50 Things You Need to Know About Heaven by John Hart

There is so much about heaven in the media these days it is hard to know what is biblical. “This book is designed to be your guide to what the Bible says about heaven,” Hart writes.

He starts off making sure his readers understand who will be in heaven. He clarifies the one condition to get to heaven: “to believe in Jesus as the One who can forgive your rebellion against God and take you to heaven when you die.”

He answers 50 questions. Some are clear and his answer is no surprise. Other questions have been recently debated, such as whether people get a second chance to believe in Jesus after they die. He gives all the relevant Scripture passages on every question.

He covers issues such as what we will be doing in heaven, where heaven is, whether there will be animals in heaven or marriage, heaven's physical nature, time in heaven, the nature of human bodies in heaven, whether we'll eat in heaven, what other religions say about heaven,and much more.

His answers are based on Scripture but there is some speculation as well. I am not so sure on a few of his answers. “Everyone's body will be fully developed but youthful and ageless.” (Q. 30) That includes children of faith who have died before reaching adulthood as well as those who have died in old age. He uses the example of Adam and Eve to argue such a youthful body is God's archetype so that's how we'll be in heaven. Another answer surprised me, perhaps because I'd never thought about it. Writing about eating in heaven, he says the food and drink will be entirely absorbed. “There will be no need for any elimination of liquids or solids.” (Q. 32)

This is not an exhaustive book about heaven by any means. It would be a good introduction for someone who is puzzled by all the current talk about it.

John Hart is Professor of Bible at the Moody Bible Institute. He received his ThM from Dallas Theological Seminary and his ThD from Grace Theological Seminary.

Bethany House Publishers, 144 pages.

I received a complimentary egalley of this book from the publisher for the purpose of an independent and honest review.