Heaven

Randy Alcorn spoke with his son-in-law, Dan Franklin, about 2 Corinthians 5:1-5. They discuss the question of how physical the present Heaven is, and is it possible that there are transitional or intermediate bodies there?

The truth is that while we are told many things in Scripture about Heaven (as Randy explains in his book), there are some details we are simply not given. We have to go back to what we do know for sure from God’s Word.

We know that people in the present hell are already suffering even though the resurrection hasn’t happened yet, just as people in the present Heaven experience pleasure even before the resurrection (Psalm 16:11).

Because there will be continuity from the old Earth to the new, it’s possible we’ll continue some of the work we started on the old Earth. I believe we’ll pursue some of the same things we were doing, or dreamed of doing, before our death.

We’ve probably all heard it said, “This world is not our home.” I used to say it, too. It’s true, but it’s a half truth. 

It’s certainly possible that there will be farms and farmers to care for crops. In Genesis 1:28 God tells His people to fill and govern the earth. Good farming practices certainly fall within the scope of careful stewardship and will very likely be welcome on the New Earth.

I’ve read many accounts of experiences in which people who do not know Christ claim to have gone to Heaven, or its outskirts, and were reassured by a “being of light” that all is well with them. I’m convinced that though some have had real supernatural experiences, the one who reassured them was not Jesus.

The bottom line is we don’t know how that will all work out, but we do know that God is good, and that we can trust Him.