How many times have you heard someone say they’re excited to spend eternity in heaven with Jesus? While the Bible does teach that an everlasting life of incomprehensible joy and communion with God awaits those who believe in Christ, it does not teach that heaven is their final destination.
God’s Word actually describes a far greater future, a journey for the righteous that begins with the Second Coming of Christ and the resurrection, moves to God’s kingdom in heaven, and finally shifts to the epic conclusion of divine restoration.
- What will heaven be like?
- What does heaven look like?
- How will we spend eternity?
- And what will be our final destination?
Adventism, a Christian movement founded on the blessed truths of Scripture, teaches that God has given us the answers to these questions in His Word. Adventists believe in reading the Word, having a personal relationship with Christ, and praying for the Holy Spirit God to guide our understanding to accept fully and completely what Jesus has accomplished on the cross.
Do Adventists Believe in Heaven?
Of course! Seventh-day Adventists believe in heaven because the Bible says it exists. Throughout Scripture, heaven is described as a real, physical place of dwelling, worship, and divine work.
Adventists recognize that:
- God created heaven.
“For thus says the LORD, who created the heavens, who is God, who formed the earth and made it, who has established it, who did not create it in vain, who formed it to be inhabited: “I am the LORD, and there is no other.” (Isaiah 45:18)
- Heaven exists in a realm beyond our own.
“Thus says the LORD: ‘Heaven is My throne, and earth is My footstool.’ ” (Isaiah 66:1)
“While they watched, [Jesus] was taken up, and a cloud received Him out of their sight . . . into heaven.” (Acts 1:9b–11)
- God dwells in heaven.
“For God is in heaven, and you on earth . . . ” (Ecclesiastes 5:2b)
- Heaven is a bustling place of ceaseless worship.
“And they do not rest day or night, saying: ‘Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, Who was and is and is to come!’ . . . The twenty-four elders fall down before Him who sits on the throne and worship Him who lives forever and ever, and cast their crowns before the throne, saying: ‘You are worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honor and power; for You created all things, and by Your will they exist and were created.’” (Revelation 4:8b, 10–11)
- We belong in heaven.
“For our citizenship is in heaven, from which we also eagerly wait for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ.” (Philippians 3:20)
- Jesus is preparing heaven—which is a tangible place—for our arrival.
“In My Father’s house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also.” (John 14:2–3)
Adventists believe that heaven is a real and beautiful place, the true home of the redeemed—but Adventists do not believe that God’s ultimate plan for humanity ends there.
What Is Heaven Like?
As the dwelling place of God, heaven is perfect and awe inspiring. Its features are outpourings of His loving and creative character. Heaven is a refuge of supreme peace for those who love Him, and it is filled with glorious music.
“And I heard a voice from heaven, like the voice of many waters, and like the voice of loud thunder. And I heard the sound of harpists playing their harps.” (Revelation 14:2)
Heaven is populated by a multitude of angels, otherworldly beings who help perform the work of God. Some elect humans—such as Enoch, Moses, and Elijah (Genesis 5:24, Luke 9:30–31)—also reside in heaven. (Many believe heaven is currently filled with all of the righteous who have died, but Scripture continuously clarifies that the dead are “sleeping” until the resurrection.)
Heaven contains a brightened, perfect version of Jerusalem—a city that was originally established on Earth to be the dwelling place of God’s people and the location of the sanctuary, where man could approach God. In the center of this heavenly city resides the true and original sanctuary, where Jesus is currently serving as our High Priest (Hebrews 8:1–2). He is actively representing humanity—bridging the gap sin created, washing away our wrongdoings, and ensuring that the benefits of His sacrifice reach us personally.
If you ever feel small, helpless, or insignificant in the face of the universe, remember that the central work of heaven is your salvation, your future.
“When I consider Your heavens, the work of Your fingers, the moon and the stars, which You have ordained, what is man that You are mindful of him, and the son of man that You visit him? For You have made him a little lower than the angels, and You have crowned him with glory and honor. . . . O LORD, our Lord, how excellent is Your name in all the earth!” (Psalm 8:3–5, 9)
What is heaven like? It is the embodiment of God’s love for humanity.
Heaven as a Real, Physical, and Relational Place
Perhaps the best way to picture what heaven will be like is to imagine how it will feel to stand in the presence of God as a redeemed and perfect being—to shed your mortality and step into righteousness, to walk beside your omniscient Creator, to fall into the embrace of your Savior who died for you.
That is what heaven is all about: being with God, not just because we need and love Him, but also because He delights in us (Zephaniah 3:17). He wants to speak with us every day, face to face.
In God’s presence in heaven, we will experience “fullness of joy” and “pleasures forevermore” (Psalm 16:11), an infinite expansion of knowledge (1 Corinthians 13:12), transforming love (1 John 3:2), and the reward of our “inheritance, incorruptible and undefiled and that does not fade away” (1 Peter 1:3–4).
In heaven, we will begin a life of full communion with God—the life Adam and Eve had in the Garden of Eden. This life will not be abstract or intangible. It will be real, palpable, and a continuation of our relationship with God.
What Heaven Looks Like According to the Bible
John employs vivid imagery in the book of Revelation to paint what heaven looks like.
Chapter 4, which introduces the heavenly throne room, describes a rainbow surrounding God’s throne, symbolizing God’s mercy and covenant with humanity (Genesis 8:21–22). “Lightning, thunderings, and voices” proceed from the throne, and the appearance of God is “like a jasper and a sardius stone.” “A sea of glass, like crystal” rests before Him. (verses 2–6)
John’s description matches that of Moses—“And they saw the God of Israel. And there was under His feet as it were a paved work of sapphire stone, and it was like the very heavens in its clarity” (Exodus 24:10)—and that of Daniel, who wrote that the throne of God is a “fiery flame”; God sits there, and a stream of fire comes forth from His presence (Daniel 7:9–10).
The magnificent tree of life stands in paradise, perpetuating immortality and yielding a new fruit every month (Revelation 22:2). Scripture adds that the kingdom of God is a “quiet home,” an impenetrable stronghold, a “place of broad rivers and streams” (Isaiah 33:20–21). There will be neither death nor pain—“the wolf and the lamb shall feed together” (Isaiah 65:25).
In Revelation 21, John likens the New Jerusalem to a “most precious stone, like a jasper stone, clear as crystal” (verse 11). Seven verses later, he writes:
“The construction of its wall was of jasper; and the city was pure gold, like clear glass. The foundations of the wall of the city were adorned with all kinds of precious stones . . . the twelve gates were twelve pearls: each individual gate was of one pearl. And the street of the city was pure gold, like transparent glass. But I saw no temple in it . . . ” (verses 18–22a)
What? No temple? What about the heavenly sanctuary?
This is not a mistake. In Revelation 21, John is describing a city that currently exists in heaven, but he is describing what it looks like after it will travel with us to the final tier of our glorious future—the New Earth!
Why Heaven Is Not the Final Destination in the Biblical Story
On the New Earth, there will be no temple, “for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are its temple. The city had no need of the sun or of the moon to shine in it, for the glory of God illuminated it. The Lamb is its light.” (Revelation 21:22–23)
God’s plan for humanity was never to pull us away from His original design. His plan has always been to restore. To bring us back. To demonstrate the power of His love by conquering sin and death so that humanity may once again enjoy the wonders of Eden on Earth. To dwell with us on Earth and fill our lives with His light forever.
In fact, the very first verse we looked at referenced this fundamental truth: “ . . . God, who formed the earth and made it, who has established it, who did not create it in vain, who formed it to be inhabited . . . ” (Isaiah 45:18).
It is true that all of the righteous will enjoy heaven—for a time. At the Second Coming, there will be a resurrection. The righteous who have died will arise from their graves, and then all of the redeemed will enter heaven. For 1,000 years, they will participate in the work of judgment, examining the records of the lost. Then comes the pinnacle of restoration!
God will create a new heaven and a new earth. His holy city will come out of heaven “as a bride adorned for her husband” (Revelation 21:2). Every trace of wickedness will have been permanently destroyed (Revelation 20:14–15). There will be no temple—God will be our temple! He will dwell with us, fulfilling the desires of our hearts and His. He will make all things new.
“And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away.” (Revelation 21:4)
Common Myths About Heaven Compared to Biblical Truth
Because of the Bible, we can know exactly what kind of future awaits us! When presented with new ideas about heaven or the New Earth, remember to check with Scripture.
Myth: Heaven is a disembodied, spiritual existence.
Biblical Truth: Heaven is a real, physical place where God lives and where the righteous will live for 1,000 years.
Myth: The righteous go to heaven when they die.
Biblical Truth: The dead remain unconscious until the resurrection.
Myth: Heaven will be boring or static.
Biblical Truth: Knowledge, purpose, and joy will never stop expanding in heaven and on the New Earth.
Myth: Heaven will be the home of the righteous forever.
Biblical Truth: The righteous will live in paradise forever, but that paradise will move from heaven to the New Earth after 1,000 years. God will restore our planet!
Adventists on the Resurrection and the Hope of the New Earth
Seventh-day Adventist teachings on the resurrection, the Second Coming of Jesus, the investigative judgment, heaven, and the New Earth reveal a brilliant story:
- Because God loved the world, He gave His only Son to die for it.
- Because Jesus died and rose again, we may follow in His footsteps!
- Because Jesus offers us His righteousness, we may enter heaven.
- Because of Jesus, our bodies and our planet will be made new.
- Because of Jesus, we may live, and walk, and speak with God forever!
This can be your story. Don’t wait. Open the door of your heart and accept Jesus as your Savior. He loves you, He delights in you, and He wants you beside Him in eternity.
Related Articles:
- New Heaven and New Earth: God’s Promise to Make All Things New
- A New Heaven and Earth: God’s Promise of Eternal Restoration
- Christ’s Return Is Near: Prepare for the Final Earth-Shaking Event
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Scripture quotations are taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
