When we think about Heaven, we may find comfort in being reunited with departed loved ones, freedom from pain and sorrow, mansions overlooking streets of gold, pearly white gates, etc. Though we do have some hints from scripture (Jn 14:2), we don’t have many reliable testimonies of those who have actually visited Heaven and returned to tell us all about it, so we tend to use our imagination to fill in the blanks.
Yet we do have one very reliable first-hand account of what Heaven is like: the Apostle John was actually invited up into Heaven by Christ Himself and instructed to record for us what he saw. (Re 1:19) This is evidently our most reliable witness of what to expect in eternity.
The first thing John sees is God Himself seated on His throne. (Re 4:1-3) Thrones are where kings give royal decrees and execute judgment; upon entering Heaven John immediately finds himself in the presence of the King of Kings, and this is very likely no coincidence.
John then notices twenty-four kings seated round about God’s throne (4), and four mysterious looking winged beasts, full of eyes inside and out, hovering around God, continuously praising and worshipping Him, with no breaks, no rest. (8) And the worship pouring forth from these beasts is repeatedly moving the twenty-four kings to fall down before God, casting their crowns before Him and exclaiming how absolutely amazing and worthy God is. (9-11)
Evidently, this is Heaven in steady state: everyone beholding God; like the four beasts, all eyes are trained on Him, so fully and totally occupied with Him that everything else is a blur, out of focus, not even on the radar.
Suppose for a moment that this is indeed the essence of Heaven: seen through the eyes of the four beasts beholding and worshipping God, nothing more and nothing less, as if we’re unaware of anything else, as if we’re alone with Him. If we find this a bit anti-climactic, if we’ve been expecting Heaven to be more about us and less about God, what does this tell us? If we’re having difficulty focusing on and delighting in God now, if we find Him boring or unsatisfying without some entertaining music, if in this life we don’t enjoy simply beholding Him as He is, what makes us think we’ll feel at home in Heaven?
Even now, the heavenly heart longs above all else to dwell and abide in the house of God, beholding the beauty of God all the days of our earthly existence (Ps 27:4); we’re constantly orienting ourselves so we’re always focusing on God (Ps 16:8), continually aware of His presence. (He 13:5)
But hearts that focus on the comforts, pleasures and concerns of this life are going to continue focusing on themselves in eternity, and Heaven is simply not the place for that. Self-absorbed, self-interested, self-centered souls are headed for destruction. (Php 3:18-19) There isn’t anything about dying that magically changes our hearts. (Re 22:11)
The primary way we identify the real condition of our heart is by observing our love for Torah (Ps 119:97), by how we are cherishing and obeying the laws of God’s Kingdom. (Mt 5:19) No one will be comfortable before the throne of Heaven who is neglecting God’s laws. (Ro 8:7)
We may also observe how we generally spend our time and energy, and find out in real time where our true priorities and affections lie. Where are we turning when we have free time? What is most readily capturing our attention and interest? (Php 3:20)
If we find ourselves lacking in heavenly affections, preoccupied our own agenda and with the affairs of this life (2Ti 2:4), what can we do about it?
We can start by admitting our carnality (Ro 7:24) and deliberately begin seeking after heavenly things. (Co 3:1-2)
We can ask God to incline our heart unto His testimonies (Ps 119:36), and for a vision of a more godly, holy, heavenly-minded version of ourselves that God is calling us toward. (2Pe 1:3) We can confess our need for sanctification to others who are pursing holiness so they can pray for us (Ja 5:16), we can memorize and meditate on the promises of God to sanctify us and make us more like Himself. (4) Then we can begin meditating on and pursuing this heavenly vision (He 12:14) step by precious step. (2Pe 1:5-8)
We evidently tend to become what we focus on (2Co 3:18), so we should begin putting on Christ (Co 3:12), emulating Him and pretending to be like Him. (Ro 13:14) He is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power at work in us. (Ep 3:20)