There five (5) Greek words for heaven, heavens, and heavenly. Hopefully you will get the full impact from this study, as to why it is so important to examine the Greek and Hebrew words, with the text, and context.
There are two great divisions, heaven and earth ,and the Scriptures speak of three (3) heavens. This word “Heaven,” will give to each reader a far greater view of God’s third heaven, the domain of the Father and Son, who rule and reign there. This is the throne room of the spiritual world of God. Heaven: Heavenly: Heavens’: Heavens: Greek ouranos.
The plural heavens, is used most frequently in Matthew. In Luke’s writings “heavens” is used six times, Luke 10:20, 11:2, 12:33, 21:26. Acts 2:34, 7:36. In John and James’ writing Heavens, is not used.
Spoken as a past particle which expresses a completed action; of the expanse of the sky, the apparent concave hemisphere above us, which was regarded by the Hebrews as solid, Septuagint, “the firmament,” Genesis 1:8-14; and poetically as resting on columns,
2 Samuel 22:8., “The foundations of heaven moved.” Job.26:11, “The pillars of heaven tremble.”
But in common usage including also the regions above the sky, where God is said to dwell,
Psalms 2:4, “He that sits in the heavens,” and likewise the region underneath and next to the firmament, where the clouds are gathered, the birds fly, etc.
The New Testament expresses completed action and in generality, as including the visible heavens and all their phenomena; so where heaven and earth are spoken of together, as opposed to,
1 Corinthians 8:5, “In earth.” Hebrews 12:26; 2 Peter 3:5. Also heaven and earth; As the universe,
Matthew 5:18, “Till heaven and earth shall pass.” Mark 13:31. Luke 10:21. Acts 4:24.
Revelation 10:6, 14:7, “Worship Him that made heaven, and earth.”
Colossians 1:16, “By Him (Jesus) were all things created, that are in heaven etc.” Septuagint and Hebrew, “heaven,”
Genesis 1:1, “In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth,” and,
Genesis 2:1, “Thus the heavens and the earth were finished.”
So the extremities of the heavens, where they seem to touch the earth, Matthew 24:31.
Mark 13:27, “Then shall He send His angels, and shall gather together His elect from the four winds, from the uttermost part of the earth to the uttermost part of heaven,”
Acts 4:12, “there is none other name under heaven given among men.”
Acts 2:5, “Every nation under heaven.”
Colossians 1:23, “The gospel — was preached to every creature which is under heaven.”
The earth or region of the earth,
Luke 17:24, “One part — shineth unto the other part under heaven,” or from one part of the earth to another. Further,
2 Peter 3:7, “the heavens and the earth.”
Revelation 21:1, “I saw a new heaven and a new earth,” the present heavens, which are to be destroyed at the final consummation of all things, after which new heavens are to appear;
2 Peter 3:13, “Look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwells righteousness.”
Sometimes more than one heaven is spoken of,
Ephesian 4:10, “He (Jesus) — ascended up far above all heavens.”
Hebrews 4:14, “A great High Priest, that is passed into the heavens.” Hebrews 7:26.
Trope, a metaphor, irony, Latin, “To be exalted to heaven, as to be highly distinguished, renowned,
Matthew 11:23, “Which are exalted unto heaven.”
Luke 10:15. So precognition, a thing known in order to understand something else,
Revelation 18:5, “For her sins have reached unto heaven,” in later editions, N.I.V, “piled up to heaven.”
More specifically spoken,
b. Of the firmament itself, the starry heaven, in which the sun, moon, and stars are fixed.
1. Mark 13:25, “The stars of heaven.”
2. Hebrews 11:12, “Stars of the sky.” Septuagint and Hebrew.
3. Genesis 1:14-15-17, “Firmament of the heaven.”
4. Acts 7:42. Matthew 24:29, “The powers of the heavens shall be shaken.”
5. Mark 13:25. Luke 21:26, The host or hosts of heaven, as in the sun, moon, and stars; Septuagint and Hebrew,
Isaiah 34:4, “Host of heaven,” Jeremiah 33:22. Zephaniah 1:5.
Further, the stars are said to fall from heaven, as emblematical of great commotions and revolutions,
Matthew 24:29, “Immediately after the tribulation of those days shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven.”
Revelation 6:13, 8:10, 9:1, “I saw a star fall from heaven unto the earth: and to him was given the key of the bottomless pit. Compare with,
Isa.34:4, “All the host of heaven shall be dissolved, and the heavens shall be rolled together as a scroll: and all their host shall fall down,”
The firmament itself, which is spread out over the earth as a tent or curtain,
Isaiah 40:22, “He that sitteth upon the circle of the earth, — stretchs out the heavens as a curtain.” and,
Psalms 104:2. The heaven is likewise said to be rolled together as a scroll,
Revelation 6:14, “Heaven departed as a scroll.” Comp. Hebrews 1:10 sequel follows with Isaiah 1.
C. Trope, Luke 10:18, “I beheld Satan as lightning fall from heaven,” where the form of expression is in allusion to,
Isaiah 14:12, “How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer,” the lightning being emblematic of swiftness; for the sense, the power of Satan is broken, compare,
John 12:31, “The prince of the world was cast out.”
Revelation 12:7 sequel follows, “There was war in heaven: Michael and his angels fought against the dragon; and the dragon fought and his angels.”
Revelation 20:2 sequel to follow, “He laid hold on the dragon, the old serpent, which is the Devil, and Satan, and bound him a thousand years.” Others here refer heaven to the air, of which Satan is said to be prince;
c. Of the lower heaven, or region below the firmament, as the air, atmosphere, where clouds and tempests are gathered and lightning breaks forth, where the birds fly, etc. As of clouds,
Matthew 16:2, “For the sky is red,” with verse 3. Luke 12:56,
Matthew 24:30, “Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven.” Matthew 26:64. Mark 14:62.
Of rain and hail, Revelation 16:21, “There fell upon men a great hail out of heaven.” Of lightning or fire from heaven,
Luke 9:54, 17:29, “It rained fire and brimstone from heaven, and destroyed them all.”
Revelation 20:9, “fire came down from God out of heaven, and devoured them.”
Of signs, prodigies,
Matthew 16:1, “The Pharisees with the Sadducees — desired Him that He would shew them a sign from heaven.” Mark 8:11. Luke 11:16, 21:11. Acts 2:19.
Revelation 12:1-3, “There appeared another wonder (sign) in heaven.”
So of birds, Matthew 6:26, “The fowls of the air.” Matthew 8:20. Luke 8:5, 9:58. Compare,
Genesis 1:20-26-28-30, “Fowl of the air.”
Trope, to shut up the heavens, as to withhold rain,
Luke 4:25, “In the days of Elias when the heaven was shut up three years and six months.”
Revelation 11:6, “These have power to shut heaven, that it rain not.” as in Hebrew and Septuagint,
Deuteronomy 11:17, “The LORD’S wrath — He shut up the heaven”
2 Chronicles 6:26, 7:13. Compare Genesis 7:11, “All the windows of heaven were opened,” with,
Isaiah 24:18, “the windows from on high are open.”
d. Of the upper or superior heaven, beyond the visible firmament, the abode of God and His glory, of the Messiah, the angels, the spirits of the just after death, and generally of every thing which is said to be with God.
d-1. Generality. As of God,
Matthew 5:34, “Swear not at all; neither by heaven; for it is God’s throne.”
Matthew 23:22, “he that shall swear by heaven, sweara by the throne of God, an by Him that sits thereon.”
Acts 7:49, “Heaven is my throne.”
Hebrews 8:1, “We have such an high Priest, who is set on the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens.”
Hence God is called, “The God of the heaven,” Revelation 11:13, 16:11. Matthew 11:25,
Luke 10:21, “Lord of heaven.” Septuagint, “God of heaven,” Genesis 24:3.
Ephesians 6:9, “Your Master also is in heaven.” Colossians 4:1.
In the first three Gospels,
Matthew 5:16-45-48, 6:1, 10:32, “My Father which is in heaven.” Mark 11:25-26. Luke 11:2.
Luke 11:13, “Your heavenly Father.” Of the Messiah, the Son of God, as coming from heaven, John 3:13-31, 6:33-38-41, “Jesus said, “I am the bread which came down from heaven.” Or as returning there after His resurrection, Mark 16:19, “He (Jesus) was received up into heaven.”
Luke 24:51. Acts 1:10-11, “Why stand ye gazing up into heaven?”
When Jesus will again come to judge the world,
1 Thessalonians 1:10, 4:16, “The Lord Himself shall descend from heaven.”
2 Thessalonians 1:7, “The Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven.”
Of the Holy Spirit, Matthew 3:16, “The heavens were opened unto him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove.” John 1:32. 1 Peter 1:12.
1 John 5:7, “there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost.”
Of angels, Matthew 18:10, 24:36, “the angels of heaven.” Mark 12:25. Like 22:43. Galatians 1:8. Genesis 21:17.
Angels are called, “The armies which were in heaven,” Revelation 19:14. Compare, Hebrew and Septuagint, of angels, 1 Kings 22:19; 2 Chronicles 18:18;
Psalms 148:2, “Praise ye Him, all His angels: praise ye Him, all His hosts.”
Of the righteous after death, as the seat of their final and glorious reward,
Matthew 5:12, “Great is your reward in heaven.”
Matthew 6:20, “Lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven.”
Luke 10:20, “rejoice because your names are written in heaven.” Luke 12:33.
2 Corinthians 5:1, “A house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.”
Colossians 1:5, “The hope which is laid up for you in heaven.”
1 Peter 1:4, “An inheritance — reserved in heaven for you.”
In heaven also is the spiritual temple with its sacred utensils, Hebrews 9:23-24.
Revelation 11:19, “the temple of God was opened in heaven, and there was seen in His temple the ark of His testament.” Revelation 14:17, 15:5, 16:17.
There also the New Jerusalem is prepared and adorned,
Revelation 3:12, 21:2-10, “He (God) carried me (John) away — to a great and high mountain, and shewed me that great city, the holy Jerusalem.”
To be, or to be done, as among or by those who dwells in heaven,
Luke 15:7, “Joy shall be in heaven.”
Matthew 6:10, “thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.” Matthew 16:19; 18:18.
Luke 11:2, “Thy kingdom come.”
As in the higher spiritual world,
Ephesians 1:10, “Gather in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven and which are on earth.”
Colossians 1:16-20; and so Ephesians 3:15, “of whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named.”
So poetically, where the heavens are said to rejoice,
Revelation 12:12, 18:20, “Rejoice over her, thou heaven.” Compare Isaiah 49:13, “Sing, O heavens,” with,
Psalms 96:11, “Let the heavens rejoice.”
In various phrases etc. as,
1. To look up to heaven, as the abode of God, Matthew 14:19, “Looked up to heaven.” Mark 6:41, 7:34, Acts 1:10, 7:55, Acts 1:11. Luke 18:13,
John 17:1, “Jesus — lifted up His eyes to heaven.”
2. To ascend or be taken up into heaven,
John 3:13, “no man hath ascended up to heaven, but He that came down from heaven.” Acts 2:34. Mark 16:19.
Acts 10:16, “The vessel was received up again into heaven.” Acts 11:10. Luke 2:15.
1 Peter 3:22, “Who is gone into heaven, and is on the right hand of God;”
3. To come or be sent from heaven,
1 Peter 1:12, “the Holy Ghost sent down from heaven.” John 3:31, John 6:33-38. 1 Thessalonians 4:16. Acts 11:5. So with, “Speaks from heaven,” expressed or implied, Hebrews 12:25,
Matthew 3:17, “a voice from heaven,” collectively with Mark 1:11. Luke 3:22.
4. Also heaven is said to be opened, so as to let pass in or out, to lay open the interior, etc, as,
Matthew 3:16, “the heavens were opened.” Luke 3:21. John 1:51. Acts 7:56, 10:11. Revelation 4:1, 19:11.
Mark 1:10, “he saw the heavens opened.”
e. Unto the third heaven,
2 Corinthians 12:2, “Such as one caught up to the third heaven,” probably in allusion to the three heavens as above specified. The lower, the middle or firmament, and the superior; hence as the highest heaven, the abode of God and angels and glorified spirits, the spiritual paradise,
2 Corinthians 12:4, “He was caught up into paradise.” Compare,
Ephesians 4:10, “Ascended up far above all heavens,” with,
Hebrews 4:14, “A great High Priest, that is passed into the heavens,” with,
Hebrews 7:26, “An High Priest — made higher than the heavens.”
1 Kings 8:27, “The heavens cannot contain thee.”
Others suppose the apostle refers to the views of the later Rabbins who describe seven heavens, of which the first is below the clouds; the second is the region of the clouds and tempests and the abode of evil spirits; in the third are the hosts of heaven, the stars; while the other four above this are assigned to the saints, the various orders of angels, and the throne of God.
d. Metonymically or putting one work for another, and from the later Hebrew like English, heaven, as being the abode of God, is often put for God Himself; as,
Matthew 21:25, “The baptism of John, whence was it? from heaven, or of men?”
Mark 11:30-31. Luke 20:4-5. John 3:27, “a man can receive nothing, except it be given him from heaven.” Luke 15:18-21. Also in the formula so frequent in Matthew. As,
Matthew 3:2, 4:17, 5:3-10, “Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness’ sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” So Chaldea Septuagint, “Thou shalt have known that the heavens do rule,” Daniel 4:23 -26.
Phillip LaSpino www.seekfirstwisdom.com