What Does the Bible Say about 'Heaven'?

The Jews, it is said, believed in seven heavens. For some, heaven is the opposite of hell and clearly a better alternative. Even by studying the Bible people have come up with many ideas, sometimes conflicting ideas, about heaven.

References to heaven are peppered throughout the Bible. So, what does the Bible say?

First, the Bible uses heaven to describe three distinct expanses beyond the earth.

The third heaven:

The Apostle Paul wrote in 2 Corinthians 12 about a “man in Christ who...was caught up to the third heaven.” Then, in his very next statement he virtually repeated himself saying that this same man “was caught up into Paradise and heard inexpressible words, which a man is not permitted to speak.” So, we can equate one heaven with Paradise, and Paul explicitly called it the third heaven. This heaven is not a part of God’s creation, but rather, His dwelling.

The first and second heavens:

In the opening chapter of the Bible the creation sequence is recorded. The first verse of the Bible distinguishes the heavens and the earth. Later, we discover that there are two distinct created heavens:

• On the fourth day of the creation sequence God placed the sun, moon, and stars in “the expanse of the heavens.”
• On the fifth day of the creation sequence God created birds saying, “let them fly above the earth in the open expanse of the heavens.”

At times it is clear which created heaven is meant. For example, when Absalom, son of King David, was escaping from an adversary on his mule, his head was caught in an oak tree, “so he was left hanging between heaven and earth....” (2 Samuel 18:9) So, when a person leaves the ground, even for a moment, he is in heaven...the first heaven.

In many cases the first heaven is translated into English as sky or air. Of course, that makes sense when the text is about birds (Genesis 8:2; Matthew 6:26) or rain (Matthew 8:20).

We might summarize the three heavens described in the Bible from man’s perspective:

• First heaven: The created, breathable atmosphere above the earth where bugs, birds and bats fly and where clouds, rain and weather events occur.
• Second heaven: The created, uninhabitable space above the earth where the sun, moon, stars, planets and other celestial bodies exist.
• Third heaven: The non-created expanse that exists beyond creation; God’s dwelling place.

Since the Hebrew text always uses heavens (plural), English translators must determine which heaven is being considered. In general, it will be clear from the context whether heaven is the sky, or space, or both, or God’s home. There are a few cases, however, where the precise meaning is uncertain. Such a case is found in 2 Chronicles 6:14 where the writer speaks of God saying, “there is no god like you in heaven or on earth….” Usually when heaven is coupled with earth, it refers to the created heaven(s). Yet, this could be a reference to God’s dwelling beyond earth, sky and space.

These are the literal heavens: the created heavens and God’s home. In general, they are easy to identify in the Bible. However, the term heaven is sometimes used figuratively in ways that challenge our thinking. 

More of what the Bible says about heaven will follow next week.


Mark Stinnett

July 24, 2022