Expert: Rev. Frank Ricketts - 11/16/2008

Question
I'm trying to locate the passage where Paul talks about being lifted up to the seventh heaven.
Thanks

Answer
The Quran mentions a 7th heaven. The Bible does not speak of a 7th heaven, but speaks of 3 heavens. In II Corinthians 12:2 Paul says "I know a man...such a man was caught up to the third heaven." It would appear from comparing other Scriptures that the third heaven is the heaven where God dwells; the 2nd, or mid-heaven would roughly correspond to what we call outer space; and the lower or first heaven would be the atmosphere of earth. See also the phrase "all the heavens" in Ephesians 4:10. Grammatically, the term "all" would never be used in reference to less than 3 of anything, therefore it is logical to conclude there are at least 3 heavens, and no specific passage that indicates more than three heavens.
The Bible does say however that the Lord God dwells beyond and is not contained even by the 3rd heaven. (see II Chronicles 6:18; Psalm 113:4)

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