What Is Heaven Described As In The Bible

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Lisa

I recently lost my 19 year old brother he was killed.These past few weeks have been so hard. There isnt a day that goes by without crying and hurting. I miss him so much. I still dont understand why our father took him away so soon in a tragic way. My brother accepted Jesus Christ as his savior, therefore I just dont understand why this happened. This article brought me some comfort. Thank you to whoever published it. Im still hurting, but thanks.

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Hey love,Im so sorry about your brother. I know youre probably sick of people telling you its all part of Gods plan, and its going to be okay, but theyre right. Gods got this. Hes in control. And you are not alone. I know what its like to wake up every day with pain, not knowing how youre going to face the day, but our Dad is with us, and hes in control. I am giving you the strength to resist them they will not defeat you, for I will be with you. I, the Lord, have spoken.Message me any time, and know how loved and special you are, and that God has got everything sorted. He hears your tears and screams and hurt, and he is with you, through all of it. Life wont always be easy, but God is there, good and bad.Much love xx

What Some People Say

There are diverse beliefs about heaven and its purpose. For example:

• Many professed Christians would agree with the New Catholic Encyclopedia, which calls heaven the ultimate home of the blessed who die in the Lord.

• Judaism focuses more on the present life than on the afterlife, says Rabbi Bentzion Kravitz. But he suggests that in heaven the soul experiences the greatest possible pleasurea greater perception and feeling of closeness to God than it had previously. Kravitz acknowledges, however, that although Judaism believes in heaven, the Torah speaks very little about it.

• Hindus and Buddhists believe that heaven exists on many spiritual levels. It is a temporary stop, after which a person is either reborn on earth or transcends to Nirvana or Buddhahooda state that is higher than heaven.

• Some reject any religious notion of heaven and say that the whole idea is childish nonsense.

Heaven is a topic of much speculation

Who Goes To Hell

Everyone else everyone not included in the categories above will go to Hell following their death on earth. This is true for all who are unrighteous those whose names are not written in the Book of Life all people who perish without faith in Jesus Christ. The Bible teaches that the final destiny of all such people is eternal death. They, sadly, will go to Hell.

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What Does Heaven Mean In The Bible

The words heaven or heavens in the Bible can refer to three different things:

• The earths atmosphere where birds fly .
• Space, where the planets and stars are .
• Gods dwelling place where His throne is .

The apostle Paul called the heaven where God dwells the third heaven . The Bible does not talk about seven or 10 heavens.

Heaven What Will It Belike

The Bible gives us a more complete picture of heaven than we mightguess. First, we can take a little look at what heaven won’t be.

In heaven, there will be: No power shortages, for God is all powerful no bumping into things in the dark no sleepless nights . Nor will there be: Bills hospitals bank accounts. In fact, heaven will have: No complaints no back-talk no hate no fear no crime.

Are you really ready to live in heaven? Now, let’s take a closelook at what heaven will be like: Heaven will be a place of fellowship.”I go to prepare a place for you. I will come again and receiveyou unto myself” . The children of God shall “meetthe Lord in the air and so shall we ever be with the Lord”. “He who overcomes, I will give himthe Morning Star.””I am Jesus. I am the root and theoffspring of David, and the bright and Morning Star.” . “And it shall come to pass that before theycall, I will answer, and while they are yet speaking, I will hear”.

Heaven will be a place to worship God. When Isaiah speaks forthe Lord of the new heavens and earth, he prophesies that “allflesh shall come to worship before me” .The Apostle, John, also predicts the same thing saying: “ForThou only are holy: for all nations shall come and worship beforeThee” .

In heaven we will be given new names, new imperishable bodies.and we will be clothed in the white robes of righteousness. Wewill be glorious living stones pillars in the eternal templeof God .

This place is heaven. Will you be there?

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Sidebar: What Does Heaven Look Like

The Bible gives us several awesome and intriguing glimpses of heaven and Gods glorious throne room.

In Isaiah 6:1-3 Isaiah recorded a vision he had of Gods throne:

In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord sitting on a throne, high and lifted up, and the train of His robe filled the temple. Above it stood seraphim each one had six wings: with two he covered his face, with two he covered his feet, and with two he flew. And one cried to another and said: Holy, holy, holy is the LORD of hosts the whole earth is full of His glory!

Ezekiel 1:4-28 describes a vision given to Ezekiel of Gods throne in motion, coming out of the north and visiting Ezekiel.

And above the firmament over their heads was the likeness of a throne, in appearance like a sapphire stone on the likeness of the throne was a likeness with the appearance of a man high above it.

Also from the appearance of His waist and upward I saw, as it were, the color of amber with the appearance of fire all around within it and from the appearance of His waist and downward I saw, as it were, the appearance of fire with brightness all around.

Like the appearance of a rainbow in a cloud on a rainy day, so was the appearance of the brightness all around it. This was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the LORD. So when I saw it, I fell on my face, and I heard a voice of One speaking .

About the Author

Mike Bennett

The Loosing Of Satan And The Final Revolt Against Christ

At the conclusion of the thousand-year reign of Christ, Satan, who has been bound, will be let loose again, and he will immediately continue his opposition to the things of God by enticing those who were not genuinely saved in the Millennium to follow him in conquering the city of Jerusalem. Though everyone who enters the Millennium as an adult will be saved, it is obvious that as children are born, they have to make a decision to receive Christ. Under the circumstances, in the millennial kingdom all will be required to profess faith in Christ, but in some cases this will not be real, and, actually, they will be unsaved. When Satan is loosed, they follow him and attempt to conquer the city of Jerusalem. This is stated in Revelation 20:7-9:

When the thousand years are over, Satan will be released from his prison and will go out to deceive the nations in the four corners of the earthGog and Magogto gather them for battle. In number they are like the sand on the seashore. They marched across the breadth of the earth and surrounded the camp of Gods people, the city he loves. But fire came down from heaven and devoured them.

The rebellion is short-lived. And when it is over, the devil is cast into the lake of burning sulfur, where he will be tormented forever . It is significant that the beast and the false prophet who were thrown into the lake of burning sulfur a thousand years earlier are still there and are still under torment.

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Human Ideas About Heaven

Others have had a much greater curiosity. Some who have had near-death experiences claim to have visited heaven.

And mystics and religious thinkers through the ages have described a variety of heavens:

• Some talked of seven heavens, with the seventh heaven being the most exalted level of heaven, especially the highest and most holy or blessed of the hierarchical series of heavens described in Jewish and Islamic theology.
• In Dante Alighieris Divine Comedy, he poetically visits 10 spheres of heaven, associated with the moon, sun, five then-known planets, stars, as well as a crystalline heaven that transfers its movement to all the spheres below it. Beyond the crystalline sphere is the unmoving heaven of the Empyrean .

The concept of seven heavens in some versions of Jewish theology is derived from mystical thought, and in Islam it comes from the Koran. Dantes ideas reflected the Ptolemaic conception of the universe.

But what does the Holy Bible say?

Precious Gemstones Will Adorn Heaven

Come, I will show you the bride, the Lambs wife. And he carried me away in the Spirit to a great and high mountain, and showed me the great city, the holy Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God, having the glory of God. Her light was like a most precious stone, like a jasper stone, clear as crystal .

An incredibly rare gemstone called taaffeite was discovered in Sri Lanka in 1945. Since then, only a handful of these gems have been found. This rarely seen beauty makes them highly sought after and valuable.

In heaven, the light of the great city of Jerusalem will be like a glorious stone, shining pure like crystal. Its radiance will outshine any precious gem on earth and its value will be immeasurable. Covered in the glory of God, the holy Jerusalem will descend with brilliance.

Out of Zion, the perfection of beauty, God will shine forth .

Every treasure man holds valuable will pale in comparison to the magnificent city of heaven. Precious stones will lavishly adorn the walls of Jerusalem.

The foundations of the wall of the city were adorned with all kinds of precious stones: the first foundation was jasper, the second sapphire, the third chalcedony, the fourth emerald, the fifth sardonyx, the sixth sardius, the seventh chrysolite, the eighth beryl, the ninth topaz, the tenth chrysoprase, the eleventh jacinth, and the twelfth amethyst .

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Where Is Heaven Where God Generally Is

Throughout the Bible, heaven is described as Gods dwelling place and where He rules from .

Daniel told the Babylonian king, But there is a God in heaven who reveals secrets, and He has made known to King Nebuchadnezzar what will be in the latter days .

Solomon prayed at the dedication of the temple, Then hear from heaven Your dwelling place, and forgive, and give to everyone according to all his ways, whose heart You know .

Corinthians 1: 2 Talks About A Man Who Was Caught Up In The Third Heaven Logic Dictates That If There Is A Third Heaven There Is A Heaven One And Two The Third Heaven In Scripture Is Where God Almighty Rules And Reigns Over The Universe With His Holy Angels This Is Where The Righteous Receive Their Crowns Of Life After Hearing The Words Well Done Though Good And Faithful Servant

There are mansions of splendor and robes that are dazzling white. The third heaven is our eternal home as children of the Most High God. Its the city where the Lamb is the light, where tears are never shed and goodbyes are never uttered. There is no sorrow or pain, only joy and sheer perfection. It is the city where we will one day join the angels in singing, Holy! Holy! Holy! Lord God Almighty! around the throne of God.

Heaven is for real!

The second heaven is where Satan rules his evil empire with legions of demons and fallen angels. Demons have power. They have personality. They have purpose. Satan has come to rob, to kill and to destroy. If he can mislead you down a wrong path that will destroy your lifes purposehe has won the battle. The second heaven is his campground.

Make no mistake about it! Satan is a fallen angel who quotes Scripture to deceive and destroy the righteous.

The first heaven is the heaven you can see with your natural eyes. It contains the sun, the moon and the stars. We are now waiting on the final two blood moons that I discuss in depth in my book Four Blood Moons.

Psalm 19:1 says, The heavens declare the glory of God and the firmament shows His handiwork.

What is an angel? Angels are created beings . They have superior knowledge, and they are without number.

Numbers 32:23 warns us by saying, Be sure your sins will find you out. Nothing is done in secret! God sees everything! Angels drove Adam and Eve from the Garden of Eden.

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Where Is Heaven Located In The Universe

We know where the first two biblical heavens arethey are part of our physical universe. But the heaven of Gods throne is spiritual. It existed before space and time existed.We know where the first two biblical heavens arethey are part of our physical universe. But the heaven of Gods throne is spiritual. It existed before space and time existed. You could say it is before the universe and beyond the universe. It doesnt belong to any of the physical dimensions we know, so it can seem pointless to even ask the question where is heaven?

But God understands our limited minds, and He does use analogies and talk about spiritual things in physical terms to help us understand them.

How does the Bible describe where the heaven of Gods throne is?

Heaven Descends To The Earth

After the Kingdom of Heaven begins on earth, after Christs return, the New Jerusalem descends out of heaven and heaven, in the New Jerusalem, will then be on earth. Revelation 21:1-2 describes this: 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. I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. The very tabernacle of God will be with humans then and heaven is any place where God is . All pain, suffering, and tears will absent there .

John was carried away to heaven in Revelation chapter 21 and this chapter is perhaps the best description of heaven that we know of at least the heaven that will be seen by those who are Christs today. John describes it in Revelation 21:10-27:

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Eternityof Heaven And Impeccability Of The Blessed

It is a dogma of faiththat the happiness of the blessed is everlasting. This truth isclearly contained in the Holy Bible it is daily professed by theChurch in the Apostles Creed , and it has been repeatedly defined by the Church,especially by Benedict XII. Even reason, as we have seen, candemonstrate it. And surely, if the blessed knew that their happinesswas ever to come to an end, this knowledge alone would prevent theirhappiness from being perfect.

In this matter Origen fellinto error for in several passages of his works he seems to inclineto the opinion that rational creatures never reach a permanent finalstate , but that they remain forever capableof falling away from God and losing their beatitude and of alwaysreturning to Him again.

The blessed are confirmed in good they can no longer commit even the slightest venial sin every wishof their heart is inspired by the purest love of God. That is, beyonddoubt, Catholic doctrine. Moreover this impossibility of sinning isphysical. The blessed have no longer the power of choosing to do evilactions they cannot but love God they are merely free to show thatlove by one good action in preference to another.

The beatific vision of itsvery nature directly excludes the possibility of sin. For no creaturecan have a clear intuitive view of the Supreme Good without being bythat very fact alone irresistibly drawn to love it efficaciously andto fulfill for its sake even the most arduous duties without theleast repugnance.

Criticism Of The Belief In Heaven

AnarchistEmma Goldman expressed this view when she wrote, “Consciously or unconsciously, most theists see in gods and devils, heaven and hell reward and punishment, a whip to lash the people into obedience, meekness and contentment.”

Some have argued that a belief in a reward after death is poor motivation for moral behavior while alive.Sam Harris wrote, “It is rather more noble to help people purely out of concern for their suffering than it is to help them because you think the Creator of the Universe wants you to do it, or will reward you for doing it, or will punish you for not doing it. The problem with this linkage between religion and morality is that it gives people bad reasons to help other human beings when good reasons are available.”

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Common Misconceptions About Heaven

1. Heaven is where good people will spend eternity. The scriptures make clear that there is no one who is good enough for heaven . Any righteousness that we think we have is like a filthy rag when held up to the standard of Gods incomparable holiness.

Those who think they are good enough for heaven are self-deceived and their pride separates them from God who opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble . In fact, Jesus said the way to heaven is small and narrow, and only a few find it .

One of the scariest warnings Jesus ever gave was about people who will be self-deceived. They will think they are following Christ and many of them will even be doing miracles in his name, but they will not be allowed entrance to heaven. At the end of their earthly lives, Jesus will reveal to them that he never knew them.

Rather than living for God and his will, they had actually been living for themselves and their own selfish desires . Jesus said, Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me .

2. Heaven is where Christians will spend eternity. This might not be as clear in scripture as people think. Some scholars on the topic of heaven argue the opposite. For example, in his book, 40 Questions About Heaven and Hell, Alan Gomes believes that the Bible indicates we will spend eternity on the new earth that God will create. He points to passages such as 2 Peter 3:13 and Revelation 21:1-2.