This excerpt from Psalm 23 (written by David, the most famous of Israel's Kings) reveals the expectation of an eternal home in God's kingdom: |
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Surely goodness and lovingkindness will follow me all the days of my life, And I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever. | Psalm 23:6 (NASB) |
The prophet Isaiah records God's promises to send a deliverer who will establish a permanent kingdom filled with God's chosen people. |
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For a child will be born to us, a son will be given to us; And the government will rest on His shoulders; And His name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace. There will be no end to the increase of His government or of peace, On the throne of David and over his kingdom, To establish it and to uphold it with justice and righteousness From then on and forevermore. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will accomplish this. | Isaiah 9:6-7 (NASB) |
An angel informs Daniel that those (both the dead and living) whose names are recorded in the book of life will (at an unspecified future date) be taken to their eternal inheritance. Those whose names are not recorded in the book of life will have a different eternal destination [See also Revelation 20:11-15.]: |
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Now at that time Michael, the great prince who stands guard over the sons of your people, will arise. And there will be a time of distress such as never occurred since there was a nation until that time; and at that time your people, everyone who is found written in the book, will be rescued. Many of those who sleep in the dust of the ground will awake, these to everlasting life, but the others to disgrace and everlasting contempt. | Daniel 12:1-2 (NASB) |
Unfortunately, the Jews assumed that Jesus was coming to establish a permanent earthly kingdom. Jesus' continual references to an eternal kingdom in heaven did not match their expectations. This difference in understanding provides much of the reason for the broad rejection by the Jews of Jesus' as the Messiah. |
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Jesus said, "My kingdom is not of this world. If it were, my servants would fight to prevent my arrest by the Jews. But now my kingdom is from another place." | John 18:36 (NIV) |
Jesus, knowing His time on earth is running out, is preparing His disciples for His departure. He provides them with the following assurance that He will someday greet them in heaven: |
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"Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. In My Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also." | John 14:1-3 (KJV) |
The Apostle Peter specifies heaven as the eternal destination of those trusting in the work God performed through Jesus' resurrection: |
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Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His great mercy has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to obtain an inheritance which is imperishable and undefiled and will not fade away, reserved in heaven for you, who are protected by the power of God through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. | I Peter 1:3-5 (NASB) |
[See also: Revelation 21:1-4] |
Heaven will be beautiful in a way beyond human imagination. The apostle John was given a vision from God revealing parts of heaven. In his attempts to describe what he saw, as his human mind could understand it, John referenced precious gems and stones. |
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The material of the wall was jasper; and the city was pure gold, like clear glass. And the twelve gates were twelve pearls; each one of the gates was a single pearl. And the street of the city was pure gold, like transparent glass. | Revelation 21:18; 21 (NASB) |
There will be plenty of room for all of those who are awaiting their heavenly reward. |
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The one who spoke with me had a gold measuring rod to measure the city, and its gates and its wall. The city is laid out as a square, and its length is as great as the width; and he measured the city with the rod, fifteen hundred miles; its length and width and height are equal. And he measured its wall, seventy-two yards, according to human measurements, which are also angelic measurements. | Revelation 21:15-17 (NASB) |
In heaven, there will be no more death, pain, or suffering. All will be in God's presence for heaven is God's home. |
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And I heard a loud voice from the throne, saying, "Behold, the tabernacle of God is among men, and He will dwell among them, and they shall be His people, and God Himself will be among them, and He will wipe away every tear from their eyes; and there will no longer be any death; there will no longer be any mourning, or crying, or pain; the first things have passed away." | Revelation 21:3-4 (NASB) |
There will be no sin (or any impure person or thing) in heaven. |
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and nothing unclean, and no one who practices abomination and lying, shall ever come into it, but only those whose names are written in the Lamb's book of life. | Revelation 21:27 (NASB) |
Jesus promises that every person who enters heaven, will be rewarded according to the things he/she did on earth: |
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Behold, I am coming quickly, and My reward is with Me, to render to every man according to what he has done. | Revelation 22:12 (NASB) |
