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What is the "third heaven"?


Question: Paul says that he went to the third heaven. What does this mean and what are the other two?

Answer: There are three heavens mentioned in the Bible:

1. The first heaven is the atmospheric heavens. This is the clouds and where the birds fly (Ps. 8:8, 77:17-18, 79:2, 104:12).
2. The second heaven is the starry heavens. This is the moon and the stars (Gen. 22:17, Ps. 8:3, Isa. 13:10)
3. The third heaven is the abode of God. We pray to the Father in heaven.
Paul says God took him to heaven and told him things that he couldn't share with others (2 Cor. 12:2, Matt. 5:45, 6:9, 16:17). He was referring to the third heaven-the abode of God.

When the Bible speaks of the heavens passing away (2 Pet. 3:10), it is speaking of the first and second heavens being destroyed, but not the third heaven.



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