When we die do we go straight to heaven? Or do we stay “asleep” in the grave? Is judgement immediate or later?
All Christians look forward to “going to heaven”; this is one of the main things that make physical death bearable. It is a main element in our “blessed hope” (Titus 2:13). Jesus, referring to heaven, said, "I go to prepare a place for you" (Jn. 14:3). Those who inhabit heaven will have an unbelievably wonderful existence. Our bodies will be different, but they nevertheless will be real (1 Cor. 15:42-44,50; 1 Jn. 3:2).
Abraham traveled in a strange land, but "looked for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God" (Heb. 11:10). Jesus told his disciples to "rejoice because your names are written in heaven" (Lk. 10: 17-20). The Christian's greatest hope is being home with God. What a joy it is to know that, if we are faithful, one day heaven will be our home. In the words of the chorus of that old gospel song: "When the saved get to heaven, what a day of rejoicing that will be! When the saved see Jesus, they will sing and shout the victory."
But what does it mean to go to heaven? Do we go to heaven when we die? The answer actually depends on what is meant by the word “heaven.” The word occurs hundreds of times in the Bible, and it is used in several different ways.
The word “heaven” often refers to that part of the visible universe that is not the earth. The words “heaven” and “earth” are frequently combined to represent the entire universe, “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth” (Gen. 1:1; see Ex. 20:11; Ps. 115:15; Isa. 42:5; Matt. 5:18; Heb. 1:10: Rev. 10:6). Since from our earthly perspective the rest of the universe always seems to be above our heads, in the Bible heaven is often used for any aspect of the universe that is above us or overhead. It refers to the air where birds fly (Gen. 1:20; Matt. 6:26; 8:20). It refers to the atmosphere where clouds exist (Ps. 147:8) and where comes rain, snow, and hail (Josh. 10:11; Deut. 11:11,17; Isa. 55:10; Acts 14:17). It also refers to the sky as such, the firmament or expanse where the heavenly bodies are located (Gen 1:8,14-17; 26:4; Ps 19:1; 33:6; Matt. 16:2-3; Acts 2:5; Col. 1:23). In this sense of heaven, Christ will appear in the heavens, i.e., in the sky, when He returns (Matt, 24:29-31; 26:64; Acts 1:1-11; Rev. 6:13-14).
The term “heaven” is also used in what is best called a theological sense, because of its connection with God. God and heaven are so closely related that heaven in this theological sense may best be defined as “wherever God is,” or “the dwelling place of God.” In fact, when the Bible uses the word in this theological sense, it refers to two different heavens that presently exist.
One heaven is the divine dimension itself. In this sense heaven is not only a place where God dwells but is actually the equivalent of God. Because of this identity, scripture uses the phrases “kingdom of God” and “kingdom of heaven” interchangeably. God is “the God of heaven” (Ezra 1:2; Neh. 1:4-5). We can speak of our Father who is “in heaven” (Matt. 5:16,45; 6:1,9; 7:11,21). In this sense God looks upon us “from heaven” (Deut. 26:15; Ps. 14:2; 33:13; Isa. 63:10); He hears “from heaven” (1 Kgs. 8:30; 2 Chr. 7:14); He speaks “from heaven” (Matt. 3:17; John 12:28); He gives signs “from heaven” (Matt. 16:1; Luke 11:16). Also, this is the sense in which at His first coming Christ “descended from heaven” (John 3:13; see 3:31; 6:38,41-42,50-51,58).
The Bible also describes a second theological sense of heaven as the divine throne room located in the invisible universe, in the spiritual universe where angels’ dwell. This is the sense in which angels are “in heaven” (Matt. 22:30; 24:36; Rev 5:13). This is why they come “from heaven” when they visit our universe; God sends them to us from His presence as messengers (Matt. 28:2; Luke 22:43; Rev. 20:1). This is the place to which they return when they go back “into heaven” (Luke 2:15). This is the heaven John entered after he saw “a door standing open in heaven” and was invited to go through it (Rev. 4:1). He saw immediately that “a throne was standing in heaven; and One was sitting on the throne” (Rev. 4:2). This was God Himself (Ps. 11:4; Matt 5:34; 23:22) in the spiritual manner by which He permanently manifests Himself to the angelic world. This is why Jesus says that the “angels in heaven continually see the face of My Father who is in heaven” (Matt. 18:10). Because it is located in a part of the spiritual world, His throne room is a place within that universe. This place is called heaven, precisely because God’s presence is there. In this sense it is His “abode.” This is the “heaven” that Jesus entered when He was received or carried “up into heaven” (Mark 16:19; Luke 24:51; see Acts 1:11). At the present time, in His glorified human body, Jesus is seated in this heaven upon the heavenly throne at God’s own right hand (Acts 2:34; 3:21; 7:56; Eph. 6:9; Heb. 8:1; 9:24; 1 Pet. 3:22). This is also the heaven from which He will return at the time following His second coming (1 Thess. 1:10; 4:16; 2 Thess. 1:7).
To which heaven do we go? Obviously, we do not go to the cosmological heaven, the one filled with stars and clouds. Nor do we go to the first theological heaven, the divine dimension itself. Heaven in this sense is simply not accessible to created beings, not even to angels. This divine dimension is even more than a place, it is God Himself in His uncreated, invisible, immortal glory.
This leaves the second theological heaven, the divine throne room located in the created invisible universe. When we die, our bodies go into the grave, and our spirits/souls will be transported into this spiritual heaven, to be in the presence of God until the time of Christ’s second coming. This heaven to which we go when we die is indeed the heaven where God is seated on His throne and surrounded by angels. The Bible also calls it paradise (Luke 23:43), where the Jews thought of themselves as being within Abraham’s bosom (Luke 16:22) and Christians expect to bide their pre-judgment time in the presence of the Lord Jesus (2 Corinthians 5:6-8; Philippians 1:23). Paul described this paradise of the soul as "the third heaven" (2 Cor. 12:2-4). In other words, the "third heaven" refers to a place distinct from the atmospheric and the celestial heavens.
This temporary place of waiting is the same destination for both those Old Testament saints who died before Christ’s death, resurrection, and ascension, and those Christian saints who die afterwards. The souls of Old Testament saints entered this heaven as soon as they died; they simply did not experience the presence of Christ in that place until his ascension and enthronement. For these pre-Christian saints, existing in “Abraham’s bosom” would have seemed to be the best of glory and bliss (Luke 16:22, Col. 1:16). Thus, in this sense, the soul of every saved person has entered or will enter this angelic heaven at the moment of death, to await the end of this present age. This heaven to which we go at the moment of death is angelic heaven, described by John in Revelation 4-5. Many have already been there for a long time, and there we will also be in the presence of Jesus, in comfort and peace, until the time for the second coming of Jesus.
When the Father initiates the grand event of Christ’s second coming, Jesus will arise from His place on the throne and will pass through the dimensional barrier that separates the invisible realm of angels from the visible world we inhabit. He will take with Him His holy angels as well as the spirits/souls of the saved who have been patiently waiting for this moment. This is the time when the dead in Christ receive their new glorified bodies, and the living saints on earth are transformed into a glorified body without having to experience physical death; 1 Thes. 4:14. Then in their new bodies, they are all taken back into the heavenly throne room for the event called the Final Judgment. This Final Judgement will include both the saved and the unsaved.
While this is taking place, the old physical universe is being replaced by the new heavens and new earth as described in 2 Peter 3:8-13 and prophesied in Isa. 65:17-25. Once Final Judgment Day has been completed, the souls who rejected God are consigned to hell clothed in their replacement, non-glorified, bodies. There they will spend eternity away from the presence of God. The souls/spirits of the saved, clothed in their new glorified bodies, (I Cor. 15:42-44) are taken to their eternal dwelling place, the new earth, surrounded by the new heavens. There they shall live eternally in the presence of the glorified Christ, and Almighty God! (Revelation 21 and 22.)
All Christians look forward to “going to heaven”; this is one of the main things that make physical death bearable. It is a main element in our “blessed hope” (Titus 2:13). Jesus, referring to heaven, said, "I go to prepare a place for you" (Jn. 14:3). Those who inhabit heaven will have an unbelievably wonderful existence. Our bodies will be different, but they nevertheless will be real (1 Cor. 15:42-44,50; 1 Jn. 3:2).
Abraham traveled in a strange land, but "looked for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God" (Heb. 11:10). Jesus told his disciples to "rejoice because your names are written in heaven" (Lk. 10: 17-20). The Christian's greatest hope is being home with God. What a joy it is to know that, if we are faithful, one day heaven will be our home. In the words of the chorus of that old gospel song: "When the saved get to heaven, what a day of rejoicing that will be! When the saved see Jesus, they will sing and shout the victory."
But what does it mean to go to heaven? Do we go to heaven when we die? The answer actually depends on what is meant by the word “heaven.” The word occurs hundreds of times in the Bible, and it is used in several different ways.
The word “heaven” often refers to that part of the visible universe that is not the earth. The words “heaven” and “earth” are frequently combined to represent the entire universe, “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth” (Gen. 1:1; see Ex. 20:11; Ps. 115:15; Isa. 42:5; Matt. 5:18; Heb. 1:10: Rev. 10:6). Since from our earthly perspective the rest of the universe always seems to be above our heads, in the Bible heaven is often used for any aspect of the universe that is above us or overhead. It refers to the air where birds fly (Gen. 1:20; Matt. 6:26; 8:20). It refers to the atmosphere where clouds exist (Ps. 147:8) and where comes rain, snow, and hail (Josh. 10:11; Deut. 11:11,17; Isa. 55:10; Acts 14:17). It also refers to the sky as such, the firmament or expanse where the heavenly bodies are located (Gen 1:8,14-17; 26:4; Ps 19:1; 33:6; Matt. 16:2-3; Acts 2:5; Col. 1:23). In this sense of heaven, Christ will appear in the heavens, i.e., in the sky, when He returns (Matt, 24:29-31; 26:64; Acts 1:1-11; Rev. 6:13-14).
The term “heaven” is also used in what is best called a theological sense, because of its connection with God. God and heaven are so closely related that heaven in this theological sense may best be defined as “wherever God is,” or “the dwelling place of God.” In fact, when the Bible uses the word in this theological sense, it refers to two different heavens that presently exist.
One heaven is the divine dimension itself. In this sense heaven is not only a place where God dwells but is actually the equivalent of God. Because of this identity, scripture uses the phrases “kingdom of God” and “kingdom of heaven” interchangeably. God is “the God of heaven” (Ezra 1:2; Neh. 1:4-5). We can speak of our Father who is “in heaven” (Matt. 5:16,45; 6:1,9; 7:11,21). In this sense God looks upon us “from heaven” (Deut. 26:15; Ps. 14:2; 33:13; Isa. 63:10); He hears “from heaven” (1 Kgs. 8:30; 2 Chr. 7:14); He speaks “from heaven” (Matt. 3:17; John 12:28); He gives signs “from heaven” (Matt. 16:1; Luke 11:16). Also, this is the sense in which at His first coming Christ “descended from heaven” (John 3:13; see 3:31; 6:38,41-42,50-51,58).
The Bible also describes a second theological sense of heaven as the divine throne room located in the invisible universe, in the spiritual universe where angels’ dwell. This is the sense in which angels are “in heaven” (Matt. 22:30; 24:36; Rev 5:13). This is why they come “from heaven” when they visit our universe; God sends them to us from His presence as messengers (Matt. 28:2; Luke 22:43; Rev. 20:1). This is the place to which they return when they go back “into heaven” (Luke 2:15). This is the heaven John entered after he saw “a door standing open in heaven” and was invited to go through it (Rev. 4:1). He saw immediately that “a throne was standing in heaven; and One was sitting on the throne” (Rev. 4:2). This was God Himself (Ps. 11:4; Matt 5:34; 23:22) in the spiritual manner by which He permanently manifests Himself to the angelic world. This is why Jesus says that the “angels in heaven continually see the face of My Father who is in heaven” (Matt. 18:10). Because it is located in a part of the spiritual world, His throne room is a place within that universe. This place is called heaven, precisely because God’s presence is there. In this sense it is His “abode.” This is the “heaven” that Jesus entered when He was received or carried “up into heaven” (Mark 16:19; Luke 24:51; see Acts 1:11). At the present time, in His glorified human body, Jesus is seated in this heaven upon the heavenly throne at God’s own right hand (Acts 2:34; 3:21; 7:56; Eph. 6:9; Heb. 8:1; 9:24; 1 Pet. 3:22). This is also the heaven from which He will return at the time following His second coming (1 Thess. 1:10; 4:16; 2 Thess. 1:7).
To which heaven do we go? Obviously, we do not go to the cosmological heaven, the one filled with stars and clouds. Nor do we go to the first theological heaven, the divine dimension itself. Heaven in this sense is simply not accessible to created beings, not even to angels. This divine dimension is even more than a place, it is God Himself in His uncreated, invisible, immortal glory.
This leaves the second theological heaven, the divine throne room located in the created invisible universe. When we die, our bodies go into the grave, and our spirits/souls will be transported into this spiritual heaven, to be in the presence of God until the time of Christ’s second coming. This heaven to which we go when we die is indeed the heaven where God is seated on His throne and surrounded by angels. The Bible also calls it paradise (Luke 23:43), where the Jews thought of themselves as being within Abraham’s bosom (Luke 16:22) and Christians expect to bide their pre-judgment time in the presence of the Lord Jesus (2 Corinthians 5:6-8; Philippians 1:23). Paul described this paradise of the soul as "the third heaven" (2 Cor. 12:2-4). In other words, the "third heaven" refers to a place distinct from the atmospheric and the celestial heavens.
This temporary place of waiting is the same destination for both those Old Testament saints who died before Christ’s death, resurrection, and ascension, and those Christian saints who die afterwards. The souls of Old Testament saints entered this heaven as soon as they died; they simply did not experience the presence of Christ in that place until his ascension and enthronement. For these pre-Christian saints, existing in “Abraham’s bosom” would have seemed to be the best of glory and bliss (Luke 16:22, Col. 1:16). Thus, in this sense, the soul of every saved person has entered or will enter this angelic heaven at the moment of death, to await the end of this present age. This heaven to which we go at the moment of death is angelic heaven, described by John in Revelation 4-5. Many have already been there for a long time, and there we will also be in the presence of Jesus, in comfort and peace, until the time for the second coming of Jesus.
When the Father initiates the grand event of Christ’s second coming, Jesus will arise from His place on the throne and will pass through the dimensional barrier that separates the invisible realm of angels from the visible world we inhabit. He will take with Him His holy angels as well as the spirits/souls of the saved who have been patiently waiting for this moment. This is the time when the dead in Christ receive their new glorified bodies, and the living saints on earth are transformed into a glorified body without having to experience physical death; 1 Thes. 4:14. Then in their new bodies, they are all taken back into the heavenly throne room for the event called the Final Judgment. This Final Judgement will include both the saved and the unsaved.
While this is taking place, the old physical universe is being replaced by the new heavens and new earth as described in 2 Peter 3:8-13 and prophesied in Isa. 65:17-25. Once Final Judgment Day has been completed, the souls who rejected God are consigned to hell clothed in their replacement, non-glorified, bodies. There they will spend eternity away from the presence of God. The souls/spirits of the saved, clothed in their new glorified bodies, (I Cor. 15:42-44) are taken to their eternal dwelling place, the new earth, surrounded by the new heavens. There they shall live eternally in the presence of the glorified Christ, and Almighty God! (Revelation 21 and 22.)
