The Seven Heavens in the Scriptures

[James Trimm]

The Seven Heavens in the Scriptures
By James Trimm
(Drawn from the Talmud b.Hagigah 12b)

Several passages in the Scriptures reveal the truth that there is actually more than one “Heaven” (see Gen. 28:12; Dt. 10:14; 1Kn. 8:27; Ps. 148:4; Eph. 4:10 and Heb. 4:14).


Moreover 1Cor. 12:2-4 refers to “the third heaven” which it identifies with PaRDeS (paradise). In fact the Hebrew word for “heaven” is SHAMAYIM (Strong’s 8064) which is always plural in the Hebrew.

The Talmud lays out the Seven heavens as follows:

(1) The First Heaven – ROK “curtain” (Strong’s 1852)
“It is He that sits above the circle of the earth, and the inhabitants thereof are as
grasshoppers; that stretches out the heavens as a curtain (ROK), and spreads them out as a tent to dwell in;”
(Is. 40:22 HRV)

(2) The Second Heaven – RAKIA “firmament” (Strong’s 7549)
“And Elohim set them in the firmament (RAKIA) of the heaven,
to give light upon the earth,”
(Gen. 1:14 HRV)

(3) The Third Heaven – SHEHAKIM “skies, clouds; dust” (Strong’s 7834)
“And He commanded the skies (SHEHAKIM) above, and opened the doors of heaven,
And He caused manna to rain upon them for food, and gave them of the grain of
heaven.”
(Ps. 78:23-24 HRV)

(4) The Fourth Heaven – ZEBUL “high dwelling; glorious habitation” (Strong’s 2073)
“Look down from heaven, and see, even from Your Set-Apart and glorious habitation (ZEBUL). Where is Your zeal and Your mighty acts; the yearning of Your heart and Your compassions, now restrained toward me?”
(Is. 63:15 HRV)

(5) The Fifth Heaven – MA’ON “retreat; asylum, dwelling, habitation” (Strong’s 4583)
Look forth from Your Set-Apart habitation (MA’ON), from heaven, and bless Your people Yisra’el, and the land which You have given us, as You did swear unto our fathers—a land flowing with milk and honey.”
(Deut. 26:15 HRV)

(6) The Sixth Heaven – MAKON “foundation; dwelling” (Strong’s 4349)
“Then hear You, in heaven Your dwelling place (MAKON), and forgive, and do, and render unto every man, according to all his ways, whose heart You know: for You, even You only, know the hearts of all the children of men.”
(1Kn. 8:39 HRV)

(7) The Seventh Heaven – ARAVOT “sterile or empty place; desert, wilderness” (Strong’s 6160)
Sing unto Elohim; sing praises to His name: extol Him that rides upon the
empty places (ARAVOT); whose Name is Yah, and exult you before Him.
(Psalm 68:5(4) HRV)

“There is none like unto Elohim, O Yeshurun, who rides upon the heaven as your help,
and in His excellency on the skies.”
(Deut. 33:26 HRV)

[Christian]

"The Pardes (Bosom of Avraham / Garden of Eden) can be in She'ol and the Third Heaven at the same time"

I think you need to seriously consider whether that sentence is Scripturally sound and supportable - such a colorful conclusion deserves a Scriptural foundation, yet I cannot find anything that vaguely hints that a location such as the Bosom of Avraham can be two places at the same time, in Sheol and in the Heavens.

I would also like to understand how you view the experience of the afterlife for the saints and for those in Pardes - do they behold their family members all being tormented (in a single flame mind you), and are they in constant waiting?
This impatient waiting and suffering in supplication and prayer apparently occurs in the Heavens as you say, which we've already established saints like David did not ascend to.
If David however DID ascend to Pardes, being in the Heavens, then why would the Scriptures tell us SPECIFICALLY that he did NOT ascend to Heavens?

[James Trimm]

Let me elaborate. From a 2-D circle's standpoint a 3-D cylinder can be in more than one 2-D place (plane) at the same time, even though it is just a single cylinder.

Now add a dimension to each of the above, replace the circle with yourself and the cylinder with Pardes.

[James Trimm]

Your thinking three dimensionally, not five dimensionally. Pardes can be in She'ol and the Third Heaven at the same time if we are not restricted to just three dimensions.

[Christian]

So the saints under the altar are in the bosom of Abraham? I though the Revelation showed Heavens opening, and according to you, the Paradise to which Yahushua ascended was not the same as Heavens.
So how can the saints be in heaven?

Also, why would the afterlife of the faithful saints be filled with painful, impatient waiting??

[James Trimm]

Notice the souls under the alter (Rev.6) are making supplication to YHWH asking how much longer they must wait.... they are aware and praying.

[James Trimm]

Also this section of Talmud goes on to say (immediately after the previous quote):

And R. Aha b. Jacob said: There is still another Heaven above the heads of the living creatures, for it is written: And over the heads of the living creatures there was a likeness of a firmament, like the colour of the terrible ice, stretched forth over their heads above.(Ezek 1:22) Thus far you have permission to speak, thenceforward you have not permission to speak, for so it is written in the Book of Ben Sira: Seek not things that are too hard for thee, and search not things that are hidden from thee. The things that have been permitted thee, think thereupon; thou hast no business with the things that are secret.(Sira 3:21-22)
(b.Hag. 13a)

Which brings us to a rather interesting passage in the Zohar:

R. Isaac referred to the verse: “When he uttereth his voice, there is a multitude of waters in the heavens” (Jer. X, 13), and said: ‘According to tradition, the Holy One created seven heavens, and in each heaven stars and planets are fixed. Arabot is above them all. The length of each heaven is such that it would take two hundred years to traverse, and the distance between each heaven and the next would take five hundred years to traverse. As for Arabot, one would need one thousand five hundred years to cover its whole length, and the selfsame number for traversing its breadth. All the heavens are lighted from the radiance of Arabot. Above Arabot is the heaven of the Hayoth, and above this latter sphere another heaven, brighter than all, as it is written: “And the likeness of the firmament upon the heads of the Hayoth” (Ezek. I, 22).
(Zohar 2:56b)

The Zohar elaborates that above these seven heavens are still three more. The Zohar gives a detailed account of how prayers ascend to YHWH through the seven heavens and then through three higher heavens (Zohar 2:201b-209a). The Zohar disinguishes between the lower seven heavens and the higher three heavens as follows:

In each heaven are controlling angels, as far as the seventh; the rest are all illumined by the light that radiates from the Divine Throne, reaching the tenth heaven, whence it is extended towards the ninth and further to the eighth, whence it reaches those below. It is the light of the eighth which gives to each of the stars, when they are brought out to their places, its requisite light and force. In regard to this it is written: “He that bringeth out their host by number... by the greatness of might” (Isa. XL, 26), the term “greatness of might” referring to the supernal resplendency. Furthermore, there is in each heaven a chieftain who is in charge of a part of the world and a part of the earth, except the Land of Israel, which is not under the rule of any heaven or any other power but that of the Holy One, blessed be He, alone.
(Zohar 2:209a)

There is an obvious parallel between these and the seven lower sefoirot and three higher sefirot.

Its Should be noted that 2Enoch (which does not have the authority of 1Enoch) also lays out ten heavens (2Enoch 3:1-22:11).

[Christian]

Why wake Lazarus from a pleasant afterlife?
But if he'd rather be alive than asleep in death so that he actually could speak and praise Yahuweh, as only the living can, then perhaps it would be better to live?

[Christian]

Remember that there are no commas or punctuation in the original texts - you can place the comma before or after "this day" to support whatever you feel is Scriptural - but clearly, Yahushua had not ascended to his Father, and does not wish to be touched by the women visiting the grave - so he could NOT be with the saved thief that specific day.
He was sleeping, just as the death of Lazarus was sleep - and when the Disciples clarify that he was dead, and by implication that no-one wakes from the sleep of death, Yahushua promply goes to "wake him up" from this sleep.

[Christian]

Please quote Scripture in your response, it is much more convincing than "this Teacher said"

[Christian]

I also noticed you did not answer me concering David - does he praise Elohim in death or not?
In case it is unclear what I'm referring to, let me quote the previous post:

The prophet Isaiah spake:
“The grave cannot praise thee, death cannot celebrate thee: they that go down into the pit cannot hope for thy truth.”(Isaiah 38:18)

However, the Rich Man apparently can speak coherently, and yet chooses not to honor Elohim?
But is he not asking for mercy - and seeing he can speak, would it not be good to honor El ?



Jeremiah in referring to the judgement that came on Babylon said, Death is “a perpetual sleep.”(Jeremiah 51:39,57)

In the New Testament, Peter refers to David.
“The patriarch David...he is both dead and buried...David is not ascended into the heavens.”(Acts 2:29-30)

Based on the dualistic notion - is David in Hell, or the "negative afterlife" ?
If he is in the "positive afterlife" how come he does not praise Elohim?

Where is David now?