What do we know about Heaven and why do we want to go there?

A lot of the time, we think about Salvation in terms of the place we want (and have every righteous reason and need) to be saved FROM. The lake of fire, prepared harshly enough to destroy the devil and his angels (Mt 25:41) is a pretty strong incentive. By sinning, all of us have experienced suffering that we deserve, and we think that eternal suffering is a fate to be avoided with all desperation.

Hell will indeed be a terrible place, but what about the place we hope to go? What exactly do we know about Heaven?

First, we know that it is a Kingdom Mt 11:

[11] Verily I say unto you, Among them that are born of women there hath not risen a greater than John the Baptist: notwithstanding he that is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.
[12] And from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffereth violence, and the violent take it by force.

Here we see that our struggles on earth are known there. However, there are differences: Ro 8:

[17] And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together.
[18] For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.

There will be Glory revealed in us that is so good that all known things are dwarfed by comparison. But, having established that it is beyond articulation in its grandeur, what are the things we CAN say about it? II Pet 3:

[13] Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness.

It is a spiritual construct where righteousness will reside like a container. If we Hunger and thirst for righteousness (Mt 5:[6] Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled.)

it is a place where we shall be filled with a satisfaction that cannot be jaded. This can give us a little room for consideration. There are people who devise evil. Pr 14

[22] Do they not err that devise evil? but mercy and truth shall be to them that devise good.

If these people accidentally ended up in Heaven, how happy would they be? They would be upset that their evil plans were not working out. It would be a different distress than Hell itself, but they would not be happy. Will we be happier than the “survivalist” Christian, who has done “just enough to get by?” Or will we rejoice to see all judgment rendered in favor of the righteous and the just?

Let us consider another observation. 2 Tim 2:

[12] If we suffer, we shall also reign with him: if we deny him, he also will deny us:

Here we see a major incentive to endure suffering to the end, is the hope of ruling. This can give us an interesting perspective on Politicians. Although we are accustomed to looking at them in the light that Paul documented the inhabitants of Crete, every Politician starts out with a basic seed of good desire: Namely to reign or rule. If we despise all rulers, rather than acknowledging that they are put in authority over us by God himself, we never desire to train or prepare ourselves to rule in Heaven.

Not to be confused with seeking earthly wealth, Heaven is where our treasure is. Mt 6:

[19] Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal:[20] But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal:
[21] For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.

As such, we desire to go where our treasure is. Nor will this treasure take the form of anything we now see. I think Wisdom may become a possession in heaven, Pr 3:

[13] Happy is the man that findeth wisdom, and the man that getteth understanding.
[14] For the merchandise of it is better than the merchandise of silver, and the gain thereof than fine gold.
[15] She is more precious than rubies: and all the things thou canst desire are not to be compared unto her.

However, it will not be Gold or Pearl - these will be mere construction materials. But faithfulness will qualify us for something that can be described as a “possession.” Lk 16:

[10] He that is faithful in that which is least is faithful also in much: and he that is unjust in the least is unjust also in much.
[11] If therefore ye have not been faithful in the unrighteous mammon, who will commit to your trust the true riches?
[12] And if ye have not been faithful in that which is another man's, who shall give you that which is your own?

In Heaven, we may have something that we will exercise discretion over - it will be our own. Another thing we know about Heaven is that there will be music there. Rev 5:

[9] And they sung a new song, saying, Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation;

If we look at Isa 9:

[7] Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even for ever. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will perform this.

The rulership of Christ has its own implications, but I hope it reflects on Heaven in some way. Finally, it will be a place where Christ will be. Rev 7:

[16] They shall hunger no more, neither thirst any more; neither shall the sun light on them, nor any heat.
[17] For the Lamb which is in the midst of the throne shall feed them, and shall lead them unto living fountains of waters: and God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes.

If II Cor 5:

[7] (For we walk by faith, not by sight:)

describes us, we acknowledge things that we do not see. While speaking of Heaven in this context, we should remember that this will not be the first time we have approached the throne of Grace. Heb 4:

[16] Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.

Another thing to consider, to give us perspective is this: Mk 12:

[25] For when they shall rise from the dead, they neither marry, nor are given in marriage; but are as the angels which are in heaven.

While marriage will exist in Heaven (we shall be Christ’s bride,) or earthly marriages will be dissolved at death Ro 7:

[2] For the woman which hath an husband is bound by the law to her husband so long as he liveth; but if the husband be dead, she is loosed from the law of her husband.

So ladies, if you can just make it till then, he’ll find out what it’s really like :-)

Heaven is the place that all our Bible heroes will be. There we can ask David what he meant in the Psalms, and how much he understood his own messianic passages. Solomon will likely be there to explain what he meant, in the Proverbs (if we have the wisdom to understand the answer.) I could go on, but “time would fail me” Heb 11:

[32] And what shall I more say? for the time would fail me to tell of Gedeon, and of Barak, and of Samson, and of Jephthae; of David also, and Samuel, and of the prophets:

In closing, then, let’s think of Heaven as a beautiful goal, worth suffering for. Not just “the only alternative to going to Hell.”