Many people believe heaven is some mysterious place in the sky where God lives. Commonly people assume that when your body die, your "immortal" soul will continue to live there. Often artists would create pictures of golden gates in clouds as some sort of entrance into "heaven". These ideas potentially originated from the Greek mythology that described Elysium as such a place where heroes and gods continue to live after death.

However, the bible state that when we die we will be dead. That is why we need to trust God that we will be resurrected like Jesus.

Elijah going to heaven

Many people believed Elijah went directly to this kind of heaven without dying based on the scripture:

And as they still went on and talked, behold, chariots of fire and horses of fire separated the two of them. And Elijah went up by a whirlwind into heaven. And Elisha saw it and he cried, “My father, my father! The chariots of Israel and its horsemen!” And he saw him no more. -- 2 Kings 11:12 (ESV)

The original Israeli who lived in Elijah's time were not influenced by Greek mythology like us. To them, "heaven" is the sky. For example:

He blotted out every living thing that was on the face of the ground, man and animals and creeping things and birds of the heavens. -- Genesis 7:23 (ESV)

and

And at the seventh time he said, “Behold, a little cloud like a man's hand is rising from the sea.”
And he said, “Go up, say to Ahab, ‘Prepare your chariot and go down, lest the rain stop you.’”

And in a little while the heavens grew black with clouds and wind, and there was a great rain.

-- 1 Kings 18:44-45 (ESV)

and

For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven and do not return there but water the earth... -- Isaiah 55:10 (ESV)

The apostles also referred to "heaven" as the sky. For example:

We also are men, of like nature with you, and we bring you good news, that you should turn from these vain things to a living God, Who made the heaven and the earth and the sea and all that is in them. In past generations he allowed all the nations to walk in their own ways. Yet he did not leave himself without witness, for he did good by giving you rains from heaven ... -- Acts 14:15-17 (ESV)

The prophets did not consider that Elijah as entered some sort of realms of gods, but instead they thought he would eventually be set down somewhere else. That is why they looked for him (2 Kings 2:16).

While others wanted to search for Elijah, Elisha understood that if God had wanted Elijah there, He would not have moved him. Understanding the customs of the time further helps to clarify this section of Scripture. God had told Elijah to anoint Elisha to succeed him (1 Kings 19:16). According to custom, Elisha could not assume leadership of the prophets as long as Elijah was present. Therefore, in order to allow Elisha to lead, God had to find a way to graciously remove Elijah. He chose to do it by a whirlwind. Elijah was not taken up to the place where God lives, but he was taken up into the air and placed somewhere else. God simply moved Elijah from one place to another and he lived out his days somewhere else. Elijah could not have been taken to heaven to live with God because he lived before the time of Christ. It is Christ’s shed blood that is the only valid payment for all men’s sin, including Elijah’s. If Elijah were already enjoying everlasting life in heaven, there was no need for Christ to come and to die for his sin. -- Spirit and Truth International

Elijah could not have gone to heaven, because John wrote:

No one has ascended into heaven except he who descended from heaven, the Son of Man. -- John 3:13 (ESV)

Rewards in heaven

There are many verses that mention a reward in heaven like:

Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven... -- Matthew 5:12 (ESV)

and

Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. -- Matthew 6:19-20 (ESV)

and

... the hope laid up for you in heaven. -- Colossians 1:5 (ESV)

and

According to His great mercy, He has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you ... -- 1 Peter 1:3-4 (ESV)

Out of context, it would seem that we would go immediately to heaven to receive our rewards when we die. However, before the Gospels were written by Jesus' disciples, Malachi prophesied:

Then those who feared the LORD spoke with one another. The LORD paid attention and heard them, and a book of remembrance was written before Him of those who feared the LORD and esteemed His name.

"They shall be Mine", says the LORD of hosts, in the day when I make up My treasured possession, and I will spare them as a man spares his son who serves him. Then once more you shall see the distinction between the righteous and the wicked, between one who serves God and one who does not serve Him.

-- Malachi 3:16-18 (ESV)

The Israeli knew there would first come a day of judgement and then the reward would follow.

Solomon also warned about a judgment:

For God will bring every deed into judgment, with every secret thing, whether good or evil. -- Ecclesiastes 12:14 (ESV)

Does the New Testament contradict the Old Testament?

Possible explanations:

• "Heaven" is a Hebrew idiom for something that is good. So when the reward is "in heaven", it means it is a very good reward.
• Our rewards are not gifts, but instead it is God's respect and love for us. Jesus referred to God as "Our Father in Heaven" and our reward is to be with Him.
• "Heaven" is some sort of protective dimension or place where God safely store our rewards in our absence for the time when we are able to receive it.

Whatever our "reward" is, it is clear that it is safe with God "Who is in heaven". In other words, nobody on Earth can steal, damage or even touch our rewards because it is not affected by the events on Earth.

Even the book of Revelation warns of this judgement (Revelation 20:12). Therefore, we cannot assume we will have instant heavenly gratification when we die.

The Father's house

The NIV bible incorrectly translate the manuscripts as:

My Father’s house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. -- John 14:2-3 (NIV)

This gives the impression that Jesus would come back and take us to heaven when we die. If we had immortal souls and Jesus has to come back and commute every soul instantly to heaven every time a Christian dies, then Jesus would have returned many times already and not according to the prophecies of his second coming.

The King James Version state:

In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also. -- John 14:2-3 (KJV)

A more accurate translation of "rooms" or "mansions" is "dwelling places" according to Strong's Concordance G3438. We will not receive rooms or mansions in heaven. Jesus is not a slow builder. We are the Father's dwelling place and Jesus is preparing us for that opportunity (position or place of honor) for us according to Strong's Cocordance G5117. That is why Jesus would "receive" us in these positions.

There are many scriptures that state that Jesus Christ will rule the Earth. There are no scripture that state that Jesus Christ will rule the Heaven.

God's kingdom on Earth

After all Jesus teachings and after his resurrection. The disciples did not expect Jesus to ascent into heaven. They expected him to establish his Kingdom on Earth, instead of Heaven, when they asked him:

So when they had come together, they asked him, “Lord, will you at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?” -- Acts 1:6 (ESV)

The coming world

The Greek word "aión" is often incorrectly translated to "the world" which gives the impression that will transcend into another world (or heaven).