Can people in Heaven see what’s happening on earth?
If you are like me, you most likely have been to a funeral of a family member, a friend or co-worker. Depending on how close you were to that person, the pain and the grief could be overwhelming. Thank God that He comforts us through the loved ones He has put in our lives. We all need that closeness, that togetherness that God uses to give us the grace to get through those difficult times in our life as we think about never seeing the person again in our lifetime. I have heard people say many times that that person who died is looking down on us from Heaven. There are a whole lot of people that believe that. So, what about that? Are we going to be able to look down from heaven and see the things going on earth? As much as I would love to believe that is true, I have to ask, did God actually say that? Well, there is really not a place in Scripture where God actually said that, so I don’t think anybody can say for sure,.. yes they can, or no they can’t. When it comes to God, we have to be very careful about saying He said something if we can’t prove it with the Bible. That being said there are a couple examples that I see in the Bible that lend me to believe that at times when God sovereignly chooses to, He can permit someone in Heaven to see events here on earth.
In the book of Mathew, chapter 17, and verses 1-8 says this,
Now after six days Jesus took Peter, James, and John his brother, led them up on a high mountain by themselves; and He was transfigured before them. His face shone like the sun, and His clothes became as white as the light. 3 And behold, Moses and Elijah appeared to them, talking with Him. 4 Then Peter answered and said to Jesus, “Lord, it is good for us to be here; if You wish, let us make here three tabernacles: one for You, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.” 5 While he was still speaking, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them; and suddenly a voice came out of the cloud, saying, “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. Hear Him!” 6 And when the disciples heard it, they fell on their faces and were greatly afraid. 7 But Jesus came and touched them and said, “Arise, and do not be afraid.” 8 When they had lifted up their eyes, they saw no one but Jesus only….. (Matthew 17:1-8)
There was Moses and Elijah who had died hundreds of years ago, and yet here they are, with Jesus Christ on the mountain, seeing Jesus being transfigured right before their very eyes on earth along with His disciples, Peter, James and John. So, you see God allowed people in that eternal world, those already in heaven to see an event in this physical world. So, we know God can and has let people in heaven see an event here on earth.
Another one that comes to mind is in ( 1 Samuel 28:12-20 ). God has rejected king Saul who God put in power over His people Israel and because the of the king’s continual disobedience to Him, God was not talking to him anymore because of his rebellion. The king went to a person involved in the occult for help, something that the Lord hates.
So, God allowed Samuel the prophet of God who had died to come back, not in his physical body, but in a spiritual body like God allowed with Moses and Elijah had to pronounce judgement on King Saul and tell him he was going to die the next day. So here again you have someone in that heavenly realm seeing into this physical world, but in both cases, they were selected events which God allowed for a specific occasion.
Finally, in the Luke, chapter 15 Jesus tells the story of a man having a hundred sheep in the wilderness and one wanders off and is lost. Because of the concern for that one lost sheep the man leaves the ninety-nine others to find that sheep. When he finds it, he calls his friends and neighbors to celebrate with him. Then he says this in verse 7,
“I say to you that likewise there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine just persons who need no repentance..( Luke 15:7)
Even though this is an illustration Jesus is using to make a point, the idea here could be implied that there may be some in heaven that God sovereignly allows to see an event on earth. Then if you look at what the Lord goes on to say in verse 10 of the same chapter, where a woman finds her lost coin, He says,
Likewise, I say to you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.” (Luke 15:10)
So, without a doubt we know angels can see into this world, but we also know God can allow people who have passed into that heavenly realm to see into this earthly realm. We saw that in the two previous examples, but in each of these two previous examples the person that has gone to Heaven was allowed by God for specific reasons to see people on earth. Now does that mean everybody that goes to heaven is able to see from heaven all the stuff that’s happening on earth including what’s going on in each one’s family? As, much as I would like to believe that, in all honesty, I don’t see anywhere that God actually said that. Now can God do that if He sovereignly chooses to? Absolutely yes. You may have heard about someone who is just about to pass from this life into eternity and God sovereignly choose to let people from that heavenly realm see into this earthly realm just before the person passes away. It may be a family member or friend who is already in heaven. Again, you may see God at the same time allow the person who is about to pass away see into that heavenly realm. I certainly have heard of these kinds of events, and I believe them. We also have a clear example of that in the Bible in (Acts 7:55), whereas Stephen is about to pass away is allowed to see into heaven and see Jesus sitting on the right hand of God. God in these cases is working out His sovereign plan for that individual’s life. That does not mean that once that individual passes away, now they can see everything going on in the life of their family from heaven. I simply can’t tell you that God actually said that.
Imagine looking down from Heaven and seeing and reacting to the events going on earth. Would Heaven really be Heaven, a place of no more sorrow and pain if we could see everything going on, on the earth? What did God say about Heaven?
And I heard a loud voice from heaven saying, “Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people. God Himself will be with them and be their God. 4 And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away.” …..(Revelation 21:3-4)
Beloved, this is what everyone can look forward to,. who is trusting in the Lord Jesus Christ to get them into heaven and are willing to allow Him to be Lord in their life by submitting to Him. That beloved, is not man’s opinion. God actually said that.