A sheep in wolf's clothing.
And I looked, and there in the firmament that was above the head of the cherubim, there appeared something like a sapphire stone, having the appearance of the likeness of a throne.
(Ezekiel 10:1) NKJV
The Hebrew word translated firmament is raqia. Some people struggle to interpret the firmament, most don’t bother. A simple definition is expanse so most translations render the meaning as “the expanse of the sky.”
Continue reading “Firmament: רָקִ֖יעַ – raqia”
Then God commanded, “Let the water be filled with many kinds of living beings, and let the air be filled with birds.”
(Genesis 1:20) Good News Translation
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.
(Genesis 1:20) King James Version
Part of the space between the firmament and Earth is the area in contact with the Earth that we call the atmosphere, or sky. This is where the birds fly. It’s referred to as the open firmament.
Continue reading “The First Heaven”
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.
(2 Corinthians 12:2) NKJV
Given that the apostle Paul specifically refers to something called the third heaven it’s not a stretch to conclude that there must also be a first and a second heaven. We need to know what they are.
Continue reading “The Three Heavens”
I looked at the dome over the heads of the living creatures and above them was something that seemed to be a throne made of sapphire.
(Ezekiel 10:1) Good News Translation
The Hebrew word translated as “dome” is raqia. A simple definition is “expanse” so most translations render the meaning as “the expanse of the sky.”
Continue reading “Firmament: רָקִ֖יעַ – raqia”
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.
(Genesis 1:20) KJV
According to the context of our verse the open firmament is where birds fly, so it’s the atmosphere or sky. We can consider it to be the first of three heavens.
Continue reading “Firmament 3”
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. And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.
(Revelation 21:1-2) KJV
During the month of December our devotion is going to be a study of heaven, which is to say, the next life. We’re going to see if we can clear up some misconceptions about what comes next.
Continue reading “December 1st”
Matty (Headwind) 