Susan,<br><br>I'm sorry I'm late to respond. But here's and interesting study on the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd heavens.<blockquote>[color:blue]<font class="big">The Three Heavens</font mu=big></font color=blue><br><br>In the book of II Corinthians, chapter 12, verse 2, the Apostle Paul speaks of a place called the "third heaven": <br><br>"I knew a man in Christ above fourteen years ago, (whether in the body, I cannot tell; or whether out of the body, I cannot tell: God knoweth;) such an one caught up to the third heaven."<br>(II Cor. 12:2 KJV) <br><br>During the six days of the Genesis regeneration the Lord God defined three heavens. The first heaven is the Earth's atmosphere: <br><br>"And God said, Let the waters bring forth abundantly the moving creature that hath life, and fowl [that] may fly above the earth in the open firmament of heaven."<br>(Gen 1:20 KJV)<br><br>The second heaven is the vast expanse of the physical universe; outer space, as we call it:<br><br>"And God said, Let there be lights in the firmament of the heaven to divide the day from the night; and let them be for signs, and for seasons, and for days, and years:"<br>(Gen 1:14 KJV)<br><br>These two heavens constitute a continuum called the "firmament" and this firmament is collectively called "Heaven": <br><br>"And God called the firmament Heaven. And the evening and the morning were the second day."<br>(Gen 1:8 KJV)<br><br>All things within and below the firmament represent the location of the "Kingdom of Heaven," a topic we amplify on the page: The Kingdom of Heaven vs. Kingdom of God; the Doctrinal Difference. Although the "third heaven" is not directly mentioned in the Genesis narrative, there is mention of a boundary which presently exists between the two lower heavens (which constitute the firmament) and the third heaven (where the throne of God is). That boundary is a vast "Sea": <br><br>"And God said, Let there be a firmament in the midst of the waters, and let it divide the waters from the waters. And God made the firmament, and divided the waters which [were] under the firmament from the waters which [were] above the firmament: and it was so."<br>(Gen 1:6-7 KJV)<br><br>On the second day of the creation, the Lord God "divided" the waters of the great "deep" into two parts. BOTH the waters that were upon the face of the Earth, and the waters which He placed ABOVE the two heavens of the firmament, He called "Seas":<br><br>"And God called the dry [land] Earth; and the gathering together of the waters called he Seas: and God saw that [it was] good."<br>(Gen 1:10 KJV)<br><br>(Special note: Notice that the word "Sea" is capitalized at Genesis 1:10 in the KJV Bible. So are the words "Day" and "Night" at Genesis 1:5. Special attention is called to the importance of these terms, as they can have either a physical and/or spiritual meaning throughout the Scriptures depending on the context.<br><br>Example: <br><br>"Ye are all the children of light, and the children of the day: we are not of the night, nor of darkness.<br>(1 Thessalonians 5:5 KJV)<br><br>Yes, the Scriptures say there is presently a sea above the two heavens of the firmament. And this is confirmed elsewhere in the Bible: <br><br>"Praise him, ye heavens of heavens, and ye waters that [be] above the heavens."<br>(Psalms 148:4 KJV)<br><br>This is the "sea" that John saw in his visions: <br><br>"And before the throne [there was] a sea of glass like unto crystal: and in the midst of the throne, and round about the throne, [were] four beasts full of eyes before and behind."<br>(Rev 4:6 KJV)<br><br>The reason it appears like a smooth, crystal surface is because it is frozen: <br><br>"The waters are hid as [with] a stone, and the face of the deep is frozen."<br>(Job 38:30 KJV)<br><br>"And they saw the God of Israel: and there was under his feet as it were a paved work of a sapphire stone, and as it were the body of heaven in his clearness."<br>(Exodus 24:10 KJV)<br><br>That present "Sea" of separation will no longer exist when God destroys the old world and makes all things new after the final judgment: <br><br>"And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea."<br>(Revelation 21:1 KJV)<br><br>In summary, here is the structure of the physical world as it now exists, from the face of the Earth upwards: The lower sea of physical waters (our seas and oceans) <br> The first heaven (the atmosphere) <br> The second heaven (outer space) <br> The sea above outer space and below the third heaven <br> And above it all, there is the Third Heaven. <br><br><br>"That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love, May be able to comprehend with all saints what [is] the breadth, and length, and depth, and height; And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God."<br>(Ephesians 3:17-19 KJV)<br><br>That last passage makes more sense when you understand the conjunction "And" which separates the two clauses. The first clause tells us that the Bible reveals more than just past, present, and future time. It also tells us about the structure of all things in Creation, from the depths of hell to the throne of God in the highest heaven. And, of course, about the love of Christ which is beyond all measure.<br><br>Before closing this brief section, make note that the "waters above the firmament" of Genesis 1:6-7 are interpreted by Young Earth Creationists as being a theorized "water canopy" which was high above the Earth in the days between Adam and Noah and the source of all the water for Noah's flood. But as you have read for yourself in these verses from the Scriptures, that is most certainly not the case. Those "waters above the firmament" are above the top of our universe and are still there today. </blockquote><br><br>The above copy is taken from Christian Geology Ministry My initial impression was that this would be a good addition to this topical study. However after reading it more thoroughly I recognize that some of the views expressed are controversial. When I looked into the background of the author I discovered more controversy. So these views do not necessarily reflect the Highway Staff.<br><br><br>Wes<br><br>

When I survey the wondrous cross on which the Prince of Glory died, my richest gain I count but loss and pour contempt on all my pride. - Isaac Watts