. Those experiences may be real — it’s just that everyone seems to have a slightly different experience.

My faith in heaven is not based on experiential stories. Something stronger and more solid has to be the basis of my belief system. So the Bible is my guidance and my source of information about heaven.



The Bible tells us that heaven is not a place for “good” people. No one is good enough to go there. There can be no sin in heaven — it is a place for the pure and the holy who have been saved by faith in the blood of Jesus Christ.

So then who is there? Believers! People who have placed their faith in Jesus for the forgiveness of their sin. It’s a place prepared for those who love God and are in a relationship with Him. Revelation 21:7 says it is reserved for “overcomers.”

Jesus said in John 14, “I go to prepare a place for you.” Order and structure are characteristics of something prepared. Jesus has been working on heaven for us!

Although many of the concepts of heaven are unclear, one thing is certain. Jesus prepared it for us.

John also tells us it has many “dwelling places.” The KJV calls them “mansions,” and many songs have been written about our mansions. The Greek word for “mansions” actually should be translated “abiding places.” So we are not sure exactly how heaven will be structured in terms of living set-ups. Our heavenly homes may be different.

We will not need to own anything in heaven. Whatever “place” we have there will be provided for us but it will not belong to us. All of heaven belongs to God. We will be in His “house,” totally provided for in every way for all eternity.

Heaven will be missing some things. Revelation 21 has a profoundly detailed description of heaven, telling us there will be no death, no crying, no pain. Grief and hurt and sorrow and sickness will not be there.

There will be no shortage of space in heaven. The Bible speaks of “a new heaven and a new earth.” There will be a Holy City, also called the “New Jerusalem,” coming down “from God.” This city is a cube, the dimensions of which are about 2 million square miles according to Revelation 21:16. A vast area for God’s people!

We may not understand all the physical logistics of heaven, but we do know that the center of this new “heaven” will be the Lord Jesus. Heaven is first and foremost the dwelling place of God. All of the glory and power of God will be there — all of it.

Worship in heaven will be never-ending. All attention will be focused on the Lamb, the Lord Jesus. Revelations 4 and 5 give a complex description of worship. In one place it says there will be silence in heaven for “about” half an hour, suggesting that silence will not be normal for heaven. The worship continues 24/7!

We will work for God in heaven, not likely as we do here, but we will govern with him. “Ruling and reigning” in heaven will be our job, but it is unclear what we rule over and reign over.

God’s government will be upon the earth; will this include governing other places in the universe? Some of these things are not clear. We can be sure that there will be kingdom work. We may receive new assignments for which we will immediately be qualified; however, faithfulness in serving God here and now will definitely affect what we do in eternity.

There will be people in heaven that we will recognize, but relationships will be different. We now look to fellow humans to provide care, comfort, and relationship. We depend on fellow humans to meet our basic needs here. But in heaven, we will have no needs, mentally, socially, or physically. All will be provided for by the Lamb of God. Never will we pray for needs again!

Although many of the concepts of heaven are unclear, one thing is certain. Jesus prepared it for us. Jesus promised it to us. And best of all — Jesus will be there! It is worth living for God here and now, and waiting for the glory to come!

Live your life as if you expect to go there. Live dedicated and committed to God’s Kingdom. Don’t put deep roots in this world. This world is not our final home. There is a place prepared for us! Make it your objective to take as many with you as you can.

Feel free to send me your questions.

MEDITATE

Are you looking forward to heaven? Does it show with how you live your life? Your decision-making? Your love for other people? Have you put down roots in the world’s systems or are you invested in God’s kingdom?

STUDY

Philippians 3:14, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me HEAVENWARD in Christ Jesus. Reading Plan: Genesis 29-35

PRAY

Heavenly Father, I look forward to the day I will finally be with you in heaven. Until then, I choose to follow you, in all my thoughts and deeds. Let everything I do help bring heaven here on earth so that more people will be drawn to you.

LIVE

Live dedicated and committed to God’s kingdom! Don’t put deep roots in this world; instead, build your life upon the love of God by loving other people. Make it your goal to take as many people as you can with you to the glorious future home called Heaven!

#Faith #hopeforthefuture #justpassingthrough #JesusisourLamb

Dennis Heppner grew up in Canada and was called to ministry as a young boy. Dennis and his wife Denie, who was also called to missions as a child, pastored 4 churches in Canada, but in 1987 the door opened to come to the Philippines as missionaries. They brought their 4 eldest children with them and the kids grew up here. In 2006 they adopted Emma Rose, a special Filipino treasure and a gift from God to their family.

Dennis has been a missionary evangelist in Asia for 25 years. He was the director of LIFESCHOOLS of ministry and pastored 3 churches in the early years of his ministry based in the Philippines. He is currently the founder and President of Developing Effective Leaders (DEL), superintendent of Church of God West Asia, and the founding and lead Pastor of the vibrant, growing Church of God Makati.

Dennis and Denie and their whole family, including Josh and Melody who live in Canada, are committed to missions, leadership, and the call of Christ.

Extended Bio HERE.

Read more of Dennis’s articles HERE!

Light photo created by wirestock – www.freepik.com

Help us REFRESH others with the life-giving Word of God today!


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