Reading the Bible: The Visions of Heaven

Visions of Heaven

Every person finds the concept of heaven fascinating, whether they are believers or not. The idea of an afterlife is found in most of the religious beliefs of the world. It is as if the concept of a blissful afterlife is hard wired in humans. I believe it is because the perception of heaven, or an afterlife of eternal bliss has been placed in the spirit of mankind as a means to offer hope in a harsh and chaotic world. Our spirits yearn for a release from misery and a hope of a future paradise. Even the most committed atheist who embraces nihilism, (the belief that there is no purpose or meaning to life), harbors thoughts of a heavenly realm.

We can then agree that the concept of heaven is the future hope of an ecstatic and joyful afterlife. And for the Christian, the belief in heaven provides the hope that is in them, “but sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts, always being ready to make a defense to everyone who asks you to give an account for the hope that is in you,” (1Pet. 3:15). Heaven is the final outcome of the biblical Drama of Redemption. From the “Fall of Mankind,” to the work of redemption by Christ, heaven is the culmination of God’s plan to bring mankind to reside for eternity with Him in His heavenly abode. With this view of heaven, we can understand why the human mind is preoccupied with thoughts of the heavenly realm and the afterlife. There have been numerous books, movies, and articles written about heaven with several different views and opinions concerning its nature. Many of these views and the accounts of so-called witnesses who have visited heaven are false and are nothing but delusions of the imagination. But does Scripture give any details concerning the heavenly realm? Are there any biblical accounts of people visiting heaven? The answer is yes! Certain prophets were given visions of heaven which they recorded according to God’s commands. The Apostle John was transported in his spirit into the heavenly throne room as he received instructions on the end-times for his book of Revelation, and other characters in the biblical narratives record their experiences of viewing heaven. We will explore these visions and gain biblical insight on what God has revealed concerning the heavenly domain.

Defining Heaven

Before we explore the prophetic visions of heaven, it is important to present a biblical definition of the term. This is to distinguish it from the various views and beliefs common in the popular culture which have no basis in the teachings of the faith. It is also to instruct those who lack a conception of the reality of an eternal heavenly realm. The following two definitions present a biblical understanding of the heavenly realm.

Definitions

That mysterious aspect of heaven is beyond our knowledge. In order to discuss it, all we can do is adopt some conventional term for it, preferably one that keeps in sight the intermeshing of the visible and invisible realms. We shall use the term “dimension.” To signify that this heavenly reality is something beyond our present experiencing we shall prefix meta-, thus metadimension.

_{Kline, M. G. (2006). God, Heaven and Har Magedon: A Covenantal Tale of Cosmos and Telos (p. 4). Wipf & Stock Publishers.}

Heaven, which in both Hebrew and Greek is a word meaning “sky,” is the Bible term for God’s home (Ps. 33:13–14; Matt. 6:9) where his throne is (Ps. 2:4); the place of his presence to which the glorified Christ has returned (Acts 1:11); where the church militant and triumphant now unites for worship (Heb. 12:22–25); and where one day Christ’s people will be with their Savior forever (John 17:5, 24; 1 Thess. 4:16–17). At some future point, at the time of Christ’s return for judgment, it will take the form of a reconstructed cosmos (2 Pet. 3:13; Rev. 21:1). To think of heaven as a place is more right than wrong, though the word could mislead. Heaven appears in Scripture as a spatial reality that touches and interpenetrates all created space. In Ephesians, Paul locates in heaven both the throne of Christ at the Father’s right hand (Eph. 1:20) and the spiritual blessings and risen life in Christ of Christians (Eph. 1:3; 2:6).

_{Packer, J. I. (1993). Concise theology: a guide to historic Christian beliefs (pp. 264–265). Tyndale House.}

In summary, heaven is the dwelling place of God. While God is omnipresent and present in all places and at all times, He does manifest His presence in the heavenly throne room from where He rules and reigns His creation. It is also the abode of the holy angelic beings, and the departed saints who await their resurrection. It is located in the spiritual realm and not in the physical realm, which means that it is not located on a far-off planet or other region of the cosmos. As stated above, it is a reality of a spiritual dimension. The central aspect of the heavenly domain is the majestic presence of God and His throne from which He sovereignly reigns.

Heaven According to the Prophets

Visions of heaven were given to certain prophets and are recorded in Scripture for the edification of the redeemed. The prophets Isaiah, Ezekiel, Daniel, and the Apostle John were allowed access into the heavenly throne room in visions which presented a spiritual reality that they struggled to comprehend and explain. They witnessed objects, creatures, structures, and other images that were beyond their normal frame of reference. They were overwhelmed with feelings of awe, reverence, fear, and bewilderment. Human language is just not adequate to explain spiritual realities and the mysteries of the heavenly kingdom. This is a detail that must be considered as readers attempt to interpret the visions and understand the prophets meaning.

Each of the prophets was called by God to proclaim a message to the people in His name. Part of the message included the vision of the heavenly throne room, which was meant to display God’s majesty, power, and dominion over His creation to the people. Each vision has a representation of the radiant glory of God seated on His throne surrounded by dazzling beauty and myriads of angels who provide unending and constant worship. The presence of God is the dominant feature in all of the heavenly visions as each prophet presents his observation of God’s glory represented as fire, lightening, or glowing metal. Christ is also shown as the slain lamb in John’s vision. The Holy Spirit appears as the seven Spirits of God, (Rev. 4:5), which is properly understood as a symbolic representation of the Holy Spirit. God’s glory is meant to be the focus of the visions as it serves to encourage His people because He is on His throne controlling history so they can have confidence in the prophet’s message.

• The prophet Isaiah reported that he saw the Lord sitting on a throne, high, and exalted–and the hem of His robe filled the temple.
• Ezekiel described God’s throne as being like sapphire in appearance and was like a chariot with wheels. He described God’s glory as being human in form with fire radiating all around.
• Daniel’s description matches Ezekiel’s as he records that he saw God’s throne as a fiery chariot. He adds that a river of fire flowed out before Him with thousands upon thousands attending Him.
• John gives the most detailed description of God’s throne as being like a jasper stone, (clear crystal), and sardius, (ruby red), in appearance with an emerald-colored rainbow that surrounded the throne.

The prophets were careful in describing the glory of God so as not to violate the 2nd Commandment. They could only depict His divine brilliant glory which radiated all around the throne. God’s glory is mentioned and explained in the “Reading the Bible: The Visions of Ezekiel” article; it is repeated below for reference.

“God’s glory is the manifestation of the perfection of all of his attributes. The doctrine of the glory of God emphasizes his greatness and transcendence, his splendor and holiness. God is said in Scripture to be clothed with glory and majesty. God’s glory filled the places that he subsequently designated as meeting places with his people: the tabernacle (Exod 40:34) and the temple (1 Kgs 8:10–11). Idolatry, then, is the failure to give God his rightful glory—and to assign that glory to a creature. God is rightly driven by his glory: repeatedly in books such as Ezekiel, he cites his glory, his name and reputation, as his motivation for a particular action (Ezek 36:23). “I am the Lord,” he says, through Isaiah; “my glory I give to no other” (Isa 42:8).“

_{(Haykin, M. A. G. (2018). God’s Glory. In M. Ward, J. Parks, B. Ellis, & T. Hains (Eds.), Lexham Survey of Theology}

The following passages present parts of the visions highlighting the description of God’s glory for comparison and contrast. Their descriptions contain many similarities with added details reflecting the observations of each prophet.

Ezekiel	Revelation	Isaiah	Daniel
I also heard the sound of their wings like the sound of abundant waters as they went, like the voice of the Almighty, a sound of tumult like the sound of an army camp; whenever they stood still, they dropped their wings. And there came a voice from above the expanse that was over their heads; whenever they stood still, they dropped their wings. Now above the expanse that was over their heads there was something resembling a throne, like lapis lazuli in appearance; and on that which resembled a throne, high up, was a figure with the appearance of a man. Then I noticed from the appearance of His loins and upward something like glowing metal that looked like fire all around within it, and from the appearance of His loins and downward I saw something like fire; and there was a radiance around Him. As the appearance of the rainbow in the clouds on a rainy day, so was the appearance of the surrounding radiance. Such was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the LORD. And when I saw it, I fell on my face and heard a voice speaking. (Ezek. 1:24-28)	After these things I looked, and behold, a door standing open in heaven, and the first voice which I had heard, like the sound of a trumpet speaking with me, said, “Come up here, and I will show you what must take place after these things.” Immediately I was in the Spirit; and behold, a throne was standing in heaven, and One sitting on the throne. And He who was sitting was like a jasper stone and a sardius in appearance; and there was a rainbow around the throne, like an emerald in appearance. Around the throne were twenty-four thrones; and upon the thrones I saw twenty-four elders sitting, clothed in white garments, and golden crowns on their heads. Out from the throne come flashes of lightning and sounds and peals of thunder. And there were seven lamps of fire burning before the throne, which are the seven Spirits of God; and before the throne there was something like a sea of glass, like crystal; and in the center and around the throne, four living creatures full of eyes in front and behind. (Rev. 4:1-6)	In the year of King Uzziah’s death I saw the Lord sitting on a throne, lofty and exalted, with the train of His robe filling the temple. Seraphim stood above Him, each having six wings: with two he covered his face, and with two he covered his feet, and with two he flew. And one called out to another and said, “Holy, Holy, Holy, is the LORD of hosts, The whole earth is full of His glory.” And the foundations of the thresholds trembled at the voice of him who called out, while the temple was filling with smoke. Then I said, “Woe is me, for I am ruined! Because I am a man of unclean lips, And I live among a people of unclean lips; For my eyes have seen the King, the LORD of hosts.” Then one of the seraphim flew to me with a burning coal in his hand, which he had taken from the altar with tongs. He touched my mouth with it and said, “Behold, this has touched your lips; and your iniquity is taken away and your sin is forgiven.” (Isa. 6:1-7)	“I kept looking Until thrones were set up, And the Ancient of Days took His seat; His vesture was like white snow And the hair of His head like pure wool. His throne was ablaze with flames, Its wheels were a burning fire. “A river of fire was flowing And coming out from before Him; Thousands upon thousands were attending Him, And myriads upon myriads were standing before Him; The court sat, And the books were opened. (Dan. 7:9-10)

The Power of God’s Presence

Believers are subject to many persons claiming to have visited heaven in dreams, visions, and NDE’s (Near Death Experiences), and can be led to false views and ideas concerning the heavenly realm. Any claim made concerning a vision of heaven should be tested by the biblical accounts contained in God’s revelation. Utilize Scripture as the standard by which these visions should be measured by. Remember–the visions of God’s Throne Room and of His glory given to the prophets were for a specific purpose and were not a trivial matter. Even in visions, the presence of the almighty Lord is overwhelming due to the power of His manifested glory emanating forth. The prophets verify this experience in their writings.

Ezekiel–“Such was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the LORD. And when I saw it, I fell on my face and heard a voice speaking.”

Isaiah-“Then I said, “Woe is me, for I am ruined! Because I am a man of unclean lips, And I live among a people of unclean lips; For my eyes have seen the King, the LORD of hosts.”

Daniel–“So I was left alone and saw this great vision; yet no strength was left in me, for my natural color turned to a deathly pallor, and I retained no strength.”

John–“When I saw Him, I fell at His feet like a dead man. And He placed His right hand on me, saying, “Do not be afraid; I am the first and the last.”

Other Biblical Visions of Heaven

Other characters of the Bible also recorded brief visions of heaven which were granted to them. The Apostle Paul reports in 2nd Corinthians that he was in some fashion, taken up to heaven where he saw and heard things that he could not express and was not permitted to repeat, “And I know how such a man—whether in the body or apart from the body I do not know, God knows— was caught up into Paradise and heard inexpressible words, which a man is not permitted to speak,“ (2Cor. 12:3-4). Paul’s vision of heaven was for his own personal encouragement and not meant to be recorded, unlike the visions of the prophets.

In the book of Exodus, we read of the account of Moses and the elders of Israel who were allowed to see a brief vision of God’s glory, “and they saw the God of Israel; and under His feet there appeared to be a pavement of sapphire, as clear as the sky itself,” (Ex. 24:10). Micaiah, a prophet of Israel during the reign of King Ahab, was also given a brief view of God’s throne where he saw the Lord’s glory sitting on His throne with the host of heaven surrounding Him, (1Kings 22:1-40). Lastly, Stephen the first Christian martyr, who was stoned for his testimony of Christ was given a vision of heaven just before he died, “But being full of the Holy Spirit, he gazed intently into heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God; and he said, “Behold, I see the heavens opened up and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God,” (Acts 7:55-56).

The Hope That is in Us

The visions of God’s heavenly throne room have a deep purpose beyond providing a glimpse into God’s abode; they affirm faith, encourage obedience, and give hope to believers who still dwell in the midst of a rebellious and wicked people. The vision of God’s glory seated on His throne in His radiant splendor brings comfort and hope to all of those who are in Christ. It reminds us that our God is a great and glorious God. He is the one true God who offers hope beyond this life, because He has prepared a place for us with Him in His house for all eternity. Where Christ is, there we will also be!