Heaven is not a distant fog of floating spirits: it is the presence of God, and it leads to the new heaven and new earth where God dwells among His people forever. The Bible paints it in pictures, a city, a garden, a feast, a river, a wedding, because it is too good for plain words, and at its center is always the Lamb on the throne, not the scenery.
Not a summary of these passages: the passages themselves. Read them, then come back to the study below.
The study
What the Scripture says
1
Heaven is first about God's presence
The heart of heaven is not a place but a Person: in your presence is fullness of joy and pleasures forevermore, and Jesus prays that we may see His glory and be with Him where He is. In the new creation the loud voice announces the whole point: the dwelling of God is with people, and God himself will be with them. If heaven were only a perfect beach or a golden city without God, it would not be heaven at all.
You will show me the path of life. In your presence is fullness of joy. In your right hand there are pleasures forever more.Thou wilt shew me the path of life: in thy presence is fulness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore.
Father, I desire that they also whom you have given me be with me where I am, that they may see my glory, which you have given me, for you loved me before the foundation of the world.Father, I will that they also, whom thou hast given me, be with me where I am; that they may behold my glory, which thou hast given me: for thou lovedst me before the foundation of the world.
I heard a loud voice out of heaven saying, “Behold, God’s dwelling is with people, and he will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God.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 they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God.
Jesus calls it the Father's house with many homes and says He goes to prepare a place for us. The heroes of faith sought a better country, a heavenly one, and God is not ashamed to be called their God because He has prepared a city for them. Heaven is not a mood or a state of mind: it is somewhere we go, with rooms, a city, and foundations.
In my Father’s house are many homes. If it weren’t so, I would have told you. I am going to prepare a place for you. If I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and will receive you to myself; that where I am, you may be there also.In my Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.
But now they desire a better country, that is, a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed of them, to be called their God, for he has prepared a city for them.But now they desire a better country, that is, an heavenly: wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God: for he hath prepared for them a city.
For he looked for the city which has the foundations, whose builder and maker is God.For he looked for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God.
I saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared like a bride adorned for her husband.And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.
The final hope is not escape from creation but its renewal: a new heaven and a new earth where righteousness dwells, and our lowly bodies are transformed to be like His glorious one. Paul says this perishable body must put on the imperishable, and creation itself waits for its liberation. Heaven begins at death as being with Christ, and it is completed at the resurrection in a whole new creation.
But, according to his promise, we look for new heavens and a new earth, in which righteousness dwells.Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness.
For our citizenship is in heaven, from where we also wait for a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ; who will change the body of our humiliation to be conformed to the body of his glory, according to the working by which he is able even to subject all things to himself.For our conversation is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ: Who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself.
For this perishable body must become imperishable, and this mortal must put on immortality.For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.
that the creation itself also will be delivered from the bondage of decay into the liberty of the glory of the children of God. For we know that the whole creation groans and travails in pain together until now. Not only so, but ourselves also, who have the first fruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for adoption, the redemption of our body.Because the creature itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God. For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now. And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body.
I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth have passed away, and the sea is no more.And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea.
The images Scripture stacks up are images of abundance and rest: a feast of rich food and choice wine, springs of living water, the tree of life with fruit and healing, and the promise that death, mourning, crying, and pain are gone forever because the first things have passed away. God himself wipes away every tear, and His servants serve Him without weariness. Heaven restores what sin broke and satisfies what we were made for.
In this mountain, Yahweh of Armies will make all peoples a feast of fat things, a feast of choice wines, of fat things full of marrow, of well refined choice wines. He will destroy in this mountain the surface of the covering that covers all peoples, and the veil that is spread over all nations. He has swallowed up death forever! The Lord Yahweh will wipe away tears from off all faces. He will take the reproach of his people away from off all the earth, for Yahweh has spoken it.And in this mountain shall the Lord of hosts make unto all people a feast of fat things, a feast of wines on the lees, of fat things full of marrow, of wines on the lees well refined. And he will destroy in this mountain the face of the covering cast over all people, and the vail that is spread over all nations. He will swallow up death in victory; and the Lord God will wipe away tears from off all faces; and the rebuke of his people shall he take away from off all the earth: for the Lord hath spoken it.
Therefore they are before the throne of God, they serve him day and night in his temple. He who sits on the throne will spread his tabernacle over them. They will never be hungry, neither thirsty any more; neither will the sun beat on them, nor any heat; for the Lamb who is in the midst of the throne shepherds them, and leads them to springs of waters of life. And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.”Therefore are they before the throne of God, and serve him day and night in his temple: and he that sitteth on the throne shall dwell among them. They shall hunger no more, neither thirst any more; neither shall the sun light on them, nor any heat. For the Lamb which is in the midst of the throne shall feed them, and shall lead them unto living fountains of waters: and God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes.
He showed me a river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb, in the middle of its street. On this side of the river and on that was the tree of life, bearing twelve kinds of fruits, yielding its fruit every month. The leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations.And he shewed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb. In the midst of the street of it, and on either side of the river, was there the tree of life, which bare twelve manner of fruits, and yielded her fruit every month: and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations.
He will wipe away from them every tear from their eyes. Death will be no more; neither will there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain, any more. The first things have passed away.”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.
“Come to me, all you who labor and are heavily burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart; and you will find rest for your souls.Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.
Paul says no eye has seen or ear heard what God has prepared for those who love Him, and John says it is not yet revealed what we will be. The pictures in Revelation are true pictures, but they are pictures: the reality is greater than the words can carry. We do not need a full map of heaven to live in its hope, because the hope is a person, and He is already risen: we await Him, and His appearing is the whole of our inheritance.
But as it is written, “Things which an eye didn’t see, and an ear didn’t hear, which didn’t enter into the heart of man, these God has prepared for those who love him.”But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him.
Beloved, now we are children of God, and it is not yet revealed what we will be. But we know that, when he is revealed, we will be like him; for we will see him just as he is.Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is.
For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part, but then I will know fully, even as I was also fully known.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.
looking for the blessed hope and appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ;Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ;
He who testifies these things says, “Yes, I come quickly.” Amen! Yes, come, Lord Jesus.He which testifieth these things saith, Surely I come quickly. Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus.
I heard a loud voice out of heaven saying, “Behold, God’s dwelling is with people, and he will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. He will wipe away from them every tear from their eyes. Death will be no more; neither will there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain, any more. The first things have passed away.”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 they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God. 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.
In my Father’s house are many homes. If it weren’t so, I would have told you. I am going to prepare a place for you. If I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and will receive you to myself; that where I am, you may be there also.In my Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.
then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air. So we will be with the Lord forever.Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.
We are courageous, I say, and are willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be at home with the Lord.We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord.