Third Heaven

Was Paul caught up to the Third Heaven or was He seeing visions of Christ?

THE NUMBER 3: SALVATION?

Lu 24:7 Saying, The Son of man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, and be crucified, and the THIRD DAY rise again.

2Ki 1:13 And he sent again a captain of the THIRD FIFTY with his fifty. And the THIRD captain of fifty went up, and came and fell on his knees before Elijah, and besought him, and said unto him, O man of God, I pray thee, let my life, and the life of these fifty thy servants, be precious in thy sight.

Le 25:21 Then I will command my blessing upon you in the sixth year, and it shall bring forth fruit for THREE YEARS.

Ge 40:13 Yet within THREE DAYS shall Pharaoh lift up thine head, and restore thee unto thy place: and thou shalt deliver Pharaoh’s cup into his hand, after the former manner when thou wast his butler.

Ac 2:41 Then they that gladly received his word were baptized: and the same day there were added unto them about THREE THOUSAND souls.

Re 11:11 And after THREE DAYS and an half (3.5) the Spirit of life from God entered into them, and they stood upon their feet; and great fear fell upon them which saw them.

Joh 21:14 This is now the THIRD TIME that Jesus shewed himself to his disciples, after that he was risen from the dead.

Zec 13:9 And I will bring the THIRD PART through the fire, and will refine them as silver is refined, and will try them as gold is tried: they shall call on my name, and I will hear them: I will say, It is my people: and they shall say, The LORD is my God.

Joh 21:11 Simon Peter went up, and drew the net to land full of great fishes, an HUNDRED and FIFTY and THREE (153=3 x 3 x 17): and for all there were so many, yet was not the net broken.

153 (Elect) finding of salvation (3 x 3) as it comes out of Babylon (17)

Ac 27:37 And we were in all in the ship two hundred threescore and sixteen souls. (276 = 3 x 4 x 23)

276 (Elect) finding salvation (3) as God brings judgment (23) to the church (4)

THIRD HEAVEN: SALVATION IN CHRIST?

2Co 12:1 It is not expedient **for me doubtless to glory**. I will come to VISIONS and revelations OF THE LORD.

2Co 12:2 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 <726> to the THIRD HEAVEN.

2Co 12:3 And I knew SUCH A MAN, (whether in the body, or out of the body, I cannot tell: God knoweth;)

2Co 12:4 How that HE was caught up <726> into PARADISE, and heard unspeakable words, which it is not lawful for a man to utter.

Re 12:5 And she brought forth a man child, who was to rule all nations with a rod of iron: and her child was caught up <726> unto God, and to his throne.

1Th 4:17 Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up <726> together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.

Jude 1:23 And others save with fear, pulling <726> {} out of the fire; hating even the garment spotted by the flesh.

2Co 12:5 Of SUCH AN ONE will I glory: yet **of myself I will not glory**, but in mine infirmities.

VISIONS: GOD GIVING GLIMPSES OF HIS GLORY TO PROPHETS?

Eze 1:1 Now it came to pass in the thirtieth year, in the fourth month, in the fifth day of the month, as I was among the captives by the river of Chebar, that the heavens were opened, and I saw VISIONS OF GOD.

Eze 40:2 In the VISIONS OF GOD brought he me into the land of Israel, and set me upon a very high mountain, by which was as the frame of a city on the south.

2Ch 26:5 And he sought God in the days of Zechariah, who had understanding in the VISIONS OF GOD: and as long as he sought the LORD, God made him to prosper.

Rev 1:12 And I turned to see the voice that spake with me. And being turned, I SAW seven golden candlesticks;

FIRST HEAVEN: THE OLD BODY?

Re 21:1 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.

Isa 42:9 Behold, the FORMER THINGS are come to pass, and new things do I declare: before they spring forth I tell you of them.

Re 21:4 And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the FORMER THINGS are passed away.

NEW HEAVENS: THE REDEEMED BODY OF CHRIST?

Isa 65:17 For, behold, I create NEW HEAVENS and a new earth: and the FORMER shall not be remembered, nor come into mind.

Isa 66:22 For as the NEW HEAVENS and the new earth, which I will make, shall remain before me, saith the LORD, so shall your seed and your name remain.

2Pe 3:13 Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for NEW HEAVENS and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness.

SUMMARY CONCLUSION

The Third Heaven appears to be focusing on the redeemption of the elect from Babylon at the revelation of Christ. It was typified by Paul who saw visions of Christ and the Elect in Him caught up into paradise. The First heaven, given the proper context, points to the church that passed away in judgment. The Bible does not seem to speak of a second heaven.