What will heaven be like? It’s a common question. And this curiosity is a good thing because every Christian should long to be in the presence of Christ (Philippians 1:23), and for the day when Christ comes and makes everything right again (Revelation 6:10). And there’s a lot of great verses one can use to detail what we know about the eternal new heavens and new earth, but my favorite verse to describe it all in a nutshell is probably Ephesians 2:7.
This verse is a hidden gem inside the great gospel text of Ephesians 2:1-10. In this single verse, the apostle Paul gives insight after insight about what heaven will be like. He gives us great glimpses of the coming glory. Paul writes that we have been saved “so that in the coming ages, God might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus” (Ephesians 2:7).
Why is this helpful to describe what heaven will be like? A few reasons.
1. Ages Upon Ages
First, heaven will consist of ages. Notice the plural. In the mind of the apostles, this present fallen world is just a single age, or period of history. Elsewhere, Paul says that Christians are not to be like this present world because it is just a fleeting single age (Romans 12:2). It is an age characterized by sin, sickness, struggle, sorrow, and death. But there are ages (plural) to come in which it will be different. In fact, the literal Greek for the words “forever and ever” is actually “ages upon ages.” So the new heaven and new earth will be ages upon ages.
2. Showing Us His Grace in Kindness
But what will these ages be like? They will be ages in which God is displaying “his immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.” I love this because this shows that heaven is not going to be boring. Why? Because it is going to consist of ages upon ages of God showering us with his kindness and grace. What exactly this will look like, we aren’t entirely sure. But it will be like the good things we enjoy in this life, but even better. It will be God forever treating us better than we could ever imagine. It will truly be amazing.
3. It Will Take Forever
Yet will this get old? How long will this last? It will last forever. Why? Because the verse says that the kindness and grace he will lavish upon us is immeasurable. So not only will heaven not be boring, but it will never get boring. There is always more of God’s unique kindness and grace to poured upon us. It will be immeasurable.
This is why heaven is forever and eternal. Heaven will be us knowing and enjoying God and his glory (his amazingness). So why does it last so long? Because he truly is infinite is his glory (in his amazingness). How long will it take for us to explore his infiniteness? Literally forever.
4. All Because of Christ
But that brings me to the last insight from Ephesians 2:7. Fourth, we get this happy eternity only because we are “in Christ Jesus.” Those receiving this immeasurable riches of kindness and grace for ages and ages are those who are “in Christ Jesus.” It is all because of him. It’s nothing we do; it’s all of grace. It is all because of what he did. We will continually know that we don’t deserve any of it, but that because of what Jesus did, we get the joy forever.
Look Forward to This
In sum, heaven will be literally ages upon ages of God showering upon his children his infinite, immeasurable goodness and grace and kindness. Who knows exactly what this will look like. We know we’ll have physical bodies. We know we’ll be on earth. We know we’ll be without the inclination to sin and be selfish. But in what various ways limitless Delight will be displayed—in what ways infinite Beauty will be broadcast into his world—we aren’t entirely sure.
So, look forward to this, Christian. In the coming ages, your God is going to show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward you in Christ Jesus. You truly couldn’t ask for anything better.
