Throughout the Bible, the word “heaven” is used in a variety of ways. But when most people ask “what is heaven,” they are specifically asking about either the spiritual realm of God and the angels or about the future dwelling place of the redeemed after death (the questioner may or may not assume these two concepts to be one and the same). So, what exactly does the Bible say about “heaven” or “the heavens”?

Three heavens

Generally speaking, there are three distinct places or realms of creation that Scripture refers to as heaven:

The first of these is the “expanse” between the earth and the clouds (Genesis 1:6), roughly corresponding to what we would today call Earth’s atmosphere. It is where birds fly (Genesis 1:20) and from whence rain falls (Deuteronomy 11:17, Judges 5:4, Acts 14:17). We might also translate it as “the sky.”

The second is the outer reaches beyond the sky, or what we would call “outer space”. It is the location of the sun, moon, and stars (Deuteronomy 4:19, Jeremiah 8:2, Isaiah 13:10). This is sometimes referred to together with the sky as “the heavens,” a term which in such contexts simply means “everything above us.”

The third is the spiritual realm that transcends all of physical creation, the place we most often think of today when we use the word. It is the location of the holy angels (Luke 2:15, Mark 12:25) and the throne of God (Matthew 5:24, 23:22). This realm is often distinguished from the others as the “highest heaven,” such as when Moses said:

“Behold, to the Lord your God belong heaven and the highest heaven, the earth and all that is in it,” (Deuteronomy 10:14).

This is what Paul refers to when he speaks of ascending to the “third heaven,” (2 Corinthians 12:2). Thus, the Bible can speak of the “rain of heaven” (Deuteronomy 11:11), the “stars of heaven” (Genesis 26:4), and the “angels of heaven” (Matthew 24:36) without claiming that these three categories of being are all found in the same place or realm. We have to always keep this in mind when we see this word in Scripture, and consider from the context which of these realms is in view.¹It is also worth noting that the word can be used figuratively as an indirect reference to God Himself, such as the interchangeable terms “kingdom of heaven” and “kingdom of God,” or the claim that one can “sin against heaven.” The term can likewise be used in a broad, general sense, as when the term “the heavens and the earth” simply means “all of creation.”

The abode of God

When most people think of “heaven,” they have in mind this third domain. This is, again, a spiritual realm “above” or beyond the physical space of stars and planets. It is where God the Father is enthroned. This is why Jesus frequently speaks of the “Father who is in heaven,” even embedding such language in the famous “Lord’s prayer,” (Matthew 6:9). Scripture often represents this place by describing God enthroned and surrounded by the angels:

“Micaiah said, ‘Therefore, hear the word of the Lord. I saw the Lord sitting on His throne, and all the host of heaven standing on His right and on His left,'” (2 Chronicles 18:18).

And the Psalmist plainly declares:

“The Lord has established His throne in the heavens, And His sovereignty rules over all,” (Psalm 103:19).

Yet, even here, we should not picture this realm as a place so vast that it contains God. While there is a real sense in which God’s presence is specially manifest there, the Bible is clear that even this lofty domain beyond the confines of the physical universe is not sufficient to enclose all the vastness of God’s glory. As Solomon noted when he built the temple:

 “But will God indeed dwell on the earth? Behold, heaven and the highest heaven cannot contain You, how much less this house which I have built!” (1 Kings 8:27).

God echoed this sentiment through the prophet Isaiah:

“Thus says the Lord, ‘Heaven is My throne and the earth is My footstool. Where then is a house you could build for Me? And where is a place that I may rest?'” (Isaiah 66:1).

Thus, even the highest spiritual realm in its entirety is likened unto a throne on which God sits, He Himself being far greater than all the heavens and the Earth combined! Still, with this caveat firmly in mind, we can rightly picture this spiritual realm as a place uniquely filled with the manifest presence of God. Indeed, that is the central fact we are told about it!

Heaven and our future hope

People also often think of heaven as the place where the redeemed will spend eternity. If by this they mean that Christians will leave their bodies in the ground and live as purely spiritual beings in a non-physical realm where God is, this is not correct. The biblical hope is bodily resurrection. We are promised eternal life as complete humans with perfected bodies. Still, the Bible does connect heaven with our future hope in several ways, and there is a real sense in which we can rightly call that future state “heaven.”

The Bible speaks of “heaven” as the present location of our future hope. For those who are in Christ, Scripture promises “reward in heaven” (Matthew 5:12, Luke 6:23), “treasures in heaven” (Matthew 6:20, Mark 10:21, Luke 12:33, 18:22), “the hope laid up for you in heaven,” (Colossians 1:5), “an inheritance which is imperishable and undefiled and will not fade away, reserved in heaven for you,” (1 Peter 1:4).

Paul also describes this inheritance which is presently in heaven and which we will receive from heaven by saying:

“For we know that if the earthly tent which is our house is torn down, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. For indeed in this house we groan, longing to be clothed with our dwelling from heaven,” (2 Corinthians 5:1-2).

And again:

“For our citizenship is in heaven, from which also we eagerly wait for a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ,” (Philippians 3:20).

The book of Revelation describes the consummation of the promise as “the holy city, Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God” (Revelation 21:2, 10). And it is here that we get to the crux of the matter. It is not that we hope to leave our bodies and go dwell in the place we currently call the highest heaven. Our hope is that God will come down to us! As Revelation goes on to explain:

“And I heard a loud voice from the throne, saying, ‘Behold, the tabernacle of God is among men, and He will dwell among them, and they shall be His people, and God Himself will be among them, and He will wipe away every tear from their eyes; and there will no longer be any death; there will no longer be any mourning, or crying, or pain; the first things have passed away,” (Revelation 21:3-4).

When this occurs, we will find ourselves in heaven without leaving Earth because heaven (in this sense) is really wherever the manifest presence of God is. It is not that the outer spiritual realm is an amazing place in its own right and so God decided to make His throne room there. Heaven is amazing because it is the throne room of God! Wherever God dwells in the fullness of His glory, that is heaven. When God dwells with us, we will be in heaven because He is there. This explains Jesus’ precious words:

“In My Father’s house are many dwelling places; if it were not so, I would have told you; for I go to prepare a place for you. 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).

Thomas then asked Jesus to show them the way to where He was going. Thomas seems to have expected a geographic path to a literal location. But Jesus explained:

“I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me,” (John 14:6).

The true destination is the presence of the Father, and the way there is through Jesus. Heaven is wherever He is. As to location, we will not be in the place we currently call the “highest heaven” but rather in “a new heaven and a new earth,” (Revelation 21:1) But we will be with Him! That is the promise, and there is no greater promise that any Christian could imagine!