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* ALL Questions about Heaven, Hell, and Eternity *

What is the New Jerusalem?​


Answer

The New Jerusalem, which is also called the Tabernacle of God, the Holy City, the City of God, the Celestial City, the City Foursquare, and Heavenly Jerusalem, is literally heaven on earth. It is referred to in the Bible in several places (Galatians 4:26; Hebrews 11:10; 12:22–24; and 13:14), but it is most fully described in Revelation 21.

In Revelation 21, the recorded history of man is at its end. All of the ages have come and gone. Christ has gathered His church in the Rapture (1 Thessalonians 4:15–17). The Tribulation has passed (Revelation 6—18). The battle of Armageddon has been fought and won by our Lord Jesus Christ (Revelation 19:17–21). Satan has been chained for the 1,000-year reign of Christ on earth (Revelation 20:1–3). A new, glorious temple has been established in Jerusalem (Ezekiel 40—48). The final rebellion against God has been quashed, and Satan has received his just punishment, an eternity in the lake of fire (Revelation 20:7–10.) The Great White Throne Judgment has taken place, and mankind has been judged (Revelation 20:11–15).

In Revelation 21:1 God does a complete make-over of heaven and earth (Isaiah 65:17; 2 Peter 3:12–13). The new heaven and new earth are what some call the “eternal state” and will be “where righteousness dwells” (2 Peter 3:13). After the re-creation, God reveals the New Jerusalem. John sees a glimpse of it in his vision: “The Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband” (Revelation 21:2). This is the city that Abraham looked for in faith (Hebrews 11:10). It is the place where God will dwell with His people forever (Revelation 21:3). Inhabitants of this celestial city will have all tears wiped away (Revelation 21:4).

The New Jerusalem will be fantastically huge. John records that the city is nearly 1,400 miles long, and it is as wide and as high as it is long—the New Jerusalem being in equal in length, width, and depth (Revelation 21:15–17). The city will be dazzling in every way. It is lighted by the glory of God (verse 23). Its twelve foundations, bearing the names of the twelve apostles, are “decorated with every kind of precious stone” (verse 19). It has twelve gates, each a single pearl, bearing the names of the twelve tribes of Israel (verses 12 and 21). The street will be made of pure gold (verse 21).

The New Jerusalem will be a place of unimagined blessing. The curse of the old earth will be gone (Revelation 22:3). In the city are the tree of life “for the healing of the nations” and the river of life (verses 1–2). It is the place that Paul spoke of: “In the coming ages [God] might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus” (Ephesians 2:7). The New Jerusalem is the ultimate fulfillment of all God’s promises. The New Jerusalem is God’s goodness made fully manifest.

Who are the residents of the New Jerusalem? The Father and the Lamb are there (Revelation 21:22). Angels are at the gates (verse 12). But the city will be filled with God’s redeemed children. The New Jerusalem is the righteous counter to the evil Babylon (Revelation 17), destroyed by God’s judgment (Revelation 18). The wicked had their city, and God has His. To which city do you belong? Babylon the Great or the New Jerusalem? If you believe that Jesus, the Son of God, died and rose again and have asked God to save you by His grace, then you are a citizen of the New Jerusalem. “God raised [you] up with Christ and seated [you] with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus” (Ephesians 2:6). You have “an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade” (1 Peter 1:4). If you have not yet trusted Christ as your Savior, then we urge you to receive Him. The invitation is extended: “The Spirit and the bride say, ‘Come!’ And let the one who hears say, ‘Come!’ Let the one who is thirsty come; and let the one who wishes take the free gift of the water of life” (Revelation 22:17).

For Further Study​

Heaven and the Afterlife: The Truth About Tomorrow and What It Means for Today by Erwin Lutzer

More insights from your Bible study - Get Started with Logos Bible Software for Free!
 

Is The Divine Comedy / Dante’s Inferno a biblically accurate description of heaven and hell?​


Answer

Written by Dante Alighieri between 1308 and 1321, The Divine Comedy is widely considered the central epic poem of Italian literature. A brilliantly written allegory, filled with symbolism and pathos, it is certainly one of the classics of all time. The poem is written in the first person as Dante describes his imaginative journey through the three realms of the dead: Inferno (hell); Purgatorio (Purgatory); and Paradiso (heaven).

The philosophy of the poem is a mixture of the Bible, Roman Catholicism, mythology, and medieval tradition. Where Dante draws on his knowledge of the Bible, the poem is truthful and insightful. Where he draws on the other sources, the poem departs from truth.

One extra-biblical source Dante drew upon was Islamic tradition (Hadiths) as depicted in Muhammed’s “Night Journey.” According to one scholar, Islamic eschatology has exercised “an extraordinary influence on Chinese and Christian thought. Among numerous popular eschatological works written by Christians, Dante’s Divina Commedia is an example of Islamic influence” (Islam by Solomon Nigosian, Crucible, 1987, page 152).

In fairness to Dante, however, it should be noted that his work is intended to be literary, not theological. It does reflect a deep yearning to understand the mysteries of life and death and, as such, has generated tremendous interest over the centuries, remaining extremely popular even today.

When comparing the poem to the Bible, many differences surface. Apparent immediately is the third of the work devoted to Purgatory, a doctrine of the Roman Catholic Church having no foundation in the Bible. In Dante’s poem, the Roman poet Virgil guides Dante through the seven terraces of Purgatory. These correspond to the seven deadly sins, with each terrace purging a particular sin until the sinner has corrected the nature within himself that caused him to commit that sin. After the sinner has been “purged” of all sin, he is enabled to proceed at some point to heaven. Aside from the fact that Purgatory is an unbiblical doctrine, the idea that sinners have another chance for salvation after death is in direct contradiction to the Bible. Scripture is clear that we are to “seek the Lord while He may be found” (Isaiah 55:6) and that once we die, we are destined to judgment (Hebrews 9:27). Judgment is based on our earthly lives, not on anything we do after we die. There will be no second chance for salvation beyond this life. As long as a person is alive, he has a second, third, fourth, fifth, etc., chance to accept Christ and be saved (John 3:16; Romans 10:9–10; Acts 16:31). Furthermore, the idea that a sinner can “correct” his own nature, either before or after death, is contrary to biblical revelation, which says that only Christ can overcome the sin nature and impart to believers a completely new nature (2 Corinthians 5:17).

In the other two parts of The Divine Comedy, Dante imagines various levels of hell and heaven. He describes the Inferno in great detail, vividly describing the torments and agonies of hell; these descriptions, however, do not come from the Bible. Some come from Islamic tradition. “The Qur'anic basis for this account is Qur'an 17:1, and Muslims commemorate annually ‘the night of ascension’ (lailat al-miraj) on the 26th of Rajab—the seventh month of the Islamic calendar. It is assumed that the general plot as well as the many small details of Dante’s Divine Comedy reflect a fanciful treatment of this Islamic theme” (op. cit., p128).

Some have speculated that perhaps the terrible images of the Inferno spring from Dante’s doubt about his own salvation. In any case, the major differences between the Inferno and the Bible’s depiction of hell are these:

1. Levels of hell. Dante describes hell as comprised of nine concentric circles, representing an increase of wickedness, where sinners are punished in a fashion befitting their crimes. The Bible does suggest different degrees of punishment in hell in Luke 12:47–48. However, it says nothing of concentric circles or varying depths in hell.

2. Different types of punishment. Dante’s vision of hell involved such eternal punishments as souls tormented by biting insects, wallowing in mire, immersed in boiling blood, being lashed with whips. Lesser punishments involve having heads on backwards, chasing unreachable goals for eternity, and walking endlessly in circles. The Bible, however, speaks of hell as a place of “outer darkness” where there will be “weeping and gnashing of teeth” (Matthew 8:12; 22:13). Whatever punishment awaits the unrepentant sinner in hell, it is no doubt worse than even Dante could imagine.

The final section of the poem, Paradiso, is Dante’s vision of heaven. Here Dante is guided through nine spheres, again in a concentric pattern, each level coming closer to the presence of God. Dante’s heaven is depicted as having souls in a hierarchy of spiritual development, based at least in part on their human ability to love God. Here are nine levels of people who have attained, by their own efforts, the sphere in which they now reside. The Bible, however, is clear that no amount of good works can earn heaven; only faith in the shed blood of Christ on the cross and the righteousness of Christ imputed to us can save us and destine us for heaven (Matthew 26:28; 2 Corinthians 5:21). In addition, the idea that we must work our way through ascending realms of heaven to approach God is foreign to the Scriptures. Heaven will be a place of unbroken fellowship with God, where we will serve Him and “see His face” (Revelation 22:3–4). All believers will forever enjoy the pleasure of God’s company, made possible by faith in His Son.

Throughout The Divine Comedy, the theme of salvation by man’s works is prevalent. Purgatory is seen as a place where sins are purged through the sinner’s efforts, and heaven has differing levels of rewards for works done in life. Even in the afterlife, Dante sees man as continually working and striving for reward and relief from punishment. But the Bible tells us that heaven is a place of rest from striving, not a continuation of it. The apostle John writes, “Then I heard a voice from heaven say, ‘Write: Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on.’ ‘Yes,’ says the Spirit, ‘they will rest from their labor, for their deeds will follow them.’” Believers who live and die in Christ are saved by faith alone, and the very faith that gets us to heaven is His (Hebrews 12:2), as are the works we do in that faith (Ephesians 2:10). The Divine Comedy may be of interest to Christians as a literary work, but the Bible alone is our infallible guide for faith and life and is the only source of eternal truth.

For Further Study​

Four Views on Hell, Second Edition by Burk & Stackhouse

More insights from your Bible study - Get Started with Logos Bible Software for Free!
 

Is Luke 16:19-31 a parable or an account of events that actually occurred?​


Answer

Luke 16:19-31 has been the focus of much controversy. Some take the story of the rich man and Lazarus to be a true, historical account of events that actually occurred; others consider it a parable or allegory.

Those who interpret this narrative as a true incident have several reasons for doing so. First, the story is never called a parable. Many other of Jesus’ stories are designated as parables, such as the sower and the seed (Luke 8:4); the prosperous farmer (Luke 12:16); the barren fig tree (Luke 13:6); and the wedding feast (Luke 14:7). Second, the story of the rich man and Lazarus uses the actual name of a person. Such specificity would set it apart from ordinary parables, in which the characters are not named.

Third, this particular story does not seem to fit the definition of a parable, which is a presentation of a spiritual truth using an earthly illustration. The story of the rich man and Lazarus presents spiritual truth directly, with no earthly metaphor. The setting for most of the story is the afterlife, as opposed to the parables, which unfold in earthly contexts.

In contrast, others maintain that this story is a parable and not an actual, real-life incident. They point out that Jesus’ standard practice was to use parables in His teaching and that the story of the rich man and Lazarus follows a string of parables in Luke 15 – 16. They do not consider the above arguments strong enough to warrant classifying the story as anything but a parable.

The important thing is that whether the story is a true incident or a parable, the teaching behind it remains the same. Even if it is not a "real" story, it is realistic. Parable or not, Jesus plainly used this story to teach that after death the unrighteous are eternally separated from God, that they remember their rejection of the Gospel, that they are in torment, and that their condition cannot be remedied. In Luke 16:19-31, whether parable or literal account, Jesus clearly taught the existence of heaven and hell as well as the deceitfulness of riches to those who trust in material wealth.

For Further Study​

Parables of Jesus by James Montgomery Boice

More insights from your Bible study - Get Started with Logos Bible Software for Free!
 

Where is heaven?​


Answer

Heaven is most certainly a real place. The Bible speaks of heaven’s existence—and access to heaven through faith in Jesus Christ—but there are no verses that give us a geographical (or astronomical) location. The short answer to the question of “where is heaven?” is “heaven is where God is.”

The place people call “heaven” is also referred to as “the third heaven” and “paradise” in 2 Corinthians 12:1–4. In that passage, the apostle Paul tells of a living man who was “caught up” to heaven and was unable to describe it. The Greek word translated “caught up” is also used in 1 Thessalonians 4:17 in describing the rapture, wherein believers will be caught up to be with the Lord.

Other verses indicating heaven to be “above” the earth are numerous. In Genesis 11:7, God says, “Come, let us go down” to see the tower of Babel. When the chariot of fire came to get Elijah, it took him “up to heaven” (2 Kings 2:11). Heaven is described as “high above the earth” in Psalm 103:11, and the place from which the Lord “looks down” in Psalm 14:2. When Jesus prayed a prayer of thanksgiving, He did so “looking up to heaven” (Mark 6:41). In Acts 1:9–11 Jesus is taken “up” into heaven, and when God takes John to heaven in Revelation 4:1, He says, “Come up here.” Such passages lead to the conclusion that heaven is “up” from our perspective; it is above us in an exalted position.

However, as J. I. Packer points out, “since God is spirit, ‘heaven’ . . . cannot signify a place remote from us which He inhabits. The Greek gods were thought of as spending most of their time far away from earth in sort of a celestial equivalent of the Bahamas, but the God of the Bible is not like this. Granted, the ‘heaven’ where saints and angels dwell has to be thought of as a sort of locality, because saints and angels, as God’s creatures, exist in space and time. But when the Creator is said to be ‘in heaven,’ the thought is that He exists on a different plane from us, rather than in a different place. That God in heaven is always near to his children on earth is something which the Bible takes for granted” (Growing in Christ, Crossway, 2022, pt. 3, ch. 4).

Examples of God being near to us, even though He is in heaven, include the psalmist’s assurance that “the Lord is close to the brokenhearted” (Psalm 34:18) and Paul’s teaching that “he is not far from any one of us” (Acts 17:27). Moses asked the children of Israel, “What other nation is so great as to have their gods near them the way the Lord our God is near us whenever we pray to him?” (Deuteronomy 4:7). Heaven is only a prayer away.

The New Testament mentions heaven with considerable frequency, yet, even then, details of its location are missing. We will never find heaven with telescopes, star charts, or deep space probes. We will only find heaven through faith in Jesus Christ.

More important than knowing where heaven is, is knowing the God of heaven, for the same reason that it’s better to know your neighbor than the details of his house. On the night before His crucifixion, Jesus told His disciples, “You know the way to the place where I am going” (John 14:4). Thomas immediately raised an objection: “Lord, we don’t know where you are going, so how can we know the way?” (verse 5). And Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me” (verse 6). We may not know the exact location of heaven, but we know the Way, for He is Jesus.

For Further Study​

Heaven and the Afterlife: The Truth About Tomorrow and What It Means for Today by Erwin Lutzer


More insights from your Bible study - Get Started with Logos Bible Software for Free!

​

 

Where is hell?​


Answer

Various theories on the location of hell have been put forward. A traditional view is that hell is in the center of the earth. Others propose that hell is located in outer space in a black hole. In the Old Testament, the word translated “hell” is Sheol; in the New Testament, it’s Hades (meaning “unseen”) and Gehenna (“the Valley of Hinnom”). Sheol is also translated as “pit” and “grave.” Both Sheol and Hades refer to a temporary abode of the dead before judgment (Psalm 9:17; Revelation 1:18). Gehenna refers to an eternal state of punishment for the wicked dead (Mark 9:43).

The idea that hell is below us, perhaps in the center of the earth, comes from passages such as Luke 10:15: “And thou, Capernaum, which art exalted to heaven, shalt be thrust down to hell” (KJV). Also, in 1 Samuel 28:13-15, the medium of Endor sees the spirit of Samuel “coming up out of the ground.” We should note, however, that neither of these passages is concerned with the geographic location of hell. Capernaum’s being thrust “down” is probably a reference to their being condemned rather than a physical direction. And the medium’s vision of Samuel was just that: a vision.

In the King James Version, Ephesians 4:9 says that before Jesus ascended into heaven, “he also descended . . . into the lower parts of the earth.” Some Christians take “the lower parts of the earth” as a reference to hell, where they say Jesus spent the time between His death and resurrection. However, the New International Version gives a better translation: “he also descended to the lower, earthly regions.” This verse simply says that Jesus came to earth. It’s a reference to His incarnation, not to His location after death.

The notion that hell is somewhere in outer space, possibly in a black hole, is based on the knowledge that black holes are places of great heat and pressure from which nothing, not even light, can escape. Surprisingly, this concept of hell is presented in the 1979 Walt Disney film The Black Hole. Near the movie’s end, all the characters pass through a black hole. On the other side, the villain finds himself in a fiery place of torment, while the other characters enjoy disembodied bliss. It’s interesting that a Disney movie would include a depiction of hell, but it’s best not to base our theology on movies!

Another speculation is that the earth itself will be the “lake of fire” spoken of in Revelation 20:10-15. When the earth is destroyed by fire (2 Peter 3:10; Revelation 21:1), the theory goes, God will use that burning sphere as the everlasting place of torment for the ungodly. Again, this is mere speculation.

To sum up, Scripture does not tell us the geological (or cosmological) location of hell. Hell is a literal place of real torment, but we do not know where it is. Hell may have a physical location in this universe, or it may be in an entirely different “dimension.” Whatever the case, the location of hell is far less important than the need to avoid going there.

For Further Study​

Four Views on Hell, Second Edition by Burk & Stackhouse


More insights from your Bible study - Get Started with Logos Bible Software for Free!
 

When will the Resurrection take place?​


Answer

The Bible is clear that resurrection is a reality and this life is not all that there is. While death is the end of physical life, it is not the end of human existence. Many erroneously believe that there is one general resurrection at the end of the age, but the Bible teaches that there will be not one resurrection, but a series of resurrections, some to eternal life in heaven and some to eternal damnation (Daniel 12:2; John 5:28-29).

The first great resurrection was the resurrection of Jesus Christ. It is documented in each of the four Gospels (Matthew 28; Mark 16; Luke 24; John 20), cited several times in Acts (Acts 1:22; 2:31; 4:2, 33; 26:23), and mentioned repeatedly in the letters to the churches (Romans 1:4; Philippians 3:10; 1 Peter 1:3). Much is made of the importance of Christ’s resurrection in 1 Corinthians 15:12-34, which records that over five hundred people saw Him at one of His post-resurrection appearances. Christ’s resurrection is the “first fruits” or guarantee to every Christian that he will also be resurrected. Christ’s resurrection is also the basis of the Christian’s certainty that all people who have died will one day be raised to face fair and even-handed judgment by Jesus Christ (Acts 17:30-31). The resurrection to eternal life is described as “the first resurrection” (Revelation 20:5-6); the resurrection to judgment and torment is described as “the second death” (Revelation 20:6, 13-15).

The first great resurrection of the Church will occur at the time of the rapture. All those who have placed their trust in Jesus Christ during the Church Age, and have died before Jesus returns, will be resurrected at the rapture. The Church Age began on the Day of Pentecost and will end when Christ returns to take believers back to heaven with Him (John 14:1-3; 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17). The Apostle Paul explained that not all Christians will die, but all will be changed, i.e., given resurrection-type bodies (1 Corinthians 15:50-58), some without having to die! Christians who are alive, and those who have already died, will be caught up to meet the Lord in the air and be with Him always!

Another great resurrection will occur when Christ returns to earth (His Second Coming) at the end of the Tribulation period. After the rapture, the Tribulation is the next event after the Church Age in God’s chronology. This will be a time of terrible judgment upon the world, described in great detail in Revelation chapters 6-18. Though all Church Age believers will be gone, millions of people left behind on earth will come to their senses during this time and will trust in Jesus as their Savior. Tragically, most of them will pay for their faith in Jesus by losing their lives (Revelation 6:9-11; 7:9-17; 13:7, 15-17; 17:6; 19:1-2). These believers in Jesus who die during the Tribulation will be resurrected at Christ’s return and will reign with Him for a thousand years during the Millennium (Revelation 20:4, 6). Old Testament believers such as Job, Noah, Abraham, David and even John the Baptist (who was assassinated before the Church began) will be resurrected at this time also. Several passages in the Old Testament mention this event (Job 19:25-27; Isaiah 26:19; Daniel 12:1-2; Hosea 13:14). Ezekiel 37:1-14 describes primarily the regathering of the Nation of Israel using the symbolism of dead corpses coming back to life. But from the language used, a physical resurrection of dead Israelis cannot be excluded from the passage. Again, all believers in God (in the Old Testament era) and all believers in Jesus (in the New Testament era) participate in the first resurrection, a resurrection to life (Revelation 20:4, 6).

There may be another resurrection at the end of the Millennium, one which is implied, but never explicitly stated in Scripture. It is possible that some believers will die a physical death during the Millennium. Through the prophet Isaiah, God said, "No longer will there be in it an infant who lives but a few days, or an old man who does not live out his days; for the youth will die at the age of one hundred and the one who does not reach the age of one hundred will be thought accursed” (Isaiah 65:20). On the other hand, it is also possible that death in the Millennium will only come to the disobedient. In either event, some kind of transformation will be required to fit believers in their natural bodies in the Millennium for pristine existence throughout eternity. Each believer will need to have a “resurrected” type of body.

It is clear from Scripture that God will destroy the entire universe, including the earth, with fire (2 Peter 3:7-12). This will be necessary to purge God’s creation of its endemic evil and decay brought upon it by man’s sin. In its place God will create a new heaven and a new earth (2 Peter 3:13; Revelation 21:1-4). But what will happen to those believers who survived the Tribulation and entered the Millennium in their natural bodies? And what will happen to those who were born during the Millennium, trusted in Jesus, and continued to live in their natural bodies? Paul has made it clear that flesh and blood, which is mortal and able to decay, cannot inherit the kingdom of God. That eternal kingdom is inhabitable only by those with resurrected, glorified bodies that are no longer mortal and are not able to decay (1 Corinthians 15:35-49). Presumably, these believers will be given resurrection bodies without having to die. Precisely when this happens is not explained, but theologically, it must happen somewhere in the transition from the old earth and universe to the new earth and new heaven (2 Peter 3:13; Revelation 21:1-4).

There is a final resurrection, apparently of all the unbelieving dead of all ages. Jesus Christ will raise them from the dead (John 5:25-29) after the Millennium, the thousand-year reign of Christ (Revelation 20:5), and after the destruction of the present earth and universe (2 Peter 3:7-12; Revelation 20:11). This is the resurrection described by Daniel as an awakening “from the dust of the ground ... to disgrace and everlasting contempt” (Daniel 12:2). It is described by Jesus as a “resurrection of judgment” (John 5:28-29).

The Apostle John saw something that would happen in the future. He saw a “great white throne” (Revelation 20:11). Heaven and earth “fled away” from the One sitting on it. This is evidently a description of the dissolution by fire of all matter, including the entire universe and earth itself (2 Peter 3:7-12). All the (godless) dead will stand before the throne. This means they have been resurrected after the thousand years (Revelation 20:5). They will possess bodies that can feel pain but will never cease to exist (Mark 9:43-48). They will be judged, and their punishment will be commensurate with their works. But there is another book opened—the Lamb’s book of life (Revelation 21:27). Those whose names are not written in the book of life are cast into the “lake of fire,” which amounts to “the second death” (Revelation 20:11-15). No indication is given of any who appear at this judgment that their names are found in the book of life. Rather, those whose names appear in the book of life were among those who are blessed, for they received forgiveness and partook of the first resurrection, the resurrection to life (Revelation 20:6).

For Further Study​

Heaven and the Afterlife: The Truth About Tomorrow and What It Means for Today by Erwin Lutzer


More insights from your Bible study - Get Started with Logos Bible Software for Free!
 

What is the intermediate state?​


Answer

The “intermediate state” is a theological concept that speculates regarding what kind of body, if any, believers in heaven have while they wait for their physical bodies to be resurrected. The Bible makes it clear that deceased believers are with the Lord (2 Corinthians 5:6-8; Philippians 1:23). The Bible also makes it clear that the resurrection of believers has not yet occurred, meaning that the bodies of deceased believers are still in the grave (1 Corinthians 15:50-54; 1 Thessalonians 4:13-17). So, the question of the intermediate state is whether believers in heaven are given temporary physical bodies until the resurrection, or whether believers in heaven exist in spiritual/non-corporeal form until the resurrection.

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The Bible does not give a great amount of detail regarding the intermediate state. The only Scripture that specifically, but indirectly, speaks to the issue is Revelation 6:9, “… I saw under the altar the souls of those who had been slain because of the word of God and the testimony they had maintained.” In this verse John is given a vision of those who will be killed because of their faith during the end times. In this vision those believers who had been killed are under God’s altar in heaven and are described as “souls.” So, from this one verse, if there is a biblical answer for the intermediate state, it would seem that believers in heaven are in spiritual/non-corporeal form until the resurrection.

The heaven that ultimately awaits believers is the New Heavens and New Earth (Revelation 21-22). Heaven will indeed be a physical place. Our physical bodies will be resurrected and glorified, made perfectly fit for eternity on the New Earth. Currently, heaven is a spiritual realm. It would seem, then, that there would be no need for temporary physical bodies if believers are in a spiritual heaven. Whatever the intermediate state is, we can rest assured that believers in heaven are perfectly content, enjoying the glories of heaven and worshiping the majesty of the Lord.

For Further Study​

Heaven and the Afterlife: The Truth About Tomorrow and What It Means for Today by Erwin Lutzer

More insights from your Bible study - Get Started with Logos Bible Software for Free!

​

 

What is the difference between Sheol, Hades, Hell, the lake of fire, Paradise, and Abraham’s bosom?​


Answer

The different terms used in the Bible for heaven and hell—sheol, hades, gehenna, the lake of fire, paradise, and Abraham’s bosom—are the subject of some debate and can be hard to keep straight.

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The word paradise is used as a synonym for heaven (2 Corinthians 12:3–4; Revelation 2:7). When Jesus was dying on the cross and one of the thieves being crucified with Him asked Him for mercy, Jesus replied, “Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise” (Luke 23:43). Jesus knew that His death was imminent and that He would soon be in heaven with His Father. In His words of comfort to the penitent thief, Jesus used paradise as a synonym for heaven, and the word has come to be associated with any place of ideal loveliness and delight.

Abraham’s bosom is referred to only once in the Bible—in the story of Lazarus and the rich man (Luke 16:19–31). Abraham’s lap was used in the Talmud as a synonym for heaven (Seder Nashim, Kiddushin 72b). The image in Jesus’ story is of Lazarus reclining at a table leaning on Abraham’s breast at the heavenly banquet—as John leaned on Jesus’ breast at the Last Supper. The point of the story is that wicked men will see the righteous in a happy state, while they themselves are in torment, and that a “great gulf” that can never be spanned exists between them (Luke 16:26). Abraham’s bosom is obviously a place of peace, rest, and joy after death—paradise.

In the Hebrew Scriptures, the word used to denote the realm of the dead is sheol. It simply means “the place of the dead” or “the place of departed souls/spirits.” The New Testament Greek equivalent to sheol is hades, which is also a general reference to “the place of the dead.” Sheol/hades is divided into a place of blessing (where Lazarus was in Luke 16) and a place of torment (where the rich man was in Luke 16). Sheol also seems to be a temporary place where souls are kept as they await the final resurrection. The souls of the righteous, at death, go directly into the presence of God—the part of sheol called “heaven,” “paradise,” or “Abraham’s bosom” (Luke 23:43; 2 Corinthians 5:8; Philippians 1:23).

The Greek word gehenna is used in the New Testament for “hell” (see Matthew 5:29; 23:33). The word is derived from the Hebrew word ge-hinnom, which designated a valley south of Jerusalem—a cursed place that had been the site of human sacrifice (2 Chronicles 28:3; 33:6). Jesus referenced Gehenna as a symbol of the place of judgment after death, alluding to prophecies in Jeremiah 19:6 and Isaiah 30:33.

The lake of fire, mentioned only in Revelation 19:20 and 20:10, 14-15, is the final hell, the place of eternal punishment for all unrepentant rebels, both angelic and human (Matthew 25:41). It is described as a place of burning sulfur, and those in it experience eternal, unspeakable agony of an unrelenting nature (Luke 16:24; Mark 9:45-46). Those in hades/sheol who have rejected Christ will have the lake of fire as their final destination.

But those whose names are written in the Lamb’s book of life should have no fear of this terrible fate. By faith in Christ and His blood shed on the cross for our sins, we are destined to live eternally in the blessed presence of God.

For Further Study​

Heaven and the Afterlife: The Truth About Tomorrow and What It Means for Today by Erwin Lutzer

More insights from your Bible study - Get Started with Logos Bible Software for Free!
 

What is the difference between Sheol, Hades, Hell, the lake of fire, Paradise, and Abraham’s bosom?​


Got Questions Ministries





Sheol, Hades, Hell, and the lake of fire, what's the difference? What about Paradise, and Abraham’s bosom, do you know the differences? In this video, we answer the question: What is the difference between Sheol, Hades, Hell, the lake of fire, Paradise, and Abraham’s bosom?


Source: https://www.gotquestions.org/sheol-ha...
 

Will we be able to see all three members of the Trinity in heaven?​


Answer

Before considering if we will actually be able to see God the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, we need to establish that they are three Persons. Without delving too deeply into the doctrine of the Trinity, we should understand that the Father is not the same Person as the Son, the Son is not the same Person as the Holy Spirit, and the Holy Spirit is not the same Person as the Father. Also, they are not three Gods. They are three distinct Persons, yet they are all the one God. Each has a will, can speak, can love, etc., and these are demonstrations of personhood. They are in absolute, perfect harmony and are of one substance. They are coeternal, coequal and co-powerful. If any one of the three were removed, there would be no God.

So, in heaven, there are three Persons of the Godhead. But will we be able to see all three Persons? Revelation 4:3–6 gives us a description of heaven and the throne that is occupied by God and by the Lamb: “The one who sat there had the appearance of jasper and ruby. A rainbow that shone like an emerald encircled the throne. . . . Also in front of the throne there was what looked like a sea of glass, clear as crystal.” Since God dwells in “unapproachable light” and is one “whom no one has seen or can see” (1 Timothy 6:16), God is described in terms of the reflected brilliance of precious stones. First Corinthians 2:9 says, “No eye has seen, no ear has heard, and no mind has imagined what God has prepared for those who love him” (NLT). Because of God’s holiness, it may be that we will never be able to look upon His face, but this is speculation.

Revelation 5:6 tells us that, in heaven, the Lamb stands in the center of the throne, and there are descriptions of Him clothed in brilliant white. Since the Lamb represents Christ Jesus, and we know that human eyes have beheld Him after His resurrection, it seems reasonable to conclude that, in heaven, we will be able to look upon Him.

The Holy Spirit, by the very nature of His being, is able to take various forms at will. When Jesus was baptized, the Holy Spirit descended on Him in the form of a dove (Matthew 3:13–17). At Pentecost, the Holy Spirit was accompanied by a loud rushing noise and was seen as tongues of fire (Acts 2:1–4). It may not be possible to see the Holy Spirit in heaven unless He chooses to manifest Himself in some form, but, again, that is speculation.

Mere mortals do not have the ability to grasp the wonders of heaven—it is entirely beyond our comprehension. Whatever heaven is like, it will far exceed our wildest imaginings! What we know is that we will be worshiping our great God as our hearts are filled with wonder that He died to save sinners.

For Further Study​

Heaven and the Afterlife: The Truth About Tomorrow and What It Means for Today by Erwin Lutzer

More insights from your Bible study - Get Started with Logos Bible Software for Free!
 

Is hell literally a place of fire and brimstone?​


Answer

By raining down fire and brimstone upon the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah, God not only demonstrated how He felt about overt sin, but He also launched an enduring metaphor. After the events of Genesis 19:24, the mere mention of fire, brimstone, or Sodom and Gomorrah conjures up images of God’s judgment. A “fire and brimstone preacher,” also called a “hellfire preacher,” is one who emphasizes God’s fiery judgment, often with lurid descriptions and over-the-top presentations.

Fire and brimstone is an emotionally potent symbol, however, and has trouble escaping its own gravity. This fiery metaphor can impede, rather than advance, its purpose. A symbol should show a similarity between two dissimilar entities. Fire and brimstone describes some of what hell is like—but not all of what hell is.

The word the Bible uses to describe a burning hell—Gehenna—comes from an actual place, the valley of Gehenna adjacent to Jerusalem on the south. Gehenna is an English transliteration of the Greek form of an Aramaic word, which is derived from the Hebrew phrase “the Valley of (the son of) Hinnom.” In one of their greatest apostasies, the Jews (especially under kings Ahaz and Manasseh) burned their children in sacrifice to the god Molech in that very valley (2 Kings 16:3; 2 Chronicles 33:6; Jeremiah 32:35). Later, King Josiah desecrated the pagan altar there to prevent it from ever being used again for abominable sacrifices (2 Kings 23:10). So, in Jesus’ day Gehenna had a history of uncleanness, demonic activity, and grotesque rituals—a fitting metaphor for hell.

In Mark 9:43 Jesus used another powerful image to illustrate the seriousness of hell: “If your hand causes you to sin, cut it off; it is better for you to enter life maimed, than, having your two hands, to go into hell, into the unquenchable fire” (NASB). For most readers, this image does escape its own gravity—in spite of the goriness! Few believe that Jesus wants us to literally cut off our own hands. He would rather that we do whatever is necessary to avoid going to hell, and that is the purpose of such language—to polarize, to set up an either/or dynamic, to compare. Since the first part of the verse (about amputation) uses hyperbolic imagery, it could be that the second part (about fire) does also. In any case, we should probably not take Mark 9:43 as an encyclopedic description of hell.

In addition to a place of fire, the New Testament describes hell as a bottomless pit or abyss (Revelation 20:3), a lake (Revelation 20:14), darkness (Matthew 25:30), death (Revelation 2:11), destruction (2 Thessalonians 1:9), everlasting torment (Revelation 20:10), a place of wailing and gnashing of teeth (Matthew 25:30), and a place of gradated punishment (Matthew 11:20–24; Luke 12:47––48; Revelation 20:12–13). The very variety of hell’s descriptors argues against applying a literal interpretation to any particular one. The variety and symbolic nature of descriptors do not lessen hell, however—just the opposite. Their combined effect is to present a hell that is worse than death, darker than darkness, and deeper than any abyss. Hell is a place with more wailing and gnashing of teeth than any single descriptor could portray. Its symbolic descriptors bring us to a place beyond the limits of our language—to a place far worse than we could ever imagine.


For Further Study​

Four Views on Hell, Second Edition by Burk & Stackhouse

More insights from your Bible study - Get Started with Logos Bible Software for Free!
 
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What does the Bible say about halos?​


Answer

A halo, also called a nimbus, is a geometric shape, usually in the form of a disk, circle, ring, or rayed structure. Traditionally, the halo represents a radiant light around or above the head of a divine or sacred person. Since halos are found nowhere in the Bible, what is their origin in Christianity?

Interestingly, the word “halo” comes from the Greek word for a threshing floor. It was on these floors that oxen moved round and round in a continuous circle on the ground, making a circular path in the shape we now associate with halos. Many ancient societies, including the Egyptians, Indians and Romans, used a circular sign to suggest supernatural forces, such as angels, at work.

In art, halos originally appeared as disks of gold sketched upon the head of a figure. This depicted a sphere of light radiating from the head of the person, suggesting that the subject was in a mystical state or sometimes just very smart. Because of its shape and color, the halo was also associated with the sun and resurrection. By the fourth century, the halo had become widely used in standard Christian art. Essentially, it was used to mark a figure as being in the kingdom of light. Most commonly, Jesus and the Virgin Mary are shown with halos, along with the angels. In fact, halos are found in art forms all over the world. Sometimes, especially in the East, crowns are used instead of halos, but the meaning is the same: holiness, innocence, and spiritual power.

With it not being found in the Bible, the halo is both pagan and non-Christian in its origin. Many centuries before Christ, natives decorated their heads with a crown of feathers to represent their relationship with the sun god. The halo of feathers upon their heads symbolized the circle of light that distinguished the shining divinity or god in the sky. As a result, these people came to believe that adopting such a nimbus or halo transformed them into a kind of divine being.

However, interestingly enough, before the time of Christ, this symbol had already been used by not only the Hellenistic Greeks in 300 B.C., but also by the Buddhists as early as the first century A.D. In Hellenistic and Roman art, the sun-god, Helios, and Roman emperors often appear with a crown of rays. Because of its pagan origin, the form was avoided in early Christian art, but a simple circular nimbus was adopted by Christian emperors for their official portraits.

From the middle of the fourth century, Christ was portrayed with this imperial attribute, and depictions of His symbol, the Lamb of God, also displayed halos. In the fifth century, halos were sometimes given to angels, but it was not until the sixth century that the halo became customary for the Virgin Mary and other saints. For a period during the fifth century, living persons of eminence were depicted with a square nimbus.

Then, throughout the Middle Ages, the halo was used regularly in representations of Christ, the angels, and the saints. Often, Christ’s halo is quartered by the lines of a cross or inscribed with three bands, interpreted to signify His position in the Trinity. Round halos are typically used to signify saints, meaning those people considered as spiritually gifted. A cross within a halo is most often used to represent Jesus. Triangular halos are used for representations of the Trinity. Square halos are used to depict unusually saintly living personages.

As we’ve stated at the outset, the halo was in use long before the Christian era. It was an invention of the Hellenists in 300 B.C. and is not found anywhere in the Scriptures. In fact, the Bible gives us no example for the bestowal of a halo upon anyone. If anything, the halo has been derived from the profane art forms of ancient secular art traditions.

For Further Study​

Heaven and the Afterlife: The Truth About Tomorrow and What It Means for Today by Erwin Lutzer

More insights from your Bible study - Get Started with Logos Bible Software for Free!
 

Going to heaven—how can I guarantee my eternal destination?​

Answer

Face it. The day we step into eternity may come sooner than we think. In preparation for that moment, we need to know this truth—not everyone is going to heaven. How can we know for sure that we are going to heaven? Some 2,000 years ago, the apostles Peter and John were preaching the gospel of Jesus Christ to a large crowd in Jerusalem. Peter made a profound statement that resonates even in our postmodern world: “Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved” (Acts 4:12).

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Now as then, Acts 4:12 is not politically correct. Today it’s popular to say, “Everyone’s going to heaven” or “All paths lead to heaven.” There are many who think they can have heaven without having Jesus. They want the glory, but they don’t want to be bothered by the cross, much less the One who died there. Many don’t want to accept Jesus as the only way of going to heaven and are determined to find another path. But Jesus warns us that no other path exists and that the consequence for rejecting this truth is an eternity in hell. The message is clear: “Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for God’s wrath remains on them” (John 3:36). Faith in Christ is the key to going to heaven.

Some will argue that it’s extremely narrow-minded of God to provide only one way to heaven. But, frankly, in light of mankind’s rebellion against God, it’s extremely broad-minded for Him to provide any way to heaven. We deserve judgment, but God gives us the way of escape by sending His one-and-only Son to die for our sins. Whether someone sees this as narrow or broad, it’s the truth. The good news is that Jesus died and rose again; those who are going to heaven have received this gospel by faith.

Many people today hold to a watered-down gospel that does away with the need for repentance. They want to believe in a “loving” (nonjudgmental) God who shrugs at sin. They may say things like, “My God would never send a person to hell.” But Jesus spoke often about hell, and He presented Himself as the Savior who offers the only means of going to heaven: “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me” (John 14:6).

Who will actually enter God’s kingdom? How can I guarantee that I’m going to heaven? The Bible distinguishes those who have eternal life from those who do not: “He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life” (1 John 5:12). It all goes back to faith. Those who believe in Christ are made the children of God (John 1:12). Those who accept Jesus’ sacrifice as the payment for their sins and who believe in His resurrection are going to heaven. Those who reject Christ are not. “Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because they have not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son” (John 3:18).

As awesome as heaven will be for those who accept Jesus Christ as their Savior, hell will be that much more awful for those who reject Him. One cannot read the Bible seriously without seeing it over and over again—the line is drawn. The Bible says there is one and only one way to heaven—Jesus Christ. Follow Jesus’ command: “Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it” (Matthew 7:13–14).

Faith in Jesus is the one means of going to heaven. Those who have faith are guaranteed to get there. Do you trust in Jesus?

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Will we be naked in heaven?​


Answer

: The idea that we will be naked in heaven is based on a comparison between the original creation in Genesis and the new creation in Revelation. Some believe, based on these two sections of Scripture, that people will be naked in heaven.

Adam and Eve were naked in the Garden of Eden before the fall (Genesis 2:25). It was only after they sinned that they felt a need to cover their bodies (Genesis 3:7), and God provided clothing for them after He pronounced curses (Genesis 3:21). From then on in Scripture, nakedness is almost always associated with sexual sin and/or shame. But, when God creates the new heavens and new earth, He will abolish the curse (Revelation 22:3). Since clothing came with the curse, some speculate that the removal of the curse will allow for the removal of clothing. So, in eternity, they conclude, we will be naked.

Of course, there is nothing inherently sinful about the human body. And there would be nothing wrong with glorified believers in heaven being naked. There will be no lust in heaven, and no shame—no sin of any kind. But biblical descriptions of heavenly beings often include a mention of some type of clothing. It does not seem to be the case that believers will spend eternity naked.

Angelic beings are described in the Bible as wearing some kind of garments. In Daniel’s vision, the messenger (either an angelic being or a pre-incarnate appearance of Christ) was “dressed in linen clothing, with a belt of pure gold around his waist” (Daniel 10:5, NLT). Similarly, the angel guarding Jesus’ tomb was wearing garments: “His appearance was like lightning, and his clothes were white as snow” (Matthew 28:3).

The redeemed in heaven are also described as clothed. In Revelation 4:4, the twenty-four elders around the throne of God wear white clothing and have golden crowns. Revelation 3:5 says that those who belong to Christ will be “dressed in white” in heaven. The Bible never hints that anyone in heaven is unclothed.

In our opinion, we will not be naked in heaven. Yes, Adam and Eve were naked before they sinned, but their nakedness was indicative of innocence and sinlessness. Unlike Adam and Eve, we have never been in a state of innocence, so, when we get to heaven, we are pictured as being covered by the “clothing” provided by the sacrifice of Christ (see Revelation 3:18).

For Further Study​

Heaven and the Afterlife: The Truth About Tomorrow and What It Means for Today by Erwin Lutzer

More insights from your Bible study - Get Started with Logos Bible Software for Free!
 

What happens at the final judgment?​


Answer

The first thing to understand about the final judgment is that it cannot be avoided. Regardless of how we may choose to interpret prophecy on the end times, “people are destined to die once, and after that to face judgment” (Hebrews 9:27). We all have a divine appointment with our Creator. The apostle John recorded some details of the final judgment:

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Then I saw a great white throne and him who was seated on it. The earth and the heavens fled from his presence, and there was no place for them. And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Another book was opened, which is the book of life. The dead were judged according to what they had done as recorded in the books. The sea gave up the dead that were in it, and death and Hades gave up the dead that were in them, and each person was judged according to what they had done. Then death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. The lake of fire is the second death. Anyone whose name was not found written in the book of life was thrown into the lake of fire. (Revelation 20:11–15).

This remarkable passage describes the final judgment—the end of history and the beginning of the eternal state. We can be sure of this: no mistakes will be made in our hearings, as judgment is meted out by the perfect and all-knowing God (Matthew 5:48; 1 John 1:5). God will be perfectly just and fair (Acts 10:34; Galatians 3:28). God cannot be deceived or misled (Galatians 6:7). God is incorruptible and cannot be swayed by any prejudices, excuses, or lies (Luke 14:16–24).

As God the Son, Jesus Christ will be the judge at the final judgment (John 5:22). All unbelievers will stand before Christ at the great white throne, and they will be punished according to the works they have done. The Bible says that unbelievers are currently storing up wrath against themselves (Romans 2:5) and that “God will repay each person according to what they have done” (Romans 2:6). (Believers will be judged separately at the judgment seat of Christ, a judgment of examination and reward.) At the great white throne, the fate of the unsaved will be in the hands of the omniscient God who will judge everyone according to his or her soul’s condition and the works done in the body.

For now, our fate is in our own hands. The end of our soul’s journey will either be in an eternal heaven or in an eternal hell (Matthew 25:46). We must choose our destination by either accepting or rejecting the sacrifice of Christ on our behalf. Further, we must make that choice before our physical lives come to an end. After we die, we no longer have a choice.

Everyone who has ever lived will face God someday. “Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account” (Hebrews 4:13).

For Further Study​

Heaven and the Afterlife: The Truth About Tomorrow and What It Means for Today by Erwin Lutzer

More insights from your Bible study - Get Started with Logos Bible Software for Free!
 

What will be the purpose of the walls around the New Jerusalem?​

Answer

Beginning with Revelation 21:9, John records his final vision picturing the city of God, the New Jerusalem where believers in Christ will spend their eternal lives. The New Jerusalem is the ultimate fulfillment of all of God’s promises. It exemplifies the total goodness of God, its infinite brilliance “like that of a very precious jewel, like as jasper, clear as crystal” (Revelation 21:11). It is here that Scripture gives us a description so magnificent that we are able to get a glimpse of the glories of eternal heaven. In this passage, an angel of God has taken John to the top of a great and high mountain. From there John looks down upon this Holy City and tries to describe the indescribable. The city is like a massive, crystal-clear diamond with the glory of God shining from its center over all the new heavens and the new earth. All of eternity is bathed in its splendor.

Then in verse 12, John moves from describing its general appearance to its exterior design beginning with the walls. Human words are incapable of describing what John is trying to convey, which is why he continually uses similes, saying often “it is like” something else. But he gives us just enough to excite our hearts and stir our souls. God, through John, gets us as close to the understanding of this place as our finite minds can comprehend.

The walls of the city, described as “great and high,” are an obvious symbol of exclusion of all that are unworthy to enter the city. Though innumerable believers will enjoy its glory, there is the chilling reminder that only the redeemed may enter. In the wall itself are twelve gates guarded by twelve angels and inscribed with the names of the twelve tribes of Israel. In keeping with the square shape of the city, the gates are located on each of the four sides as specified in verse 13. It is noteworthy, however, that not only are the twelve tribes of Israel represented but also the twelve apostles. This should settle beyond any question the matter of the inclusion of Old Testament saints. It apparently is the divine intent to represent that the New Jerusalem will have among its citizens not only believers of the present age, but also Israel and the saints of other ages.

But a final question remains: if those within the walls of the New Jerusalem are the saved, who then are those outside its walls? The last three verses of chapter 21 gives us the answer: “On no day will its gates ever be shut, for there will be no night there. The glory and honor of the nations will be brought into it. Nothing impure will ever enter it, nor will anyone who does what is shameful or deceitful, but only those whose names are written in the Lamb’s book of life” (Revelation 21:25-27). The city’s gates in the wall will never be shut. It is not that outside of the New Jerusalem, unsaved people are still roaming around, but this pictures a city with open gates on a new earth where believers will dwell throughout eternity. Ancient cities shut their gates at night for security purposes. However, since there will be no night there, and since all evil will have been eradicated, these gates will stay open constantly. Revelation seems to picture a great amount of activity coming and going from the city, but all who go in and out are those redeemed by the blood of the Lamb. The unredeemed are a long way outside the city’s walls—in the “outer darkness” of hell (Matthew 8:12), consigned to the lake of fire (Revelation 20:14-15)—and can never come near the Holy City.

Jesus Himself, as well as John, specifies the “impure” as those who will not enter the city: “Outside are the dogs who practice magic arts, the sexually immoral, the murderers, the idolaters, and everyone who loves and practices falsehood” as well as the “cowardly, the unbelieving, the vile, and all liars” (Revelation 22:15). By contrast, those people whose names are recorded in the Lamb’s book of life are free to enter the Holy City; they possess life eternal and belong to their faithful Savior Jesus Christ. The Lamb, who bought them with His blood (Rev. 5:9), will never blot out their names from His book (Revelation 3:5) and will grant them the right to the tree of life and entrance into the city (Revelation 22:14).

Though the description of the city does not answer all our questions concerning the eternal state, the revelation given to John describes a beautiful and glorious future for all who put their trust in the living God. Conversely, it reveals to us that when the end does come, no opportunity will remain for one’s repentance and acceptance into heaven. The truth is this: spiritual renewal takes place in this present life, not in the afterlife.

For Further Study​

Heaven and the Afterlife: The Truth About Tomorrow and What It Means for Today by Erwin Lutzer

More insights from your Bible study - Get Started with Logos Bible Software for Free!
 
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