several heavens?

[anti_nietzsche]

In tradition, there are many separated heavens. IE, the judaeic heaven, the saint's heaven, the angel's heaven, the beloved's heaven, etc. Where will we end up after life? According to tradition, those who died without Christ can only go to the judaeic heaven as they are judged by their works. I would love to go to the Beloved's Heaven, but I read that only the "important" people like David, Solomo, the apostles and Jesus went there.

[Lazarus Short]

My own studies have convinced me that the harp-on-a-cloud heaven is as much a myth as hell.  I see the afterlife as being spent in the New Earth crowned with the New Jerusalem.  BTW, refer to Psalm 48:2, which locates mount Zion (the New Jerusalem, I presume) as being "on the sides of the north."  Now the only place on the planet where the north has sides is the North Pole, so I see that as the location of the New Jerusalem.  The poles are also the only places on the globe where you could place such a vast structure and not put the Earth in rotational imbalance.

[sheila]

 the pattern of Israel's inheritance in the promised land..is a shadow of our heavenly dwelling places.  Basically,all men raised up in Christ

  will dwell in whatever tribal inheritance they have been pre-ordained to dwell in. 12 plus two.[shadowed by Joseph's two sons]

   the top 10% dwell with Father...another top 10% dwell with Jesus-which =20% for their increase..because when something is redeemed

you add a fifth.[priestly inheritance/Levi tribe in promised land]

   since all things are ours.. and we are all one family.we will visit one another in all our respective homes.... just like your sisters family

   who lives in California......comes to stay/visit you in Michigan for a few weeks every year...is how it works.  also..your brother

  who lives in africa[same as from another heaven] will visit.  There are so many of us..in the family...it takes an immortal life

to just get to know one another!.  So,you will spend special time with Father and Jesus,too.Even if they are not your next door neighbor

just by taking thought you may speak/converse with them[kinda of like the telephone]. Or by merely taking thought speak to them face

to face.

   He has many wonderful things stored up for us...more then we could ever imagine.  WE ARE SO BLESSED THAT HE IS OUR

INHERITANCE.

  stop and think of the great beauty and great care and thought He put into this temporal creation.....and if your hearts can......

  imagine what the incorrupt/immortal creation may be like.We all will be over-AWED at what He has done



   to get a general idea of what awaits..contenmplate..the land flowing with milk and honey....the size of the bunches of grapes etc.

   the Best Portion etc.   He saves the Best for Last...and turns the water/life into wine/joy

   the HEAVENS CAN NOT CONTAIN HIM...consider these heavens and space..if ye will..and worlds without end....and though

  they appear void of life..though scientists search/seek and specualte.  then consider when He makes all things new....and

abundant life increases and is never-ending immortal..and filled with HIM...

[Cardinal]

 :cloud9: This is how I see it. The firmament was called heaven and it was between the waters below and the waters above. We're told the tabernacle of Moses is the pattern of heavenly things, or reality in the Spirit. So that would mean there are 3 heavens as there are 3 courts in the pattern(word heaven means to heave up, as a mountain is heaved up).

Outer court/Jesus the flesh man/waters below the firmament, inner court/Christ the Spirit seed man/firmament, and Holy of Holies/Father the more abundant life within the heart of that Seed/waters above the firmament.

Notice as we "climb" these mountains, our perspective on everything changes. Only a remnant have climbed to the second mount, only a remnant within the remnant (the tithe) will climb (by invitation only, called by the Father) to the third mount.

Jesus said essentially to Nicodemus, I'm standing right here in front of you talking to you, but I'm in heaven. Paul said our conversation is in heaven. If Christ the Spirit seed man is the firmament, then being baptized into Him is being in heaven, specifically the second heaven.

The first heaven is everything that was made by Him under the firmament, which is a pale reflection of what He is in the Spirit, yet it's a beautiful mirror image, as the natural reflects some aspect of Truth contained in the Word that is Spirit.

It can do no less, it came out of Him, and how can He be any less than what He is? It's His witness, His helpmeet, the lesser glory. This is why He said ALL THE HEAVENS declare (means to show openly) my glory and because of this, in that day they will have no excuse. My  :2c:  Blessings.....

[ian]

Maybe slightly off topic, but I think it's worth noting that as much as there is no "'eternal' 'hell'" in scripture, there is no eternal life or eternal heaven. Measurements in scripture are age-during, and not all is revealed. Eternity is a relatively new concept and dilutes scripture imo. Of course I believe in existence outside of time, but there isn't much said about that. There is work to be done in the next age, and presumably the one after. What lies beyond the consummation is ...beyond speculation. That being said, this topic interests me greatly :)

[Dandelion]

1"Do not let your heart be troubled; believe in God, believe also in Me. 2"In My Father's house are many dwelling places; if it were not so, I would have told you; for I go to prepare a place for you. 3"If I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself, that where I am, there you may be also....
John 14:1- 3

This is what I think of in regard to what awaits us. I don't think of time or levels. I think of unity and belonging and being made one in Christ. Perhaps some of us will experience heaven differently......I don't know. But, I think that the most important aspect will be a joining of soul, heart, and mind into a kingdom of joy and peace.

...3And I heard a loud voice from the throne, saying, "Behold, the tabernacle of God is among men, and He will dwell among them, and they shall be His people, and God Himself will be among them, 4and He will wipe away every tear from their eyes; and there will no longer be any death; there will no longer be any mourning, or crying, or pain; the first things have passed away." 5And He who sits on the throne said, "Behold, I am making all things new." And He said, "Write, for these words are faithful and true."... Revelation 21:3-5

:2c: