Heaven

 •  1 min. read  •  grade level: 8
Listen from:
• BibleTruthPublishers.com
Scripture speaks of “the third heaven” as being the abode of God Himself (2 Cor. 12:22I knew a man in Christ above fourteen years ago, (whether in the body, I cannot tell; or whether out of the body, I cannot tell: God knoweth;) such an one caught up to the third heaven. (2 Corinthians 12:2)). Since there could not be anything higher than this, we conclude that there are three heavens:
•  The created heavens—(Gen. 1:1, 81In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth. (Genesis 1:1)
8And God called the firmament Heaven. And the evening and the morning were the second day. (Genesis 1:8); Psa. 19:11<<To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David.>> The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament showeth his handywork. (Psalm 19:1), etc.). This is the physical heavens where the stars shine (Gen. 22:1717That in blessing I will bless thee, and in multiplying I will multiply thy seed as the stars of the heaven, and as the sand which is upon the sea shore; and thy seed shall possess the gate of his enemies; (Genesis 22:17)) and where the birds fly (Jer. 4:2525I beheld, and, lo, there was no man, and all the birds of the heavens were fled. (Jeremiah 4:25)). (Some see the airy atmosphere and outer space as being two different heavens, but Scripture does not distinguish them – Gen. 1:14-17, 2014And God said, Let there be lights in the firmament of the heaven to divide the day from the night; and let them be for signs, and for seasons, and for days, and years: 15And let them be for lights in the firmament of the heaven to give light upon the earth: and it was so. 16And God made two great lights; the greater light to rule the day, and the lesser light to rule the night: he made the stars also. 17And God set them in the firmament of the heaven to give light upon the earth, (Genesis 1:14‑17)
20And God said, Let the waters bring forth abundantly the moving creature that hath life, and fowl that may fly above the earth in the open firmament of heaven. (Genesis 1:20).)
•  The realm of spiritual activity (Eph. 1:3, 20; 2:6; 3:10; 6:123Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ: (Ephesians 1:3)
20Which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places, (Ephesians 1:20)
6And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus: (Ephesians 2:6)
10To the intent that now unto the principalities and powers in heavenly places might be known by the church the manifold wisdom of God, (Ephesians 3:10)
12For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. (Ephesians 6:12) – “the heavenlies”). Christians are seated in Christ in this sphere with their spiritual blessings (Eph. 1:3; 2:63Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ: (Ephesians 1:3)
6And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus: (Ephesians 2:6)). Satan also moves in this sphere and works to hinder the believer’s enjoyment of his blessings (Eph. 2:22Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience: (Ephesians 2:2)), and thus there is a spiritual conflict there (Eph. 6:11-1211Put on the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. 12For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. (Ephesians 6:11‑12)).
•  The abode or dwelling place of God—“the heaven of heavens” (Deut. 1:3939Moreover your little ones, which ye said should be a prey, and your children, which in that day had no knowledge between good and evil, they shall go in thither, and unto them will I give it, and they shall possess it. (Deuteronomy 1:39); Josh. 2:1111And as soon as we had heard these things, our hearts did melt, neither did there remain any more courage in any man, because of you: for the Lord your God, he is God in heaven above, and in earth beneath. (Joshua 2:11); 2 Chron. 2:66But who is able to build him an house, seeing the heaven and heaven of heavens cannot contain him? who am I then, that I should build him an house, save only to burn sacrifice before him? (2 Chronicles 2:6); Psa. 11:44The Lord is in his holy temple, the Lord's throne is in heaven: his eyes behold, his eyelids try, the children of men. (Psalm 11:4), etc.). It is where Christ is (Luke 24:5151And it came to pass, while he blessed them, he was parted from them, and carried up into heaven. (Luke 24:51)), and where the souls and spirits of the redeemed are with Christ (Luke 23:4343And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, To day shalt thou be with me in paradise. (Luke 23:43); 2 Cor. 5:6-86Therefore we are always confident, knowing that, whilst we are at home in the body, we are absent from the Lord: 7(For we walk by faith, not by sight:) 8We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord. (2 Corinthians 5:6‑8); Phil. 1:2323For I am in a strait betwixt two, having a desire to depart, and to be with Christ; which is far better: (Philippians 1:23)). It is referred to by Paul as “the third heaven” (2 Cor. 12:22I knew a man in Christ above fourteen years ago, (whether in the body, I cannot tell; or whether out of the body, I cannot tell: God knoweth;) such an one caught up to the third heaven. (2 Corinthians 12:2)).