Articles
Will We Know Each Other in Heaven?
“Beyond this land of parting, losing and leaving, far beyond the losses darkening this, and far beyond the taking and the bereaving lies the summer land of bliss. [Mary B.C. Slade – 1876]
Anyone who has been a member at Centreville for any length of time has experienced brethren who move away. By my count we have lost in the neighborhood of 225 people, including children, in the past 16 years. Astonishingly, no one who was a current member at Centreville has died in that time frame. Sadly, however, many of our members have lost parents, grandparents, children, siblings and friends elsewhere during that span.
As I have just returned from Alabama to eulogize an elderly sister who passed away, I am again reminded of the specter of death that ever lurks in the recesses of our minds. The loss of Melanie’s parents and my brother-in-law in the recent past have added to this realization that earthly life is filled with goodbyes. The ancient Hebrews, and even God Himself, had a euphemism for death: gathered to his/your/my people (Gn 25:8, 17; 35:29; 49:29, 33; Num 20:24, 26; 27:13; 31:2; Dt 32:50; et. al.).
This euphemism seems to imply reunion, not merely replication of the process of death. One aspect of heaven is that we will be reunited with others who died in faith, from friends and family to strangers and even characters from the Biblical narrative. What a joy this will be, especially after a lifetime of bereavement and goodbyes!
As we have noted before, there is scant information given in Scripture concerning the nature of heaven and what we will experience there. So we must tread carefully as we seek to understand what is discernable about the “unseen.” Especially should we avoid giving heed to those who have suffered “near-death experiences” as these are mere testimonials of those undergoing great psychological distress and often under the influence of mind-altering medications in their “last” moments. Such commentary is unreliable.
First, the Bible nowhere indicates a state of “sleep” or unconsciousness at death; neither does it teach a loss of individuality or personality of the soul as we enter the regions of eternity. In fact, it states quite the opposite. The word “sleep” is figuratively used to describe death from an earthly perspective. “She looks just like she is sleeping” is a common observation of the living when viewing a corpse. Jesus uses this terminology of Lazarus (Jn 11:11-14). “Sleep” is used most often in Scripture in a literal sense, but it sometimes refers to inaction, laziness, confusion or death.
Second, Scripture depicts those who have physically died as continuing to exist and recognizable to those who came in contact with them. Consider Samuel’s appearance to Saul in 1 Sam 28. When the witch of Endor described who she saw, “Saul perceived that it was Samuel …” (28:14). He was correct, for a conversation then ensues with the great prophet: “Now Samuel said to Saul, ‘Why have you disturbed me by bringing me up … the Lord has done for Himself as He spoke by me. For the Lord has torn the kingdom out of your hand and given it to your neighbor …’” (28:15, 17). While we grant that this is as an abnormal occurrence, a vision of the dead by the living, it presents Samuel in the form of his personal identity while on earth. In other words, Samuel is still Samuel (though not embodied).
Consider also the transfiguration of Jesus, a unique manifestation of the dead in all of Scripture. Jesus’ “face shone like the sun, and His clothes became as white as the light” (Mt 17:1-2). But then something even more astounding happens: “And behold, Moses and Elijah appeared to them, talking with Him” (17:3). Again, they were recognizable to the apostles in a way not explained, and they are presented as conscious, rational and discussing a contemporary topic: “Moses and Elijah … appeared in glory and spoke of His decease which He was about to accomplish at Jerusalem” (Lk 9:30-31). Wouldn’t we like to have been a fly on the wall for that discussion! But the point is, in death Moses and Elijah retained their identity and consciousness.
However, more directly Jesus postulates the continued existence of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob in His challenge to the Sadducees who made the critical error of denying the spirit of man and the resurrection: “But concerning the resurrection of the dead, have you not read what was spoken to you by God, saying, ‘I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob’? God is not the God of the dead, but of the living” (Mt 22:31-32; cf. also Mt 22:23; Ac 23:8).
Jesus does give us a bit of other insight as to our heavenly existence in this exchange with the Sadducees. They had concocted a scenario that they felt backed Jesus into a corner: whose wife would the widow of seven brothers be in eternity (22:23-28)? Jesus answer was direct and biting: “You are mistaken, not knowing the Scriptures nor the power of God” (22:29). “Mistaken” is otherwise translated “in error” (NIV), “go astray” (Young’s Literal), “very wide of the mark” (Phillips). The reason they are off base on this is because they did not a) learn from Scripture, and b) consider the power of God to continue our existence post-decease and raise and transform our bodies for eternity.
Consider further the words of Jesus to the dying thief: “Today, you will be with Me in Paradise” (Lk 23:43). Jesus doesn’t merely promise that he would be in Paradise but be “with Me.” Would he and/or Jesus be in a state of unconsciousness? Would he recognize Jesus? Jesus’ promise implies a “no” and a “yes” to those questions. Note also Paul’s great hope upon his death: “having a desire to depart and be with Christ, which is far better” (Ph 1:23). He also says, “We are … well-pleased to be absent from the body and to be present with the Lord” (2 Cor 5:8).
Years ago I was preaching in a gospel meeting and mentioned the joy of being reunited in eternity with fellow saints. Afterward, an offended brother tersely told me that I should not be preaching my opinions. I then cited to him some of the above passages. Unsurprisingly, he didn’t budge. While we do not have the capacity to decide who of our loved ones will be in heaven – that is the Lord’s end of the stick – we can be confident and joyful that we will recognize and in a way unexplained fellowship saints and glorify God. This is a real hope that should give us comfort.
