However, we have no way of examining the Third Heaven – the dwelling place of the Most High GOD – apart from divine revelation such as the apostles Paul and John were given (as well as Isaiah in the Old Testament) or by studying what Scripture says about it (the latter being far more likely in this day and age).
In looking at some websites, and some of what Scripture has to say, it seems that in one perspective the Third Heaven is an extension of the celestial realm, one step removed to a higher plane where GOD sometimes manifests. Others see the Third Heaven as completely non-physical in the sense that its independent of the creation of our physical universe and where GOD in all of His glory dwells perpetually.
I subscribe to the latter perspective.
So, we will look at what Scripture has to say about the Third Heaven according to Paul, John, Isaiah, and elsewhere in Scripture where this dwelling place of the Almighty is mentioned.
In 1 KINGS 8 we have the successor to King David, his son Solomon dedicating the Temple along with the Levites and priests and the assembly of Israel. The ark of the covenant was present and countless numbers of sacrifices were made. The presence of GOD was seen in the shekinah glory of a cloud.
Solomon recounts the family history of his father David wanting to build GOD a house, but instead, the LORD tapped his son to do this. Meanwhile GOD made an unconditional covenant with David that He would build the son of Jesse a house: that is, a perpetual lineage through which the Messiah would be born, and one day take up the throne of His father David as His own and rule over the house of Israel forever (LUKE 1:31-33)!
Then Solomon asks the following:
1 KINGS 8:27-30
27 "But will God indeed dwell on the earth? Behold, heaven and the heaven of heavens cannot contain You. How much less this temple which I have built! 28 "Yet regard the prayer of Your servant and his supplication, O LORD my God, and listen to the cry and the prayer which Your servant is praying before You today: 29 "that Your eyes may be open toward this temple night and day, toward the place of which You said, 'My name shall be there,' that You may hear the prayer which Your servant makes toward this place. 30 "And may You hear the supplication of Your servant and of Your people Israel, when they pray toward this place. Hear in heaven Your dwelling place; and when You hear, forgive.
While dedicating the Temple to GOD, Solomon admits that this building can’t really house the Person of GOD in all His fullness any more than the Earth can contain Him, or even “the heaven of heavens” – I would see this as one of the two heavens (terrestrial and celestial), and that being the celestial.
Indeed, He measures the heavens with the span of His hand (ISA 40:12). Imagine, the entire universe is like a pocket watch to GOD! Something He can slip into His pocket, metaphorically speaking.
He cannot “dwell on earth…” To dwell in Hebrew is yashab, and it means “To sit down, to dwell and remain, to ease, habitation, haunt, inhabit[ant].” And the heaven(s) are unable to “contain” Him…
The Hebrew for “contain” is kul, meaning “to keep in, maintain, abide, be present…”
Now note in vs. 30: “…. Hear in heaven Your dwelling place…”
In the previous verses, Scripture states that neither the earth nor the heaven of heavens can contain Him – He cannot dwell in either of these places. Yet here in vs. 30 it clearly states heaven is “[His] dwelling place and the same word for dwelling used in vs. 27 is used here in vs. 30 (yashab).
I take this to mean that GOD cannot fully manifest anywhere on Earth, nor can His presence be contained in this globe, nor in the terrestrial heavens (our atmosphere), nor in the celestial heavens (the cosmos), but this other “heaven” which is His dwelling place.
This can be none other than the Third Heaven where the Throne Room of GOD is located. Now we know that GOD must exist outside of our space/time continuum, because as the Creator of time and space (and matter and energy) He must exist apart from these things (thus, his transcendency).
That being the case, time and space as we know it have very little (if any) meaning where GOD dwells. In fact, Scripture itself testifies that GOD cannot inhabit the Earth and the heaven and the heaven of heavens, but He does inhabit eternity:
ISAIAH 57:15
For thus says the High and Lofty One Who inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy: "I dwell in the high and holy place, With him who has a contrite and humble spirit, To revive the spirit of the humble, And to revive the heart of the contrite ones.
It’s a wonder to me how the High and Lofty One Who inhabits eternity who dwells in the high and holy place can also dwell with the contrite and humble spirit of man – to revive His spirit, and the hearts of the contrite ones!
How can GOD be so glorious, magnificent and exalted and yet at the same time, be so humble as to dwell with us specks of dust? Only our GOD can do both perfectly without any contradiction! He is so awesome!!
JEREMIAH 10:11-12
10 But the LORD is the true God; He is the living God and the everlasting King. At His wrath the earth will tremble, and the nations will not be able to endure His indignation. 11 Thus you shall say to them: "The gods that have not made the heavens and the earth shall perish from the earth and from under these heavens. 12 He has made the earth by His power, He has established the world by His wisdom, And has stretched out the heavens at His discretion.
The false gods of the nation cannot be accredited any glory at all; for they have done nothing to create (barah – to fashion from nothing – no preexistent materials) anything as GOD has done (GEN 1:1).
The LORD GOD has made the Earth by His [creative] power, and He stretched forth the heavens. The fact that He has stretched them indicates that they had a commencement point where they were “unstretched”. They therefore will have an ending just as they had a beginning. This cannot be said of eternity, and if we can link the Third Heaven with “eternity” (and I think it’s a safe assumption) then we know that what is mentioned here in JEREMIAH 10 must refer to “these heavens” – the terrestrial and the celestial, not the eternal realm of GOD.
Let’s take a look at some biblical insights about heaven:
It’s under the sole possession of GOD Himself; He doesn’t share these property rights with any angels (GEN 14:19,22). Here is His abode and holy habitation (DEUT 26:15; JOSH 2:11).
The cries and prayers uttered by a heart of faith reaches GOD in heaven where He beholds all who inhabit the Earth (1 KINGS 8:31-39 (the entire chapter); PSALM 18:6-7; 33:14).
There is a Book of Life located there with the list of names, those redeemed by the blood of the LAMB, and other names which have been blotted out – not eligible for heaven as their eternal abode (DEUT 29:20; REV 3:5).
Apparently, there are times when a kind of breach or portal opens up connecting that spiritual realm with our earthly domain (GEN 28:12; 2 KINGS 6:17; ISA 6:1-4; EZEK 1:4-28; DANIEL 10-12 chapters; MATT 3:16; 17:1-8; ACTS 9:3-7; REV 1:9-20, and these are but a handful).
There is a scene out of 1 KINGS 22 that some refer to as “the Divine Counsels” comprising of angelic spirits, and among them those known as “the Watchers”. Some attribute to them god-like powers of creativity akin to (but certainly not equal to) the creative powers of the LORD GOD.
I do not subscribe to this view. I think GOD is exclusive in His powers of creative acts through His spoken word, and not shared by any of His creatures, be they exalted angelic spirits, or people duped by Word-Faith heresies (the “name it and claim it” folk who believe they create their own reality by their spoken words, which by the way is the methodology of witches and occultists – you have no doubt heard of ‘spells’ and ‘incantations’?).
However, this scene is Holy Writ and inspired, hence wholly accurate as to this event that took place in heaven:
1 KINGS 22:19-22
19 Then Micaiah said, "Therefore hear the word of the LORD: I saw the LORD sitting on His throne, and all the host of heaven standing by, on His right hand and on His left. 20 "And the LORD said, 'Who will persuade Ahab to go up, that he may fall at Ramoth Gilead?' So, one spoke in this manner, and another spoke in that manner. 21 "Then a spirit came forward and stood before the LORD, and said, 'I will persuade him.' 22 "The LORD said to him, 'In what way?' So, he said, 'I will go out and be a lying spirit in the mouth of all his prophets.' And the LORD said, 'You shall persuade him, and also prevail. Go out and do so.'
Just because GOD is holding some sort of counsel in heaven, that doesn’t necessitate that He will abide by the counsels presented therein (ISA 40:13). It just so happens that one of the spirits suggested something that GOD intended all along.
We read of a similar situation where the LORD Jesus asked Philip where they might get some bread to feed the great multitude before them, though the LORD knew all along what He would do, regardless of any such counsel:
JOHN 6:5-7
5 Then Jesus lifted up His eyes, and seeing a great multitude coming toward Him, He said to Philip, "Where shall we buy bread, that these may eat?" 6 But this He said to test him, for He Himself knew what He would do. 7 Philip answered Him, "Two hundred denarii worth of bread is not sufficient for them, that every one of them may have a little.
It does appear however that such gatherings are not uncommon, where counsels are heard from angelic spirits as well as activity reports (JOB 1:6-7; 2:1-2).
Here we see something in reverse to angelic beings coming down from heaven; in this case, we see the prophet of GOD translated up into heaven (Note: “whirlwind” and don’t assume this is speaking of a common tornado, but rather a sort of vortex that connects the eternal heavens with our own space-time continuum perhaps?). I think the same sort of thing will happen at the rapture (REV 3:8,20; 4:1).
2 KINGS 2:1,11-12a
1 And it came to pass, when the LORD was about to take up Elijah into heaven by a whirlwind, that Elijah went with Elisha from Gilgal.
11 Then it happened, as they continued on and talked, that suddenly a chariot of fire appeared with horses of fire, and separated the two of them; and Elijah went up by a whirlwind into heaven. 12 And Elisha saw it, and he cried out, "My father, my father, the chariot of Israel and its horsemen!" So, he saw him no more.
Mentioning “the host of heaven” – this refers to the heavenly bodies in the celestial realm, but it can also refer to “hosts” in the traditional sense, of military groups of soldiers: in this case, angelic soldiers that are quite powerful.
One of them in a single night slew 185,000 trained Assyrian soldiers (2 KINGS 19:35).
I recall what our LORD said to Peter when this zealous fisherman sought to come to his LORD’s aid, that if the Son of GOD wanted to, He could call upon 12 legions of angels to His defense. Speaking in terms that the ancient world of His time would understand, a single legion of the Roman army would consist of 4,000 to 6,000 soldiers. So, let’s just say 5,000 for the average. Twelve of those would mean 60,000 angels. If every one of these was at least as capable of warfare as the one that slew all those Assyrian soldiers, that would mean such a force could wipe out 11 billion people in a single night!
That’s just 12 legions – but how many are there in all of the “hosts of heaven”? We know that 1/3 of these angels sided with Lucifer in the rebellion, and so these all by themselves are quite a formidable force!
To think, Israel along with the pagan nations worshiped “the host of heaven” which could mean the stars themselves, or the fallen angelic realm (which no doubt fueled the idea of a multiplicity of gods or pantheon. I don’t for a minute believe Zeus and Neptune and all the rest were fictitious gods but fallen angels masquerading as such!
Scripture reminds us that:
EPHESIANS 6:12
For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.
With that sort of force arrayed against the church, we are wise to take advantage of that which GOD graciously provides:
EPHESIANS 6:13
Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.
I believe the following verse refers to the eternal domain of GOD, or the third heaven that the apostle Paul mentions:
1 CHRONICLES 29:11
Yours, O LORD, is the greatness, The power and the glory, The victory and the majesty; For all that is in heaven and in earth is Yours; Yours is the kingdom, O LORD, And You are exalted as head overall (2 CHRON 2:6; 6:21).
“Heaven and earth” are mentioned as belonging to GOD our Creator, and in this case, heaven refers to the terrestrial expanse that covers this globe – the earth. But then His kingdom is mentioned – and every kingdom has a King, and every King has His throne. Colloquially speaking “the heavens are His throne… the earth His footstool” (ISA 66:1). Yet I think there are passages quite specific to the actual throne of GOD dwelling apart from our physical universe:
PSALM 11:4
The LORD is in His holy temple, The LORD'S throne is in heaven; His eyes behold, His eyelids test the sons of men.
REVELATION 21 states that the Father and the Son are the Temple of the New Jerusalem (REV 21:22). John the Apostle saw a literal throne in heaven (REV 5:1). I don’t believe this throne is invisible in our sky, nor floating among the stars, but is in that otherworldly place where angels and disembodied saints are now rejoicing in the presence of the LAMB. Where all the saints, from Old Testament to New Testament times will one day find themselves in glorified bodies bowing before the LORD Jesus Christ.
These will be well suited for that time ahead when the old heavens and earth will be swept away to make way for the new – where sin will no longer exist and we will all dwell in an eternal state, world without end!
When Scripture talks about GOD “hear[ing] from heaven”, this also refers to the third heaven, the dwelling place of GOD Who inhabits eternity.
LUKE 3:21-22
21 When all the people were baptized, it came to pass that Jesus also was baptized; and while He prayed, the heaven was opened. 22 And the Holy Spirit descended in bodily form like a dove upon Him, and a voice came from heaven which said, "You are My beloved Son; in You I am well pleased."
This was a direct address from GOD our Father who spoke from heaven to His beloved Son – His eternal domain that was heard by people under (the terrestrial) heaven – the open skies. The Holy Spirit descended likewise from that eternal abode. Likewise, the Spirit came upon the disciples on the Day of Pentecost (ACTS 2).
When the martyr Stephen was being stoned by a wrathful Sanhedrin, he looked up and saw Christ standing on the right hand of the Father – I believe GOD gave Stephen the spiritual insight to actually perceive the eternal domain (ACTS 7:55-56)!
The visitation of the risen Christ who appeared to Saul of Tarsus on the Damascus road came down from the right hand of the Father and knocked the one-day apostle off his high horse and humbled him (ACTS 9:3-6).
Then of course we have the famous example of Paul’s visitation in heaven (this was likely what happened when he was stoned and left for dead (ACTS 14:19-20):
2 CORINTHIANS 12:2-4
2 I know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago--whether in the body I do not know, or whether out of the body I do not know, God knows--such a one was caught up to the third heaven. 3 And I know such a man--whether in the body or out of the body I do not know, God knows-- 4 how he was caught up into Paradise and heard inexpressible words, which it is not lawful for a man to utter.
I don’t think that Paul was not permitted to express the words he heard, but that the words he heard – he recognized as words but couldn’t put them into any meaningful words by way of translation.
I think the words he heard were of a heavenly language – perhaps the language that angels use among themselves? Heaven will have things present that we have no correlation to in our own world. We will see things in heaven for which there are no words in any human language to express them.
I believe that when we get our glorified bodies a heavenly language will be uploaded into our glorified minds so that we can relate the things we’ll see to one another. But there is no doubt that Paul wasn’t seeing these things somewhere in the universe among the stars and galaxies. He was in that heavenly realm where GOD dwells particularly (GOD exists everywhere, but His full manifestation occurs in eternity where He reigns).
We as the bride of Christ enjoy a spiritual position and authority in that we are “seated in the heavenlies” where Christ dwells:
EPHESIANS 1:19-23
19 and what is the exceeding greatness of His power toward us who believe, according to the working of His mighty power 20 which He worked in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places, 21 far above all principality and power and might and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in that which is to come. 22 And He put all things under His feet and gave Him to be head over all things to the church, 23 which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all.
EPHESIANS 2:5-6
5 even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), 6 and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus,
And while we are now present there positionally, one day we shall be there perpetually in person! And here is a rather mind-blowing thought: right now, our GOD Who dwells in eternity (outside of time and space) sees us there in heaven with Him already!
Then there are the many visions that John the Apostle saw in the Revelation of Jesus Christ – and yet some believe that they weren’t visions he saw about heaven, but that he was transported there personally:
REVELATION 4:1-2
1 After these things I looked, and behold, a door standing open in heaven. And the first voice which I heard was like a trumpet speaking with me, saying, "Come up here, and I will show you things which must take place after this." 2 Immediately I was in the Spirit; and behold, a throne set in heaven, and One sat on the throne.
The LORD Jesus Christ preached the Gospel, calling all Israel to repent “for the kingdom of heaven is at hand”. It was because the King was in their midst, and had Israel received Him as such, that would have inaugurated the Millennial Reign of Christ, but as we know “…he was despised and rejected of men…” (ISA 53:3a). Jesus “came to His own and they received Him not…” (JOHN 1:11).
We know that one day Christ will return, and He will establish His reign in the kingdom of Israel (ACTS 1:6-7). In a very legitimate sense, heaven will come down to earth!
And who will enjoy the domain of heaven? Scripture tells us plainly that those who recognize their spiritual poverty, their need for Jesus and receive Him – these will be blessed to dwell in heaven (MATT 5:3)! That place will likewise be reserved for those who suffer persecution for righteousness’ sake (MATT 5:10-12).
We are to seek in prayer the will of GOD, that it will be accomplished here on ‘Planet Rebyl’ just as it is done in heaven (MATT 6:10). We are likewise admonished to live not for this world or for the things of this world, but for the world that is to come. To store up riches THERE! Not here (MATT 6:20).
We saints are representatives of heaven in our declaration of the LORD Jesus Christ (MATT 10:32). As we obey in doing the Father’s will, we are identified as family with JESUS (MATT 12:50). To be trusting in Christ and simple, and child-like in our faith, this is the requirement for entrance into heaven (MATT 19:14).
Those born into the kingdom of GOD are actually in a higher place of privilege (AND responsibility!) than John the Baptist (MATT 11:11).
There are mysteries in the kingdom of heaven that we are privy to by the power of the Spirit of GOD and our embracing of the truth found exclusively in Christ (MATT 13).
The church of Jesus Christ is granted heavenly authority (MATT 16:19). The disciples learned who the greatest in the kingdom of heaven truly are (MATT 18:1-4,18-19).
The Kingdom of heaven is all about the great preparation for the marriage of the LAMB! Salvation from sin is just the beginning! Adoption into GOD’s family follows, then heavenly citizenship, and the consummation of the Marriage to the LAMB (MATT 22; ROM 4:2-7; 8:15; EPH 1:5; PHIL 3:20; 5:25-27).
We are awaiting the adoption-redemption of our bodies riddled with sin nature, and from heaven we shall be suited with glorified bodies that will be perfectly at home There (1 COR 15:49-53; ROM 8:19-23)!
Heaven is the glorious, loving, healing, gracious, joyful and peaceful Home for the saints as well as our Hope (COL 1:5; REV 21:3-5).
Heaven is that eternal dwelling of blessedness, of rest and security that is freely offered to any and all who will come to Christ for salvation and believe the Gospel!
No comments:
Post a Comment