Heaven – an overview

Heaven – an overview                            August 8, 2015

 

What is Heaven?  What does the Scriptures say. 

There are three specific places mention as Heaven. 

1.   “First Heaven” – sky, clouds, our immediate atmosphere

2.   “Second Heaven” – stars, galaxies, is outer space as far as it stretches

3.   “Third Heaven”  - is the place where God himself dwells   

Let’s look at  

The First Heaven – sky, clouds, our immediate atmosphere  

Genesis 1:1 In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.

Genesis 2:1 Thus the heavens and the earth, and all the host of them, were finished. 

Genesis 1:8-9 And God called the firmament Heaven. So the evening and the morning were the second day.  (9)  Then God said, "Let the waters under the heavens be gathered together into one place, and let the dry land appear"; and it was so. 

Heaven:  Hebrew is shaw-mah'-yim, shaw-meh', means to be lofty; the sky (as aloft; the dual perhaps alluding to the visible arch in which the clouds move, as well as to the higher ether where the celestial bodies revolve): - air, heaven (-s). 

2 Kings 2:1 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. 

2 Kings 2:11 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. 

Remember, we covered before Elijah wrote a letter. 

Second Heaven” – stars, galaxies, is outer space as far as it stretches 

The second heaven is the starry heavens, where our atmosphere ends. It is the heavens in which the sun, moon, and stars are fixed in orbit. The stars are seemingly endless and the distance between all of them is staggering 

Psalms 19:1 The heavens declare the glory of  God; And the firmament shows His handiwork. 

Psalms 19:6 Its rising is from one end of heaven, And its circuit to the other end; And there is nothing hidden from its heat. 

Isaiah 40:22 It is He who sits above the circle of the earth, And its inhabitants are like grasshoppers, Who stretches out the heavens like a curtain, And spreads them out like a tent to dwell in.

 

Jeremiah 8:2 They shall spread them before the sun and the moon and all the host of heaven, which they have loved and which they have served and after which they have walked, which they have sought and which they have worshiped. They shall not be gathered nor buried; they shall be like refuse on the face of the earth. 

Third Heaven - is the place where God himself dwells.   

The heaven of heavens 

Deuteronomy 10:14 Indeed heaven and the highest heavens belong to the LORD your God, also the earth with all that is in it.

1 Kings 8:27 NKJV  "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! 

Psalms 115:16 NKJV  The heaven, even the heavens, are the LORD's; But the earth He has given to the children of men. 

Psalms 148:4 NKJV  Praise Him, you heavens of heavens, And you waters above the heavens! 

Referring to the idea that there is one heaven rising above another 

Now we come to a place where most could agree on so far.  From this point on, it depends on your hermeneutics, what you believe.  If you believe you will go to heaven when you die, heaven will be totally different from someone who does not.  If we take the Word Seriously then we would not have a problem with the visions that individuals in the Scriptures had. 

Let’s just see what the Scriptures tells us, remember, it is just a glimpse of what Heaven is like. 

Where is Heaven located?  The Scriptures does not really tells where Heaven is located, but is kind of gives us a hint. 

Isaiah 14:12-13 "How you are fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! How you are cut down to the ground, You who weakened the nations!  (13)  For you have said in your heart: 'I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God; I will also sit on the mount of the congregation On the farthest sides of the north; 

Is this a hint, I really do not know.  Preachers in the past said yes and they told us that there are fewer stars in the north because of the great star wars battle between Lucifer/Satan and Michael, who serves as the Warrior for God. 

We know Jesus passed through the heavens gives evidence there is more than one heaven. 

Hebrews 4:14 Seeing then that we have a great High Priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. 

Why do we call it the third heaven?

The Apostle Paul tells us he had a vision and revelations from the Lord: 

2 Corinthians 12:1-4 NKJV  It is doubtless not profitable for me to boast. I will come to visions and revelations of the Lord:  (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. 

If Paul said, 3^rd Heaven, then there must be two more. 

·      Visions and revelations

·      Caught up to the third heaven.

·      Caught up into Paradise 

Let’s look at The Throne Room of the Universe 

Who is in Heaven and the place where God resides. 

We know the Father and Jesus our Lord are in Heaven. 

Hebrews 8:1 Now this is the main point of the things we are saying: We have such a High Priest, who is seated at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens, 

Jesus is seated on a throne at the right hand of the Father.  Both have thrones. 

Stephen saw a vision right before he was killed. 

Acts 7:55-56 But he (Stephen), being full of the Holy Spirit, gazed into heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God,  (56)  and said, "Look! I see the heavens opened and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God!"

The Throne room of God 

Revelation 4:2 Immediately I was in the Spirit; and behold, a throne set in heaven, and One sat on the throne. 

Revelation 4:3 And He who sat there was like a jasper and a sardius stone in appearance; and there was a rainbow around the throne, in appearance like an emerald. 

Isaiah 6:1 In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord sitting on a throne, high and lifted up, and the train of His robe filled the temple. 

From the seven Spirits who are before His throne 

John was in Spirit, a vision of the Throne Room. 

Angels and 7 Spirits of God, 

The seven Spirits of God are mentioned four times in the Book of Revelation, 

Revelation 1:4 John, to the seven churches which are in Asia: Grace to you and peace from Him who is and who was and who is to come, and from the seven Spirits who are before His throne, 

Revelation 3:1 "And to the angel of the church in Sardis write, 'These things says He who has the seven Spirits of God and the seven stars: "I know your works, that you have a name that you are alive, but you are dead. 

Revelation 4:5 And from the throne proceeded lightnings, thunderings, and voices. Seven lamps of fire were burning before the throne, which are the seven Spirits of God. 

Revelation 5:6 And I looked, and behold, in the midst of the throne and of the four living creatures, and in the midst of the elders, stood a Lamb as though it had been slain, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of God sent out into all the earth. 

Does the book of Isaiah name each Spirit.  

Isaiah 11:2 The Spirit of the LORD shall rest upon Him, The Spirit of wisdom and understanding, The Spirit of counsel and might, The Spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the LORD. 

Zechariah 4:2  And he said to me, "What do you see?" So I said, "I am looking, and there is a lampstand of solid gold with a bowl on top of it, and on the stand seven lamps with seven pipes to the seven lamps. 

Zechariah 4:10 For who has despised the day of small things? For these seven rejoice to see The plumb line in the hand of Zerubbabel. They are the eyes of the LORD, Which scan to and fro throughout the whole earth." 

Seven Horns--Prophecy, horns represent spiritual authority (power). Jesus has been given all authority in heaven and on earth (Matthew 28:18). Again, the number seven indicates complete authority 

Matthew 28:18 And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, "All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. 

In the Old Testament in the tabernacle of God, the Lord told Moses to make things that were a "copy and shadow of the heavenly things" 

Hebrews 8:5 who serve the copy and shadow of the heavenly things, as Moses was divinely instructed when he was about to make the tabernacle. For He said, "SEE THAT YOU MAKE ALL THINGS ACCORDING TO THE PATTERN SHOWN YOU ON THE MOUNTAIN." 

Hebrews 9:23 Therefore it was necessary that the copies of the things in the heavens should be purified with these, but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these. 

One of those things Moses was instructed to make was a lampstand with seven lamps (Exodus 25:31-37; 37:17-23).  

Moses made the instructed man-made copy (shadow). John saw the heavenly reality. 

Sea of Glass, 4 living creatures 

Revelation 4:6  Before the throne there was a sea of glass, like crystal. And in the midst of the throne, and around the throne, were four living creatures full of eyes in front and in back. 

Revelation 4:7 The first living creature was like a lion, the second living creature like a calf, the third living creature had a face like a man, and the fourth living creature was like a flying eagle. 

These creatures were on the 4 banners that Israel had when they travel and rested in the wilderness. Three tribes per banner. 

Revelation 4:8 The four living creatures, each having six wings, were full of eyes around and within. And they do not rest day or night, saying: "Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, Who was and is and is to come!" 

Revelation 4:9-11 Whenever the living creatures give glory and honor and thanks to Him who sits on the throne, who lives forever and ever,  (10)  the twenty-four elders fall down before Him who sits on the throne and worship Him who lives forever and ever, and cast their crowns before the throne, saying:  (11)  "You are worthy, O Lord, To receive glory and honor and power; For You created all things, And by Your will they exist and were created." 

Strong or powerful Angel 

Revelation 5:2 Then I saw a strong angel proclaiming with a loud voice, "Who is worthy to open the scroll and to loose its seals?" 

Powerful Angel:  Gabriel (who speaks for God) or Michael (the Warrior) 

Revelation 5:6 And I looked, and behold, in the midst of the throne and of the four living creatures, and in the midst of the elders, stood a Lamb as though it had been slain, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of God sent out into all the earth. 

Little more information, 7 Spirits sent out into all the earth. 

24 Elders on 24 thrones 

Revelation 4:4  Around the throne were twenty-four thrones, and on the thrones I saw twenty-four elders sitting, clothed in white robes; and they had crowns of gold on their heads. 

Revelation 5:8  Now when He had taken the scroll, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb, each having a harp, and golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints. 

Revelation 5:9-10 And they sang a new song, saying: "You are worthy to take the scroll, And to open its seals; For You were slain, And have redeemed us to God by Your blood Out of every tribe and tongue and people and nation,  (10)  And have made us kings and priests to our God; And we shall reign on the earth." 

Revelation 5:11-12 Then I looked, and I heard the voice of many angels around the throne, the living creatures, and the elders; and the number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands,  (12)  saying with a loud voice: "Worthy is the Lamb who was slain To receive power and riches and wisdom, And strength and honor and glory and blessing!" 

4 living creatures  

Revelation 5:14 Then the four living creatures said, "Amen!" And the twenty-four elders fell down and worshiped Him who lives forever and ever. 

All angels, and also elders, 4 living creatures 

Revelation 7:11-12 All the angels stood around the throne and the elders and the four living creatures, and fell on their faces before the throne and worshiped God, (12) saying: "Amen! Blessing and glory and wisdom, Thanksgiving and honor and power and might, Be to our God forever and ever. Amen." 

Zechariah 6:5 And the angel answered and said to me, "These are four spirits of heaven, who go out from their station before the Lord of all the earth. 

Revelation 11:19 Then the temple of God was opened in heaven, and the ark of His covenant was seen in His temple. And there were lightnings, noises, thunderings, an earthquake, and great hail. 

Revelation 21:22 But I saw no temple in it, for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are its temple. 

Exciting to think about Heaven is also the Temple of God. 

What we have just covered, are hints what we would find at the Throne of God, in Heaven – an overview.