Reformed Doctrine Daily Devotions

What is Heaven like?

Scripture commands us to learn what Heaven is like.

“Walk about Zion and go around her;
Count her towers;
Consider her ramparts;
Go through her palaces,
That you may tell it to the next generation.”  Psalm 48:12-13.

Are we content to stay put and accept the world’s image of heaven (such as descriptions of vague, weak, fleeting, and worthless clouds), or, so to speak, do we eagerly walk through Scriptures and go around Scriptures, relying on Scriptures to form our understanding of Heaven (such as this description of strong and permanent “towers”, “ramparts” and “palaces”)?

Let us follow the example of Abraham “for he was looking for the city which has foundations, whose architect and builder is God.”  Hebrews 11:10.

Heaven is the home of God and His people.  “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,”  Revelation 21:3.  “they will see His face, and His name will be on their foreheads.  And there will no longer be any night;  and they will not have need of the light of a lamp nor the light of the sun, because the Lord God will illumine them;  and they will reign forever and ever.”  Revelation 22:4-5.

“And he carried me away in the Spirit to a great and high mountain, and showed me the holy city, Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, having the glory of God.  Her brilliance was like a very costly stone, as a stone of crystal-clear jasper.  It had a great and high wall, with twelve gates, …  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 21:10-12 and 21.

We may imagine older people slowly and carefully walking around in Heaven to prevent a fall and save their energy.  But, a truer image would be of young, beautiful athletic bodies jumping with joy around in Heaven with great strength, health, and vitality.  “There are also heavenly bodies and earthly bodies, but the glory of the heavenly is one, and the glory of the earthly is another.  …  this perishable will have put on the imperishable, and this mortal will have put on immortality …”  1 Corinthians 15:40 and 54.

Heaven is a place of righteousness, peace, and joy.  “… the kingdom of God is … righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.”  Romans 14:17.  “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 21:4.

We may have an image of Heaven only containing colors of white and gold.  But, Heaven contains a spectrum of vivid colors, and all from precious jewels!  “The foundation stones of the city wall were adorned with every kind of precious stone.  The first foundation stone was jasper;  the second, sapphire;  the third, chalcedony;  the fourth, emerald;  the fifth, sardonyx;  the sixth, sardius;  the seventh, chrysolite;  the eighth, beryl;  the ninth, topaz;  the tenth, chrysoprase;  the eleventh, jacinth;  the twelfth, amethyst.”  Revelation 21:19.

Heaven has a river.  “Then he showed me a river of the water of life, clear as crystal, coming from the throne of God and of the Lamb,”  Revelations 22:1.  Many people like Cozumel, Mexico because of the clarity and beauty of the water.  How much more beautiful and wonderful is the river of flowing water in Heaven, “clear as crystal”, which water is “life” itself!

Do we think of the citizens of Heaven almost as zombies:  slow, emotionless,  and quiet?  A cheering football stadium crowd may be more like the citizens of Heaven!  “… we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us …”  Hebrews 12:1.  As we on earth are eager in anticipation:  “For our citizenship is in heaven, from which also we eagerly wait for a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ;  who will transform the body of our humble state into conformity with the body of His glory, by the exertion of the power that He has even to subject all things to Himself.”  Philippians 3:20-21.  So, they are eager in heaven:  “For the anxious longing of the creation waits eagerly for the revealing of the sons of God.”  Romans 8:19.

Do we just play a harp all the time in Heaven?  No!  Heaven is not boring;  rather, it is a joyful place. “The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who gave a wedding feast for his son.” Matthew 22:2.  “The LORD of hosts will prepare a lavish banquet for all peoples on this mountain;  A banquet of aged wine, choice pieces with marrow, And refined, aged wine.”  Isaiah 25:6.

We may think that Heaven is open for everyone.  But, “… do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God?  Do not be deceived;  neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor homosexuals, nor thieves, nor the covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers, will inherit the kingdom of God.  Such were some of you;  but you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and in the Spirit of our God.”  1 Corinthians 6:9-11. “But according to His promise we are looking for new heavens and a new earth, in which righteousness dwells.” 2 Peter 3:13.

We tend to not think of trees in Heaven, but there are trees in Heaven and they bear “… twelve kinds of fruit, yielding its fruit every month;  and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations.”  Revelations 22:2.

Is God in Heaven like an impotent man just watching and waiting and wringing his hands and worrying as to who will use their alleged free-will to accept Jesus and get into heaven or who may use their alleged free-will and reject Jesus and go to hell?  No!  God is a victorious warrior!  “The LORD your God is in your midst, A victorious warrior.  He will exult over you with joy, He will be quiet in His love, He will rejoice over you with shouts of joy.”  Zephaniah 3:17.

Only God can save, and God saves every one of His elect.  Not one of His elect is lost.  “And He saw that there was no man, And was astonished that there was no one to intercede;  Then His own arm brought salvation to Him, And His righteousness upheld Him.”  Isaiah 59:16.  “My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me;  and I give eternal life to them, and they will never perish;  and no one will snatch them out of My hand.  My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all;  and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand.”  John 10:27-29.

God reigns over all.  God accomplishes all of His good pleasure!

“But our God is in the heavens;
He does whatever He pleases.”  Psalm 115:3.

“The LORD has established His throne in the heavens,
And His sovereignty rules over all.”  Psalm 103:19.

“9 “Remember the former things long past,
For I am God, and there is no other;
I am God, and there is no one like Me,
10 Declaring the end from the beginning,
And from ancient times things which have not been done,
Saying, ‘My purpose will be established,
And I will accomplish all My good pleasure’;”  Isaiah 46:9-10.

Showing that we believe in what we read in Scripture about Heaven, we want to learn more.  

“Therefore if you have been raised up with Christ, keep seeking the things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God.  Set your mind on the things above, not on the things that are on earth.  For you have died and your life is hidden with Christ in God.”  Colossians 3:1-3.

“For our citizenship is in heaven, from which also we eagerly wait for a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ;  who will transform the body of our humble state into conformity with the body of His glory, by the exertion of the power that He has even to subject all things to Himself.”  Philippians 3:20-21.

In summary, God provides all that we need.  We are protected.  We press on.  We are preserved to the end by the power of God for salvation and heaven. 

“Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father has chosen gladly to give you the kingdom.”  Luke 12:32.

“Not that I have already obtained it or have already become perfect, but I press on so that I may lay hold of that for which also I was laid hold of by Christ Jesus.  Brethren, I do not regard myself as having laid hold of it yet;  but one thing I do:  forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.”  Philippians 3:12-14.

“Instruct them to do good, to be rich in good works, to be generous and ready to share, storing up for themselves the treasure of a good foundation for the future, so that they may take hold of that which is life indeed.”  1 Timothy 6:18-19.

“Therefore, brethren, be all the more diligent to make certain about His calling and choosing you; for as long as you practice these things (see prior verses of 2 Peter 1:5-9), you will never stumble;  for in this way the entrance into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ will be abundantly supplied to you.”  2 Peter 1:10-11.

“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.

“Again, 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 13:44-46.

“And He summoned the crowd with His disciples, and said to them, “If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross and follow Me.  For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake and the gospel’s will save it.  For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world, and forfeit his soul?  For what will a man give in exchange for his soul?  For whoever is ashamed of Me and My words in this adulterous and sinful generation, the Son of Man will also be ashamed of him when He comes in the glory of His Father with the holy angels.”  Mark 8:34-38.

“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.”  1 Peter 1:3-5.