By Roger Lanse
The Bible tells us there are three heavens. The first heaven refers to our atmosphere where birds fly and airplanes travel. The second is further out where the moon, sun, stars and black holes live and a few rockets have entered. The third heaven is where God dwells. Now, that doesn’t mean God is an absentee landlord, because He also lives right next to each one of us, readily available 24/7.
While no exact geographical location for heaven is given us in God’s Word, it seems that heaven is up. The Bible says the Lord looks down from heaven and that heaven is above. The Bible talks about ascending to heaven and descending from heaven. The Bible mentions manna raining from heaven and Satan falling like lightning from heaven.
Although we can’t see heaven with our technology, heaven is a real place, else Jesus would not have said He goes there to prepare a place for us. He said there are many mansions in heaven, and He said He would have told us if that wasn’t true.
One day, heaven will no longer be ‘up there.’ It will be ‘down here.’ The Bible tells us the first earth and the first heaven will pass away, and, in its place, will be a new heaven and a new earth and the holy city, New Jerusalem, will come down out of heaven from God.
Heaven is real, and it awaits those who have placed their trust in God’s only begotten Son, Jesus Christ.