Heaven (God’s kingdom) is a place where believers anticipate going after judgment. When we imagine what God’s kingdom will look like, it’s easy to wonder what our age or physical appearance might be like. That’s because we want to know whether we will recognize our best friends or loved ones. In such situations, questions such as “Will I be old or young?” often come up. So, what age will we be in heaven?

The Bible doesn’t tell us how old we will be in heaven. Some scholars believe we will be the same age in heaven as when we died, while others predict 33 years based on how old Jesus was when he went to heaven. However, we know scripture tells us that our resurrected bodies will be transformed to be perfect in every way and look like Christ.

What Age Will We Be In Heaven

Our Age At The Time Of Death

It’s possible that we would be resurrected at the age we died because when the Bible describes what God’s kingdom will look like, it illustrates that it will have people of all ages.

“Once again men and women of ripe old age will sit in the streets of Jerusalem, each of them with cane in hand because of their age. The city streets will be filled with boys and girls playing there” (Zechariah 8:4–5).

In heaven, the “new” or transformed body will not age, so we will remain the same in terms of physical appearance. Nonetheless, both the young and old will be in God’s kingdom. The Bible tells us that the kingdom of God belongs to children (Luke 18:16). When David lost his son, he said, “One day, I will go to the place where he is,” which tells us that even children will be in heaven (2 Samuel 12:23). So, maybe our age at the time of death is frozen in time and that’s how we will be in heaven. 

Age Of Jesus At Crucifixion

Scholars believe that Jesus was approximately 33 years old when he was crucified. They came up with this figure by adding Jesus’ age, when he started His ministry (30 years), with the three years he was in the ministry, which places Jesus’ death at around 33 years. Thirty years was also the age at which Jewish priesthood began (Numbers 4:3). When Jesus resurrected, He was in the same body that He had, and the disciples recognized Him.

So, based on this belief, our age will be 33 years old in heaven because that was the physical age of Jesus when He left this earth. This view is also supported by scripture that says, “We know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is” (1 John 3:2). Since Jesus died and was resurrected with the same body, then it’s possible that in heaven our spiritual or eternal bodies will look like our physical bodies. That means our loved ones will be able to recognize us and vice versa.

We Will Be Old

There is also a belief that we will be old in heaven. Those who hold this belief to be true base their argument on scriptures such as:

“As I looked, ‘thrones were set in place, and the Ancient of Days took his seat. His clothing was as white as snow; the hair on his head was white like wool. His throne was flaming with fire, and its wheels were all ablaze” (Daniel 7:9).

“The hairs of his head were white, like white wool, like snow” (Revelation 1:14).

These two passages mention the Ancient of Days” and “hair as white like wool,” all of which point to aged or old. So if our spiritual bodies resemble God then based on this context we will be old in heaven not in the sense of losing strength and body function but full of vigor. An example of where we see an older person full of life is when Caleb says:

“I am still as strong today as the day Moses sent me out; I’m just as vigorous to go out to battle now as I was then” (Joshua 14:11). When Caleb spoke those words, he was 85 years old.

Peak/Optimal Age: 20s and Early 30s

Science points out that peak age occurs from 20 years to early 30s. Modern scholars base this argument on the age at which several scientists made their discoveries. For instance, Einstein developed the theory of relativity when he was 26 years old, while Darwin created his theory of natural selection at 29. On the other hand, Newton began his work on calculus and universal gravitation at 24.

Scientific research also shows that peak athleticism typically occurs between the ages of 20 and 30 years old. For example, the peak performance age for professional boxers is between 20 to 30, while for basketball players, it is around 26.

In addition, the 20s to early 30s is also considered the optimal age for getting pregnant as it results in healthier outcomes for both the mother and child. So, based on science, the 20s to early 30s (young adulthood) is when we have reached our physical peak and we are in prime health. What this means is that after we die, our spiritual bodies go back to our peak age, which in this case is between 20-30 years.

The belief that we will be in heaven as young adults is also supported by the fact that God did not create Adam and Eve as babies or old people. In fact, they were at an age considered ready for marriage and having kids.

Ageless

When we die, our body perishes, and our soul/ spiritual bodies live on and face judgment from God. For those found to be “good,” then heaven awaits. In heaven, our spiritual bodies will resemble “the heavenly one” (1 Corinthians 15:42-49).

God’s word also tells us that in heaven, we will live forever. This shows that the idea of time, which tends to point to age, is nonexistent in heaven. The Bible also tells us that YHWH will transform our earthly body to look like Christ’s body in the resurrection. In addition, our resurrected bodies will be made better than the state they were when we died, in that they will never grow old or become weak (Verse 51–52). 

These transformed bodies will not face death (Revelation 21:4). As a result, they will not age. So we may be ageless in heaven, and that will make sense in every way. While the Bible doesn’t tell us how old we will be in heaven, it’s clear that our physical body will be transformed to have no weakness. The “new” body will be uncorrupted and immortal (Philippians 3:20-21).

Conclusion

The Bible doesn’t tell us how old we will be in heaven. Some speculate that our age in heaven is 33 years based on Jesus’ age when He was crucified, while others predict it’s the age at which a person is when they die. Ultimately, it doesn’t matter what our age will be in heaven because we will be with our Father. Our physical body will also be transformed into a spiritual one that is immortal and without any imperfection. We will not get sick or die; our time in heaven will be filled with joy and immense wonder.