This scripture says God's throne is in the heavens which from other scriptures means the third heaven or heaven or heavens or above the heavens although there could be portals or passages to the third heaven through the black hole at the center of our Milky Way Galaxy in Sagittarius or perhaps through other black holes. God's kingdom rules over all in the Third and other Heavens, the Earth the sea and under the earth. God's holy angels are extremely powerful and obey God and his word which can be a lesson to us to also be faithful to God and obey his word the Holy Bible. God's servants the holy angels are also his servants or ministers and his hosts or armies and do God's pleasure rather than their own pleasure in the Third Heaven and the other heavens and on earth. Finally not just the holy angels but all God's works in all his dominion in the Third Heaven, the second or celestial heavens, the first or atmospheric heavens, the earth the sea and under the earth are spoken of as being part of God's dominion and are urged to bless God. Finally from all this majestic view of God and his works in the Third Heaven and other places the Psalmist also urges himself to bless and worship God while on Earth as well. The scripture reference to God and His beings or works in the Third Heaven and other places and his desired behaviour for us all in Psalm 103 is as follows:
The LORD hath prepared his throne in the heavens; and his kingdom ruleth over all. Bless the LORD, ye his angels, that excel in strength, that do his commandments, hearkening unto the voice of his word. Bless the LORD, ye his hosts; ye ministers of his, that do his pleasure. Bless the LORD, all his works in all places of his dominion: bless the LORD, O my soul. Psalm 103:19-22
Bildad was a friend or acquaintance of the man of God Job and Bildad was also associated with philosophy centred on the God of the Bible. In this chapter I believe the true and living God gave Bildad a revelation of the earliest history of the universe. In verse 2 of this chapter I believe high places means heavenly places as this word high is the same as is used for the term the high God talking about the God of the Bible and is different in the Hebrew than the word high used for the pagan high places that were on the top of earthly hills or mountains. I believe God making peace in his high places refers to God casting Satan and the demons or angels that became fallen angels after rebelling with Satan against God out of heaven to restore peace in heaven or the heavens including the astronomical heavens or God's high places. These high or heavenly places are part of God's dominion and where God would also want fear or reverence to Himself. I think the rebellion of Satan or Lucifer the devil and his angels described in Isaiah 14 and Ezekiel 28 occured after Adam and Eve were created but before Satan through the serpent tempted Eve in Genesis 3. There could have been up to a couple hundred years between the end of Genesis 2 and the beginning of Genesis 3 that would provide sufficient time for Satan and his angels to rebel against God and make plans to bring about the fall of our first parents and the human race. The reference to God's armies here in verse 3 I think refers to God's heavenly armies or his holy angels which are called sometimes the heavenly host or heavenly armies. The reference to the stars not being pure in God's sight applies at least partly to the physical or astronomical stars and planets that are in some way cursed due to and since the rebellion of the devil and his angels before the fall of man and curse of the earth and perhaps a further curse of the heavens although the latter is not specifically mentioned in Genesis 3. The stars not being pure in God's sight could have a secondary meaning to some of the angels that aren't pure in God's sight since the angels are sometimes mentioned as stars in the Bible. In that case they would be the fallen angels that rebelled against God before the fall of man with Satan or Lucifer the devil and became spiritually impure. The scripture reference from Job 25 of the restoration of order but still cursed state of the heavens and some of the angels due to the rebellion led by Satan the devil or Lucifer near the beginning of history is as follows:
Then answered Bildad the Shuhite, and said, Dominion and fear are with him, he maketh peace in his high places. Is there any number of his armies? and upon whom doth not his light arise? How then can man be justified with God? or how can he be clean that is born of a woman? Behold even to the moon, and it shineth not; yea, the stars are not pure in his sight. How much less man, that is a worm? and the son of man, which is a worm? Job 25:1-5
In the year that king Uzziah, one of the good or righteous kings of the southern Israel kingdom of Judah, God or the LORD gave his servant, the prophet Isaiah, a vision of Himself seated on His throne in Heaven in glory. As in other passages in the Bible, especially in the prophets, Psalms and Revelation in the New Testament, God's throne is pictured as in the middle of a heavenly temple or tabernacle in what would correspond to the holy of holies in particular. In this vision the LORD then shows above his throne or temple in heaven angelic beings called seraphims. These each had six wings which in humility in the presence of God's holiness only used two of their wings to fly or move but used four for covering themselves, two for their feet and two for their face. As is clear from verse 3 in this chapter their main purpose was and is to worship God in heaven. As part of this worship one of the seraphim is pictured saying to another Holy, holy, holy is the LORD of hosts: the whole earth is full of his glory and in this way praising God as the LORD of the angelic hosts and pointing out that the earth is also under his control or sovereignty and even under the curse of sin, ungodly people and Satan or Lucifer and fallen angels this earth is still full of God's glory. To emphasize the strength of this seraphim crying out to worship and praise God or the LORD (God the Father) the scripture mentions the posts of the doors moved at his cry. It is also mentions the house or temple was filled with smoke which is probably a reference to the smoke from the heavenly altar. This is the temple or tabernacle in heaven that God gave the revelation to Moses to make the earthly tabernacle after its pattern while Moses was on Mount Sinai. The scripture reference in Isaiah 6 of God the LORD seated on his throne in the heavenly temple surrounded by angelic seraphim worshipping him is as follows:
In the year that king Uzziah died I saw also the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up, and his train filled the temple. Above it stood the seraphims: each one had six wings; with twain he covered his face, and with twain (two) he covered his face, and with twain (two) he did fly. And one cried unto another, and said, Holy, holy, holy, is the LORD of hosts: the whole earth is full of his glory. And the posts of the door moved at the voice of him that cried, and the house was filled with smoke. Isaiah 6:1-4
The effect on Isaiah of his heavenly vision of the LORD, as it was with other men of God such as Ezekiel and the Apostle John, was to greatly humble himself, have a greater sense of his own sin and unrighteousness and to worship God. Isaiah also emphasized his beholding God in his sovereignty or rule and power as the king and of his leadership over the angelic host or multitude in particular in calling the LORD the LORD of hosts. Isaiah obtained a deep realization of his overall sin nature and his sinful speech and the sinful speech of his fellow countrymen among whom he dwelt and ministered. The response of one of the seraphims, clearly with God's approval, was to take a coal from the altar probably the altar of sacrifice which would be holy in a way and use it to touch Isaiah's mouth and lips and literally and symbolically cleanse Isaiah of his sinful or unclean speech. The thought also just came to me in writing this article that if this heavenly altar of sacrifice is similiar to the earthly tabernacle's altar of sacrifice that is supposed to be patterned after the heavenly one, this could be an argument that there are animals in heaven including some that are used as sacrifices on the heavenly altar. It is also significant that after God through one of his seraphim had cleansed his servant Isaiah of his unclean speech or lips he then charged him to go and take God's message to his earthly people the people of Israel for which Isaiah was willing to be sent. The scripture reference in Isaiah 6 or the effect on Isaiah of his heavenly vision and the heavenly response to Isaiah's response is as follows:
Then said I, Woe is me! for I am undone; because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips: for mine eyes have seen the King, the LORD of hosts. Then flew one of the seraphims unto me, having a live coal in his hand, which he had taken with the tongs from off the altar: And he laid it upon my mouth, and said, Lo, this hath touched thy(your) lips; and thine iniquity is taken away, and thy sin purged. Also I heard the voice of the Lord saying, Whom shall I send, and who will go for us? Then said I, Here am I; send me. Isaiah 6:5-8
In Ephesians 1 God through the apostle Paul mentions the resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ by God the Father and combines this with the ascension of Jesus from this Earth to Heaven. Although the scripture here mentions more heavenly places and it might not be certain from other references in Ephesians exactly where heavenly places is this reference in Ephesians 1 as heavenly places as at God the Father's right hand and above all other powers and principalities definitely places this reference to heavenly places as the third heaven where God dwells and the realm of departed believers beyond the 1st or earthly atmosphere and 2nd or astronomical including planetary and stellar heavens. At Jesus' ascension Jesus was brought to the right hand of God the Father above all powers and principalities and dominion in the 1st heaven of Earth's atmosphere by demons and holy angels or the 2nd heaven or stars and planets and galaxies of demons and holy angels. The scripture reference from Ephesians 1 of the resurrection and ascension by God the Father of the Lord Jesus Christ to the Heavenly Places or Third Heaven Above all powers and prinipalities in the lower heavens is as follows:
Which he (God the Father) wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places, Far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come. Ephesians 1:20-21
The Lord Jesus Christ is being referred to in verse 22 and previous verses with His ascension to heaven mentioned in particular in verse 22. When the Lord Jesus Christ ascended to heaven he sat down at the right hand of God the Father. Then angels and powers and authorities or good and bad angels or angels and demons were made subject to Jesus or put under His control. The scripture reference from 1 Peter 3 of the ascension of the Lord Jesus Christ and from that time both angels and demons were put under His control is as follows:
Who (the Lord Jesus Christ) is gone into heaven, and is on the right hand of God; angels and authorities and powers being made subject unto him. 1 Peter 3:22
Jesus instructed the reader not just to believe in God but also to believe in Him that he was God's only Son and annointed one sent from the Father from Heaven. Jesus is urging the reader to believe also in him to qualify for Jesus to prepare a place for you in heaven for an eternal home. Jesus says in His Father's house (Heaven) there are many mansions or dwelling places meaning it is a place for many not just a select few and that it is available to all. Jesus says he goes to prepare a place for you. This is one major thing Jesus has been doing most likely with the help of the holy angels since he ascended and returned to heaven after his ressurrection almost 2000 years ago. Jesus also gives the assurance to the reader that believes also in him that he died for our sins and rose again from the dead to give us new life that if he prepares a place for us he will come again and take us to himself that we might be where he is (in heaven). This is another description of what evangelical Christians call the rapture or catching up and will occur at the end of the Church Age or Dispensation or Dispensation of Grace or the Holy Spirit which will occur very soon and is the next great event on God's prophetic calendar. Jesus then said to some of his disciples that they knew where he was going (heaven) and the way there (through himself and faith in himself). Thomas one of Jesus' disciples said Lord we do not know where you are going and how can we know the way. Jesus responded with the famous words I am the way the truth and the life no man comes to the Father but by me. From the context of this passage I think it is clear that Jesus meant not just that he is the way to God and to life and truth but also the way to heaven where God dwells on his throne and will be in the middle of his people in full glory. The scripture reference in Gospel of John 14 of faith in Jesus as well as God (the Father) as the conditions for Jesus to prepare a place for us in heaven and come to take us to himself in heaven is as follows:
Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also. And whither I go ye know, and the way ye know. Thomas saith unto him, Lord, we know not whither thou goest; and how can we know the way? Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me. Gospel of John 14:1-6
Some the saints mentioned up to this time in this chapter, namely Abel, Enoch, Noah and Abraham and Sara, did not receive the promises such as the promise of the Messiah or Saviour of the world in Genesis 3:15 and the promise of a set apart or holy land for Israel as God's chosen earthly people in Genesis 12:7 and other places. This promised land was promised to Abraham and Sarah and their descendants but not to Abel, Enoch and Noah but the Messiah and Saviour of the world was promised not only to Abraham and Sarah and the Jews but also to Abel, Noah, and Enoch and the entire human race. Anyway part of the Jewish hope was to be with God in heaven in the life to come. The statement that they saw the promises afar off could refer to Abraham and Sarah that they could see the eventual time when the Jewish people would be in their own land in the promised land of Israel or Canaan. All these Old Testament saints could probably by faith to some degree see the eventual fulfillment of a Messiah and Saviour of the world. Another part of the promises these Old Testament saints could see by faith to some extent although I don't know how it compared to myself and other believers in this Church age. Anyway probably some considerations that made it more difficult to see the heavenly city and to which these believers weren't as encumbered with as unbelievers of their day or perhaps some less spiritual believers are material possessions, business or activity in worldly pursuits, involvement in worldly religion or philosophy or relations with unsaved or non-spiritual people. I find these same factors and other similiar ones are also limitations to other people included lukewarm Christians not having a clear view of heaven and being motivated to live for it and for God and His values in this life by the eye of faith. The scripture here in Hebrews 11 says these people of God embraced these promises that at least imply a hope of a heavenly home with God. This was done partly by their confessing that they were strangers and pilgrims in this world (and that they were on their way to their final destination of heaven). This scripture also calls heaven both a country and a city which is the final desire of these and other true believers. One key characteristic of heaven will be that God will gladly exercise his role as their (our) God and we will be his people. This heavenly city will have nothing given to chance or randomness as God states here that he has prepared for the believers this heavenly city the heavenly Jerusalem. The scripture reference in Hebrews 11 of a heavenly city of the heavenly Jerusalem as the final dwelling place that God has prepared also for his Old Testament believers is as follows:
These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them, and embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth. For they that say such things declare plainly that they seek a country. And truly, if they had been mindful of that country from whence they came out, they might have had opportunity to have returned. But now they desire a better country, that is, an heavenly: wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God: for he hath prepared for them a city. Hebrews 11:13-16
Although born again Christians or true believers in God in this present Church Age (that will end very soon with the rapture of the Church) have struggles or adversity in our lives on earth from the world, the flesh and the devil while worldly or unsaved people often are able to fulfill many of their selfish heart's desires in this life, there is a glorious eternal future reserved only for God's people who trust in His Son Jesus Christ. This eternal dwelling place of believers is called mount Sion because it will be the place in heaven where God will dwell among his people also in heaven, it is called the city of the living God because it will be a city where God's people can be together in an advanced society with the living God, and not just a false god who isn't living and can't give life, in our midst. It is also called heavenly Jerusalem because it will be the capital city of God's universe in time and will eventually merge with the New Jerusalem to become the capital city of the universe in the new heavens and new earth. This heavenly Jerusalem will also be home to an innumerable or countless company of angels who believers will be able to communicate and associate with in heaven in time and then in eternity. This heavenly Jerusalem will also be home to the general assembly and church of the firstborn which means the assembly or church that is God's people called out of this fallen sinful and selfish world system. This group is called the firstborn because we are the firstborn in the new creature through the new birth by God's Holy Spirit when we trusted in the Lord Jesus Christ as our Lord and Saviour that he died for our sins and rose from the dead to give us new life. This scripture also says that these members of the church are written in heaven which happens or is assured to continue to be the case when we personally trust in the Lord Jesus Christ as our Lord and Saviour. God the Judge of all will of course also be in the heavenly Jerusalem but for us who have trusted in the Lord Jesus as our personal Saviour God will have judged our sins on His Son Jesus Christ when he bore our sins when he was on the cross almost two thousand years ago. Also there in the heavenly Jerusalem will be the spirits of just men made perfect which means they are church age saints who have been freed from all the imperfections or blemished of the flesh or the fallen human nature that everybody gets as physical conception but these spirits of Christians in heaven will just have the new nature or born again nature in Christ remaining to be fit for God's presence in the heavenly Jerusalem and then in the New Jerusalem and New Heavens and New Earth. That these people are called spirits is probably a reference to them in their current state in the church age of believers who have died and gone to be with the Lord Jesus in heaven but who don't yet have their spiritual, immortal, heavenly and eternal bodies that will be obtained at the ressurrection of Church Age saints at the rapture which of course hasn't happened yet but will happen very soon. Christians who are still physically living on earth when the rapture happens will have our bodies instantly transformed into heavenly and eternal bodies and our old nature cast off and our spirits made perfect without physical death. Also there in the heavenly Jerusalem including at this time and since his ascension almost two thousand years ago is the glorified Lord Jesus Christ in his resurrection and heavenly body who has also now become forevermore the mediator before God the Father of the New Covenant for all those people Jew and Gentile who trust in Him as our Saviour and Redeemer through his shed blood on the cross which was the blood of God come in the form of sinless man through his virgin birth. The scripture reference of heavenly Jerusalem as the home of Christians or Church Age believers in Hebrews 12 is as follows:
But ye are come unto mount Sion, and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of angels, To the general assembly and church of the firstborn, which are written in heaven, and to God the Judge of all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect, And to Jesus the mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling, that speaketh better things than that of Abel. Hebrews 12:22-24
Perhaps partly because he didn't say that it was anyone else and partly because the Apostle Paul states in verse 1 that he would come to visions and revelations in the Lord some Bible scholars think that the Apostle Paul might have been referring indirectly to himself and his own experience in the first 5 verses of this chapter as the one caught up to heaven. When the apostle Paul was saying he didn't know if that person was in the body or out of the body when the person was caught up to heaven I think he was saying he didn't know if the person was caught up to heaven in their body or only in their spirit. The apostle Paul says more specifically that this person was caught up to the third heaven. This means logically that there are two heavens between that third heaven and earth from where this person was caught up. Most Bible teachers that take this passage literally as I do usually explain these other heavens as the first heaven being the atmosphere of earth where birds and airplanes go and earth's weather occurs. The second heaven would then be the celestial heavens where the moon, the sun, the planets, the stars and galaxies reside. The third heaven would be beyond even this second heaven which means it is at least 13,000,000,000 light years away with 1 light year being about 6 trillion miles. Myself and other dispensationalist Christians believe all true or born again Christians will be caught up to this third heaven in our new heavenly or resurrection bodies at the end of this church age after meeting the Lord Jesus in the air or near outer space just before the tribulation or 70 th week of Daniel when the Antichrist or beast will rule the earth starts. The apostle Paul then elaborates that this person was caught up to the heaven of paradise where the person heard unspeakable words that it was not lawful to utter meaning probably that the person saw very good and blessed things that God didn't want the apostle Paul or whoever is spoken of as being caught up to heaven to reveal to people on earth in general. Myself and other people who take the Bible literally think that logically if the person spoken of here was caught up to the third heaven and was caught up to paradise then the third heaven must be paradise. Although we don't know everything that is there God and the Lord Jesus Christ will be the focal point there and there will also be millions of holy angels and the departed spirits or in some cases with bodies of believers or saints and probably other creatures as well as the place being prepared for all the believers in the heavenly Jerusalem for our eternal homes. There will also be a complete sense of holiness, joy, peace and love and desire to glorify God and Jesus and opportunity for unhurried fellowship with other believers. The scripture reference in 2 Corinthians 12 of the third heaven identified as paradise is as follows:
It is expedient for me doubtless to glory. I will come to visions and revelations of the Lord. I knew a man in Christ above fourteen years ago, (whether in the body, I cannot tell; or whether out of the body, I cannot tell: God knoweth;) such an one caught up to the third heaven. And I knew a man, (whether in the body, or out of the body, I cannot tell: God knoweth;) How that he was caught up into paradise, and heard unspeakable words, which is not lawful for a man to utter. Of such an one will I glory: yet of myself I will not glory, but in mine infirmities. 2 Corinthians 12:1-5
In Matthew 25 the Lord Jesus Christ gave a parable, an earthly story with a heavenly meaning, about a rich man that trusted other to look after his goods (for them to be stewards). This rich man then went into a far country which speaks of when Jesus left earth and went to heaven at his ascension. That heaven is called a far country indicates that the main dwelling of God in the highest heaven is a long way from earth. After a long time this rich man, Jesus, will return to call his servants to account how they have used his goods or how believers have used the talents given to us in serving him. I don't believe this passage teaches we can lose our salvation but that the man with one talent didn't even trust in the Lord Jesus and get His holy spirit to make something out of his life that way. Anyway, although there will be a judgment for faithful service for Christians at the end of the church age and before the tribulation, Jesus won't come to earth then only come to the air to take us as the church to heaven. Therefore I think the main application of this parable is to people that trust in Jesus in the tribulation and his judgment of them when he comes to earth to judge the world and reward those who live for him in the tribulation with ruling with him in his millennial kingdom. Again he will come from a far country that is from heaven which is far from earth to the earth at that time. Although there are some other scriptures in the New Testament especially in Ephesians that suggest there are some aspect of the heavenly realms that can be accessed through another dimension I think this scipture in Matthew and the above one in 2 Corinthians imply there is a main sense that the abode of God heaven is far in distance from earth. This would be beyond the farthest galaxies that would still be in the second heavens. The scripture reference from Matthew 25 of Jesus as the far would entrusted others with his goods and travelled to the far country of heaven is as follows:
For the kingdom of heaven is as a man travelling into a far country, who called his own servants, and delivered unto them his goods. ... After a long time the lord of those servants cometh, and reckoneth with them. Gospel of Matthew 25:14, 19
One central dwelling point of the holy angels is around God's throne in the highest or third heaven. The four beasts or living creatures and the elders will also be there. The great number of these angels is indicated by the expression ten thousand times ten thousand and thousands of thousands meaning that there are at least 100,000,000 of them. The chief function of these angels is to give glory to God and to the Lamb God's Son Jesus Christ who made the salvation of many people from all tribes and peoples and languages of the church possible. These angels also say at this point which would be just at the beginning of the tribulation with the church in heaven after the rapture of the church and before the real beginning of God's judgments in the tribulation that start in Revelation chapter 6. These angels are then looking forward to the second coming of the Lord Jesus Christ to reign on the earth in his 1000 year kingdom after the end of the 7 year tribulation. That is what they mean that he is worthy to receive power and riches and wisdom etc. The scripture reference from Revelation 5 of the vast multitude of holy angels at heaven praising God and the Lamb the Lord Jesus Christ and looking forward to the earthly reign of the Lord Jesus Christ after his second coming is as follows:
And I beheld, and I heard the voice of many angels round about the throne and the beasts and the elders: and the number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands; Saying with a loud voice, Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honour, and glory, and blessing. Revelation 5:11-12
For more information, comments, questions or advice
contact Doug at dougforheavens33@gmail.com
Contact Spirit and Truth Ministries
The Holy Angels
New Spirit and Truth Ministries Homepage