For since the beginning of the world men have not heard, nor perceived by the ear, neither hath the eye seen, O God, beside thee, what he hath prepared for him that waiteth for him
(Isaiah 64:4).
The Bible refers to Heaven as a blessed hope (see Titus 2:23), an eternal reward (see Revelation 22:12), the home of the soul (see Hebrews 5:1, 6–8), and a haven of rest (see Hebrews 4:9–11). For the child of God, the promise of Heaven at the end of life’s journey is both comforting and encouraging in that we know where Christ is, there we shall be also (see John 14:3). Beyond this, we will come face to face with the God we have worshiped, loved and served, join our voices with those of the Heavenly host in praise and adoration to His matchless name and dwell in His presence throughout the endless ages.
Our text informs us that since creation itself, no mortal has been able to comprehend all that awaits in Heaven for the true, the faithful, and the just, but beyond this, the apostle Paul quotes this verse in one of his epistles (letters) to the Corinthians as a means of informing his readers of the Holy Spirit’s ability to reveal to believers the mysteries of God (see 1 Corinthians 2:7–11). Being we who are born again is going to spend far more time in Heaven than we ever will spend on the face of this Earth, and it behooves us to know all we can concerning our future state. In this article, we are going to examine the nearness of Heaven, the no-mores of Heaven, and the newness of Heaven as a means of better understanding of what God hath prepared for him and that waiteth for him.
As far as the nearness of Heaven is concerned, it needs to be pointed out at the outset that Heaven is only near for the child of God. In the book of Revelation, the apostle John receives the words blessed are the dead which die in the Lord from henceforth: Yea, saith the Spirit, that they may rest from their labours; and their works do follow them (Revelation 14:13). John isn’t simply told “blessed are the dead;” instead, he hears the words blessed are the dead which die in the Lord. It is important for individuals to die in the Lord, for to do so otherwise is to face eternity forever separated from Almighty God in the lake of fire. Heaven is a prepared place for a prepared people; therefore, only those who have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb will enter its portals.
Just exactly how near is Heaven? The story is told of a boy who asks a preacher, “How far away is Heaven?” The pastor tells the child to place his hand over his chest and then asks him “What do you feel?” The boy answers, “I feel the beat of my heart,” and the preacher tells him “That’s exactly how far away Heaven is. It’s only one heartbeat away.” For every person living in this world eternity is just one heartbeat away, which means the child of God is subject to enter Heaven’s realm at any moment. We have to be prayed-up, packed-up, and ready to go at a moments notice, for we none know the day nor the hour when God will call us into His divine presence.
Believers will leave this world for their Heavenly home in one of two ways, namely, through death or the rapture. Death is one of the great uncertainties of life in that it may occur at any moment. People die every day because of medical issues (heart attacks, strokes, etc.), accidents, violence, and a host of other issues. The Word of God tells us boast not thyself of to-morrow; for thou knowest not what a day may bring forth (Proverb 27:1); therefore, we may wake up in the morning feeling fine with a list of definite plans for the day, but before the sun sets we may find ourselves standing before our Creator giving an account as to how we have conducted ourselves in this present life.
While there are those who mock the idea of the Rapture, Scripture is very clear as to the truth of its occurring. The apostle Paul describes it with the words the Lord himself shall descend from Heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord (1 Thessalonians 4:16–17), and the Lord Jesus says behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give to every man according to his work shall be (Revelation 22:12). Jesus is coming soon, and those who are saved by grace will rise to meet Him in the air.
Now that we have examined the nearness of Heaven, we turn our attention to the no-mores of Heaven. The Bible describes many wonderous sights we shall behold when we enter its eternal realm (streets of gold, walls of jasper, gates of pearl, the river of life, to name a few), but it likewise informs us of many earthly troubles and trials what will be left behind. In the latter chapters of the book of Revelation, John describes the new Jerusalem [he sees] coming down from God out of Heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband (Revelation 21:2). He says concerning that city God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes. There shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there by any more pain: for the former things are passed away (Revelation 21:4). As believers, we should live in anticipation of all that awaits us in Heaven, but we should likewise be thankful over those maladies that will not be present.
In Heaven there will be no more sickness in that we shall experience perfect health throughout the endless ages. At the time of this writing, we have just come through two years of COVID-19, which has brought sickness and death to millions of individuals. Beyond this, people experience any number of health issues that both cripple and debilitate them as well as shorten their days on Earth. But in Heaven, none of these disorders will be known, for we will walk on new ground, breathe new air, and enjoy a blissful, carefree life devoid of any disease.
Likewise, in Heaven there will be not more sorrow and suffering in that God shall wipe away all tears from [our] eyes (Revelation 21:4). There is much in this present life to trouble us as we deal with the death of loved ones, experience financial setbacks, face the attacks of Satan and undergo any number of other tribulations, but in Heaven all of this will be a thing of the past. We will be in a realm in which perfect joy and peace will be the norm, for our Heavenly existence will be free from all troubles and trials.
Heaven will be a place where there is no more sickness, sorrow, and suffering, but it will likewise be a place where there is no more separation. All of us have had to stand beside a grave and bid farewell to those we loved and cherished, but there is coming a day in which we shall join our loved ones who have died in the Lord. In that day, we will stand before the throne of God, blend our voices with those of the Heavenly host, and forever praise the name of our blessed redeemer. A familiar song asks the question “Will the circle be unbroken? By and by Lord, by and by,” and it then gives the answer, “There’s a better home awaiting in the sky, Lord, in the sky.”
Finally, beyond the nearness of Heaven and the no-mores of Heaven there is the newness of Heaven. In the verse we quoted above John writes the former things are passed away (Revelation 21:4), and in the very next verse, God declares, behold, I make all things new (Revelation 21:5). As our text indicates, humanity can’t begin even to imagine all that Heaven contains; therefore, every aspect of it will be new and unique. While it is impossible to contemplate all that will be new in Heaven, Holy Scripture does give us some insight into a few of its distinctive features.
In the first place, when we enter into Heaven’s glory we will possess a new body. This present body in which we dwell came from the dust of the Earth and will one day return to the dust (see Genesis 3:19), but the immortal soul we are created to be will live on forever (see Ecclesiastes 12:7). In Heaven our eternal spirit will be clothed in a new body that will never be feeble, grow tired or experience sickness. It will be a perfect body likened unto that of the Lord Jesus Christ (see 1 John 3:2) and will endure throughout eternity. In the great resurrection chapter of the Bible (1 Corinthians 15) the apostle Paul describes this new body. He says in both Heaven and Earth there are unique features (there is one king of flesh of men, another flesh of beasts, another of fishes, and another of birds…there is one glory of the sun, and another glory of the moon, and another glory of the stars: for one star differeth from another star in glory (vv 39, 41)); likewise, our resurrection body will be completely different from our physical body in that it is sown in corruption; it is raised in incorruption: it is sown in dishonour: it is raised glory; it is sown in weakness; it is raised in power: it is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body. There is a natural body, and there is a spiritual body (1 Corinthians 15:42–44).
Also, we will possess a new home in Heaven in that our Lord has said in my Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so I would have told you (John 14:2). Beyond this, in the book of Revelation the apostle John declares behold, the tabernacle (dwelling place) of God is with men, and he will dwell with them (Revelation 21:3). In this present world we live in houses that are in constant need of repair, but our Heavenly home will be built in perfection and will exist throughout the endless ages. When he was alive Abraham dwelt in tabernacles (tents; i.e., temporary homes) with Isaac and Jacob…For he looked for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God (Hebrews 11:9–10), and like Abraham of old Christians today desire a better country, that is, an heavenly: wherefore God is not ashamed toa be called their God: for he hath prepared for them a city (Hebrews 11:16).
Beyond being clothed in a new body and living in a new home, in Heaven we will possess a new nature. In this present world, we are fallen, carnal creatures with a fleshly desire for all things sinful. Even as believers we are subject to sin and temptation daily and often give in to our sensual desires. But in Heaven, we will possess the same nature as Adam and Eve enjoyed in the Garden of Eden before the fall. Not only will sin not be found in Heaven (see Revelation 21:27), but the very thought of sin will be erased from our minds as we experience full and unincumbered fellowship with Almighty God. We will be perfect individuals in a perfect environment, experiencing perfect joy and perfect peace.
The Bible has much to teach us about Heaven, but there is much about that blessed country we will never know until we experience it for ourselves in the sweet by and by. Until then, we are left to merely speculate what awaits us on that blissful shore. While men have not heard, nor perceived by the ear, neither hath the eye seen (Isaiah 64:6) all that God has laid up for His children, we can be assured of the nearness of Heaven, the no-mores of Heaven and the newness of Heaven. The glory that awaits us far outweighs any and all hardships we may experience in this present life; therefore, with longing, hope and anticipation in our souls we simply await that glorious day in which we will be transported from this present realm into that eternal Kingdom God has prepared for His dear children.
—The Reverend Mike Scott is the pastor of Juniper Chapel OFWB Church, Vanceboro, NC.
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