what does the bible say heaven is like

This spontaneous, free and full-hearted worship settles the great question of what is the occupation of heaven? What is heaven? Is it the street of gold? the river of water of life? the magnificence of the place? These are the outward display, the outward accompaniments of heaven. What is it that makes heaven actually that? In one word, it is that "God and the Lamb" are there. It is access to God visibly, which now is only by faith. What is the occupation of heaven? Joy and praise, surely, and a place for service as well. All our ransomed powers will be happily employed there. Perfect intelligence as well as perfect bodies will be fully in exercise. But what is it that gives fragrance to all there — that makes heaven the place of unsullied, unspeakable delight? It is that worship permeates it all. We still serve, and shall worship as we serve. We shall have communion and intercourse with one another, but all that will simply lead to fresh delight and worship — not a distraction to turn from one occupation to another, but all rendered fragrant by the sweet savor of Christ unceasingly.

Heaven itself is no scene of mere negations; it is not the absence of sin and sorrow and suffering that gives it its character, neither is it indeed the light and the glory and the many mansions of the Father's house. We may be permitted to speak of these things as its scenery and circumstances; but that which will give it its character, which will constitute its essential blessedness, will be the presence of that Saviour who there is waiting for us - of God Himself too, our Father, who will find His everlasting delight in the eternal joy and blessing of the whole redeemed family.

There is a thick curtain over the future, hindering us from seeing beyond the present, but God has told us what there will be. Eternal happiness for all who accept Christ as the sufficient Saviour, and woe never-ending to all that reject Him. Those who are saved will spend an eternity of bliss with Jesus — in heaven. There is not much description of the place given — we need not think so much about how it will look — how it is garnished — but it is where Jesus is, and that is enough for us who are resting in Him.

We shall live with Him! What a volume is in those words “with Him”! To be with Him is the sum and substance of all our blessedness, for He is with the Father, and this, for Him, is the blessedness of heaven, as it will be ours to be with Him there. Pleasures for evermore, joys unceasing and ever increasing will be ours, but He is better than all the joys; the true delight of heaven is Jesus. The Son of the Father will introduce the many sons into the intimacies of the circle in which He now moves and dwells; we shall live together with Him, see Him as He is, gaze upon His face, listen to His voice in the fair realms of God’s paradise, spend eternity in His company; for the life we have is

Every Christian looks to spend a glad eternity in heaven with the Lord Jesus. It is unquestionable that it is His desire and intention to have us there. In His wonderful prayer to the Father just before He suffered He thus expressed Himself, "Father, I will that they also, whom Thou hast given Me, be with Me where I am that they may behold My glory, which Thou hast given Me; for Thou lovedst Me before the foundation of the world" (John 17:24). Having said this, He went into death for us. The dread consequences of our sins fell on Him. He took up the cup of Divine wrath on our behalf that our souls might be delivered. All the work being done, every question having been settled, the Father raised Him up from among the dead, and glorified Him at His own right hand in heaven. He has gone up as Man into the glory; and thus, having previously accomplished redemption, has made out a title for all who believe in His Name to be there also. Glorious thought! All who trust in Him are "to live together with Him" in the Father's house for ever (1 Thess. 5:9-10).

In spirit, we are in heaven. We are in Christ who fills it with His glory and His perfections. … Holiness and love and joy characterize the land. They are the fruits which grow there spontaneously, as are the thanksgivings that arise in the hearts of those who are there through redeeming power.

Heaven's glory only is commensurate to the vast desires of an immortal soul. The soul is never satisfied till it has God for its portion, and heaven for its haven. The glory of heaven is pure and unmixed. There gold has no alloy. There the rose of Sharon grows without thorns. There is ease without pain, honour without disgrace, life without death. Physicians there are out of date: no distemper there, no passing bell, or bill of mortality. "Neither can they die any more" (Luke 20:36).

Enough light on that blessed future is given to know that heaven will be filled with praise of Christ. The elders are seen to have crowns on their heads, they wear white robes, they sit on thrones. In the midst of divine power and glory, they sing, "Thou art worthy, for Thou wast slain, and hast redeemed to God by Thy blood." The glory of Christ's person gives eternal efficacy to His atoning work, which is everything to His saints even in heaven; as it makes Him unspeakably precious to them now and for ever.

There are scenes of glory also, and occasions of other joy, accompanying this. In those heavens there will be the "Holy Jerusalem," the dwelling of the saints as a royal priestly people, the place of government and of worship. And there will be the Tree of Life, and the River of Life, and the Light, and the Throne of God and the Lamb. And the saints will be there as harpers, not having cymbals and timbrels of merely human skill, fitted to raise the joys of earth (Ps. 98), but having "harps of God," instruments of divine workmanship, fitted to awaken melody worthy of heaven itself. And the enthroned elders will be there, casting their crowns before the throne, and the angels delighting to ascribe all power and authority to the Lamb that was slain.*

This heaven too will be one scene of God's own rest or sabbath; and the saints, in their measure tasting the same refreshing, will dwell in that rest in bodies fashioned like unto Christ's glorious body. They shall be like Him in His glory, seeing Him as He is. They shall shine "as the sun" in the kingdom of their Father. In mind, body, and estate they will be conformed to the Beloved. And there will be the seeing or understanding of all the precious revelation of God, not as through a glass, darkly, but as face to face, knowing even as we are known. And there will be the white stone; the hidden manna; the morning star; the white robes, wherein to stand before the throne of God; the white garments, wherein to walk with the Lord through the dominions; and the white raiment, wherein to sit on their own thrones. Rev. 2, 3. All these will be ours then.