Where is heaven? Does heaven have a specific location?

from the old testament

• Heaven is portrayed as God's throne, a place of divine authority and holiness (1 Kings 8:30; Psalm 11:4).
• While the Old Testament does not provide precise geographical details, it often depicts heaven as being "above" the earth (Psalm 103:19; Isaiah 66:1).
• Heaven is presented as a place of worship, where heavenly beings (like angels) continually praise and serve God (Isaiah 6:1-3).
• Job 1 and 2 offer some information regarding what heaven is like. Job 1:6-12 notes that at least at one time Satan had access to come before God and His holy angels and make requests of Him.

from the new testament

• In 2 Corinthians 12:1-4, the apostle Paul referred to this heaven or "paradise" as a heavenly realm or as the "third heaven." This location was separate from the first heaven (the skies above) and the second heaven (the expanse of outer space). This is the heaven where God dwells.
• Because God is spirit (John 4:24), it could be said that the heaven where God dwells exists on a separate plane than we currently do. Heaven is not completely non-physical, but it is not in a location in our physical universe.
• Jesus, in His resurrection body, is in heaven, as affirmed in Acts 1:9-11, Ephesians 4:10, and Hebrews 1:3.
• Angels and deceased believers are also in heaven with God (Matthew 18:10; Luke 16:22; Hebrews 12:22-23). As God's creation, they exist in time and space, as reflected in Colossians 1:16 and Acts 7:55-56.
• Hebrews 11 indicates that the believers of the past are already in heaven with God.
• Revelation 4 offers a vision of the apostle John entering heaven through a door in the sky. He then finds himself in heaven before the throne of the Lord. Again, this is a vision in which John is in the spiritual realm beyond this world. No other identifying location is mentioned, though some references are made of looking down at what was taking place on Earth. Where is heaven? According to Revelation 7:1-4, heaven is clearly beyond the Earth and larger than the Earth since the angels were standing at the four corners of the Earth.
• While the location of heaven is unobservable to those on Earth at present, the Bible describes a final state in which there will be a new heaven, new Earth, and new heavenly city (Revelation 21—22). At this future time, all of God's people will dwell with Him in this new realm for all eternity.
• The Lord's Prayer in Matthew 6:9-10 shows that heaven is the place of the Father where His name is revered, His kingdom reigns, and His will is done.
• The heavenly realm is mentioned in Ephesians 6:10-18 as the realm in which the spiritual forces of evil exist. This does not mean there are evil spirits in heaven, but that there is a spiritual realm in which heaven exists as well as hell and evil spiritual forces.

implications for today

Heaven exists in a realm in which God is present, along with angels, believers, and other creatures apart from the sinful curse of the world. This heavenly realm will one day transition into a final state that includes a new heaven, new Earth, and new heavenly city where God and His children will dwell forever (Revelation 21—22). In this new heavenly state, there will be no more suffering, pain, or death, as God Himself will wipe away every tear from His people’s eyes (Revelation 21:4). The new heaven and new Earth will be a perfect, restored creation, untainted by sin, where God's glory will illuminate everything, eliminating the need for the sun or moon (Revelation 21:23). In this eternal home, believers will live in intimate, unbroken fellowship with God, experiencing His presence fully, as He will be their God and they will be His people (Revelation 21:3). The heavenly city will have no temple because the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb (Jesus) will be its temple, signifying the direct and continuous presence of God with His people (Revelation 21:22). This new creation will be characterized by eternal peace, joy, and perfect harmony as God's redemptive work reaches its final and glorious completion.