Genesis 1:1 - in the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth Psalm 8:3 - When I consider your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place, 1 Corinthians 15:40 - heavenly bodies and earthly bodies
Definitions. The phrase "heaven and earth" is used to indicate the whole universe (Genesis 1:1; Jeremiah 23:24; Acts 17:24). According to the Jewish notion there were three heavens,
(A) The firmament, as "fowls of the heaven" (Genesis 2:19; 7:3,23; Psalms 8:8, etc.), "the eagles of heaven" (Lamentations 4:19), etc.
(B) The starry heavens (Deuteronomy 17:3; Jeremiah 8:2; Matthew 24:29).
(C) "The heaven of heavens," or "the third heaven" (Deuteronomy 10:14; 1 Kings 8:27; Psalms 115:16; 148:4; 2co 12:2).
Meaning of words in the original,
(A) The usual Hebrew word for "heavens" is Shamayim, a plural form meaning "heights," "elevations" (Genesis 1:1; 2:1).
(B) The Hebrew word Marom is also used (Psalms 68:18; 93:4; 102:19, etc.) as equivalent to Shamayim, "high places," "heights."
(C) Heb. galgal, literally a "wheel," is rendered "heaven" in Psalms 77:18 (RSV, "whirlwind").
(E) Heb. rakia is closely connected with (D), and is rendered "firmamentum" in the Vulgate, whence our "firmament" (Genesis 1:6; Deuteronomy 33:26, etc.), regarded as a solid expanse.
Metaphorical meaning of term.
Isaiah 14:13,14; "doors of heaven" (Psalms 78:23);
heaven "shut" (1 Kings 8:35);
"opened" (Ezekiel 1:1). (See 1 Chronicles 21:16.)
Spiritual meaning. The place of the everlasting blessedness of the righteous; the abode of departed spirits.
(A) Christ calls it his "Father's house" (John 14:2).
(B) It is called "paradise" (Luke 23:43; 2co 12:4; Revelation 2:7).
(D) The "kingdom of heaven" (Matthew 25:1; James 2:5).
(E) The "eternal kingdom" (2 Peter 1:11).
(F) The "eternal inheritance" (1 Peter 1:4; Hebrews 9:15).
(G) The "better country" (Hebrews 11:14,16).
(H) The blessed are said to "sit down with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob," and to be "in Abraham's bosom" (Luke 16:22; Matthew 8:11); to "reign with Christ" (2 Timothy 2:12); and to enjoy "rest" (Hebrews 4:10,11).
In heaven the blessedness of the righteous consists in the possession of
"life everlasting,"
"an eternal weight of glory" (2 Corinthians 4:17),
an exemption from all sufferings for ever,
a deliverance from all evils (2 Corinthians 5:1,2) and from the society of the wicked (2 Timothy 4:18),
bliss without termination,
the "fulness of joy" for ever (Luke 20:36; 2 Corinthians 4:16,18; 1 Peter 1:4; 5:10; 1 John 3:2).
The believer's heaven is not only a state of everlasting blessedness, but also a "place", a place "prepared" for them (John 14:2).
2. Shamayim. This is the word used in the expression "the heaven and the earth," or "the upper and lower regions." (Genesis 1:1)
3. Marom, used for heaven in (Psalms 18:16; Isaiah 24:18; Jeremiah 25:30). Properly speaking it means a mountain as in (Psalms 102:19; Ezekiel 17:23)
4. Shechakim, "expanses," with reference to the extent of heaven. ( 33:26; Job 35:5) St. Paul’s expression "third heaven," (2 Corinthians 12:2) had led to much conjecture. Grotius said that the Jews divided the heaven into three parts, viz.,
5. The air or atmosphere, where clouds gather;
6. The firmament, in which the sun, moon and stars are fixed;
7. The upper heaven, the abode of God and his angels, the invisible realm of holiness and happiness the home of the children of God.
HEAVEN [ISBE] plus the awareness and study of the sky (i.e., astronomy)
# Dwelling Place of God
* Deuteronomy 26:15
* 1 Kings 8:30
* 2 Chronicles 30:27
* Job 22:12
* Psalms 73:25
* Psalms 123:1
* Isaiah 66:1
* Luke 11:2
* Acts 7:49
# HEAVENLY HOME the final dwelling place of the Saints
* Revelation 21:1-27
* Revelation 22:1-21
* John 14:1-31
* A Safe-deposit for Treasures
o Matthew 6:20
* Contains a Register of the Saints
o Luke 10:20
* Room for all Believers
o John 14:2
* The Glorified Christ Entered into
o Acts 7:55
o Acts 7:56
* Built by the Hand of God
o 2 Corinthians 5:1
o Colossians 1:5
o Hebrews 11:10
* The Redeemed of all Nations Assembled
o Revelation 7:9
o Revelation 21:1
* Obedience, the Condition of Entrance
o Revelation 22:14
o SEE Paradise
o SEE Jerusalem, New
o SEE Spiritual; Crowns
# Kingdom of
* (similitudes of)
* Matthew 13:24
* Matthew 13:31
* Matthew 13:44
* Matthew 13:47
* Matthew 20:1
* Matthew 22:2
* Matthew 25:1
# Opened
* Matthew 3:16
* Acts 7:56
* Acts 10:11
* Revelation 19:11
* SEE Heavenly; Vision
HEAVENLY
# Citizenship
* A Source of Real Joy
o Luke 10:20
* Assures Future Exaltation
o Luke 22:30
* Promises a place of Permanent Residence
o John 14:2
* Furnishes an Undying Hope
o Philippians 3:20
* Provides a Glorious Inheritance
o 1 Peter 1:4
* A Register is kept of the Names of the Citizens
o Revelation 21:27
# Father
* General References to
o 1 Chronicles 29:10
o Psalms 68:5
o Isaiah 63:16
o Isaiah 64:8
o Matthew 6:9
o Matthew 7:11
o Romans 8:15
o 1 Peter 1:17
o SEE Spiritual; Adoption
o SEE Providence, Divine
* God Spoken of as the Father of all Men
o Deuteronomy 32:6
o Malachi 2:10
o Matthew 23:9
o Romans 3:29
o 1 Corinthians 8:6
o Ephesians 4:6
o Hebrews 12:9
o 1 John 5:7
# Home
* HEAVENLY HOME the final dwelling place of the Saints
o Select readings
+ Revelation 21:1-27
+ Revelation 22:1-21
+ Luke 16:9
+ John 14:1-31
o A Safe-deposit for Treasures
+ Matthew 6:20
o Contains a Register of the Saints
+ Luke 10:20
o Room for all Believers
+ John 14:2
o The Glorified Christ Entered into
+ Acts 7:55
+ Acts 7:56
o Built by the Hand of God
+ 2 Corinthians 5:1
+ Colossians 1:5
+ Hebrews 11:10
o The Redeemed of all Nations Assembled
+ Revelation 7:9
+ Revelation 21:1
o Obedience, the Condition of Entrance
+ Revelation 22:14
+ SEE Paradise
+ SEE Jerusalem, New
+ SEE Spiritual; Crowns
o SEE Heaven
# Host
* Nehemiah 9:6
* Daniel 7:10
* Hebrews 12:22
* Revelation 5:11
* Revelation 7:9
* Revelation 14:1
* Revelation 19:6
* SEE Redeemed, The
# Joy
* SEE Joy; Heavenly
# Kingdom
* (Conditions of Entrance into)
* Humility
o Matthew 5:3
o Matthew 5:10
* Sympathetic Service
o Matthew 25:34
o Matthew 25:35
o Luke 6:20
* Perseverance
o Luke 9:62
* New Birth
o John 3:3
* Endurance
o Acts 14:22
o 2 Thessalonians 1:5
* Faith and Love
o James 2:5
* SEE Life; Eternal
# Multitude
* SEE Host; Heavenly
# Origin, Christ's
* John 3:31
* John 6:38
* John 8:23
* John 8:42
* John 16:30
* 1 Corinthians 15:47
* SEE Divine
# Places
* Ephesians 1:3
* Ephesians 1:20
* Ephesians 2:6
* Ephesians 3:10
# Praise
* Psalms 148:2
* Luke 2:13
* Luke 2:14
* Revelation 4:8
* Revelation 5:11
* Revelation 5:12
* Revelation 7:11
* Revelation 7:12
* Revelation 11:17
* Revelation 14:3
* Revelation 19:5
* Nature's Praise
o SEE Praise; Nature's
* SEE New
# Vision
* (Beholds the Glory of Things to Come)
* Psalms 17:15
* Isaiah 6:1
* Isaiah 33:17
* Ezekiel 1:1
* Ezekiel 8:3
* John 17:24
* 1 Corinthians 13:12
* 1 John 3:2
* Revelation 22:4
* SEE God; Seeing God
* SEE Heaven
HEAVENS
* (the natural)
* Creation of
o Genesis 1:1
o 1 Chronicles 16:26
o Psalms 102:25
o Proverbs 8:27
o Isaiah 40:22
o Isaiah 42:5
o Isaiah 45:12
o Jeremiah 32:17
* Shall pass away
o Psalms 102:26
o Isaiah 34:4
o Isaiah 51:6
o Matthew 5:18
o Matthew 24:35
o 2 Peter 3:10
o Revelation 6:14
o Revelation 21:1
o SEE Mutability
* New
o Isaiah 65:17
o Isaiah 66:22
o 2 Peter 3:13
o Revelation 21:1
HEAVENWARD LOOKING
* (for Inspiration and Help)
* Psalms 34:5
* Psalms 121:1
* Psalms 123:1
* Isaiah 40:26
* Daniel 4:34
* John 11:41
* John 17:1
* Acts 1:10
* Acts 7:55
* SEE God
* SEE Prayerfulness
