The Bible provides profound insights into the nature of God’s creation, including the celestial realms where angels dwell. A key verse that illuminates this topic is Nehemiah 9:6, which declares:
You are the LORD, you alone. You have made heaven, the heaven of heavens, with all their host, the earth and all that is on it, the seas and all that is in them; and you preserve all of them; and the host of heaven worships you. (Nehemiah 9:6, ESV)
This passage establishes God as the sole creator of the universe, encompassing the "heaven of heavens" and its "host." The "host of heaven" refers to the angels, celestial beings created to serve and worship God. This concept is reinforced in Genesis 2:1, which states:
Thus the heavens and the earth were finished, and all the host of them. (Genesis 2:1, ESV)
Here, the "host" includes the angels, created alongside the heavens and the earth as described in Genesis 1:1–2. These verses collectively affirm that the angels, as part of the heavenly host, were present from the beginning of creation, worshiping and glorifying God.
The Third Heaven in 2 Corinthians 12:2–3
The Apostle Paul provides further clarity on the celestial realms in 2 Corinthians 12:2–3:
I know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago was caught up to the third heaven—whether in the body or out of the body I do not know, God knows. And I know that this man was caught up into paradise—whether in the body or out of the body I do not know, God knows. (2 Corinthians 12:2–3, ESV)
In this passage, Paul describes a visionary experience where a man—likely Paul himself—was transported to the "third heaven," also referred to as "paradise." This third heaven is synonymous with the "heaven of heavens" mentioned in Nehemiah 9:6 and other Old Testament passages (e.g., 1 Kings 8:27; 2 Chronicles 2:6; Psalm 148:4). These scriptures consistently depict the heaven of heavens as the ultimate realm of God’s presence, where divine glory resides.
The term "third heaven" does not suggest a simplistic, tiered universe but rather distinguishes between different realms of existence. The ESV Study Bible provides a helpful explanation:
This phrase does not imply belief in a simplistic “three-story universe” but reflects a commonsense distinction between (1) the atmosphere where birds can be seen to fly, (2) the higher area where the sun, moon, and stars can be seen, and (3) the unseen realm where God dwells. This third area is equated with paradise (Gk. paradeisos, a Persian loan-word used in the Septuagint to refer to the garden of Eden [see Gen. 2:8–10; 13:10; Isa. 51:3; Ezek. 28:13; 31:8–9] but in the NT to refer to a place of blessedness where God dwells [Luke 23:43; Rev. 2:7]). Both terms would be recognized by Jewish readers as references to the realm of God’s direct presence.
This interpretation clarifies that the third heaven is the divine abode, distinct from the physical skies (first heaven) and the cosmos (second heaven). It is the spiritual realm where God’s presence is fully manifest, often associated with paradise, a place of eternal blessedness.
Addressing Misinterpretations
Some groups, such as the Shepherd’s Chapel, have misinterpreted Paul’s reference to the third heaven as evidence of a "third earth age," a theological concept suggesting distinct ages of the earth. However, this view lacks biblical support and misaligns with the context of 2 Corinthians 12:2–3. The third heaven, as Paul describes it, is not a temporal age but a spatial and spiritual reality—the dwelling place of God. The consistent biblical usage of "heaven of heavens" across both Testaments reinforces this understanding, linking it to the eternal realm of divine glory rather than a speculative earthly timeline.
Conclusion
The biblical references to the "heaven of heavens" and the "third heaven" provide a cohesive picture of God’s creation and His divine abode. Nehemiah 9:6 and Genesis 2:1 establish that God created the angels as part of the heavenly host, who worship Him in the highest heaven. Paul’s experience in 2 Corinthians 12:2–3 further reveals the third heaven as paradise, the realm of God’s direct presence. By understanding these passages in their proper context, we gain a deeper appreciation for the majesty of God’s creation and the spiritual realities that transcend our physical world.