Wondering What Heaven Is Really Like

“Heaven.” When you hear that word, what comes to mind? Billowy clouds? Angels flitting around playing harps? “Pearly gates,” in front of which someone holding a giant book listing who gets in and who doesn’t? Streets made of gold?

The suppositions could go on, but no one knows for certain what heaven will be like. This question might not be foremost in our thoughts during a typical day, but it does arise from time to time, especially when someone we know departs from this life. At such times we often hear – and might even say ourselves – that he or she is in a “better place.” But have you ever wondered what that better place is really like?

 

The Bible gives us some clues, particularly in the book of Revelation, but it can be hard to determine what descriptions are factual and which are figurative. Even Jesus Christ during His time on earth didn’t offer a lot of specifics, although He did provide assurances that it’s a very special place. 

 

One day, not long before His crucifixion, Jesus consoled His disciples by saying, “Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in Me. In My Father’s house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. 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 14:1-3). The King James Version uses the term “mansions” instead of “rooms,” but we know for certain the Lord has reserved a special place for each of us. 

 

Maybe one reason biblical descriptions of heaven might seem vague is because our finite, temporal minds couldn’t begin to grasp the infinite, eternal delights of heaven: “No eye has seen, nor ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love Him” (1 Corinthians 1:9). Think about seeing firsthand some natural wonder we’ve only heard described or seen via a two-dimensional photograph, and then multiply that sense of awe about a million times.

 

One reality of getting older is knowing more and more people who are no longer living. In the past several months, several friends I knew well have died. After years of waiting for “the blessed hope and glorious appearance of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ” (Titus 2:13), their faith has become sight. Causes one to wonder what they’re experiencing right now on what I like to call, “the other side of eternity.”

 

Have you ever been away on a lengthy trip and felt so happy when you finally arrived back home? We might find this physical world familiar and comfortable, but the Bible indicates when we arrive in heaven, we’ll know we’re finally home. “But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ” (Philippians 3:20). 

 

We might be proud of our national heritage, but for followers of Jesus, our true citizenship isn’t here. As the old gospel song proclaims, “This world is not my home, I’m just a-passing through…. The angels beckon me from heaven’s open door, and I can’t feel at home in this world anymore.”

 

Even though we typically perceive death as the enemy, God doesn’t see it that way when it comes to His children. I often think of Psalm 116:15, which caused a doubletake the first time I read it: “Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of His saints.” ‘Precious? Are you kidding me?’ we’re tempted to ask. However, for God it’s precious indeed, because His children are finally coming home – forever.

 

The apostle Paul, who had more than his share of near-death experiences before being martyred for his faith, offered this view: “to be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord” (2 Corinthians 5:8). After his dramatic conversion on the road to Damascus and becoming one of the most influential leaders of the early Church, Paul knew the best was yet to come.

 

Quite a few authors have been bold enough to write entire books about what they think heaven will be like. And there’s much more we could consider directly from the Scriptures. But for now, perhaps it’s best to continue looking through the eyes of faith, trusting that even in the most difficult times, “our present sufferings are not comparable to the glory that will be revealed in us” (Romans 8:18). 

What Does a Life Worth Living Require?

When people embark on a professional career, they typically have one primary goal in sight: Success. They want to prove their skills at their chosen vocation and then be rewarded accordingly, not only financially but also with promotions, and influence. They want to make their mark and be recognized for it.

 

There comes a time in most people’s working careers, however, when a major shift occurs. The pursuit of success becomes a different quest – for significance. They want to leave a meaningful legacy after they retire or pass from this life. They’d like to feel significant, to have achieved a life worth living.

 

But what constitutes significance? Does it mean leaving a vast inheritance? Giving enough money to an institution to deserve having one’s name displayed on a building? Having an obituary that takes up two entire columns in the local newspaper?

 

I thought about this recently while attending the memorial service for a longtime friend. I met Gene when I joined the staff of CBMC (Christian Business Men’s Connection) more than 40 years ago, and he was truly one of a kind – a master of puns in the silliest sense of the word, but also a person devoted to Jesus Christ and with a passion for offering aid to the poor and disenfranchised in whatever ways possible.

 

The church where Gene’s life was celebrated wasn’t large, but it was jammed. Standing room only. Those attending represented a wide range of demographics: white, African-American, mixed race, wealthy, not wealthy at all, old and young. The one common denominator was their love for this man who is now with the Lord and their appreciation for his often-selfless service and ministry of mercy in their lives.

 

Although a musician, writer, and a noted collector of “neat stuff,” Gene never achieved what one might consider celebrity status. Few of the city’s “movers and shakers” were present for the service. And yet, hearing the moving testimonies, listening to laughter as some of his endearing quirks – including his unique sense of humor – were remembered, and seeing visible evidence of the many people whose lives he had touched in the name of Jesus Christ, I couldn’t help thinking that his was a life of true significance.

 

We become enthralled with the famous – even those who achieve fame simply for being famous. But significance doesn’t require being listed in Who’s Who, or having a lengthy bio on Wikipedia, or having a street named after you. Rather, it’s making a genuine, even life-changing difference in the lives of people with whom we have the opportunity to interact. 

 

In Gene’s case, this included being a one-man “clearing house” for impoverished individuals who came to his church seeking help. Experience had taught him the best assistance isn’t always a handout but sometimes offering a hand-up instead. And in the process, introducing many of them to the Savior who not only could save their souls but also guide them to productive, rewarding lives.

 

Proverbs 3:28 teaches, “Do not withhold good from the deserving when it is within your power to act. Do not say to your neighbor, ‘Come back tomorrow and I’ll give it to you’ – when you already have it with you.” My friend was an expert in heeding this admonition, doing his best to serve as a soldier in the war on poverty. As he often said, “If you give a man a fish, you feed him for a day. If you teach him how to fish, you feed him for a lifetime. And maybe one day, he’ll own the pond.”

 

Many of us on occasion find ourselves wondering what it will be like to take our final breath on Earth and suddenly find ourselves in the presence of the Lord. We do know what Jesus said about those who fulfill the calling God gave to them: “His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!” (Matthew 25:21). I’m certain this is what Gene heard upon arrival.

 

Despite biblical assurances, it's not uncommon even for folks with implicit faith in Jesus Christ to ponder their eventual death with some trepidation. As the ole “theologian” Woody Allen once quipped, “I’m not afraid of dying. I just don’t want to be there when it happens.” But if we believe what the Scriptures teach, death in this life is simply what I like to term “stepping to the other side of eternity.” 

It’s when God our Father extends His arms to welcome us home. This explains the curious biblical assertion that, “Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of His saints” (Psalm 116:15). 

Absent from the Body, Present With the Lord

Gib is the gentle giant on the left.

Years ago, the rock band MercyMe recorded the hit tune, “I Can Only Imagine.” It later served as the inspiration for a theatrical film, telling the story behind the song and its message which ponders what heaven must be like. Don’t you sometimes wonder about this yourself?

These words take on deeper meaning when a dear friend or loved one who follows Christ passes away and it occurs to you that their wondering and imagining are over. For them, as the classic hymn “It is Well With My Soul” declares, faith has become sight. 

A couple weeks ago my friend, Gilbert (Gib), ended his year-long bout with cancer when he quietly drifted from this life to the next in his sleep. Over the months following his diagnosis and numerous treatments, Gib had voiced concern about the dying process, but never once did he fear the prospect of death. Many times he told me and others, “I can’t wait to see my Jesus.”

Even more than fishing, Gib loved
"fishing" in the name of Jesus.

When people learned Gib was dealing with cancer, they would predictably respond, “Oh, I’m so sorry.” He usually took this as an open door to tell them there was no reason for feeling sorry, that he was looking forward to going to heaven. Then he would kindly – but directly – ask if they had the same hope.

His hearers often marveled at his confidence; some called it courage. But as we studied the Scriptures together, Gib and I had talked about what the biblical term “hope” actually means – earnest expectation, confident assurance. And this is what Gib possessed until he drew his final breath. There was no hint of the tentative “hope-so” that comprises the best some people can muster as they consider their eternal destiny.

In 2 Corinthians 5:8, the apostle Paul writes, “We are confident, I say, and would prefer to be away from the body and at home with the Lord." Gib could have written these words as well, and at last the Lord has granted this "preference." No longer encumbered by disease and earthly limitations, my friend is experiencing what I like to call the other side of eternity, since the Bible teaches that eternal life actually begins before death for all who have received Christ as Savior and Lord. "I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life" (1 John 5:13).

Gib was truly a gentle, congenial giant, the kind of man who never knew a stranger. Armed with a wonderful sense of humor, and a deep, resonant voice that could carry across the room, he thought nothing of striking up a conversation with anyone nearby, offering compliments and other pleasantries. Whether as an Uber driver, bass player in the church band, eating at a local restaurant, or sitting in a chair receiving his periodic chemotherapy treatments, he saw himself as an ambassador for his Lord. And he did his job well.

In the Bible we occasionally come across seeming imponderable statements, making us want to stop, scratch our heads, and ask, “Say what?” The declaration of Psalm 116:15 is one of these: “Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his saints." 

How can a loving God delight in the death of His children? How can someone’s death be described as “precious”? I puzzled over that myself, until I realized what we perceive as the end of someone’s life is actually the beginning of a new one, unfettered by sin, pain, sorrow and all the hardships of our temporal lives.

But there’s another aspect to it as well. Think of a parent eagerly awaiting a beloved child’s return from a long stay in a distant land. I truly believe it’s that way with God the Father. As His children pass from this life, He is ready to welcome them, maybe even giddy with excitement. We talk about people “going home to be with the Lord.” According to the Scriptures, that’s exactly what it is, our heavenly Father with open arms receiving us to our real home.

I do wonder what is was like for Gib, as well as many other friends and loved ones, to be in the Savior’s presence for the first time. What a marvelous experience that must be, one that will never fade for all eternity. As 1 John 3:2 tells us, “Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when he appears, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is.” Imagine that, Jesus looking at us and instantly seeing an undeniable family resemblance!

‘Precious in the Sight of God . . .’

Suspend your disbelief for a moment and suppose you could communicate with a baby in the womb, days or even moments before its birth. You attempt to explain the wonderful, incredible world it’s about to enter, trying to convey some of the sights and sensations it will experience.

When your effusive description is over, the baby responds, “No thanks. I’m good. I have everything I need here. It’s cozy. I’m close to Mommy. I want to stay here.”

Of course we can’t communicate cognitively with babies in utero. And they can’t choose to remain in the womb when time comes for them to enter the outside world. Parents are excitedly waiting to welcome the new addition to the family, to set eyes on the little one for the first time. With wide smiles and arms poised for embrace, they’re ready to nurture the infant, and share in the wonderment of their new life.

This image helps me to understand one of the strangest verses in the Bible. Psalm 116:15 says, “Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his saints.” Reading this passage for first time I thought, “Really? Is God some kind of sadist? What’s ‘precious’ about death?”

But pondering these questions, the human birth analogy came to mind. Life on earth, with its physical and temporal limitations, is our “womb.” Despite pain and hardships, it’s all we know. So we cling to it. Death is the enemy. Even in the throes of dread diseases, we desire healing.

What if, however, on “the other side of eternity,” death looks more like birth – merely leaving one environment and entering a new, wondrous one we could never have imagined?

In fact, the Bible promises this: "No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love him" (1 Corinthians 2:9). Just as an unborn infant can’t fathom the world that awaits it, the Scriptures assert the same is true of the life after death.

And just as proud parents have lovingly arranged a nursery for little Jake or Jill, our Lord is as eager to show what He’s prepared for us. Jesus said as much in John 14:2: “In my Father's house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you.” In essence, He’s saying, “Wait until you see what I have for you!”

This week another dear friend was called home by the Lord. Her passing is difficult for the family, without question. From the beginning, God built us for relationships; when they’re disrupted in this life by death, the void can’t be filled, and grieving family and friends remain.

But imagine leaving this “womb” and entering a new, unending life – and receiving the embrace of your Heavenly Father, His broad smile accompanied by the words, “Welcome home, My child. We’ve been waiting for you!” That sounds precious to me.

Borrowing the words of the vocal group Mercyme, “I can only imagine.”