The New Heavens

In Philippians 3:20, the Apostle Paul reminds us that our citizenship is in heaven.  However, even though we may be used to thinking of creation only in the context of heaven (singular) and earth, it is clear from the Bible that there are heavens (plural) which we need to understand.  To make it simple, let’s call them the first heaven, the second heaven and the third heaven.  Or, as somebody once said, think of it like this: the first we see by day, the second we see by night and the third we see by faith. 

THE FIRST HEAVEN – WE SEE BY DAY

The first heaven is what we would call the atmospheric heaven.  This is the area in which the birds fly.  Matthew 6:26 reads: Look at the birds of the air [the Greek word “ouranos” referring to heaven], for they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feeds them.  Are you not of more value than they?  The technical name for this area is the troposphere and it is approximately 8 to 14 kilometres (5 to 9 miles) thick, depending on where you are in the world. 

THE SECOND HEAVEN – WE SEE BY NIGHT

The second heaven is known as the celestial heaven.  This is the vast expanse which contains the sun, moon and stars.  In a warning against idolatry, we read this in Deuteronomy 4:19: And take heed, lest you lift your eyes to heaven, and when you see the sun, the moon, and the stars, all the host of heaven, you feel driven to worship them and serve them, which the LORD your God has given to all the peoples under the whole heaven as a heritage.

THE THIRD HEAVEN – WE SEE BY FAITH IN THE SON!

The third heaven is the place of God’s throne.  Revelation 4:2: Immediately I was in the Spirit; and behold, a throne set in heaven, and One sat on the throne.  The reason we refer to this area as the third heaven is because of the statement in 2 Corinthians 12:2: I know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago – whether in the body I do not know, or whether out of the body I do not know, God knows – such a one was caught up to the third heaven.  Elsewhere, the third heaven is referred to as “the heaven of heavens”.  For example, 1 Kings 8:27 reads: But will God indeed dwell on the earth?  Behold, heaven and the heaven of heavens cannot contain You.  How much less this temple which I have built! 

NEW HEAVENS

In Scripture we are told that new heavens and a new earth will be created.  Isaiah 65:17: For behold, I create new heavens and a new earth; and the former shall not be remembered or come to mind.  This will occur after the Millennial Kingdom, once the final rebellion has been put down and all unbelievers are purged from the earth.  Isaiah 51:6: Lift up your eyes to the heavens, and look on the earth beneath.  For the heavens will vanish away like smoke, the earth will grow old like a garment, and those who dwell in it will die in like manner; but My salvation will be forever, and My righteousness will not be abolished.  Although I am sure that all of us are very excited about seeing God bring about the new heavens and the new earth, for good measure, I remind you that in 2 Peter 3:13 we are instructed to look forward to this promise: Nevertheless we, according to His promise, look for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells.      

In Greek, the word “new” may be rendered in two ways – neos or kainos.  Neos means “new in time”.  Kainos means “new in quality”.  This is important to note when it comes to the use of the English word “new” in Revelation 21:1: Now I saw a new [kainos] heaven and a new [kainos] earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away.  Also there was no more sea.  But this raises two questions.  Firstly, are all three heavens being made new?  Secondly, will the present heavens and earth be destroyed and re-created or just renewed and transformed? 

To answer the first question, I quote Dr John Walvoord who once wrote, “The new heaven refers not to the abode of God, but to the earth’s atmosphere and planetary space.”  Dr Ron Rhodes agrees, noting in his excellent book “A Complete Reference Guide to Bible Prophecy” that it is only the first and second heavens which require renewal.  Which leads to the next question – will it be a re-creation or renewal?  Many excellent scholars (past and present) come to different conclusions on this point, particularly since some view the word kainos differently.  However, it serves no purpose to debate the point in the context of this article.  Whatever the case may be, what we all agree on is this simple fact: it will be wonderful beyond our current imagination.