Part 5 Is Heaven A Place? -- By: N. A. Woychuk

Journal: Bibliotheca Sacra
Volume: BSAC 109:433 (Jan 1952)
Article: Part 5 Is Heaven A Place?
Author: N. A. Woychuk


Part 5
Is Heaven A Place?

N. A. Woychuk

(Continued from the October-December Number, 1951)

The word heaven occurs in the Scriptures several hundred times. The Bible, furthermore, makes distinctions with regard to the use of this word, speaking of heaven in a threefold way. First the term is often taken for the air above this earth. At times reference will be made to the birds of the heavens, the eagle of the heavens, the dew of heaven, the winds of heaven, the clouds of heaven, the rains of heaven—in all of which occurrences of the term, heaven is put for the air. It is the sphere of the radio, the airship and the wireless. This is spoken of as the first heaven.

The second heaven is mentioned as the sphere of the stars, planets and the moon. This expanse is also somewhat visible to dwellers on earth. The Psalmist says concerning it, “The heavens declare the glory of God and the firmament showeth his handiwork.” In Deuteronomy 17:3 the sun, moon and stars are designated the ‘host of heaven.’ All these heavenly lights which are visible to the earth, including the planets, are considered as the second heaven, composing indeed the field of the telescope and the astronomer.

The third heaven is the highest one and is accounted the heaven of heavens. This is the abode and dwelling place of Almighty God, the unfallen angels and the redeemed of the earth. Of course we admit the fact that, because God is omnipresent, He is present everywhere and at the same time. He pervades all space and is everywhere. But the Scriptures make it very plain that in this part of space, which is specified by the Bible itself as the third heaven,

there will be found the particular abode of God. This is the place where the shekinah glory illuminates all things and where the Lord Jesus Christ—even now—sits at the right hand of God. This is the location where we shall dwell with God throughout all eternity. It seems very proper, then, to consider briefly what the Bible has to say about the subject.

Scripture very definitely portrays heaven as a place and not as a state. It is specifically the dwelling place of God and the redeemed. Jesus Christ declares in John 6:38, “I came down from heaven.” As we study the person of Christ we learn that He lived in heaven with the Father from all eternity, that He came down to this earth from heaven, that He suffered on the earth in order that we might get to heaven, that while He was on earth He longed for heaven, and that after His resurrection He returned to heaven. From such a person, we shall learn much about heaven. W...

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