Revelation: What Will Heaven Be Like? Part 4

Revelation 21-22:5

As we wrap up the book of Revelation, a powerful truth stands out: God will make all things new—a new heaven, a new earth, and lives fully restored with him. After exploring the wonder of eternal life, we’ll turn back to the beginning to see how new life began with God and how he works through his people. The same God who worked in others’ lives is still at work in yours today. Starting January 5, join us for a fresh journey through God’s Story in God’s People, where we’ll discover how God’s story fits together and how it impacts our lives. Invite others to come along—there’s a place for everyone to step into the story and encounter God!

Over the past few days, we have been considering heaven. We have focused on who will be there, what heaven will look like, and what will be missing from heaven. Today, I want to consider this question:

What will believers be doing in heaven? 

To this point, we know that Jesus will reign in heaven and that we will see him face-to-face. He will meet all our needs, wiping away every tear from our eyes and removing all sources of pain. Our great joy will be to worship God Almighty (Rev. 5:12-13) and to serve him (Rev. 22:3-4). Yet… will there be other activities? 

Many people imagine heaven as a place where believers sit on clouds, strumming their harps. That image holds little appeal for me, and I suspect most of you feel the same. Thankfully, that picture does not come from Scripture. Let’s look further to determine who we will be and what we’ll be doing in heaven. 

We will be the same person there as here.
We get a sense of what we’ll be doing in heaven by observing what Jesus was like in his resurrected body. We know that Jesus ate (Luke 24:42), and we will too at the “wedding supper of the Lamb” (Rev. 19:9). In fact, many theologians believe we will remain much the same.

Dr. W.A. Criswell, in his book on heaven, makes an interesting point worth considering. Criswell says that we “shall be the same person there as here; otherwise, a heavenly life has no meaning . . . Our traits, abilities, personalities will be the same; only they will be redeemed and glorified.”[1]

Criswell uses the actions of the risen Lord to make his point, noting that Jesus was the same in his resurrected life as he was before his death on the cross. Criswell points to several encounters to support this. The apostle John first realized that Jesus was alive when he went into the tomb with Peter and saw the burial cloth folded in a certain way (John 20). Mary Magdalene thought Jesus was a gardener until she heard him say her name. Thomas believed when he saw the scars of crucifixion. Throughout eternity, we will still have some scars, but there, they will all make sense. Remember the disciples on the road to Emmaus? Their eyes were opened when Jesus blessed the food. No one prayed like Jesus. Criswell says,

Accordingly, we shall be the same persons with our respective faculties, abilities, and personalities. We shall continue developing and progressing in the world to come…. Our lives, talents, gifts, and abilities shall continue to be developed throughout all the ages. In heaven we shall be permitted to finish tasks we dreamed to do but have had no opportunity or time or strength or ability to finish on earth.[2]

The great astronomer O. M. Mitchell believed that in the future life, he would go from world to world and planet to planet, continuing his study of astronomy. In heaven, we will be singing new songs. Will we know the new songs intuitively, or will someone be writing and teaching them to us? Perhaps some of the great composers of all time are preparing them for eternity. Can you imagine a glorified Handel writing a glorified Messiah!? Or a completely redeemed John Newton writing a new heavenly version of Amazing Grace!?

So, what will we be doing in heaven?  We may serve in some capacity, just as we served Christ on earth, but in a perfect, eternally satisfying way. Cancel your harp lessons and keep doing what God created you to do. 

What will we look like in heaven?
While our resurrected bodies will be completely healthy and free from sin and disease, we will look much the same as we did on earth. In heaven, we will finally realize that the perfect Creator formed us exactly as he wanted us. We will not be stressed or shamed about body image.  

The disciples recognized Jesus in his resurrected body, suggesting he looked the same as before the cross (Luke 24:39). When Jesus ascended into heaven, the angel said, “This Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven” (Acts 1:10). John states that Jesus will look the same at his second coming. Our resurrected bodies will be like his. “But we know that when he appears we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is” (1 John 3:2).   

Will we know each other in heaven?
The answer is, “Yes!” The apostle Paul said, “For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I have been fully known” (1 Cor. 13:12).

From this passage, Criswell understands that we will know one another intuitively. Just as Peter and John recognized Moses and Elijah at the Mount of Transfiguration (Matt. 17:4), we will recognize the resurrected bodies of all the saints throughout time.

Think of it! We will see Adam and Eve. Maybe I will share with them my favorite joke about how, after they sinned, Adam blamed Eve, Eve blamed the snake, and the snake didn’t have a leg to stand on. OK, maybe I will hold onto that one for a few thousand years. We’ll converse with Abraham, Sarah, Moses, David, Mary, Peter, and Paul. We will see and talk to the martyrs of church history. We will be able to thank them for giving their lives so the church could thrive and grow, and for their courage in trusting God for the sake of the gospel. 

We will see our loved ones and be reunited with them. There will be no marriage in heaven (Matt. 22), but we will certainly enjoy a new, redeemed, eternal family relationship.  

Will there be animals in heaven?
There were animals in the Garden of Eden, and there will be animals in the millennial kingdom. Thus, many theologians believe there will be animals in heaven. Whether your pets will be there, we can’t know. R. C. Sproul notes that the whole creation will be redeemed through Christ’s work (Rom. 8:21). From this theological truth, he observes, 

All of this is sheer speculation, but I would like to think that we will see our beloved pets again someday as they participate in the benefits of the redemption that Christ has achieved for the human race.[3]

The main thing about heaven: JESUS!
Scripture gives us a glimpse of what heaven will be like, yet some details remain unexplained. Still, one thing is certain—Jesus will be there, reigning as the Alpha and Omega (Rev. 21:6). He will be with us, and we will see him face-to-face (Rev. 21:3). As the Creator God stooped to breathe life into man (Gen. 2:7), so Jesus will wipe away every tear from our eyes (Rev. 21:4). 

Whatever heaven looks like, whatever we do there, and whoever is with us for eternity will all dim in the presence of Jesus. We will see the One who left heaven itself to take on flesh and go to the cross for our sin. We will be in heaven only because of Jesus, our Savior, and we will desire to thank him throughout eternity.

R. C. Sproul says that some of the questions he wants to ask when he gets to heaven are, “Who wrote the book of Hebrews?” “Where did evil come from?” and “Are there any golf courses up here?” He notes that he would like to study art for the first ten thousand years, music for the next ten thousand years, and literature for the next ten thousand years, “and just continue to soak in everything that God has made and everything that he has ordained.” Then I love how Sproul concludes.

But I suspect that those things will have to wait for the sheer joy of being in the presence of God and enjoying the beatific vision—of seeing Christ face-to-face. I don’t know if that would ever wear off. I’d be satisfied to just do that, I think, for eternity.[4] 

PERSONAL TIME WITH GOD 
Time in the Word: Read and reflect on Revelation 21:1-22:5. Focus on the majesty and splendor of heaven.

Talking to God: How does the promise of seeing Jesus face-to-face influence how you live and worship him today?

Have questions? Please send your questions to our team. We're happy to assist as we explore God's Word together. Submit your question below, and we'll respond soon. If you're interested in learning more about a relationship with Jesus or seeking spiritual guidance, let us help you take the next step.

REVELATION ZOOM CALL
We’ve spent many weeks in Revelation together—thank you for walking through these daily devotions! We’re excited to invite you to a special Zoom call where we’ll talk about what God taught us through the study. Monday, January 5 at 7:00 pm. Zoom call details will be at the bottom of January 5 Daily Devotion.

2026: A New Year. A New Series. A New Way to See Your Life in God’s Story.

Starting January 5, 2026, jump into our most engaging series yet—God’s Story in God’s People. From Genesis to Revelation, you’ll discover how God works through real people with real struggles and real purpose—and how he wants to do the same in you. Don’t just read the story—step into it—and apply it to your everyday life. 

RE-IGNITE YOUR MARRIAGE IN 2026!
Refocus, reconnect, and recharge your marriage—starting January 10 with an in-person kickoff and online classes, ending with a Valentine’s Day recommitment ceremony.
Make this the year your love grows stronger than ever!
Learn more and register: livinggrounded.org/marriage

SAVE THE DATE: Bible Immersion trip to Israel: November 4-14, 2026.