This week, as we remember the passing of Billy Graham on February 21, 2018, we’ll take a daily look at questions he was asked about Heaven:
What will we look like when we get to Heaven?
“The Bible doesn’t answer all our questions about Heaven. However, this question is put to rest – at least in part – in 1 John 3:2: “What we will be has not yet been made known. But we known that when He appears, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is.”
It is only natural to be curious abut 𝘸𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘸𝘦 𝘥𝘰 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘬𝘯𝘰𝘸. We long to know what is over the hill. Many have searched the Scriptures for a hint of what our bodies will look like in the afterlife.
What we’ll look like in Heaven isn’t stated in the Bible, but it seems that we will recognize one another, just as Moses and Elijah were recognized by the disciples who were witnesses of Jesus’ transfiguration (Matthew 17:1-8). The Bible says, “for the LORD does not see as man sees; for man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart” (1 Samuel 16:7 NKJV).
Part of Heaven’s glory is that our bodies will be transformed, and we will become like Jesus Christ in His perfect resurrected body. We won’t be subject to the ills and ravages of old age like we are now, for we will be changed.
Only God could take two eyes, a nose, and a mouth, and make every person who has ever lived an individual – totally unique. It’s not inconceivable, then, that God in Heaven can perfect His children – who bear His image – without changing their individual uniqueness.
While the Bible doesn’t say exactly what we’ll look like, it does tell us that our faces will reflect the face of our Redeemer. “[We] will see Your face in righteousness; [we] shall be satisfied when [we] awake in Your likeness” (Psalm 17:15 NKJV). Heaven will not reflect our earthly desires; instead we will reflect Heaven’s King, our Lord Jesus Christ.”