I’ve researched the subject of heaven across every genre of literature, fiction, nonfiction, religious, and philosophical, and heaven is in the top five topics written about. The other four topics are love, death, war, and human nature. So, in this episode of Heaven Unplugged Part IV, let’s look at what the Bible says about where believers will spend their afterlife.
We’ll start with the other word for heaven: Paradise. The Old Testament never uses the terms paradise or heaven to refer to the afterlife. Paradise means garden, and heaven means sky in the Old Testament. Since heaven is a top-five topic, why is it not mentioned in the Old Testament?
In the New Testament, Paradise is mentioned three times, but not about an afterlife;
- Luke 23:43 – with Jesus and the thief of the cross
- 2 Corinthians 12:4 – where Paul was caught up to paradise, or third heaven.
- Revelation 2:7 – where the tree of life is in the “paradise of God.”
None of these say that a believer will spend eternity in paradise.
New Testament references to Heaven;
Heaven is a place of safekeeping;
- 1 Peter 1:3-4 – our inheritance is kept in heaven for us.
- Colossians 1:5 – our hope stored in heaven.
- Matthew 5:12 – our reward is in heaven.
- Matthew 6:19-21 – store our treasures in heaven.
- Hebrews 12:22-23 – our Name is written in heaven.
Heaven is a place of transformation;
- John 14:2-3 – a place of transition.
- Philippians 3:20-21 – a change of identity.
- Matthew 6:9-10 – change in position.
- Matthew 28:18-19 – change in authority.
The Greek word translated “Home” in 2 Corinthians 5:8-9 means “to be present with.” It isn’t like being “home” as your permanent residence; it’s more like being with someone, in their presence, not living with them, at home. We prefer not to be present in our body but present with the Lord.
We’ve discussed 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17 before. When a dignitary came to a city, the citizens would meet them outside and escort them into the city. Jesus is taking us to heaven when he descends; we’re meeting and descending to earth with him.
2 Corinthians 5:1-2 says we have an eternal dwelling in the heavens. That doesn’t mean we’re going to live in heaven. As we read, our eternal bodies will be like the bodies of Jesus. Where is Jesus right now? In heaven. Therefore, our eternal bodies will be in heaven right now because that’s where Jesus is, the image of our bodies.
Nothing in these passages says believers will spend eternity in heaven. There is a paradise, the “Garden of God,” reminiscent of the “Garden of Eden,” but the Garden of Eden wasn’t heaven. Eden was very different, which we’ll talk about in a few weeks when we begin our study of the other beings created by God, celestial and otherwise. There is a heaven which is God’s realm, and the realm of other celestial beings, and believers are citizens of heaven, and our hope of eternal life comes from heaven, and our reward and treasures are kept for us in heaven, and our names are written in the books in heaven. But our eternal bodies are in heaven, but heaven isn’t where we will spend eternity.
So, why have I told you scripture doesn’t say we’ll spend eternity in heaven? Because the focus of believers has been misdirected over the centuries by religious leaders of every persuasion, Christian church Fathers and denominational leaders, and dispensational preachers. Directing believers to anticipate an emergency exit from this messed-up world to an idyllic heavenly garden is antithetical to the Gospel of Christ. Have you ever heard the phrase that someone is so heavenly minded they are no earthly good? If believers are waiting around until they go to live in heaven forever, then they’re not invested in the battle of good and evil and light and darkness in this world. Jesus didn’t tell us to pray, “Keep your kingdom safe in heaven until we get there.” No, he said, pray, “Your kingdom come on earth as it is in heaven.” How is God’s kingdom supposed to come to earth if we’re all waiting around to go to heaven?
