Revelation 14:13—Is heaven a place of rest and quiet or of incessant praise and singing?

Problem: According to this verse, heaven is a place in which the saints “rest from their labors.” However, earlier in the Book of Revelation heaven is described as a place of constant praise and singing (Rev. 4–5). Which is it?

Solution: Heaven is both. There is no contradiction between resting from labor and singing praises to God. It is exactly what God’s people do today on their day of rest and worship. Heaven is just an extension of what we do on the Lord’s Day now. “Labor” implies what is wearisome and painful. Resting from this and praising God forever are not mutually exclusive. In fact, they go hand in hand.

This excerpt is from When Critics Ask: A Popular Handbook on Bible Difficulties (Wheaton, Ill.: Victor Books, 1992). © 2014 Norman Geisler and Thomas Howe. All rights reserved. Used by permission. Click here to purchase this book.