Heaven is going to be perfect, everyone says. But is it really? And what does perfect mean?
I, and many others, have been under the impression that heaven is going to be a state of eternal bliss with no difference in how blissful or any lack of bliss. But is that true? Is that in the Bible? Guess what? It’s not!
So let’s look at what the Bible actually says.
There are actually few places in the Bible that have a direct description of the next life. And by the way, the heaven that’s there now, that’s a different heaven. The old heaven and earth pass away and new ones come (1-3 ). So whatever we read about THIS heaven doesn’t necessarily apply to THAT heaven. And the other thing, we aren’t going to go live in “heaven.” We are going to go live on a new earth in a new Jerusalem. But even with a lack of details, since this life is a reflection of the next, there are things we can infer about what it will be like.
Let’s start with the direct descriptions. There won’t be any tears, mourning, crying, pain or death (1-2, 4). There will be nothing impure, shameful, sinful or deceitful. There won’t be any anger, hatred, greed, or any of the actions that come from those feelings (6-12). We won’t be hungry or thirsty. There won’t be a hot sun or scorching heat (2). In fact, there won’t even be a sun (4) or night (13) because God will give us light (14). There will be joy and delight and the purest of love. There will be peace, kindness, goodness and truth (2,15). There will be food and wine (2,4,13,16) (but not drunkenness).
There is going to be a throne for Christ and springs of living water (2,5,13). There won’t be marriage because we will be the bride of Christ as one unified body (17). There is going to be a new Jerusalem of exquisite beauty. It’s going to be made of pure gold with walls of jasper and gates of pearl. It’s going to have twelve foundations all decorated with precious stones like sapphires, emeralds and rubies (14).
We will all have a place prepared for us (18). It might be a mansion on an estate or a room in a mansion. We don’t know; the Greek word used could be either. But it will be a place especially prepared just for us. There will be treasure (19). But it won’t be gold or jewels. The city is made of gold and jewels so those won’t be anything rare or expensive. The treasure will be those things most cherished by God and godly people. Whatever the treasure is, it must be built in this life.
Many people think in the next life we will all be equal and the same. But the Bible says otherwise. We know that some will have more rewards than others (20). Some people won’t even have a reward (21). We also know some people will be considered greater than others (22). That shows there will be varying levels of happiness, we just don’t know precisely what that will mean.
And that’s it. That’s all that’s spelled out.
But there’s a lot we can figure out by inference. The only logical reason for this life to exist is to prepare us for the next one. Which means what is in this life must be in some way a shadow of the next one. The other thing we can look at is what it was like in the Garden of Eden. Although there are clearly some differences, such as the garden having day and night, overall we can look at it as an example because what God made was very good (23).
So what do we see?
We see animals in the land, sea and sky (24). We can be sure the animals are not going to be carnivores because they weren’t in Eden or in the description of the new heaven and earth in Isaiah (25). (Although in Isaiah it’s clear that some if it is a prophecy for the current life and some for the new life and it doesn’t spell out the difference, we can still infer there are probably going to be herbivore animals). Also, if people aren’t going to have hate or anger and they are going to eat from the fruit of the trees, it wouldn’t make sense for animals to be carnivores.
We see fellowship. God liked to walk in the garden with Adam and Eve (26). There are numerous mentions of fellowship offerings in the Old Testament. There are 29 in Leviticus alone (27)! God wants fellowship with us (28) and for us to have fellowship with each other (29).
We will worship God. Most people think of songs, and there will certainly be those (30). But there will probably also be musical instruments (31) and dancing (32)!
Looking at what motivates us in this life gives us a lot to speculate about the next.
I have no doubt there will be many gardens. We know there will be at least one tree and a river. God created a garden as the first dwelling place for people (33). Gardens are mentioned throughout the Bible as places to be wanted and cherished (34). In Song of Songs the bride is compared to a garden (35). Israel is compared to a garden in several of the books of the prophets (36).
It’s possible we will have tasks to do. Adam worked in and took care of the Garden of Eden and it was a perfect place (37). God wanted to give the Israelites a promised land where their work would be easy and their lives rich and blessed. If we look around at this life, people love to work on things that are their passion. I’d be surprised if there are classic cars or football in the next life, but art, gardening and many other things contribute to the richness of the basics of life so it seems logical to have them in the next. Everything about the whole world and how people work shows God loves beauty and creativity.
I think, I hope, we will get to learn things. With few exceptions everyone strives to learn something. Whether they have a joy for learning just for the sake of learning or have a specific interest. From cosmology to quantum physics, from gardening to architecture, from how to win their video games to computer programming, almost everyone is trying to learn something. Some people say that we will know everything in the next life because Paul talks about knowing in part and knowing in full, but he’s talking about knowing truth and people and being known (38). All through the Bible knowing has to do with knowing God and knowing wisdom and truth.
Some people say that if you have an eternity someday you will know everything. But on what do they base that? If this world is but a pale shadow of the one to come, maybe there is an eternity of things to discover!
That’s about all I’ve come up with so far. Regardless of whether my speculations are right or wrong, we can be sure of this: the next life is going to be amazing, but it’s not going to be one blissful state of being. There will be a lot more to it than that and I’m looking forward to finding out what.
(1) Then I saw “a new heaven and a new earth,” for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea. 2 I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. 3 And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Look! God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. 4 ‘He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death’ or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away” (Revelation 21:1-4).
(2) “See, I will create new heavens and a new earth.The former things will not be remembered, nor will they come to mind. But be glad and rejoice forever in what I will create, for I will create Jerusalem to be a delight and its people a joy. I will rejoice over Jerusalem and take delight in my people; the sound of weeping and of crying will be heard in it no more. “Never again will there be in it an infant who lives but a few days or an old man who does not live out his years;
the one who dies at a hundred will be thought a mere child; the one who fails to reach[a] a hundred will be considered accursed. They will build houses and dwell in them; they will plant vineyards and eat their fruit. No longer will they build houses and others live in them, or plant and others eat. For as the days of a tree, so will be the days of my people; my chosen ones will long enjoy the work of their hands. They will not labor in vain, nor will they bear children doomed to misfortune; for they will be a people blessed by the Lord, they and their descendants with them. Before they call I will answer; while they are still speaking I will hear. The wolf and the lamb will feed together, and the lion will eat straw like the ox, and dust will be the serpent’s food.
They will neither harm nor destroy on all my holy mountain,” says the Lord. (Isaiah 65:16-25).
(3) But in keeping with his promise we are looking forward to a new heaven and a new earth, where righteousness dwells (2 Peter 3:13).
(4) And he said, “These are they who have come out of the great tribulation; they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. Therefore,“they are before the throne of God and serve him day and night in his temple; and he who sits on the throne will shelter them with his presence.‘Never again will they hunger; never again will they thirst. The sun will not beat down on them,’ nor any scorching heat. For the Lamb at the center of the throne will be their shepherd; ‘he will lead them to springs of living water.’ ‘And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.’” (Revelation 7:14-17).
(5) The Spirit and the bride say, “Come!” And let the one who hears say, “Come!” Let the one who is thirsty come; and let the one who wishes take the free gift of the water of life (Revelation 22:17).
(6) For out of the heart come evil thoughts—murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false testimony, slander. These are what defile a person (Matthew 15:19-21).”
(7) Or do you not know that wrongdoers will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor men who have sex with men nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God (1 Corinthians 6:9-10).
(8) The acts of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God (Galatians 5:19-21).
(9) Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry. Because of these, the wrath of God is coming. You used to walk in these ways, in the life you once lived. But now you must also rid yourselves of all such things as these: anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language from your lips. Do not lie to each other, since you have taken off your old self with its practices (Colossians 3:5-9).
(10) We also know that the law is made not for the righteous but for lawbreakers and rebels, the ungodly and sinful, the unholy and irreligious, for those who kill their fathers or mothers, for murderers, for the sexually immoral, for those practicing homosexuality, for slave traders and liars and perjurers—and for whatever else is contrary to the sound doctrine (1 Timothy 1:9-10)
(11) But the cowardly, the unbelieving, the vile, the murderers, the sexually immoral, those who practice magic arts, the idolaters and all liars—they will be consigned to the fiery lake of burning sulfur. This is the second death.” (Revelation 21:8)
(12) Outside are the dogs, those who practice magic arts, the sexually immoral, the murderers, the idolaters and everyone who loves and practices falsehood (Revelation 22:15).
(13) Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, as clear as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb down the middle of the great street of the city. On each side of the river stood the tree of life, bearing twelve crops of fruit, yielding its fruit every month. And the leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nations. No longer will there be any curse. The throne of God and of the Lamb will be in the city, and his servants will serve him. They will see his face, and his name will be on their foreheads. There will be no more night. They will not need the light of a lamp or the light of the sun, for the Lord God will give them light. And they will reign for ever and ever (Revelation 22:1-5).
(14) One of the… angels who had the seven bowls full of the seven last plagues came and said to me, “Come, I will show you the bride, the wife of the Lamb.” And he carried me away in the Spirit to a mountain great and high, and showed me the Holy City, Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God. It shone with the glory of God, and its brilliance was like that of a very precious jewel, like a jasper, clear as crystal. It had a great, high wall with twelve gates… The wall of the city had twelve foundations… The wall was made of jasper, and the city of pure gold, as pure as glass. The foundations of the city walls were decorated with every kind of precious stone… jasper… sapphire… agate… emerald… onyx… ruby… chrysolite… beryl… topaz… turquoise… jacinth… amethyst. The twelve gates were… made of a single pearl. The great street of the city was of gold, as pure as transparent glass. I did not see a temple in the city, because the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are its temple. The city does not need the sun or the moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light, and the Lamb is its lamp. The nations will walk by its light, and the kings of the earth will bring their splendor into it. On no day will its gates ever be shut, for there will be no night there. The glory and honor of the nations will be brought into it. Nothing impure will ever enter it, nor will anyone who does what is shameful or deceitful, but only those whose names are written in the Lamb’s book of life (Revelation 21:9-27).
(15) But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control (Galatians 5:22-23). Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres (1 Corinthians 13:4-8).
(16) People will come from east and west and north and south, and will take their places at the feast in the kingdom of God (Luke 13:29). I tell you, I will not drink from this fruit of the vine from now on until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father’s kingdom (Matthew 16:20).
(17) At the resurrection people will neither marry nor be given in marriage; they will be like the angels in heaven (Matthew 22:30). I promised you to one husband, to Christ, so that I might present you as a pure virgin to him (2 Corinthians 11:2). Let us rejoice and be glad and give him glory! For the wedding of the Lamb has come, and his bride has made herself ready. Fine linen, bright and clean, was given her to wear.” (Fine linen stands for the righteous acts of God’s holy people) (Revelation 19:7-8).
(18) 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? (John 14:2).
(19) Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also (Matthew 6:19-21).
(20) For the Son of Man is going to come in his Father’s glory with his angels, and then he will reward each person according to what they have done (Matthew 16:27). Rejoice in that day and leap for joy, because great is your reward in heaven (Luke 6:23). The one who plants and the one who waters have one purpose, and they will each be rewarded according to their own labor (1 Corinthians 3:8). The Lord will reward each one for whatever good they do (Ephesians 6:8).
(21) If what has been built survives, the builder will receive a reward. If it is burned up, the builder will suffer loss but yet will be saved—even though only as one escaping through the flames (1 Corinthians 3:14-15).
(22) Therefore anyone who sets aside one of the least of these commands and teaches others accordingly will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever practices and teaches these commands will be called great in the kingdom of heaven (Matthew 5:19). Among those born of women there has not risen anyone greater than John the Baptist; yet whoever is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he (Matthew 11:11). Therefore, whoever takes the lowly position of this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven (Matthew 18:4). The greatest among you will be your servant. For those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted (Matthew 23:11-12).
(23) God saw all that he had made, and it was very good (Genesis 1:31).
(24) God created the great creatures of the sea and every living thing with which the water teems and that moves about in it, according to their kinds, and every winged bird according to its kind…. God made the wild animals according to their kinds, the livestock according to their kinds, and all the creatures that move along the ground according to their kinds. And God saw that it was good. (Genesis 1:21, 25).
(25) To all the beasts of the earth and all the birds in the sky and all the creatures that move along the ground—everything that has the breath of life in it—I give every green plant for food (Genesis 1:30). The wolf will live with the lamb, the leopard will lie down with the goat, the calf and the lion and the yearling together; and a little child will lead them. The cow will feed with the bear, their young will lie down together, and the lion will eat straw like the ox (Isaiah 11:6-7). The wolf and the lamb will feed together, and the lion will eat straw like the ox (Isaiah 65:25).
(26) Then the man and his wife heard the sound of the Lord God as he was walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and they hid from the Lord God among the trees of the garden (Genesis 3:8).
(27) You can find them by searching “fellowship” at Biblegateway.com.
(28) God is faithful, who has called you into fellowship with his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord (1 Corinthians 1:9). May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all (2 Corinthians 6:14). And our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son, Jesus Christ (1 John 1:3). If we claim to have fellowship with him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live out the truth (1 John 1:6).
(29) But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another. (1 John 1:7). All the believers were together and had everything in common… Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts (Acts 2:44-46). [Do not give] up meeting together (Hebrews 10:25).
(30) I will sing to the Lord; I will praise the Lord, the God of Israel, in song (Judges 5:3).
Sing to him, sing praise to him; tell of all his wonderful acts (1 Chronicles 16:9). Sing the praises of the Lord (Psalm 9:11). Worship the Lord with gladness; come before him with joyful songs (Psalm 100:2). Sing and make music from your heart to the Lord (Ephesians 5:19). Just to name a few.
(31) David and all the Israelites were celebrating with all their might before God, with songs and with harps, lyres, timbrels, cymbals and trumpets (1 Chronicles 13:18). The Lord will save me, and we will sing with stringed instruments all the days of our lives in the temple of the Lord (Isaiah 38:20). David wrote seven Psalms designed for stringed instruments: Psalm 4, 6, 54, 55, 61, 67 and 76. The Lord will save me, and we will sing with stringed instruments all the days of our lives in the temple of the Lord (Isaiah 38:20).
(32) Then Miriam the prophet, Aaron’s sister, took a timbrel in her hand, and all the women followed her, with timbrels and dancing (Exodus 15:20). David was dancing before the Lord with all his might (2 Samuel 6:14). They send forth their children as a flock; their little ones dance about (Job 21:11). You turned my wailing into dancing (Psalm 30:11). Let them praise his name with dancing (Psalm 149:3). Praise him with timbrel and dancing, praise him with the strings and pipe (Psalm 150:4).
(34) When these days were over, the king gave a banquet, lasting seven days, in the enclosed garden of the king’s palace, for all the people from the least to the greatest who were in the citadel of Susa. The garden had hangings of white and blue linen, fastened with cords of white linen and purple material to silver rings on marble pillars. There were couches of gold and silver on a mosaic pavement of porphyry, marble, mother-of-pearl and other costly stones (Esther 1:5-6).
(35) I made gardens and parks and planted all kinds of fruit trees in them (Ecclesiastes 2:5). You are a garden locked up… my bride; you are a spring enclosed, a sealed fountain. Your plants are an orchard of pomegranates with choice fruits, with henna and nard, nard and saffron, calamus and cinnamon, with every kind of incense tree, with myrrh and aloes and all the finest spices. You are a garden fountain, a well of flowing water (Song of Songs 4:12-15).
(36) The Lord will guide you always; he will satisfy your needs in a sun-scorched land and will strengthen your frame. You will be like a well-watered garden, like a spring whose waters never fail (Isaiah 58:11). There are many others which can be found by searching “garden” at Biblegateway.com.
(37) The Lord God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it (Genesis 2:15). Moreover, when God gives someone wealth and possessions, and the ability to enjoy them, to accept their lot and be happy in their toil—this is a gift of God (Ecclesiastes 5:19). For as the days of a tree, so will be the days of my people; my chosen ones will long enjoy the work of their hands (Isaiah 65:22).
(38) For we know in part and we prophesy in part, but when completeness comes, what is in part disappears… For now we see only a 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 (1 Corinthians 13:9-12).
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