How many heavens arethere andwhat is the thirdheavenPaul speaksof in 2 Corinthians 12: TheHebrewword for “heavens” is shamayim, it is in a plural form, meaning“heights,” “elevations.”It is foundin thefirst verse of the Bible (Genesis 1:1; 2:1). The Bible teaches inthe beginning Godcreatedtheheavens andthe earth,he did notmakeanotherheaven after this time. Thephrase“heavens andearth” are used to indicatethe wholeuniverse(Genesis 1:1; Jeremiah23:24;Acts 17:24). Accordingto the Jewishtradition fromtheBible there werethree heavens. Allare attributedto God as the creator. Psalm 102:25 “Of old You laid the foundationof the earth, and the heavens arethework of Your hands.”Thereare several otherwords usedin the Hebrew, the word maromis also used(Psalms 68:18; 93:4; 102:19, etc.) as equivalent to shamayim. Hebrewgalgal, literally a “wheel,” is rendered “heaven” in Psalms77:18 (RSV, “whirlwind”). Hebrewshahak, is translated “sky” (Deuteronomy 33:26; Job 37:18; Psalms 18:11), plural “clouds” (Job 35:5; 36:28; Psalms 68:34, “heavens”), referringto thefirmament. The Bible speaksof three heavensnot7 and these are notdimensions). Thefirst beingour immediateatmosphere,the secondis outer space asfar as it stretches,and thethirdis the place whereGod himselfdwells. WhatJesus called the“Fathers house.” First heaven- The firmament,Earths Atmosphere-which is the immediatesky, where the “fowlsof theheaven” (Genesis 2:19; 7:3,23; Psalms 8:8, etc.), “the eaglesof heaven” (Lamentations4:19), it is our atmospherethat surroundstheearth. Gen 1:14 Then God said, “Let there belightsin the firmament of the heavens to dividethe day fromthe night.” The first heavenconsists of the cloudsand theatmosphere,theheavens above us, untilwe cometo thestars. Psalms 78:23-23 “Yet He had commandedthe cloudsabove, and opened the doorsof heaven, had raineddownmannaon them to eat,and given themof the breadof heaven.” The expression doorsof heavenor windowsof heaveninvolvedthe firmament,our atmosphere. Descriptions usedof this heavenis from where God wouldprovide food orrain. Genesis7:11-12: “the windows of heavenwere opened. And therain was on the earthforty days andforty nights.”Genesis8:2: “The fountainsof the deep andthewindows of heavenwere also stopped,and therain fromheaven was restrained” Malachi3:10 Says the LORD of hosts,“If I will not openfor you the windowsof heavenAnd pouroutfor you suchblessing That there willnotbe room enoughto receiveit.” In reference to anabundant harvestof crops.“(Deuteronomy11:17“Then theLORDs anger will burnagainstyou, and he will shut the heavens so that itwill notrain andthe groundwill yield no produce....” Deuteronomy28:12: “The LORD will open the heavens,thestorehouseof his bounty, to sendrain on your landin seasonand to blessall the workof your hands.”SecondHeaven - Outer Space, the starry heavens (Deuteronomy17:3; Jeremiah8:2; Matthew 24:29). Thesecondheaven is the starry heavens,where our atmosphereends.It is the heavens inwhichthe sun,moon, and starsare fixed inorbit. The stars are seeminglyendlessand the distance between allof them isstaggering nowonderthe Bible statesPsalm 19:1 “The heavensdeclare the glory of God; and the firmament showsHis handiwork.” In ancienttimespeoplewere inawe of the starry expanse,todaywe knowhow immensethis really is. The firmament,or expanse, raqiya` “In which the sun,moon, stars,and constellationsare fixed.” Genesis1:17: And God placed them inthe Firmament of heaven. Isaiah 40:22: Hestretchethout the heavens asa CURTAIN, and spreadeththem out as a tentto dwell in.” (Psalm 19:4,6) - “In the heavens hehas pitched a tentfor thesun... Itrisesat one endof the heavens andmakes its circuit to the other;...”(Jeremiah 8:2) - They will beexposedto the sun andthemoonand all the starsof the heavens whichthey haveloved and served....”Third Heaven -This is whereGod and the holyangels (and creatures) and spiritsof just men dwell. It is called “The heaven of heavens,” (Deuteronomy 10:14;1 Kings 8:27; Psalms 115:16; 148:4). (1Kings 8:27) - “The heavens,even the highestheaven, cannot containyou.” (Psalm 2:4) The One enthronedin heavenlaughs; TheLORD scoffsat them.” Thethird heavenis beyond thespaceand stars. Whereno man hasseenby telescope. Thisheaven is the dwelling-placeof God, to whichPaul was taken, and whosewondershe was permitted to behold-this region where God dwells. It is specificallynamed“the third heaven” by Paul in 2 Cor.12:2. Paul mentionsbeingcaught up to paradise in2 Corinthians12:4 the word “paradise” describesa differentfacetof “the thirdheaven.” “2 Corinthians12:4 The word “paradise” paradeisos(NT:3808) occursbutthree timesin the New Testament; Luke 23:43; 2Corinthians12:4; Revelation2:7. It occursoften inthe Septuagint,as the translationof theword garden; Genesis2:8-10,15-16; 3:1-3,8,16,23-24; 13:10; Numbers24:6; Isaiah 51:3; Ezekiel 28:13; 31:8-9; Joel 2:3. And alsoIsaiah 1:30; Jeremiah 29:5; and of the wordpardeec(OT:6508) in Nehemiah2:8; Ecclesiastes2:5; Song of Solomon 2:13” (from Barnes Notes). Heb4:14 “Seeing then that we havea greatHigh Priest who haspassedthrough theheavens, (Jesus ascendedto the placehe was beforehe became man)Heb. 7:26 “For sucha High Priest was fittingfor us, who isholy, harmless,undefiled, separate fromsinners,and has become higherthan the heavens”meaninghe is more important than the dwelling place of God and angels. Heb8:1 As our highPriest, he “is seatedat therighthand of the throne ofthe Majesty in the heavens.”The word “heavens” isalso usedfor visionsor a spiritual event. Stephen said,“Look! I seethe heavens openedand the Son of Man standingat the righthand of God!” (Acts 7:56) Mark 1:10 When Jesuswas baptized “He saw the heavens partingand the Spiritdescending upon Himlike a dove.”The termheaven is usedin a metaphor Isaiah 14:13,14; “doors of heaven” (Psalms 78:23); heaven“shut” (1 Kings 8:35); “opened” (Ezekiel 1:1). (The “kingdomof heaven” (Mt.25:1; Jms 2:5). The “eternal kingdom”(2 Pt.1:11).The “eternal inheritance”(1 Pt.1:4; Hebrews 9:15). The “bettercountry” (Hebrews 11:14, 16). Heaven is the abode of therighteouswho arein possessionof “everlastinglife,” “an eternal weightof glory” (2 Corinthians4:17), wheretheyare deliveredfrom all sufferingsfor ever, a deliverance from all evils(2 Corinthians5:1,2). Christ calls it his “Fathers house” (John 14:2), also “paradise” (Luke 23:43). 2 Cor. 12:4; Revelation 2:7). It is thelocationof “The heavenlyJerusalem” beforeit comesto earth (Galatians 4:26; Hebrews12:22; Revelation3:12). Heaven is theinheritanceof all believers where there is “fulnessof joy,” everlastingblessedness. The “place, of our inheritancewhereJesuswent ahead to “prepare” for us (John 14:2) that we may be with him, wherehe is.
Posted on: Tue, 11 Nov 2014 09:58:51 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015