Pearly Gates? Streets of Gold? What the Bible Says Heaven Is Really Like

Do you ever wonder what Heaven will be like?

While we’ll never know all of the wonderful surprises God has waiting in store for us until we officially make it to Heaven someday, Scripture does give us plenty of clues to give us a glimpse of all we have to look forward to.

In this article, let’s explore what the Bible does (and does not) tell us about what Heaven will be like someday.

Bible Verses About Heaven

These Bible verses give us a sneak peek at what Heaven will be like someday.

“See, I will create new heavens and a new earth. The former things will not be remembered, nor will they come to mind.” — Isaiah 65:17

“My Father’s house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am.” — John 14:2-3

“But you have come to Mount Zion, to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem. You have come to thousands upon thousands of angels in joyful assembly.” — Hebrews 12:22

“For we know that if the earthly tent we live in is destroyed, we have a building from God, an eternal house in heaven, not built by human hands.” — 2 Corinthians 5:1

“After this I looked, and there before me was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne and before the Lamb. They were wearing white robes and were holding palm branches in their hands. And they cried out in a loud voice:

“‘Salvation belongs to our God,
who sits on the throne,
and to the Lamb.'” — Revelation 7:9-10

“Therefore,

they are before the throne of God
and serve him day and night in his temple;
and he who sits on the throne
will shelter them with his presence.
‘Never again will they hunger;
never again will they thirst.
The sun will not beat down on them,’
nor any scorching heat.
For the Lamb at the center of the throne
will be their shepherd;
‘he will lead them to springs of living water.’
‘And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.’” — Revelation 7:15-17

“Then God’s temple in heaven was opened, and within his temple was seen the ark of his covenant. And there came flashes of lightning, rumblings, peals of thunder, an earthquake and a severe hailstorm.” — Revelation 11:19

“I saw heaven standing open and there before me was a white horse, whose rider is called Faithful and True. With justice he judges and wages war. His eyes are like blazing fire, and on his head are many crowns. He has a name written on him that no one knows but he himself. He is dressed in a robe dipped in blood, and his name is the Word of God. The armies of heaven were following him, riding on white horses and dressed in fine linen, white and clean.” — Revelation 19:11-14

“And he carried me away in the Spirit to a mountain great and high, and showed me the Holy City, Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God. It shone with the glory of God, and its brilliance was like that of a very precious jewel, like a jasper, clear as crystal. It had a great, high wall with twelve gates, and with twelve angels at the gates. On the gates were written the names of the twelve tribes of Israel. There were three gates on the east, three on the north, three on the south and three on the west. The wall of the city had twelve foundations, and on them were the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb.” — Revelation 21:10-14

“The city was laid out like a square, as long as it was wide… The wall was made of jasper, and the city of pure gold, as pure as glass. The foundations of the city walls were decorated with every kind of precious stone… The twelve gates were twelve pearls, each gate made of a single pearl. The great street of the city was of gold, as pure as transparent glass.” — Revelation 21:16, 18-21.

“The city does not need the sun or the moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light, and the Lamb is its lamp. The nations will walk by its light, and the kings of the earth will bring their splendor into it. On no day will its gates ever be shut, for there will be no night there.” — Revelation 21:23-24

“Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, as clear as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb down the middle of the great street of the city. On each side of the river stood the tree of life, bearing twelve crops of fruit, yielding its fruit every month. And the leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nations.” — Revelation 22:1-2

See Also: Seven Characteristics of Heaven

Is Heaven a Physical Place?

Heaven is a real place, though its location is unknown.

The Bible gives us plenty of clues about what Heaven is like (particularly in the book of Revelation), but we won’t know for sure how much of these descriptions are literal and how much are metaphorical or symbolic until we make it to Heaven ourselves someday.

Does Heaven Really Have Pearly Gates?

Yes, Heaven really has pearly gates–12 of them, in fact.

Revelation 21:21a tells us, “The twelve gates were twelve pearls, each gate made of a single pearl.”

The Bible does not tell us that the apostle Peter stands at any of the gates with a checklist, determining who can and cannot make it into Heaven, however.

Does Heaven Really Have Streets of Gold?

Whether or not Heaven has multiple streets of gold, we know that it has at least one.

Revelation 21:21b tells us, “The great street of the city was of gold, as pure as transparent glass.”

Will We Really Get Crowns in Heaven?

The Bible contains several verses that promise believers will indeed receive crowns in Heaven.

For example:

“And when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the crown of glory that will never fade away.” — 1 Peter 5:4

“Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last, but we do it to get a crown that will last forever.” — 1 Corinthians 9:25

“Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day—and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing.” — 2 Timothy 4:8

Will We Recognize Our Loved Ones in Heaven?

While the Bible never tells us for sure if we will be able to recognize our loved ones in Heaven, many Christians believe that we will, despite our new heavenly bodies.

Matthew 17:1-4 seems to support this idea:

“After six days Jesus took with him Peter, James and John the brother of James, and led them up a high mountain by themselves. There he was transfigured before them. His face shone like the sun, and his clothes became as white as the light. Just then there appeared before them Moses and Elijah, talking with Jesus.

Peter said to Jesus, ‘Lord, it is good for us to be here. If you wish, I will put up three shelters—one for you, one for Moses and one for Elijah.'”

In this passage, Peter seems to recognize all three men, despite the fact that they were likely inhabiting their heavenly – rather than earthly – bodies. Similarly, Jesus’s disciples are able to recognize him after his resurrection from the dead.

See Also: Why Bad People Will Be In Heaven

What Will Our Heavenly Bodies Look Like?

No matter how you feel about your body currently, you’re sure to love the benefits that come with your heavenly body! Here’s what the Bible tells us about the new bodies we’ll receive.

Our heavenly bodies will be:

• Imperishable (1 Corinthians 15:42)
• Raised in glory (v. 43)
• Powerful (v. 43)
• Spiritual (v. 44)
• Immortal (v. 53)

What Will We Do In Heaven?

While we don’t know all the details yet, Scripture also gives us several clues about how we’ll spend our time in eternity.

For example, the Bible either says or implies that believers will:

• Eat and drink (Luke 14:15)
• Be with the Lord forever (1 Thessalonians 4:17)
• Possess greater knowledge (1 Corinthians 13:12)
• Reign with Christ (2 Timothy 2:12)
• Worship God (Revelation 7:9-10)
• Sing and make music (Revelation 15:2-3)
• Participate in the wedding supper of the Lamb (Revelation 19:9)
• Serve as priests (Revelation 20:6)

And while Scripture never says for sure, I really hope we have the opportunity to meet and talk with all of the amazing men and women of the Bible — particularly women like Miriam, Rahab, Hannah and Esther.

While our current understanding of Heaven may be limited, we can rest assured that Heaven is a wonderful place where we will be able to enjoy fellowship with God forever without any heartache or pain. Never again will we have to wonder, “Why does God allow suffering?”

No matter what trials or troubles may come our way today, we can rest assured that God is preparing a place for those who love Him, and we can always look forward to that day.