The "First" And "Second" Heavens

Biblegems # 286

Question: Are there a “First” and “Second” heavens? If so, what are they?

Gen. 1:1  In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.

The Hebrew word “heavens” (Heb. shamayim) is a plural noun. The Bible pictures “the heavens” as one complex reality comprised of three components: the sky (Gen. 1:6-8) and space (Gen. 1:14-17) in the visible creation, and the environment God created for the angels (Matt. 18:20; 24:26) and for His “throne” in the spiritual realm (Gen. 28:17).

Is. 66:1   This is what the LORD says: “Heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool. Where is the house you will build for me? Where will my resting place be?  

The Scripture calls this “heavens” beyond sky and space as the “highest” form of heaven:

Ps. 148:4 Praise him, you highest heavens and you waters above the skies.

The first heaven is the visible sky of earth’s atmosphere, even though the Bible does not specifically use the term.

         Gen. 1:6-8   And God said, “Let there be a vault between the waters to separate water from water.” So God made the vault and separated the water under the vault from the water above it. And it was so. God called the vault “sky.” And there was evening, and there was morning—the second day.

The second heaven, space, is an extension of the first heaven. God began with the “vault” of earth’s sky (v. 6), including a vast envelope of water, and stretched it to the outer limits of the universe on the fourth day of creation.

         Gen. 1:14-18   And God said, “Let there be lights in the vault of the sky to separate the day from the night, and let them serve as signs to mark sacred times, and days and years, and let them be lights in the vault of the sky to give light on the earth.” And it was so. God made two great lights—the greater light to govern the day and the lesser light to govern the night. He also made the stars. God set them in the vault of the sky to give light on the earth, to govern the day and the night, and to separate light from darkness.  

When Jesus as ascended “into heaven” from the Mount of Olives (Acts 1: 11), His followers witnessed the first part of that journey as Jesus “passed through” the first and second heavens:

         Hebrews 4:14  “Therefore, since we have a great High Priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us cling to the faith we confess…” (translation mine).

God’s incredible creation is full of mystery, especially when it comes to the interweaving of the spiritual and physical heavens. The “third heaven” is “above” the physical heavens (Ps. 148:4), not in a geographical sense of location, but “above” even as the name of Jesus is “above” every other name (Phil. 2:9), so that God is present everywhere.

         Acts 17:28 ‘For in him we live and move and have our being.’ As some of your own poets have said, ‘We are his offspring.’

Is There Water In Space?

Biblegems #276

Question: Genesis 1:6 seems to indicate that there is a body of water in space, if it is taken literally. Hasn’t this watery canopy over the earth been disproved, demonstrating Genesis should not be understood literally?

Here’s the passage in question:

Gen. 1:6-8 And God said, “Let there be a vault between the waters to separate water from water.” So God made the vault and separated the water under the vault from the water above it. And it was so. God called the vault “sky.” And there was evening, and there was morning—the second day. (NIV 2011)

Actually, the concept presented in Genesis 1:6 is far more exotic and intriguing than a water canopy surrounding the earth. Taken literally, combined with the further information provided in Genesis 1:7-8, 14-18, here is a more accurate description of the universe at its birth from a biblical perspective.

Day one saw the beginning of time: “In the beginning…” (1:1). Next, the basic matter of the universe came into existence as a shapeless blob of water containing the elemental ingredients of “the heavens and the earth.” Then God began agitating this newly created material—a process described in verse two as “the Spirit ”— (Hebrew: ruach, which also translates as “breath,” or “wind,” depending on the context) —“hovering” — (Hebrew: rachaph, which also indicates “shaking,” or “agitating,” depending on the context) — “over the surface of the deep”  (1:2). The “deep” was a common Hebrew term for a large body of water. Completing day one of creation, God also provided light, independent of a physical source (1:3-4). So the blob of water and elements were agitated into a rotation equivalent to that of the current earth spinning on its axis, providing a dayside and nightside—“the first day” (5).

Genesis 1:6-8 picks up this account on day two with what appears to be an explosive separation of the watery mass into two parts. One portion of this mass is propelled outward from the other, creating a massive “vault” (or “expanse”) between them. This vast expanse is usually translated as “sky” or as “the heavens,” but verses 14-18 make it abundantly clear that the entire expanse we loosely describe as “space” is what Genesis has in view.

The time frame involved in stretching the vastness of space relative to earth seems to be no more than forty-eight hours (days two and three of creation). Populating this expanse with stars, solar systems and galaxies was virtually instantaneous, "set" in place from the region of earth within the twenty-four hour  period (far beyond the speed of light) of day four (1:14-18). 

Some fascinating facts emerge from this. First, the most fundamental building block of life (chemically speaking) that is found on earth—water—should also be discoverable throughout the universe. It should come as no surprise to find indications of water on comets, asteroids and planets. Second, while we do not know how much water was ejected outward on day two of creation, we do know that the universe has an outer limit. And even if space is still expanding, water will be at its outer boundary like the thinning skin of an expanding balloon.

Scientists frequently express shock and surprise when elements common to the earth, including water, are discovered on the moon, Mars, asteroids or distant planets.

         2Pet. 3:5-6a But they deliberately forget that long ago by God’s word the heavens came into being and the earth was formed out of water and by water.

What is “forgotten” is that Genesis is God’s revelation to humanity as to how and, more importantly, why He brought the universe and mankind into existence. That’s why…

         Heb. 1:2 …in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom also he made the universe.