How Does Heaven Look Like And Who Can Enter?

Our God, through the Apostle John, revealed to us in part what is heaven like, as follows:

“21 Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the old heaven and the old earth had disappeared. And the sea was also gone. x x x

¹⁰ So he took me in the Spirit to a great, high mountain, and he showed me the holy city, Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God. ¹¹ It shone with the glory of God and sparkled like a precious stone—like jasper as clear as crystal. ¹² The city wall was broad and high, with twelve gates guarded by twelve angels. And the names of the twelve tribes of Israel were written on the gates. ¹³ There were three gates on each side—east, north, south, and west. ¹⁴ The wall of the city had twelve foundation stones, and on them were written the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb.

¹⁵ The angel who talked to me held in his hand a gold measuring stick to measure the city, its gates, and its wall. ¹⁶ When he measured it, he found it was a square, as wide as it was long. In fact, its length and width and height were each 1,400 miles. ¹⁷ Then he measured the walls and found them to be 216 feet thick (according to the human standard used by the angel).

¹⁸ The wall was made of jasper, and the city was pure gold, as clear as glass. ¹⁹ The wall of the city was built on foundation stones inlaid with twelve gems: the first was jasper, the second sapphire, the third agate, the fourth emerald, ²⁰ the fifth onyx, the sixth carnelian, the seventh chrysolite, the eighth beryl, the ninth topaz, the tenth chrysoprase, the eleventh jacinth, the twelfth amethyst.

²¹ The twelve gates were made of pearls—each gate from a single pearl! And the main street was pure gold, as clear as glass.

²² I saw no temple in the city, for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are its temple. ²³ And the city has no need of sun or moon, for the glory of God illuminates the city, and the Lamb is its light. ²⁴ The nations will walk in its light, and the kings of the world will enter the city in all their glory. ²⁵ Its gates will never be closed at the end of day because there is no night there. ²⁶ And all the nations will bring their glory and honor into the city. ²⁷ Nothing evil will be allowed to enter, nor anyone who practices shameful idolatry and dishonesty—but only those whose names are written in the Lamb’s Book of Life.” (Rev. 21: vs. 1, 10-27 NLT).

The question is: How can one qualify to enter heaven?

First of all, ones name should be written or be found in the LAMB’s (JESUS’) Book of Life. This means that the Lord Jesus has a list of who are allowed to enter heaven. So, we better be known by, or be a FRIEND of the Lord Jesus. It is somewhat like those close friends and associates of President Noynoy C. Aquino being the ones appointed in his Cabinet.

I remember when then President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo visited Davao City on May 26, 2005 without notice during the height of demonstrations all over the Philippines, almost resulting to her being deposed by people power like the late President Ferdinand E. Marcos and former President Joseph E. Estrada, then Presidential Assistant Jess Dureza invited only ten individuals representing the cross-section of society in Davao City, Philippines, to attend an exclusive meeting in the Board Room at the 17^th Floor of Marco Polo Hotel. 

 Among others, Father Samson of Ateneo de Davao University represented the religious and academe sector; John Y. Gaisano represented the retail business sector, Atty. Lorenzo represented the Agriculture sector; Mr. Vic Lao, representing the construction sector; Mr. Anggie Angliongto, representing the real estate sector; Grace Lim, representing the Import/export industry; somebody by the nickname of “Jun” representing the banana industry; etc.; while I represented the Davao City Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Inc. (DCCCII), being then its President. 

 Before one could enter the Board Room, his/her name is checked by the receptionist in a certain list. When I went over the list beginning at No. 2 to the last number, I did not find my name. The receptionist noticing my distressed condition asked me, what organization are you representing? After I told her, she said, Sir, you are No. one in the list! I was relieved from distress and embarrassment. When we had a picture taking just before the President bade us goodbye, I stood beside her. Due to lack of notice everybody was in ordinary attire, except myself because I had a court hearing earlier. It will be somewhat like this when we enter Heaven.

Certainly, we would love to enjoy all the blessings beyond compare waiting for those who deserve to enter Heaven. The Bible tells us:

^“3 And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God.

⁴ And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.” (Rev. 21:3-4 NLT)

There in Heaven all of us will be healthy and physically trouble-free. No more need for physicians or hospitals. No more need for lawyers and courts. No more hard work to earn a living. Those who married more than once need not fear their first, second or third wife, if all of them will be in heaven. For the Lord Jesus said, “For in the resurrection they neither marry, nor are given in marriage, but are as the angels of God in heaven” (Matt. 22:30). Angels are sexless, so no more problem on adultery and fornication! Will you still be interested to be in heaven?

It’s going to be a sinless new world where everything will be a joy and a pleasure and perfect, with peace and harmony and cooperation and love for all.

Everybody in heaven will be like Jesus in character and personality: loving, caring, kind, gentle, faithful, meek, patient, good, honest and you can enumerate all attributes of the Lord Jesus Christ. It will be a perfect society, where everyone will be in perfect fellowship with each other and the Lord.

We will have eternal, wonderful happiness, joy, and paradise regained, and it will be without end. It is a place the beauty and comfort of which is beyond our finite imagination.

Secondly, let us all strive to have our names be written in the Lamb’s Book of Life. How? for lack of space, this will be a good topic in subsequent issues of our FGBMFI Saturday Bulletin. Watch for it in God’s time (in Tagalog, itutuloy; in English, to be continued).

For now, let us imagine and compare the “Beginning and the End of the Age”.

Genesis (Beginning)	Revelation (End)
The sun is created	The sun is not needed
Satan is victorious	Satan is defeated
Sin enters the human race	Sin is banished
People run and hide from God	People are invited to live with God forever
People are curse	The cursed is removed
Tears are shed, with sorrow for sin	No more sin, no more tears or sorrow
The garden and earth are cursed	God's city is glorified; the earth is made new
Paradise is lost	Paradise is regained
People are doomed to death	Death is defeated; believers live forever with God