Third Heaven
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English[edit]
Proper noun[edit]
- (religion) The abode of God, in some Abrahamic religions.
- 1772, Paradise Regained: Or The Scripture Account of The Glorious Millennium, &c.[1] (Religion), London: J. Buckland, in Pater-Noster-Row, and W. Daven-Hill, in Cornhill, London, →OCLC, page 36:
- Yet after all that is here, or elſewhere ſaid ; for the ſcriptures greatly abound with the moſt grand, lofty, and ſublime metaphors, when the writers thereof would convey into our minds, ſome idea of that raviſhing delight, and happineſs to be enjoyed, with the amazing excellence and glory of the future ſtate, which a merciful and gracious God hath in reſerve for the righteous : Yet, I ſay, we find it is but a very imperfect deſcription, or faint reſemblance of what it really is : for the great apoſtle St. Paul, who had been caught up into Paradiſe, or the third heaven ; where he heard ſuch unſpeakable words, that the powers and faculties of which he was poſſeſſed, were not capable of uttering, or conveying them to the mind of others; he aſſures us, that eye hath not ſeen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him: ſo that at beſt we ſee but in part, as it were thro' a glaſs darkly ; and we know but in part, for the apoſtles could propheſy, or teach but in part; but when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part ſhall be done away.
- 1970, Peter S. Ruckman, “Revelation Chapter 4”, in The Book of Revelation (The Bible Believer's Commentary Series)[2] (Religion), Pensacola, FL: Pensacola Bible Press, →OCLC, page 111:
- So John is caught up to the third heaven; he sees the throne with the Lord on it, and it is surrounded by twenty-four elders on thrones, and four beasts (cherubims) around the throne; it’s a wild scene. But, it is so; the problem, of course, is to believe it, and receive it.
Before going on and finishing Revelation 4, we should understand that John was "caught up" to a real, literal place in the universe, and that place is up there now. The scripture has much to say about this “dwelling place” of God, its location, distance, size, nature, and inhabitants, and it is very clearly defined. Since the revelation on this place is far in advance over the latest scientific findings of Cape Kennedy, or Redstone Arsenal at Huntsville, let us study the verses which relate to it; it is the abode of “God the Father” in the third heaven, on the throne, above the sea of glass northward.
- 1997 May 27, Rick Bragg, quoting Devon Busby, “In Florida, a Revival That Came but Didn't Go”, in The New York Times[3], →ISSN, →OCLC, archived from the original on 27 May 2015, Section A, page 1[4]:
- "Send us a revival, Lord," he said, quoting another evangelist, John Wesley. "Defects and all."
The train conductor from Mobile, Mr. Busby, sinks into a pew. He is asked if he got what he came for, and he just nods his head. Here he feels as if he stands "in the third heaven, the holy holy," he said.
- 2017, Robert Jeffress, “Is Heaven a Real Place or Is It a State of Mind?”, in A Place Called Heaven: 10 Surprising Truths about Your Eternal Home[5] (Religion), Grand Rapids, Mich.: Baker Books, →ISBN, →LCCN, →OCLC, page 44:
- The third heaven represents the presence of God. This is where all Christians immediately go when they die. (We will discuss this in detail in chapter 4.) It is sometimes called Paradise—the place where Jesus assured the thief on the cross he would go the moment he died. At some point in his life, Paul was caught up into this third heaven, where he heard “inexpressible words” (2 Cor. 12:4). When most Christians speak of heaven this is the heaven they mean—the one that is “up.” This is the “present heaven” I referred to in the last section.
- 2017 March 31, Arlene Edmonds, “Local churches host Howard choir”, in AP News[6], archived from the original on 11 November 2023[7]:
- During his sermon Merritt drew from the scriptural passage at 2 Cor. 12:7-10. His theme was “What is Your Problem?” Merritt explained that the “third heaven” was where God lived and it was where one ascends to if one receives immortality. Yet, he contended, some have problems that may prevent this.
- For more quotations using this term, see Citations:Third Heaven.