What Happens After We Die?

The new heaven and the new earth haven’t been ushered in yet. So when believers die now, where do they go?

When Jesus was being crucified, one of the criminals being executed with him said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.” Jesus replied, “Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise” (Luke 23:42–43). Jesus assured the man that he’d be with him in paradise that very same day. So when people who love Jesus die, they go to be with Jesus—immediately.

The heaven they go to isn’t the same as the new heaven and the new earth. In his book, Heaven, author Randy Alcorn calls it a “present heaven.” In John’s vision of this present heaven in Revelation 6:9–11, he saw “the souls of those who had been slain because of the word of God and the testimony they had maintained” (Revelation 6:9). These martyrs were asking God how long it would be until he avenged their deaths. Notably, they were with God, yet aware of what was happening on earth and able to remember their lives there.

This raises the question: Can people truly be in “heaven” if they’re aware of bad stuff that’s taking place on earth? It’s worth noting that God won’t wipe away his people’s tears until he ushers in the new heaven and the new earth (see Revelation 21:3–4). While the place where believers are now isn’t the same as the new heaven and the new earth, it’s a place so good that Jesus called it “paradise.” There’s much we can’t know for certain, but one thing we know for sure: believers who have died are with God. They’re with Jesus. And that’s a beautiful place to be.

Is the New Heaven and New Earth One Place or Two?

While there’s a lot of mystery about what comes next, the book of Revelation tells us that after God purifies the earth, he will restore heaven and earth. In the apostle John’s vision, he “saw ‘a new heaven and a new earth,’ for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away” (Revelation 21:1). Heaven and earth, once separate, will merge into one.

And the new Jerusalem—a city said to be 1,400 miles long, wide and high (see Revelation 21:16)—is a perfect cube, just like the Most Holy Place in the temple (see Exodus 26:2–8; 1 Kings 6:20), the place where God’s presence dwelled. This city will come down “out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband” (Revelation 21:2).

The Bride of Christ

This may raise the question for you—how can the new Jerusalem come down from heaven dressed as a bride? Aren’t we Jesus’ bride?

In ancient times, a new home was an important part of a new couple’s married life. After a man and woman became engaged, the groom-to-be would go and prepare a place for them to live, usually an addition built on to his father’s house. The groom would make their future home as nice as possible—he’d dress it up—for his bride-to-be. Once the dwelling was finished, the groom would go get the bride, they’d get married, and then he’d bring her back to the place he had built for them.

Jesus used this same kind of imagery in John 14:2–3. We are his bride, and he’s preparing a place for us. As Jesus’ bride, we’ll live with him in the new earth he has taken great care to “dress up” and prepare for us (see Revelation 3:12). Then, like at ancient weddings, there will be a huge party (Revelation 19:9). We’ll celebrate with our Groom and the new life we get to live with him in our new home forever.

Face to Face with God

In Old Testament times, people knew that God was so holy and their sin was so evil that no person could see him and live. During tabernacle/temple times, only one Israelite (the high priest) was allowed to pass through the curtain separating the Holy Place from the Most Holy Place and enter God’s presence —and only once a year. Generations of Israelites were born and died without ever being directly in God’s presence.

But after God resurrects us and rids the universe of evil, he’ll fully welcome us to live in his presence. What was once so unreal that it could never happen will become our reality every day.

Job caught a glimpse of this hope long ago and declared: “I know that my redeemer lives, and that in the end he will stand on the earth. And after my skin has been destroyed, yet in my flesh I will see God; I myself will see him with my own eyes—I, and not another” (Job 19:25–27).

One day you will see God’s face; you will talk to him. Although God is a spirit, he will be fully present with you, and you will see him with your own eyes (see Psalm 17:15; Revelation 22:4). Whatever keeps us from sensing his constant presence on the fallen earth will be absent from the new earth. What we call “prayer” on the fallen earth will be a completely un-hindered two-way conversation with God wherever we are on the new earth—or wherever we are in the entire universe. There will be no more wondering if he’s listening to you—you’ll know and see that he most definitely is. He’ll be as present to you as the air that surrounds you. And he’ll be that close forever.

Prayer Prompts

Ask Jesus to help you remember and be inspired by the truth that when believers die, they go to be with him. Ask God to help you live in his love that is founded by the desire to be close to you—forever.

For Reflection

What are some things you are looking forward to about the new home Jesus is preparing for you?

Drawn from content in the NIV Read. Think. Live. Bible.