The Third Heaven is the biblical term for the supreme heavenly realm, the dimension where God’s throne is located and where the redeemed now dwell. PaulPaul is the apostle who carried the message of Jesus into the Gentile world, transforming early Christianity through his missionary journeys, his letters, and his profound teaching on grace, faith, and the New Covenant. More describes being “caught up to the third heaven” (), identifying it as the place of direct encounter with God. In Scripture’s cosmology, the “first heaven” refers to the sky, the “second heaven” to the celestial or spiritual realm, and the third heaven to the highest, uncreated dwelling of God.
Before Christ’s resurrectionResurrection is God’s act of raising the dead to new life — first seen in Christ’s victory over the grave, and ultimately fulfilled when all humanity is raised for judgment, transformation, and eternal destiny. More, ParadiseParadise is the realm of comfort and blessing for the righteous dead — first located within Sheol (Abraham’s Bosom) and now, after Christ’s resurrection, relocated to the Third Heaven, the direct presence of God. More — the place of comfort for the righteous dead — existed within SheolSheol is the ancient Hebrew term for the realm of the dead — a shadowy, silent, unseen place beneath the earth where all people go after death, both righteous and wicked. It is not equivalent to the later Christian concept of Hell, but the neutral holding place of the departed. More, in the compartment known as Abraham’s BosomAbraham’s Bosom is the place of comfort within Sheol where the righteous dead were held before Christ’s resurrection. It is the Old Testament “Paradise,” later emptied when Jesus liberated the saints and relocated them to the Third Heaven. More. 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. More affirms this structure in the account of LazarusLazarus appears in two major New Testament accounts: the resurrected man from Bethany in John 11, and the poor man in Jesus’ parable in Luke 16. Both reveal God’s authority over death and the great reversal between earthly status and eternal reality. More and the rich man (). But after His death and resurrectionResurrection is God’s act of raising the dead to new life — first seen in Christ’s victory over the grave, and ultimately fulfilled when all humanity is raised for judgment, transformation, and eternal destiny. More, everything changes. ChristJesus 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. More descends into the realm of the dead, proclaims victory, and relocates ParadiseParadise is the realm of comfort and blessing for the righteous dead — first located within Sheol (Abraham’s Bosom) and now, after Christ’s resurrection, relocated to the Third Heaven, the direct presence of God. More to the Third Heaven. PaulPaul is the apostle who carried the message of Jesus into the Gentile world, transforming early Christianity through his missionary journeys, his letters, and his profound teaching on grace, faith, and the New Covenant. More confirms this when he says he was “caught up into Paradise” (), equating ParadiseParadise is the realm of comfort and blessing for the righteous dead — first located within Sheol (Abraham’s Bosom) and now, after Christ’s resurrection, relocated to the Third Heaven, the direct presence of God. More with the Third Heaven itself.
This relocation fulfills the meaning of , where ChristJesus 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. More “led captivity captive” — bringing the righteous out of SheolSheol is the ancient Hebrew term for the realm of the dead — a shadowy, silent, unseen place beneath the earth where all people go after death, both righteous and wicked. It is not equivalent to the later Christian concept of Hell, but the neutral holding place of the departed. More and into the highest heaven. From that moment forward, believers do not descend into SheolSheol is the ancient Hebrew term for the realm of the dead — a shadowy, silent, unseen place beneath the earth where all people go after death, both righteous and wicked. It is not equivalent to the later Christian concept of Hell, but the neutral holding place of the departed. More at death; they enter directly into the presence of the Lord. This is why PaulPaul is the apostle who carried the message of Jesus into the Gentile world, transforming early Christianity through his missionary journeys, his letters, and his profound teaching on grace, faith, and the New Covenant. More can say, “to be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord” ().
The Third Heaven is therefore the realm of God’s throne, the location of ParadiseParadise is the realm of comfort and blessing for the righteous dead — first located within Sheol (Abraham’s Bosom) and now, after Christ’s resurrection, relocated to the Third Heaven, the direct presence of God. More, and the destination of the redeemed. It is not a symbolic term — it is the highest dimension of reality, the place where ChristJesus 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. More reigns and where the saintsSaints are God’s covenant people — those set apart, made righteous by His provision, and belonging to Him by faith. In Scripture, the term describes both the righteous dead of the Old Testament and the redeemed living under the new covenant. More await the resurrectionResurrection is God’s act of raising the dead to new life — first seen in Christ’s victory over the grave, and ultimately fulfilled when all humanity is raised for judgment, transformation, and eternal destiny. More of the body.
Because the Third Heaven represents the highest realm of God’s presence and the current location of ParadiseParadise is the realm of comfort and blessing for the righteous dead — first located within Sheol (Abraham’s Bosom) and now, after Christ’s resurrection, relocated to the Third Heaven, the direct presence of God. More, it naturally highlights several core realities:
- The supreme heavenly realm where God dwells ()
- ParadiseParadise is the realm of comfort and blessing for the righteous dead — first located within Sheol (Abraham’s Bosom) and now, after Christ’s resurrection, relocated to the Third Heaven, the direct presence of God. More is now located there after Christ’s victory ()
- ChristJesus 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. More relocated the righteous from SheolSheol is the ancient Hebrew term for the realm of the dead — a shadowy, silent, unseen place beneath the earth where all people go after death, both righteous and wicked. It is not equivalent to the later Christian concept of Hell, but the neutral holding place of the departed. More to the Third Heaven ()
- Believers now enter God’s presence immediately upon death ()
- The realm where the redeemed await bodily resurrectionResurrection is God’s act of raising the dead to new life — first seen in Christ’s victory over the grave, and ultimately fulfilled when all humanity is raised for judgment, transformation, and eternal destiny. More
