Contents

The Heavens I. The First Heaven
II. The Second Heaven
III. The Third Heaven
Past & Future IV. Abraham’s Bosom
V. New Heaven, New Earth

I. The First Heaven, The Atmospheric Heaven

Atmospheric Heaven

The First Heaven—also known as the Atmospheric Heaven—is composed of six different layers (troposphere, stratosphere, mesosphere, thermosphere, ionosphere, and exosphere) representing the first 621 miles of space known as the sky.

Troposphere

  • The first layer of the atmosphere is known as the troposphere, which is the innermost layer of Earth’s atmosphere. “Tropos” means change and gets its name from the weather that is constantly changing. The troposphere is between 5 and 9 miles thick and contains the air we breathe, the clouds in the sky, the wind you feel on your face, and the many variety of birds.

    Beside them the birds of the heavens dwell; they sing among the branches. — Psalm 104:12

    God gave us the hydrological cycle to provide good things to all people.

    “Yet he did not leave himself without witness, for he did good by giving you rains from heaven and fruitful seasons, satisfying your hearts with food and gladness.” — Acts 14:17

    As well as nourishment for the earth.

    “But the land that you are going over to possess is a land of hills and valleys, which drinks water by the rain from heaven,” — Deut. 11:11

    “He covers the heavens with clouds; he prepares rain for the earth; he makes grass grow on the hills.” — Ps 147:8

    The troposphere has been used to implement punishment and cleanse the earth of corruption. It has also been used to make mankind turn from their sins.

    “… the fountains of the great deep split open, and the floodgates of the sky were opened. 12 Then the rain came upon the earth for forty days and forty nights.” — Genesis 7:11-12

    “The fountains of the deep and the windows of the heavens were closed, the rain from the heavens was restrained,” — Genesis 8:2

    “When heaven is shut up and there is no rain because they have sinned against you, if they pray toward this place and acknowledge your name and turn from their sin, when you afflict them,” — 1 Kings 8:35

The stratosphere, mesosphere, thermosphere, ionosphere, and exosphere make up the remaining layers of the the earths atmosphere, and therefore form the entirety of the atmospheric heaven.

II. The Second Heaven, The Stellar Heaven

Stellar Heaven

The Second Heaven—also known as the Stellar Heaven—is comprised of moons, planets, stars (like our sun), solar systems, star clusters, galaxies, galaxy clusters, sheets, walls, supercluster complexes, and filaments. The entire universe or universes. This includes everything that composes spacetime.

When I see Your heavens, the work of Your fingers, The moon and the stars, which You have established; — Psalm 8:3 LSB (Legacy Standard Bible)

The lights in the Stellar Heaven separate the day from night and exist for signs and seasons.

Then God said, “Let there be lights in the expanse of the heavens to separate the day from the night, and let them be for signs and for seasons and for days and years; 15 and let them be for lights in the expanse of the heavens to give light on the earth”; and it was so. 16 So God made the two great lights, the greater light to rule the day, and the lesser light to rule the night, and also the stars. 17 And God placed them in the expanse of the heavens to give light on the earth, — Gen 1:14-17 LSB (Legacy Standard Bible)

The Second Heaven also reveals the glory of God.

The heavens ·declare [recount; narrate] the glory [C the manifest presence] of God, and the ·skies [firmament; dome; Gen. 1:6] ·announce [speak out] ·what his hands have made [L the works of his hands]. 2 Day after day they ·tell the story [L bubble/pour forth speech]; night after night they ·tell it again [L declare knowledge]. 3 They have no speech or words; they have no voice to be heard. 4 But their ·message [L line] goes out through all the world; their words go ·everywhere on [L to the ends of the] earth. ·The sky [Heaven; L In them] is like a ·home [L tent] for the sun — Ps. 19:1-4 EXB (Expanded Bible)

The Stellar Heaven will play a major role in the coming tribulation period, The shaking of the Second Heaven during the tribulation period reveals that God’s wrath has come on the unbelieving world of that time (Rev. 6:12-17).

“Immediately after the tribulation of those days the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light, and the stars will fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken. — Matthew 24:29 ESV (English Standard Version); See [Is. 13:10; 34:4; cf. Ezek. 32:7–8; Joel 2:10, 31].

*I’m a little disappointed that the LSB says “the sky” instead of “heaven”. Kudos to the ESV, NET, and EXB for the more literal translation.

How Far Does The Second Heaven Extend?

The Speed of Light

There are approximately 1,609.344 meters/second per 1 miles/second. The formula for use in conversion becomes: mi/s = m/s ÷ 1,609.344. So if the speed of light is 299,792,458 meters/second, then the speed of light in miles/second is 299,792,458 m/s divided by 1,609.344 m/s, which is 186,282.4 mi/s (186,282.39705122088)

The Farthest Object From Earth

According to an article published by livescience.com in April 07, 2022. The farthest object ever seen is called: HD1, “A possible galaxy that exists some 13.5 billion light-years from Earth…”

Total Distance Traveled By Angels in an Instant

A small python script reveals that there are 31,536,000 seconds in a year. If there are 186,282.4 (186,282.39705122088) miles traveled every second while traveling at light speed, then there are 6 trillion miles (5,874,601,673,407.302) traveled annually. The annual amount multiplied by 13.5 billion light-years (13,500,000,000), which is the distance of the farthest object, yields 80 sextillion miles (79,307,122,590,998,574,661,632).

from datetime import timedelta
timedelta(365).total_seconds()
# 31536000.0

# Seconds in a year * miles traveled every second at light speed
31536000 * 186282.39705122088
# 5874601673407.302

# 6 trillion miles traveled annually * distance of HD1
5874601673407.302 * 13500000000.0
# f"{ans:,.0f}" -> 79,307,122,590,998,574,661,632

Conclusion

The Second Heaven or Stellar Heaven extends approximately 80 sextillion miles minimally. It is much more likely that this isn’t even a fraction of the true distance. Wherever the line may be, the Third Heaven exists.

Beyond that is the third heaven—the heaven of heavens—God’s throne. It is upward and in the north. Elijah was caught up by a whirlwind into heaven (2 Ki 2:11 KJV; Ps 48:2 KJV; Ps 75:6 KJV; Is 14:13 KJV; Ac 1:9 KJV). Astronomers tell us there is an opening in the universe to get to this third heaven. It is in the north, in the constellation of “Swan.” Job 26:7 KJV says, He stretcheth out the north over the empty place. To understand the word, “Paradise,” see Hades, or Abraham’s Bosom. — Dr. Jack Van Impe

III. The Third Heaven, The Heaven of God’s Presence

Third Heaven

The Third Heaven is the heaven of God’s presence. This is likely an extra-dimensional plane of existence above and beyond the spatiotemporal limitations of human understanding (spacetime: 3d space + 4th temporal dimension). It is possible, however, that the Second Heaven includes all spatial dimensions, and that the Third Heaven is far beyond the hyperspatial (beyond 3D, 4D, … +∞). In other words, beyond all spatial dimensions.

He alone possesses immortality and lives in unapproachable light, whom no human has ever seen or is able to see. To him be honor and eternal power! Amen. — 1 Timothy 6:16 NET (New English Translation)

The Apostle Paul Was Caught Up To The Third Heaven

I know a man in Christ [C a believer] who was ·taken up [caught up; snatched away] to the third heaven [C the presence of God] fourteen years ago [C Paul is indirectly referring to himself]. I do not know whether the man was in his body or out of his body, but God knows. And I know that this man was ·taken up [caught up; snatched away] to paradise [C another name for heaven; Luke 23:43; Rev. 2:7]. I don’t know if he was in his body or away from his body, but God knows. He heard things ·he is not able to explain [inexpressible; ineffable], things that no human is allowed to tell. — 2 Cor 12:2-4 EXB (Expanded Bible)

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2 I know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago (whether in the body or out of the body I do not know, God knows) was caught up to the third heaven. 3 And I know that this man (whether in the body or apart from the body I do not know, God knows) 4 was caught up into paradise[a] and heard things too sacred to be put into words,[b] things that a person[c] is not permitted to speak. — 2 Cor 12:2-4 NET (New English Translation)

NET Translator Notes (Literal)

a. 2 Corinthians 12:4 NET sn In the NT, paradise is mentioned three times. In Luke 23:43 NET it refers to the abode of the righteous dead. In Rev 2:7 NET it refers to the restoration of Edenic paradise predicted in Isa 51:3 NET and Ezek 36:35 NET. The reference here in 2 Cor 12:4 NET is probably to be translated as parallel to the mention of the “third heaven” in v. 2. Assuming that the “first heaven” would be atmospheric heaven (the sky) and “second heaven” the more distant stars and planets, “third heaven” would refer to the place where God dwells. This is much more likely than some variation on the seven heavens mentioned in the pseudepigraphic book 2 Enoch and in other nonbiblical and rabbinic works.
b. 2 Corinthians 12:4 NET tn Or “things that cannot be put into words.”
c. 2 Corinthians 12:4 NET tn Grk “a man.”

The resurrected Jesus ascended into the Third Heaven, a heaven beyond other heavens.

He who descended is the one who also ascended far above all the heavens, that he might fill all things.) — Ephesians 4:10 ESV (English Standard Version)

For it was fitting for us to have such a high priest, holy, innocent, undefiled, separated from sinners and exalted above the heavens; — Hebrews 7:26 LSB (Legacy Standard Bible) See Heb. 4:14

At Jesus’s ascension, two angels declared:

They also said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking toward heaven? This Jesus, who has been taken up from you into heaven, will come in just the same way as you have watched Him go into heaven.” — Acts 1:11 LSB (Legacy Standard Bible)

A prophecy about the second coming can be found in Psalm 110:1–7, which tells that the Messiah would have a time at God’s right hand before reigning from Jerusalem in Heb. 8:1.

He said, “Look! I see heaven open and the Son of Man [C a title for the Messiah; Dan. 7:13–14] standing at God’s right ·side [or hand].” [C Normally portrayed as “sitting” at God’s right side (Ps. 110:1), Jesus is standing either to give testimony to Stephen’s faithfulness, or to welcome him into God’s presence.] — Acts 7:56 EXB (Expanded Bible)

Deceased brothers and sisters in Christ are also in the third heaven.

You have come to the ·meeting [assembly; congregation; or church] of God’s firstborn [C the first son in a Jewish family received special privileges and a greater share of the inheritance; all God’s people are “firstborn”] children ·whose names are written [who are registered as citizens; Luke 10:20; Rev. 21:27] in heaven. You have come to God, the judge of ·all people [everything; all], and to the spirits of ·good [righteous] people who have been made perfect. — Hebrews 12:23 EXB (Expanded Bible)

So we are always confident, knowing that while we are at home in the body we are absent from the Lord. 7 For we walk by faith, not by sight. 8 We are confident, yes, well pleased rather to be absent from the body and to be present with the Lord. — 2 Corinthians 5:6-8 NKJV (New King James Version)

As for living saints, their “names are written in heaven” (Luke 10:20), and their “citizenship is in heaven” (Phil. 3:20). Also, their reward is in heaven (Matt. 5:12).

The Third Heaven is where God rules over everything in creation.

Yahweh has established His throne in the heavens, And His kingdom rules over all. — Ps. 103:19 LSB (Legacy Standard Bible); See Ps. 93:1; 96:10; 99:1

Yahweh looks from heaven; He sees all the sons of men; 14 From the place of His habitation He gazes On all the inhabitants of the earth, — Psalm 33:13-14 LSB

Thus says Yahweh, “Heaven is My throne, and the earth is the footstool of My feet. Where then is a house you could build for Me? And where is a place that I may rest? — Isaiah 66:1 LSB

God’s throne resides in heaven, and it is there that he is worshiped.

Here is a detailed description below of Revelation Chapter 4 from the Expanded Bible (EXB).

1 After the vision of these things I looked, and [L look; T behold] there before me was an open door in heaven. And the ·same [L first] voice that spoke to me before, that sounded like a trumpet [Re 1:8], said, “Come up here, and I will show you what must happen after this.” 2 Immediately I was in the ·Spirit [or spirit; C a state of deep spiritual communion with God; Re 1:10], and [L look; T behold] before me was a throne in heaven, and someone was sitting on it. 3 The One who sat on the throne looked like precious stones, like jasper and carnelian [C a symbol of great beauty, purity and value]. All around the throne was a ·rainbow [or halo] ·the color of [or that looked like] an emerald. 4 Around the throne there were twenty-four other thrones with twenty-four elders sitting on them [C probably angelic leaders]. They were dressed in white and had golden crowns [C wreaths symbolizing honor or victory; see Re 2:10] on their heads. 5 Lightning flashes and ·noises and thunder [or the rumbling of thunder; C phenomena associated with God’s appearance at Mount Sinai; Ex. 19:16–18] came from the throne. Before the throne seven lamps were burning, which are the seven spirits [C either angels or the “sevenfold Spirit”—the Holy Spirit portrayed in his perfection; Re 3:1] of God. 6 Also before the throne there was something that looked like a sea of glass, clear like crystal.

In the center and around the throne were four living creatures ·with eyes all over them [full of eyes], in front and in back. 7 The first living creature was like a lion. The second was like an ·ox [or calf]. The third had a face like a man. The fourth was like a flying eagle [Ezek. 1:10; C angelic beings identified with the most powerful example of various species]. 8 Each of these four living creatures had six wings and was ·covered all over with eyes [full of eyes], inside and out. Day and night they never ·stop [rest from] saying:

“Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God ·Almighty [All-powerful].
He was, he is, and he is coming [Re 1:4, 8; NET Isa 6:3. WEB 4:8 Hodges/Farstad MT reads “holy” 9 times instead of 3.].”

9 [L Whenever] These living creatures give glory, honor, and thanks to the One who sits on the throne, who lives forever and ever. 10 Then the twenty-four elders bow down before the One who sits on the throne, and they worship him who lives forever and ever. They ·put their crowns down [cast/lay their crowns; Re 4:4] before the throne and say:

11 “You are worthy, our Lord and God,
to receive glory and honor and ·power [strength],
because you made all things.
Everything existed and was made,
·because you wanted it [by your will].”

The Third Heaven Is Also Referred To As …

   
The Third Heaven is also known as the Highest Heaven. God’s Throne is outside of space and time. “But will God truly dwell on the earth? Behold, heaven and the highest heaven cannot contain You; how much less this house which I have built! — 1 Kings 8:27 LSB

To you I lift up my eyes, O you who are enthroned in the heavens! — Psalm 123:1 ESV
Far Above All The Heavens He who descended is also the One who ascended far above all the heavens, that He might fill all things.) — Ephesians 4:10 NKJV
The Third Heaven is also known as His holy habitation in heaven Then the priests and the Levites arose and blessed the people, and their voice was heard, and their prayer came to his holy habitation in heaven. — 2 Chronicles 30:27 ESV

Yahweh looks from heaven; He sees all the sons of men; 14 From the place of His habitation He gazes On all the inhabitants of the earth, — Psalm 33:13–14 LSB
The Third Heaven is known as the Heaven of Heavens, this may be identical to the Highest Heaven. Praise Him, heavens of heavens, And the waters that are above the heavens! — Psalm 148:4 LSB

Behold, to the Lord your God belong heaven and the heaven of heavens, the earth with all that is in it. — Deuteronomy 10:14 ESV

An In-depth Look at Psalm 148:4

This section shows that the most literal interpretation of 148:4, and thus most accurate to the Hebrew, is Heavens of heavens and not Highest heaven.

Critical Text

  • Formal Equivalence

    Praise Him, heavens of heavens, And the waters that are above the heavens! — Psalm 148:4 LSB (Legacy Standard Bible)

  • Dynamic Equivalence

    Praise him, ·highest heavens [L heaven of heavens] and you waters above the ·sky [heavens]. — Psalm 148:4 EXB (Expanded Bible)

    Praise Him, [a]highest heavens, And the waters that are above the heavens! — Psalm 148:4 NASB ‘95 a. Lit heavens of heavens

    *NASB ‘95 is formally equivalent; however, in this verse it has opted for a functional or dynamic interpretation, deciding to place the literal translation in the footnotes.

Majority Text

Textus Receptus

An In-depth Look at Deuteronomy 10:14

This section shows that the most literal interpretation of 10:14, and thus most accurate to the Hebrew, is Heavens of heavens and not Highest heaven.

Critical Text

  • Formal Equivalence

    Behold, to the Lord your God belong heaven and the heaven of heavens, the earth with all that is in it. — Deuteronomy 10:14 ESV (English Standard Version)

  • Dynamic Equivalence

    Behold, to Yahweh your God belong heaven and the highest heavens, the earth and all that is in it. — Deuteronomy 10:14 LSB (Legacy Standard Bible)

    *LSB is formally equivalent; however, in this verse the translators have opted for a dynamic rendering.

    –

    Behold, to the Lord your God belong heaven and the [a]highest heavens, the earth and all that is in it. — Deuteronomy 10:14 NASB ‘95 a. Lit heaven of heavens

    *NASB ‘95 is formally equivalent; however, in this verse it has opted for a functional or dynamic interpretation, deciding to place the literal translation in the footnotes.

    –

    Look! For to Yahweh your God belong[a] heaven and the highest heavens,[b] the earth and all that is in it. — Deuteronomy 10:14 LEB (Lexham English Bible) a. Literally “is”; b. Literally “heavens of the heavens”

    *LEB is formally equivalent; however, in this verse it has opted for a functional or dynamic interpretation, deciding to place the literal translation in the footnotes.

    –

    The LORD owns the ·world [earth] and everything in it—the heavens, even the ·highest heavens [L heaven of heavens], are his. — Deuteronomy 10:14 EXB (Expanded Bible)

Majority Text

Textus Receptus

  • Formal Equivalence

    Behold, the heaven and the heaven of heavens is the LORD’S thy God, the earth also, with all that therein is. — Deuteronomy 10:14 KJV (King James Version)

  • Dynamic Equivalence

    Indeed heaven and the highest heavens belong to the LORD your God, also the earth with all that is in it. — Deuteronomy 10:14 NKJV (New King James Version)

    *NKJV is formally equivalent; however, in this verse the translators have opted for a dynamic rendering.

IV. Abraham’s Bosom, The Paradise Side of Hades

Underworld

The term “Abraham’s bosom” is found only once in the New Testament, in the story of the rich man and Lazarus (Luke 16:19-31). This place is also referred to as the abode of the righteous dead, it is a place of comfort to which the angels carried Lazarus upon his death. Abraham’s Bosom, or less traditionally and more literally, Abraham’s Side is equivalent to Paradise. All of God’s people went there until calvary.

22 ·Later [L Now it happened that], Lazarus died, and the angels carried him to ·the arms of Abraham [L Abraham’s side/T bosom; C the imagery of a banquet, with Abraham as host and Lazarus as honored guest]. The rich man died, too, and was buried. 23 In ·the place of the dead [L Hades], he was in ·much pain [torment]. ·Looking up [L Lifting up his eyes,], the rich man saw Abraham far away with Lazarus ·at his side [T in his bosom]. … 26 Besides [L all this], there is a ·big pit [great gulf/chasm set in place] between you and us, so no one can cross over to you, and no one can leave there and come ·here [L to us].’ — Luke 16:22-23,26 EXB (Expanded Bible)

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22 “Now[a] the poor man died and was carried by the angels to Abraham’s side.[b] The[c] rich man also died and was buried.[d] 23 And in Hades,[e] as he was in torment,[f] he looked up[g] and saw Abraham far off with Lazarus at his side.[h] … 26 Besides all this,[a] a great chasm[b] has been fixed between us,[c] so that those who want to cross over from here to you cannot do so, and no one can cross from there to us.’ — Luke 16:22-23,26 NET (New English Translation)

NET Translator Notes

b. Luke 16:22 tn Grk “to Abraham’s bosom.” The phrase “carried by the angels to Abraham’s bosom” describes being gathered to the fathers and is a way to refer to heaven (Gen 15:15; 47:30; Deut 31:16).
e. Luke 16:23 sn The Greek term Hades stands for the Hebrew concept of Sheol. This is where the dead were gathered (Pss 16:10; 86:13). In the NT Hades sometimes has an additional negative force of awaiting judgment (Rev 20:13).
f. Luke 16:23 sn Hades is a place of torment, especially as one knows that he is separated from God.
h. Luke 16:23 tn Grk “in his bosom,” the same phrase used in 16:22. This idiom refers to heaven and/or participation in the eschatological banquet. An appropriate modern equivalent is “at Abraham’s side.”

Abraham’s Bosom was the comfort side of Hades before it was evacuated after Christ’s crucifixion and resurrection when Christ descended into the lower parts of the earth and ascended, taking His people waiting there to the Third Heaven (where all saints presently go at death) (Eph 4:8-10 NKJV; 2 Cor 12:2-4)

So we are always confident, knowing that while we are at home in the body we are absent from the Lord. 7 For we walk by faith, not by sight. 8 We are confident, yes, well pleased rather to be absent from the body and to be present with the Lord. — 2 Corinthians 5:6-8 NKJV (New King James Version)

A description of Hades by the late great Dr. Jack Van Impe

An excerpt from Dr. Jack Van Impe’s Prophecy Bible.

Hades was the place where the souls and the spirits of all humans went until the cross. Sheol (Old Testament) and Hades (New Testament) are one and the same. In Sheol or Hades there were two compartments, one for the wicked and the other for the righteous … one for suffering and the other for comfort (Luke 16:22,23). The thief on the cross went to the comfort side, or Paradise, as promised by Christ (Luke 23:34) (see Abraham’s Bosom). This is where Christ went upon His death (Acts 2:27,31). There He ministered to His people and led captivity captive (Ephesians 4:8-10), releasing and transporting them to the third heaven of 2 Corinthians 12:2. That is why Paradise is referred to as “up” (Revelation 2:7; 2 Corinthians 12:4 KJV). So presently, the comfort side of Hades (Paradise) has been emptied by Him who has the keys of death and Hades (Revelation 20:13).

Of course, the suffering side of Hades still teems with the wicked as the unregenerate continue to die day by day and are added to its population. They have joined the rich man of Luke 16:23 and will not come out again until Judgement Day when they will meet Christ at their trial and be transferred to the final penitentiary of lost souls, Gehenna (Revelation 20:13,14). Christ describes Hades 11 times in the New Testament: Matthew 11:23; 16:18; Luke 10:15; 16:22,23; Acts 2:27,31; Revelation 1:18; 6:8; 20:13,14.

V. New Heaven, New Earth

A New Heaven, and a New Earth awaits those who are of God.

“For behold, I am creating a new heavens and a new earth; And the former things will not be remembered or come upon the heart. — Isaiah 65:17 LSB

“For just as the new heavens and the new earth Which I make will endure before Me,” declares Yahweh, “So your seed and your name will endure. — Isaiah 66:22 LSB

But we are looking forward to the new heavens and new earth he has promised, a world filled with God’s righteousness. — 2 Pet 3:13 NLT

New Jerusalem, The Holy City

New Jerusalem

He who overcomes, I will make him a pillar in the sanctuary of My God, and he will never go out from it anymore. And I will write on him the name of My God, and the name of the city of My God, the new Jerusalem, which comes down out of heaven from My God, and My new name. — Revelation 3:12 LSB (Legacy Standard Bible)

So he took me in the Spirit[a] to a great, high mountain, and he showed me the holy city, Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God. — Revelation 21:10 NLT

In the apostle John’s Vision, he sees the New Jerusalem descending from Heaven to the New Earth after the millennium. There God will dwell with his people. “He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.” (Re 21:4), removing all negative remnants of the previously cursed world.

Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth [Is. 65:17; 66:22; 2 Pet. 3:13]. [L For] The first heaven and the first earth had ·disappeared [passed away], and there was no sea anymore [C the sea represents chaos and evil, so its absence indicates peace and security]. 2 And I saw the holy city, the new Jerusalem [C the believers’ eternal dwelling place; Re 3:12], coming down out of heaven from God. It was prepared like a bride ·dressed [adorned] for her husband [Re 19:7, 9]. 3 And I heard a loud voice from the throne, saying, “[L Look; T Behold] Now God’s ·presence [dwelling; tabernacle] is with people, and he will ·live [dwell; tabernacle; John 1:14] with them, and they will be his people [Ex. 29:45; Jer. 31:33; Ezek. 37:27]. God himself will be with them and will be their God.[a] 4 He will wipe away every tear from their eyes [Re 7:17; Is. 25:8], and there will be no more death [Is. 25:8; 1 Cor. 15:54], ·sadness [mourning], crying, or pain, because ·all the old ways [the old order; L the first things] are gone.”

5 The One who was sitting on the throne [C Jesus] said, “Look! I am making everything new!” Then he said, “Write this, because these words are ·true and can be trusted [L faithful/reliable and true].”

6 The One on the throne said to me, “It is ·finished [done; accomplished]. I am the Alpha and the Omega [C the first and last letters of the Greek alphabet; Re 1:8], the Beginning and the End. I will give ·free water [L freely] from the spring of the water of life to anyone who is thirsty [Is. 55:1; John 7:37]. 7 Those who ·win the victory [conquer] will ·receive [inherit] ·this [L these things; C God’s promise], and I will be their God, and they will be my children [Re 21:3; 2 Sam. 7:14]. — Revelation 21:1-7 EXB (Expanded Bible)

In Summary

The First Heaven—also known as the Atmospheric Heaven—is composed of six different layers (troposphere, stratosphere, mesosphere, thermosphere, ionosphere, and exosphere) representing the first 621 miles of space known as the atmosphere, what we call, the sky.

The Second Heaven or Stellar Heaven extends far beyond the calculated 80 sextillion miles past earth to the farthest known object. This is likely not even a fraction of the true distance.

The Third Heaven—The Heaven of God’s Presence—is so mind-bogglingly far that all of spacetime isn’t enough to describe its border, and it is likely in an extra-dimensional plane of existence above and beyond the spatiotemporal limitations of human understanding.