Resources by Topic: Heaven

One day in Heaven, we will see Christ in His glory. The most exhilarating experiences on Earth, such as white-water rafting, skydiving, or extreme sports, will seem tame compared to the thrill of seeing Jesus.

According to David, the greatest thing we can ask of God is to gaze upon His beauty: “One thing I have asked from Yahweh, that I shall seek: that I may dwell in the house of Yahweh all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of Yahweh and to inquire in His temple” (Psalm 27:4, LSB).

What thrilled these expectant believers in Hebrews 11 was not that God would rule in Heaven—He already did. They dreamed of the time that He would rule here on Earth, removing sin, death, suffering, poverty, and heartache. They trusted that the Messiah would come and bring Heaven with Him.

The Heaven that now exists, called the present Heaven, is where God dwells with His people and angels and the living creatures. It is where His throne is located, and hence, it is the location from which He governs the universe. The present Heaven is a place free from the curse, without sin, death, and suffering.

In this clip from a Q&A with students in the Torrey Honors College at Biola University in 2012, Randy references Matthew 22 and addresses the topic of marriage in Heaven. He says there will be one marriage: Christ married to His Church.

In this clip from a Q&A with students in the Torrey Honors College at Biola University in 2012, Randy explains that you can be wrong without sinning. We will continue to learn in Heaven—testing, improving, and learning like scientists using the scientific method, which involves being wrong at times, but does not require sin to be present.

In this clip from a Q&A with students in the Torrey Honors College at Biola University in 2012, Randy explains that the New Earth will be recognizable as Earth, but without the flaws of the current earth. He presents our resurrection bodies as a model to think about the New Earth.

In this clip from a Q&A with students in the Torrey Honors College at Biola University in 2012, Randy talks about how our earthly lives will not just restart in Heaven. This brings value to our present life, and reminds us that this life is not our one chance to fulfill our deepest dreams.

In this clip from a Q&A with students in the Torrey Honors College at Biola University in 2012, Randy explains that in Heaven, we will not be deficient in the way we usually think of it. We are finite beings with a lack of complete knowledge, and we will learn forever in Heaven.

In this clip from a Q&A with students in the Torrey Honors College at Biola University in 2012, Randy says that although we will have the ability to make choices in Heaven, we will be fully righteous, and use our free will to love and worship our Creator. We will be with God, the source of all goodness, so there will be no temptation to sin.

In this clip from a talk with students in the Torrey Honors College at Biola University in 2012, Randy uses the illustration of a believer named Billy to explain the present Heaven and the New Heaven. He goes on to describe aspects of the Future Heaven, including the Tree of Life, what we will do, how we will grow, and the reality of different tribes and nations.

In this clip from a talk with students in the Torrey Honors College at Biola University in 2012, Randy says that the nature of the the New Earth is physical. He explains that some theologians say the present Heaven is completely immaterial, but he points to examples in Scripture that support the physicality of the present Heaven.

In this clip from a talk with students in the Torrey Honors College at Biola University in 2012, Randy explains that Heaven is the central dwelling place of God, where His throne is. But one day, God will bring Heaven down to the New Earth to dwell with His people.

In this clip from a talk with students in the Torrey Honors College at Biola University in 2012, Randy shares how the deaths of friends and family members compelled him to ask questions about both the present and the future Heaven. The tangibility of the last two chapters of Revelation and the lack of teaching, even in seminaries, led him to explore the New Earth further.