In heaven, will we experience time?

Quick answer

The Bible doesn’t give a clear explanation of how time works in heaven, but it suggests that time may not function as we know it. God, the creator of time, has prepared an eternal, timeless place for believers in His presence, but until then we can seek to glorify God with our time.

WHAT DOES THE BIBLE SAY?

The Bible doesn't provide a clear answer about how time works in heaven. Revelation suggests that the New Jerusalem, where believers will dwell with God, won't need the sun or moon, indicating time may not function as we experience it on earth. Second Peter 3:8 also hints that God is not bound by time, which may suggest heaven operates outside of our time constraints. However, there are mentions of time passing in heaven, such as the souls of martyrs being aware of time in Revelation 6:10-11. Ultimately, while we don’t have full clarity, the Bible emphasizes that God is the creator of time and has prepared an eternal place for believers in His presence.

FROM THE OLD TESTAMENT

Time in heaven is not specifically mentioned in the New Testament.

FROM THE NEW TESTAMENT

Referring to the New Jerusalem, where those who have faith in Jesus Christ as Savior will dwell with God forever, Revelation 21:23 says "And the city has no need of sun or moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light, and its lamp is the Lamb." Some take this to mean that without the sun or moon, by which we base our time measurements, there will be no time in heaven, at least not as we know it now.

Second Peter 3:8 indicates that God is not bound by time: "But do not overlook this one fact, beloved, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day." Since heaven is God's dwelling place, perhaps those who dwell with Him will also not be bound by time.

But the Bible references time in heaven, as in Revelation 8:1: "When the Lamb opened the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven for about half an hour." We don't know if John, who was alive but experiencing a special revelation, counted the half an hour as he would have on earth or whether those in heaven also realized this measurement of time.

Though we don't know if time as we know it exists in heaven, Revelation indicates that people in heaven are aware of time passing on earth. The souls of the martyrs know about the passage of time and were told to "rest a little longer" though we don't know how long or how that time is to be measured (Revelation 6:10-11).

Later in Revelation, John writes about the passage of seasons and months and the passage of time in heaven. It may be that he could only describe these occurrences in terms he could grasp. It does seem that he describes a twelve-month repeating passage of time, like a year in Revelation 22:1–2.

IMPLICATIONS FOR TODAY

We don't know, from the Bible, what time will be like in heaven, but we do know that God established time for us. There was a beginning (Genesis 1:1), He created night and day (Genesis 1 and 2), and there are other references to God working in time. He created time, at least for us while on Earth. Much about heaven is beyond our understanding and beyond a clear description even of what John saw. We do see that God is good and that He has prepared and is preparing a good place for us to be with Him forever. Revelation 21:5-7 says, "And he who was seated on the throne said, 'Behold, I am making all things new.' Also he said, 'Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.' And he said to me, 'It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. To the thirsty I will give from the spring of the water of life without payment. The one who conquers will have this heritage, and I will be his God and he will be my son.'"

UNDERSTAND

The Bible doesn't clearly explain how time works in heaven, but there are some time references regarding heaven in the Bible.

Heaven may exist outside of our time constraints, as God is not bound by time.

God has prepared an eternal place for believers.

REFLECT

How do you view the concept of time, and how does that affect the way you approach your daily life?

How can you make the most of your time on earth, knowing that God has prepared an eternal place for believers with Him?

How does the idea of a timeless heaven shape your understanding of God's eternal nature?

ENGAGE

How would the absence of time in heaven impact our experience of eternity with God?

What implications does it have that the souls of martyrs in Revelation are aware of time passing on earth?

How can we encourage one another to live with an eternal perspective, given that time is a gift from God?