SPECIAL TOPIC: THE HEAVENS

SPECIAL TOPIC: THE HEAVENS AND THE THIRD HEAVEN

In the OT the term "heaven" is usually PLURAL (i.e., shamayim, BDB 1029, KB 1559; see SPECIAL TOPIC: HEAVEN). The Hebrew term means "height." God dwells on high. This concept reflects the holiness and transcendence of God.

In Gen. 1:1, the PLURAL , "heavens and earth," has been viewed as God creating

the atmosphere above this planet
a way of referring to all of reality (i.e., spiritual and physical)

From this basic understanding other texts were cited as referring to levels of heaven: "heaven of heavens" (cf. Ps. 68:33) or "heaven and the heaven of heavens" (cf. Deut. 10:14; 1 Kgs. 8:27; Neh. 9:6; Ps. 148:4). The rabbis surmised that there might be

two heavens (i.e., R. Judah, Hagigah 12b)
three heavens (Test. of Levi 2-3; Ascen. of Isa. 6-7,9; Midrash Tehillim on Ps. 114:1; Talmud b. Hagigah 11b)
five heavens (III Baruch 11:1)
seven heavens (R. Simonb. Lakish; Ascen. of Isa. 9:7)
ten heavens (II Enoch 20:3b; 22:1)

All of these were meant to show God's separation from physical creation and/or His transcendence. The most common number of heavens in rabbinical Judaism was seven. A. Cohen, Everyman's Talmud (p. 30), says this was connected to the astronomical spheres, but I think it refers to seven being the perfect number (i.e., days of creation with seven representing YHWH's rest in Genesis 2:2).

Paul, in 2 Cor. 12:2, mentions the "third" heaven (Greek ouranos) as a way of identifying God's personal, majestic presence. Paul had a personal encounter with YHWH!

the first being the atmosphere of this planet
the second being the realm of the "heavenly lights" (cf. Genesis 1)
the third being God's realm, His throne room (Revelation 4-5)