We all look up at the sky and wonder what is up there that makes it so beautiful. In this new article from Your Bible Online, we will talk about what heaven is according to the Bible and how it has been interpreted over time. Let’s get started!
Heaven according to the Bible
What do you think, before we go deeper into this topic, let’s watch a funny video about heaven according to Christianity?
Heaven is one of the most beautiful and wonderful ideas that our religion has. Christians live with the certainty that, after this life, a life free of sin, pain and anguish will come to us from the hand of God. This is the promise that Jesus made to us in his passage on Earth and the reason why he was crucified and tortured.
So important is heaven in Christianity, that our main prayer begins by specifying that Our Lord is in it:
“Our Father who art in heaven”.
We are aware that eternal life occurs on a different plane than the earthly one and that it is after we are freed from our human nature, sinful and susceptible to temptation, that we will reach heaven.
Naturally, it is not because we know that in the afterlife we will enjoy full happiness that we can now dedicate ourselves to despising our earthly life. To die and live next to God, we must first live together with all mankind in this world and listen, pray and act as God teaches us through the scriptures.
All these reflections and many more we will see today in this article of Your Online Bible in which you will find all the information about heaven contained in the Catholic Bible. We hope that if you have doubts you can solve them or at least have a new and deep vision of the subject.
We hope you enjoy reading God’s Word and that it touches your heart!
Bible verses about heaven
Logically, the Bible has many references to heaven to explain to parishioners what it means and what is there. In this section we will look at some of the verses that speak of heaven and explain what they mean.
We begin by showing you one of the most beautiful verses about heaven that we find in the bible. It is the Gospel of Matthew:
“But Jesus said, Suffer the little children to come unto me, and forbid them not: for of such is the kingdom of heaven.” (Matthew 19:14)
As we see, there is no evil in heaven or in the path of those who want to reach it. Children live with a great passion and curiosity for the world, always trying not to harm others with their actions. We Christians must try to be like them and love with all our heart and desire.
Another verse, older than the previous one, is found in the Book of Psalms, specifically in Psalm 108:
“Exalted art thou above the heavens, O God,
And above all the earth let your glory be exalted.” (Psalms 108:5)
The Lord is in heaven, but also on earth. He has created both and thus reigns them for eternity. Let us give thanks for all that God has created, even for our own life. This duality of creation is also written in one of the most famous and oldest verses in the Bible. It is in fact the first verse in the Bible and we find it in Genesis:
“In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.” (Genesis 1:1)
Another precious reference is found in the same chapter of Matthew 19. In this verse, Jesus reminds us that none of the material riches of this world will serve us in the kingdom of God. Only a life dedicated to helping others and loving above all else will bring us eternal life in heaven:
“Jesus said unto him, If thou wilt be perfect, go, sell that thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven; and come and follow me.” (Matthew 19:21)
Our life on earth is fragile and fleeting, nothing compared to eternal life in heaven with the Lord. In heaven we will not find cruelty or sickness, only happiness. This is what the following verse of the second epistle to the Corinthians tells us:
“For we know that if our earthly dwelling, this tabernacle, should fall away, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal, in the heavens.” (2 Corinthians 5:1)
Jesus also ascended to heaven after his passage through our world. This episode of his life is called “The Ascension of Jesus” and is briefly recounted in the Gospels of Luke and Mark. Here is the excerpt:
“And the Lord, after He had spoken to them, was received up into heaven, and sat down at the right hand of God.” (Mark 16:19)
Another reference to heaven and how we must live our human lives to reach the fullness of life afterwards is found in the Gospel of Luke:
“I say unto you, that likewise there shall be more joy in heaven over one sinner that repenteth, than over ninety and nine just persons, which need no repentance.” (Luke 15:7)
Here Jesus reminds us that we must never be complacent, for although prayer and attending the Eucharist are fundamental acts, so are charity, love of neighbor and repentance.
To close this section of references in the Bible about heaven, we leave you with a few more verses that have similar messages to the previous ones.
“By the word of the LORD were the heavens made,
And all their host by the breath of his mouth.” (Psalm 33:6)
“For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled.” (Matthew 5:18)
“I am the living bread which came down from heaven: if any man eat of this bread, he shall live forever; and the bread that I will give is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world.” (John 6:51)
“Our God is in the heavens;
All that He willed He has done.” (Psalm 115:3)
“From that time Jesus began to preach, and to say, Repent ye: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” (Matthew 4:17)
“But do not rejoice that the spirits are subject to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven.” (Luke 10:20)
Heaven in Christian art
The sky is a favorite stage for artists of many generations. Why? Because it is in heaven where painters could give shape to the imaginary that Christians have about heaven, andthe only way to represent God, the angels and this mystical place.
One of the most famous works depicting the dichotomy of heaven and earth is Michelangelo’s “The Creation of Adam” in the Sistine Chapel of the Vatican. This painting depicts God in the heavens and Adam on earth, thus separating the world of people from heaven.
As you will see in the picture image, the earth is a darker place than the sky, the sky being the place where the glory is housed.
Another work of similar composition is Titian’s “The Glory”, a painting showing a crowd of people looking towards heaven, represented by the Holy Trinity.
We can also see the contrast of colors between sky and earth as in the previous painting with the same intention. Many biblical characters appear in this work, such as Moses, Mary Magdalene or Saint John the Baptist. Are you able to identify them?
The sky in ancient cultures
Since the first human civilizations on Earth, the sky has always aroused admiration, curiosity and even fear. The precious rains that gave them food and the dangerous storms that caused terrible floods came from the same place and no one had a reasoned explanation for these phenomena.
Thus, ancient civilizations attributed all phenomena coming from the sky to the gods and to their mercy or wrath. The sky was a place where the deities lived and from which they controlled the destiny of the world.
Later, with scientific advances, all these beliefs began to disappear. The meteorological and astronomical phenomena and the beliefs in those gods who controlled the forces of nature according to their mood, vanished.
Even so, the idea of dedicating the concept of heaven to the gods, albeit in a more metaphorical sense, was a concept inherited by the new religions that appeared in the world alongside Christianity. This time, heaven served to designate an eternal reality far removed from the sin of the world and filled with God’s love. And that is how we Christians know heaven today.
Finally, and totally changing the artistic current, we recommend a very special film that offers a different vision of the sky. It is the film “Heaven is real” by Randall Wallace and tells the story of a boy who claims to have been in heaven during a hospital operation. We invite you to discover this fascinating film and to reflect on all the issues it raises.
To give you an idea, we leave you with the trailer.
After all these sections, we hope that you have been able to clarify your doubts about the concept of heaven and that you have seen how this beautiful word is treated in our Holy Bible.
Christians should live according to the Word of God and always act with love and solidarity. If we do so, we need not worry about death, for we are assured of a place in the kingdom of heaven.
Here ends this article on what heaven is according to the Bible! May God’s love be with you always and, if you want to read more articles about biblical history click here.