Do you remember when you first heard about heaven?
One of my earliest memories is of my Grammy who called me “her little Susie.” She died when I was only four years old. My parents told me Grammy went to heaven with Jesus. In the years that followed, I often wondered where heaven was and what it was like to be with Jesus.
Later when I learned how to read and study the Bible, I found answers to many of my questions.
Is Heaven a real place?
Heaven definitely is a real place, where Jesus is. He’s waiting for us there and has prepared a home for us, so that we can live forever with Him. In the gospel of John Jesus told his disciples:
“My Father’s house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told
you that I am going there to prepare a place for you? And if I go and
prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that
you also may be where I am.” John 14:2-3John 14:2-3
English: World English Bible - WEB
2 In my Father’s house are many mansions. If it weren’t so, I would have told you. I am going to prepare a place for you.
3 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.
WP-Bible plugin
Jesus also told the thief on the cross “today you will be with me in
Paradise.”
The thief believed in Jesus and he went to heaven with Jesus. The Bible says we can be sure that, Jesus is waiting for us in Heaven and he has prepared a place for us to live with him forever.
What is heaven like?
Heaven is a beautiful place that is perfect in every way. In heaven there is no pain, no sorrow and no suffering or no tears. Jesus called it paradise.
Rev. 21:3-4Rev. 21:3-4
English: World English Bible - WEB
3 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.
4 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.”
WP-Bible plugin says: God himself will be with them. He will wipe every tear
from their eyes, and there will be no more death or sorrow or crying or
pain. All these things are gone forever.”
The Bible also gives us some idea of what heaven will look like:
The Apostle John was given a vision of heaven that’s recorded in the Book of Revelation. It was a Holy city called the New Jerusalem. God gave John a tour of the New Jerusalem. It was very very large, bigger then we can imagine. The city was made of pure gold that was as clear as glass. It had high walls, made of Jasper, with 12 gates, each gate made of solid pearl!
The city is built on a foundation made with precious stones, in twelve layers of gemstones. Gemstones like: sapphire, emerald, topaz and amethyst and others. The Twelve layers of precious stones will shine with different colors like a beautiful rainbow. You have probably heard that in heaven there will be streets of GOLD!
Rev.: 21:21 says, “And the street of the city was gold, like transparent glass.”
Wow this sounds so beautiful, we really can’t imagine it.
Did you know that in heaven there won’t be a sun, moon or stars?
Revelations chapter 21 also says: “the city had no need of the sun or of the moon to shine in it, the glory of
God illuminated it. The Lamb (Jesus) is its light.” Rev. 21:23Rev. 21:23
English: World English Bible - WEB
23 The city has no need for the sun, neither of the moon, to shine, for the very glory of God illuminated it, and its lamp is the Lamb.
WP-Bible plugin
Jesus will be all the light we need in heaven. We won’t need the sun or moon or electricity!
Heaven is going to be an amazing place that is very hard for us to even imagine.
What will our bodies be like?
YOUR NEW BODY WILL BE LIKE JESUS’ RESURRECTED BODY. You will have a new body, that will be like Jesus body after he was raised from the dead.
Philippians 3:21Philippians 3:21
English: World English Bible - WEB
21 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.
WP-Bible plugin “Jesus will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like his glorious body.”
Here are a few things the Bible tells us about What our New Body will be like:
It is a real body that can be touched. Jesus told the disciples to touch and see that he was made of flesh and bones.
Your heavenly body will be eternal, it will last forever. It will never wear out.
Your new body will be recognizable. Just like the disciples recognized Jesus, you will recognize your loved ones and they will know you.
Your new body will look like you only better than you look now! Therefore your body will probably be a much younger version of yourself. Maybe since we know Jesus was 33 years old, it would be nice if we also looked like a 33 yr. old version of ourselves!