What does the Bible say that heaven looks like? Are there sufficient scriptures to tell us? Are the images of the saints playing harps while lying on the clouds of heaven accurate? Can we know for sure what heaven will be like?
What Heaven Isn’t
The tiny chubby cherub angels playing their harps in heaven are not what heaven will be like or are like at this present time. Heaven exists today but humans who are living on earth can not yet see it and the pictures that we have seen of it can not describe it accurately in all its splender, glory, beauty, and majesty. Those who have died in the faith in Jesus Christ are said to be present with the Lord and since the Lord is seated at the right hand of the Father on His throne they are in heaven right now. What this means is that heaven is for real; it does exist, and there are Christians who have died and gone to heaven and are now with Jesus Christ.
The Three Heavens
There are actually three heavens described in the Bible. The first heaven is what is called the firmament or sky that covers the earth. This is the realm of birds and clouds and surrounds the entire earth.
The second heaven is where the stars, the sun, and the moon reside. This is the space beyond the earth and it covers the entire universe. It is as far as the human eye can see with the help 
The third heaven is unseen and is the residence of God, including Jesus Christ and is where the dead martyrs and saints are today. This is the location of the throne of God and where the holy angels surrounding His throne sing day and night, Holy, Holy, Holy is the Lord our God.
Biblical Eye Witnesses to Heaven
There are several people in the Bible who have been eye witnesses to the heaven before they died. Elijah was caught up into heaven, taken up in a whirlwind and who never tasted death (II Kings 2:1-12). Like Elijah, Enoch who was said to have walked with God, was taken up into heaven without ever tasting death. The apostle John saw heaven through an open door so that he might see and record in the book of Revelation some of the things he saw in heaven (Rev. 4:1).
While Paul was on the Damascus Road on his way to persecute Christians, He saw heaven open up but whether this was heaven itself or just the first heaven where he saw the light, we can not be sure. Acts 9:3-4 described what Paul saw, “As he neared Damascus on his journey, suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him. 4 He fell to the ground and heard a voice say to him, “Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?” We do not know for sure, according to the scriptures, whether this was the third heaven, where the throne of God was or not, but can assume it was not for Paul on heard a voice from heaven and he saw only a light from heaven. Nonetheless, heaven is for real and it exists today in every sense of the word.
I am sure you have read or heard about many who have died and seen heaven for themselves. They describe such a realm that is beyond description. Some who died and came back to life revealed seeing their lost loved ones in heaven, their family, friends, and some even their pets. This is difficult to prove, yet the sheer number of these who have seen heaven and came back from death is hard to refute. Only they themselves know this for certain. But the Bible does describe some of what heaven is like in the scriptures. It is, from the human standpoint, indescribable (I Cor. 2:9).
Biblical Descriptions of Heaven
There is a constant chant of holy angels that are continually proclaiming Holy, Holy, Holy over the throne of God. The Mercy Seat in heaven where God sits is surrounded by magnificent angels full of glory and power that proclaim and bless the holy name of God without ceasing. Some of these are described as beasts, full of eyes, with six wings and neither rest day or night in their proclaiming the holiness of God (Rev. 4:8-11).
Heaven Descends to the Earth
After the Kingdom of Heaven begins on earth, after Christ’s 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 at (Rev. 21:3). All pain, suffering, and tears will absent there (Rev. 21:4).
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 Christ’s today. John describes it in Revelation 21:10-27:
10 And he carried me away in the Spirit to a mountain great and high, and showed me the Holy City, Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God.
11 It shone with the glory of God, and its brilliance was like that of a very precious jewel, like a jasper, clear as crystal.
12 It had a great, high wall with twelve gates, and with twelve angels at the gates. On the gates were written the names of the twelve tribes of Israel.
13 There were three gates on the east, three on the north, three on the south and three on the west.
14 The wall of the city had twelve foundations, and on them were the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb.
15 The angel who talked with me had a measuring rod of gold to measure the city, its gates and its walls. 16 The city was laid out like a square, as long as it was wide. He measured the city with the rod and found it to be 12,000 stadia [or 1,400 miles!] in length, and as wide and high as it is long [1,400 miles wide and tall!].
17 The angel measured the wall using human measurement, and it was 144 cubits [that is 200 feet!] thick.
18 The wall was made of jasper, and the city of pure gold, as pure as glass.
19 The foundations of the city walls were decorated with every kind of precious stone. The first foundation was jasper, the second sapphire, the third agate, the fourth emerald, 20 the fifth onyx, the sixth ruby, the seventh chrysolite, the eighth beryl, the ninth topaz, the tenth turquoise, the eleventh jacinth, and the twelfth amethyst [these last two stones are unknown or only exist in heaven today].
21 The twelve gates were twelve pearls, each gate made of a single pearl. The great street of the city was of gold, as pure as transparent glass.
22 I did not see a temple in the city, because the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are its temple.
23 The city does not need the sun or the moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light, and the Lamb is its lamp.
24 The nations will walk by its light, and the kings of the earth will bring their splendor into it.
25 On no day will its gates ever be shut, for there will be no night there.
26 The glory and honor of the nations will be brought into it.
27 Nothing impure will ever enter it, nor will anyone who does what is shameful or deceitful, but only those whose names are written in the Lamb’s book of life.
How You Can See Heaven
There is only one way for you to see heaven and Jesus Christ is the one and only access to it (John 6:44, Acts 4:12, 16:30-31). There is no other way possible to get to heaven but by the Son of God. Getting to heaven is a one-way trip. If you die before Jesus Christ’ Second Advent (return), you will go directly to heaven and be in the presence of God. If you never see heaven, you will most certainly see hell and that is also a one-way trip from which there is no return.
Revelation 21:7-8 shows the fate of those not going to heaven: “Those who are victorious will inherit all this, and I will be their God and they will be my children. But the cowardly, the unbelieving, the vile, the murderers, the sexually immoral, those who practice magic arts, the idolaters and all liars—they will be consigned to the fiery lake of burning sulfur. This is the second death.”
Like the story of the rich man and Lazarus, the rich man who died without Christ is forever denied access to heaven and to God. It is an everlasting location from which no one can depart. My hope and pray is that no one would ever go there. There is one simple way that you can go to heaven. Jesus died after living a perfect life. He spilled His blood to take the Holy Father’s wrath upon Himself. This bridged the gap from heaven to hell. It is a free gift. To not accept it is to seal your fate forever. To accept it is to be with God in heaven for eternity in joyful bliss. Right now if you ask Jesus Christ to be your Lord and Savior, ask for the forgiveness of your sins, admit you are a sinner in need of saving, and place your faith and trust in Him, He promises to never, ever forsake you. He will keep you in His own hand and never caste you away, even if you die (John 6:37, 10:28-29). If you do this right now and you will see heaven for yourself. And you will be with the Lord our God forever and ever.
Was this Article Helpful?
If this article was helpful to you, please consider linking this article to your own blog or sharing this through the social buttons to the left. You might also find some of these other good Christian Answer articles helpful:
What Does the Bible Teach About the Antichrist?
Does God Still Work Miracles Today?
Do Animals or Pets Go To Heaven?
Sources
The Holy Bible, New International Version
THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Welcome to What Christians Want To Know! The mission of this site is to equip, encourage, and energize Christians. Look for regular updates including Bible Verses, Bible Stories, Christian Quotes, Christian Answers, Christian Videos, and much more. Find out 
{ 46 comments… read them below or add one }
I found your article on line trying to get info on the Three Heavens so I could better explain to one of my granddaughters. Yours was the best I found plus it had the scriptures to back it up. Would love to do a class on studying the bible but, I dont need a degree as Im 72 and it would be for me and whoever the Lord brought my way to wittness too. Im saved and have been for a very long time.
God bless you Patricia for help to teach your granddaughters. I wish we had more godly women of faith like you. Well done. The three levels of heaven mentioned in the Bible are the first one which is where the birds fly and the clouds are at. The second heaven is where the moon, sun, and stars are at. The third heaven is the abode of God Almighty, where the throne room of heaven is at and where Jesus is presently seated at the right hand of God.
Thank you for visiting the website Patricia. As a grandfather, this makes me proud of how much grandparents mean to their grandchildren. Please let us know if we can help you in any way.
I dont know how i ended up on this website but i truly thank God for you and the information he has inparted in you to reach me Glory to God that he may continue to blessed you with this wisdom and understanding and gift to share with others
I have cried reading your articles i have laughed i have ask the Lord back into my life with a transformed life I even ask him to open opportunities to a church in my community to assemble myself with the body of christ
GOD BLESS YOU AND THIS WEBSITE
Liza, we thank you for such a kind remark and for visiting us and leaving such words full of grace. I think you nailed it spot on the mark….it is GOD and to His glory that we have any biblical wisdom which is solely given by the Holy Spirit so we can not take nor do we deserve any credit.
Also, I am so thankful to God for your response to returning, like the prodigal daughter (in your case) to the Lord God, whom seeks those and waits earnestly and eagerly for their return and never, ever gives up on us.
Sterling wisdom too in deciding to find a local church to join yourself to the Body of Christ so that you may be joined together with like-minded believers to grow in grace and knowledge and have prayer and loving support from one another. I pray you find a Christ-centered, biblically grounded church in your community. God bless your walk with the Lord and see you in heaven some day!
I like to say thank you very much for this article. You explained it very well. God bless you Jack for this, you truly have opened my eyes to a lot of things. I feel as though God is trying to connect with me, my mind is always on the bible and I always have questions and you answered them for me! God bless again. I pray that God blesses you, and your family. Have a great day!
Sean, let me also express my thanks for your comment as its most edifying my friend. I appreciate your thanks but ultimately, the thanks are to God for the Holy Spirit is my teacher and my textbook is the Holy Bible, so I deserve no credit but you make me feel like studying the Bible and finding out answers in it is well worth the effort. It is 99% inspiration (God!) and only 1% perspiration (me). All glory, honor, and praise to Him and Him alone. I too thank you for your blessing and equally to you and your family my friend, may God’s blessing be upon you all.
The fact that you are always mindful of the Bible and have questions is a powerful indication that the Holy Spirit is working in you and through you my friend. This makes me extremely grateful for godly believers like you who have a hunger and thirst to grow in His grace and in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ through His Word (the Bible). Please visit us again as it would be our distinct pleasure and privilege to hear from on-fire Christians such as you Sean.
Amen! You know I have been feeling really low and I really do feel like The Holy Spirit is working through me. I really do, and I use to be surrounded by people who would question God and the Bible, but now those questions don’t bother me at all!
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. John 1:1
God is so Good!
Amen Sean. You really have the gift of encouragement my good friend. I sense that the Holy Spirit, no doubt, IS working in you. Now that the Holy Spirit is working in you, you can tell others about Jesus Christ for the Great Commission. The sad fact is that only 4% of Christians are actively sharing their faith in Christ with the lost. Let it never be so with you and I Sean. God bless and thanks for returning to visit.
Jack – I know you can’t tell me what the bible means – I guess it speaks for itself – but it seems to speak differently to everyone. At least when I engage close friends and family on biblical questions I am astounded at ;the variety of interpretations over the same passages – or the ignorance about what the bible says at all.
As for heaven – folks are all over the map. I read the bible closely on heaven and as far as I can tell, nobody goes to heaven until after Jesus returns and has “judgement day.” Yet time and time again, either in church, or in special services or funerals – I hear preachers and pastors talking about the dearly departed” walking with god while we site at the grave of the physical body.
Please help me understand why this erroneous message is preached all over the place when it is not true according to the bible?
Thanks so much
Raoul, thank you sir for visiting the website. You bring up an important question I believe that causes a lot of confusion. I have spoke at funerals too and what the preachers/pastors are saying is actually correct. Paul spoke from the Bible in 2 Cor 5:8 “We are confident, I say, and would prefer to be away from the body and at home with the Lord.” I suggest you read the entire chapter 5 of 2 Corinthians. In the first 5 verse he makes it clear that when we die we are immediately in the presence of the Lord. Heaven is not so much a place as it is a person and when you are with God after death (for Christians only) I would say heaven is any place where God is. I 2 Cor : 1-5 it says, “Now we know that if the earthly tent we live in is destroyed, we have a building from God, an eternal house in heaven, not built by human hands. Meanwhile we groan, longing to be clothed with our heavenly dwelling, because when we are clothed, we will not be found naked. For while we are in this tent, we groan and are burdened, because we do not wish to be unclothed but to be clothed with our heavenly dwelling, so that what is mortal may be swallowed up by life. Now it is God who has made us for this very purpose and has given us the Spirit as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come.”
You might also want to read “What is the Rapture?” at this link: http://www.whatchristianswanttoknow.com/what-is-the-rapture-a-look-at-the-different-views/
Thank you for visiting us and for your question.
Jack, I found your evidence for us immediately going to heaven after death interesting. I have been looking into this a lot recently and have found nothing that says this, especially not 2 Cor 5. It is clear in the bible that after we die we will be in heaven with God, however, from my studies does it does not say this will happen immediately. Although I guess it is immediately for the dead. Jesus explains the dead as sleeping, so just as someone deep in sleep may wake up and feel like they had just went to sleep, couldn’t this be the same with the dead? So far I find this to be the answer that fits best with the scriptures. Otherwise I have a great deal of trouble understanding what occurs at the second coming.
I would appreciate a little more insight into this topic.
Thanks
Ben, thank you so much sir for your comment. I am relying on the Bible as the source of my beliefs. Listen to what Paul says in 2 Cor 5:1-9, “For we know that if the earthly tent we live in is destroyed, we have a building from God, an eternal house in heaven, not built by human hands. Meanwhile we groan, longing to be clothed instead with our heavenly dwelling, because when we are clothed, we will not be found naked. For while we are in this tent, we groan and are burdened, because we do not wish to be unclothed but to be clothed instead with our heavenly dwelling, so that what is mortal may be swallowed up by life. Now the one who has fashioned us for this very purpose is God, who has given us the Spirit as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come. Therefore we are always confident and know that as long as we are at home in the body [on earth, and alive] we are away from the Lord [away from heaven and Jesus]. For we live by faith, not by sight. We are confident, I say, and would prefer to be away from the body [after death] and at home with the Lord [in heaven with Jesus]. So we make it our goal to please him, whether we are at home in the body [alive on earth] or away from it.[in heaven with Jesus]”
Paul also wrote about this to the Philippians when he was in prison, not knowing whether he would be found guilty and executed or released. He said,
“I eagerly expect and hope that I will in no way be ashamed, but will have sufficient courage so that now as always Christ will be exalted in my body, whether by life or by death. For to me, to live is Christ [on earth] and to die is gain [to be with Jesus]. If I am to go on living in the body, this will mean fruitful labor for me [in proclaiming the gospel & teaching the churches]. Yet what shall I choose? I do not know! I am torn between the two: I desire to depart [the earth] and be with Chris [in heaven], which is better by far[oh boy, wouldn't it be!] ; but it is more necessary for you that I remain in the body [on earth to help the churches]. Convinced of this, I know that I will remain, and I will continue with all of you for your progress and joy in the faith, so that through my being with you again your joy in Christ Jesus will overflow on account of me.” (Phil. 1:20-26)
In Acts 7:54-59 concerning the murder of Stephen… “When they heard these things, they were cut to the heart, and they gnashed on him with their teeth. But he, being full of the Holy Ghost, looked up stedfastly into heaven, and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing on the right hand of God, And said, Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of man standing on the right hand of God. Then they cried out with a loud voice, and stopped their ears, and ran upon him with one accord. And cast him out of the city, and stoned him: and the witnesses laid down their clothes at a young man’s feet, whose name was Saul. And they stoned Stephen, calling upon God, and saying, Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.” [this seems to indicate that when Stephen was dying, his spirit would be received by Jesus at that time and Stephen already, nearing death, appears to be seeing Jesus already.
Finally, this may have been what Jesus meant when He mentioned sleep after death. Jesus tells his disciples that Lazarus had fallen asleep (John 11:11,14). Stephen’s death is described as falling asleep (Acts 7:59). Paul describes Christians who had died in Thessalonica as “asleep” (1 Th 4:13). In the Old Testament, we are told that David “slept with his fathers” (1 Kings 2:10), a phrase that is used to describe the death of many kings.
I hope this clarifies it Ben. If not, please let me know. God bless you and thank you for your comment/question.
Jack – both Ben and I are really asking the same question and I have the same challenge Ben described – when I read the passages as you suggest I see nothing there that suggests that when we die we are immediately in heaven. If that were true it would also be a direct conflict with Revelations and other places in the bible that speak to having a “judgement” before you enter heaven. You seem to be saying that there is no “judgement” stage at all – you just go straight in. And you seem to be saying that what is described in Revelations should be ignored. This is confusing to me. Can you clarify this?
Also, like Ben I have done years of bible study – believing that if we are going to follow the book, we really ought to know what it says. Specifically with regard to what Paul meant when he spoke of Jesus’ resurrection and heaven – I think it is important to keep his comments within the context of what he actually believed. Now, you can correct me if I am wrong (but the biblical scholars I have read provided the information I am relaying) Paul believed what the bible said about resurrection and heaven (old testament of course) and he believed that the time of “judgement” or “rapture” or what have you was upon us. He did not himself expect to die before being called to heaven himself. He knew and understood what Jesus said that the generation alive when Jesus preached would not taste death before the resurrection of all mankind would begin. Paul believed that time had come and that Jesus was just the first of all of mankind (or believing mankind) to be called home (so to speak). I believe that the bible scholars are correct in that you have to read all of what Paul wrote with his own beliefs firmly in mind.
It is depressing to me to hear preachers who fish through the bible to find sentences, phrases, or passages that they can use to support whatever point they want to make – even if it is not really supported by the bible. I believe such activity is grossly immoral. Sadly, most christians have not bothered to even read the very book that is the key to their own eternal salvation and so are at the mercy of whatever the preacher might tell them. I vowed not to be one of those christians.
One final point on heaven to round out my points and questions. You have not mentioned what Jesus said about heaven’s location in the gospel of Luke. He was asked where heaven was and he said you will not find it by looking here or there (or high or low, etc) because “the kingdom of heaven is within you.” He seems to be directly contradicting any notion that “heaven” is a place that exists somewhere other than right here – but he goes further to say it is “within” us. In addition, there are numerous places in the gospels where Jesus says, without any ambiguity, that the kingdom of heaven (of the kingdom of god) is “at hand.” I cannot find any way to read these statements by Jesus other than their plain meaning: Heaven is here and now and is within you and it is not something coming or happening later, but the time has already come.
Please help. Much appreciated!
Thank you for your questions. When Jesus said that the kingdom is “within you”, that is a bad translation. The literal translation is “is withing your midsts” or near you because Jesus was within their midsts. Heaven is actually any place that God is. The Kingdom of Heaven was and is today at hand..meaning that He could return at any moment. The meaning of “at hand” means it is near them, as Jesus was near them and heaven is where God is. Heaven is not so much a place but being in the presence of God. The New Jerusalem descends from heaven and it will be on earth (Rev 21).
2 Cor 5:8 Paul says that “We are confident, I say, and would prefer to be away from the body and at home with the Lord.” When we are absent from the body (die) we are present with the Lord. Where is the Lord today? In heaven.
After Jesus would be killed on the cross, the disciples mourned because Jesus would be departing this world and going to the Father in heaven. In John 14:1-6 Jesus tries to comfort them by saying, “Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in Go; believe also in me. My Father’s house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that 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. You know the way to the place where I am going.” Thomas said to him, “Lord, we don’t know where you are going, so how can we know the way?” Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”
So Jesus is going to His Father, to prepare a place for them (Jesus is going to heaven to the Father and a “place” to prepare for them). They didn’t know the way, but Jesus said “I AM the way…” As also it says in many other places (Acts 4:12). I hope this helps, if not, I apologize. Even Paul said (1 Cor 13:12) that “For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known.”
I am so glad that GOD lead me to your site today. GOD works in wonderful ways. Someday we will meet in this wonderful place and see it with our own eyes. We will hear these Angels singing and worshipping and we will join them in song. What a wonderful hope for our future! Praise GOD!
Hi Kelly. We too are glad that God lead you here to the website. Not for our own interest, but that it helped to increase your joy. We have had many come to saving faith in Christ Jesus here at this site and so that is our true mission…to increase the population of heaven while snatching souls out of hell…all by the power of the Holy Spirit and to increase the praise of Jesus Christ as His return. It is not anything we are doing but God receives all glory, honor, praise, and credit. Please visit us again soon Kelly. May God richly bless you in your walk with Christ.
Hello, I loved this article and found a lot of reassurance in it. I am a new Christian and have been struggling with finding reliable sources to help me learn about the bible. I have a hard time knowing how to interpret the bible and everywhere I turn I run into someone or something saying you can’t take the bible literally only figuratively. So for an emple Jesus’s ressurection is symbolic and it wasn’t a physical ressurection. (I don’t believe this is true but I’ve been told things like this this) or that we won’t know anyone from our lives on earth in heaven. I’ve seen verses that say things like “he was gathered to his people” and of course Jesus recognized the apostles after he was ressurected. So it looks to me like we will know and recognize our family and friends in heaven. I’m just very confused about how to read the bible and how to find good resources that rely on what the bible truly says.
Let me say this Katie and by the way, hello and thank you for visiting us and for telling us about your concerns. You are certainly not alone in trying to understand the Bible better. The fact is that sometimes Jesus uses analogies, He uses metaphors, and parables. You can take it literally at times and at other times in hyperbole (or an extreme figure of speech). Jesus indeed was raised from the dead. That is a historical fact.
You will for sure know everyone you knew on earth when you get to heaven. No doubt about it.
My recommendation is to be a good Study Bible which has notes for each verse and they help you to understand the Bible better. In other words, let the Bible interpret the Bible. Study Bibles I like are the Mac Arthur Study Bible (John Mac Arthur) and the Reformation Study Bible (by R.C. Sproul). These are what my seminary professors recommended and I love them. I used these to help me better understand the Bible.
Apart from these, I highly recommend purchase the inexpensive paperback by Howard G. Hendricks and the best one is Living by the Book. This book will really open up your eyes on how to read the Bible. It is my favorite book outside of the Bible. Hope these help. Please come back again Katie.
Jack – nice answer there but it prompts a quick question in my mind as well – you say parts of the bible should be read literally and parts should be read as metaphor. the problem is there is not way to tell when you should read it one way and when you should read it another. And I understood that god’s essential message to his creation was presented simply and clearly so that any of us (in his creation) could clearly understand what it was he wants us to understand. Is that wrong? Do you really need a second book to tell you what the bible actually means or someone else to explain it to you so you can understand? That seems an odd way to convey such vitally important information. Why wasn’t god more clear about what he was trying to say?
Raoul, great question my friend. I am glad that you came back to visit us again sir. It is not wrong, not to understand have God speak in parables or use hyperbole (which means an extreme exaggeration to make a point). One example is that Jesus said that if your hand offends you (that means that it causes you to sin) then cut it off (Matthew 5:3). Jesus is not saying that we should literally cut off our hand if we sin, like by stealing something with our hand. Here is what He is saying by using a modern day example. If someone is hooked on pornography (today 87% of college men, 35% of college women are) then they should take drastic action. Get rid of the internet or put a password protected filter and give the password to a friend who promises not to give it to you.
Jesus also was asked why He spoke in parables. Matthew Matthew 13 explains why:
V10 And the disciples came, and said unto Him, Why speakest Thou unto them in parables?
A great multitude had gathered to listen to Jesus Christ teach. But He was speaking in parables and the disciples wanted to know why.
V11 He answered and said unto them, Because it is given unto you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given.
V13 Therefore speak I to them in parables: because they seeing see not; and hearing they hear not, neither do they understand.
God has given the spirit of slumber to some people and know matter how hard one of God’s elect tries to explain the deeper truths, they will not understand. Only God can open the eyes and ears of a person.
V34 All these things spake Jesus unto the multitude in parables; and without a parable spake He not unto them
V35 That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying, I will open my mouth in parables; I will utter things which have been kept secret from the foundation of the world.
I hope this explains it Raoul and thank you for your question sir.
hello sir, praise the lord , my name is jeslin, i am 20 yrs old , n im frm india … thank u sir , after reading this artical, i really wanna change……. im a big time sinner n m very ashamed to tell wt all wrong things i did in my life ! i ve ruined my life .. i jus dono hw to start it again !!!! im just nt able to leave my sinfull habits !!! bt after reading , i will try my best to leave all this !!!!!! please hold me in ur preyers…. god bless you
Thank you Jeslin. Just by your telling us that you are a sinner and are ashamed it a sign that the Holy Spirit of God is showing you your sin and this same God will also bring you forgiveness. Please read 1 John 1:9 to receive hope for we are all a work in progress and we will never truly overcome all sin on this side of glory. Please also read the struggles of Paul the Apostle who wrote Romans 7:15-19 “I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do. And if I do what I do not want to do, I agree that the law is good. As it is, it is no longer I myself who do it, but it is sin living in me. For I know that good itself does not dwell in me, that is, in my sinful nature. For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. For I do not do the good I want to do, but the evil I do not want to do—this I keep on doing.” but he ends his own struggle with sin like this in Rom 7:24-25 “What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body that is subject to death? Thanks be to God, who delivers me through Jesus Christ our Lord!”
Please check back with the website too. I am working on an article that tells us how a Christian can overcome sin.
Will pray for you. Click on the “Come to Jesus” link at the top of the page to know for sure how you can be saved forever and go to Jesus some day.
Once your saved. People will continue to sin. For example a small white lie pre marital sex and much more. Revaluation 21.7-8 is confusing to me when he says liars sexualy immoral will be consigned to hell. How does this fit to John 3. 16 when people are saved. I was hoping you could example to me. Is this verse including .a previously saved person if the have backslid in times of there lifes that they can still go to hell.
Great question Leon. Thank you for your comment, visiting us and your question. Lets look at Revelation 21 in its context and not just verses 7-8
Rev 21:1-4 “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. 2 I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. 3 And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Look! God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. 4 ‘He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death’ or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.”He who was seated on the throne said, “I am making everything new!” Then he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.”
This is after the saints are in the Kingdom and after Christ has returned to marry His church, the bride.
Rev 21:6-8 “He said to me: “It is done.[that is the Kingdom is established and the saints are in it] I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End [this is Jesus speaking]. To the thirsty I will give water without cost from the spring of the water of life. 7 Those who are victorious will inherit all this, and I will be their God and they will be my children.”
8 “But the cowardly, the unbelieving, the vile, the murderers, the sexually immoral, those who practice magic arts, the idolaters and all liars—they will be consigned to the fiery lake of burning sulfur. This is the second death.” The “But” is in contrast to us. He is saying “they [we] will be His children”….BUT, that is, those who are NOT His, who do all the sins listed are cast into the lake of fire. These are not backsliden Christians but those who did not believe in Christ before He came back. This second death is eternal damnation. Those who are born twice (once from their mother and another time, born from above by God (see John 3) die only once but those who are born once (by their mother only) will die twice…the “second death”. At the end of the chapter it talks about the New Jerusalem (heaven) so if you are a believer in Christ this is not you (if you have been born again…if not, please let us know or click on the link at the top of this webpage where is says, “Come to Jesus”). If you are not sure, click “Contact” and we can show you how. This is crucial because Jesus can come back at any time. A saved person can never go to hell (John 6:37, John 10:28-29) but a saved person still sins (1 John 1:8) but when we do sin [and we WILL sin again] we can “confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness” 1 John 1:9.
I suggest you read 1 John and 2 John just before Revelation. I truly hope this gives you peace of mind Leon. God bless and let us know if you are still not sure.
hey jack, i love the site and the good work you do. my question is, are there classifications in heaven? I know there are higher ranking angels than others(gabrielle, ?spelling?). is it like that in heaven, like people who have done better things or have better faith than others. I know jesus commanded us to store our treasures in heaven, what does that mean. Just curious.
Thank you Alex. I know that we will receive different rewards because we are rewarded for what we do on earth, as Jesus and Paul said, some will be rewarded 10 fold others 5 fold, and so on. Jesus said that even the least in the Kingdom will be greater than any on earth. I will try to find more on this and get back with you sir on this. God bless you and thank you for visiting us again my friend.
The highest ranking angels are Michael and Gabriel, Archangels. So there are different ranks among angels, yes. Jesus told us to store up treasures in heaven where moth or rust do not destroy nor thieves can not steal.
There will also be some greater and some lesson in heaven. Matthew 19:28-39 reads, “And Jesus said to them, “Truly I say to you, that you who have followed Me, in the regeneration when the Son of Man will sit on His glorious throne, you also shall sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or farms for My name’s sake, will receive many times as much, and will inherit eternal life. But many who are first will be last; and the last, first.”
In Matthew 25 these rewards are spoken of by Jesus, “Now after a long time the master [Jesus] of those slaves came and settled accounts with them. And the one who had received the five talents came up and brought five more talents, saying, ‘Master, you entrusted five talents to me; see, I have gained five more talents.’ His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful slave; you were faithful with a few things, I will put you in charge of many things,[believers will be in charge of things, more if they use their God-given talents] enter into the joy of your master.’ The one also who had received the two talents came up and said, ‘Master, you entrusted to me two talents; see, I have gained two more talents.’ “His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful slave; you were faithful with a few things, I will put you in charge of many things; [put in charge over means they will have a higher position] enter into the joy of your master.’
If you don’t use your talents, then you lose rewards in heaven (Again from Matthew 25), “he one also who had received the one talent came up and said, ‘Master, I knew you to be a hard man, reaping where you did not sow, and gathering where you scattered no seed. And I was afraid, and went away and hid your talent in the ground; see, you have what is yours.’ But his master answered and said to him, ‘You wicked, lazy slave, you knew that I reap where I did not sow, and gather where I scattered no seed. Then you ought to have put my money in the bank, and on my arrival I would have received my money back with interest. Therefore take away the talent from him, and give it to the one who has the ten talents.’ For to everyone who has shall more be given, and he shall have an abundance; but from the one who does not have, even what he does have shall be taken away.”
I hope this helps. Romans 2:6 says, “God, who will render to every man according to his deeds…” Make sense? Thanks Alex.
Amethyst exists!!!!!! But the rest of this article is amazing. THANK YOU
Amethyst exists!!!!!! The word is splender not spender. But the rest of this article is amazing. THANK YOU
Thank you so much Anto. I corrected the typo and am very obliged for you telling me. God bless you my friend and please come back again soon.
Jack this article is so nice.May the LORD bless you and use you to take this living word to those who have not come across it. as the bible says how will they know if they are not told.
Samson, I really appreciate your kind remarks and I thank you for your blessing sir. What a wonderfully edifying comment. Oh that we had such men full of words of kindness and grace such as you sir. God’s blessing on you too Samson. Just like your name suggests, you have strengthened me.
hi jack maybe you can help me on the fear of dying
Pat, thank you for this very important question. I actually wrote an article about this very same question. Please read more on this at:
http://www.whatchristianswanttoknow.com/fear-of-death-bible-study-and-help/
Now, everyone alive will experience a physical death unless the Lord would return for us before it occurs, but no one needs to go through a spiritual death and the consequent eternal death. Everyone has free will – the freedom to choose eternal life in Jesus Christ. To reject eternal life, which means to believe in Jesus Christ, a person willfully chooses to experience an eternal death – an eternal separation from God. When Christ finally returns, the last thing He will conquer is death. The author of Hebrews writes, “Since the children have flesh and blood, he too shared in their humanity so that by his death he might break the power of him who holds the power of death—that is, the devil— and free those who all their lives were held in slavery by their fear of death” (Heb 2:14-15). First Corinthians 15:25-26 puts its well, “For he [Christ] must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet. The last enemy to be destroyed is death.” Now if you decide today to place your faith and trust in Jesus Christ, repent of your sins then you should have no fear of dying because you have eternal life. If not, then the fear is very real and you will spend eternity separated from God and all your saved loved ones. If you want to come to saving faith today, click on the “Come to Jesus” link at the top of this page to find out how. Please let me know if you did this or if you are already saved. This is the most important decision you or anyone else will ever make in their entire lifetime.
Thank you so much for posting this!
The last paragraph really opened my eyes and gave me hope!
God bless everyone.
Hello Amanda. God bless you as well and thank you for visiting us and for your encouraging comments. Please come back again.
thanku
))))) praise the lord.
Thank you as well Valentina. You made my day. Yes, I’ll join you…Praise the Lord!
i dont know what to say..and i dont know how i landed up here…but the article gives me a sence of relife and happiness….i hope God will bless me through this article of yours…God bless u.
Well, Valentina, I don’t know how you landed here either but I am sure glad you did. God is sovereign and He must have directed you in one way or the other to read this. You have already blessed my heart and I ask God, right now, to bless you and His Holy Name be praised.
Hi,
I have been a Christian for pretty much my whole life. I am 17 now. My family is very religious and I have attended church since I was just a little kid. I know and believe that Jesus Christ is my savior 100% and that the Bible is real. No doubt in my mind. But I feel like I don’t have a personal relationship with God. I do not feel like I have that intimate relationship. I want God to be able to speak to me and I want to be able to feel Him present in my life. How do I get to that point?
God desires a relationship with you Morgan and I thank God that you are hungering for this. This is truly rare these days and this is a great sign the Holy Spirit is trying to draw you closer to Him. He still speaks to us today…by His Word, the Bible and thru the Holy Spirit. Imagine this…you have a friend, your best friend and the best in the whole world. Wouldn’t you want to speak with them each day and even several times a day. If they sent you emails and letters, wouldn’t you want to read each and ever letter immediately and read them over again? Yes…So, it goes with God. Speak to Him at least three times a day and read His letter to you (the Bible). Pray to Him to reveal Himself to you thru prayer, thru the Body of Christ (the church), thru studying His Word (the Bible), and you will discover that anyone who seeks Him, He says He may be found. Communicate to Him…(just pray or just talk to Him like you would a friend) and He communicates to you (thru the Bible) read His Word every day. John’s Gospel may be my favorite and then 1, 2, and 3 John. Do this for one week and see what happens. Go to Weds Night Bible Study or Sunday School, and to Church. He uses others to speak to you as well. Let me know how this goes Morgan. Please. And thank you for such honesty and transparency. This is a desire that God truly wants to fulfill in your life.
Many Christians say that they have been saved. I too would like to think that I have been saved, but I do not want to be complacent with this. I feel like at times I am saved, but each day I question my Christianity. Sin seems to ambush me when I feel smug, and then so begins a tug of war with me and sin. I am constantly asking God for forgiveness. I have sinned many times in my life, I never robbed, raped, or pillaged. Yet I find myself desparately clinging to Christianity because of this. I pray every day, and I have been reading the Bible every day since about the middle of January 2012. Many times I repeat my same prayers, do you think that God hears my prayers because of this. I thank God that the war conflict has ended in the Middle East, and I thank him for bringing our Military personnel back home. I pray that the people of Afganhistan, and Iraq find peace. Then I asked God to touch the hearts and souls of the dictators of this world, so that they see what they are doing to there fellow human beings, and so that there tyranny may end. I constantly ask God for continued prosperity for my wife and me, since we are self employed. Then I ask for good health, and I continue to ask God for forgiveness for both me and my wife….I pray for my families who live in Mexico, and for my families who live here in the United States of America, and for our children. I also ask God if he would allow me to continue to live until I am in my 80′s, so that I can continue to help my family, friends and anyone else who needs help. I believe that the remaining days of my life will be spent helping as many people as I can. I worry that I do not please God, because I have sinned many times over and over. What should I do to prove to God that I am sincere and need his help?
Charles
Great question Charles and thank you sir for your transparency sir. Let me say that we all feel that we are sinners and the day we feel we are okay is a warning sign to me. I repent and ask for God’s forgiveness every single day. I believe that if you read Romans 7 and then Romans 8 you will find your answer. Paul hated what he was doing and could not find it in himself to do what was right but did just what he didn’t want to do….but at the end of chapter 7 in Romans he asked, “Who shall deliver me from this body” and sin, and seeing how much of a wretch he (and we all really are) was. The good news is that Christ said on the cross “It is finished” and the Greek meaning is literally, “Paid in full.” We can never do enough good works to please God but a sincere and broken and contrite heart please God. That is just what are displaying Charles. This shows the Holy Spirit is convicting you of sin, just like He does me, and that’s a sure sign of your salvation and God at work in you. Take heart. God will complete in you what He has started and never abandone you my friend.
Could you clarify something for me. No more sea is mentioned in Revelations. Does that mean no more oceans? Or ocean aquatic life?
Great question Joy. I believe that the aquatic life may still be around but in the lakes and rivers, but I do not know the answer in full. I do know that in heaven we will have so much joy, we won’t think about what’s not there but about all that is there. Heaven will be so awesome that we will never shed a tear about anything anymore. God does not necessarily say no more sea life though so I just don’t know. I am sorry.