Heaven (What Is Heaven Like, Biblical Descriptions Of Heaven)

At theology school, I developed a keen interest in understanding Christian doctrines. I was especially intrigued by the Christian doctrines and the concept of Heaven. During my research, I read the entire Bible, both the Old and New Testament, and visited several Catholic and protestant churches where I learned all about Heaven from priests, pastors, and other leaders. Last week, my theology students asked for explanations about Heaven and why there seems to be more than one Heaven. Most were aware of one Heaven and wanted to know what it meant to talk about three heavens. Based on what the scriptures say and my research, I answered their questions comprehensively, straightening out all the misconceptions. So, what’s Heaven?

I’ll share more insights on everything about Heaven in this post, and I’d like to take you on this learning journey with me. So, let’s dive in.

What is Heaven?

Heaven is one of the terms used commonly in the Bible, and it’s believed to refer to a celestial place above the Earth, in the Sky, and in the galaxies. It’s said to be the space that exists beyond the atmosphere and is the dwelling place of God, Jesus Christ, and the angels. But there is much more to learn about Heaven as a place and a concept.

Overview of Heaven

The meaning of the word Heaven is believed to have been derived from the Hebrew word. Samayim translates to Heaven. It’s depicted as a place that lies above the stars and the Sky. The Greeks use the word Ouronos which means Heaven and is described as above the Earth and the place of stars, moon, and the sun, which is also God’s dwelling place.

According to St. Paul, the Apostle, in Philippians 3:20, Heaven is defined as God’s dwelling place featuring a throne that He sits on, surrounded by angels. Jesus Christ also lives in Heaven, and all believers have their citizenship in Heaven. It’s described as a paradise where Jesus Christ mentioned he’d be going when he was crucified on the Cross alongside the thief. While he was in pain, his words in Luke 23:43 pointed to the fact that Heaven is a blissful place.

It’s also worth noting that Heaven is considered a real place and God’s dwelling place in Psalms 33:13. It’s also where Jesus Christ is; for most people, Heaven refers to the place where Christians who believe in God go after dying. Revelation 21 describes Heaven as this mystical place whose streets are paved with gold, walls made with precious jewels, and pearly gates.

That said, Heaven isn’t just this mystical place where people’s hearts and souls go for rest after death; it is also believed to be a place that is near us – Heaven is believed to exist in the stars and in the galaxy, with the clouds, birds, atmosphere, and the galaxy believed to represent Heaven.

Heaven is also a place of peace and joy, with no more pain, tears, or sorrow, as described in Revelation 21:4. There is also no death in Heaven because death is conquered in Heaven. Still, most importantly, Heaven will be filled with the Presence of God and Jesus Christ.

It’s worth noting that the ideas and beliefs around Heaven are deeply ingrained in cultures around the world, where Heaven is associated with the order of the universe. Heaven is believed to encompass the blueprints for all creation and the mandate that different groups/ nations are ruled by. Additionally, Heaven is deemed a state characterized by the absence of pain, thirst, hunger, deprivation, ignorance, disease, or strife. It’s a place of perfect joy, everlasting rest, perfect knowledge, communion with God, contentment, and peace. Heaven is deemed as the reward for living life well and fulfilling one’s deepest desires.

Biblical meanings of Heaven

According to the Bible, Heaven is a place created above the Earth, as mentioned in Genesis 1:1. Heaven is believed to circumscribe all of God’s creation of the universe. Still, it’s also worth noting that God doesn’t need a heaven to exist since God is infinite and self-existent. Heaven is also deemed God’s accommodation for all His finite creatures. 

The Bible further designates Heaven as both a physical reality, a place above the Earth, and also the spiritual reality that’s God’s dwelling place. This place, high above, is a peaceful, restful place where God resides.

The Bible’s meanings of Heaven are as follows:

The Lord’s Dwelling Place 

One of the Bible’s most important mentions of Heaven is that which points to the heavens as God’s dwelling place. Both the Old Testament and the New Testament refer to Heaven as God’s dwelling place and where God’s glory is expressed. Glory is also believed to be synonymous with Heaven, and God’s Glory is considered to exist above the heavens, as mentioned in Psalm 29:9, Psalm 113:4, and Psalm 148:13.

The heavens, the highest Heaven, and God’s lofty palace high in Heaven also represent the fact that God lives in Heaven – Amos 9:6, 1 Kings 8:27, or 2 Corinthians 12:2.

Most importantly, Christians are taught that Heaven is the Lord’s dwelling place through the bible teachings and the Lord’s Prayer, which states that God is in Heaven and that His name is to be praised – Matthew 6:9.

Witness to God’s Glory 

With God using the celestial and atmospheric heavens to reveal himself to humans, the Bible regards Heaven as a place of God’s glorious existence and a place that sustains life abundantly – Romans 1:19-20, Psalm 19:1.

A way through which God reveals Himself to Humans

The Bible regards the heavens, specifically the atmospheric and the celestial heavens, as a way He reveals Himself to humanity. The self-revelation is considered true whenever God answered the Israelites’ prayers in the desert by providing manna or rains to provide food for the people. In this way, Heaven is also regarded as a physical witness to God’s existence and His Glory. There is also the fact that the changing patterns of the seasons and the provision of food from the heavens reflect God’s glory and greatness to all believers. Psalms 19:1. 

Establishment of the promises that God gives to humankind

The Bible also regards Heaven as a sign through which God establishes His promises to humankind. This is believed to be the case whenever there is a rainbow in the Sky – the rainbow is considered a sign of God’s Mercy and His promise never to destroy the Earth through floods ever again – as suggested in Genesis 9:12-16. The stars in the Sky are also considered a sign of God’s promise and a sign of abundance in the fulfillment of God’s promises to Abraham. 1 Chronicles 27:23, Genesis 22:17, Nehemiah 9:23, Deuteronomy 1:10. 

Miraculous Signs Displayed In Heaven 

Throughout the Bible, God uses signs that come down to Earth from Heaven to send a message, whether to just or indicate that He has accepted a sacrifice. 1 Kings 18:38-39, 1 Chronicles 21:26, and Genesis 19:24 indicate God’s messages to Earth.

In Exodus 16:4, God provided the Israelites with Manna (bread from Heaven). At the time, the Israelites were rebuking Moses and his God for letting them die of hunger in the desert, and God provided them with manna each morning to keep them fed and to remind them of His greatness. One of the notable examples of God using the Sky to demonstrate his power and presence is in Luke 2:9, where He used a bright star to guide the three Wise men and alert them of the arrival (birth) of the Messiah. 

God also stopped the sun’s movement in Joshua 10:12-13, allowing the Amorites to win over their enemies and avenge their enemies. Here, God also uses the heavens to demonstrate his power and to perform miracles. It’s also written that God spoke from the heavens on different occasions – Genesis 22:11, Acts 11:9, and Genesis 21:17.

God’s Transcendence

The inaccessibility and the vastness of the heavens represent the visual reminders of the transcendence of God and His otherworldliness – 1 King 8:27. In this verse, Solomon acknowledged that even the highest heavens couldn’t contain the greatness of God. 

Life after Death 

The Bible further teaches believers about Heaven as where believers will live happily after death. It’s taught that upon death, believers will physically be with God in Heaven – Luke 23:43. According to Christian teachings, deceased individuals exist in a disembodied state. So, they are only in spirit or soul form, but that changes after Christ’s Second Coming. When this happens, believers will be given new bodies and forever dwell in Heaven, the New Earth, and the New Heavens – Romans 8:23, 2 Peter 3:13.

Where is Heaven, according to the Bible?

According to the Bible teachings, Heaven doesn’t exist in one plane or place – it’s also a real place, and it’s referred to in the Bible more than 500 times. It’s said that there are three main types of Heaven, or rather, Heaven exists in three main realms, with the first Heaven being in the Sky and the atmosphere above the Earth with the birds and clouds. Then there is the second Heaven, which is depicted as outer space with the moon, the stars, the moon, and the galaxy. Lastly, there is the third Heaven, often defined as the spiritual realm, where Jesus Christ and God live.

So, while most people think of Heaven as one place, the Bible speaks of the existence of more than one Heaven. According to 2 Corinthians 12:2, Paul wrote that a man was caught up in the third Heaven and that only God knows if he existed in physical form or as a spirit.

Instances where Heaven appears in the Bible

The very first mention of Heaven in the Bible appears in Genesis 1:1-2, which describes the fact that the in the creation story, the very first thing that God did was to create the heavens and Earth.

Then in Genesis 1:20, there is mention of the first Heaven and a description of the fact that the atmosphere around the Earth that houses birds is the first Heaven. This is followed by the mention of the Second Heaven in Genesis 2:1, which says that the second Heaven exists in outer space that is beyond the stars, and so, it exists in the galaxy and is made up of the entire universe.

The third Heaven is mentioned in 2 Corinthians 12:2, where Heaven is described as the sphere within which spiritual life exists.

Matthew 6:9 is a verse about the Lord’s Prayer and mentions that God lives in Heaven, essentially His Kingdom. 

John 14:2 also mentions the Bible and talks about Heaven being home to Jesus’ Father and that there exist multiple rooms in God’s heavenly home.

Luke 22:30 talks about how Heaven is the Kingdom of God and that believers would eat and drink in God’s kingdom.

Heaven is mentioned in Isaiah 55:9-11 which acknowledges that the heavens exist much higher than the Earth, and also as a place where the snow and the rain come from to allow for the sprouting of planted seeds and for life to prosper.

Job 38:29 further mentions the heavens in the context of it being a place where frost and dew come from. 

In the battle of Gibeon, God is recorded to have cast down huge stones from Heaven, which is believed to refer to the heavy hailstones from the atmosphere (Heaven) – Joshua 10:11.

There are also mentions of thunderstorms bellowing from Heaven, and it’s further written that the cloud cover in the heavens will prepare rain for the Earth, making grass grow on the hills. 1 Samuel 2:10 and Psalm 147:8. 

The Bible also often speaks of the birds of Heaven, like the eagles, announced during the creation process and as God’s glory was spoken about – Genesis 1:26;30, Proverbs 23:5.

Other mentions of Heaven in the Bible include the ‘four winds of the heavens as mentioned in Zechariah 2:6 and Zechariah 6:5), and the fact that the bread given to the Israelites came from Heaven refers to the existence of atmospheric Heaven.

Heaven is further said to be God’s abode in 1 Kings 8:27. It’s further said that not even the heavens can contain God because God exists everywhere in the universe, and so that the entire Heaven, a real place that the naked eye cannot see, is the place that God dwells in forever. Heaven is further regarded as a high place where while sitting on his throne, God sees all and where His zeal and might live – Isaiah 57:15, Isaiah 63:15.

It’s worth noting that Heaven is often referred to as the ‘High Place,’ and God’s kingdom or place in Heaven is called God’s the Most High to refer to the fact that God resides high above in Heaven. There also are a number of mentions of The Lord, God of Heaven, with Jesus Christ called the Son of the Most High. All these mentions of heaven point to the fact that God lives high above the Earth and that Heaven is God’s abode. In the Old and the New Testaments, the words used to refer to Heaven also regard Heaven as some kind of habitation or dwelling. Psalm 7:17; 57:2, 2 Chronicles 36:2, Nehemiah 1:4, Luke 1:32, Hebrews 8:2; 9:11, Luke 6:35, Exodus 25:8, 1 Kings 8:12. 

Heaven in other religions and history

It’s worth noting that most cultures of the world associate heaven with some mystical form of order. Heaven is also believed to bear the blueprints for creation, the standards for measuring beauty, and the mandate that the earth rulers govern with. Even so, these cultures consider having different takes on what or where Heaven is.

Here is a look at what some religions and historical cultures believe.

Christianity

Heaven is one of the most important concepts in Christianity, and Christians all over believe that Heaven is the place where God lives, somewhere in the Sky, above, in our galaxy, and also in the spiritual realm. It’s also where the souls of the departed Christians will be reborn and dwell in God’s kingdom. Heaven is also deemed the place where God’s throne and the angels are.

Additionally, Heaven is believed to be a place without pain or sorrow – A place of peace and a large palace featuring golden gates, precious jewels on the walls, and gates made with pearls – Revelation 21. 

As God’s unique dwelling place, Heaven is also regarded as the place where God welcomes all Christian believers who trust in Jesus Christ to spend eternity with Him. Christians believe in this promise that is written in John 3:16.

Above all these, Christians believe that Heaven is a place of eternal peace and happiness and that all believers who lived a holy life or sought forgiveness of their sins are forgiven. In the afterlife, Heaven is deemed a place of unending happiness. However, it is important to note that according to the Roman Catholics, there exists a place called Purgatory where people’s sins are punished. The believer’s soul goes through a purification process, after which they can go to Heaven. Also, the opposite of Heaven is hell, so most Christians believe that those who don’t reach Heaven will go to hell.

Islam

Like Christians, Muslims also believe in the existence of Heaven. According to Islam’s teaching and traditional Islamic beliefs, Heaven is a place of immense happiness and joy. They deem it a spiritual realm where all who have done good will receive happiness.

Muslims believe in the concept of Akhirah or life after death, and that no soul dies without permission from God and that people only die at a specific time, after which all who’ve lived a good life are rewarded by life in Jannah (paradise). On the other hand, sinners go to hell or Jahannam, where people who commit shirk or live an immoral life go to death.

Note that Muslims also believed in Barzark (purgatory), just like Roman Catholics, and they believe that this is where the souls of the believers go to wait for Judgement. 

Hindu 

Many Hindus also believe in the existence of Heaven. They also believe that all the believers who live virtuous life will go to Heaven as their reward. They consider Heaven a place of happiness, joy, and pleasure. In Hinduism, Heaven is also called svarga, and it’s here that the souls of the dead are reunited and loved ones meet again and experience the fruits of their good deeds.

Hindu beliefs hold that souls go to the higher or, the lower realms after death, depending on the individual’s actions and how they live.

However, it’s worth noting that while the Hindus believe in the concept of Heaven, they also believe in the existence of an afterlife and that life is a continuous cycle of rebirth and death. So, the individuals who live a virtuous life and do good will be rewarded with a higher level of existence in their next lives,

Buddhism 

Unlike Hindus, Buddhists hold a different point of view with regard to the existence of Heaven. In Buddhism, there is no such thing as Heaven (or hell) being this permanent or eternal place created by God. Instead, they consider such beliefs ignorant and unreasonable and believe that human redemption is possible only when people lead morally upright life and follow specific spiritual and moral values. They believe in Karma – good and bad Karma, and that bad is punished by bad Karma, while the people that do well receive good Karma as the reward for their good.

Judaism 

Jews not only believed in Heaven, but the Judaism belief system is also profoundly wound around the idea of the afterlife and Heaven. The idea of the afterlife is the cornerstone of the Judaist beliefs, primarily that people live forever on Earth and in the next life, in Heaven, because they believe that Neshamah represents breath and that breath is forever. Judaism is also guided by the idea of the Maimonides, which is linked directly to the rewards that will be received in the afterlife (Heaven) and the punishments for the wicked (hell).

Ancient Mesopotamia 

Ancient Mesopotamians also believed in Heaven (and Earth), with their stories beginning with the separation of Heaven and Earth into the three-story universe containing Heaven above, the Earth sitting in the middle, and below it all, the underworld. They believed that the heavens feature the high gods where a high assembly exists where people are judged. They believed that for individuals to go to Heaven, they had to maintain a positive relationship with God and each other.

Ancient Egypt 

The ancient Egyptians believed not only in the existence of Heaven but also in the role of their rulers in maintaining positive relationships with the heavens. This was the common belief across the 3000-years long Egyptian civilization. 

What is the difference between Heaven and Heaven?

	Heaven	Heavens
Meaning of the concepts	Heaven is defined as a physical place where God dwells. It’s believed to have been created above or beyond the physical Earth. And could represent the entire universe.	Heavens refers to all that lies above the Earth, high up in the skies and above the clouds. It includes the stars and the galaxy.
One or more	Heaven is often used as the collective term that represents the place where God lives and rules from	Heavens could be used to refer to the three types of heavens, the one above the Earth, the Heaven above the clouds in the galaxy and stars above, and lastly, the spiritual Heaven where God lives.

What is the difference between Heaven and Paradise?

	Heaven	Paradise
Description	Heaven is God’s abode where angels live. The spirits of the righteous people also live in Heaven after death. Heaven is also believed to be a place of existence for the blessed individuals after their mortal life.	It’s also defined as Heaven, the final, blissful abode for the righteous souls. It’s also regarded as the intermediate place where the departed soils reside, awaiting resurrection or Christ’s Second Coming.
How is the word derived	Derived from the German Word, Heven	Derived from the Greek word paradeisos
Who’s the ruler?	God	God
Contrast	Hell	Lowly Place or the Underworld

What is the difference between Heaven and hell

	Heaven	Hell
Overall Belief	A place where people experience bliss in perfect harmony and fellowship with God.	A place where people experience the highest level of estrangement from God. It also represents alienation from God, and souls in hell face a lot of pain.
Access To	God, angels, and some human beings after death.	Other human souls after death
Administered by	God/ Angels	Demons
Ruled By	God, Jesus, Allah	The Devil
What to expect	Peace and happiness	Punishment and pain and chaos
Original Reference	Sky and areas above the Earth, which is where the heavenly bodies are	Underground below the surface of the Earth
Eternal	God’s presence	Banished from God’s presence
How long does it last	Eternity	Eternity
Whose Home	God’s abode/ dwelling place	Satan’s abode

What does Heaven look like?

What does the Bible say about Heaven?

Heaven is described as a real, physical space where God resides and rules from. Heaven is described as a place that exists in three realms, with three main heavens. The first Heaven is often referred to in the Old Testament and is described as the firmament or the Sky. This is the part of the Sky that we see, the area of the atmosphere with clouds, and where the birds are. There’s also the second Heaven that encompasses the area of the universe above our atmosphere with the stars, moon, and sun. Then there is the third Heaven that encompasses the spiritual realm that God resides in, where God’s throne lives and where Christians will reunite and live after Christ’s second coming, at peace with God and singing and praising God with the angels. Genesis 1:14-18, John 14:2, Revelation 21:10-17, Revelation 22:1-2.

How many heavens are there? 

The Bible notes that there are three main levels of Heaven – the first Heaven, which consists of the Earth and the Sky; the second Heaven, made of the stars above and the entire galaxy; and the third Heaven, which represents the place where God lives.

First Heaven 

The First Heaven consists of the Sky or the atmosphere above the Earth, specifically where the clouds and birds fly. This Heaven is demonstrated in Psalms 19:1 and Genesis 1:1-2 where Heaven is mentioned and is believed to refer to the Sky or the atmosphere surrounding us. The first Heaven is also demonstrated in James 5:17-18 where Elijah is said to have prayed for rain and that the heavens finally opened up, and it rained after 3 years. 

Second Heaven 

The Second Heaven is said to comprise the entire galaxy and the stars above. The moon and stars are described as part of the second Heaven in Psalm 8:3 and Hebrews 4:14, which describe Heaven as this place that exists in the universe.

Third Heaven

The third Heaven is believed to exist in a spiritual realm, and though the exact location hasn’t been revealed, it’s believed to be God’s dwelling place. This is the version of Heaven that Jesus Christ promised to have gone ahead to prepare for His disciplines and believers – John 14:2. The third Heaven is also the destination where all the Old Testament Saints that died trusting God are – Ephesians 4:8. This Heaven is also where eternal life is promised as outlined in John 3:16. Revelation 21 also talks about this heavenly City that possesses all of God’s glory and filled with brilliant stone, pearls, and gold. This spiritual realm is described as having 12 gates and 12 foundations, and it’s the place where the souls of all Christians will be reunited. 

8 biblical descriptions of Heaven

1. Luke 22:30 talks about God’s Kingdom and the promise that believers would eat from a table in the Kingdom of God.
2. Revelation 21:1-27 describes how Heaven looks in a revelation made to John by Jesus Christ. The scripture in these verses talks about God’s dwelling place in the Holy City called the New Jerusalem, where God will wipe away the tears from the eyes of men. It adds that in this place, there will be no death, sorrow, crying, or pain; and that God will be seated on the throne.
3. Revelation 4:1-11 describes Heaven and God’s glory as He sits on the throne. The verses also describe how beautiful and elaborate Heaven is, with twenty-four thrones on which sat 24 elders, all clothed in flowing white garments while wearing golden crowns. The throne is also described as having rumblings and thunder, along with flashes of light and fire burning from 7 torches representing the seven spirits of God.
4. 1 Peter 1:4 is a verse that talks about the rewards kept in Heaven for the believers and that these rewards would be unfading, undefiled, and imperishable.
5. 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17 talks about the fact that God will come down to Earth from Heaven in a loud booming voice and resurrect the dead and that upon the second coming, all believers will remain with the Lord forever.
6. John 14:2 is a verse that talks about Heaven and mentions the fact that Jesus promises a place for believers in Heaven and that in Heaven (His Father’s House), there exist many rooms.
7. Philippians 3:10 talks about how every believer has citizenship in Heaven.
8. Psalm 73:25 is a verse that talks about the greatness of God and Heaven and how the Earth isn’t as desirable as Heaven.

What did Jesus teach about Heaven?

Jesus taught that Heaven is a blissful place where Christians or believers are rewarded for living righteously. He promised his disciples and all that listened to him that Heaven was the ultimate reward for all Christians.

Jesus also taught his followers about the place held by children and told them that the kingdom of Heaven belonged to the children – Matthew 19:14. Jesus Christ also taught about the promise of a good life in Heaven and warned his followers against storing their treasures on Earth. Instead, he encouraged them to invest in their spiritual well-being and store their treasures in Heaven – Matthew 6:19-20.

Jesus Christ also taught his followers and disciples how to pray and introduced the Lord’s Prayer, with which he mentioned that God’s place was in Heaven.

Is Heaven the same as the kingdom of God?

Although they appear different, Heaven and the kingdom of God point to the same thing – a kingdom or heavenly palace ruled by God. There isn’t any real difference between Heaven and the kingdom of God. Both places also represent where God’s power and authority are exercised by God, who sits in Heaven. Heaven (Kingdom of Heaven) and the Kingdom of God are mentioned in parallel in Matthew 4:17, Matthew 5:3, Mark 1:15, and Luke 6:20, and they all refer to the same thing. 

How to Get to Heaven

Do we go to Heaven when we die?

According to biblical teachings, humans don’t go to Heaven when they die. Instead, their souls ascend to Heaven upon Christ’s second coming, and only Jesus Christ ever went to Heaven. John 3:13 says that no person has ascended into Heaven, but only Jesus Christ descended to Earth. However, the Bible writes that the people who die in Christ will be resurrected in the future. However, the souls of all the believers go to Heaven, where they will be with the Lord. After Christ’s Second Coming, all believers spend eternity with God.

Does everyone go to Heaven?

No, not everyone goes to Heaven, only the individuals or believers who die believing in God will go to Heaven, and their souls will rest in bliss and happiness after their death. Also worth noting is that the individuals that repent their sins and proclaim God’s presence in their lives, and also believe in the Second Coming of Jesus Christ are the ones that will go to Heaven – Mark 1:15. Salvation and trusting in God are essential for believers intending to go to Heaven, with repentance playing an important role in promising eternal life in Heaven.

On the other hand, individuals who aren’t saved and those who don’t repent their sins before death are believed to go to hell. However, even sinners can be forgiven and ultimately go to Heaven because God is gracious and loving – Romans 5:8 and John 3:16.

That said, the believers who, at the time of their deaths, somewhat wished to repent may have a chance of getting to Heaven as is taught by the Roman Catholic Church, who believe in the existence of purgatory – where souls undergo refinement and sins are forgiven before going to Heaven.

What determines if you go to Heaven?

Whether an individual goes to Heaven depends on their faith – did that person have faith in God and obey God’s commands while seeking forgiveness when they sinned – this is implied in Galatians 2:16-21. While there is no red or green button, believing in Jesus Christ and having faith in Him often means having a chance of going to Heaven.

How can Christians go to Heaven?

Christians can go to Heaven by proclaiming God’s name, having faith, and believing that God sent his Son, Jesus Christ, to Earth so that all the people that believe in him will have eternal life. So, for Christians to go to Heaven, it’s important that they believe in and put all their faith in God entirely – John 3:16. Also, living a life free of sin and asking for forgiveness whenever someone sins would help Christians to go to Heaven.

What are the requirements for Salvation for one to go to Heaven?

The main requirement for Salvation for believers to go to Heaven is to have faith in God and to completely believe that God’s love is eternal and that regardless of how sinful an individual is, they will be forgiven and have a place in Heaven. Believing in God fully and having faith that He is forgiving and His Grace will save you from sin and help you attain Salvation is important in going to Heaven.

How many people will go to Heaven?

According to scripture in the book of Revelation, 144000 people will go to Heaven, and 12,000 of these individuals will be from the 12 tribes of Israel. But the Bible also notes that there is no limit to the total number of people that will go to Heaven, that as many people as possible will be up in Heaven, and that no one can count them. The crucial bit is that as many people as possible will go to Heaven as long as they believe in God and choose Salvation. Revelation 7:9.

Does the Bible say a specific number of people will go to Heaven?

According to Revelation 7:1-8, 144,000 people will go to Heaven. It’s further written that these people will go for a battle on Earth, but it’s also worth noting that this number only indicates that many people will go to Heaven. 144,000 is also believed to be the number that is descriptive of the Church’s militant, but there will be many people in Heaven because the Church will triumph.

Does the Book of Revelation say that only 144,000 people will go to Heaven?

No. Although scriptures in the Book of Revelation 7:1-8 mention 144,000 people in New Jerusalem, this number doesn’t mean that only 144,000 people will go to Heaven. The next verses in Revelation speak about the multitudes of people in Heaven, so this number is somewhat misleading. That said, the Jehovah’s Witnesses believe that this is the number of all the people that will make it to Heaven.

More about Heaven

Below are more articles that will help you learn more about Heaven: