The Bible speaks of three different heavens. The first heaven is the area in which the birds fly. Genesis 1:20 speaks of this area: “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.” The Bible does not describe the limits of the first heaven.

The second heaven is a reference to what we call outer space – beyond the first heaven. The Bible refers to it as the area where the stars are, in Genesis 1:15,17: “And let them be for lights in the firmament of the heaven to give light upon the earth: and it was so. And God set them in the firmament of the heaven to give light upon the earth,”

The Bible also mentions the third heaven, which is the place where God dwells. The only reference to the “third Heaven” using this phrase is spoken of by Paul when he went there in spirit, according to II Corinthians 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 to the third heaven.”

The third Heaven, is where God has His throne (Matthew 5:34 “But I say unto you, Swear not at all; neither by heaven; for it is God’s throne:”). It is where the angels dwell (when not on earth) and where the saved will live one day. Even though God is omnipresent, we know that God especially manifests His presence in Heaven: (Matthew 6:9) “After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven.”

After death or at the Rapture, believers in Christ will be in Heaven (except those people saved during the Tribulation). It is a bodily (physical) resurrection – not just a spiritual one: (I Corinthians 15:44 “It is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body. There is a natural body, and there is a spiritual body.”).

By grace, believers at the Rapture will be in Heaven for seven years, and then will return with Christ at the Second Coming. Once in Heaven, the Judgment Seat of Christ will take place and believers will be rewarded according to their works.

At the present time, we know that Satan has access to Heaven because he accuses the brethren day and night (Revelation 12:10) before God. Demons and angels can traverse the distance between Heaven and earth very quickly.

The Bible does not reveal a lot about the third Heaven. We do know there is a Temple there (Revelation 14:17) and it has an Ark in it. Christ applied His blood in the Temple. The description of the holy city which comes down from Heaven (Revelation 21:2) is not Heaven, but a city (the New Jerusalem) where believers will dwell with God – although they will also be able to live outside of it.

Thank God that our prayers traverse that distance instantly, since God also dwells within our hearts – once we have been saved. We can also enjoy some of the peace and joy of Heaven today.