I love to read the book of Isaiah this time of year. I confess, it’s my favorite book of the Bible.
Besides prophesying Jesus’ birth, it contains many references to the heavens and the earth. Most of them reflect what we know to be true: “In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.” (1) But why is the word heavens plural? I was meditating on this verse this morning thinking about a friend who died suddenly and now sits with Jesus, hearing answers to the myriad of questions he wanted answered.
What we glean from scripture tells us there are three heavens. The third heaven is where the Lord dwells. This heaven is a place of majesty and splendor beyond anything we can imagine. We are given visuals of the rainbow around His throne – the train of His robe fills the temple. There are twenty-four elders, and the four living creatures. We know that the river of life flows from the throne with the tree of life on each side, providing food and healing for the nations. (2)
The apostle Paul in 2 Corinthians 12:2 says, “I know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago was caught up to the third heaven – whether in the body or out of the body I do not know, God knows.” And we know from the Apostle John’s account of the throne room that the third heaven is where the Lord dwells.
Nothing is said about the second heaven. Many scholars believe that the second heaven may be where the stars and the other heavenly bodies exist.
Here’s what Nehemiah said.
“You alone are the LORD. You made the heavens, even the highest heavens, and all their starry host, the earth and all that is on it, the seas and all that is in them. You give life to everything, and the multitudes of heaven worship you.” (3)
The next time you are in a place where there is little ambient light, look up at the night sky and see the starry host.
We know from the Psalms that the first heaven is what we see around us in our sky. The psalmist says: “Beside them the birds of the heavens dwell; they sing among the branches.” (4) Every time you look at a tree silhouetted against the sky, remember you are gazing at heaven.
We know the Lord reserves heaven for his children, those who choose Jesus as Lord and Savior. We also know that the Lord wipes away all our tears and our glorified bodies are free from sin and disease.
So as you are walking in the sunshine, with the sky above, meditate on what the Word has told us about what already is, and what is soon to come.
“For this is what the LORD says – he who created the heavens, he is God; he who fashioned and made the earth, he founded it; he did not create it to be empty, but formed it to be inhabited – he says: “I am the LORD, and there is no other.”
Isaiah 45:18 NKJ
- Genesis 1:1 ESV
- Revelation Chapters 4, 22, and Isaiah 6
- Nehemiah 9:6 NIV
- Psalm 104:12 ESV
