How many heavens are there?

Question

I heard about 7th heaven. So there are at least 7 heavens! Let me count:
Jewish heaven, Christian heaven, Muslim heaven, Hindu heaven, Buddhist heven, Confusianist heaven, Taoist heaven, Shinto heaven, Pagan heaven.

I counted 9. I am sure I missed some others. My point is: if one does not admit you, others will.

Care to comment?

Answer 1

zero

the seven heavens in the old testament refered to the planets

Answer 2

Apostle Paul spoke of being caught up to the third heaven. In other scriptures God in the begining made the heaven over the earth. Then there is the heaven Job made mention of that contains planets and stars. So I conclude there must be only 3 parts to what is called heavens and the Almighty dwells in the top but fills all three with his Spirit. We have yet to get out of this back yard of our solar system, I doubt if we shall explore the others in this life time.

Answer 3

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 4

Only one.

Paul spoke of the 7th heaven as a figure of speech. 7 is the biblical number of perfection or completion. So Paul was speaking about the highest place, the place where God dwells. Referring to it as the 7th heaven made it obvious to the reader that he was not simply referring to the sky or space where the stars and planets are, but to the realm of God.

According to what you write, you think that every religion that has a "heaven" is right. If they all have differing explanations of heaven and how to get there and about who God is, can they ALL be right? If the God of Islam denies the God of Christianity and the God of Christianity denies the God of Islam and the God of the Hindu denies the God of the Pagan and vice-versa, how can they all be God? Wouldn't that mean that God is divided against Himself? You know that a marriage divided against itself ends in separation and divorce, so if God is divided against Himself, how will His kingdom stand?

Answer 5

The Bible states three heavens:

First Heaven: Earth / physical Universe

Second Heaven: Spiritual realm here on earth

Third Heaven: Spiritual realm where God is

Answer 6

There's technically only one heaven for each person -- the one he imagines. So technically there are as many heavens as their are people and each person, individually, is admitted into his own heaven based on his own acceptance of himself.

Answer 7

It would depend on who you talk too. I think the number is as many people are on the planet. My version of heaven might be different that your version of heaven, so i think its individually specific.

Answer 8

Up until the time of Galileo, the word 'heaven' had the same meaning as the modern word 'sky'.

Answer 9

They've gotta at least let me into doggie Heaven, even if I fail out of all the others.

Answer 10

THose are all the same heavens, just in different religions. If you read how all of them are described its all virtually the same: eternal bliss and satisfaction beyond the senses.