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I believe that Heaven is a place. This place is where God's throne is established.
Psalm 103:19
The LORD has established his throne in heaven, and his kingdom rules over all.This throne is where God rules creation and this rule is called the Kingdom of Heaven. In otherwords God rules from Heaven (the place) to all of creation. The very word Kingdom implies a King and a King is a ruler.
Revelation 3:21
To him who overcomes, I will give the right to sit with me on my throne, just as I overcame and sat down with my Father on his throne.Revelation 11:15
The seventh angel sounded his trumpet, and there were loud voices in heaven, which said: “The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ, and he will reign for ever and ever.”So Heaven is a place and it's rule is the Kingdom, just as this world is a place and it's rule is a kingdom.
We know that the Kingdom of Heaven can extend beyond Heaven itself.
Matthew 6:10
Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.Matthew 11:12
From the days of John the Baptist until now, the kingdom of heaven has been forcefully advancing, and forceful men lay hold of it.But where is Heaven located?
People tend to think of up when we talk of heaven, yet in our 3 dimensional understanding, up is really out. E.g up from Australia is a different direction to up in the USA. I tend to think that Heaven is up but in a dimensional sense. Heaven is the highest dimension in which it contains all of creation including the earth and all the lower dimensions. So from Heaven, all of creation can be seen at once in the same way that we can view 2 dimensional space from the 3rd dimension but the 3rd dimension cannot be viewed from the 2nd. Of course such revelation can be seen if God opens a window in Heaven or the Spirit reveals it to us in vision.
Acts 7:55
But Stephen, full of the Holy Spirit, looked up to heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God.Genesis 28:12
He had a dream in which he saw a stairway [ or ladder ] resting on the earth, with its top reaching to heaven, and the angels of God were ascending and descending on it.The scriptures also talk about the Heavens as opposed to Heaven and in such instances it is referring to the universe/sky/stars. Paul also mentions the term third heaven and it is suppose by some that the first heaven is the sky, the second is the stars/universe and the third is the place where God's throne is.
In reference to the sky, read Genesis 7:11
In the six hundredth year of Noah's life, on the seventeenth day of the second month-on that day all the springs of the great deep burst forth, and the floodgates of the heavens were opened.In reference to the stars and universe, read Genesis 15:5
He took him outside and said, “Look up at the heavens and count the stars-if indeed you can count them.” Then he said to him, “So shall your offspring be.”In reference to Heaven the place read 2 Corinthians 12:2
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.It is interesting to note that there are many who ascribe to the belief that there is a difference between heaven and paradise. I personally believe there is. I believe the Bible mentions something about Abraham’s bosom. I believe that when we die (when saved of course) we will go to paradise. When the rapture takes place those on earth will rise directly to heaven and those in paradise shall rise to heaven also. That’s why the bible says the dead in Christ shall rise first.
Yes that is interesting about Paradise.
Some believe that Paradise was the place where the righteous dead were placed before the ressurrection of the dead and I tend to agree with this. However there is also the idea that when Jesus died, the dead in Christ were released from this place and taken to heaven.
Romans 14:9
For this very reason, Christ died and returned to life so that he might be the Lord of both the dead and the living.1 Corinthians 15:12
But if it is preached that Christ has been raised from the dead, how can some of you say that there is no resurrection of the dead?1 Corinthians 15:20
But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep.Revelation 1:5
and from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth.So Christ was the first. But the question is, when will the dead in Christ be raised?
1 Thessalonians 4:16
For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first.When will this happen? The Last Day or has it already happened, or is it happening?
Matthew 27:52
And the graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints which slept arose,The last scripture seems to indicate that the dead were raised after Jesus was raised. So he mastered death and released the captives as he holds the keys of death.
We know that the dead are raised first and we who are alive will follow them. But is this all in a moment or will the dead be raised first over a period of time as they die and after Jesus was raised. And perhaps those who are alive will be translated in a moment?
An interesting debate at least.
I have decided to pass on the subject on the “Dead in Christ” to a more relevant current post and keep this Post for the subject of “What is Heaven”.
The link is below:
The Dead in ChristHi,
One of the universal concepts that we all grow up with and no one challenges is the FACT that when we die we go to heaven or hell. Good people like “us” always go to heaven and those other bad people go to hell. Usually there is a concept of some sort of simple Judgement according to works done, where Peter meets us, checks our record and opens the gate to heaven for us. This concept and the subject of hell is a source of many jokes.All this is from the world, the domain of Satan who loves to keep fools in the dark about the truth. We, however, have the truth in our hands and need to check every part of these myths out as the issue is life and death literally.
Do we bodily go to heaven when we die?
HI,
Whether or not we go to heaven those in Christ remain adjoined to him through the Spirit of life we share with him.There is another “do people ever go to heaven” thread that covers and will cover this subject in more detail.
Something has been bothering me for a while. The scripture says: David in fact, did not ascend to the heavens.
If no one ever goes to heaven, what is the point of saying this. If it is obvious that no one goes to heaven, of course David didn't go to heaven. Of course, everyone didn't go. So why specify that David didn't go?
Hi david,
If you mean Acts 225
'For David said of him
“I saw the Lord always in my presence, for he is at my right hand, so that I will not be shaken….
Because you will not abandon my soul to Hades, nor allow your holy one to undergo decay..”The psalm, at face value, would read that David was writing about himself. But it wasn't because he died, his body decayed and his soul waited in Sheol with Abraham. Peter was making sure the listeners did not argue that it was relating to David., but showed it could only relate to Jesus, in my view.
Acts 2:34
“Actually David did not ascend to the heavens”Again, my question:
Quote If no one ever goes to heaven, what is the point of saying this. If it is obvious that no one goes to heaven, of course David didn't go to heaven. Of course, everyone didn't go. So why specify that David didn't go? Hi david,
Having stated that Christ has ascended in v 33 Peter continues to reinforce the difference between David and Jesus as previously shown in the chapter. He is showing the sons of David that their hero does not match the glory of the Son of God, whom they cruficied, thus bringing them to repentance.Hi
When reading through the scripture references for Heaven I can't seem to get myself past
2 CORINTHIANS 12:2 …..such an one caught up in the third heaven. So is this telling us that there are more then 1 heaven or is it 1 heaven but many layers. I am wondering if the greater your faith the closer you get to God or if we all will have the same experiences in heaven. I am sure no one knows for sure. and I don't think I am in a big hurry to find out.Follow me as I Follow Christ
brother steveI wouldn't personally say that we shall never enter heaven as we will have spiritual bodies. But we will reign on the earth as it is written:
Revelation 5:10
10 You have made them to be a kingdom and priests to serve our God,
and they will reign on the earth.”1Thessalonians. 4:16
“For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord.”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.”Eccl. 3:21
” Who knows the spirit of the sons of men, which goes upward, and the spirit of the animal, which goes down to the earth?”Revelation 15:2
” And I saw something like a sea of glass mingled with fire, and those who have the victory over the beast, over his image and over his mark and over the number of his name, standing on the sea of glass, having harps of God. “Mark 13:27
“And then He will send His angels, and gather together His elect from the four winds, from the farthest part of earth to the farthest part of heaven.”Jude 1:14
“Now Enoch, the seventh from Adam, prophesied about these men also, saying, “Behold, the Lord comes with ten thousands of His saints, . . . “Quote (Brother Steve @ July 19 2006,03:43) Hi
When reading through the scripture references for Heaven I can't seem to get myself past
2 CORINTHIANS 12:2 …..such an one caught up in the third heaven. So is this telling us that there are more then 1 heaven or is it 1 heaven but many layers. I am wondering if the greater your faith the closer you get to God or if we all will have the same experiences in heaven. I am sure no one knows for sure. and I don't think I am in a big hurry to find out.Follow me as I Follow Christ
brother steve
I'm sure others can speak to this far better then I can. But I believe that the first heaven is our atmosphere, the second is space, and the third is the spiritual realm.Does reign on earth mean that we will inhabit the earth or rule the earth?
I know that some of us will be seated with Christ's on his throne.
Revelation 3:21
To him who overcomes, I will give the right to sit with me on my throne, just as I overcame and sat down with my Father on his throne.God's throne is Heaven according to Acts 7:49
” 'Heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool. What kind of house will you build for me? says the Lord. Or where will my resting place be?Where is Christ's throne?
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