The Kids' Guide to Heaven and the New Earthنموونە

Where is heaven? Some people believe heaven is in the clouds. Some Bible experts think heaven is right next to us hiding behind “an invisible screen.”

The truth is, nobody really knows where heaven is today. But the Bible does tell us where heaven will be in the future: Right here on earth!

In Revelation 21, God showed a preview of heaven on earth to one of Jesus’ friends named John who said this: “I saw ‘a new heaven and a new earth’...I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem. It was coming down out of heaven from God….I heard a loud voice from the throne. It said, ‘Look! God now makes his home with the people.’”

Here’s how I put it in my picture book, The Royal in You:

On a day coming soon, though nobody knows when
We’ll look up at the sky and see heaven descend.

Jesus said He won’t stay in the clouds way up there.
He’ll bring heaven to earth, and He’ll live with us here.

It can be helpful to think of heaven in two stages. If you know a Christian who has already died, their body is buried here on earth, but their soul is with Jesus in heaven right now. One day, Jesus will return to earth with the souls of people currently in heaven. Then, He will raise their bodies back to life and live with us on the New Earth forever.

Tomorrow, we’ll see how this “New Earth” will be similar to and different from the earth we know today. For now, answer these questions:

• Do you know someone who has died and is with Jesus today?
• Are you excited that heaven will one day be on earth? Why or why not?
• What are some of your favorite things about the earth?