What happens in heaven according to the Bible?

Thus the angels or "sons of God" are here seen for a moment or two, but exactly in the place and action which the general consent of all Scripture gives them. They are in attendance on the Lord in heaven, as those who had been forth, and were ready again to go forth, in the service of His good pleasure. For the whole Word thus bears witness to them. They are "ministering spirits," "ministers of His that do His pleasure." They are His hosts on high, and the Lord Himself is among them. Gabriel stands in His presence. The Seraphim attend His throne, and they are winged, either to veil their faces and their feet before the divine majesty, or to fly, like the wind, to execute the divine commands. All this is told of the angels throughout Scripture, and here the heavens are opened for a moment, and all this is seen and heard.

We cannot intrude into things which we have not seen and must not make the attempt, nor seek to have a "religion of angels;" nor would this be the place to gather together the various teachings of Scripture regarding the host of heaven. It must suffice us to note that these beings, as their name both in Hebrew and Greek tells us, are Jehovah's messengers. They "excel in strength, and do His commandments, hearkening unto the voice of His word" (Ps. 103:20). It is their happy privilege to worship and to serve, answering thus in some sense to the priestly worship and Levitical service of God's earthly children. In connection with this worship and service they are seen here gathered, as on some great occasion, before their divine Lord.

Then come the glorious ranks of angels, the constant ministers of God's blessed will, the "hosts" that range themselves constantly in their appointed places, in intelligent sympathy with the commands they execute.

The Scriptures have their own story to tell, from the earliest ages of man's history on earth down to the end, respecting these beings. They are heavenly ministers of the divine will connected with the human race. They are often represented in close attendance on the display of divine majesty, and they not infrequently dispense divine judgment.

Their occupation confirms what has been already said. They do two things: (a) follow intelligently and with appreciation the justice of God's governmental dealings with the world, and (b) worship. They never take active part in the carrying out of judgment, as, for instance, the angels do, who are instruments for the execution of God's commands.

How wonderful to see these unselfish creatures, the angels of the Lord, “that excel in strength, that do his commandments, hearkening to the voice of His word” (Ps. 103:20), interested in tracing God’s wonderful ways in connection with redeeming men!

But there is a third characteristic given us in the psalm as to those bright angelic beings 1, they "excel in strength;" 2, they "do his commandments;" and 3, they are "hearkening to the voice of his word." Their obedience is not a lukewarm, mere dutiful obedience, but it is an obedience of the heart. They "hearken," i.e., they incline their ears to (not only "his word," but) "the voice of his word." Their hearts, as well as their ears, love to hear the voice of their Divine Sovereign, and take an interest in everything that concerns His glory; may it be as to creation, when "the morning stars sang together, and all the sons of God" — i.e., the angels — (Job 38:7) "shouted for joy;" or as to salvation and redemption, "which things the angels desire to look into" (1 Peter 1:12), so beautifully typified by the stooping posture of the Cherubim upon the mercy seat), "or may they be engaged in studying in the church, as their lesson-book, the manifold wisdom of God" (Eph. 3.) With them it is the same hearty obedience to the will of God; the same heartfelt interest in all the counsels of His Divine will, even where the objects of those counsels belong to a fallen and rebellious race, who were once "children of wrath" and "children of disobedience;" and even though they themselves remain but "ministering spirits, sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation" (Heb. 2:14).

God has always desired to have the perpetual adoration of His redeemed. We thus read of singers in connection with His service who "were employed in that work day and night." And when the Lord was parted from His disciples, He blessed them, and was carried up into heaven. "And they worshipped Him, and returned to Jerusalem with great joy, and were continually in the temple, praising and blessing God." Then, too, there are the four living creatures who rest not day and night in their ascriptions of praise. So will it be when all the redeemed are gathered around the Lord in heaven. Their whole existence will be characterised by continual never-ending praise.

From the moment that the saints are called to heaven, or rather taken thither by the blessed Lord Himself, uninterrupted worship goes on there to “Him that liveth for ever and ever” (chap. 4:10). The “living creatures” of Ezekiel’s vision, which have also the characteristic features of the “seraphim” (Isa. 6) are seen there, intimately associated with the throne of judgment, “in it and round about it” (Rev. 4:6). And the moment the Lamb is introduced, all, including the glorified saints, fall down before Him in worship. They all have harps of joy and vials of prayers agreeable to the divine presence, and they sing a new redemption song, to celebrate the infinite value of the precious blood which is the purchase-price of their eternal blessing. That had been also the case on earth, as soon as the name of the “Faithful Witness” is mentioned, in view of His “coming with clouds” to Him alone, Son of God and Son of man (John 5:22, 27; Rev. 1:5-7).

But before I hasten to the result of all this action I would further observe, that in the progress of the action itself, we see, I believe, the deliverance of Jewish remnants from amid the corruption and judgment. Some of them suffer for righteousness even unto death, and they ascend to heaven to take their place before the throne; and some are hid in God's city of refuge through the judgment, sealed or measured for final security, and for a place on the earth or footstool. But in both ways, they are separated from the corruptions and the judgments around them, and, like Rahab, are safe in the Lord, whom they own in the midst of the apostate nation. And I also see, in the progress of this action, the occasional joy of the family in heaven. (See 5, 7, 9, 14, 15, 19.) Heaven, surely, is a place of continuous joy. There the saints hunger no more, neither thirst any more; the Lamb feeds and refreshes them for ever. But still they may be sensible of seasons and occasions of rapture. And this appears to be intimated to us in these passages. The joy of the heavenly family and their songs are, every now and then, awakened afresh, when some new display of grace, or some new prospect of glory, opens before them. Just as with the heavenly hosts before - for, when the foundations of the earth were laid, they sang together anew, and, still louder than before, shouted for joy.