2 Of 2 Heaven has three levels.
(1st, 2nd and 3rd Heavens)
-Important Places-
(NHH) [Revised 5/9/2024]
I knew a man in Christ above fourteen years ago, (whether in the body, I cannot tell; or whether out of the body, I cannot tell: God knoweth;) such an one caught up to the third heaven.
2 Corinthians 12:2 KJV
Note:
The Scripture says, “caught up to” but it doesn’t say, caught up in.
Heaven level 1 is the closest from Earth’s vantage point – This is present day Earth’s Sky, Clouds, Birds and …
Heaven level 2 – This is where every sleep/dead individual went temporarily before Christ’s crucifixion, after a Physical/Earthly death. It has two separate parts. When God created the Three Heavens and the Earth, He at some point in time, divided the Second level Heaven and placed a great gulf between its two parts. – (between Paradise and hades/hell)
One Part was where the Saints went is known as Paradise.
The other part was and is where the unjust and enemies of God go until Judgement day. This is known as hades/hell.
Part 1-Paradise/Abraham’s Bosom- will eventually be known as New Earth/New Jerusalem City – a Holy City on Our New Earth. It is described as being shaped like a huge beautifully adorned cube. The Saints will then see and live with God eternally, (without dying upon seeing God). Jesus will be there too.
God’s GLORY has dwelled on Earth before and will again forever.
Luke 23:43 KJV
“And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, To day shalt thou be with me in paradise.”
Revelation 2:7 KJV
“He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the tree of life, which is in the midst of the paradise of God.”
Luke 16:19-31
King James Version
19 There was a certain rich man, which was clothed in purple and fine linen, and fared sumptuously every day:
20 And there was a certain beggar named Lazarus, which was laid at his gate, full of sores,
21 And desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man’s table: moreover the dogs came and licked his sores.
22 And it came to pass, that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels into Abraham’s bosom: the rich man also died, and was buried;
23 And in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom.
24 And he cried and said, Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water, and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame.
25 But Abraham said, Son, remember that thou in thy lifetime receivedst thy good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things: but now he is comforted, and thou art tormented.
26 And beside all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed: so that they which would pass from hence to you cannot; neither can they pass to us, that would come from thence.
27 Then he said, I pray thee therefore, father, that thou wouldest send him to my father’s house:
28 For I have five brethren; that he may testify unto them, lest they also come into this place of torment.
29 Abraham saith unto him, They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them.
30 And he said, Nay, father Abraham: but if one went unto them from the dead, they will repent.
31 And he said unto him, If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded, though one rose from the dead.
Part 2-hades/hell – is the temporary grave/abode of the dead. It will eventually expand and be thrown into The Lake of Fire, in the end. (Death and Hell)
Psalm 139:7-8 KJV
7 Whither shall I go from thy spirit? or whither shall I flee from thy presence?
8 If I ascend up into heaven, thou art there: if I make my bed in hell, behold, thou art there.
Luke 16:23 KJV
23 And in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom.
Revelation 20:14 KJV
“And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.”
Regarding The Gulf:
(A great gulf prevented the two groups of souls from crossing over to each other’s sides.)
Both were temporary places of abode for the dead. (But Jesus crossed over after His crucifixion, when He visited “prison”. (prison = hell). Then Christ took the Saints and ascended up to the top Heaven, where Father-God dwells.
Ephesians 4:6-10
King James Version
6 One God and Father if all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all.
7 But unto every one of us is given grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ.
8 Wherefore he saith, When he ascended up on high, he led captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men.
9 (Now that he ascended, what is it but that he also descended first into the lower parts of the earth?
10 He that descended is the same also that ascended up far above all heavens, that he might fill all things.)
Citation:
New Testament Greek Lexicon – King James Version
1 Peter 3:18-20
King James Version
18 For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit:
19 By which also he went and preached unto the spirits in prison;
20 Which sometime were disobedient, when once the longsuffering of God waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was a preparing, wherein few, that is, eight souls were saved by water.
Neither was Christ left in hell nor were the souls of the resurrected dead in Christ left in hell. They were resurrected when Christ was resurrected. I discern they went to Paradise, in the Spiritual Heavenly Holy Place.
Acts 2:31
King James Version
31 He seeing this before spake of the resurrection of Christ, that his soul was not left in hell, neither his flesh did see corruption.
Luke 23:43 KJV
“And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, To day shalt thou be with me in paradise.”
Matthew 27:50-54
King James Version
50 Jesus, when he had cried again with a loud voice, yielded up the ghost.
51 And, behold, the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom; and the earth did quake, and the rocks rent;
52 And the graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints which slept arose,
53 And came out of the graves after his resurrection, and went into the holy city, and appeared unto many.
54 Now when the centurion, and they that were with him, watching Jesus, saw the earthquake, and those things that were done, they feared greatly, saying, Truly this was the Son of God.
Heaven level 3 is the farthest from Earth’s vantage point – This is where God sits on His throne. It’s the most highest of Heavens. He is The Most High God. Before Christ’s crucifixion, only Christ, Angels and Father God once lived in this Heaven. Jesus is seated on the right side of Father God’s throne.
Old Testament And Exodus:
But will God indeed dwell on the earth? behold, the heaven and heaven of heavens cannot contain thee; how much less this house that I have builded?
1 Kings 8:27 KJV
8 And let them make me a sanctuary; that I may dwell among them.
9 According to all that I shew thee, after the pattern of the tabernacle, and the pattern of all the instruments thereof, even so shall ye make it.
Exodus 25:8-9 KJV
19 And he said, I will make all my goodness pass before thee, and I will proclaim the name of the Lord before thee; and will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will shew mercy on whom I will shew mercy.
20 And he said, Thou canst not see my face: for there shall no man see me, and live.
21 And the Lord said, Behold, there is a place by me, and thou shalt stand upon a rock:
22 And it shall come to pass, while my glory passeth by, that I will put thee in a clift of the rock, and will cover thee with my hand while I pass by:
23 And I will take away mine hand, and thou shalt see my back parts: but my face shall not be seen.
Exodus 33:19-23 KJV
22 And it shall come to pass, while my glory passeth by, that I will put thee in a clift of the rock, and will cover thee with my hand while I pass by:
23 And I will take away mine hand, and thou shalt see my back parts: but my face shall not be seen.
Exodus 33:22-23 KJV
New Testament And Revelation:
New Earth will be a city called New Jerusalem. This will be a new and eternal Eden. It will literally be Heaven on Earth.
New Jerusalem City will descend from New Heaven onto Earth, like a bride for her groom.
And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God.
Revelation 21:3 KJV
21 And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea.
2 And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.
3 And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God.
Revelation 21:1-3 KJV
15 And he that talked with me had a golden reed to measure the city, and the gates thereof, and the wall thereof.
16 And the city lieth foursquare, and the length is as large as the breadth: and he measured the city with the reed, twelve thousand furlongs. The length and the breadth and the height of it are equal.
17 And he measured the wall thereof, an hundred and forty and four cubits, according to the measure of a man, that is, of the angel.
18 And the building of the wall of it was of jasper: and the city was pure gold, like unto clear glass.
19 And the foundations of the wall of the city were garnished with all manner of precious stones. The first foundation was jasper; the second, sapphire; the third, a chalcedony; the fourth, an emerald;
20 The fifth, sardonyx; the sixth, sardius; the seventh, chrysolyte; the eighth, beryl; the ninth, a topaz; the tenth, a chrysoprasus; the eleventh, a jacinth; the twelfth, an amethyst.
21 And the twelve gates were twelve pearls: every several gate was of one pearl: and the street of the city was pure gold, as it were transparent glass.
22 And I saw no temple therein: for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are the temple of it.
23 And the city had no need of the sun, neither of the moon, to shine in it: for the glory of God did lighten it, and the Lamb is the light thereof.
24 And the nations of them which are saved shall walk in the light of it: and the kings of the earth do bring their glory and honour into it.
25 And the gates of it shall not be shut at all by day: for there shall be no night there.
26 And they shall bring the glory and honour of the nations into it.
27 And there shall in no wise enter into it any thing that defileth, neither whatsoever worketh abomination, or maketh a lie: but they which are written in the Lamb’s book of life.
Revelation 21:15-27 KJV
Jude 25
King James Version
25 To the only wise God our Saviour, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and ever. Amen.
