How long will believers be in heaven?

Grace911 · Jun 8, 2023

Just wondering, if some of you who are well versed in the Word,

How long will believers be in heaven? Eternally? A week? A year? 1000 years?

When do believers go to heaven? At moment of death? At the rapture dead or alive?

How do believers go to heaven? Float up in the air? Instantly changed before entering heaven?

Where is heaven?

Will believers return to Earth after receiving their new bodies?

Will believers have work/jobs after going to heaven?

FollowingtheWay · Jun 8, 2023

I don’t pretend to know it all but this is what I’ve been taught from the Church I’ve been called to.

The book of revelation can be interpreted many ways. Solid bible scholars have different opinions on how it’s going to happen. Pre-tribulation, mid trib, post trib. I wouldn’t be too dogmatic about it. Keep your eyes on Jesus and when that times comes you will be on the right path.

Jesus taught of a place in which souls either go to Hadies- eternal torment or Paradise. The thief on the cross and Jesus both descended to the place of the dead- Sheol where souls are either cast into eternal torment in Hadies or go to Paradise.
“The poor man died and was carried by the angels to Abraham’s side. The rich man also died and was buried, and in Hades, being in torment, he lifted up his eyes and saw Abraham far off and Lazarus at his side. And he called out, ‘Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus to dip the end of his finger in water and cool my tongue, for I am in anguish in this flame.’ But Abraham said, ‘Child, remember that you in your lifetime received your good things, and Lazarus in like manner bad things; but now he is comforted here, and you are in anguish.”
‭‭Luke‬ ‭16‬:‭22‬-‭25‬ ‭ESV‬‬

Both Jesus and the thief went to paradise. it would seem that if we share in Christs resurrection we won’t be some disembodied spirit for very long at all. but one that takes on a very familiar form to what we are today. If you study resurrected Jesus before his assention We can see clearly that He wasn’t some ghostlike figure but still very much in human form…. One who still ate fish 😊. We know that God is making all things new (renewal) God is not throwing away current heaven and earth then creating ALL new things but He plans to (renew) it. So one could expect the renewed earth to be even better than the best of experiences today. The places on this earth that you enjoy today will be there to enjoy eternally but in full kingdom alignment much how the Garden of Eden was before the fall but even better than the garden. CS Lewis has some great writings on the Kingdom to come. We don’t know specifics but using sanctified imagination-We know we will enjoy feasts.
“On this mountain the Lord of hosts will make for all peoples a feast of rich food, a feast of well-aged wine, of rich food full of marrow, of aged wine well refined. And he will swallow up on this mountain the covering that is cast over all peoples, the veil that is spread over all nations. He will swallow up death forever; and the Lord God will wipe away tears from all faces, and the reproach of his people he will take away from all the earth, for the Lord has spoken. It will be said on that day, “Behold, this is our God; we have waited for him, that he might save us. This is the Lord; we have waited for him; let us be glad and rejoice in his salvation.””
‭‭Isaiah‬ ‭25‬:‭6‬-‭9‬ ‭ESV‬‬

“The wolf shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the young goat, and the calf and the lion and the fattened calf together; and a little child shall lead them. The cow and the bear shall graze; their young shall lie down together; and the lion shall eat straw like the ox. The nursing child shall play over the hole of the cobra, and the weaned child shall put his hand on the adder’s den. They shall not hurt or destroy in all my holy mountain; for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the sea.”
‭‭Isaiah‬ ‭11‬:‭6‬-‭9‬ ‭ESV‬‬

“And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.” And he who was seated on the throne said, “Behold, I am making all things new.” Also he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.” And he said to me, “It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. To the thirsty I will give from the spring of the water of life without payment. The one who conquers will have this heritage, and I will be his God and he will be my son.”
‭‭Revelation‬ ‭21‬:‭2‬-‭7‬ ‭ESV‬‬

It’s all good stuff rest assured, we will experience something even better than Adam and Eve had-pre fall. We’re not going to participate in a boring -never ending church service - singing endless hymns for eternity but our new eternal life on how it’s lived in the kingdom will likely itself be worship to God in all the glory and fullness of humanity fully restored.

JTB · Jun 8, 2023

My understanding is we are only in heaven for 2 short periods...

We are caught up into heaven as Christ returns to attend the marriage feast. But then we return with Him to this earth for His millennial reign.

At the end of that, we are caught up again for the great white throne judgement, but after that we inhabit the new earth forever.

FollowingtheWay · Jun 8, 2023

JTB said:

You might carefully re-read . My understanding is Believers don’t get to experience the Great white throne Judgment. We believers instead as Sons and Daughters experience what’s called the bema seat of judgement - we are secure in our salvation- we get to see our works tested by fire and whatever works survive the fire test are justly rewarded.

“Now if anyone builds on the foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw— each one’s work will become manifest, for the Day will disclose it, because it will be revealed by fire, and the fire will test what sort of work each one has done. If the work that anyone has built on the foundation survives, he will receive a reward. If anyone’s work is burned up, he will suffer loss, though he himself will be saved, but only as through fire.”
‭‭1 Corinthians‬ ‭3‬:‭12‬-‭15‬ ‭ESV‬‬

tourist · Jun 8, 2023

Grace911 said:

Affirmative.

JTB · Jun 8, 2023

FollowingtheWay said:

I believe that particular scripture talks about when we are caught up to be with Jesus as He returns, and the wedding feast.

At the great white throne judgement, we see those that are consigned to the lake of fire (non-believers) and those who inherit the new earth (that would be us). Both groups are present at the GWT.

I'll be posting some blog pages to elaborate and explain.

Magenta · Jun 8, 2023

Ephesians 2:4-7

GRACE_ambassador · Jun 8, 2023

Grace911 said:

Depends: the 'nation of Israel' ( past and future * ) believers are promised the
earth, but, for 'The Body Of Christ' believers of today, our apostle tells us:

2Co_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."

Grace911 said:

Again, we, The (Current * ) Body Of Christ, can have Confidence, if we die:

"For to me to live is Christ, and to die Is Gain!" (Philippians 1:21)

+

"For I am in a strait betwixt two, having a desire to DEPART {soul},

And To Be WITH CHRIST; which Is Far Better!" (Philippians 1:23)

+

"Now He that hath wrought us for the selfsame thing is God, Who

also hath given unto us The Earnest of The Spirit. Therefore we are

always Confident, knowing that, whilst we are at home in the body,

we are absent from The LORD: ( For we walk by faith, not by sight: )

We are Confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the

body, and to be Present With The LORD!" (2 Corinthians 5:5-8)

or confident, looking, watching, and patiently waiting, while still alive,
for ( and if this ) Blessed Hope occurs soon:

"Behold, I shew you A Mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall

all be changed, In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last

trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised

incorruptible, and we shall be changed." (1 Corinthians 15:51-52)

+

"For The LORD Himself shall descend from heaven with a shout,

with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and

the dead in [The Body Of] Christ shall rise first: Then we which

are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in

the clouds, to meet The LORD in the air: and so shall we ever be

with The LORD. Wherefore Comfort one another With These Words."

(1 Thessalonians 4:16-18)

Grace911 said:

1) "...Paradise in The Third Heaven!..." (2Co 12:1-4)

2) imho, I believe I will ( not be coming 'back to earth' but ) be taking
one of the 'vacant' positions, left by the fallen angels, in heavenly places,
because of:

God's HEAVENLY UPlook For HIS Body!

(2 Corinthians 5:1-2; Ephesians 1:3; Ephesians 1:20: Ephesians 2:6;

Philippians 3:20; Colossians 1:5)

+

"And The LORD shall deliver me from every evil work, and will preserve

me unto His Heavenly Kingdom: to Whom be Glory for ever and ever.

Amen. " (2 Timothy 4:18)

More Scripture is here: God's Great GRACE Departure!

3) Again, imho, since I 'cleaned up' much on earth, will I be "sweeping gold
dust off the street of heaven"?

Who knows, but what I do know is that
whatever we will be doing, serving Him Forever will be:

Eph 1:6 "To the Praise of The Glory of His GRACE, Wherein

He Hath Made us Accepted In The Beloved." ♫ 😇 ↑

Amen.
------------------------------
*
Israel ( past/future ) prophecy/law/covenants ( OT, Mat-Joh, Heb - Revelation )

Rightly Divided (2 Timothy 2:15) From “Things That Differ” (online)

( Current ) Body Of Christ, Revelation Of The Mystery ( Romans - Philemon )

Nehemiah6 · Jun 8, 2023

Grace911 said:

Eternally. That does not mean that the saints may not have to fulfil responsibilities on earth also. But the eternal home of the Church is in Heaven (in the New Jerusalem). Jesus spoke of laying up treasures in Heaven, and Paul said that our citizenship is in Heaven. For our conversation [citizenship] is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ (Phil 3:20) For the hope which is laid up for you in heaven, whereof ye heard before in the word of the truth of the gospel (Col 1:5) For ye had compassion of me in my bonds, and took joyfully the spoiling of your goods, knowing in yourselves that ye have in heaven a better and an enduring substance. (Heb 10:34) To an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you (1 Peter 1:4)

We are not given all the details either, so trying to figure out everything will simply lead to speculation.

FollowingtheWay · Jun 8, 2023

Nehemiah6 said:

Well I wouldn’t be too sure about that. The words of rev 21 say something different. I think He comes to dwell with us on Renewed Earth.

“And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God.”
‭‭Revelation‬ ‭21‬:‭2‬-‭3‬ ‭ESV‬‬

John146 · Jun 8, 2023

Grace911 said:

Wherever Christ is, there will be his bride. For what God hath joined together, let no man put asunder.

Nehemiah6 · Jun 8, 2023

FollowingtheWay said:

The Bible does not contradict itself. So if you misunderstand Revelation, that does not mean anything. There is nothing in Scripture that says that the New Jerusalem comes down to EARTH. The "men" in that verse are in fact the saints within the Church and within the New Jerusalem. Which comes down from Heaven to become a heavenly body ABOVE THE EARTH. And that is how the light from the New Jerusalem lightens the earth. Just like the sun.

FollowingtheWay · Jun 8, 2023

Nehemiah6 said:

Truly I tell you, at the renewal of all things, when the Son of Man sits on his glorious throne ... everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or wife or children or fields for my sake will receive a hundred times as much and will inherit eternal life. (Matthew 19:28–29)

Check the Greek -

“The Greek word used here for “renewal” is palingenesia, which is derived from two root words: paling, meaning “again,” and genesia, meaning “beginning,” cited by -WAH ministries

(Eden renewed). Do the Earths animals go to heaven with us? cause it would appear that our eternal dwelling with God includes harmony with animals probably similar to pre fall Adam and Eve in the garden. Isiah 11:6-9

Blade · Jun 8, 2023

Grace911 said:

Great posts here.. yeah I also no clue other then Christ said He will come for us and take us receive us unto Himself so where He is (in heaven) we will be. That has to happen. We getting our rewards happens there I believe. Its written He will return with ten thousands of His saints "And Enoch also, the seventh from Adam, prophesied of these, saying, Behold, the Lord cometh with ten thousands of his saints".

man I am just looking up... come LORD JESUS! THANK YOU for talking about this!

Magenta · Jun 8, 2023

Nehemiah6 said:

Revelation 21:1-2 And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first
heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea.

And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from
God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.

Karlon · Jun 8, 2023

Grace911 said:

no one knows because forever is an eternally long time, (half joking)! FOREVER IS THE ANSWER. if a Christian dies right now he or she goes immediately into the presence of God. Christians alive at the Rapture will immediately receive glorified bodies & be in heaven but the dead in Christ will be 1st. i think we"re instantly transformed on how we get to heaven. heaven is in the north area of the sky. Christians will return to earth for the millennium (1,000 years) period.

p_rehbein · Jun 8, 2023

FollowingtheWay said:

So, you won't be putting on the incorruptible "celestial body?" What purpose does a celestial body have for a "new earth?" You plan on going back to a "terrestrial body?" Earthly bodies can not exist in heaven you know....

You guys go where you want, as for me and my house, we will be living in the mansions Jesus has prepared for us for all eternity. Far too many people believe they have "perfect understanding" of Revelation even knowing it is the "Book of Mystery."

The ONLY TRUTH anyone (including me) can say about this subject is:

ONE DAY WE WILL ALL KNOW THE TRUTH

Until that day comes, anything anyone says is nothing more than speculation. That and four dollars will get ya a cup of coffee at Starbucks...

FollowingtheWay · Jun 8, 2023

p_rehbein said:

I believe the celestial body is like that of our risen savior which the disciples physically touched and saw for over a month before the assention. Still a very practical body built by God for work. The same kinds of work Adam and Eve were in charge of prior to the fall. We are not going to be whispy Ghosts. But probably more like Jesus’ resurrected body which still bore scars BTW…. Are you thinking you are better and elevating yourself higher than your Lord and Savior Jesus?

Bob-Carabbio · Jun 8, 2023

Grace911 said:

Eternally

When we die, OR if the rapture occurs when we're alive, we'll go then.

When you die it's automatic, if Raptured, then the prevailing opinion appears to be that you "Disappear" and wind up there. PERSONALLY, I think your body simply dies when your spirit leaves it. I'm willing to be "surprised".

Insufficient information exists for any meaningful answer.

Possibly, but since "Eschatioloy" (theology of future events) is largely rank speculation, that's not really known in detail. WHether the present earth even continues to exist is questionable.

Since, at the judgement seat of Christ, rewards and status will be distributed, based on what you did with what you were given while physically alive. Since HEAVEN is well beyond our imaginations, exactly WHAT we'll do there isn't known in any detail. All I know FOR SURE is that it will be BETTER THERE than it's ever been here.

p_rehbein · Jun 8, 2023

FollowingtheWay said:

Have you read about the Mount of Transfiguration? Was Jesus a "whispy ghost" then? Or was that His celestial body, as He is now at the Throne of God?

How long will believers be in heaven?

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