Heaven will be the future dwelling place of all true Christians. Heaven will be the eternal presence of everything that can make the believer happy, and the eternal absence of everything that can cause sorrow. The Bible tells us several things about Heaven.

1. Heaven Will Be a Perfect Place

Heaven is a real place. It is as real and as material and as literal as the cities of Chicago and London here on earth. When you write a letter and use the word “Heaven”—spell it with a capital “H”—just as you would spell the word “Houston” or any other city. Heaven is not simply some state of being, or some blissful state of existence. It is a prepared place for a prepared people.

Many sneer at Heaven. They say it’s merely a land of make-believe. Others say that the only heaven humans will ever experience is the heaven on earth that they are able to achieve. But Jesus set the record straight when He said, “I go and prepare a place for you; if it were not so, I would have told you” (John 14:2). Jesus says that Heaven is a real place.

2. Heaven Will Be a Haven of Rest

Heaven will be a place of rest from sorrow and suffering. The next to last chapter of the Bible says, “And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain; for the former things are passed away.” Anyone who is familiar with suffering and physical affliction in this life; anyone who has walked up and down the corridors of our hospitals; anyone who has seen the tremendous pain and anguish that human beings are called upon to pass through—must marvel exceedingly at the extent of this glorious promise. In this life, our bodies are subject to disease and accident and old age. In Heaven we will have new bodies, and they will be free from physical limitations. Withered arms will be made whole. Blind eyes will see. The lame will walk again! Heaven will be a haven of rest; we will rest from pain and physical affliction forever.

3. Heaven Will Be a Habitation With God

Revelation 21:3 says “And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them . . . and (shall be) their God.” The greatest joy about Heaven is the fact that those who are saved will be with God forever. The greatest thing about Heaven will not be the rewards, the crowns, the white robes, the walls of jasper, the streets of gold. The greatest thing about Heaven will be our eternal fellowship with the Son of God—the one who loved us and redeemed us from sin.

Heaven will be a habitation with God—a place where we will dwell with God, not only for a day, but for all eternity. The Bible says, “God himself shall be with them, and he shall be their God.”

4. Heaven Will Be a Completion of Knowledge

There are many things we don’t know here in this life, but the day is coming when our knowledge will be perfected and completed. The Bible says, “For now we see through a glass darkly; but then face to face. Now I know in part, but then shall I know, even as also I am known” (1 Corinthians 13:12). The question is often asked, “Will we know each other in Heaven?” Surely if we know our loved ones here in this life (with only a partial knowledge), we will know them when our knowledge is completed and perfected (as it will be in Heaven).

Every individual in Heaven will have a complete, perfect knowledge. And this means not only that we will know each other without the formality of introduction, but it means too that we will understand why it was necessary in the providence of God, to endure trials. The dark things will be made plain. The trials and temptations—the burdens and sicknesses—all these will be understood.

5. Heaven Is a Home Secured Only in Christ

On the outskirts of a southern Ohio town, there is a sign along the road that says, “Drive carefully, heaven can wait.” Apparently those responsible for the sign think that everyone is going to Heaven, and that when people are killed on the highway, they immediately go to Heaven. But it is not really true that every human being is going to Heaven. It is true that every human being is eternity-bound; but not all are Heaven-bound.

The only hope any person can ever have for getting into Heaven is through a personal faith in Jesus Christ. His is the only name under heaven (given among men) whereby we must be saved. Jesus plainly said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life; no man comes unto the Father but by me” (John 14:6).

To get into Heaven, we must come according to God’s terms. This means believing that Jesus died for our sins; it means repenting of a past life of disobedience and sin; it means surrendering our wills to the will of God. The moment we appropriate the death of Jesus Christ as an atonement for our sins through faith, repentance, and baptism—God’s Spirit will dwell within, and God gives us the power and the desire to keep His commandments.

Heaven is a wonderful place. William Beiderwolf told of the little girl who was blind from birth. She never saw the beauties of earth like we see them. The only thing she knew about the beauties of nature, was what her mother tried to describe to her. The family had a noted surgeon work on her eyes, and finally the operations proved successful. After many months—the day came when the last bandage dropped from her eyes. She flew into her mother’s arms, and then to the window, and then to the door. And as the glories of earth rolled into her vision for the first time in her life, she ran excitedly back to her mother and said, “Oh mommy, why didn’t you tell me it was so beautiful?” Her mother wiped the tears of joy and said, “My child, I tried to tell you, but I just couldn’t.” And just so, when we go sweeping through the gates of pearl (and catch our first glimpse of the beauty all around us)—we’ll say the same thing. “Why didn’t you tell us it was so beautiful?” The Bible does tell us—but our finite minds are not able to comprehend it all.

Jesus says, “In my Father’s house are many mansions.” Won’t you tell Him to reserve one of them for you? Each moment you put it off, is going to narrow your chances for ever getting it done. Jesus Christ is able and ready to save you. Commit your soul to Him today.

BIBLE HELPS  |  Robert Lehigh, Editor  |  PO Box 391, Hanover, PA 17331 United States of America 

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Harold S. Martin

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