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Assurance of Heaven


Guest shiloh357

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Guest shiloh357
43 minutes ago, Retrobyter said:

Shalom, Yowm.

That's all I'm saying, too. What good is "going to Heaven" when we just end up on the New Earth with its New Jerusalem, anyway? And, like I said, it's fine to call the New Jerusalem "Heaven," if you want to do so; just remember what it TRULY is.

Then what good is God fashioning us a heavenly body in II Cor. 5:1 if its our resurrected bodies we are waiting for?  Those are not the same bodies.

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4 hours ago, shiloh357 said:

Then what good is God fashioning us a heavenly body in II Cor. 5:1 if its our resurrected bodies we are waiting for?  Those are not the same bodies.

Shalom, shiloh357.

Well, considering that we ARE our bodies, could it be that we've misread these Scriptures because of our take in "HAVING bodies?" I don't believe that Paul was talking about "heavenly bodies" at all!

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Guest Butero
6 minutes ago, Retrobyter said:

Shalom, shiloh357.

Well, considering that we ARE our bodies, could it be that we've misread these Scriptures because of our take in "HAVING bodies?" I don't believe that Paul was talking about "heavenly bodies" at all!

If you want to know what to expect when you die, your spirit will depart from your body.  You will give up the ghost.  Your body will return to the ground till Jesus returns, and at that time, your spirit and body will be reunited and you will have a glorified body like Jesus had after the resurrection.  Your spirit will be with the Lord till then.  Remember how Moses met with Jesus?  His body was in the ground, as God buried him, but his spirit didn't sleep in the ground, just his body.  Our God is a God of the living, not the dead.

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20 hours ago, Butero said:

If you want to know what to expect when you die, your spirit will depart from your body.  You will give up the ghost.  Your body will return to the ground till Jesus returns, and at that time, your spirit and body will be reunited and you will have a glorified body like Jesus had after the resurrection.  Your spirit will be with the Lord till then.  Remember how Moses met with Jesus?  His body was in the ground, as God buried him, but his spirit didn't sleep in the ground, just his body.  Our God is a God of the living, not the dead.

Shalom, Butero.

Actually, what I REMEMBER is what Yeshua` said after the transfiguration:

Matthew 17:9 (KJV)

9 And as they came down from the mountain, Jesus charged them, saying, Tell the vision to no man, until the Son of man be risen again from the dead.

So, this was a VISION, not a reality! Now, go back and look at the other things that happened, according to Matthew:

Matthew 17:1-8 (KJV)

1 And after six days Jesus taketh Peter, James, and John his brother, and bringeth them up into an high mountain apart, 2 And was transfigured before them: and his face did shine as the sun, and his raiment was white as the light. 3 And, behold, there appeared unto them Moses and Elias talking with him. 4 Then answered Peter, and said unto Jesus, Lord, it is good for us to be here: if thou wilt, let us make here three tabernacles (tents); one for thee, and one for Moses, and one for Elias. 5 While he yet spake, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them: and behold a voice out of the cloud, which said, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased; hear ye him. 6 And when the disciples heard it, they fell on their face, and were sore afraid. 7 And Jesus came and touched them, and said, Arise, and be not afraid. 8 And when they had lifted up their eyes, they saw no man, save (except) Jesus only.

Prior to this, Yeshua` said,

Matthew 16:28 (KJV)

28 Verily I say unto you, There be some standing here, which shall not taste of death, till they see the Son of man coming in his kingdom.

This can be seen in the other synoptic Gospels, as well:

Mark 9:1-13 (KJV)

1 And he said unto them, Verily I say unto you, That there be some of them that stand here, which shall not taste of death, till they have seen the kingdom of God come with power.

2 And after six days Jesus taketh with him Peter, and James, and John, and leadeth them up into an high mountain apart by themselves: and he was transfigured before them. 3 And his raiment became shining, exceeding white as snow; so as no fuller on earth can white them. 4 And there appeared unto them Elias with Moses: and they were talking with Jesus. 5 And Peter answered and said to Jesus, Master, it is good for us to be here: and let us make three tabernacles; one for thee, and one for Moses, and one for Elias. 6 For he wist not what to say; for they were sore afraid. 7 And there was a cloud that overshadowed them: and a voice came out of the cloud, saying, This is my beloved Son: hear him. 8 And suddenly, when they had looked round about, they saw no man any more, save Jesus only with themselves.

9 And as they came down from the mountain, he charged them that they should tell no man what things they had seen, till the Son of man were risen from the dead. 10 And they kept that saying with themselves, questioning one with another what the rising from the dead should mean. 11 And they asked him, saying, Why say the scribes that Elias must first come? 12 And he answered and told them, Elias verily cometh first, and restoreth all things; and how it is written of the Son of man, that he must suffer many things, and be set at nought. 13 But I say unto you, That Elias is indeed come, and they have done unto him whatsoever they listed, as it is written of him.

Luke 9:27-36 (KJV)

27But I tell you of a truth, there be some standing here, which shall not taste of death, till they see the kingdom of God.

28 And it came to pass about an eight days after these sayings, he took Peter and John and James, and went up into a mountain to pray. 29 And as he prayed, the fashion of his countenance was altered, and his raiment was white and glistering. 30 And, behold, there talked with him two men, which were Moses and Elias: 31 Who appeared in glory, and spake of his decease which he should accomplish at Jerusalem. 32 But Peter and they that were with him were heavy with sleep: and when they were awake, they saw his glory, and the two men that stood with him. 33 And it came to pass, as they departed from him, Peter said unto Jesus, Master, it is good for us to be here: and let us make three tabernacles; one for thee, and one for Moses, and one for Elias: not knowing what he said. 34 While he thus spake, there came a cloud, and overshadowed them: and they feared as they entered into the cloud. 35 And there came a voice out of the cloud, saying, This is my beloved Son: hear him. 36 And when the voice was past, Jesus was found alone. And they kept it close, and told no man in those days any of those things which they had seen.

So, what they had seen was a VISION of the FUTURE KINGDOM, NOT the PRESENT! So, you can't use this event to support people (even Mosheh and Eliyahu) living at present in "Heaven!"

What I find interesting is that in this portion of what you said, namely, "If you want to know what to expect when you die, your spirit will depart from your body.  You will give up the ghost.  Your body will return to the ground till Jesus returns, and at that time, your spirit and body will be reunited and you will have a glorified body like Jesus had after the resurrection.  Your spirit will be with the Lord till then," I can agree with you, because look what happens when you substitute "breath" for "spirit" (and "ghost"):

"If you want to know what to expect when you die, your breath will depart from your body.  You will give up the breath.  Your body will return to the ground till Jesus returns, and at that time, your breath and body will be reunited and you will have a glorified body like Jesus had after the resurrection.  Your breath will be with the Lord till then." All this is TRUE!

Finally, your last statement, "Our God is a God of the living, not the dead," was Yeshua`s words in this context:

Mark 12:18-27 (KJV)

18 Then come unto him the Sadducees (Hebrew: Ts'duqqiym = "righteous ones"), which say there is no resurrection; and they asked him, saying, 19 Master, Moses wrote unto us, If a man's brother die, and leave his wife behind him, and leave no children, that his brother should take his wife, and raise up seed unto his brother. 

20 Now there were seven brethren: and the first took a wife, and dying left no seed. 
21 And the second took her, and died, neither left he any seed:
and the third likewise. 
22 And the seven had her, and left no seed:
last of all the woman died also. 

23 In the resurrection therefore, when they shall rise, whose wife shall she be of them? for the seven had her to wife. 

24 And Jesus answering said unto them, Do ye not therefore err, because ye know not the scriptures, neither the power of God? 25 For when they shall rise from the dead, they neither marry, nor are given in marriage; but are as the angels which are in heaven. 26 And as touching the dead, that they rise: have ye not read in the book of Moses (the book about Mosheh or Exodus), how in the bush God spake unto him, saying, I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob? 27 He is not the God of the dead, but the God of the living: ye therefore do greatly err.

So, Yeshua` was NOT saying that Avraham, Yitschaq, and Ya`aqov were alive in "Heaven"; He was saying that they would be RESURRECTED!

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15 hours ago, Butero said:

What do you say about the rich man and Lazarus, or about how Jesus told the repentant thief on the cross, this day you will be with me in paradise?  His physical body wasn't there.  

Shalom, Butero.

Well, first of all, the rich man and Elezar ("Lazarus") is about the rich man waking up in Hades (Greek: Hadees' meaning the "Unseen" and a good translation of the Hebrew word "Sh'owl") is talking about the "grave." This is talking about the Resurrection of Revelation 20:11-15. The reasons why we know that this is a passage about a resurrection is because the rich man HAS a tongue and Elezar HAS a finger. The rich man and Avraham HAVE voices and ears to hear. The rich man HAS nerves that can sense pain and heat. This all means that the rich man is INTACT; He IS a fully functional body, as is Elezar! Why is it that one ASSUMES that we have such reactions and interactions without a body?! We interact with the world and with each other through our five senses, and our five senses are functions of US who are bodies!

Regarding the repentant thief on the cross, I believe that Yeshua`s consolation to him was meant for him and from his perspective: He was letting him know that he would experience death as "going to sleep," and the next thing he'd know he'd be in "paradeisos" (in Greek, pronounced "par-a-DICE-os") or "pardeec" (in Hebrew, pronounced "par-DACE"), the PARK of God!

Luke 23:39-43 (KJV)

39 And one of the malefactors which were hanged railed on him, saying, If thou be Christ, save thyself and us. 40 But the other answering rebuked him, saying, Dost not thou fear God, seeing thou art in the same condemnation? 41 And we indeed justly; for we receive the due reward of our deeds: but this man hath done nothing amiss. 42 And he said unto Jesus, Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom. 43 And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, To day shalt thou be with me in paradise.

In less than a day from his perspective, he'd be seeing Yeshua` as King and he'd be with Him in God's Park. Remember how Yochanan (John) put the word, "paradise," in Revelation 2:7 and Revelation 21:-22:5.

Revelation 2:7 (KJV) 

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 of God.

Revelation 21:9-22:5 (KJV)

9 And there came unto me one of the seven angels which had the seven vials full of the seven last plagues, and talked with me, saying, Come hither, I will shew thee the bride, the Lamb's wife.

10 And he carried me away in the spirit to a great and high mountain, and shewed me that great city, the holy Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God, 11 Having the glory of God: and her light was like unto a stone most precious, even like a jasper stone, clear as crystal; 
12 And had a wall great and high, and had twelve gates, and at the gates twelve angels, and names written thereon, which are the names of the twelve tribes of the children of Israel: 13 On the east three gates; on the north three gates; on the south three gates; and on the west three gates. 14 And the wall of the city had twelve foundations, and in them the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb.

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 ofjasper: 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, chrysolite; 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.

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. 3 And there shall be no more curse: but the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it; and his servants shall serve him: 4 And they shall see his face; and his name shall be in their foreheads. 5 And there shall be no night there; and they need no candle, neither light of the sun; for the Lord God giveth them light: and they shall reign for ever and ever.

So, the tree of life, which is "in the middle of the Park of God," is also "in the New Jerusalem." That means that "the Park of God" is either WITHIN "the New Jerusalem" or IS "the New Jerusalem" itself! It's a simple deduction.

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On ‎5‎/‎04‎/‎2018 at 6:08 PM, shiloh357 said:

Assurance of Heaven

 

 

2.      We have a temporary heavenly body being prepared for us. 

(a)   II Cor. 5:1 says, “For we know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building of God, an house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.”  Why would we need a Heavenly body being prepared for us if we are going to sleep until the resurrection and get a resurrected earthly body?   Why prepare a body for us to have in Heaven if we are not going to Heaven?

 

 

 

 

Hi Shiloh,

Care to explain  what you mean by `temporary heavenly body?` Not quite sure what you mean there bro.

regards, Marilyn.

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On 4/21/2018 at 5:24 PM, Retrobyter said:

Well, brother, I've said all I'm going to say. I've done my best to explain my position, and you continue to attack me instead. I've hit a BRICK WALL, and it's time to move on.

God bless you, whatever you believe. It's relatively unimportant whether you want to believe that "Heaven is your home"; you will end up in the same New Jerusalem that I do. You can call that "Heaven" if you wish. Many do. I just know that it will be more concrete than many give it credit. The New Jerusalem will be our house, and the New Earth will be our "backyard."

I don't know whether we will ever meet in this lifetime, but I know that we will meet in the Resurrection. Again, God bless you.

If ye then be risen with Christ, 
seek those things which are above, 
where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God.
Set your affection on things above, 
not on things on the earth.
For ye are dead, 
and your life is hid with Christ in God.
When Christ, Who is our life, shall appear, 
then shall ye also appear with Him in glory.’

(Col 3:1-4)  

Hello @Retrobyter,

I find myself in agreement with what you say regarding everything, other than that quoted above, concerning The New Jerusalem being our eternal home.  For as a member of the Church which is His Body, which is the subject of Ephesians, Philippians and Colossians, and the basis of 1&2 Timothy and Titus: my hope is to be found in Christ, in Heavenly places at God's right hand, for that is where the All Spiritual Blessings which I will share with fellow members in eternity, as recipients of the loving-kindness of God, in Christ, rest.

The New Jerusalem is the Bride of the Lamb, which comes down out of Heaven to The New Earth. 

In Christ Jesus
Chris

 

Edited by Christine
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On 4/22/2018 at 12:00 PM, Retrobyter said:

Shalom, Yowm.

Well, okay. That doesn't happen at death, y'know. That happens at the Resurrection. We aren't resurrected, even "figuratively," at death. So, without being a glorified body, what good would it do to "go to Heaven," or rather, to the New Jerusalem currently above-the-sky?

2 Corinthians 5:8 (KJV)

8We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord.

1 John 3:2 (KJV)

2Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is.

you suggest divisions God’s Word doesn’t have...

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On 4/30/2018 at 6:27 AM, Christine said:
On 4/30/2018 at 6:27 AM, Christine said:

God bless you, whatever you believe. It's relatively unimportant whether you want to believe that "Heaven is your home"; you will end up in the same New Jerusalem that I do. You can call that "Heaven" if you wish. Many do. I just know that it will be more concrete than many give it credit. The New Jerusalem will be our house, and the New Earth will be our "backyard."

(I'm sorry that it put YOUR name on MY quote.)

If ye then be risen with Christ, 
seek those things which are above, 
where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God.
Set your affection on things above, 
not on things on the earth.
For ye are dead, 
and your life is hid with Christ in God.
When Christ, Who is our life, shall appear, 
then shall ye also appear with Him in glory.’

(Col 3:1-4)  

Hello @Retrobyter,

I find myself in agreement with what you say regarding everything, other than that quoted above, concerning The New Jerusalem being our eternal home.  For as a member of the Church which is His Body, which is the subject of Ephesians, Philippians and Colossians, and the basis of 1&2 Timothy and Titus: my hope is to be found in Christ, in Heavenly places at God's right hand, for that is where the All Spiritual Blessings which I will share with fellow members in eternity, as recipients of the loving-kindness of God, in Christ, rest.

The New Jerusalem is the Bride of the Lamb, which comes down out of Heaven to The New Earth, where the 'Overcomers' will reign with Christ for 1,000 years.  Which is not the calling of the Church which is the Body of Christ. 

In Christ Jesus
Chris

Shalom, Chris.

You're a bit mixed up. The New Earth, the New Sky, and the New Jerusalem all occur AFTER the Millennium (and AFTER the Great White Throne Judgment, as well). And, it's in the Millennium that the 'Overcomers' will reign with Christ for 1,000 years. ("Mille" is Latin for 1,000 and "annium" is Latin for "of-years.")

Also, let's talk about terms: You DO realize that "Christ" is the SAME as "Messiah," don't you? The word "Christ" comes from the Greek "Christos" and the word "Messiah" comes from the Hebrew "Maashiyach," and BOTH words mean the "Anointed One!" Indeed, if you look up quotes from the OT in the NT, and in the Septuagint, you will find that "Christos" was used to TRANSLATE "Maashiyach." And, the verbs are the same also: "chrioo" in Greek is the same as "mashach" in Hebrew, both meaning "to anoint!"

This makes for some interesting thoughts: We are "the Body of the MESSIAH." Which "Messiah?" He's the SAME "Messiah" for which the Jews were looking (and still are looking) to come! See, there are TWO bodies of prophecies about the Ultimate "Messiah": "The Messiah son of Yosef (Joseph)" (named after Joseph who was sold into Egypt) who was to be the "Suffering and Dying Messiah," and "the Messiah Son of David" who was to be the "Victorious and Reigning Messiah." The Rabbis and Elders of Y'hudah (Judah) KNEW this to be true, even in Yeshua`s (Jesus') day! They did not know, though, that the two bodies of prophecy were about the SAME PERSON! We Christians know that today because "hindsight is 20-20," and the "Suffering and Dying Messiah" came FIRST, while the Jews were expecting the "Victorious and Reigning Messiah!" That's why they MISSED accepting Him, as they should have done. Yeshua` will return as the "Victorious and Reigning Messiah," and this is the SAME Messiah for which the Jews will be looking, as well. So, this time, we'll all be on the same page! But, this explains why the Jews will "look upon me whom they pierced" and will "mourn for Him as one mourneth for a firstborn son or an only son." 

It's not the "Judgment Seat of Christ"; it's the "Judgment Seat of the MESSIAH!" Did you know that one of the jobs of a king of Israel is being a JUDGE? His Judgment Seat (Greek word "beema," pronounced "BAY-ma") is not in "heaven for 7 years"; it will be THROUGHOUT His 1,000-year reign (and beyond)!

Let's make the substitution in your quote of Colossians 3:1-4:

If ye then be risen with the Messiah, 
seek those things which are above, 
where the Messiah sitteth on the right hand [side] of God. (i.e., the New Jerusalem where it is currently being built)
Set your affection on things above, (things in the New Jerusalem)
not on things on the earth.
For ye are dead, 
and your life is hid with the Messiah in God.
When the Messiah, Who is our life, shall appear, (at the Resurrection)
then shall ye also appear with Him in glory.’ (in brightness, not in 'heaven!')

And, that Resurrection is at the BEGINNING of the Millennium, not at the end!

Another term which needs to be considered is this poor, little word "heaven." First, let's look at the dictionary:

Quote

 

heaven | ˈhevən | 

noun 

1 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. 

• God (or the gods): Constantine was persuaded that disunity in the Church was displeasing to heaven
• Theology a state of being eternally in the presence of God after death. 
• used in various exclamations as a substitute for “God”: heaven knows! | good heavens! 

2 (often heavensliterary 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

informal a place, state, or experience of supreme bliss: lying by the pool with a good book is my idea of heaven

PHRASES 

the heavens open it suddenly starts to rain heavily. 

in seventh heaven in a state of ecstasy. 

move heaven and earth to do something make extraordinary efforts to do a specified thing: if he had truly loved her he would have moved heaven and earth to get her back

stink (or smell) to high heaven have a very strong and unpleasant odor. 

DERIVATIVES 

heavenward | ˈhev(ə)nwərd | adjective & adverb

heavenwards | ˈhev(ə)nwərdz | adverb 

ORIGIN 

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

Wikipedia's dictionary adds this about its origin:

Etymology

The modern English word heaven is derived from the earlier (Middle English) heven (attested 1159); this in turn was developed from the previous Old English form heofon. By about 1000, heofon was being used in reference to the Christianized "place where God dwells", but originally, it had signified "sky, firmament"[2] (e.g. in Beowulf, c. 725). The English term has cognates in the other Germanic languages: Old Saxon heƀan "sky, heaven", Middle Low German heven "sky", Old Icelandic himinn "sky, heaven", Gothic himins; and those with a variant final -l: Old Frisian himelhimul "sky, heaven", Old Saxon/Old High German himil, Old Saxon/Middle Low German hemmel, Dutch hemel, and modern German Himmel. All of these have been derived from a reconstructed Proto-Germanic form *Hemina-.[3]

 

So, originally, even the word "heaven" referred to the "sky" or the "firmament." Now, look at the Greek word which was so often translated as "heaven," "ouranos": (I'm using the Strong's entry NT:3772 because Strong's Exhaustive Concordance [and its Dictionaries] is a study help common for many people.)

Quote

 

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

see GREEK oros

 

Everything that Biblehub adds is truly ponderous!

Quote

 

Strong's Concordance

ouranos: heaven

Original Word: οὐρανός, οῦ, ὁ
Part of Speech: Noun, Masculine
Transliteration: ouranos
Phonetic Spelling: (oo-ran-os')
Short Definition: the sky, the heaven
Definition: heaven, (a) the visible heavens: the atmosphere, the sky, the starry heavens, (b) the spiritual heavens.

HELPS Word-studies

3772 ouranós – heaven (singular), and nearly as often used in the plural ("heavens"). "The singular and plural have distinctovertones and therefore should be distinguished in translation (though unfortunately they rarely are)" (G. Archer). 

NAS Exhaustive Concordance

Word Origin
a prim. word
Definition
heaven
NASB Translation
air (9), heaven (218), heavenly* (1), heavens (24), sky (22).

Thayer's Greek Lexicon

STRONGS NT 3772: οὐρανός

οὐρανός, οὐρανοῦ, ὁ (from a root meaning 'to cover,' 'encompass'; cf. Vanicek, p. 895; Curtius, § 509), heaven; and, in imitation of the Hebrew שָׁמַיִם (i. e. properly, the heights above, the upper regions), οὐρανοί, οὐρανῶν, οἱ, the heavens (Winers Grammar, § 27, 3; Buttmann, 24 (21)) (on the use and the omission of the article cf. Winer's Grammar, 121 (115)), i. e.: 

1. the vaulted expanse of the Sky with all the things visible in it; 

a. generally: as opposed to the earth, Hebrews 1:10; 2 Peter 3:5, 10, 12; ὁ οὐρανός καί ἡ γῆ (heaven and earth) equivalent to the universe, the world (according to the primitive Hebrew manner of speaking, inasmuch as they had neither the conception nor the name of the universe, Genesis 1:1; Genesis 14:19; Tobit 7:17 (18); 1 Macc. 2:37, etc.): Matthew 5:18; Matthew 11:25; Matthew 24:35; Mark 13:31; Luke 10:21; Luke 16:17; Luke 21:33; Acts 4:24; Acts 14:15; Acts 17:24; Revelation 10:6; Revelation 14:7; Revelation 20:11. The ancients conceived of the expanded sky as an arch or vault the outmost edge of which touched the extreme limits of the earth (see B. D. under the word , cf. ); hence, such expressions as ἀπ' ἄκρωνοὐρανῶν ἕως ἄκρων αὐτῶν, Matthew 24:31; ἀπ'ἄκρου γῆς ἕως ἄκρου οὐρανοῦ, Mark 13:27; ὑπό τόνοὐρανόν (הַשָּׁמַיִם תַּחַת, Ecclesiastes 1:13; Ecclesiastes 2:3, etc.), under heaven, i. e. on earth, Acts 2:5; Acts 4:12; Colossians 1:23; ἐκ τῆς (namely, χώρας, cf. Winers Grammar, 591 (550); (Buttmann, 82 (71f))) ὑπ' (here L T Tr WHὑπό τόν οὐρανόν) οὐρανόν εἰς τήν ὑπ' οὐρανόν, out of lite one part under the heaven unto the other part under heaven i. e. from one quarter of the earth to the other, Luke 17:24; as by this form of expression the greatest longitudinal distance is described, so to one looking up from the earth heaven stands as the extreme measure of altitude hence, κολλᾶσθαι ἄχρι τοῦ οὐρανοῦ, Revelation 18:5 (L T TrWH) (on which see  κολλάω); ὑψωθῆναι ἕως τοῦοὐρανοῦ, metaphorically, of a city that has reached the acme, zenith, of glory and prosperity, Matthew 11:23; Luke 10:15(κλέος οὐρανόν ἱκει, Homer, Iliad 8, 192; Odyssey 19, 108; πρός οὐρανόν βιβάζειν τινα, Sophocles O. C. 382 (381); examples of similar expressions from other writings are given in Kypke, Observations, i., p. 62); καινοί οὐρανοί(καί γῆ καινή), better heavens which will take the place of the present after the renovation of all things, 2 Peter 3:13; Revelation 21:1; οἱ νῦν οὐρανοί, the heavens which now are, and which will one day be burnt up, 2 Peter 3:7; also ὁπρῶτος οὐρανός, Revelation 21:1, cf. Hebrews 12:26. But the heavens are also likened in poetic speech to an expanded curtain or canopy (Psalm 103:2 (); Isaiah 40:22), and to an unrolled scroll; hence, ἑλίσσειν (T Tr marginal reading ἀλλάσσειν) τούς οὐρανούς ὡς περιβόλαιον, Hebrews 1:12 (from the Sept. of Psalm 101:26 () manuscript Alex.); καί ὁ οὐρανός ἀπεχωρίσθη ὡς βιβλίονἑλισσόμενον (or εἱλισσόμενον), Revelation 6:14. 

b. the aerial heavens or sky, the region where the clouds and tempests gather, and where thunder and lightning are produced: ὁ οὐρανός πυρράζει, Matthew 16:2 (T brackets WH reject the passage); στυγνάζων, Matthew 16:3 (see last reference); ὑετόν ἔδωκε, James 5:18; add Luke 9:54; Luke 17:29; Acts 9:3; Acts 22:6; Revelation 13:13; Revelation 16:21; Revelation 20:9; σημεῖον or ἀπό τοῦ οὐρανοῦ, Matthew 16:1; Mark 8:11; Luke 11:16; Luke 21:11; τέρατα ἐν τῷ οὐρανῷ Acts 2:19; κλείειν τόν οὐρανόν, to keep the rain in the sky, hinder it from falling on the earth, Luke 4:25; Revelation 11:6, (συνέχειν τόν οὐρανοῦ for הַשָּׁמַיִם עָצַר, Deuteronomy 11:17; 2 Chronicles 6:26; 2 Chronicles 7:13; ἀνέχειν τόνοὐρανόν, Sir. 48:3); αἱ νεφέλαι τοῦ οὐρανοῦ, Matthew 24:30; Matthew 26:64; Mark 14:62; τό πρόσωπον τοῦοὐρανοῦ, Matthew 16:3 (T brackets WH reject the passage); Luke 12:56; τά πετεινά τοῦ οὐρανοῦ (genitive of place), that fly in the air (Genesis 1:26; Psalm 8:9; Baruch 3:17; Judith 11:7), Matthew 6:26; Matthew 8:20; Matthew 13:32; Mark 4:32; Luke 8:5; Luke 9:58; Luke 13:19; Acts 10:12. These heavens are opened by being cleft asunder, and from the upper heavens, or abode of heavenly beings, come down upon earth — now the Holy Spirit, Matthew 3:16; Mark 1:10; Luke 3:21; John 1:32; now angels, John 1:51 (52); and now in vision appear to human sight some of the things within the highest heaven, Acts 7:55; Acts 10:11, 16; through the aerial heavens sound voices, which are uttered in the heavenly abode: Matthew 3:17; Mark 1:11; Luke 3:22; John 12:28; 2 Peter 1:18. 

e. the sidereal or starry heavens: τά ἄστρα τοῦοὐρανοῦ Hebrews 11:12 (Deuteronomy 1:10; Deuteronomy 10:22; Euripides, Phoen. 1); οἱ ἀστέρες ... τοῦ οὐρανοῦ, Mark 13:25; Revelation 6:13; Revelation 12:4 (Isaiah 13:10; Isaiah 14:13); αἱ δυνάμεις τῶν οὐρανῶν, the heavenly forces (hosts), i. e. the stars (others take δυνάμεις in this phrase in a general sense (see  δύναμις, f.) of the powers which uphold and regulate the heavens): Matthew 24:29; Luke 21:26; αἱ ἐν τοῖς οὐρανοῖς, Mark 13:25 (Hebrew הַשָּׁמַיִםצְבָא, Deuteronomy 17:3; Jeremiah 33:22; Zephaniah 1:5); so ἡστρατιά τοῦ οὐρανοῦ, Acts 7:42. 

2. "the region above the sidereal heavens, the seat of an order of things eternal and consummately perfect, where God dwells and the other heavenly beings": this heaven Paul, in 2 Corinthians 12:2, seems to designate by the name of ὁ τρίτοςοὐρανός, but certainly not the third of the seven distinct heavens described by the author of the Test xii. Patr., Levi § 3, and by the rabbis ((cf. Wetstein at the passage; Hahn, Theol. d. N. T. 1:247f; Drummond, Jewish Messiah, chapter xv.)); cf. DeWette at the passage Several distinct heavens are spoken of also in Ephesians 4:10 (ὑπεράνω πάντων τῶνοὐρανῶν); cf. Hebrews 7:26, if it be not preferable here to understand the numerous regions or parts of the one and the same heaven where God dwells as referred to. The highest heaven is the dwelling-place of God: Matthew 5:34; Matthew 23:22; Acts 7:49; Revelation 4:1ff (Psalm 10:4 (); (f)); hence, Θεός τοῦ οὐρανοῦ, Revelation 11:13; Revelation 16:11(Genesis 24:3); ὁ ἐν (τοῖς) οὐρανός, Matthew 5:16, 45; Matthew 6:1, 9; Matthew 7:21; Matthew 10:33; Matthew 7:50; Matthew 16:17; Matthew 18:10 (here L WH marginal reading ἐντῷ οὐρανῷ in brackets), ; Mark 11:25f, etc. From this heaven the πνεῦμα ἅγιον is sent down, 1 Peter 1:12 and the passages already cited (cf. 1 b. under the end); and Christ is said to have come, John 3:18, 31; John 6:38, 41; 1 Corinthians 15:47; it is the abode of the angels, Matthew 24:36; Matthew 22:30; Matthew 18:10; Matthew 28:2; Mark 12:25; Mark 13:32; Luke 2:15; Luke 22:43 (L brackets WH reject the passage); Galatians 1:8; 1 Corinthians 8:5; Ephesians 3:15; Hebrews 12:22; Revelation 10:1; Revelation 12:7; Revelation 18:1; Revelation 19:14 (Genesis 21:17; Genesis 22:11); τά ἐν τοῖςοὐρανοῖς καί τά ἐπί τῆς γῆς, the things and beings in the heavens (i. e. angels) and on the earth, Ephesians 1:10; Colossians 1:16, 20; γίνεται τό θέλημα τοῦ Θεοῦ ἐνοὐρανῷ, i. e. by the inhabitants of heaven, Matthew 6:10; χαρά ἔσται ἐν τῷ οὐρανῷ, God and the angels will rejoice, Luke 15:7. this heaven is the abode to which Christ ascended after his resurrection, Mark 16:19; Luke 24:51 (Tomits; WH reject the clause); Acts 1:10; Acts 2:34; Acts 3:21; Romans 10:6; (Ephesians 1:20 Lachmann text); 1 Peter 3:22; Hebrews 1:4 (ἐν ὑψηλοῖς); ; Revelation 4:2, and from which he will hereafter return, 1 Thessalonians 1:10; 1 Thessalonians 4:16; 2 Thessalonians 1:7; into heaven have already been received the souls (πνεύματα) both of the O. T. saints and of departed Christians, Hebrews 12:23 (see  ἀπογράφω, b. at the end), and heaven is appointed as the future abode of those who, raised from the dead and clothed with superior bodies, shall become partakers of the heavenly kingdom, 2 Corinthians 5:1, and enjoy the reward of proved virtue, Matthew 5:12; Luke 6:23; hence, eternal blessings are called θησαυρός ἐν οὐρανῷ, Matthew 6:20; Luke 12:33, and those on whom God has conferred eternal salvation are said ἔχειν θησαυρόν ἐνοὐρανῷ (οὐρανοῖς), Matthew 19:21; Mark 10:21; Luke 18:22, cf. Hebrews 10:34 (R G); or the salvation awaiting them is said to be laid up for them in heaven, Colossians 1:5; 1 Peter 1:4; or their names are said to have been written in heaven, Luke 10:20; moreover, Christ, appointed by God the leader and lord of the citizens of the divine kingdom, is said to have all power in heaven and on earth, Matthew 28:18; finally, the seer of the Apocalypse expects a new Jerusalem to come down out of heaven as the metropolis of the perfectly established Messianic kingdom, Revelation 3:12; Revelation 21:2, 10. By metonymy, ὁοὐρανός is put for the inhabitants of heaven: εὐφραίνουοὐρανέ, Revelation 18:20, cf. Revelation 12:12 (Psalm 95:11(); Isaiah 44:23; Job 15:15); in particular for God (Daniel 4:23, and often by the rabbis, influenced by an over-scrupulous reverence for the names of God himself; cf. Schürer in the Jahrbb. f. protest. Theol., 1876, p. 178f; (Keil, as below)): ἁμαρτάνειν εἰς τόν οὐρανόν, Luke 15:18, 21; ἐκ τοῦοὐρανοῦ, equivalent to by God, John 3:27; ἐξ οὐρανοῦ, of divine authority, Matthew 21:25; Mark 11:30; Luke 20:4; ἐναντίον τοῦ οὐρανοῦ, 1 Macc. 3:18 (where the τοῦΘεοῦ before τοῦ οὐρανοῦ seems questionable); ἐκ τοῦοὐρανοῦ ἡ ἰσχύς, 1 Macc. 3:19; ἡ ἐξ οὐρανοῦβοήθεια, , cf. ; cf. Keil, Comm. üb. 

d. Büch. d. Macc., p. 20. On the phrase ἡ βασιλεία τῶνοὐρανῶν and its meaning, see  βασιλεία, 3; (Cremer, under the word βασιλεία; Edersheim 1:265).  
 

Strong's Exhaustive Concordance

air, heaven, sky. 

Perhaps from the same as oros (through the idea of elevation); the sky; by extension, heaven (as the abode of God); by implication, happiness, power, eternity; specially, the Gospel (Christianity) -- air, heaven(-ly), sky. 

see GREEK oros

Forms and Transliterations

ουρανε ουρανέ οὐρανέ ουρανο΄ν ουρανοι ουρανοί οὐρανοί οὐρανοὶ ουρανοις ουρανοίς οὐρανοις οὐρανοῖς ουρανον ουρανόν οὐρανόν οὐρανὸν ουρανος ουρανός οὐρανός οὐρανὸς ουρανου ουρανού οὐρανοῦ ουρανους ουρανούς οὐρανούς οὐρανοὺς ουρανω ουρανώ ούρανώ οὐρανῷ οὐρανῳ ουρανων ουρανών οὐρανῶν ourane ourané ourano ouranō ouranoi ouranoí ouranoì ouranôi ouranōi ouranō̂i ouranois ouranoîs ouranon ouranón ouranòn ouranôn ouranōn ouranō̂n ouranos ouranós ouranòs ouranou ouranoû ouranous ouranoús ouranoùs

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Englishman's Concordance

Strong's Greek 3772
278 Occurrences

οὐρανέ — 1 Occ.
οὐρανῷ — 38 Occ.
οὐρανῶν — 42 Occ.
οὐρανοί — 7 Occ.
οὐρανοῖς — 38 Occ.
οὐρανὸν — 43 Occ.
οὐρανὸς — 12 Occ.
οὐρανοῦ — 92 Occ.
οὐρανοὺς — 5 Occ.

Matthew 3:2 N-GMP
GRK: βασιλεία τῶν οὐρανῶν 
NAS: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.
KJV: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.
INT: kingdom of the heavens

Matthew 3:16 N-NMP
GRK: αὐτῷ οἱ οὐρανοί καὶ εἶδεν
NAS: and behold, the heavens were opened,
KJV: lo, the heavens were opened
INT: to him the heavens and he saw

Matthew 3:17 N-GMP
GRK: ἐκ τῶν οὐρανῶν λέγουσα Οὗτός
NAS: a voice out of the heavens said,
KJV: a voice from heaven, saying, This
INT: out of the heavens saying This

Matthew 4:17 N-GMP
GRK: βασιλεία τῶν οὐρανῶν 
NAS: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.
KJV: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.
INT: kingdom of the heavens

Matthew 5:3 N-GMP
GRK: βασιλεία τῶν οὐρανῶν 
NAS: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
KJV: is the kingdom of heaven.
INT: kingdom of the heavens

Matthew 5:10 N-GMP
GRK: βασιλεία τῶν οὐρανῶν 
NAS: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
KJV: is the kingdom of heaven.
INT: kingdom of the heavens

Matthew 5:12 N-DMP
GRK: ἐν τοῖς οὐρανοῖς οὕτως γὰρ
NAS: for your reward in heaven is great;
KJV: reward in heaven: for so
INT: in the heavens thus indeed

Matthew 5:16 N-DMP
GRK: ἐν τοῖς οὐρανοῖς 
NAS: your Father who is in heaven.
KJV: which is in heaven.
INT: in the heavens

Matthew 5:18 N-NMS
GRK: παρέλθῃ ὁ οὐρανὸς καὶ ἡ
NAS: to you, until heaven and earth
KJV: unto you, Till heaven and earth
INT: shall pass away heaven and the

Matthew 5:19 N-GMP
GRK: βασιλείᾳ τῶν οὐρανῶν ὃς δ'
NAS: in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever
KJV: the kingdom of heaven: but
INT: kingdom of the heavens whoever moreover

Matthew 5:19 N-GMP
GRK: βασιλείᾳ τῶν οὐρανῶν 
NAS: great in the kingdom of heaven.
KJV: in the kingdom of heaven.
INT: kingdom of the heavens

Matthew 5:20 N-GMP
GRK: βασιλείαν τῶν οὐρανῶν 
NAS: the kingdom of heaven.
KJV: into the kingdom of heaven.
INT: kingdom of the heavens

Matthew 5:34 N-DMS
GRK: ἐν τῷ οὐρανῷ ὅτι θρόνος
NAS: either by heaven, for it is the throne
KJV: neither by heaven; for it is
INT: by the heaven because [the] throne

Matthew 5:45 N-DMP
GRK: τοῦ ἐν οὐρανοῖς ὅτι τὸν
NAS: who is in heaven; for He causes
KJV: which is in heaven: for he maketh
INT: who is in[the] heavens for the

Matthew 6:1 N-DMP
GRK: ἐν τοῖς οὐρανοῖς 
NAS: with your Father who is in heaven.
KJV: which is in heaven.
INT: in the heavens

Matthew 6:9 N-DMP
GRK: ἐν τοῖς οὐρανοῖς Ἁγιασθήτω τὸ
NAS: who is in heaven, Hallowed
KJV: which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy
INT: in the heavens hallowed be the

Matthew 6:10 N-DMS
GRK: ὡς ἐν οὐρανῷ καὶ ἐπὶ
NAS: be done, On earth as it is in heaven.
KJV: as [it is] in heaven.
INT: as in heaven [so] also upon

Matthew 6:20 N-DMS
GRK: θησαυροὺς ἐν οὐρανῷ ὅπου οὔτε
NAS: treasures in heaven, where
KJV: treasures in heaven, where neither
INT: treasures in heaven where neither

Matthew 6:26 N-GMS
GRK: πετεινὰ τοῦ οὐρανοῦ ὅτι οὐ
NAS: at the birds of the air, that they do not sow,
KJV: the fowls of the air: for
INT: birds of the air that not

Matthew 7:11 N-DMP
GRK: ἐν τοῖς οὐρανοῖς δώσει ἀγαθὰ
NAS: will your Father who is in heaven give
KJV: which is in heaven give good things
INT: in the heavens will give good things

Matthew 7:21 N-GMP
GRK: βασιλείαν τῶν οὐρανῶν ἀλλ' ὁ
NAS: the kingdom of heaven, but he who does
KJV: the kingdom of heaven; but
INT: kingdom of the heavens but he who

Matthew 7:21 N-DMP
GRK: ἐν τοῖς οὐρανοῖς 
NAS: of My Father who is in heaven [will enter].
KJV: Father which is in heaven.
INT: in the heavens

Matthew 8:11 N-GMP
GRK: βασιλείᾳ τῶν οὐρανῶν 
NAS: and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven;
KJV: in the kingdom of heaven.
INT: kingdom of the heavens

Matthew 8:20 N-GMS
GRK: πετεινὰ τοῦ οὐρανοῦκατασκηνώσεις ὁ
NAS: and the birds of the air [have] nests,
KJV: the birds of the air [have] nests;
INT: birds of the air nests

Matthew 10:7 N-GMP
GRK: βασιλεία τῶν οὐρανῶν 
NAS: The kingdom of heaven is at hand.'
KJV: The kingdom of heaven is at hand.
INT: kingdom of the heavens

278 Occurrences

 

But, the bottom line is this: it is ONE Greek word. And, when the Pharisees and Sadducees tried to use it as "God's abode," Yeshua` turned it around and used it for "the sky," instead:

Matthew 16:1-4 (KJV)

1 The Pharisees also with the Sadducees came, and tempting desired him that he would shew them a sign from heaven (Greek: seemeion ek tou ouranou). 2 He answered and said unto them, When it is evening, ye say, It will befair weather: for the sky (Greek: gar ho ouranos) is red. 3 And in the morning, It will be foul weather to day: for the sky (Greek: gar ... ho ouranos) is red and lowring. O ye hypocrites, ye can discern the face of the sky (Greek: to men prosoopon tou ouranou); but can ye not discern the signs of the times? 4 A wicked and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign; and there shall no sign be given unto it, but the sign of the prophet Jonas. And he left them, and departed.

So, this ONE Greek word was used it TWO ways: the RIGHT way (in Yeshua`s words) and the WRONG way (in the Pharisees' and Sadducees' words).

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On 4/30/2018 at 8:17 AM, enoob57 said:

2 Corinthians 5:8 (KJV)

8We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord.

1 John 3:2 (KJV)

2Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is.

you [are] suggest divisions God’s Word doesn’t have...

Shalom, enoob57.

(Could that be a "backward Boone?")

Aren't you suggesting continuity of life for which you have no guarantee? In 2 Cor. 5:8, one might ASSUME that these two statements are ONE event, but the passage DOESN'T SAY THEY ARE ONE.  A time "to be absent from the body" assures that there shall be a time "to be present with the Lord," but IT DOESN'T SAY that it is AT THE SAME TIME or even in close proximity to each other!

1 John 3:2 actually SAYS that we shall become like Him "when HE shall appear!" That's at His Coming when the Resurrection occurs!

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