The Abomination of Desolation

[Retrobyter]

17 hours ago, inchrist said:

Retro you carry on posting the way you do....its a far better approach from your nah sayers who simply say things without scriptual support...and then state the magic words "thats biblical truth"

Shalom, inchrist.

Thanks. Sometimes they say that, other times it's just "what you're saying is not biblical truth but HERESY!" Water off a duck's back.

[Retrobyter]

19 hours ago, Ezra said:

Retro,

Scripture makes it crystal clear that there are indeed heavenly horses. No need to make fun of people who accept these things without argument.  Of course, you don't believe in Heaven, so it is obvious why you reject heavenly horses.  But here is the Scripture which clearly refutes your beliefs (Revelation 19:14):  And the armies which were in heaven followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean.

So if the armies were in Heaven, and came riding out of Heaven on white horses, it follows that these were heavenly horses.

Shalom, Ezra.

"Heavenly horses." Horse feathers! I believe in heaven just fine. What I DON'T accept is other people's definitions of "Heaven!" Here's the etymology of "heaven":

Old English heofon, of Germanic origin; related to Dutch hemel and German Himmel .

Another dictionary gives...

before 900; Middle English heven, Old English heofon; cognate with Middle Low German heven; akin to Old Norse himinn, Gothic himins, German Himmel.

And, this definition is...

(often heavens) literary the sky, especially perceived as a vault in which the sun, moon, stars, and planets are situated: Galileo used a telescope to observe the heavens.

The more modern definition is...

a place regarded in various religions as the abode of God (or the gods) and the angels, and of the good after death, often traditionally depicted as being above the sky.

Here's something interesting: Ever look up the etymology and definition of "sky?"

Middle English (also in the plural denoting clouds): from Old Norse ský  ‘cloud.’ The verb dates from the early 19th century.

 

Another dictionary gives...

n.
c.1200, "a cloud," from Old Norse sky "cloud," from Proto-Germanic *skeujam "cloud, cloud cover" (cf. Old English sceo, Old Saxon scio "cloud, region of the clouds, sky;" Old High German scuwo, Old English scua, OldNorse skuggi "shadow;" Gothic skuggwa "mirror"), from PIE root *(s)keu-"to cover, conceal" (see hide (n.1)).

And, the definition today is...

the region of the atmosphere and outer space seen from the earth: hundreds of stars shining in the sky | Jillson had never seen so much sky.

So, the word "sky," coming from the same root as "obscure" (which you will find under "hide"), used to mean "cloud," and...
the word "heaven," used to mean "sky."

Anyway, it was this FIRST definition of "heaven" that was meant in the 1611 KJV usage of the word, the "sky" or the "skies."

It's also what both the Hebrew word "shaamayim" and the Greek word "ouranos" mean:

OT:8064 shaamayim (shaw-mah'-yim); dual of an unused singular shaameh (shaw-meh'); from an unused root meaning to be lofty; the sky (as aloft; the dual perhaps alluding to the visible arch in which the clouds move, as well as to the higher ether where the celestial bodies revolve):
KJV - air, astrologer, heaven (-s).

OT:8065 shamayin (Aramaic) (shaw-mah'-yin); corresponding to OT:8064:
KJV - heaven.

NT:3772 ouranos (oo-ran-os'); perhaps from the same as NT:3735 (through the idea of elevation); the sky; by extension, heaven (as the abode of God); by implication, happiness, power, eternity; specifically, the Gospel (Christianity):
KJV - air, heaven ([-ly]), sky.

(Biblesoft's New Exhaustive Strong's Numbers and Concordance with Expanded Greek-Hebrew Dictionary. Copyright © 1994, 2003, 2006 Biblesoft, Inc. and International Bible Translators, Inc.)

Peter, a good Jew who was used to Hebrew/Aramaic, used the plural and it was so translated into the Greek: "ouranoi," in 2 Peter 3:

But, the Hebrew (or Aramaic) word "shaamayim" (or "shaamayin") is in the DUAL number, not singular or plural. It's dual because it comes as a "pair," the "daytime sky" and the "nighttime sky."

The words PRIMARILY mean "THE SKY!" It's only by extension or by implication that they mean anything else! SOMEBODY (only God knows who) came up with the nonsense...

1st heaven = of clouds,
2nd heaven = of stars,
3rd heaven = God's abode
(found in the margin of the Old Scofield Reference Edition of the KJV, page 1238, as a note for the phrase "third heaven" in 2 Cor. 12:2.)

And, it's been propagated ever since! Remember what David said?

Psalm 139:7-10
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.
9 If I take the wings of the morning, and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea;
10 Even there shall thy hand lead me, and thy right hand shall hold me.
KJV

And what Solomon said?

1 Kings 8:27
27 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?
KJV

"God's abode?" Seriously?

Never mind that Peter had already given us an explanation for Paul's "third heaven" ("third ouranoi") in 2 Pet. 3:3-13:

2 Peter 3:3-13
3 Knowing this first, that there shall come in the last days scoffers, walking after their own lusts,
4 And saying, Where is the promise of his coming? for since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation. (uniformitarianism of modern Evolution)
5 For this they willingly are ignorant of, that by the word of God (1) the heavens were of old, and the earth standing out of the water (the waters below the heavens) and in the water (the waters above the heavens):
6 Whereby the world that then was, being overflowed with water, perished: (THE FLOOD)
7 But (2) the heavens and the earth, which are now, by the same word are kept in store, reserved unto fire (Rev. 20:9) against the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men. (the GWTJ, Rev. 20:10-15)
8 But, beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.
9 The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.
10 But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up.
11 Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness,
12 Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat? (THE FIRE, Rev. 20:9)
13 Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for (3) new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness.
KJV

Verse 13 corresponds to Rev. 21:1 as the "new heaven and the new earth." Thus, Peter's "new heavens (ouranoi)" corresponds to John's "new heaven (ouranos)" and to Paul's "third heaven (ouranos)." 

If you want somewhere HIGHER than the "ouranos," Paul used the word "EPouranios":

NT:2032 epouranios (ep-oo-ran'-ee-os); from NT:1909 and NT:3772; above the sky:
KJV - celestial, (in) heaven (-ly), high.

NT:1909 epi (ep-ee'); a primary preposition; properly, meaning superimposition (of time, place, order, etc.), as a relation of distribution [with the genitive case], i.e. over, upon, etc.; of rest (with the det.) at, on, etc.; of direction (with the accusative case) towards, upon, etc.:
KJV - about (the times), above, after, against, among, as long as (touching), at, beside,  have charge of, (be-, [wherefore-]), in (a place, as much as, the time of, -to), (because) of, (up-) on (behalf of), over, (by, for) the space of, through (-out), (un-) to (-ward), with. In compounds it retains essentially the same import, at, upon, etc. (literally or figuratively).

(Biblesoft's New Exhaustive Strong's Numbers and Concordance with Expanded Greek-Hebrew Dictionary. Copyright © 1994, 2003, 2006 Biblesoft, Inc. and International Bible Translators, Inc.)

This was the word used for the "sun, moon, and stars" in 1 Cor. 15:40-41 and for the "heavenly Jerusalem" in Heb. 12:22.

1 Corinthians 15:40-41
40 There are also celestial (epouranios) bodies, and bodies terrestrial: but the glory of the celestial (epouranios) is one, and the glory of the terrestrial is another.
41 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.
KJV

Hebrews 12:22
22 But ye are come unto mount Sion, and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly (epouranios) Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of angels,
KJV

Therefore, when Paul says he knew a man who was "caught up" (harpazoo = "snatched") to the "third heaven (ouranos)," he was snatched away TO THE FUTURE, TO THE NEW HEAVEN (SKY) AND THE NEW EARTH!

So, Paul (perhaps) was given a vision OF THE FUTURE, like every prophet in the Scriptures was given! He saw the future "new sky and new earth" with the "New Jerusalem" descending to that new earth. And, it is within the New Jerusalem that "Paradise," the NEW "Garden (or Orchard) of God," exists!

"Paradise" is a transliteration (not a translation) of the Greek word "paradeisos":

NT:3857 paradeisos (par-ad'-i-sos); of Oriental origin [compare OT:6508]; a park, i.e. (specifically) an Eden (place of future happiness, "paradise"):
KJV - paradise.

(Biblesoft's New Exhaustive Strong's Numbers and Concordance with Expanded Greek-Hebrew Dictionary. Copyright © 1994, 2003, 2006 Biblesoft, Inc. and International Bible Translators, Inc.)

Note that this word comes from the Hebrew word "pardeec":

OT:6508 pardeec (par-dace'); of foreign origin; a park:
KJV - forest, orchard.

(Biblesoft's New Exhaustive Strong's Numbers and Concordance with Expanded Greek-Hebrew Dictionary. Copyright © 1994, 2003, 2006 Biblesoft, Inc. and International Bible Translators, Inc.)

And, that BOTH of these words mean "a park" and "pardeec" was translated in the KJV as "forest" or "orchard!"

Then, look at the "tree of life" in the book of Revelation:

Revelation 2:7
7 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 (paradeisos) of God.
KJV

Revelation 22:1-2
1 And he shewed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb.
2 In the midst of the street of it, and on either side of the river, was there the tree of life, which bare twelve manner of fruits, and yielded her fruit every month: and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations.
KJV

Thus, the species of tree called the "tree of life" is found in the middle of the "paradise (paradeisos) of God," in the middle of the street of the city, New Jerusalem, on either side of the river of the water of life.

That's as clear and as thorough a reason for the definition of "heaven" as I can give. PLEASE, take the time to read this. I know it's long, but I tried to keep it suscinct (if not short).

[Ezra]

4 minutes ago, Retrobyter said:

The words PRIMARILY mean "THE SKY!" It's only by extension or by implication that they mean anything else! SOMEBODY (only God knows who) came up with the nonsense...

1st heaven = of clouds,
2nd heaven = of stars,
3rd heaven = God's abode
(found in the margin of the Old Scofield Reference Edition of the KJV, page 1238, as a note for the phrase "third heaven" in 2 Cor. 12:2.)

How can it be "nonsense" when Paul calls God's Heaven "the third heaven"?  So if there is a third heaven, it follows that there must be a first heaven and a second heaven.  This is so elementary that even a child could understand it.  And since the sky is limited to the first heaven, it follows that God's Heaven CANNOT POSSIBLY  be the sky.

[Retrobyter]

5 hours ago, Ezra said:

How can it be "nonsense" when Paul calls God's Heaven "the third heaven"?  So if there is a third heaven, it follows that there must be a first heaven and a second heaven.  This is so elementary that even a child could understand it.  And since the sky is limited to the first heaven, it follows that God's Heaven CANNOT POSSIBLY  be the sky.

Shalom, Ezra.

"This is so elementary that even a child could understand it."

Which is precisely why such a nonsensical view is so deceptive! The Greek word "tritos," meaning "third" is MOST OFTEN used with reference to TIME! "The third day," "the third hour," "the third husband (sequentially)," etc. Here, it is the "third sky (sequentially)!" Not, 1-2-3 in space, but 1-2-3 on a TIMELINE! And, in each case, it is "ouranoi" - "shaamayim" - the dual "heaven (of clouds/stars)!" It's like frames on an old movie filmstrip. Peter's first frame was a snapshot taken before the Flood showing the first "heaven" ("sky of clouds/stars"), the second frame was a snapshot taken of the second "heaven" ("sky of clouds/stars") after the Flood but before the Fire (the frame in which our pictures may have been taken, if the photographer had zoomed-in on the earth), and the third frame is a snapshot taken of the third "heaven" ("sky of clouds/stars") after the Fire!

We live in a world of FOUR dimensions, experientially speaking.

1 - Length,
2 - width,
3 - depth, and
4 - time.

In each of the first three, we may travel freely back and forth: left-right, up-down, in-out, but in time, we only move in one direction, forward. We can't move backward in time. And, we can't change the rate at which we travel forward in time. (That's why there are so many science-fictional stories about time travel. "What if we could ... ?")

It is this third "heaven" ("sky of clouds/stars") that is "God's heaven." It's the ONLY "heaven" He created back in Genesis 1, although it will go through TWO major restructurings, the Flood and the Fire.

[Marcus O'Reillius]

Alternately, the First Heaven - another realm of space and time - is Paradise, where the Dead in Christ await without knowing.

The Second Heaven is under the Altar in the Temple of God the Father in the Third Heaven where the Martyrs wait impatiently.

And the Third Heaven is being in the Presence of God the Father, which we cannot attain until either the Day of the Lord for the Dead in Christ or after the one 'seven' for the Martyrs.

[Sister]

Quote

The Book of the Secrets of Enoch.

1st Heaven

3:1        It came to pass, when Enoch had told his sons, that the angels took him on to their wings and bore him on to the FIRST HEAVEN and placed him on the clouds.  And there I looked and again I looked higher, and saw the ether, and they placed me on the first heaven and showed me a very great Sea, greater than the earthly sea  (end of chapter)

 Compare now with;

Testament of Levi

1st Heaven

1:10      And I entered from the first heaven, and I saw there a great sea hanging.

 

Sea = holy spirit.  Enoch and Levi were first shown the holy spirit.

who sail = those who are in the holy spirit.  The angels come to those who sail in that sea of the holy spirit.

 

I was looking into this again last night and need to state for the record that I was wrong in this interpretation.  This great sea does not represent the holy spirit.  What was I thinking!  I am still learning and trying to understand.

When Enoch was taken up to the first heaven, he was taken up on to the clouds, and he looked up and saw a great sea, greater than the earth's sea.  Levi saw a great sea hanging also.  So this great sea they both saw was above the clouds.

What they saw was not "spiritual", but a real sea.

When God divided the waters in the beginning.

Genesis 1:6   And God said, Let there be a firmament in the midst of the waters, and let it divide the waters from the waters.

  Genesis 1:7   And God made the firmament, and divided the waters which were under the firmament from the waters which were above the firmament: and it was so.

  Genesis 1:8   And God called the firmament Heaven. And the evening and the morning were the second day.
 

Picture the earth full of water.  God separated the waters.  He made the waters go down, and the waters go up to create the space in between. He made the waters form the sea below, and the rest of the waters he took up and hung under the canopy of the earth.  It's hard to imagine, but there is more water above, than below.  That is what they saw.  This is not in our text books.

I just needed to clarify that.

Edited March 6, 2017 by Sister

[iamlamad]

On 3/1/2017 at 10:32 AM, Sister said:

Many people are totally in the dark concerning the different levels of heaven, and can only speculate because not much is written in the canon concerning it, and only the 3rd heaven is mentioned.  That's all you've got, the third heaven, nothing else.

We can keep speculating and arguing back and forth, or we can go to something that's written by one of God's prophets whom many reject - Enoch.

It's all in there guys.  Have a read, have a think, accept it or reject it, but it's nothing like you think. 

On the first level of heaven, knowledge is given about certain things.  The holy spirit, the angels in charge of the stars, and the store-houses of men with wicked deeds.

When Enoch reaches the second heaven, more is revealed regarding the angels who sinned in the beginning who are still currently in a spiritual prison.

On the third level, knowledge Is given about paradise, the garden in Eden.

The garden of Eden was a small piece of the kingdom of heaven on earth.  That garden was a small reflection of heaven.  Everything in the garden was clean, pure, and spiritual.  The fruits were spiritual fruits, the light was emanating from God himself, the water which watered the roots of tree of life was the holy spirit.  The tree of life was Christ, so the Garden was a tiny piece of heaven on earth.  It really existed and was created for two people, created perfect before they sinned.

When Enoch was taken to the the 3^rd heaven, he was given knowledge concerning the garden and what it truly represented and how it really was.  The physical garden is no longer here, ..cannot be seen with the eyes, but the spiritual garden (kingdom of God) still remains.  It is situated between corruptibility and incorruptibility, meaning it’s a piece of heaven sitting in the world.  A heavenly realm hidden between this wicked physical world.

Adam was kicked out of the garden, but now because we have access to the tree of life which is Christ, we can go back into that garden called paradise spiritually.  The fruits provided to us are godly fruits to nourish and feed the soul, the water to drink is the holy spirit and the light that shines in there is the truth from God.  If we are eating of the tree of life, we are there in that garden today with Christ feeding us.

That garden of Eden, paradise is the same today, as it was in the beginning, and the only way to enter that garden is spiritually now.

So each level is a level of understanding given until we reach the top.  As knowledge increases, we climb up the levels.  Satan is on the 5th level, so his knowledge doesn't reach any higher than that.  He's stuck there, never able to move up.

The only way we can receive the knowledge of what is being revealed in the different heavens is to read Enoch.  If we don't read it and try to understand, we will not be given that knowledge, it's as simple as that.  There is a busy spiritual world behind all that we can physically see, and God has everything mapped out and taken care off.  He has angels in charge of this and that, and in charge of storehouses preserving the deeds of the wicked all in their different catagories with different retributions mapped out for men on the day of judgement.

I don't think we can understand everything Enoch was shown, but we sure get a glimpse.  Also the testament of Levi which he made on his deathbed reveals he was also shown the first and second heaven, and it agrees with Enoch, but this book is also rejected.

I'll give you an example;

The Book of the Secrets of Enoch.

1st Heaven

3:1        It came to pass, when Enoch had told his sons, that the angels took him on to their wings and bore him on to the FIRST HEAVEN and placed him on the clouds.  And there I looked and again I looked higher, and saw the ether, and they placed me on the first heaven and showed me a very great Sea, greater than the earthly sea  (end of chapter)

4.1       They brought before my face the elders and rulers of the stellar orders, and showed me two hundred angels, who rule the stars and their services to the heavens, and fly with their wings and come round all those who sail.  (end of chapter)

5.1        And here I looked down and saw the treasure-houses of the snow, and the angels who keep their terrible store houses, and the clouds whence they come out and into which they go.           (end of chapter)

6:1       They showed me the treasure-house of the dew, like oil of the olive, and the appearance of its form, as of all the flowers of the earth; further many angels guarding the treasure houses of these things, and how they are made to shut and open.  (end of chapter)

 Compare now with;

Testament of Levi

1st Heaven

1:10      And I entered from the first heaven, and I saw there a great sea hanging.

1:17      The lowest is for this cause gloomy unto thee, in that it beholds all the unrighteous deeds of men.

1:18      And it has fire, snow, and ice made ready for the day of judgment, in the righteous judgment of God:  for in it are all the spirits of the retributions for vengeance on man.

Sea = holy spirit.  Enoch and Levi were first shown the holy spirit.

who sail = those who are in the holy spirit.  The angels come to those who sail in that sea of the holy spirit.

On each level they are given knowledge, and giving that knowledge to us also who believe their testimony.  I've only shown you the first level so far, so there is no action on each level, only knowledge given on every level.  Enoch was shown everything, and Levi shown only a little.  He was also shown the 2nd heaven, and it matches what Enoch saw also.  It's all spiritual knowledge, of the spiritual realm.

So now it makes sense when that man was taken to the 3rd heaven in 2 corinth, he was shown only what could be shown on that 3rd level.  Paradise. When they get past that level, they are shown something else.  You cannot be shown paradise on level 1 or two, only on level three, after that more knowledge is given to them.

 

We have many personal testimonies today of people who have visited heaven and waked on streets of Gold. Many have seen their OWN mansion, and many others have seen other people's mansions.  One saw Jonah's mansion. they are there waiting for the faithful. My favorite is of a girl, 4 1/2 years old that visited. Her story is precious.  At least one testimony tells of traveling in a space vehicle of sorts. He is not sure if he was in body or spirit, but in heaven he had on the same suit with which he had on while on earth.  Some have seen the preparations for the Marriage supper. Others have been told that it is all done: everything is prepared. Heaven is waiting on the arrival of the Bride.

Edited March 5, 2017 by iamlamad

[Sister]

18 hours ago, iamlamad said:

We have many personal testimonies today of people who have visited heaven and waked on streets of God. Many have seen their OWN mansion, and many others have seen other people's mansions.  One saw Jonah's mansion. they are there waiting for the faithful. My favorite is of a girl, 4 1/2 years old that visited. Her story is precious.  At least one testimony tells of traveling in a space vehicle of sorts. He is not sure if he was in body or spirit, but in heaven he had on the same suit with which he had on while on earth.  Some of seen the preparations for the Marriage supper. Others have been told that it is all done: everything is prepared. Heaven is waiting on the arrival of the Bride.

iamlamad

I am still trying to understand it myself and definitely not an expert on the matter. 

We know Enoch was taken up in the spirit to heaven.  Enoch was 7th from Adam, before the flood, and he saw many things, even the end, the coming of the Lord.  He even saw beyond that.

It's always nice to hear stories from other peoples experiences, but I would compare it to Enoch's writings and what he saw and see if they match.  Otherwise there is nothing to compare it to, and we know the enemy can give visions also, but it would not be according to the truth.

Those people I don't know, but Enoch, I am getting acquainted with and I know that he was a prophet of God in the days before the flood, which led me to search and read his writings to find out more,... because all the details are not in the Canon, ...in fact not much is spoken about him in the Canon, which left a lot of questions for me.  Enoch is also spoken about in the Book of Jasher and had a following of those that feared God.  He was well known, even by kings and chosen to turn the peoples hearts back to God in those days.  All the God fearing died before the flood, and only Noah and his family was left.

 

Genesis 5:24   And Enoch walked with God: and he was not; for God took him.

Hebrews 11:5   By faith Enoch was translated that he should not see death; and was not found, because God had translated him: for before his translation he had this testimony, that he pleased God.

Jude 1:14   And Enoch also, the seventh from Adam, prophesied of these, saying, Behold, the Lord cometh with ten thousands of his saints,

[iamlamad]

On 3/1/2017 at 6:17 AM, Marcus O'Reillius said:

Alternately, the First Heaven - another realm of space and time - is Paradise, where the Dead in Christ await without knowing.

The Second Heaven is under the Altar in the Temple of God the Father in the Third Heaven where the Martyrs wait impatiently.

And the Third Heaven is being in the Presence of God the Father, which we cannot attain until either the Day of the Lord for the Dead in Christ or after the one 'seven' for the Martyrs.

This is myth according to Paul, who tells us when we are absent from the body we are present with the Lord. We will NEVER be "without knowing" for our spirit and soul are eternal.  We now have hundreds of personal testimonies of people who have died and gone to heaven, but got prayed back to their body.  In some cases Jesus tells them, "someone is praying for you: you have to go back." I know a man that died four times within a few minutes time. The first three times he went DOWN into the earth, to the very gates of hell. Yes, he saw the gate. But a voice called him back. On the third time, he knew it would be his last so he began repenting, and immediately went back to his body. The fourth time he left his body, he started up towards heaven, and again a voice spoke, but this time he understood it. God said, "Go back! Go back! Your work on earth is not finished yet." And for the 4th time he went back into his body. He lived to be 86 I believe before he finally died.

Finally, the story of the rich man and Lazarus should end such myths forever. They certainly KNEW.

[iamlamad]

On 3/1/2017 at 5:01 AM, Retrobyter said:

Shalom, Ezra.

"This is so elementary that even a child could understand it."

Which is precisely why such a nonsensical view is so deceptive! The Greek word "tritos," meaning "third" is MOST OFTEN used with reference to TIME! "The third day," "the third hour," "the third husband (sequentially)," etc. Here, it is the "third sky (sequentially)!" Not, 1-2-3 in space, but 1-2-3 on a TIMELINE! And, in each case, it is "ouranoi" - "shaamayim" - the dual "heaven (of clouds/stars)!" It's like frames on an old movie filmstrip. Peter's first frame was a snapshot taken before the Flood showing the first "heaven" ("sky of clouds/stars"), the second frame was a snapshot taken of the second "heaven" ("sky of clouds/stars") after the Flood but before the Fire (the frame in which our pictures may have been taken, if the photographer had zoomed-in on the earth), and the third frame is a snapshot taken of the third "heaven" ("sky of clouds/stars") after the Fire!

We live in a world of FOUR dimensions, experientially speaking.

1 - Length,
2 - width,
3 - depth, and
4 - time.

In each of the first three, we may travel freely back and forth: left-right, up-down, in-out, but in time, we only move in one direction, forward. We can't move backward in time. And, we can't change the rate at which we travel forward in time. (That's why there are so many science-fictional stories about time travel. "What if we could ... ?")

It is this third "heaven" ("sky of clouds/stars") that is "God's heaven." It's the ONLY "heaven" He created back in Genesis 1, although it will go through TWO major restructurings, the Flood and the Fire.

But NOT ALWAYS:

Mat 22:26   Likewise the second also, and the third, G5154 unto the seventh.

So the third heaven could (and probably is) just as Ezra wrote it: third in sequence.