Will We Know Each Other in Heaven?

Recently I performed a funeral service for a dear 89-year-old woman and the inevitable questions came up about whether or not we will know our loved ones in heaven, though everyone I spoke to about the subject was quite sure we would. In this blog I’d like to give you my studied opinion on what the Bible says. Because things having to do with the afterlife is such a vast and formidable subject, I’m going to attempt to keep the discussion firmly fixed on this one question and not let related topics get in the way. That will surely be easier said than done. I freely acknowledge this plan will most probably result in raising more questions than I’ll be able to answer. Still, I’m confident such a study – limited as it will be – will bring needed light to things now shrouded in mystery sadly darkened by ignorance. Sorry, but that’s been my experience,

In the interest of background to dealing with this most important question at hand and as I have mentioned in previous writings, I think it is obvious when it comes to heaven assumption and personal opinion are the rule. The Bible is seldom consulted and almost never responsibly studied. Complicating a serious search for truth is the fact we presently live in a New Age, relativistic, politically correct culture that has decided everyone ultimately goes to heaven when he or she dies, regardless of what the Bible clearly says.

It wasn’t always like this. When I was young, in the 40’s, 50’s, and early 60’s, the biblical reality of heaven and hell generally was prevalent throughout society. When God was mentioned, practically every person immediately knew without questioning the God of the Bible was in view. Christian prayers were said daily in public schools. The God of the Bible was frequently respectfully mentioned in movies. Churches were filled. God was an integrally and openly a part of American life. Not that everyone was a genuine born-again Christian, please understand. The majority by far would be today classifies nominal Christians at best. Nevertheless, in general professing Christians agreeably went along with genuine Christian tenor of the country and the Western world. You could say America was a Christian country without fear of ridicule. America’s focus on business and activity even lessened on Sunday and shifted measurably to God and rest…

Blue laws, also known as Sunday laws, are laws designed to restrict or ban some or all Sunday activities for religious reasons, particularly to promote the observance of a day of worship or rest. Blue laws may also restrict shopping or ban sale of certain items on specific days, most often on Sundays in the western world. Some Islamic nations may ban certain activities on Fridays. Blue laws are enforced in parts of the United States and Canada as well as some European countries, particularly in Austria, Germany, Switzerland, and Norway, keeping most stores closed on Sundays. – Internet

Now to the question: Will We Know Each Other in Heaven? Many people say that the first thing they want to do when they arrive in heaven is see all their friends and loved ones who have passed on before them. In eternity, they say, there will be plenty of time to see, know, and spend time with our friends and family members. However, according to the Bible, that will not be our primary focus in heaven. According to the Bible, we will be far more occupied with worshipping God and enjoying the wonders of heaven. Our reunions with loved ones are more likely to be filled with recounting the grace and glory of God in our lives, His wondrous love, and His mighty works. We will rejoice all the more because we can praise and worship the Lord in the company of other believers, especially those we loved on earth.

What exactly does the Bible say about whether we will be able to recognize people in the afterlife? Firstly, in order to think intelligently through this question, which most people approach with excessive emotion and very little solid evidence, it must be understood the Bible does not disclose the answer. Nowhere in Scripture does God reveal specific details about things that concern us individually. It tells us some heavenly things generally, but not specifically. Here are several such verses for examples; they tell us wonderful things about heaven (or our future with God) without giving us much detail:

NAS Revelation 21:4 and He shall wipe away every tear from their eyes; and there shall no longer be any death; there shall no longer be any mourning, or crying, or pain; the first things have passed away.

NAS Revelation 22:3 And there shall no longer be any curse; and the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it, and His bond-servants shall serve Him;

ESV Isaiah 35:5-6 Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf unstopped; 6 then the lame will leap like a deer, and the tongue of the dumb will shout for joy. For waters will break forth in the wilderness, and streams in the Arabah.

Even though the Bible does not answer the question of our awareness of and our interaction with other believers distinctly and unambiguously, it does give us more than enough affirmation to enable us to be confident that we have the answer. Here are several verses that should convince even the most uncertain or fearful Christian that we will indeed know and interact with our loved ones in heaven…

King Saul recognized Samuel when the witch of Endor summoned Samuel from the realm of the dead…

NAS 1 Samuel 28:8-17 Then Saul disguised himself by putting on other clothes, and went, he and two men with him, and they came to the woman by night; and he said, “Conjure up for me, please, and bring up for me whom I shall name to you.” 9 But the woman said to him, “Behold, you know what Saul has done, how he has cut off those who are mediums and spiritists from the land. Why are you then laying a snare for my life to bring about my death?” 10  And Saul vowed to her by the LORD, saying, “As the LORD lives, there shall no punishment come upon you for this thing.” 11 Then the woman said, “Whom shall I bring up for you?” And he said, “Bring up Samuel for me.” 12  When the woman saw Samuel, she cried out with a loud voice; and the woman spoke to Saul, saying, “Why have you deceived me? For you are Saul.” 13 And the king said to her, “Do not be afraid; but what do you see?” And the woman said to Saul, “I see a divine being coming up out of the earth.” 14 And he said to her, “What is his form?” And she said, “An old man is coming up, and he is wrapped with a robe.” And Saul knew that it was Samuel, and he bowed with his face to the ground and did homage. 15 Then Samuel said to Saul, “Why have you disturbed me by bringing me up?” And Saul answered, “I am greatly distressed; for the Philistines are waging war against me, and God has departed from me and answers me no more, either through prophets or by dreams; therefore I have called you, that you may make known to me what I should do.” 16 And Samuel said, “Why then do you ask me, since the LORD has departed from you and has become your adversary 17 “And the LORD has done accordingly as He spoke through me; for the LORD has torn the kingdom out of your hand and given it to your neighbor, to David.

Recognition and interaction…

When David’s infant son died, David confidently assumed that he would be able to recognize his son in heaven, despite the fact that he died as a baby…

NAS 2 Samuel 12:19-23 But when David saw that his servants were whispering together, David perceived that the child was dead; so David said to his servants, “Is the child dead?” And they said, “He is dead.” 20 So David arose from the ground, washed, anointed himself, and changed his clothes; and he came into the house of the LORD and worshiped. Then he came to his own house, and when he requested, they set food before him and he ate. 21 Then his servants said to him, “What is this thing that you have done? While the child was alive, you fasted and wept; but when the child died, you arose and ate food.” 22 And he said, “While the child was still alive, I fasted and wept; for I said, ‘Who knows, the LORD may be gracious to me, that the child may live.’ 23 “But now he has died; why should I fast? Can I bring him back again? I shall go to him, but he will not return to me.”

Obviously this passage gives great hope to grieving parents who have their infant children…

In Luke 16:19-31, Abraham, Lazarus, and the rich man were all recognizable after death…

ESV Luke 16:19-31 “There was a rich man who was clothed in purple and fine linen and who feasted sumptuously every day. 20 And at his gate was laid a poor man named Lazarus, covered with sores, 21 who desired to be fed with what fell from the rich man’s table. Moreover, even the dogs came and licked his sores. 22 The poor man died and was carried by the angels to Abraham’s side. The rich man also died and was buried, 23 and in Hades, being in torment, he lifted up his eyes and saw Abraham far off and Lazarus at his side. 24 And he called out, ‘Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus to dip the end of his finger in water and cool my tongue, for I am in anguish in this flame.’ 25 But Abraham said, ‘Child, remember that you in your lifetime received your good things, and Lazarus in like manner bad things; but now he is comforted here, and you are in anguish. 26 And besides all this, between us and you a great chasm has been fixed, in order that those who would pass from here to you may not be able, and none may cross from there to us.’ 27  And he said, ‘Then I beg you, father, to send him to my father’s house– 28  for I have five brothers– so that he may warn them, lest they also come into this place of torment.’ 29 But Abraham said, ‘They have Moses and the Prophets; let them hear them.’ 30 And he said, ‘No, father Abraham, but if someone goes to them from the dead, they will repent.’ 31 He said to him, ‘If they do not hear Moses and the Prophets, neither will they be convinced if someone should rise from the dead.'”

As if these passages weren’t enough to answer the question convincingly, one more big one; at the transfiguration, Moses and Elijah were recognizable…

NAS Matthew 17:3-4 And behold, Moses and Elijah appeared to them, talking with Him. 4 And Peter answered and said to Jesus, “Lord, it is good for us to be here; if You wish, I will make three tabernacles here, one for You, and one for Moses, and one for Elijah.”

Finally, think of Jesus. After He died and in His resurrected body was He not recognizable? Did He not interact with others? When we die each one of us too will have the same kind of spiritual body…

NAS 1 Corinthians 15:47-49 The first man is from the earth, earthy; the second man is from heaven. 48 As is the earthy, so also are those who are earthy; and as is the heavenly, so also are those who are heavenly. 49 And just as we have borne the image of the earthy, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly.

If Jesus was recognizable in His resurrected body and interacted with others, it only stands to reason that we also will be recognizable and have the ability to interact with others…

NAS John 20:16 Jesus said to her, “Mary!” She turned and said to Him in Hebrew, “Rabboni!” (which means, Teacher).

NAS John 20:20 And when He had said this, He showed them both His hands and His side. The disciples therefore rejoiced when they saw the Lord. (Cf. Luke 24)

While the Bible does not explicitly say we will recognize and interact with our loved ones in heaven, in these examples, it does seem clearly to indicate that we will be recognizable and that we will have interaction with others after death. Is not but one of these passages enough to answer the question under study?

Being able to see our loved ones is a glorious aspect of heaven, but I for one would emphasize the fact heaven is far more about God, and far less about us. Primarily, heaven is where He is, not where our loved ones are. That said, what a pleasure it will be to be reunited with our loved ones and worship God with them for all eternity.

– Professor Thomas A. Rohm