Heaven and Hell: Summary of Pictures

Heaven is:

The Garden of God (Eden, Paradise): a place of beauty, peace, productivity, provision, pleasure, and intimacy, brimming with life and delights. A river of life waters the garden, The Tree of Life yields its healing fruits, and there is no harm or death there. We have pleasurable purpose, and we can walk with our beloved Husband, Jesus. See full study.

The Walled City of God (New Jerusalem): a place of productivity, prosperity, safety and light, ringing with the sounds of good gatherings. There is joy, fellowship, and music at the marriage of the Lamb. All is good and just, and we are included; the massive wall separates us from the death, darkness and filth outside. See full study.

The Temple or Tabernacle of God, where we live with God in His own house, freed from the curse of separation through the excellent sacrifice of Jesus. All is pure from sin; the place is permeated with the pleasing aroma of justice, repentance, prayer and holiness (the sacrifice of the Lamb and even the smoke of Gehenna, the answered prayers of the saints, the anointing oil of our Great High Priest). All acknowledge God as the appropriate center of awesome respect and orderly praise— a huge, universal song rises. At last there is no barrier: we enjoy intimate fellowship with God forever, talking with Him face to face as friend to friend. See full study.

The Throne Room of God, where we see God high and lifted up with surpassing power. He is celebrated as King of Kings and Lord of Lords. We gather around the throne with every living creature to give Him praise. His justice is perfect: thunder and lightning go out from the throne, heaping justice and rage on the guilty enemies whom He has cast out of His presence. Nevertheless, we enjoy His favor and intimacy—we see His unveiled face, and blessings flow from His throne like a river of life. See full study.

The Banquet or Wedding Feast Given by God: we are His invited guests to recline and fellowship with Him forever. The supply is bounteous, the atmosphere is happy and relaxed; there is music and dancing for joy. We recline on Abraham’s bosom, enjoying consolation and comfort from our earthly troubles—God wipes away every tear. See full study.


The Household and Inheritance of our Heavenly Father: a good land and a large, flowing with milk and honey, to be possessed forever; a place prepared for us by Jesus. We are welcomed home and celebrated by our Father (ring, robe, shoes, the fatted calf). See full study.



Hell is:

Fire: agony instead of delights, the cup of wrath instead of communion and consolation: no fruits, no camaraderie, no songs, no consolation, no love. See full study.

Gehenna: filled with despicable practices, punishment, and death; crawling with corruption forever; a place for burning unclean things. See full study.


Cast Out into Darkness: being evicted from Paradise, outside the walls of the bright city, thrust out of the feast, cast out of the presence of the Lord, left without any inheritance or place in the land. It is gloom, hopelessness and fear instead of the light of God’s presence. See full study.

Return to Introduction of Heaven and Hell.

Return to Index of all Studies