I know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago was caught up to the third heaven.
Summary: In today’s passage Paul makes an offhand comment about the “third heaven.” Pondering what he means opens the door of our understanding wider when we consider the meaning of “heaven.”
Wait… what?? A third heaven?
In his second letter to the church at Corinth, Paul is “boasting” about what real apostles have to endure. One of the things he boasts about is “a man in Christ” who is “caught up” to something he calls the “third heaven.”
In our last meditation, “Two Kinds of Heaven” we looked at the difference between the heaven God exists in and the heavens he created. It is telling that the first sentence of the Bible refers to God creating the “heavens,” plural. So what is going on here?
The Bible actually refers to three different kinds of heavens. To be fair, the usage of the word “heaven” gets blurred between all three at times. I think this is what makes the word “heaven” so confusing.
The “first heaven” is the sky. It is the air that encircles the earth. In our modern understanding of cosmology, we understand that the earth is a small planet. Our planet has a thin layer of air trapped by gravity. The moisture in the air forms the cloud patterns that we see in pictures made from space.
From our perspective on the ground, things look very different. The sky seems endless and clouds sometimes take on a life of their own. During the daytime, the sky is illuminated by the sun and we cannot normally see anything beyond our atmosphere. When the Bible refers to “the birds of the heavens” (Genesis 1:26, ESV), it is talking about what Paul would probably have referred to as the “First Heaven.”
The Second Heaven is the night sky. At night, the curtain of light reflecting in the atmosphere is drawn back and the universe with all its stars is exposed to the human eye. This infinite vacuum of space looks endless to us whether we are standing on the ground or looking at it through the Hubble telescope. The Bible refers to this heaven in Genesis 22:17 (ESV, see also KJV) when God tells Abraham, “I will surely multiply your offspring as the stars of heaven.”
The Third Heaven is the only one that is left. It is this heaven that Paul’s friend was “caught up” to in 2 Corinthians 12:2. It is the one that Solomon refers to when he dedicates the newly constructed Temple and asks God to “listen in heaven your dwelling place” (1 Kings 8:30)
It is not hard to imagine Paul as a student (Acts 22:3). Paul is sitting at Gamaliel’s feet and Gamaliel is pointing to the ancient equivalent of a whiteboard with a diagram showing the “three heavens.” Paul being Paul, he is very specific in his language. This is why we see him use a phrase unique in the Bible when he refers to the “third heaven.”
Application: Asking questions about the things we read in the Bible helps us develop a better understanding of what God’s Word means.
Food for Thought: Using Paul’s hierarchy of heavens, where do you think the “third heaven” is?
I’m not positive about my answer and would love more wisdom knowledge and understanding. Was Paul talking about himself and his experience of being stoned and left for dead? If so would his heaven be knowing he is loving God first above his own life being persecuted/stoned to death or possibly just in the presence of God when he got caught up? I would think that would be heaven being in Gods presence being a friend of His Son, knowing that you did a good job.
Tim,
You are not alone. When we get into topics like “Where is heaven?” we simply don’t know. No one can be “positive” about their answer and for this reason your gentle approach to the question is both appreciated and appropriate.
The main thing, in my view, is that you and others are wrestling with this question. So many words are used casually without really understanding what they mean or even what they point to. With certain words like “red” or “sky” we have a mental image of the meaning we associate with them, but with a word like “heaven” we can tend to *BLEEP* over the meaning part of the word.
Even though we can’t “know” what heaven is until we get there, we are given several clues in Scripture that help us form a more accurate picture of what Jesus is talking about. I remember as a kid thinking of heaven as a place where people sat on clouds with a harp and … just sat there. BORING.
But that is not what heaven is like. It was a cartoonists caricature of heaven. Wrong, wrong, wrong! Heaven is real, it exists, it is wonderful. It is also God’s home. When Jesus teaches us to pray the Lord’s Prayer there is a reason he mentions the word “heaven.” Hopefully, as we mediate on it here, we will discover what that is.
Thank you Jeff. You basically confirmed one of the many things that makes me so excited about heaven. Being invited into Gods Kingdom where your able to be in His wonderful presence all the time for eternity. The crowd following God, Jesus, the prophets, the faithful in the bible has to be enormous.
Very Interesting 🙏
That’s a tough question. We know that there are spiritual and physical worlds, and sometimes I can’t help but picture the spiritual world as “vapor behind a veil.” It is such a mystery. I do know the Bible describes heaven as being a place where God dwells and His throne is there. Jesus said that His Father’s house has many rooms. Jesus also ascended into Heaven in His physical form.
Not to lean into science, but I also understand that animals have the ability to see more colors than humans. That means that those colors are present in our physical world, but humans just can’t see them. I wonder sometimes what else we can’t see.
I also understand that there is an observable “force” out there on the edge of the universe called “the great attractor.” As far as can be observed, it is a massless collection of magnetic energy so large and chaotic that can’t be measured and doesn’t follow the “laws of physics.”
I think the third Heaven is a place somewhere in the universe, and by universe I mean that the universe is greater than what we can perceive based on what see understand here on Earth. Maybe we don’t have, or ever will have, the technology to observe the universe for what it really is, but I think we just don’t have the eyeballs for it.
Chris,
Nicely said. I like your summation, “We just don’t have the eyeballs for it.” I have a friend who does a lot of work in industry with light and color. He is often working on technology to help us “see” more clearly, and in doing so has become very aware of what we cannot see. Interesting stuff!
I think of the third Heaven as simply the place where God dwells. That may be oversimplified, but sometimes keeping it simple is best.
We know it is a place where Jesus went to prepare a place for us. And, whether we die today or are raptured tomorrow, we know it is our next destination as Jesus wants us to be with Him in the place prepared for us (John 14: 1 – 3).
I also find it interesting that when Paul was “caught up,” that is the same Greek word used in 1 Thessalonians 4: 17 for the rapture. The only other person we know who was caught up and came back to earth was John (Revelation 4: 1), unless we include Elijah’s transfiguration (Matthew 17: 1 – 3).
If it is the place God dwells then it is one great place and a place we all should look forward to.
Brother Rich,
Yes. I agree with you. The simple solution is often the best. The thing about your answer is that we can see your “simple” view of heaven is really grounded in a detailed understanding of Scripture. That is what I would like to see all believers working towards.
Boasting is necessary, though it is not profitable; but I will go on to visions and revelations of the Lord. I know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago—whether in the body I do not know, or out of the body I do not know, God knows—such a man was caught up to the third heaven. And I know how such a man—whether in the body or apart from the body I do not know, God knows—was caught up into Paradise and heard inexpressible words, which a man is not permitted to speak. On behalf of such a man I will boast; but on my own behalf I will not boast, except in regard to my weaknesses. For if I do wish to boast I will not be foolish, for I will be speaking the truth; but I refrain from this, so that no one will credit me with more than he sees in me or hears from me.
I needed context. It is about pride and boasting.
It could just be a term to sound better, as an example. Yet, he seems to be saying that it’s worth saying because it’s true, not to build up one person.
Perhaps the answer is in Jewish theology. They have ideas of scriptural things that are not written expressly in scripture, just as we do. (Ex. Proof of the trinity yet no mention of the trinity) perhaps we need to be looking at the ideas of those who studied with Paul to see more of the perspective of Paul.
Heaven(s) has been such a vague term, I don’t know if I can jump into anything specific with any amount of confidence. Yes, it is used to describe the sky by day, the sky by night, the universe, where God is, a new one to come…. But can I presume to number these?
A –
I have a confession to make: Every time I used to read Paul’s statement about the “third heaven” I would wonder, “Does heaven have levels?” This leads to silly questions in my mind and I begin wondering if you need a passkey to use the elevator to get to the top level! 🙂
Understanding that ancient language referred to the sky, space and God’s home all using the same word helps me have peace about heaven being a “place” without “levels.”
I will go out on a limb here and say that I feel that the third heaven resides in my heart right where Christ lives. But even the heart is deceitful,.. I mean,.. since Christ is the Kingdom and He lives in me then I feel as though I am in heaven right here on earth.
Yeah things are tough here on earth but that’s how we learn and grow to move and be on this great creation of His. I look out and see the majesty of His beauty right here within me on earth.
I may be out on a limb here but I know it’s God who holds the truth of all this that we discuss here, it makes me think of the Trinity, God The Father, Son and Holy Ghost. Here we discuss of three heavens. What if they are an all in one type of trinity in of itself? Heaven the first level, heaven the second and third.
So as I sit out here on this limb alone I know Who is with me in my heart as I look out at heaven here on earth.
Thanks for another intriguing meditation Jeff,..
Hi John,
Got room on your limb for one more? 🙂
You are pointing us to our living connection with heaven. The Lord points to that, too, in the Lord’s Prayer.
I don’t think you are all that lonely where you are! 🙂
11-08-2-22, Using Paul’s hierarchy of heavens, where do you think the “third heaven” is?
Great devotion Jeff:
A “third heaven” written of in 2 Corinthians 12:2, is additionally described as paradise in verse 12:4. The word used is from the Greek word for park or garden—not just any park or garden, but a magnificent one. It’s the same word used in the standard Greek translation of the Old Testament, the Septuagint, to mean the Garden of Eden.
All human beings are born with a sin nature and are.
1. Separated from God.
2. Spiritual, eternal beings with a limited physical life on earth.
3. We have limited vision and see only the physical world, we are blind to the spiritual world intertwined with and surrounding all we can see, and more than we can possible imagine.
With only a few exceptions, God reveals Himself through His physical creation which surrounds us, and the transformed lives of believers we come into contact with. His Works! The two heavens mentioned have been created by God for our benefit, so we could have proof, see Him in His works as we are convicted by His Holy Spirit.
Colossians 1:17, Acts 17:28, Romans 1:20, Job 12:7-10, Psalm 19:1-4, Isaiah 40:26
An attribute of God is He is Omnipresent. All that exists, exists in our Omnipresent God who has no end. However as non-believers we are spiritually blind, separated from our creator and dependent on His Spiritual presence for physical life. As a believer we have received spiritual eternal life, and our eyes are opened, spiritual sight is given to the degree we willingly submit to His will. As we grow in faith we pass from believing into knowing our God is Love and the power to become like Christ.
2 Corinthians 4:4, Revelation 4:2
God is everywhere and in every now. No molecule or atomic particle is so small that God is not fully present to it, and no galaxy so vast that God does not circumscribe it.
Jeremiah 23:24, “Can a man hide himself in hiding places So I do not see him?” declares the Lord. “Do I not fill the heavens and the earth?” declares the Lord.
Proverbs 15:3, The eyes of the Lord are in every place,
Watching the evil and the good.
1 Kings 8:27, “But will God indeed dwell on the earth? Behold, heaven and the highest heaven cannot contain You, how much less this house which I have built!
Colossians 1:17, He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together.
Isaiah 66:1, Thus says the Lord, “Heaven is My throne and the earth is My footstool. Where then is a house you could build for Me? And where is a place that I may rest?
So where ever the third Heaven is or whatever the third heaven is like, we all are excited it involves being near God and In His presence.
Good summary, T
Amen! 🙂