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The Book of Revelation dedicates an entire section to describing what heaven looks like:

• “After these things I looked, and behold, a door standing open in heaven, and the first voice which I had heard, like the sound of a trumpet speaking with me…a throne was standing in heaven, and One sitting on the throne.  And He who was sitting was like a jasper stone and a sardius in appearance; and there was a rainbow around the throne, like an emerald in appearance.  Around the throne where twenty-four thrones; and upon the thrones I saw twenty-four elders sitting, clothed in white garments, and golden crowns on their heads.  Out from the throne come flashes of lightning and sounds and peals of thunder.  And there were seven lamps of fire burning before the throne, which are the seven Spirits of God; and before the throne there was something like a sea of glass, like crystal; and in the centre and around the throne, four living creatures full of eyes in front and behind…and the four living creatures…day and night they do not cease to say, ‘Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God, the Almighty, who was and who is and who is to come.  And when the living creatures give glory and honour and thanks to Him who sits on the throne…the twenty-four elders will fall down before Him who sits on the throne, and will worship Him who lives forever and ever, and will cast their crowns before the throne, saying, ‘Worthy are You, our Lord and our God, to receive glory and honour and power; for You created all things, and because of Your will they existed and were created.’ ’” – Revelation 4:1-11

Heaven is referenced in the Old Testament:

• “I will greatly multiply your seed as the stars of the heavens…” – Genesis 22:17
• “He is God in heaven above and on earth beneath.” – Joshua 2:11
• “For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.” – Isaiah 55:9
• “For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven…” – Isaiah 55:10
• “I will bring upon Elam the four winds from the four ends of heaven.” – Jeremiah 49:36
• “I kept looking in the night visions, and behold, with the clouds of heaven one like a Son of Man was coming and He came up to the Ancient of Days and was presented before Him.” – Daniel 7:13

The Book of Psalms holds many verses on heaven:

• “The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands.” – Psalm 19:1
• “For Your righteousness, O God, reaches to the heavens.” – Psalm 71:19
• “He rained down manna upon them to eat and gave them food from heaven.” – Psalm 78:24
• “Truth springs from the earth, and righteousness looks down from heaven.” – Psalm 85:11
• “It shall be established for ever as the moon, and as a faithful witness in heaven.” – Psalm 89:37
• “Covering Yourself with light as with a cloak, stretching out heaven like a tent curtain.” – Psalm 104:2
• “Be exalted, O God, above the heavens, and let your glory be over all the earth.” – Psalm 108:5

The New Testament wrote about the current heaven:

• “Now when all the people were baptized, Jesus was also baptized and while He was praying, heaven was opened, and the Holy Spirit descended upon Him in bodily form like a dove, and a voice came out of heaven, ‘You are My beloved Son, in You I am well pleased.’ ” – Luke 3:21-22
• “John testified saying, ‘I have seen the Spirit descending as a dove out of heaven, and He remained upon Him.’ ” – John 1:32

The Lord Jesus Himself made many references to heaven:

• “ ‘Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.’ ” – Matthew 5:3
• “ ‘Rejoice and be glad, for your reward in heaven is great; for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.’ “ – Matthew 5 :12
• “ ‘…so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven.’ ” – Matthew 5:45
• “ ‘Pray, then, in this way: ‘Our Father who is in heaven, hallowed be Your name…’ ” – Matthew 6:9
• “ ‘I praise You, Father, Lord of heaven and earth…’ ” – Matthew 11:25
• “ ‘Truly I say to you unless you are converted and become like children, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven.  Whoever then humbles himself as this child, he is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.’ ” – Matthew 18:3-4
• “Jesus said, ‘Let the children alone, and do not hinder them from coming to Me; for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.’ ” – Matthew 19:14
• “ ‘I was watching Satan fall from heaven like lightning.’ ” – Luke 10:18
• “ ‘I tell you…there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance.’ ” – Luke 15:7

The Lord Jesus gave many parables about the kingdom of heaven.  The following are some of the Scripture verses:

Tares among the Wheat:

• “ ‘The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a man who sowed good seed in his field.  But while his men were sleeping, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat…’First gather up the tares and bind them in bundles to burn them up; but gather the wheat into my barn.’ ” – Matthew 13:24-30

Hidden Treasure:

• “ ‘The kingdom of heaven is like a treasure hidden in the field, which a man found and hid again; and from joy over it he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field.’ ” – Matthew 13:44

A Costly Pearl:

• “ ‘The kingdom of heaven is like a merchant seeking fine pearls, and upon finding one pearl of great value, he went and sold all that he had and bought it.’ ” – Matthew 13:45

A Dragnet:

• “ ‘The kingdom of heaven is like a dragnet cast into the sea, and gathering fish of every kind…and gathered the good fish into containers, but the bad they threw away.  So it will be at the end of the age; the angels will come forth and take out the wicked from among the righteous, and will throw them into the furnace of fire; in that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’ ” – Matthew 13:47-50

Scripture verses of other parables are listed below, for ease of reading directly from the Bible:

• The Sower and the Four Types of Soil – Matthew 13:3
• The Mustard Seed – Matthew 13:31
• The Leaven – Matthew 13:33
• Laborers in the Vineyard – Matthew 20:1
• Parable of the Marriage Feast – Matthew 22:2
• Parable of Ten Virgins – Matthew 25:2

“People will come from east and west and north and south, and will take their places at the feast in the kingdom of God.” – Luke 13:29 (at the wedding feast following the Tribulation)

Jesus said He has gone to prepare a place for us:

• “ ‘In My Father’s house are many dwelling places…for I go to prepare a place for you…I will come again and receive you to Myself, that where I am, there you may be also.’ “ – John 14:2-3

Heaven is mentioned during Pentecost:

• “Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting.’ – Acts 2:2

The Apostle Paul wrote about our bodies being transformed:

• “For our citizenship is in heaven, from which also we eagerly wait for a Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ; who will transform the body of our humble state into conformity with the body of His glory.” – Philippians 3:20-21
• “For we know that if the earthly tent which is our house is torn down, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.” – 2 Corinthians 5:1 (the word ‘tent’ is a metaphor for our physical body)

The author of Hebrews wrote the following:

• “We have such a high priest, who has taken His seat at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens.” – Hebrews 8:1

Heaven is mentioned during the End Times.  The following are just some of the Scripture verses:

• “The temple of God which is in heaven was opened; and the ark of His covenant appeared in His temple…” – Revelation 11:19 – at the 7th Trumpet
• “ ‘For when they rise from the dead…are like angels in heaven.’ ” – Mark 12:25 – (at the Rapture)
• “ ‘Be glad in that day and leap for joy, for behold, your reward is great in heaven.’ ” – Luke 6:23 (also at the Rapture)
• “The Lord will roar from on high and utter His voice from His holy habitation; He will roar mightily against His fold.  He will shout like those who tread the grapes against all the inhabitants of the earth.” – Jeremiah 25:30

We are familiar with the image of angels playing harps in heaven.  No doubt that idea came from the following Scripture:

• “I heard a voice from heaven, like the sound of many waters and like the sound of loud thunder, and the voice which I heard was like the sound of harpists playing on their harps.” – Revelation 14:2

The New Jerusalem, in the New Heaven and Earth (here on earth, not heaven):

• “I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, made ready as a bride adorned for her husband.” – Revelation 21:2

And the ‘pearly gates’ reference:

• “The twelve gates were twelve pearls; each one of the gates was a single pearl.” – Revelation 21:21

And of course the ‘streets paved with gold’ phrase came from:

• “The street of the city was pure gold, like transparent glass.” – Revelation 21:21

The current, physical description of heaven is revealed early on in the Book of Revelation and it concludes with the description of the future New Heaven and New Earth.  For more complete details, click on: Revelation 22:1-5.

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Heaven will be a place of joy, peace, beauty and pure love, with no more death, suffering and pain:

• “…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.” – Revelation 21:3-4
• “You will make known to me the path of life; in Your presence is fullness of joy; in Your right hand there are pleasures forever.” – Psalm 16:11

“Things which eye has not seen and ear has not heard,

and which have not entered the heart of man,

all that God has prepared for those who love Him.” – 1 Corinthians 2:9

Our hope is in the Lord Christ Jesus:

“Beloved, now we are children of God, and it has not appeared as yet what we will be.  We know that when He appears, we will be like Him, because we will see Him just as He is.  And everyone who has this hope fixed on Him purifies himself, just as He is pure.” – 1 John 3:2

Jacob’s Dream:

“He had a dream, and behold, a ladder was set on the earth with its top reaching to heaven; and behold, the angels of God were ascending and descending on it.  And behold, the Lord stood above it and said ‘I am the Lord…I am with you and will keep you wherever you go…” – Genesis 28:12-15