What will heaven be like? The popular imagination often constructs images of heaven that are essentially a personal playground—an unending extension of what people wish they were doing right now. But what a paltry sort of heaven that would be! The Biblical vision offers much more.

From the Biblical perspective, heaven is so far beyond our comprehension that it can only be expressed in imagery. Biblical images—such as the image of the “heavenly city” found in the closing pages of the book of Revelation—tell us several fundamental truths about heaven:

Heaven is glorious—a realm of wonder
Heaven is active (not just sitting on a cloud!)
Heaven is a fellowship of people with one another
Heaven is, above all, fellowship with God

This means that if we want to find something of heaven today, we need to lift our spirits to God! We need also to join in the fellowship of God’s people in the church, and engage ourselves actively in what God is doing in our world.

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Too often people try to find “heaven” through personal pleasures, possessions, or entertainments; and they are always disappointed in the end. The Scriptures call us to lift our vision higher, and to embark on a journey of faith toward that heavenly city where we find our true fulfillment in the eternal love and light of God.

Sunday’s Scripture Reading:
Revelation 21:1–7, 15–23
Revelation 22:1–5

About the Author

Dr. David A. Palmer has been the senior pastor at the United Methodist Church of Kent since 1995. He has a B.A. from Wittenberg University, a Master of Divinity from Duke University, and a Doctor of Ministry from Princeton Theological Seminary. A native of Wooster, Ohio, he has served three other churches in east Ohio before coming to Kent. He and his wife, Mavis, have three children.