The bible teaches us that some people are already in heaven praising God. It speaks of Jesus Christ ascending to heaven after His resurrection, where He sits at the right hand of the Father. It also shows examples like Elijah, who was taken up to heaven, and Enoch, who “walked with God” and was taken by Him. In the New Testament, the martyr Stephen, as he was dying, saw a vision of Jesus standing at God’s right hand, which suggests a real and present heavenly realm where Christ reigns.
At the same time, Scripture teaches that the fullness of salvation will be completed in the future resurrection, when all who belong to Christ will be raised and transformed. Believers who have died are described as being “with the Lord,” indicating a conscious fellowship with Him, even before the final resurrection. So, the biblical picture points to heaven as already inhabited by God, His angels, and those who have been taken into His presence, while also looking forward to a greater gathering when Christ returns.
