What's Heaven Like?

[Jostler]

Just now, missmuffet said:

Are you Hindu? Are you Mormon? Hinduism believes that there is 7 levels of heaven. The Mormons believe that there are three different levels of heaven. That is not biblical. There is only one heaven that believers dwell. There are different levels of reward in heaven but only one heaven. 

 

2Co 12:2

I know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago—whether in the body I do not know, or whether out of the body I do not know, God knows—such a one was caught up to the third heaven.

 

Argue with that.  I knew where you'd try to take this....not going with you.

[missmuffet]

1 hour ago, Jostler said:

 

2Co 12:2

I know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago—whether in the body I do not know, or whether out of the body I do not know, God knows—such a one was caught up to the third heaven.

 

Argue with that.  I knew where you'd try to take this....not going with you.

2 Corinthians 12:2

Paul is not saying that there are three heavens or even three levels of heaven. In many ancient cultures, people used the term heaven to describe three different “realms”—the sky, outer space, and then a spiritual heaven. Paul was saying that God took him to the “spiritual” heaven—the realm beyond the physical universe where God dwells. The concept of different levels of heaven may have come in part from Dante’s The Divine Comedy in which the poet describes both heaven and hell as having nine different levels. The Divine Comedy, however, is a fictional work. The idea of different levels of heaven is foreign to Scripture.

Scripture does speak of different rewards in heaven. Jesus said regarding rewards, “Behold, I am coming soon! My reward is with me, and I will give to everyone according to what he has done” (Revelation 22:12). Since Jesus will be distributing rewards on the basis of what we have done, we can safely say that there will be a time of reward for believers and that the rewards will differ somewhat from person to person.

Only those works that survive God’s refining fire have eternal value and will be worthy of reward. Those valuable works are referred to as “gold, silver, and costly stones” (1 Corinthians 3:12) and are those things that are built upon the foundation of faith in Christ. Those works that will not be rewarded are called “wood, hay, and stubble”; these are not evil deeds but shallow activities with no eternal value. Rewards will be distributed at the “judgment seat of Christ,” a place where believers’ lives will be evaluated for the purpose of rewards. “Judgment” of believers never refers to punishment for sin. Jesus Christ was punished for our sin when He died on the cross, and God said about us: “I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more” (Hebrews 8:12). What a glorious thought! The Christian need never fear punishment, but can look forward to crowns of reward that he can cast at the feet of the Savior. In conclusion, there are not different levels of heaven, but there are different levels of reward in heaven.

https://www.gotquestions.org/levels-heaven.html

Edited May 28, 2019 by missmuffet

[Willa]

To the third heaven - The Jews sometimes speak of seven heavens, and Muhammed has borrowed this idea from the Jews. But the Bible speaks of but three heavens, and among the Jews in the apostolic ages also the heavens were divided into three:

(1) The aerial, including the clouds and the atmosphere, the heavens above us, until we come to the stars.

(2) The starry heavens, the heavens in which the sun, moon, and stars appear to be situated.

(3) The heavens beyond the stars. That heaven was supposed to be the residence of God, of angels, and of holy spirits. It was this upper heaven, the dwelling-place of God, to which Paul was taken, and whose wonders he was permitted to behold - this region where God dwelt; where Christ was seated at the right hand of the Father, and where the spirits of the just were assembled.   Barnes Notes 

This portion speaks of the galaxies also being a heaven:

Gen 1:6  Then God said, "Let there be a firmament in the midst of the waters, and let it divide the waters from the waters." Gen 1:7  Thus 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. Gen 1:8  And God called the firmament Heaven. So the evening and the morning were the second day.

Some portions speak of the heaven that the birds inhabit.   Still others speak of the heaven where the Lord dwells.   This is what I was always taught.  I don't often disagree with "Got Questions".

[Aimiel]

But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him. But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God.

I've been to Heaven, and I was out of my body. As I left my body, I was praying but as I went up, while still in the prayer room, approaching the ceiling, I could hear my body singing praises to The Lamb and there were several ladies who were also previously praying, who then sang the chorus, "Glory to The Lamb," and as I went up I began to hear angels join the chorus. My body was singing FAR better than I've ever heard a human being sing and I knew where I was going, because I could already see the Fountain of Life. Blue droplets of water, representing the life that God gives to the earth, were dripping down strings that were attached to the fountain. Also, green droplets, much greater in number, were ascending along those same strings, representing the worship arising from creation. In Heaven there is nothing hidden. You know what God is thinking. He knows what you're thinking. Everyone can know everyone else' thoughts. There is complete transparency. I knew, standing in His Presence, that I could not bring one tenth of one percent of what I was experiencing back into a body that has a limited number of brain cells. Eternity just doesn't fit into temporal bodies.

It was one of the greatest experiences I've ever had. It started years earlier, at Heritage Christian Fellowship, in Florence, Kentucky. The church had a service every Friday night as God instructed the pastor. He was preaching years ago and noticed a man come in the back door while he was preaching. He said that he was disheveled and beggarly looking, completely worn out and barely able to walk and he leaned on every single pew as he made his way forward. He kept preaching as the man approached and then as he stepped ankle deep into water, Pastor Cleddie realized it was an open vision. He kept preaching as if nothing was happening, but watched as the man went knee-deep, waist-deep and then went under (there was no water in the church). He came out to the one side, refreshed, strengthened and in a new suit of clothes, a new man and proceeded to walk out right through the wall. As he continued to preach, God told him that this was what He wanted to do to the Body of Christ every Friday night, if he would let Him. He has obeyed and had a 'river' meeting every Friday since that sermon. I went to those services for years and always enjoyed God's Presence in every meeting. The prayer room was soaked with anointing every Friday night that I went to intercede for the meeting. Every time I intercede: I walk around as I pray. In that room, from the very first time I went in there, I could not step in this one spot. It was strange, but I knew it was okay, but there was just something 'holy' about that spot. I could close my eyes, walk around the room and then point to the spot without looking. It felt like gravity was stronger there, or something. I knew it was God. One Friday, when I walked into the prayer room, I knew that it was time to step on that spot. When I did, I left my body. 

Pastor Cleddie Keith most always concludes the gathered prayer warriors in a closing prayer right before the meeting and will end his prayer and then say: "Let's go out here and see what God wants us to do." It's always different, always good and always God!

 

[choir loft]

According to the Bible there are three heavens.

Which heaven are are these discussions referring to?

that's me, hollering from the choir loft...

[Aimiel]

The first 'heaven' is the sky, the second: outer space so the third heaven is the topic: Heaven, God's Home (although He also makes His Home in us).

[Billiards Ball]

On 5/27/2019 at 1:38 AM, missmuffet said:

I don't know I haven't been there yet 

Heaven is a place where you have power to obey that inner voice. Thus, you are yourself, but empowered to no longer sin.

[simplejeff]

1 hour ago, Billiards Ball said:

Heaven is a place where you have power to obey that inner voice. Thus, you are yourself, but empowered to no longer sin.

Exactly as Jesus told the disciples -  the Kingdom of God is not afar off,  as if to watch for it coming,

but is here now,  even in your midst.     (Everyone who obeys the Father , walking in the spirit,  abiding continually in union with Jesus and with the Father,  daily, as written throughout the New Testament).

[Billiards Ball]

22 hours ago, simplejeff said:

Exactly as Jesus told the disciples -  the Kingdom of God is not afar off,  as if to watch for it coming,

but is here now,  even in your midst.     (Everyone who obeys the Father , walking in the spirit,  abiding continually in union with Jesus and with the Father,  daily, as written throughout the New Testament).

You know a born again Christian who walks and obeys CONTINUALLY?

[simplejeff]

6 hours ago, Billiards Ball said:

You know a born again Christian who walks and obeys CONTINUALLY?

Before you (or anyone can)  realize this or hear an answer,   it is necessary to read sufficiently what God Says throughout, in all, Scripture and be granted understanding as written in the Gospel of John. .    While reading,  ask God to reveal in Scripture who walks in faithfulness all the time, continually, daily,  and not just alone, but with others.  This is clearly revealed in TORAH, PROPHETS, PSALMS and NEW TESTAMENT.

 

i.e. it will take time.