It’s true that we do not have a lot of specific information about heaven. But we know enough to know something of what heaven will be like. Heaven will be…
- Holy and Happy
- Pure and Peaceful
- Praise and Presence
HEAVEN WILL BE HOLY AND HAPPY. God’s holiness is His transcendent attribute. Every aspect of God’s character is holy. His mercy is holy mercy. His wrath is holy wrath. His justice is holy justice. His love is holy love. His eyes cannot behold iniquity. Habakkuk said, “Thou art of purer eyes than to behold evil, and canst not look on iniquity” (1:13). The essence of His being is holy, therefore, everything in heaven will correspond to His nature. And everybody who resides in heaven possesses a heavenly character.
C. Ryle said, “Heaven is a holy place. God is a holy being. Angels are holy creatures… Christ leads none to heaven but those whom He sanctifies on earth. We must be saints on earth if we expect to be saints in heaven… Of all the thousands in heaven, there is not one unholy one among them. There is not one…
- Goat among all those sheep
- Weed among the flowers
- Thorn among the roses
- Cain among the Abels
- Ishmael among the Isaacs
- Esau among the Jacobs
- Judas among the Apostles
There is not one unredeemed sinner in the celestial city. All the wicked are banished from this celestial environment. Think about it; the unclean, immoral, murderers, unbelieving, haters, and all workers of iniquity are removed. Never again will we deal with evil men and their unjust actions.
Rev. 21:27 And there shall in no wise enter into it any thing that defileth, neither whatsoever worketh abomination, or maketh a lie: but they which are written in the Lamb’s book of life.
And never again will we wrestle with our own flesh, or the insidious attacks of the Evil One. Heaven is a holy place. And everyone in heaven is holy… including ourselves! Because of Christ’s Cross work, every born again believer has an imputed and imparted holiness. No wonder heaven is a happy place, because in a moral universe holiness equals happiness. Forever free from corruption, we will sing “Holy, Holy, Holy” and “Joyful, Joyful We Adore Thee.” Holiness and happiness are two sides of the same coin. Where you find one, you are sure to find the other. Boy, have we got a lot to look forward to!
HEAVEN WILL BE PURE AND PEACEFUL. Our eternal home has entrance requirements. “Who shall ascend into the hill of the LORD? or who shall stand in his holy place? He that hath clean hands, and a pure heart…” (Ps. 24:3-4). Matthew chapter five and verse eight echoes this identical sentiment, “Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God.” Of course this holiness of heart is the result of unmerited mercy and grace. No man can boast of his own self-purification. It’s God’s grace that purifies our hearts by faith.
Conversion is when you become spiritually alive. We are sinners by nature, sinners by practice, and worst of all we are sinners by choice. But God who is rich in mercy has quickened us (Eph.2:4-5). Listen to these incredible verses, “Then will I sprinkle clean water upon you, and ye shall be clean: from all your filthiness, and from all your idols, will I cleanse you. A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you” (Ezek. 36:25-26). Salvation implants a new nature within a man. Yes, even a divine nature… a pure nature (see 2 Pet. 1:4).
The Bible declares, “There is no peace… to the wicked” (Isa. 57:21). But the new birth brings peace to the troubled heart. Peace with God, and peace within. This is absolutely amazing.
However on earth we still experience seasons of sadness, grief, guilt, trial, powerful temptations, anguish, and untold pain in our souls. But in heaven the “former things” will pass away. All things will be made new. The pristine and unsullied environment of heaven will yield a continuous serenity, harmony, and tranquility. “The wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable…” (James 3:17). Heaven is a wonderful place, filled with glory and grace!
Rev. 21:4 And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.
Purity and peace go together. Think about this: heaven is uncontaminated, and pure beyond our imagination. And here we will experience unbroken peace both within, and without. The only scars in heaven will be on the nail-pierced hands of Christ. Through His suffering we have been drawn nigh to God. Hallelujah, what a Savior!
HEAVEN WILL BE FULL OF PRAISE BECAUSE OF HIS PRESENCE. Heaven will be a “Praise-fest” unlike anything on earth! The center of attention in heaven is the LAMB in the midst of the throne. Jesus is the central attraction. All eyes will be fixed on Him. All knees will bow before Him. All praise goes to Jesus! The Apostle John got a vision of what’s happening in the Father’s House.
Rev 5:6 And I beheld, and, lo, in the midst of the throne and of the four beasts, and in the midst of the elders, stood a Lamb as it had been slain…
9 And they sung a new song, saying, Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation;
10 And hast made us unto our God kings and priests: and we shall reign on the earth.
11 And I beheld, and I heard the voice of many angels round about the throne and the beasts and the elders: and the number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands;
12 Saying with a loud voice, Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honour, and glory, and blessing.
13 And every creature which is in heaven, and on the earth, and under the earth, and such as are in the sea, and all that are in them, heard I saying, Blessing, and honour, and glory, and power, be unto him that sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb for ever and ever.
The great thing about heaven is not the golden streets, or the incredible wonders. The greatest thing about heaven is not the absence of sin and suffering. The most wonderful thing about heaven is the Presence of God! And His Presence calls for the loudest praise! We will praise Him forever and ever. And the praise will be exuberant beyond imagination! Casting crowns, Elders falling on their knees, hallelujahs permeating the atmosphere, and non-stop praise filling the Father’s House… you talk about excitement!
On earth we only have veiled glimpses into the eternal realities. But in heaven we shall SEE Him! KNOW Him! EXPERIENCE Him! And BE WITH Him! It’s the manifest presence of the God-head that makes heaven… heaven. Imagine the roar of the heavenly hosts singing, blessing, and praising the Lamb! Imagine the limitations of mortality all swept away! Imagine earthly things all fading in light of the vision of God! Imagine the beauty and brilliance of the resurrected Christ! Imagine the mighty roar declaring the everlasting doxology… “Blessing, and honor, and glory, and power, be unto him who sits upon the throne, and unto the Lamb for ever and ever.” No wonder Jesus told the disciples to rejoice… because their names were written in heaven! (Luke 10:20).
You may be currently going through difficulty, or maybe the worst time of your life. But we have a hope that cannot be described. Someone said, “Hope is the present enjoyment of a future blessing.” So take a moment to revel in your future hope. Set your eyes on eternal things. Glance at your circumstances. And learn to fix your gaze on Christ sitting at the Father’s right hand. And since His presence and praise will be prominent in heaven, we must get in step by singing His praise NOW! A better day is surely coming…
When we all get to heaven, what a day of rejoicing that will be.
When we all see Jesus, we will sing and shout the victory!
