Will good works, traditions or experiences get you to heaven? Some prophets and disciples were given a glimpse of Heaven or were taken up into Heaven. Stephen, a first-century Christian, was stoned to death because of his faith. Before his death, Stephen asked the Lord to forgive those throwing the stones. His final words were “…Lord Jesus, receive my spirit!” (Acts 7:59).

So, is Heaven an experience or a real place? What does the Bible say about heaven? Here are just three times that the Bible mentions the reality of Heaven:

1. Elijah Was Taken to Heaven

Elijah the prophet did not experience death; His disciple Elisha witnessed his being taken to Heaven. It was not a surprise to him; the Lord had told him he was to be taken. “As they were walking along and talking, suddenly a chariot of fire appeared, drawn by horses of fire. It drove between the two men, separating them, and Elijah was carried by a whirlwind into heaven” (2 Kings 2:11:12).

2. John’s Vision

The disciple John received The Revelation of Jesus Christ (the final book of the Bible) while he was exiled on an island. In Revelation 4, John’s vision reveals what’s going to happen when Jesus comes back as Victorious Ruler. John saw God sitting on his throne as four creatures worshipped him. “Day after day and night after night they kept on saying, Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God, the Almighty—the one who always was, who is, and who is still to come.”

3. Jesus ascends to Heaven

When Jesus went to Heaven, he left a promise for all those who believed in His resurrection: “After I go and make a place for you, I will come back and take you with Me. Then you may be where I am” (John 14:3). The sacrifice Jesus made on the cross gives us the confidence that Heaven is more than just an experience; it is the place we will spend eternity with our Savior. As He said, Jesus is the only way to Heaven. (John 14:6)