>But it seems to imply that it will be a place that is protected from evil entering it.
By the time we're no longer here, but in Heaven, evil will have been completely dealt with by Jesus Christ. There will be no more evil to have to worry about or deal with.
Also, remember that we will be given new bodies and new minds. Think of how Jesus walked among people after he was resurrected from the dead. He was able to be present among them and to eat and talk with them, but in some cases he walked among them and they didn't recognize him (maybe he was able to change how he looked). Also, he then went straight up into the air and was caught up in the clouds, and there were many there that witnessed it. He had a different body than the physical body he had prior to his crucifixion. Just like we will be given new bodies as well. And at the gathering together (or rapture) in the blink of an eye (an instant) we will meet him in the air - we can't do that in our current bodies.
Good night frens! Getting way too late for me!