King Phenomenon
Well-Known Member
I'm pretty much certain that heaven is our life on earth
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What is heaven in your understanding?
- Thread starter Spirit of Light
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Unveiled Artist
Veteran Member
My concept of heaven is when I get to acceptance that I will die and that my grievances and people I need to forgive or say sorry if I can't do it personally, I can do it to get rid of the guilt in my heart. If I can get to that place before I die (how did one say: beauty and family) I'm set to go. Heaven is that acceptance, beauty, and peace with family. Death is an empty word for me. Once our body and mind has died, so does our spirit. Therefore no life. We die.
Interesting question @Amanaki....
From the JW perspective, our view of heaven is based entirely on scripture....as follows.....(scriptures provided on request)
1) Heaven is a spiritual realm where material things cannot exist.
It is populated by spiritual beings who are in the service of their Creator. Only spirit beings can exist in this realm. Jesus came from this realm before becoming human, and returned there after his death and resurrection. Scripture states that he was the first human to do so.
2) Going to heaven was never even in the consciousness of any human prior to the ministry of Jesus Christ. Jews originally held no beliefs about life after death, so there was no need to invent places for them to go. Scripturally, their future prospects for life were entirely physical.
3) When Jesus told his apostles that he was ‘going away to prepare places for them in his Father’s house’, they did not understand what he meant. Jews expected God’s kingdom to be set up on earth with Messiah as King and him bringing the promised blessings to faithful ones on earth.
Right up until Jesus’ ascension to heaven, his disciples remained confused about their future, but were told that the holy spirit would impart understanding to them shortly. This happened at Pentecost when each of the disciples was anointed with God’s spirit and understood for the first time, that the kingdom was in heaven and that they were chosen to have a role in it. It created a strong desire in them to go to heaven to be with their Lord.
4) The Christian Scriptures were written by, and for those who were chosen for heavenly life. But not all Christians would go to heaven, because the number was finite, and their role would be vital for bringing redeemed mankind back to God, thus restoring his original purpose in Eden. Survivors of the “end times” would later be joined by those sleeping in their graves. Jesus promised to restore them to physical life, under his kingdom, just as he had demonstrated when he raised Lazarus.
5) Most people who believe that they are going to heaven, have no idea what they will do there, but the Bible is specific about that. All are chosen for governmental and priestly roles. Governments (kingdoms) need subjects and priests need sinners for whom to provide their services.
6) Heaven was never in God’s original purpose for the human race. So our hope of living forever in paradise, to us, means living here on earth in paradise conditions, just as God purposed in the beginning. We all have a strong desire to live in paradise, but that does not mean that paradise is heaven.
That is our understanding of this question.....who goes to heaven....and more importantly, why.
From the JW perspective, our view of heaven is based entirely on scripture....as follows.....(scriptures provided on request)
1) Heaven is a spiritual realm where material things cannot exist.
It is populated by spiritual beings who are in the service of their Creator. Only spirit beings can exist in this realm. Jesus came from this realm before becoming human, and returned there after his death and resurrection. Scripture states that he was the first human to do so.
2) Going to heaven was never even in the consciousness of any human prior to the ministry of Jesus Christ. Jews originally held no beliefs about life after death, so there was no need to invent places for them to go. Scripturally, their future prospects for life were entirely physical.
3) When Jesus told his apostles that he was ‘going away to prepare places for them in his Father’s house’, they did not understand what he meant. Jews expected God’s kingdom to be set up on earth with Messiah as King and him bringing the promised blessings to faithful ones on earth.
Right up until Jesus’ ascension to heaven, his disciples remained confused about their future, but were told that the holy spirit would impart understanding to them shortly. This happened at Pentecost when each of the disciples was anointed with God’s spirit and understood for the first time, that the kingdom was in heaven and that they were chosen to have a role in it. It created a strong desire in them to go to heaven to be with their Lord.
4) The Christian Scriptures were written by, and for those who were chosen for heavenly life. But not all Christians would go to heaven, because the number was finite, and their role would be vital for bringing redeemed mankind back to God, thus restoring his original purpose in Eden. Survivors of the “end times” would later be joined by those sleeping in their graves. Jesus promised to restore them to physical life, under his kingdom, just as he had demonstrated when he raised Lazarus.
5) Most people who believe that they are going to heaven, have no idea what they will do there, but the Bible is specific about that. All are chosen for governmental and priestly roles. Governments (kingdoms) need subjects and priests need sinners for whom to provide their services.
6) Heaven was never in God’s original purpose for the human race. So our hope of living forever in paradise, to us, means living here on earth in paradise conditions, just as God purposed in the beginning. We all have a strong desire to live in paradise, but that does not mean that paradise is heaven.
That is our understanding of this question.....who goes to heaven....and more importantly, why.
Tazarah
Well-Known Member
There are three heavens. The first, second and third heavens. The first heaven is our skies/atmosphere, the second heaven is space and where all of the stars exist, and the third heaven is where the Most High God resides. The third heaven is not apart of this dimension.
When God/the Messiah returns, a new kingdom of Heaven will be set up on the earth in Jerusalem and it will be called New Jerusalem. All of the non-Israelite nations will serve God, Christ and the Israelites. Christ will be the king and will reign for 1,000 years.
When God/the Messiah returns, a new kingdom of Heaven will be set up on the earth in Jerusalem and it will be called New Jerusalem. All of the non-Israelite nations will serve God, Christ and the Israelites. Christ will be the king and will reign for 1,000 years.
Eyes to See
Well-Known Member
The question is an interesting one. But I have a question. Why ask what a person's personal idea of heaven is without using scripture. If heaven is a spiritual realm where the supernatural exists, such as God and his angels there is no other way to get a glimpse into, or understanding of heaven without getting information of it from the supernatural.
In the Bible the heavens can refer to a number of things. It can refer to the sky in our atmosphere, it can refer to the physical universe, it can also refer to the spiritual realm where God and his angels reside.
From what I have read in the Bible about heaven, it is invisible, it is on a plane of reality above that of the physical universe. In it reside God, who has resided there eternally into the past. He contains an infinite amount of dynamic energy. This energy is supernatural. We probably could not describe or understand it exactly. By means of that energy the other spirit creatures God created like himself came into existence, as well as everything we see in our own universe in the material plane of existence.
Einstein showed that all matter comes from energy with the equation E=MC^2. God is the source of that energy. Heaven is thus the residing place of God and the angels and the source of everything alive and that exists, both visible and invisible.
https://www.jw.org/en/library/magazines/watchtower-no6-2016-november/
In the Bible the heavens can refer to a number of things. It can refer to the sky in our atmosphere, it can refer to the physical universe, it can also refer to the spiritual realm where God and his angels reside.
From what I have read in the Bible about heaven, it is invisible, it is on a plane of reality above that of the physical universe. In it reside God, who has resided there eternally into the past. He contains an infinite amount of dynamic energy. This energy is supernatural. We probably could not describe or understand it exactly. By means of that energy the other spirit creatures God created like himself came into existence, as well as everything we see in our own universe in the material plane of existence.
Einstein showed that all matter comes from energy with the equation E=MC^2. God is the source of that energy. Heaven is thus the residing place of God and the angels and the source of everything alive and that exists, both visible and invisible.
https://www.jw.org/en/library/magazines/watchtower-no6-2016-november/
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Spirit of Light
Be who ever you want
The reason OP was asked with out use of scripture, was to see what people understand without help of the scripture, do people truly understand the meaning of the teaching they follow, or do they only recite and memorial words.
Eyes to See
Well-Known Member
A good understanding. I actually just explained the 3 heavens in a post as well.
I would like to draw your attention to the fact that New Jerusalem is actually heavenly as well.
"I also saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God and prepared as a bride adorned for her husband."-Revelation 21:2.
That is New Jerusalem is heavenly.
"I also saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God and prepared as a bride adorned for her husband."-Revelation 21:2.
The city, New Jerusalem is the bride of the lamb Jesus Christ. So she represents the 144,000 who will rule with Christ in heaven as kings over the earth. She is the resplendent city of gold seen in vision in Revelation 21:15-20.
It's a surprise!
Bear Wild
Well-Known Member
There is no heaven except in the desires of humans. There may be different dimensions in our universe, I cannot say. The Idealism expressed in religions where the lion will lay with the lamb is just desire. What we need to know and appreciate is here in this world and not in an imaginary world.
Bear Wild
Well-Known Member
What is in heaven that is not here on earth?
MonkeyFire
Well-Known Member
Perfection of nature and all things by being passive.
izzy88
Active Member
I understand heaven as a timeless/eternal state of pure joy, the likes of which we cannot possibly imagine in this life.
Scott C.
Just one guy
I believe in a literal afterlife where we continue to exist as the same individual we are now, with full memories of this life. Our relationships with friends and family from this life continue. We will be resurrected as physical beings so we will have a physical component forever. There is no conflict, no death, no disease, no suffering. We live with God. There is love and peace beyond current comprehension. I also believe that we will progress, learn, and "work". We will be busy growing in the likeness of God and in doing good. God will share what he has and knows with us. We will learn to love as God loves. While I don't have a belief on exactly what this looks like, I believe we are forever busy, happy, fulfilled, and growing. Nothing beats being in the presence of God forever.
Super Universe
Defender of God
Heaven is the permanent abode of God, the Eternal Son, Mother Spirit, all ascended beings, and the temporary home of some angels.
Heaven is real. It is the only non-dimensionality, non-space/time thing in existence.
Treasure Hunter
Well-Known Member
Amplified meaning and fulfillment that sustains. The feeling of perfection.
Pudding
Well-Known Member
What is heaven? What does heaven means?
Here we go:
Definition of heaven:
NOUN
1 (also Heaven) A place regarded in various religions as the abode of God (or the gods) and the angels, and of the good after death, often traditionally depicted as being above the sky.
1.1 God (or the gods)
‘Constantine was persuaded that disunity in the Church was displeasing to heaven’
1.2 (Theology) A state of being eternally in the presence of God after death.
‘the everlasting happiness with God that we call heaven’
1.3 Used in various exclamations as a substitute for ‘God’
‘heaven knows!’
‘good heavens!’
2 (also the heavens) (literary) The sky, especially perceived as a vault in which the sun, moon, stars, and planets are situated.
‘Galileo used a telescope to observe the heavens’
3 (informal) A place, state, or experience of supreme bliss.
‘lying by the pool with a good book is my idea of heaven’
Pudding
Well-Known Member
Tell that to those victim of voilence, abuse, bully, accident, disease and/or natural disaster, which they suffer under a short/long period of times, whether their suffering have ended or still in the progress.
Are you still certain that their life on earth is heaven?
No more than you are that Heaven even exists?
Perhaps, but it also sounds rather boring, if one expects such an existence to be all goodness and light. At least here on Earth we get to experience the good and the bad and to understand where we should be - such that we might be able to create Heaven on Earth if we desired such.