I've always heard that there are 3 Heavens. Here is what I was taught that they are:
First Heaven - First heaven is this world; Like heaven but corrupted.
Second Heaven - Second heaven is the celestial bodies: The sky, planets, stars, and universe (everything overhead).
Third Heaven - This is what we traditionally think of when we think of heaven. The third heaven is the dwelling place of God and the ultimate destination of some people.
I recently heard that there is more to the 3 Heavens than what is stated above in it's tame and naturalistic form. I heard that the realm of the "spirit" extends through all three Heavens. Thus when a soul dies, it first discovers that they have died while "in the spirit" (as in spiritual plane) here, the First Heaven. It is here in the First Heaven that a soul might have an angelic encounter and be carried to the Second or Third Heaven if saved. Essentially the Second Heaven is the abode of many classes of angels. And the Third Heaven is what we traditionally think of when we think of Heaven; a place where the very presence of God is manifest.
There are three heavens in the bible,
two physical and one spiritual.
We, as believers are caught up in the third heaven when we die.
Paul says, to be absent in the body, is to be present with the Lord.
So, you don't believe that there is a spiritual reality around us in the first heaven? That would mean... no angels, no demons, no spirits. Jesus said something interesting....
Luke 17:21
nor will they say, ‘Look, here it is!’ or ‘There!’ for behold, the kingdom of God is in the midst of you.”
They were ignorant of the kingdom of God, a spiritual reality in their very midst.
So, you don't believe that there is a spiritual reality around us in the first heaven? That would mean... no angels, no demons, no spirits. Jesus said something interesting....
Luke 17:21
nor will they say, ‘Look, here it is!’ or ‘There!’ for behold, the kingdom of God is in the midst of you.”
They were ignorant of the kingdom of God, a spiritual reality in their very midst.
There really isn't a whole lot when it comes to the three heavens. Basically, the writers of the bible used the same word to describe the sky, outer space, and spiritual heaven. One word, three different places.
Paul calls spiritual heaven the "third" heaven in 2nd Corinthians 12, which gives us the teaching of the three heavens. Sky is the first heaven, outer space the second, and spiritual heaven is the third heaven.
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So, you don't believe that there is a spiritual reality around us in the first heaven?
Don't put words in my mouth.
I did not say that.
Read my post and use common sense.
There really isn't a whole lot when it comes to the three heavens. Basically, the writers of the bible used the same word to describe the sky, outer space, and spiritul heaven. One word, three different places.
Paul calls spiritual heaven the "third" heaven in 2nd Corinthians 12, which gives us the teaching of the three heavens. Sky is the first heaven, outer space the second, and spiritual heaven is the third heaven.
Don't put words in my mouth.
I did not say that.
Read my post and use common sense.
So you admit that there is a spiritual reality all around us?
If so... wouldn't it stand to reason that there is a spiritual reality extending throughout both the first and second heavens as you described them?
I'd not describe the third heaven a "spiritual heaven". I'd describe it as the a place wherein one might encounter the manifest presence of God.
No one doubts the obvious spiritual nature of the third heaven. I'm just saying that there is a spiritual reality extending into the second and first heavens. If we could see the angelic war just above our heads and all around us... I think we'd be shocked.
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