Tag: Heaven: When Fatih Becomes Sight by Jennifer Rothschild

Dying Well

I became an orphan in middle age while most of my friends still had two healthy, thriving parents. My mom lived thirteen years after my dad and when she died, I had a sense of being untethered and adrift despite having a husband and kids of my own. I felt too young to be assuming the position of the “older generation” responsible for maintaining family connections, history, and traditions.

Memories from the end of my mom’s life have resurfaced reading Jennifer Rothschild’s words, “Your age may be twenty seven, seventy seven, or somewhere in between…Regardless of how long you’ve lived, you do not know when you will exhale your last breath here. So why not live ready to die? Why not be a woman who blesses people and worships God every day you live? Why not live as a forgiver? Why not live fully committed, abandoned to Christ in light of Heaven’s promise?”1

My mom exemplified what Rothschild encourages here; she continued to bless others with her love and gratitude until she breathed her last. Never was there a trace of self-pity or bitterness. Peace, love, and warmth were the defining characteristics of her final months of life.

Sitting with my mom in that season created many opportunities to observe God’s blessings in the midst of her suffering with pancreatic cancer. Despite battling pain and discomfort, my mom continued to flash a smile and offer a word of thanks to every person who entered her room. Numerous caregivers commented about sensing a different spirit in her. Some recognized it was the Holy Spirit; all felt drawn in by the atmosphere He created.

As her strength failed, my mom didn’t have the energy for much conversation, so I was inspired to read aloud to her just as she’d done for me through much of my childhood. Our daily reading sessions included favorites like C.S. Lewis’ The Last Battle and Corrie Ten Boom’s The Hiding Place. During one of her last lucid days, I sat by her bedside reading Amazing Faith, the biography of Bill Bright, the dynamic Christian leader who founded an international disciple-making ministry. At one point, I looked up to find tears streaming down her face. Surprised and confused, I asked, “Mom, why are you crying?” With a tissue clenched in her fist, she gestured toward the book and said, “That story reminds me of God’s faithfulness. He’s just so good!” Within seconds, I was brushing away tears too. It struck me that in spite of her broken body and failing health, my mom recognized God’s faithfulness. She saw this not just in the book we were reading, but in her life as well.

When she went on hospice care, my mom asked me to write her favorite verse on the whiteboard in her room, “Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.” (2 Corinthians 4:16-18, NIV) These verses had sustained her through the death of my dad and given her hope in the midst of deep grief and loneliness that persisted for the rest of her life.

I had the extraordinary privilege of sitting beside my mom as she breathed her last. As painful and emotional as it was, the veil between Heaven and Earth seemed thinner during that tender time. I had a surreal sense of feeling truly alive, knowing I was partaking in a sacred moment bathed in unspeakable joy and indescribable peace. My mom’s grave marker now has the Second Corinthians passage inscribed on it as a reminder that she trusted in what is eternal instead of clinging to what was temporary. It’s a testament of a woman who lived faithfully and died well.

Jennifer Rothschild admonishes, “My friend, don’t shy away from talking about death. Don’t avoid those who are dying because you feel awkward. Death feels shattering, emptying, and totally counterintuitive, but death is defeated…Death is the comma that transitions us from the prologue to the forever stories of our lives. Death allows you to step fully into your glorious unending finally trading faith for sight…earth is short, and Heaven is long. May we live well and die well all for the glory of God.”2

Praise God for this amazing truth made possible through the life, death, and resurrection of His son, Jesus! What a gift it is to know Heaven awaits all who humbly and gratefully accept His sacrifice on their behalf.

Post inspired by Jennifer Rothschild’s Heaven.  Order your copy using this link.

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  1. Jennifer Rothschild, Heaven: When Faith Becomes Sight, Lifeway 2025, 203.
  2. 2. ibid, 204

The Wedding of the Lamb

Touching down on the runway, my mind buzzed with excitement anticipating the weekend of wedding festivities that lay ahead. As we jolted to a stop, I glanced at a text message I’d received mid-flight and my stomach lurched: a close friend’s father had passed away earlier that morning. Stunned, I froze for a moment before burying my face in my hands as tears began flowing. Though I ached for my friend’s loss, I also rejoiced that her father was no longer suffering from a debilitating disease. The news triggered a wave of personal grief as memories surfaced from losing my own dad over a decade earlier.

After a phone call with my friend, I pushed the pause button on my emotions and changed gears. We’d flown halfway across the country to gather with extended family for a happy reason—the wedding of our nephew. Over two action packed days, we spent time connecting with family members and old friends to celebrate the marriage of a man and woman who loved Jesus and one another deeply.

Standing under massive shade trees bordering a meadow dotted with wildflowers, we watched as our beaming nephew awaited his radiant bride. Although the surroundings were picturesque, what caught my attention most was the deep joy that permeated the wedding. It was clear that these two had been covered in prayer throughout their lives. Both sets of parents had prayed fervently for the Lord to lead their children to godly spouses who would complement them perfectly. Their marriage was starting on a firm foundation and the wedding celebration was evidence of God’s faithful provision.

Scanning the crowd during the reception, I marveled at the many intersections between guests. With so many godly and faithful people there, the overlaps in ministry and friendship were plentiful. I loved reconnecting with a mentor I hadn’t seen since college and was thrilled to meet people tied to friends and ministries I’d served with in the past. The array of faith-filled guests felt like a foretaste of the great wedding feast prophesied by John in the Bible:

 “Then a voice came from the throne, saying: ‘Praise our God, all you his servants, you who fear him, both great and small!’ Then I heard what sounded like a great multitude, like the roar of rushing waters and like loud peals of thunder, shouting:

‘Hallelujah! For our Lord God Almighty reigns. Let us rejoice and be glad and give him glory! For the wedding of the Lamb has come, and his bride has made herself ready. Fine linen, bright and clean was given her to wear.’ (Fine linen stands for the righteous acts of God’s holy people.)

Then the angel said to me, ‘Write this: Blessed are those who are invited to the wedding supper of the Lamb!’ And he added, ‘These are the true words of God.’” (Revelation 19:5-9, NIV)

If you’re unfamiliar with this passage, it’s describing the celebration that will occur after the final judgement: “God’s people are arrayed in fine linen, clean and white because Christ’s shed blood has washed away their sins. They are presented righteous and pure to their bridegroom, Christ. At the marriage supper, individual believers are guests, but collectively they are the bride.”1 This links to Scriptures that use a groom and his bride as a picture of God and His people in the Old Testament and Christ and the Church in the New Testament (most notably in Ephesians 5:22-32).

This brings me to an unlikely comparison– I felt the same deep joy a few weeks later at the memorial service for my friend’s dad. Once again, people gathered to celebrate, only this time it was for the life of a man who met Jesus as a young dad and followed Him humbly for the next four and a half decades. Throughout the service, we heard stories about his love for the Lord and how it informed every aspect of life in his home, his leisure time, and his career. Overwhelmed by God’s faithfulness, I joined the congregation singing “How Great Thou Art” and “Amazing Grace” as tears rolled down my cheeks.

Sitting at the service surrounded by old friends once again made me think about the great wedding feast of the Lamb. Weddings and funerals prompt us to pause, reflect, and recognize God’s goodness. It’s profound to celebrate with followers of Jesus who have been intent on seeing His kingdom advance on earth. A significant bond connects those who walk the narrow path that leads to life described in Matthew 7:13-14.

Weddings and funerals offer a foretaste of what’s ahead for all who call Jesus Lord and Savior. One day believers from every tongue, tribe, and nation will gather at the Feast of the Lamb to worship Jesus together. I can only imagine the many joy-filled reunions between old friends and family members that will take place.  After years of following Him, we’ll see Jesus face to face and revel in His glory and grace together.

These scenes also prompt me to pause. What about those who can’t comprehend the spiritual significance of weddings and funerals because they don’t know Jesus?  They won’t recognize the Lord’s amazing handiwork because they have no context for it. My heart aches for them to know and experience the depths of God’s love. May the Holy Spirit prompt all who follow Jesus to sow seeds of faith liberally so others can receive the hope of salvation through our Bridegroom, Christ.

Post inspired by Jennifer Rothschild’s Heaven.  Order your copy using this link.

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  1. Halley’s Bible Handbook, Zondervan, 2000, p. 958

Until We Meet Again

Kristi and I met at church youth group in junior high, but our friendship blossomed in freshman English class the following year. I smile picturing her as an eager 9th grader wearing on-trend 80’s outfits: neon mini-skirts, layered tank tops, mesh gloves, and  jaunty hats or berets. I’ll never forget cheering her on a few summers later as she performed aerobics routines with a crew from her exercise studio at our hometown July 4th parade. But Kristi was more than just a trendy teen—she had a sharp intellect, an incredible work ethic, and boundless energy. Standing at 5’2’’ with wispy blonde hair, deep blue eyes, and a sweet smile, people sometimes underestimated how fierce she really was.

Our lifelong friendship solidified the summer we graduated from high school as both of us chose to work at Christian camps; she headed to Redwood Camp in the Santa Cruz mountains while I served at Houseboats on the Sacramento Delta. Leaving camp at the end of the summer, I was exuberant about my faith in Jesus. But returning to life and friends at home had been challenging. Many people thought I’d gone a little overboard on my faith.

The one exception to this was Kristi. Re-connecting after our summer away, we discovered we’d both had life-changing experiences that would forever alter the courses of our lives. What an encouragement it was to discover I had a like-minded friend whose spiritual eyes had also been opened (Ephesians 1:18). A deeper bond grew between us from that day forward. Our friendship wasn’t just based on fun times and shared memories, but on a passionate love for Jesus and a desire to follow Him faithfully.

Kristi and I experienced many milestone moments over the years, including studying abroad together in college and being bridesmaids in each other’s weddings. After getting married and starting careers, we didn’t have many opportunities to spend time together. Eventually Kristi was living in a different state and homeschooling four kids, so we only saw each other when she came into town to visit her parents. We’d sit in my backyard watching our kids play and it was as if no time had passed. The depth of our friendship endured despite the months and miles that separated us.

Calls and texts became more frequent a few years later when Kristi was diagnosed with breast cancer. She was in her early 40’s and had always been healthy, so we hoped and prayed for a full recovery. An aggressive treatment plan seemed to be working, until it wasn’t. A short remission came to an abrupt end with news that the cancer had returned with force and was spreading.

As Kristi’s health declined, I longed to see her face-to-face and when the timing was right, I booked a flight to Austin. Traveling alone, I had time to prepare myself emotionally and spiritually, asking the Lord to bless and encourage Kristi and her family  through me. I was anxious about seeing my energetic friend so sick and grateful for friends and family at home supporting me with prayer.

As I walked in the front door of her house, Kristi greeted me with delight. She was using a walker for support and wearing a scarf to cover  her bald head, but her broad smile and cheerful spirit remained intact. Despite her frail body, she was as fierce as ever. In fact, I was amazed at the variety of activities we did over the course of the weekend. Her family was determined to give me a full “Lone Star State Experience” when they found out I’d never been there before. So, in spite of going to give them support, I got a big dose of Texas hospitality in return.

On my final day, I had a rare quiet moment alone with Kristi and asked if I could read some of Psalm 34 to her– the verses seemed to provide the words of encouragement I lacked:

“I will extol the Lord at all times; his praise will always be on my lips. I will glory in the Lord; let the afflicted hear and rejoice. Glorify the Lord with me; let us exalt his name together. I sought the Lord, and he answered me; he delivered me from all my fears.
Those who look to him are radiant; their faces are never covered with shame. This poor man called, and the Lord heard him; he saved him out of all his troubles. The angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear him, and he delivers them. Taste and see that the Lord is good; blessed is the one who takes refuge in him. Fear the Lord, you his holy people, for those who fear him lack nothing. The lions may grow weak and hungry, but those who seek the Lord lack no good thing…The righteous cry out, and the Lord hears them; he delivers them from all their troubles. The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.” (Psalm 34:1-10, 17-18, NIV)

Later, before leaving for the airport, I paused with Kristi and her husband to lay hands on them and pray. I said goodbye feeling at peace, so grateful for the time we’d spent together and not convinced it was the last time I’d see Kristi in this life. It seemed like she still had a lot of fight left in her and the family refused to give up hope.

But as school let out in June, I received word that Kristi’s cancer was spreading and her doctors had run out of options. With this news, a sense of urgency prompted me to stop avoiding one last thing I needed to do. Writing a final letter to Kristi felt daunting but essential given the depth and duration of our friendship. With the Holy Spirit guiding me, my fingers tapped at the keyboard pouring out specific ways Kristi had impacted and encouraged me over the years. Knowing time was short, I wanted to mail it as soon as possible.

Kristi’s husband read the letter to her on June 28th. Just four days later I received word that my sweet friend breathed her last. She was freed from her broken body and finally at home in Heaven. Even though I knew it was coming, I was too stunned to cry. Grief simmered in the back of my mind, but the tears just wouldn’t come.

A week after receiving this news, I had a dream about Kristi. We were having a conversation and sharing some final moments together. I don’t remember the words, but there was a feeling of warmth and peace between us. She was smiling, confident, and reassuring. Moments later I awoke in the dark and realized I wasn’t just crying in my dream, but in reality. As I sat up to wipe away the tears, I felt the relief of emotional release and so comforted thinking of my friend’s salvation through Christ. Seeing her in that dream provided a sense of closure I hadn’t realized I needed.

The tenacious faith Kristi and her family showed in her last 15 months impacted countless people. Their unwavering trust in Jesus pointed everyone around them to God’s saving grace and ultimate hope in Christ. The Lord used their heartbreaking circumstances to bring about much good in their lives and many others.

In the New Testament, Paul describes how our mortal bodies will one day be made new: “When the perishable has been clothed with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality, then the saying that is written will come true: ‘Death has been swallowed up in victory. Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?’ The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.” (1 Corinthians 15:54-57, NIV)

I walk in confidence knowing that I will spend eternity with my spunky friend. She’ll be made new and her cancer-ravaged body will be redeemed. “For in this hope we were saved. But hope that is seen is no hope at all. Who hopes for what they already have? But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently.” (Romans 8:24-25, NIV) So, I take comfort in words of wisdom from C.S. Lewis: Christians never have to say “Goodbye,” only, “Until we meet again.”1

2013
1988

Post inspired by Jennifer Rothschild’s Heaven. Order your copy using this link.

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  1. Sheldon Vanauken, A Severe Mercy, Harper and Row, 1977.

You Will be With Me in Paradise

Jennifer Rothschild’s Heaven Bible study walks participants through many Scriptures in the Old and New Testaments that give us insights about Heaven. It feels irresponsible and redundant for me to summarize such complex theology and nuanced perspectives in brief blog posts. However, as I’ve worked through her study, personal experiences related to the end of life and Heaven have come to mind. So, instead of unpacking the workbook sessions, I’ll share a few stories that I hope will bring hope and encouragement to you. First up is a reflection on a journey I took with an unlikely companion as her life was coming to a close.

A few times a year I used to walk across the street to my elderly neighbor’s faded blue house. With my young sons in tow, we’d bring flowers from our yard or treats from our kitchen to brighten her day. She didn’t drive and rarely left the house. The first few times we knocked on her door, she was suspicious and stone-faced. She stood at the threshold to shield us from the mess inside as we tried making small talk over the droning of her TV. But behind a tangle of gray hair and a haze of cigarette smoke we were surprised to discover a wry sense of humor and a trove of fascinating stories. With each visit, the door opened wider until one day, she invited us inside.

Over the years Maxine shared fragments of her life story.  Many of the memories were sad, but she recollected them with surprising detachment. In time I pieced together a history that helped me understand her hardened exterior. A bitter divorce from a cheating husband left Maxine feeling rejected and alone. When her younger sister with four small kids was diagnosed with terminal cancer, Maxine moved in to care for her. After the loss of her sister, she stayed to help with the kids and eventually found temporary comfort in the arms of her grieving brother in law. A short-lived romance ended with guilt, shame, and estrangement from the nieces and nephews she’d nurtured through the death of their mom.

Our paths crossed later when she retired and moved into the house across the street to care for her aging mother. Bitterness had already grown deep roots in her heart by then and she remained at a cool distance when we’d stop by to visit. When her mom died a few years later, we didn’t hear about it until several months had passed. Knocking on the door to offer belated condolences, a card and flowers, her gruff demeanor revealed protective layers she’d put on after one too many losses. Still, that act of compassion opened the door for a slowly growing friendship in the years that followed.

One afternoon almost a decade later, I heard from a different neighbor that the “old lady in the blue house” had been taken away in an ambulance. While in the hospital, her doctors determined living alone was no longer a viable option, so Maxine made plans to sell her house and move into a board and care home. Her health continued on a steady decline there over the following weeks. One day I arrived to find her in bed staring vacantly toward the television. Josie, the House Director, was on the phone making arrangements for hospice care. I’d had several conversations with Josie during my visits and we’d bonded realizing we shared a common faith and a desire to see Maxine experience God’s love.

Despite my hopes, discussing spiritual things had never been comfortable between Maxine and me. She knew about my faith and had sometimes poked fun at me for visiting her to earn “Brownie Points” in Heaven. I longed for her to accept God’s love before she died but felt awkward and unsure what to say.  Sitting on the edge of her bed, I breathed a silent prayer for courage. “Maxine, do you know why I’ve been helping you so much?”  She raised her eyebrows, tried to speak and sighed in defeat.  My heart pounded as I continued, “I want you to know that God loves you. I believe He put me in your life to help you, just like you cared for your sister and your mom in their last days.”  She frowned, but I kept talking, “You and I have different opinions about God, but I’m going to keep telling you He loves you until you believe it.”  Unable to retort with her usual sarcasm, she remained quiet until her eyelids grew heavy. Hoping to continue the conversation, I left planning to return the next day.

The phone rang while I was making school lunches for my boys the following morning. “Hi, Marybeth? It’s Josie.” Dreading what she’d say next, I squeezed my eyes shut. “I   wanted to let you know that Maxine passed away last night.”

Disappointment and sadness overwhelmed me.  My throat tightened and tears formed in the corners of my eyes before spilling down my cheeks. How could she be gone already?

Josie continued, “I called to tell you about the last conversation I had with Maxine.”  I wiped my nose and took a deep breath as she continued.  “Every day I told her God loved her, but she never seemed to believe me. Last night I took a chance and asked if she wanted to accept the Lord’s love and be with Him forever. I think she must have known the end was near because instead of rolling her eyes she answered ‘yes.’ Maxine prayed with me to receive God’s love and forgiveness through Jesus. She passed away a few hours later.”

The lump in my throat kept me from responding.  As the tears flowed down my cheeks, I stammered, “You don’t know how relieved I am to hear that. Thank you so much for telling me.”  Hanging up, I dried my cheeks with my sleeve and thanked God for the time He’d given me to show my neighbor she was loved.

Looking back, I see Maxine’s life contained a steady stream of hurt and disappointment that had become the mortar for a thick wall of pride.  A powerful combination of rejection and loss had made her feel unlovable and alone. It had been safer for her to withdraw from the world than to risk being abandoned again. Believing she’d made too many mistakes, she assumed even God wouldn’t want her. Ultimately, her crumbling health dismantled the wall of pride, allowing her to accept a love she could enjoy forever.

Weeks later, two of Maxine’s old friends knocked on my door looking for information about her. There hadn’t been a funeral and they wanted to celebrate her life, so they invited another neighbor and me to have lunch and share stories about her. Many of the snippets I’d heard about her life made more sense with context from her friends. They knew her as a wild, worldly woman with a sharp tongue, a flair for fashion, and bad luck in love. Because she’d cut off contact after moving in with her mom, they never saw the broken old woman she became. Nor did they know she died as the cherished daughter of the King, redeemed by the love of One who would never leave her.

Maxine’s story reminds me of the thief on the cross who believed Jesus was the Savior and heard Him say, “Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise.” (Luke 23:43, NIV) Maybe you’re lamenting the hard heart of a friend or family member. Let Maxine’s story remind you never to lose hope. God can pierce even the thickest wall of pride with His love, mercy and grace—even in the final moments of life. Or maybe you’re someone who doesn’t believe God could love or forgive you. Consider these hope-filled words from the Bible and let them lead you to believe and be saved:

 “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because they have not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son…If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness… If you declare with your mouth, ‘Jesus is Lord,’ and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.” (John 3:16-18, 1 John 1:8-9, Romans 10:9, NIV)

Post inspired by Jennifer Rothschild’s Heaven.  Order your copy using this link.

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Your Father’s House: Heaven

Studying a rail map of Europe, my friends hunched on the lower bunk next to me as rain pelted the windows of the youth hostel. On a break from classes, our plans to explore the picturesque alps of Switzerland, Austria, and Germany had been derailed by a chilly, wet stormfront. After sloshing through Lucerne with soggy feet and seeing only thick clouds instead of snowcapped peaks, we revamped our itinerary seeking sunnier destinations further south.

With a vague knowledge of Italy, we chose two cities that fit our timeframe and Eurail pass parameters. The next afternoon, we stepped off the train into glorious sunshine in Venice. After exploring the canals, bridges, and piazzas for a few days, we moved on to Florence and more warm weather. A thick guidebook supplemented our youthful ignorance, leading us to the highlights of each city, but sunshine, gelato, and pizza had been the main draws for us. With minimal knowledge we couldn’t fully appreciate the history, art, and culture of those rich and multi-faceted cities.

Most of us have impressions of places we’ve never been that come from reputations or stereotypes. We might attach them to certain foods, weather, events, or people. But as we learn more about the place or travel there firsthand, our preconceived notions shift, and our one-dimensional knowledge begins to expand and deepen. Not long ago I had the chance to return to Florence and revisit a few of the highlights I’d seen as a college student. With more time to research and prepare, my understanding of the city and appreciation for its beauty and history only grew. I still enjoyed the sunshine and gelato, but also so much more beyond that.

For many of us, our knowledge about Heaven is like this; it’s filled with assumptions that have been influenced by our upbringing, our faith background, books, music, and movies. We typically view it as “a better place” where people go when they die. Without much concrete knowledge, we may envision Heaven as a buffet of all of our favorite things served up according to our whims and desires: a perpetual vacation on a tropical beach, unending happiness surrounded by favorite people and pets, or a never ending series of adventures and activities in beautiful locations. Most of us focus on what the surroundings will be like, who will be there, and what we’ll do.

In John’s gospel, Jesus describes Heaven as His Father’s house. He says to His disciples, “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, NIV)

Spending eternity with the Lord isn’t always at the forefront of our minds, though is it? He’s mainly the gatekeeper who lets people in or bars entry to Heaven. A popular view is that all “good” people go there, though the measurement for “good” is vague. Sometimes we’re even suspicious of God for being the one to make this judgement. Considering what happens after we die feels uncomfortable and frightening, so many of us choose not to delve into those thoughts, find answers to our questions, or clarify our assumptions.

If any of this resonates and you’d like  a more biblical understanding of Heaven, I hope you’ll join me as I work my way through Jennifer Rothschilds’ Bible study: Heaven: When Faith Becomes Sight. I’ve read a variety of materials about Heaven over the years but have never found an interactive resource like this that pulls so much information together. With Scripture as her source material, Rothschild helps participants to understand what’s true about Heaven and how we can prepare for it now. She opens the study with a few key concepts that are helpful to understand. For example, Rothschild explains that when used in Scripture, the word Heaven has one of three meanings:

  1. The sky where birds fly; the air within the earth’s atmosphere.
  2. The expanse of the universe where the sun, moon and stars reside.
  3. The dwelling place of God.

Rothschild says, “don’t assume every time you read the word Heaven in the Bible, it is referring to our eternal home with God.”1

Rothschild also explains, “even though we think of Heaven as ultimately one place, we need to see how the Scripture talks about it in three different time periods.”2 She distinguishes between them as follows:

  • Period 1: How the Bible speaks of Heaven from the time of creation in Genesis to the crucifixion of Christ in the gospels.
  • Period 2: How the Bible speaks about Heaven from the resurrection of Christ in the gospels until His return (mostly described in Revelation but also mentioned in other parts of the New Testament.)
  • Period 3: How Scripture describes Heaven from the return of Christ going forward into eternity.

According to this chronology, we are currently in the middle period after Christ’s resurrection but before His return.

As my understanding of Heaven has expanded, I’ve begun to equate it with nearness to God. It is where the Lord’s kingdom functions as He originally intended without the hindrance of sin. When Jesus taught His followers to pray, “your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is with heaven,” He gave words to our yearning for wholeness and peace and our longing for a world without sin, brokenness, and evil. (Matthew 6:10, NIV).

We’re going to learn that Heaven is much more than an unending vacation in paradise. At the end of time it is where God dwells with His people and “There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain for the old order of things has passed away.” (Revelation 21:4b, NIV)

Join me as we consider our preconceived notions about Heaven and explore God’s Word together.  Let’s stop avoiding what we don’t understand, release our vague hopes, and find out what awaits us when faith becomes sight.

Order your copy of Jennifer Rothschild’s Heaven using this link.

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  1. Jennifer Rothschild, Heaven: When Faith Becomes Sight, Lifeway Press, 2025, 23.
  2. ibid, 24