Topical Bible: Heaven: Everlasting

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Topical Encyclopedia

Heaven, as described in the Bible, is the eternal dwelling place of God and the ultimate destination for believers. It is depicted as a place of perfect peace, joy, and communion with God, free from the suffering and sin that characterize earthly existence. The concept of Heaven as everlasting is central to Christian eschatology, offering hope and assurance of eternal life to those who have faith in Jesus Christ.

Biblical Descriptions of Heaven

The Bible provides various descriptions of Heaven, emphasizing its eternal nature. In the Book of Revelation, Heaven is portrayed as a new creation, a place where God dwells with His people: "And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying: 'Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man, and He will dwell with them. They will be His people, and God Himself will be with them as their God'" (Revelation 21:3). This passage highlights the intimate relationship between God and His people in the eternal state.

Heaven is also described as a place of everlasting worship and service to God. Revelation 22:3-5 states, "No longer will there be any curse. The throne of God and of the Lamb will be within the city, and His servants will worship Him. They will see His face, and His name will be on their foreheads. There will be no more night in the city, and they will have no need for the light of a lamp or of the sun, for the Lord God will shine on them. And they will reign forever and ever" . This passage underscores the perpetual nature of Heaven, where believers will eternally serve and reign with God.

Eternal Life through Christ

The promise of Heaven as an everlasting home is intricately linked to the redemptive work of Jesus Christ. In John 3:16, the assurance of eternal life is given to those who believe in Him: "For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that everyone who believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life" . This verse encapsulates the core of the Christian faith, where belief in Christ secures a place in Heaven.

Furthermore, Jesus Himself speaks of preparing a place for His followers in Heaven. In John 14:2-3, He assures His disciples, "In My Father’s house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and welcome you into My presence, so that you also may be where I am" . This promise of an eternal home with Christ provides comfort and hope to believers.

The Nature of Eternal Life

The everlasting nature of Heaven is characterized by the absence of pain, death, and sorrow. Revelation 21:4 declares, "He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and there will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the former things have passed away" . This assurance of a life free from the afflictions of the present world is a central aspect of the Christian hope for eternity.

Additionally, the Apostle Paul speaks of the transformation that believers will undergo to inherit eternal life. In 1 Corinthians 15:53-54, he writes, "For the perishable must be clothed with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality. When the perishable has been clothed with the imperishable and the mortal with immortality, then the saying that is written will come to pass: 'Death has been swallowed up in victory'" . This transformation is essential for entering the everlasting Kingdom of Heaven.

Heaven as the Fulfillment of God's Promise

The everlasting nature of Heaven is the fulfillment of God's promise to His people. Hebrews 11:16 speaks of the patriarchs who longed for a better country, a heavenly one: "Instead, they were longing for a better country, a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for He has prepared a city for them" . This longing for an eternal home reflects the deep-seated hope within believers for the fulfillment of God's promises.

In summary, Heaven as everlasting is a foundational belief in Christianity, offering the assurance of eternal life with God through faith in Jesus Christ. It is depicted as a place of unending joy, worship, and communion with the Creator, free from the trials and tribulations of earthly life. The promise of Heaven provides hope and encouragement to believers, affirming the eternal nature of God's Kingdom.

Torrey's Topical Textbook

Psalm 89:29
His seed also will I make to endure for ever, and his throne as the days of heaven.
Torrey's Topical Textbook

2 Corinthians 5:1
For we know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building of God, an house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Library

The Everlasting Bliss of Heaven.
... LIFE, DEATH AND FUTURITY. 565. " The Everlasting Bliss of Heaven. 565.
CHM Sacred Lyrics. The Everlasting Bliss of Heaven. 1 ...
/.../adams/hymns for christian devotion/565 the everlasting bliss.htm

He Ascended into Heaven, and Sitteth on the Right Hand of the ...
... into the secret recesses of heaven, as David full of the Holy Ghost, declares,
"Lift up your gates, ye princes, and be ye lift up ye everlasting gates, and the ...
/.../31 he ascended into heaven.htm

The Angel's Greeting
... of His everlasting glory and came forth from His high place to fetch His Bride,
whom the Father had espoused to Him from all Eternity, back to that heaven from ...
/.../eckhart/meister eckharts sermons/iii the angels greeting.htm

That after He had Risen Again He Should Receive from his Father ...
... and His power should be everlasting. In Daniel: "I saw in a vision by night, and
behold as it were the Son of man, coming in the clouds of heaven, came even to ...
/.../cyprian/three books of testimonies against the jews/26 that after he had.htm

How a Pestilence Ceased through the Intercession of King Oswald. ...
... For this very day that king was killed in body by the infidels in war, and straightway
taken up to Heaven to the everlasting joys of souls, and brought into ...
/.../bede/bedes ecclesiastical history of england/chap xiv how a pestilence.htm

To Sit at the Right Hand of the Father is a Mystery Belonging to ...
... The seat, then, whereon the Lord Jesus was to sit, was prepared from everlasting,
"in whose name every knee should bow, of things in heaven and things on earth ...
/.../32 to sit at the.htm

Philippians iii. 13, 14
... The kingdom of heaven, everlasting rest, glory together with Christ, the inheritance,
brotherhood, ten thousand good things, which it is impossible to name. ...
/.../homily xii philippians iii 13.htm

That the Foundation and Strength of Hope and Faith is Fear.
... who have corrupted the earth." [4329] Also in the same place: "And I saw another
angel flying through the midst of the heaven, having the everlasting Gospel to ...
/.../three books of testimonies against the jews/20 that the foundation and.htm

God Known by his Works his Goodness Shown in his Creative Energy ...
... for distinguishing and noting which, the stars and luminaries of heaven were arranged ...
an eternal attribute, inbred in God, [2736] and everlasting, [2737] and ...
/.../tertullian/the five books against marcion/chapter iii god known by his.htm

Cannot be Proved from Scripture, that Believers under the Old ...
... must instantly after death be translated into the supreme heaven." This does ... that
passage in Luke, "They may receive you into everlasting habitations;" (Luke 16 ...
/.../arminius/the works of james arminius vol 1/article x it cannot be.htm