The highest dimension of God’s presence, the realm where the Creator dwells and where redeemed humans now go immediately upon death. Scripture uses “Third Heaven” to describe the ultimate heavenly realm above all created layers, referenced explicitly by PaulAlso known as the Apostle Paul or Saul of Tarsus, he is the most influential missionary and writer of the New Testament. Originally a Pharisee who persecuted Christians, Paul experienced a dramatic encounter with the risen Jesus and became a devoted messenger of the gospel. He traveled widely, planted churches across the Roman world, and wrote letters that form a... More when he speaks of being “caught up to the third heaven” ().
Your active page identifies the Third Heaven as the destination of the extracted saintsIn Scripture, “saints” refers to God’s covenant people — those who belong to Him by faith, set apart for His purposes, and made righteous by His provision. The term does not describe perfection; it describes status. Saints are those whom God has claimed, cleansed, and incorporated into His family. Your active page uses the term specifically for the righteous dead... More after Christ descended into SheolThe ancient Hebrew term for the realm of the dead, often described as a shadowy, unseen place beneath the earth where all people go after death, both righteous and wicked. Sheol is not identical to “Hell” in later Christian theology; it is a neutral holding place, marked by silence, darkness, and separation from the living. In Scripture, Sheol represents the... More, applied His blood, and relocated Paradise from the underworld to the highest heaven. This relocation is described in the page’s explanation of , where JesusJesus of Nazareth, also called the Christ or the Messiah, is the central figure of the New Testament and the fulfillment of God’s redemptive plan. Born in the line of David, He taught with divine authority, performed miracles, and revealed the kingdom of God. Through His crucifixion and resurrection, Jesus provides atonement, salvation, and restored relationship with God. He is... More “led captivity captive” — meaning He emptied Abraham’s BosomThe righteous compartment of Sheol/Hades where Old Testament saints were held before the resurrection of Christ. Jesus Himself defines its geography in Luke 16, describing it as a place of comfort, separated from the compartment of torment by a “great gulf fixed” . Your page identifies Abraham’s Bosom as the holding place for Abraham, David, Lazarus, and all who were... More and transferred the righteous into the Third Heaven .
Before the resurrection, Paradise existed inside SheolThe ancient Hebrew term for the realm of the dead, often described as a shadowy, unseen place beneath the earth where all people go after death, both righteous and wicked. Sheol is not identical to “Hell” in later Christian theology; it is a neutral holding place, marked by silence, darkness, and separation from the living. In Scripture, Sheol represents the... More, in the compartment known as Abraham’s BosomThe righteous compartment of Sheol/Hades where Old Testament saints were held before the resurrection of Christ. Jesus Himself defines its geography in Luke 16, describing it as a place of comfort, separated from the compartment of torment by a “great gulf fixed” . Your page identifies Abraham’s Bosom as the holding place for Abraham, David, Lazarus, and all who were... More. After Christ’s victory, Paradise was moved upward, and now:
- believers do not descend into SheolThe ancient Hebrew term for the realm of the dead, often described as a shadowy, unseen place beneath the earth where all people go after death, both righteous and wicked. Sheol is not identical to “Hell” in later Christian theology; it is a neutral holding place, marked by silence, darkness, and separation from the living. In Scripture, Sheol represents the... More,
- they enter the Third Heaven immediately,
- fulfilling Paul’s statement that to be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord (), which your page affirms directly .
In summary, the Third Heaven is:
- the highest realm of God’s presence,
- the current location of Paradise,
- the eternal home of the redeemed,
- and the final destination of the saintsIn Scripture, “saints” refers to God’s covenant people — those who belong to Him by faith, set apart for His purposes, and made righteous by His provision. The term does not describe perfection; it describes status. Saints are those whom God has claimed, cleansed, and incorporated into His family. Your active page uses the term specifically for the righteous dead... More extracted during Christ’s descent.