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Heaven

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What is Heaven really going to be like? What will we look like? What will we do? Won't Heaven get boring after a while?

We all have questions about what Heaven will be like, and after 25 years of extensive research, Dr. Randy Alcorn has the answers.

In the most comprehensive and definitive book on Heaven to date, Randy invites you to picture Heaven the way Scripture describes it-- a bright, vibrant, and physical New Earth, free from sin, suffering, and death, and brimming with Christ's presence, wondrous natural beauty, and the richness of human culture as God intended it.

God has put eternity in our hearts. Now, Randy Alcorn brings eternity to light in a way that will surprise you, spark your imagination, and change how you live life today.

If you've always thought of Heaven as a realm of disembodied spirits, clouds, and eternal harp strumming, you're in for a wonderful surprise.

This is a book about real people with real bodies enjoying close relationships with God and each other, eating, drinking, working, playing, traveling, worshiping, and discovering on a New Earth. Earth as God created it. Earth as he intended it to be.

And the next time you hear someone say, "We cant begin to imagine what Heaven will be like," you'll be able to tell them, "I can."

533 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2004

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About the author

Randy Alcorn

228 books1,431 followers
Randy Alcorn is the founder of Eternal Perspective Ministries (EPM), a nonprofit organization dedicated to teaching biblical truth and drawing attention to the needy and how to help them. EPM exists to meet the needs of the unreached, unfed, unborn, uneducated, unreconciled and unsupported people around the world.

"My ministry focus is communicating the strategic importance of using our earthly time, money, possessions and opportunities to invest in need-meeting ministries that count for eternity," Alcorn says. "I do that by trying to analyze, teach and apply the implications of Christian truth."

Before starting EPM in 1990, Alcorn co-pastored for thirteen years Good Shepherd Community Church outside Gresham, Oregon. He has ministered in many countries, including China, and is a popular teacher and conference speaker. Randy has taught on the part-time faculties of Western Seminary and Multnomah University, both in Portland, Oregon.

Randy is a best-selling author of 50 books including Heaven, The Treasure Principle and the 2002 Gold Medallion winner, Safely Home. He has written numerous articles for magazines such as Discipleship Journal, Moody, Leadership, New Man, and The Christian Reader. He produces the quarterly issues-oriented magazine Eternal Perspectives, and has been a guest on more than 650 radio and television programs including Focus on the Family, Family Life Today, The Bible Answer Man, Revive Our Hearts, Truths that Transform and Faith Under Fire.

Alcorn resides in Gresham, Oregon with his wife, Nanci. The Alcorns have two married daughters, Karina and Angela.

Randy and Nanci are the proud grandparents of five grandsons. Randy enjoys hanging out with his family, biking, tennis, research and reading.

Taken from the Eternal Perspective Ministries website, http://www.epm.org

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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,066 reviews
Profile Image for Josh Crews.
26 reviews35 followers
August 19, 2007
This is my #1 book. After justification/finished-atonement-at-the cross, this is the most wonderful, joyful topic to know, discover and just ponder. The saints will reign with Christ on this very Earth, made perfect at the resurrection. Every Christian brother/sister I will always see again and am never saying goodbye for the last time. The biblical doctrine of Heaven (the New Earth) is very under-taught, under-preached, and under-grasped by modern western Christianity but is a treasure chest full of un-ending gold for the soul. I recommend it with my entire reputation.
Profile Image for Nderitu  Pius .
215 reviews13 followers
January 5, 2021
This book makes me want to go to heaven as soon as right now!!! I love how beautifully and true to the HOLY WRIT this book is written. Its explosively beautiful. Every page of it written brings to light what we have always thought the SCRIPTURES kept hid. The lie of the devil that heaven is boring is the greatest lie among many and I want to ignore that lie every day of my life by following JESUS and taking up my cross daily and following HIM.
Kill sin, get ready for heaven.
Profile Image for Maureen.
176 reviews94 followers
August 8, 2017
I love this book! Even more now that my husband has been diagnosed with a dreaded cancer, incurable but treatable.

I've had this book for a few years but always skimmed a chapter or two until now. Randy Alcorn writes so wonderfully about Heaven and what it will be like for the believer.

A true inspiration for those of us who belong to Christ.



Profile Image for Glenna.
Author 9 books489 followers
March 26, 2024
Finished in tears. If you’re in Christ, death is a doorway.
I can’t wait for Him to make all things new.

This should be required reading for all believers.
Profile Image for Doug.
140 reviews
March 10, 2010
Have to say this book was largely a 476-page exercise in begging-the-question. Alcorn begins by assuming that the New Jerusalem of Revelation and the New Heavens/New Earth of Isaiah describe the final state of heaven and then deduces virtually everything about heaven from those axioms. If he’s wrong about those passages, then the book could only be about twenty pages long.

The problem is that Isaiah’s description of the New Earth still includes death: “No more shall an infant from there live but a few days, Nor an old man who has not fulfilled his days; For the child shall die one hundred years old, But the sinner being one hundred years old shall be accursed” (Is. 65:20). Though Alcorn cites the latter chapters of Isaiah to prove the final state of heaven over fifty times, he avoids this verse, except for one parenthetical dismissal of it (323). But if there’s death in “heaven” then it’s not the final state; it’s something else.

In the same way, if Isaiah wasn’t speaking of the final state, then, we shouldn’t assume that John was speaking of heaven when he invoked Isaiah’s language at the end of Revelation. Alcorn repeatedly insists on literalism to make his case, but he doesn’t live up to it. John describes the New Jerusalem as a city and a bride. John sees “the bride, the Lamb’s wife” (Rev. 21:9). But Alcorn has to ignore that literalism to only embrace the literalism of a city. In addition, notice death and sin lurk outside the New Jerusalem: “they shall bring the glory and the honor of the nations into it. But there shall by no means enter it anything that defiles, or causes an abomination or a lie” (Rev. 21:26,27). If this were the final state of heaven, how could there be any fear that sin and abominations could enter it?

I certainly don’t object to Alcorn’s take on heaven because of any “Christoplatonism” – i.e., the view that denigrates the resurrection and makes heaven purely spiritual, with no eating, drinking, dwelling, working, playing, etc. I believe we will do all those things in heaven in true bodies, and, like Alcorn, I believe the final state of heaven will be on a restored earth. So what’s the beef?

The beef is that forcing all these texts which are really about the church on earth into the final state alone distorts the whole calling of the gospel, distorts the calling of the church. The church is supposed to be heaven on earth. We’re not supposed to wait for Christ to fix it all in the final state. He gave that job to us: that’s the Sermon on the Mount. We are the ones who pray “Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.” Jesus brought the “kingdom of heaven” to earth. That’s the whole point of His mission. The cross and resurrection initiated the new world promised in Isaiah. The Holy Spirit came at Pentecost and started New Heavens and New Earth then. Jesus said the church was that “city on a hill” to the world. And when Christ and the Spirit have created that kind of just church community pictured in Isaiah, then we will face the final judgment, when that church that has followed the OT and Jesus’ path in caring for the weak and marginal will enter into greater glory (Matthew 25:31ff), the final state.

But notice if you sequester all the church’s glorious duties off into the future state alone, then the church here and now becomes an irrelevant, intellectual club, like most conservative evangelical churches today. We firmly believe our job is only to get individual bodies into heaven, and we read most of the NT, especially Romans, as instructions about how to get into heaven, when in fact the NT message is much richer and more challenging than that (to get a fun shock try reading Romans as if it isn’t about heaven but more like Habakkuk and Isaiah). If we’re just an intellectual club then we’re reduced to cheap grace. And Alcorn gives us that cheap grace that prevails in conservative evangelical churches. How does Alcorn assure us that we’ll make it into heaven? His answer is purely intellectual: “Make the conscious decision to accept Christ’s sacrificial death on your behalf” (36) Isn’t it at all strange that Jesus doesn’t talk this way? And, as expected, Alcorn has to warn us against works: “Those who assume their religious activities alone will get them into Heaven will have a terrible surprise ahead” (36) – as if the promoters of cheap grace won’t be even more shocked.

Bonhoeffer was on to simple NT truth: “Cheap grace is the deadly enemy of our Church. We are fighting today for costly grace....Cheap grace means grace as a doctrine, a principle, a system....An intellectual assent to that idea is held to be of itself sufficient to secure remission of sins....Cheap grace is grace without discipleship, grace without the cross.”
Profile Image for Natalie Weber.
Author 3 books62 followers
October 30, 2009
This is unquestionably the best book (other than the Bible, of course!) that I’ve ever read! At a whopping 500+ pages, it may appear daunting, but it is broken down into short, easy-to-manage chapters. I could almost feel myself being blessed each morning as I read from it, and I wouldn’t be surprised if I read it again someday (once everyone else in my family finishes reading it, since I’ve told them all that they absolutely must!). Mr. Alcorn shatters the preconceived conception that most people today have of heaven – including myself. Instead he presents what he believes to be a more biblical picture – based on 25 years of study on the topic, and a dose of biblically-inspired imagination. He particularly dispels the notion that heaven is an ethereal world where we, as disembodied spirits, will spend eternity floating on clouds and playing harps – an image that causes many people to claim indifference as to whether they are going to heaven when they die or not. He places a lot of emphasis on the God’s promise to create a new heavens and a new earth. I was particularly enlightened by the explanation that God’s plan for redemption includes not just the souls of men, but the whole of creation. His ultimate plan is to redeem the entire world and return it to a state of complete perfection – devoid of sin, pain, and death. And that’s where we will dwell for all of eternity, in our humanity, but free of corruption. There is so much more that I could say, but you really should just read the book for yourself!
Profile Image for Nathan.
11 reviews1 follower
February 18, 2009
For many Christians this book represents an "outside-of-the-box" approach to thinking about and envisioning Heaven. The common theme is "What if?" and "Why not?" when it comes to the realities of our future Home. The author lays the groundwork for his claims with specific scriptures on the topic that have been undertaught and/or passed off as figurative. This is a refreshing look at Heaven that has given me a renewed anticipation of my ultimate reward!
Profile Image for Audrey.
1,525 reviews74 followers
November 4, 2017
I've cried buckets of tears while reading this book. It gives me such a longing for what God has prepared for those who love Him. Sometimes I wonder what I will do when I meet Jesus for the first time. Will I dance for joy, fall down and worship Him, or give Him a huge hug? I do know I will be delighted and thrilled!

I can't wait to see the home that He has prepared for me. I can imagine that one of the first things I will be doing will be dancing with the pure joy of living. One idea that thrills me is all the animals that I hope to be there. We will all be able to live in peace and harmony the way God originally intended.

I am excited by the fact that there will be no pain or sorrow, death and sad farewells. We can be with our friends for all of eternity without sin to mar our relationships. We will be able to become acquainted with those who have gone before us and people from other lands. We will know and understand their stories.

I can't wait to attend the universities there where I will be able to learn the complete truth without fear of deception. I believe that many of my dreams will be fulfilled. No doubt I will be able to travel around the world. Who knows? Maybe I will even travel to outer space!

Whatever Heaven will be like it will be much grander than we can ever imagine. I want to make every effort to get there and I hope to meet you all there!
Profile Image for Leslie Christopher.
78 reviews5 followers
December 27, 2010
I didn't finish this book....got about 3/4 of the way through it and it became so repetitive and so much conjecture that I just didn't see the point. I will say that the first several hundred pages are devoted to the actual theology of Heaven and Alcorn does a great job of documenting his claims Biblically, and I enjoyed this part very much. I also want to give him credit for not being dogmatic about his eschatological view, and for (repeatedly) stating that his vision of what the New Creation will actually be like is "his" idea and not necessarily scriptural.

The man has a great imagination. The good thing is, IMHO, that the reality will be even greater than what he has imagined!

I would recommend this book just for the theology part. The rest of it was interesting to a point and if you want to dream and wonder about the wonder of it all then go for it!
Profile Image for Ron.
Author 1 book150 followers
November 18, 2019
It was okay, but it should have been much better. The subject deserves better, and Alcorn is capable of better.

For openers, he crowded two or three hundred pages of essentials into almost six hundred. He hid his serious arguments in idle speculation and self-quotations (yes, he cites his own fictional works). Believers in the literal inerrancy of the Bible may even have trouble with some of his convoluted logic, but most of it is so buttressed with footnotes (see above) and Biblical citations that the average reader will not bother. No, the average reader will not finish the book. (My wife managed less than fifty pages.)

His thesis, that Heaven is real, may seem an oxymoron to Christians, but he'd quickly add, "No, really real. And there are two of them . . . no, three. From a certain point of view."

Acorn's tome is almost saved by the wonderful sidebars which litter the text, but what it really needs was a good editing.

If you read the Bible every morning, I suggest putting Heaven on your night stand. If you can't get to sleep. Don't count sheep; read Heaven. It'll put you out.
Profile Image for Treece.
521 reviews147 followers
May 16, 2020
Rating: 5 stars

An amazing book that will make you rethink assumptions about heaven and all you thought it was or was not. I was floored and look forward to experiencing all the possibilities. Whether you are a believer or not, this is an amazing book that will open your mind to possibilities beyond your wildest imagination.
Profile Image for Cherie Miller.
52 reviews19 followers
May 29, 2022
I think every Christian should read this book. It’s been a huge encouragement to me over the 3 months it took me to read it, and blew most of my pre-conceived notions out of the water. The way I look at life now, even the everyday moments, is so different knowing that it not only matters for eternity but carries over into eternity. The unfulfilled longings in my life make me excited now knowing they are there for a reason and being with Jesus and all He has prepared will meet all of them and more. Alcorn’s writing style in this book is fairly repetitive, which gets a little old by the end of 473 pages. :) But the content is so worth the read, every chapter.
Profile Image for Anne.
571 reviews32 followers
November 20, 2023
I don't think any other book has awakened so much joy in me, and love for our heavenly Father, Who created us for eternal, joyful, purposeful, worshipful life with Him.

Alcorn does not take any word for granted when studying the scriptures that speak of heaven. His meticulous detailed research combined with a sense of curiosity reveal truths hidden in plain sight. There are answers to the questions we have about heaven if we only take the Bible at its word.

But he also steps back from the minute details of each word's meaning and examines the big picture, God's overall plan and purpose for creation. All the puzzle pieces of the details fall into place when you see the whole picture.

Part one was my favorite part, and part three was a wonderful closing exhortation. Part two was a little too speculative for me, although it did get me thinking and pondering and imagining about things I never took the time to consider. I don't think anyone can answer some of those questions with any certainty but there's nothing wrong with pondering them and considering what we do know to be true.

I encourage everyone to read this book. It's long but it's not pedantic or academic at all. It's written in a very approachable style, very readable.
Profile Image for Kristin Emily.
Author 1 book5 followers
December 28, 2008
This book completely changed my view of heaven. It made me realize some things that I had believed but never really realized what I believed. This is packed full of scripture references - so it isn't just his opinion.

This has helped me look forward to heaven as well as see how my life here on earth right now ties in with my life that I will live in heaven....I realized that I used to think that you lived here, then you died and then everyone started out on the same playing field again (so to speak). This helped me see that we will continue to learn in heaven, and the things that I learn here and the skills that I develop here, I'll take with me in heaven....so it adds eternal purpose to what I do now.
Profile Image for Ruth.
Author 15 books190 followers
October 17, 2014
If American Evangelicals suffer from any areas of spiritual poverty, they're the areas of the Holy Spirit and the theology of heaven. If you find that your ideas of the eternal state are vague and insubstantial, I strongly suggest this book as a good place to start. I like the clear biblical basis for Alcorn's major points, and I like that when he's speculating, he says so. Best of all, even his speculations are not mere speculations: they're rooted in overarching principles observable in Scripture. Recommended.
Profile Image for Brandon Sickling.
89 reviews1 follower
March 8, 2024
I went into this book pretty cynical; expecting a lot of speculation, overwrought conclusions, and wishful, feel-good theology. There was certainly some of that; a few of the conclusions on animals come to mind. But the vast majority of the book was steeped in biblical theology. I would recommend this book for two reasons:

1. It is an incredibly effective apologetic against the heresy of Christo-Platonism. It destroys the assumptions that have crept into how we think about Heaven. It’s not floaty, or echoey. It’s more real than our current existence.

2. Meditating on Heaven prepares us for it, and puts our lives in the proper, eternal perspective. As he writes in the last chapter: “If my wedding date is on the calendar, and I’m thinking of the person I’m going to marry, I shouldn’t be an easy target for seduction.”

Really, really appreciated this book. As wonderful as our eternal home is described in its pages, I know it will be even better.
Profile Image for Dan Mills.
8 reviews1 follower
July 19, 2011
I loved this book. This definitely goes into my favorites category. This book took away some of the fear of dying. I believe the author is right on the mark, theologically, and expounds with logic in area's that are not in black and white in God's Word. Below are a couple of my favorite quotes:

"As long as God keeps you here on Earth, it’s exactly where he wants you. He’s preparing you for another world. He knows precisely what he’s doing. Through your suffering, difficulty, and depression, he’s expanding your capacity for eternal joy. Our lives on Earth are a training camp to ready us for Heaven."

and

"Science fiction is the result of mankind’s God-given sense of adventure, wonder, creativity, and imagination. It emerges from being made in God’s image. Like everything else undertaken by sinful humans, science fiction is often riddled with false philosophies and assumptions that glorify mankind and ignore God. But this shouldn’t cause us to dismiss its glimpses of what an infinitely creative God might fashion across the broad expanse of the new heavens and the New Earth. Is God’s imagination less than that of his image-bearers? Or is the height of human imagination at its best a reflection of the infinite creativity of the divine mind?"
Profile Image for Stephie.
8 reviews
August 2, 2007
Great biblical insight about what heaven and the new earth will be like - and how incredible (and not boring) both will be.

Reminds the reader that God is accomplishing everything for His name's sake - for His own glory it shall all be accomplished. And the already accomplished work of Christ - his life, death, and resurrection - are not only the means by which individuals are saved from their sins against God, but also the means by which the whole earth (all of creation) shall be redeemed.

This book has a jazzing affect on Christian readers - not only concerning the new earth - but also in their desire to share the good news of Jesus with those that do not yet believe. They are reminded that God is sovereignly at work using them as clay vessels to share with others His plan of redemption for this world.

Profile Image for Gail.
174 reviews1 follower
January 3, 2020
After my mother passed on into eternity, I was drawn to this book, wanting to learn about the place where she now lives. It’s a lengthy book (492 pages) and at times, overly wordy, but I loved that Alcorn took our often pre-conceived ideas of what heaven is like or could be like and turned them upside down. Although there is a lot of speculation and imaginative elements to the book, I found that his picture of heaven and the new earth opened up for me a longing for and anticipation of my future home - a place filled with the presence of God and endless possibilities of how that will impact us for all eternity. I lingered over this book for months and continue to read passages - it has been a huge help in my grieving process. Well worth reading and discussing!
Profile Image for C-shaw.
852 reviews60 followers
Currently reading
August 22, 2016
A hardback borrowed from my Mum. Fascinating! Here is the best reason to read it, quoting from the book: "Satan need not convince us that Heaven doesn't exist. He need only convince us that Heaven is a place of boring, unearthly existence. If we believe that lie, we'll be robbed of our joy and anticipation, we'll set our minds on this life and not the next, and we won't be motivated to share our faith. Why should we share the 'good news' that people can spend eternity in a boring, ghostly place that even WE'RE not looking forward to?"
Indeed.
Profile Image for Keri.
215 reviews29 followers
June 10, 2023
Adding this to my "Every Christian should read this at least once in their life" stack. I was about halfway through this when we unexpectedly lost my stepsister, and it took on a whole new level of emotion, urgency, beauty, and meaningfulness.

Highly recommend - especially for those who have lost someone close to them who was a believer in Christ.

"But for me to live is Christ, to die is gain... I am hard pressed between the two. Yet my desire is to depart and be with Christ, for that is far better."
- Philippians 1:22-23
Profile Image for Jeremy.
Author 1 book289 followers
March 18, 2019
One of the Sunday morning Bible classes at our church did a study based on this book. I didn't agree with everything in it, but I enjoyed it overall. One of the main takeaways was the idea of continuity from this life to the next: we won't be disembodied spirits, creation is still good and meant to be cultivated, etc. Some other thoughts here.
Profile Image for Zach Bouchie.
12 reviews11 followers
April 13, 2020
Great book! It only took me two years, but I learned a ton. I think it could be shortened a bit, but maybe I just feel that way because it’s the longest book I’ve ever read. 😅😂
42 reviews3 followers
December 21, 2023
I really read the short version, but I can’t find that on goodreads. So here I am getting credit for a 500 page book instead of a 70 page book.
Profile Image for Hanna Way.
40 reviews451 followers
July 20, 2022
I recommend this book to every believer. ❤️
Profile Image for Anthony Joseph.
81 reviews3 followers
November 23, 2022
This beast of a book is probably our best resource about Heaven besides the Bible.
I definitely think it's a must-read for any Christ-follower, as it orients your heart and mind about the goodness coming for us after our passing and/or when Jesus returns, which will change everything about the lives we're living right now.
Be ready to grind nearly 500 pages of a theology of Heaven!🙌🏼
Profile Image for Maria Elmvang.
Author 2 books101 followers
March 5, 2021
When I first read this back in 2007, it was the first book I read on the topic of Heaven, and as such I found it extremely interesting and thought-provoking. This time around I was less impressed, and had to downgrade the rating from 4 to 3 stars.

Randy Alcorn does forth a lot of interesting theories, but while there were a few I hadn't thought of before (like the idea of an intermediate Heaven where believers go between the time they die and the bodily resurrection to the New Earth), most I either felt were obvious (to me, at least), or I felt he drew broader conclusions than the Scripture allows. I'm still glad I've read it, and it did make me long for Heaven, but I'd no longer recommend it unreservedly, and am very unlikely to reread it a second time.
Profile Image for Debi Walter.
Author 2 books16 followers
November 12, 2008
This book has helped me grow in my love for eternity. There have been times when thinking of life after death has frightened me, not knowing what to expect. Randy has researched the Scriptures extensively, and his perspective is like a fresh breeze blowing in a stagnant room. I didn't realize how much I had embraced a false view of Heaven until now. Everything that I love about life here on Earth is just a shadow of the world to come! When I arrive in Heaven it will be familiar to me because that is the world for which I was made. I highly recommend this book - although long - it is worth a slow, contemplative read.
Profile Image for Lynette Norton.
Author 3 books4 followers
June 5, 2011
I'm thankful Randy had the insight to write such a book as this. Since the death of my daughter I have wanted to know more about Heaven and why not, she lives there now. When people lose a loved one they have so many unanswered questions and Randy does a great job addressing most every one I can think of about their new address(Heaven). Trouble is their new residence is in a place where we can't just get on an airplane and go for a visit, but Randy uses scripture to paint us a beautiful picture of what Heaven is like for them and will be for those of us who believe.
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