Are there Levels of heaven?

[cenimo]

Some preachers refer to "second heaven", "third heaven", and I think seven heavens. Any thoughts? Any explanations?

 

[SBfaithful]

Are they Mormon? I only believe that there is one heaven for everyone.
Not a heaven for "special" people, and one for "sort of special" people.
I don't think there is anywhere in the Bible that this can be proved.
If there is, please let me know about it.

 

[SBfaithful]

I can only tell you what I know. I have only heard the three different levels of heaven from Mormons. I am curious to see if anyone out here can point to scriptures that describe. I am pretty sure there are none.

 

[Pistos Ergon]

The First Heaven: Earth Atmosphere

Deut. 11:17 -- Then the LORD's anger will burn against you, and he will shut the heavens so that it will not rain and the ground will yield no produce....
Deut. 28:12 -- The LORD will open the heavens, the storehouse of his bounty, to send rain on your land in season and to bless all the work of your hands.
Judges 5:4 -- "O LORD, when you went out from Seir, when you marched from the land of Edom, the earth shook, the heavens poured, the clouds poured down water.
Acts 14:17 -- "Yet he has not left himself without testimony: He has shown kindness by giving you rain from heaven and crops in their seasons;...

The Second Heaven: Outer Space

Psalm 19:4,6 -- In the heavens he has pitched a tent for the sun... It rises at one end of the heavens and makes its circuit to the other;...
Jeremiah 8:2 -- They will be exposed to the sun and the moon and all the stars of the heavens which they have loved and served....
Isaiah 13:10 -- The stars of heaven and their constellations will not show their light.

The Third Heaven: God's Dwelling Place

1 Kings 8:30 (phrase repeated numerous times in following verses) -- then hear from heaven, your dwelling place...
Psalm 2:4 -- The One enthroned in heaven laughs; The LORD scoffs at them.
Matthew 5:16 -- In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.

The highest heaven, the third heaven is indicated by the reference to the Throne of God being the highest heaven:

1 Kings 8:27 -- "But will God really dwell on earth? The heavens, even the highest heaven, cannot contain you.
Deut. 10:14 -- To the LORD your God belong the heavens, even the highest heavens, the earth and everything in it.

 

[cenimo]

...all I did was a simple search on yahoo, "levels of heaven" for the two links posted...seems there are more...

 

thanks, Pistos Ergon...

 

[Sleepyd]

Let me get this straight..I think the question implied a heirarchy in heaven of some kind after the second coming...yeah?

So, you're hinting that according to deeds that make us somehow higher in order than other 'worse' Christians?

 

[panterapat]

I don't have the scripture verses or tradition to back it up but I seem to remember the school of Catholic thought that speaks of different levels of heaven.

There is a definite heirarchy of angels. Why not levels of closeness to God in heaven?

In Christ, Patrick

 

[NewGenerationHippie]

I've heard of levels of Hell, from crazy people.

 

[KeepTheFaith15]

nope no levels

 

[A Brethren IN CHRIST]

I've heard of levels of Hell, from crazy people.

Psalms 88:4 down in the pit
Psalms 88:6 lowest pit

so you can say at least 3 levels of hell

 

[JT]

This is the structure of things:

Divinity Unsubstantiate = God
The Divine = The immediate surroundings of God, as seen in pictures by John in Revelation. The Archangels, the four beasts, Elders etc.


Then there is a gulf between this and our Creation. This comprises of:


Primordial Spiritual = The immediate Spiritual. At the summit of this is the Holy Grail, the summit of our Creation. The Primordial Spiritual is divided into seven levels.

Spiritual= The next Spiritual, somewhat weaker due to the increasing distance from God. Seven levels. Man has his origin at the very bottom of this sphere, in an unconscious state.

Animistic sphere

The world of matter - where man finds himself on Earth. He must gain experience in order to re-enter the Spiritual as a completed Spirit. This is a very basic explaination of the structure of it all.

 

[MariaRegina]

RE: Seventh Heaven

According to a website I just visited (if published I'm sure it will be deleted because it isn't a Christian site),
some Jewish Rabbis teach about the seven heavens, with the 7th heaven being the highest level where God abides.

Also, it seems that the whole idea of toll houses (primarily an Anglican belief but also mentioned by some Early Church Fathers) originates from an ancient Jewish belief that after you die you progress upward through the different levels of heaven. At each level there is a gate called a toll house where the devils will tempt you and try to make you lose your salvation. This strange unscriptural belief may have roots in gnosticism as well.

Therefore, I don't believe in toll houses and neither do the majority of Christians because Christ did not even mention it. Hence, it is not necessary for our salvation.

Saint Paul talks about being brought into the Third Heaven in 2 Corinthians 12:2-4

12:2 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.
12:3 And I know such a man--whether in the body or out of the body I do not know, God knows--
12:4 how he was caught up into Paradise and heard inexpressible words, which it is not lawful for a man to utter.

Finally Christ says somewhere, "In my father's house there are many mansions."

Elizabeth

 

[adelpit346]

Here are the two heavens and The One Heaven.
First heaven:the dome of the sky where birds fly and clouds bring rain down.
Second heaven: the space above the sky filled with stars and planets that streaches on an on.
Third Heaven: The Place where The Saints petition The LORD in Jesus night and day for The LORD(Father) to come down and establish peace in which Jesus may rule surrounded by His enemies for 1000 years.
That's all folks: Two heavens and One Heaven. amen
i am nothing0
Jesus is The Lord1Praise The Lord1The Lord Jesus. amen

 

[Kotter]

In Corinthians chapter 15 verse 40 & 41 it states:
" There are also celstial bodies, and bodies terrestrial:but the glory of the celestial is one, and the glory of the terrestrial is another.
There is one glory of the sun, and another glory of the moon, and another glory of the stars: for one star differeth from another star in glory"

If you take the lesser of all the glories, terrestrial, it will still by far have a more brilliant radiance than that of what is here on the earth. As in life, in the heavens progression still exists.

To know for yourself, please pray to our Father in Heaven and He will direct your search for the answer that you seek.

I too will pray that you may have your answer.
Many blessings...

 

[Rising_Suns]

Kotter,
I believe you took that passage out of context. The terrestrial bodies is our earthly bodies, not some lesser heavenly body as you are implying.

what translation do you use? KJV? Your translation is a little misleading. Go to this bible search engine....

http://bible.gospelcom.net/

...and you can read that passage in various translations. God bless you sister.

 

[good4u]

Pistos has the correct understanding, I believe, when the Bible speaks of the level of heavens and I cosign with that poster. Altho' I enjoyed the most imaginiative of explanations from others. LOL!!!

 

[Rafael]

I've heard of levels of Hell, from crazy people.

Matthew 23:14 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye devour widows’ houses, and for a pretence make long prayer: therefore ye shall receive the greater damnation.

Mark 12:40 Which devour widows’ houses, and for a pretence make long prayers: these shall receive greater damnation.

Luke 20:47 Which devour widows’ houses, and for a shew make long prayers: the same shall receive greater damnation.

Luke 12:47 And that servant, which knew his lord’s will, and prepared not himself, neither did according to his will, shall be beaten with many stripes.
48 But he that knew not, and did commit things worthy of stripes, shall be beaten with few stripes. For unto whomsoever much is given, of him shall be much required: and to whom men have committed much, of him they will ask the more.

James 3:1 ¶ My brethren, be not many masters, knowing that we shall receive the greater condemnation.

There seems to be a case for levels of punishment.

 

[A Brethren IN CHRIST]

2 cor 12:2 third heaven

psalms .....lowest hell

 

[Rising_Suns]

and; "he who wants to rank high among you shall serve the needs of people, but he who wants to be ranked highest shall serve the needs of all."