Heaven in Scripture operates on three levels: (1) the atmospheric sky where birds fly and weather forms; (2) the stellar heaven, the universe of stars and planets; and (3) the "third heaven" (2 Corinthians 12:2) — the dwelling place of God, the realm of His presence, glory, and throne. The Christian hope is not to escape to a disembodied, cloudlike heaven forever, but to be raised bodily and inhabit the new heaven and new earth (Revelation 21:1) — a renewed, glorified creation where God dwells with His people. Heaven is currently the intermediate state where believers are "with Christ" (Philippians 1:23) — which is better — but the final state is the resurrection and the new creation. Heaven is not the destination; the new creation is.
HEAVEN, n. The region or expanse which surrounds the earth, and which appears above and around us, like an immense arch or vault, in which are seen the sun, moon and stars; the sky or firmament. The dwelling place of the Deity, and of pure and happy spirits; the empyrean. The state of the blessed after death. The Supreme Power; God; used by the Jews, who abstained from the use of the word God. Felicity; bliss.
Popular culture has sentimentalized heaven into a place where everyone goes (universalism), where we "become angels," and where deceased pets wait for us on rainbow bridges. It is used as a vague comfort: "He's in a better place." Christian popular theology has often reduced it to an eternal church service of clouds and harps — a conception no one actually wants. N.T. Wright argues correctly that the popular Christian view is closer to Plato than Paul: the goal is not the soul escaping the body, but the whole person raised to inhabit a restored creation. The New Testament's vision of the future is earthy, embodied, communal, and cosmically triumphant — God coming down to dwell with man (Revelation 21:3), not man escaping up to a disembodied realm.
Revelation 21:1–4 — "Then I saw 'a new heaven and a new earth'… God's dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them."
Matthew 6:9–10 — "Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come… on earth as it is in heaven."
Philippians 1:23 — "I desire to depart and be with Christ, which is better by far."
John 14:2–3 — "My Father's house has many rooms… I am going there to prepare a place for you."
2 Corinthians 5:1 — "We have a building from God, an eternal house in heaven, not built by human hands."
H8064 — שָׁמַיִם (shamayim) — heavens, sky, firmament; always plural; paired with "earth" in Genesis 1:1
G3772 — οὐρανός (ouranos) — heaven, sky, the realm above; used for atmospheric, stellar, and divine heaven
G3772 note — "Kingdom of Heaven" in Matthew = "Kingdom of God" in Mark/Luke; Matthew uses "Heaven" reverently as a Jewish circumlocution for God
"The goal of the gospel is not to get you to heaven — it is to get heaven to you. The prayer is 'your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as in heaven.'"
"Heaven is not the Christian's final destination. It is the waiting room. The new creation — resurrected, embodied, physical — is the destination."
"When Jesus said 'the kingdom of heaven is at hand,' He meant: the realm of God's reign is breaking into this world. Not an escape from it."