Will We Know Each Other in Heaven?

A very common question that is asked is, “Will we know each other in heaven?” This is a wonderful question that the Bible answers. To begin, it would be important to recognize that heaven will be the home for the church that belongs to Christ eternally. When we consider this, we think about our brethren who have lived faithfully (cf. Rev. 2:10; 1 John 1:7, Mark 13:13) and have died. We might miss them in this interim time, and thus hope to see them again. That is a wonderful thought, is it not? We spend our lives together with our Christian spouses, children, and brethren. We worship with, pray with, and serve with these individuals throughout our lives. Would it be wrong to want to have a continued fellowship with one another in eternity? 

There is Comfort in God’s Word Concerning Heaven

The Thessalonian Christians in the first century were concerned about those of their number who had passed. Listen to what the Spirit said, 

“But we would not have you ignorant, brethren, concerning them that fall asleep; that ye sorrow not, even as the rest, who have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also that are fallen asleep in Jesus will God bring with him. For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we that are alive, that are left unto the coming of the Lord, shall in no wise precede them that are fallen asleep. For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven, with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first; then we that are alive, that are left, shall together with them be caught up in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. Wherefore comfort one another with these words.

1 Thessalonians 4:13-18

        God intended to assure his children that they would know each other in heaven. From the above passage, we recognize this and other lessons. Namely, those who are asleep in Jesus (the faithful dead) will be brought up on the last day, they will rise first and those who remain alive at that time will together be brought up in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air and they will be with the Lord. As we were together with the saints on this earth, we will be together again in eternity. 

        Paul then writes, “comfort one another with these words.” There is certainly comfort in these words, forever being with the Lord is comfort enough. However, it appears that there is comfort in knowing that all the faithful will be together and can be comforted by this in the interim. 

David Found Comfort in Heaven

In addition, we can consider an event in the life of David. As recorded in 2 Samuel, the child that Bathsheba bore to David became ill. During this time David is fasting and praying, but the innocent child dies. His men were concerned about telling the king that the child had died, but David could understand that this had happened. David then proceeds to get himself off the ground, anoints himself, changes his clothes, goes to worship Jehovah, and then eats. His servants wondered why he did it this way. David expressed great despair while the child was still living, but now, rather than mourn, he fixed himself up, worshiped, and ate food. Why the change? The normal reaction to such is mourning, but David’s hope comforted him.  David states, 

“And he said, While the child was yet alive, I fasted and wept: for I said, Who knoweth whether Jehovah will not be gracious to me, that the child may live? But now he is dead, wherefore should I fast? Can I bring him back again? I shall go to him, but he will not return to me.”

2 Samuel 12:22-23

        David’s response helps us understand that he had every hope that he would not only see, but know his child who died in Paradise (cf. Luke 23:43). David had every intention of being with the Lord, and certainly the innocent child was in Abraham’s bosom at that very hour (cf. Luke 16:23). What comfort is there in knowing that we can share eternity and know those who have been lost, including infants lost before, at, or after birth? 

The Righteous Will Be Gathered Together in Heaven

Oftentimes when individuals died in the Old Testament the Scripture will use the phrase, “gathered unto his people” to describe when someone has died. This is the case for Abraham of whom it is written, “Then Abraham breathed his last and died in a good old age, an old man and full of years, and was gathered to his people” (Gen 25:8). Just like Abraham; Ishmael (Gen. 35:29), Jacob (Gen. 49:29, 33), Moses and Aaron (Num. 20:24-26; Deut. 32:50) were all gathered to their people. One might say, “Doesn’t that just mean that they buried him in the family tomb or something?” After all, this is a common practice among many cultures that we bury our dead in family cemeteries, or the same area of a larger cemetery. This however, cannot be the case of Moses, because he was buried in an undisclosed location in Moab apart from any of his ancestors (cf. Deut. 34:6; Jude 6). So, we are to conclude that it was the spirit that was gathered to his people, not the tabernacle of his physical body. Perhaps another circumstance we might consider is that on the Mount of Transfiguration. Elijah (who never died but is in Paradise, cf. 2 Kings 2:11) and Moses were discernible to Peter who never knew them face to face (cf. Matt. 17:3-4). 

        Finally, we can be assured that we will know each other in death. This is a good thing. I cannot find any Scripture that teaches the opposite, nor can I imagine the God who created the family, and the church, would wipe our minds completely clear, and put us in eternity with no recollection of anyone with whom we will share in that eternity. As the Spirit said, “find comfort in these words.”

Grace and Peace, 

R.D. Beavers