Dictionaries :: Heaven

Heaven:

(1.) Definitions. The phrase "heaven and earth" is used to indicate the whole universe (Gen 1:1; Jer 23:24; Act 17:24). According to the Jewish notion there were three heavens,

(a) The firmament, as "fowls of the heaven" (Gen 2:19; 7:3,23; Psa 8:8, etc.), "the eagles of heaven" (Lam 4:19), etc.

(b) The starry heavens (Deu 17:3; Jer 8:2; Mat 24:29).

(c) "The heaven of heavens," or "the third heaven" (Deu 10:14; 1Ki 8:27; Psa 115:16; 148:4; 2Cr 12:2).

(2.) Meaning of words in the original,

(a) The usual Hebrew word for "heavens" is shamayim, a plural form meaning "heights," "elevations" (Gen 1:1; 2:1).

(b) The Hebrew word marom is also used (Psa 68:18; 93:4; 102:19, etc.) as equivalent to shamayim, "high places," "heights."

(c) Heb. galgal, literally a "wheel," is rendered "heaven" in Psa 77:18 (R.V., "whirlwind").

(d) Heb. shahak, rendered "sky" (Deu 33:26; Job 37:18; Psa 18:11), plural "clouds" (Job 35:5; 36:28; Psa 68:34, marg. "heavens"), means probably the firmament.

(e) Heb. rakia is closely connected with (d), and is rendered "firmamentum" in the Vulgate, whence our "firmament" (Gen 1:6; Deu 33:26, etc.), regarded as a solid expanse.

(3.) Metaphorical meaning of term. Isa 14:13, 14; "doors of heaven" (Psa 78:23); heaven "shut" (1Ki 8:35); "opened" (Eze 1:1). (See 1Ch 21:16.)

(4.) Spiritual meaning. The place of the everlasting blessedness of the righteous; the abode of departed spirits.

(a) Christ calls it his "Father's house" (Jhn 14:2).

(b) It is called "paradise" (Luk 23:43; 2Cr 12:4; Rev 2:7).

(c) "The heavenly Jerusalem" (Gal 4:26; Hbr 12:22; Rev 3:12).

(d) The "kingdom of heaven" (Mat 25:1; Jam 2:5).

(e) The "eternal kingdom" (2Pe 1:11).

(f) The "eternal inheritance" (1Pe 1:4; Hbr 9:15).

(g) The "better country" (Hbr 11:14,16).

(h) The blessed are said to "sit down with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob," and to be "in Abraham's bosom" (Luk 16:22; Mat 8:11); to "reign with Christ" (2Ti 2:12); and to enjoy "rest" (Hbr 4:10,11).

In heaven the blessedness of the righteous consists in the possession of "life everlasting," "an eternal weight of glory" (2Cr 4:17), an exemption from all sufferings for ever, a deliverance from all evils (2Cr 5:1,2) and from the society of the wicked (2Ti 4:18), bliss without termination, the "fulness of joy" for ever (Luk 20:36; 2Cr 4:16,18; 1Pe 1:4; 5:10; 1Jo 3:2). The believer's heaven is not only a state of everlasting blessedness, but also a "place", a place "prepared" for them (Jhn 14:2).

Heaven:

hev'-'n.

See ASTRONOMY

Heaven: God's Dwelling Place

Deu 26:15; 1Ki 8:30, 39, 43, 49; 1Ch 16:31; 21:26; 2Ch 2:6; 6:18, 21, 27, 30, 33, 35, 39; 30:27; Neh 9:27; Job 22:12, 14; Psa 2:4; 11:4; 20:6; 33:13; 102:19; 103:19; 113:5; 123:1; 135:6; Ecc 5:2; Isa 57:15; 63:15; 66:1; Jer 23:24; Lam 3:41, 50; Dan 4:35; 5:23; Zec 2:13; Mat 5:34, 45; 6:9; 10:32, 33; 11:25; 12:50; 16:17; 18:10, 14; Mar 11:25, 26; 16:19; Act 7:49; Rom 1:18; Hbr 8:1; Rev 8:1; 12:7-9; 21:22-27; 22:1-5

Heaven: The Future Dwelling Place of the Righteous

Called

A GARNER,

Mat 3:12;

THE KINGDOM OF CHRIST AND OF GOD,

Eph 5:5;

THE FATHER'S HOUSE,

Jhn 14:2;

A HEAVENLY COUNTRY;

Hbr 11:16;

A REST;

Hbr 4:9; Rev 14:13;

PARADISE,

2Cr 12:2, 4.

The wicked excluded from,

Gal 5:21; Eph 5:5; Rev 22:15.

Heaven: Unclassified Scriptures Relating To

2Ki 2:11; Job 3:17; Psa 16:11; 17:15; 23:6; 24:3,7; 73:24; Isa 33:17; 49:9,10; Dan 12:3; Mal 3:17; Mat 3:12; 5:3,8,12,20; 6:20; 8:11; 13:30,43,49; 18:10; 19:21; 22:30; 25:34,46; Luk 10:20; 12:8,32,33; 15:6,7,10,32; 16:22; 20:34-36; 22:29,30; 23:43; Jhn 5:28,29; 10:28; 12:26; 13:36; 14:2,3; 17:22,24; Act 7:55,56; Rom 5:17; 2Cr 5:1; 12:2-4; Eph 1:18; Col 1:5,6,12; 3:4; 1Th 2:12; 4:17; 2Th 1:7; 2:14; Hbr 10:34; 11:10,16; 12:22-24,28; 13:14; 1Pe 1:4; 2Pe 1:11; 3:13; Rev 2:7; 3:21; 4:4; 5:9; 7:9,13-17; 14:1-3; 15:2; 21:1-5,9-11,18,19,21-25,27; 22:1-5

See RIGHTEOUS, PROMISES TO

Heaven: The Physical Heavens

Gen 1:1; Psa 19:1; 50:6; 68:33; 89:29; 97:6; 103:11; 113:4; 115:16; Jer 31:37; Eze 1:1; Mat 24:29, 30; Act 2:19, 20

See Sub-topics, below

Heaven: Physical Heavens, Creation Of

Gen 1:1; 2:1; 1Ch 16:26; 2Ch 2:12; Neh 9:6; Job 9:8; Psa 8:3; 19:1; 33:6, 9; 148:4-6; Pro 8:27; Isa 37:16; 40:22; 42:5; 45:12, 18; Jer 10:12; 32:17; 51:15; Act 4:24; 14:15; Hbr 1:10; Rev 10:6; 14:7

See HEAVENS, NEW; CREATION; GOD, CREATOR

Heaven: Physical Heavens, Destruction Of

Job 14:12; Psa 102:25, 26; Isa 34:4; 51:6; Mat 5:18; 24:35; Hbr 1:10-12; 2Pe 3:10, 12; Rev 6:12-14; 20:11; 21:1, 4

Heaven: New Heavens

Isa 65:17; 66:22; 2Pe 3:13; Rev 21:1-4

Heaven:

• Deu 26:15
• Psa 11:4
• Isa 66:1
• Mat 5:12; Mat 6:20; Mat 18:10
• Mar 16:19
• Luk 15:7; Luk 20:34-36
• Jhn 14:2-3
• Act 7:49
• 1Th 4:17
• Hbr 10:34
• 2Pe 3:13
• Rev 2:7; Rev 4:4; Rev 7:9; Rev 7:13-17; Rev 15:2; Rev 21:1-5; Rev 21:9-11; Rev 21:18-19; Rev 21:21-27; Rev 22:1-5

Heaven: Created by God

Gen 1:1; Rev 10:6

Heaven: Everlasting

Psa 89:29; 2Cr 5:1

Heaven: Immeasurable

Jer 31:37

Heaven: High

Psa 103:11; Isa 57:15

Heaven: Holy

Deu 26:15; Psa 20:6; Isa 57:15

Heaven: God's Dwelling-Place

1Ki 8:30; Mat 6:9

Heaven: God's Throne

Isa 66:1; Act 7:49

Heaven: God

Is the Lord of

Dan 5:23; Mat 11:25

Reigns in

Psa 11:4; 135:6; Dan 4:35

Fills

1Ki 8:27; Jer 23:24

Answers his people from

1Ch 21:26; 2Ch 7:14; Neh 9:27; Psa 20:6

Sends his judgments from

Gen 19:24; 1Sa 2:10; Dan 4:13,14; Rom 1:18

Heaven: Christ

As Mediator, entered into

Act 3:21; Hbr 6:20; 9:12,24

Is all-powerful in

Mat 28:18; 1Pe 3:22

Heaven: Angels Are In

Mat 18:10; 24:36

Heaven: Names of Saints Are Written

Luk 10:20; Hbr 12:23

Heaven: Saints Rewarded In

Mat 5:12; 1Pe 1:4

Heaven: Repentance Occasions Joy In

Luk 15:7

Heaven: Lay up Treasure In

Mat 6:20; Luk 12:33

Heaven: Flesh and Blood Cannot Inherit

1Cr 15:50

Heaven: Happiness Of, Described

Rev 7:16,17

Heaven: Is Called

A garner

Mat 3:12

The kingdom of Christ and of God

Eph 5:5

The Father's house

Jhn 14:2

A heavenly country

Hbr 11:16

A rest

Hbr 4:9

Paradise

2Cr 12:2,4

Heaven: The Wicked Excluded From

Gal 5:21; Eph 5:5; Rev 22:15

Heaven: Enoch and Elijah Were Translated Into

Gen 5:24; Hbr 11:5; 2Ki 2:11

Heaven:

There are four Hebrew words thus rendered in the Old Testament which we may briefly notice.

(1.) Raki'a, Authorized Version, firmament. SEE [FIRMAMENT].

(2.) Shamayim. This is the word used in the expression "the heaven and the earth," or "the upper and lower regions." (Genesis 1:1).

(3.) Marom, used for heaven in Psalm 18:16; Isaiah 24:18; Jeremiah 25:30. Properly speaking it means a mountain as in Psalm 102:19; Ezekiel 17:23.

(4.) Shechakim, "expanses," with reference to the extent of heaven (Deuteronomy 33:26; Job 35:5). St. Paul's expression "third heaven," (2 Corinthians 12:2) had led to much conjecture. Grotius said that the Jews divided the heaven into three parts, viz.,

(a.) The air or atmosphere, where clouds gather;

(b.) The firmament, in which the sun, moon and stars are fixed;

(5c.) The upper heaven, the abode of God and his angels, the invisible realm of holiness and happiness the home of the children of God.