Is Heaven in another dimension? Is that in the Bible?

Question

Genesis 22:11
But the angel of the LORD called out to him from heaven,

Genesis 28:12
He had a dream in which he saw a stairway [ Or ladder ] resting on the earth, with its top reaching to heaven, and the angels of God were ascending and descending on it.

Deuteronomy 2:25
This very day I will begin to put the terror and fear of you on all the nations under heaven.

Deuteronomy 4:39
Acknowledge and take to heart this day that the LORD is God in heaven above and on the earth below.

Deuteronomy 32:40
I lift my hand to heaven and declare: As surely as I live forever,

1 Kings 8:23
and said: "O LORD, God of Israel, there is no God like you in heaven above or on earth below—you who keep your covenant of love with your servants

2 Kings 2:11
As they were walking along and talking together, suddenly a chariot of fire and horses of fire appeared and separated the two of them, and Elijah went up to heaven in a whirlwind. \

Sounds like it's in space to me....

Answer 1

Understanding the whole concept of heaven...


Heaven that is also called as Swarga in Hinduism is the stage when our Atman the soul within waits for a suitable body for it to manifest again. This Atman the soul within has a balance of positive merits due to which it remains in heaven (Swarga).

Any Atman the soul within that has a negative balance of merits is awarded hell, also known as Naraka in Hinduism. Naraka (hell) is also the stage when our Atman the soul within is in waiting for the next manifestation to occur.

Briefly, it can be stated, that if we have the balance of positive merits from zero to plus hundred we shall be awarded the stage of Heaven (Swarga) after our "Atman, The soul Within" has left the mortal frame. However if the balance of merits is between zero and minus hundred our Atman the soul within shall be given a place in hell (Naraka).

Heaven (Swarga) and hell (Naraka) are interim stages in the cosmic Life cycle of our Atman the soul within. The moment this Atman the soul within gets matching parents on Mother Earth... it shall again manifest a body... the body can be that of a Human Being and also of an animal depending upon the balance of merits or demerits possessed by the Atman.

As stated clearly in the Bhagavad Gita... the foremost of all sacred scriptures (the doctrine dictated by Lord Krishna to King Arjuna in the battlefield of Mahabharata between the Pandavas and the Kauravas... no Atman the soul within can directly gain immortality from Heaven.

Lord Krishna is considered as an Avatar (a direct incarnation of God) in Hinduism. He descended on Mother Earth roughly 1000 years before Bhagwan Mahavira, 1077 years before Gautama Buddha, about 1500 years before Jesus Christ and about 1700 years before the advent of Prophet Mohammed. More on heaven here- http://www.godrealized.org/understanding_the_whole_concept_of_heaven.html and http://www.godrealized.org/heaven/way_to_heaven.html

Answer 2

Heaven- the abode of God, the angels, and the spirits of the righteous after death; the place or state of existence of the blessed after the mortal life*
Space- the portion or extent of this in a given instance; extent or room in three dimensions*
Dimension- a property of space; extension in a given direction*
Outer space- space beyond the atmosphere of the earth

I can’t say that Genesis 22:11 or Deuteronomy 32:40 support either theory. Genesis 28:12- describes a dream. Deuteronomy 2:25 & 4:39- below in rank; of less dignity, importance*. 1 Kings 8:23 & 2 Kings 2:11 Above- in, at, or to a higher place*, up- to, toward, or in a more elevated position*
Seems like your argument is nothing more than a vocabulary lesson, but thanks for the question.

Peace :)

Answer 3

How? In every verse you cite there is no relation to anything which is temporal. Always remember that G-d used human agents to write, and they utilized that which was in man's frame of reference from which to base their communication. All your references for heaven utilize Strong's Hebrew listing 8064 shamayim { shaw-mah’-yim} dual of an unused singular shameh { shaw-meh’}
1)heaven, heavens, sky
1a)visible heavens, sky
1a1)as abode of the stars
1a2)as the visible universe, the sky, atmosphere, etc

1b)Heaven (as the abode of God)

Please note that the above distinguishes the use of heavens or sky as temporal and Heaven essentially not temporal, because, and this is most important, that which is temporal is not Holy or set apart and that which is Holy cannot touch that which is temporal because it is basically sinful. You will also remember in the New Testament that there was a parable about another Lazarus and this parable tells us that there is a great gulf which is fixed between the temporal world and where Lazarus was. Sounds like a different dimension because man has transcended between space and earth.

Answer 4

The closest thing Scripture says to there being different levels of Heaven is found in 2 Corinthians 12:2, “I know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago was caught up to the third heaven. Whether it was in the body or out of the body I do not know-God knows.” Some interpret this as indicating that there are three different levels of Heaven. The supposed levels of Heaven are divided into a level for "super-committed Christians" or Christians who have obtained a high level of spirituality, a level for "ordinary" Christians, and a level for Christians who did not serve God faithfully.



However, Paul is not saying that there are three heavens or even three levels of heaven. In many ancient cultures, people used the term "Heaven" to describe three different "realms" – the sky, outer space, and then a spiritual heaven. Although the terms are not specifically Biblical, these are commonly known as the terrestrial, telestial, and celestial heavens. Paul was saying that God took him to the "celestial" Heavens, as in the realm in which God dwells. The concept of different levels of Heaven is foreign to Scripture. There are different levels of reward in Heaven (1 Corinthians 9:4-27; 2 Timothy 2:5), but only one "level" of Heaven

Answer 5

to me this sounds very much like a possibility, which would explain how God can be everywhere etc. He would then have the ability to view and pass things from one dimension to the other. It is my guess He created this entire dimension from the one He currently occupies and that we also came from there agreeing to serve a time span here (sentence), or it was the more pleasing of some group of choices we had to make.
You might add to your list the idea that the Temple was a representation of reality and so then the Vail would be the separation between dimensions. The ark then would be some sort of home for God within that dimension, or was perhaps His first radio to this dimension.

Answer 6

You have a challenging point. But, sadly, it cannot be answered.

But, if it does ya fine, I think that the concept of multiple dimensions is related to the spiritual

Answer 7

I, personally, believe that the other side is in another plane on this planet.

I know, you think that I have completely jumped off the deep end. Oh well. No one knows anything for sure.

Answer 8

yes there are three heavens in the Bible
one is birds
one is planes
one is Gods throne
His voice can be heard anywhere if He wants!!

Answer 9

Sounds like a mythological story to me.

Answer 10

heaven is in the third realm of the spirit