Many people wonder if those in Heaven can observe what is occurring on Earth, based on Hebrews 12:1, “Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us.”
If true, some believers on Earth might be encouraged to know that their loved ones who were redeemed are watching and cheering them on from Heaven. But other believers might be terrified, knowing they will still have to witness what their unsaved loved ones are doing on Earth once in glory.
Regardless, the Bible does not explicitly state that believers in Heaven are privy to activities on Earth. The only passage that seems to hint at the possibility is Hebrews 12:1 (cited above). However, the “great cloud of witnesses” mentioned in Hebrews 12, which is said to surround believers on Earth, is a direct reference to the unwavering faith and enduring testimony of faithful saints of the past, as outlined in Hebrews 11. Therefore, the “great cloud of witnesses” does not refer to past saints themselves but to their lasting testimony of faith.
Another truth that seems to negate the idea that believers in Heaven can see happenings on Earth is the account of the rich man and Lazarus (and Abraham) in Luke 16. After their deaths, none of these individuals were granted visual access to Earth; they could only see their current surroundings. Abraham and Lazarus could see the rich man in the suffering section of Hades, and the rich man could see Abraham and Lazarus in the comfort section of Hades. But none could see anything occurring elsewhere, including Earth.
Another consideration when assessing whether saints in Heaven can see activities on Earth is the Bible’s silence on the issue. If such a feat were occurring or even possible, it would seem likely that the Holy Spirit would have spelled it out plainly in Hebrews 12:1 and confirmed it elsewhere in Scripture. Yet Hebrews 12:1 was not written to suggest what believers in Heaven might or might not be doing, but rather to urge believers on Earth to run their race with the same perseverance and endurance as those who went before them, using their faithful examples and lasting testimonies to spur them on.
A further point to consider when assessing whether saints in Heaven can see down to Earth is Heaven itself. The Bible describes Heaven as a place of perfect peace, free from sadness, grief, stress, tears, pain, sorrow, and anxiety. The thought of believers observing everything on Earth — good and bad — would seem to countermand the promise of experiencing the fullness of joy and peace in God’s presence. Psalm 16:11 says, “In Your presence is fullness of joy; In Your right hand there are pleasures forever.”
One last thing to contemplate is something the Bible states about an unrelated issue. Matthew 24 and Revelation 6-19 describe various signs and earthly events that will precede Jesus’ second coming. Revelation also says that, during the Tribulation, numerous martyred believers will cry out to Jesus in Heaven, asking when He will return to Earth to judge those who executed them (see Revelation 6:9-11).
If these martyred believers in Heaven could see events unfolding on Earth and were familiar with Scripture, they would not need to inquire of Jesus about the timing of His return. They would simply have to keep watching earthly activities until the antichrist gathered the kings of the Earth to launch a final attack upon Jerusalem, known as the Battle of Armageddon, to know that His return was next on the prophetic calendar (see Revelation 16:13-16).
Furthermore, if they were able to see Earth’s activities but still chose to inquire of Jesus, it seems more logical that Jesus would remind them of the signs of His coming and tell them to keep watching Earth, rather than to rest longer until the remaining Tribulation saints were executed for their faith.
Nevertheless, whether believers in Heaven can see activities on Earth can only be proven or disproven from Heaven, since the Bible does not plainly state it as fact. Therefore, it remains a mystery until then.
I hope this information has been insightful and inspires you to dig deeper into God’s Word on a variety of topics.
