Approaching The Third Heaven

by Shari Abbott, Reasons for Hope* Jesus

2 Cor 12:2 I knew a man in Christ above fourteen years ago…such a one caught up to the third heaven.

Context: The Vision of the Apostle Paul and His Encounters with God

12 I must go on boasting. Although there is nothing to be gained, I will go on to visions and revelations from the Lord. 2 I know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago was caught up to the third heaven. Whether it was in the body or out of the body I do not know—God knows. 3 And I know that this man—whether in the body or apart from the body I do not know, but God knows— 4 was caught up to paradise and heard inexpressible things, things that no one is permitted to tell...

The First and Second Heavens

The First heaven is the one God created when He created “the heaven and the earth.” This heaven can clearly be seen by everyone on earth. It is the atmospheric heaven in which birds and airplanes fly. And it extends about 62 miles above the earth according to NASA’s determination of where outer space (the second heaven) begins.

The second heaven is the firmament that God put “in the midst of the waters” (the deep), with water above and below it. It is the celestial heaven in which are the planets, galaxies, and stars. It is the outer space where spaceships and astronauts have ventured and have observed the creation of God from a much higher view. While space exploration has revealed a great deal about the second heaven, there still remain many mysteries about this heaven. The Bible suggests this is a dwelling place of demons (Eph 6:12) and a place of great spiritual warfare (Dan 10:12-14).

The Third Heaven

This Heaven is in a category all of its own. 

Unlike the created first and second heavens, the Third Heaven is the eternal dwelling place of God and His heavenly hosts. And ever since Jesus conquered sin and opened the way to Heaven for forgiven sinners, all departed souls that have been redeemed by His blood are now in this Heaven.

Additional Biblical Support Revealing Three Heavens

Deut 10:14 Behold, the heaven [2nd heaven] and the heaven of heavens [3rd heaven] is the LORD’S thy God, the earth also, with all that therein is [included the 1st heaven].

1 Ki 8:27 But will God indeed dwell on the earth? behold, the heaven [2nd heaven] and heaven of heavens [3rd heaven] cannot contain thee… [also 2 Chr 2:6, 2 Chr 6:18]

Neh 9:6 Thou, even thou, art LORD alone; thou hast made heaven [2nd heaven], the heaven of heavens [3rd Heaven], with all their host, the earth, and all things that are therein [including the 1st heaven], the seas, and all that is therein…

Psa 113:4 The LORD is high above all nations, and his glory above the heavens [His glory is above ALL heavens].

Our Lord & Savior passed through all three heavens when He ascended:

Heb 4:14 Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens (plural), Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession.

Eph 4:10 He that descended is the same also that ascended up far above all heavens, that he might fill all things. [cf. Ps 113:4, above]

Heaven is a glorious place and we wish we knew more about it. 

But we must also be careful that false narratives do not create unbiblical ideas about what Heaven is like. There are many reports of people going to Heaven and returning, but the Bibles does not support that happening. Perhaps some have been given a glimpse of Heaven, but the veracity of what they report cannot be verified.

Only God’s Word is 100% trustworthy to teach us what the Lord God Most High wants us to know about Heaven. 

He has told us enough to excite us about its beauty and majesty. But what is most exciting is that all of us who belong to our Savior, Yahushuah Hamasiach el Immanu will one day see Him and experience His glory in the radiance of His beautiful face:

1 Cor 13:12 For now we see through a glass [the glassy sea of Rev 4:6], darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known. [Corrected for accuracy].