Tim Maas Retired Quality Assurance Specialist with the U.S. Army

The Bible speaks of three heavens -- the atmosphere surrounding Earth; interstellar space; and the eternal abode of God (to which Paul referred in 2 Corinthians 12:2 as "the third heaven"). It was this third heaven to which Jesus ascended bodily following His resurrection, and of which Paul received a vision or revelation, as he described in 2 Corinthians 12:1-4. It was also this third heaven to which Jesus was referring in John 14:2-3 when He spoke of His Father's house as having many rooms or dwellings, and told the apostles (and, by extension, all His followers) that He was going there to prepare a place for them, and that He would therefore come again and take them to be with Him, so that they could be where He was.

The process of progressive sanctification, which began for believers at the time that they were first indwelt by the Holy Spirit when they initially placed their faith in Christ for salvation and eternal life, will be brought to completion there, and their former sin natures will no longer exist. Consequently, sin and its consequence (death) will also no longer exist -- not by compulsion, but willingly. (As John said in 1 John 3:2-3, the redeemed shall be like Jesus, for they shall see Him as He is.)

Heaven will be a place of continual joy, peace, and praise of God, with no sorrow, weeping, or pain. There will be no night or darkness there (Revelation 22:5). It will also be a place of knowledge -- not just of God, but of the answers to questions and mysteries that humans have had that could not be resolved on earth or in this present life (1 Corinthians 13:12).

May 11 2020 • 0 responses • Vote Up • Share • Report

Jack Gutknecht ABC/DTS graduate, guitar music ministry Baptist church

Great question, Dan, about what the Bible says about Heaven! 

It's an "...inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you," [Christians].

Jesus said it's like this: "In my Father's house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also."

Jesus' closest friend of the 12 Disciples, John, said this about the Eternal State or Heaven: "Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, bright as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb through the middle of the street of the city; also, on either side of the river, the tree of life with its twelve kinds of fruit, yielding its fruit each month. The leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations. No longer will there be anything accursed, but the throne of God and of the Lamb will be in it, and his servants will worship him. They will see his face, and his name will be on their foreheads. And night will be no more. They will need no light of lamp or sun, for the Lord God will be their light, and they will reign forever and ever."

October 02 2022 • 0 responses • Vote Up • Share • Report