what Bible passages say Heaven is populated with human souls?

Then why did He tell the man on the cross next to Him that they would be together in Paradise that very day? Also, how did Moses and Elijah appear with Jesus? Where did they come from?

Myth: All Good People Go to Heaven

What is the origin of the myth? After the death of Jesus’ apostles, by the beginning of the second century C.E., the early Church Fathers gained prominence. Describing their teachings, the New Catholic Encyclopedia (2003), Volume 6, page 687, says: “The general stream of teaching was that heavenly bliss is granted to the disembodied soul immediately after whatever necessary purification follows death.”

What does the Bible say? “Happy are the mild-tempered ones, since they will inherit the earth.”—Matthew 5:5.

Although Jesus promised his disciples that he would “prepare a place” for them in heaven, he indicated that the righteous do not automatically go there. (John 3:13; 14:2, 3) Did he not pray that God’s will take place “as in heaven, also upon earth”? (Matthew 6:9, 10) In reality, one of two destinies awaits the righteous. A minority will rule in heaven with Christ, but the majority will live forever on earth.—Revelation 5:10.

Over time, the early church changed its view of its own role on the earth. With what result? “The institutional church increasingly replaced the expected Kingdom of God,” states The New Encyclopædia Britannica. The church began solidifying its power by becoming mixed up in politics, ignoring Jesus’ explicit statements that his followers were to be “no part of the world.” (John 15:19; 17:14-16; 18:36) Under the influence of the Roman Emperor Constantine, the church compromised some of its beliefs, one of which involved the very nature of God.

Compare these Bible verses: Psalm 37:10, 11, 29; John 17:3; 2 Timothy 2:11, 12

FACT: The majority of good people will live forever on earth—not in heaven!

I am a believer and you are correct to say death is a sleep, until the return of Jesus.

1 Thessalonians 4:13-18. 'But I do not want you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning those who have fallen asleep, lest you sorrow as others who have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him those who sleep in Jesus.

For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord will by no means precede those who are asleep. For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord. Therefore comfort one another with these words.

There is no scripture where Jesus said, "the dead sleep until his

return."

That is an excellent point. The dead do sleep until his return.

As far as where it says Heaven is populated with human souls, Revelation 7 and 14 speaks of 144,000 who are in heaven with the Lamb. And these ones were "bought from the earth." These ones will "rule as kings over the earth."(Rev 5:10)

The remainder of mankind will live on a paradise earth. This is the Bible's message that many churches don't teach, and their leaders have not corrected their misconception.

There is no specific passage that says that. What the Bible insinuates is that between death and a resurrection, there is a temporary "intermediate" state where we may be conscious somehow, yet not with a body. The actual "heaven" that we look forward to is a resurrection when our spirit will be reunited with a new, physical body, here on Earth.

The same one that says only humans have souls

Thats like saying that refrigerators only store edible food