2006-10-08 01:36:39 · 5 answers · asked by Anonymous in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
I think we're a bit lost in translation.
The Hebrew term for Heaven (as a divine place) is "Gan- Eden" (garden of pleasure). This term is also translated as Paradise.
"Shamayim" (שמיים) means sky, and this word is indeed set in a plural form.
Etymology: In Genesis 1:8 god created the firmament ("flattened", in Hebrew) and called it "Shamayim" ("water over there"; Sham= over there, Mayim= water).
Some of the Hebrew nouns that express abstraction are set in plural forms. "God" (elohim), "virginity" (betulin), "marriage" (nisu'in), "divorce" (gerushin) and "water" (mayim) are some of the examples.
There are no many heavens; there are only big blue "skies" that were mistreated and were badly translated as "heaven".
2006-10-08 04:30:08 · answer #1 · answered by yotg 6 · 3⤊ 0⤋
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.
2Co 12:2
I know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago--whether in the body I do not know, or whether out of the body I do not know, God knows--such a one was caught up to the third heaven.
This will take more research, study and prayer on your part, but apparently, there are at least three.
2006-10-08 01:45:36 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
St. Paul spoke of having been caught up to the Third Heaven.
Some see the "first heaven" as being the atmospheric realm around the earth, the "second heaven' as being any of the rest of the universe beyond the first heaven; and the "third" heaven as being anything beyond the first and second heavens .. i.e., God's heaven ... though of course He also fills all in all.
2006-10-08 01:49:36 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
13 heavens
2006-10-08 01:38:11 · answer #4 · answered by george p 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
there are many heavens as written in the bible. nolt only one as many believe it
2006-10-08 01:43:19 · answer #5 · answered by Jesus M 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋