Heaven:

In the Bible, the Apocrypha and the Dead Sea Scrolls

 Written by Robert Jones

robertcjones@mindspring.com

Acworth, Georgia

Engraving by Gustave Dore

Copyright 2006 by Robert C. Jones

This material may be reprinted free of charge for use by non-profit church groups, as long as the author and copyright information is retained. 

I'd love to hear about anyone that uses this material in their Sunday School classes!

robertcjones@mindspring.com

"Scripture taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW

INTERNATIONAL VERSION.  Copyright Ó 1973,

1978, 1984 by International Bible Society.  Used by

permission of Zondervan Publishing House."

Table of Contents

Introduction

Quiz on Heaven

Heaven in the Old Testament

Historical books/Pentateuch

The Psalms and Job

The Prophets

The Inter-Testamental writings

Heaven in the Apocrypha

Angels from heaven intervening in human affairs

Heaven as a place for the righteous

Heaven in the Dead Sea Scrolls

Heaven in 1 Enoch

Heaven in the New Testament

Synoptic Gospels

Keys of the Kingdom of Heaven

Acts

Letters

The “third heaven”

Revelation

Heaven in the Christian Apocrypha

Appendix: Heavenly beings

Sources

Other Christian History & Theology courses

Introduction

This course examines early Jewish and Christian thought on the topic of heaven.  In the Old Testament, heaven is a place where God and the angels reside – but not (seemingly) a place where the righteous go when they die.  By the time of the New Testament, heaven is starting to assume its modern connotation as a paradise where the righteous go to be with God when they die.  This view becomes even more prominent in apocryphal writings in the early church.

In addition to the Bible, I’ve also included references in this study to:

• The Dead Sea Scrolls, a set of 800 Jewish documents (600 never before seen) found in the Judean desert near Qumran from 1947-1956.  The Scrolls may have been the library of the Jewish sect known as the Essenes.
• The Apocrypha – the set of 12-16 books, most of which appeared in the Greek translation of the Old Testament known as the Septuagint, but not in Hebrew versions of the Old Testament.  Today, they appear in some Bibles (Roman Catholic, NRSV, Orthodox, etc.) but not all (NIV, KJV, etc.). 
• 1 Enoch - 1 Enoch is a 1^st or 2^nd century B.C. Jewish work whose relative importance has been raised in recent years because at least 20 fragmentary copies of 1 Enoch have been found among the Dead Sea Scrolls.  1 Enoch does not appear in the Septuagint, and is not generally considered to be part of the collection of books known as the Apocrypha.  However, it does hold a unique position among Inter-Testamental Jewish works – it is the only Inter-Testamental Jewish writing quoted in the New Testament (Jude 14-15).
• Christian Apocrypha – There were many apocryphal Acts, Gospels, and Apocalypses written in the first three centuries A.D.  Some people refer to these as the Christian Apocrypha – non-Gnostic works that didn’t make the New Testament canon.  And while we shouldn’t view them as divinely inspired or authoritative, they do help us trace the development of Christian thought on the subject of heaven.  I refer to three of them in this course – the Revelation of Peter, Apocalypse of Paul and the Revelation of John.

While no Divine inspiration is claimed for the non-Biblical sources quoted herein, they are useful to trace the development of Jewish and early Christian thought on the topic of heaven. 

One final introductory note:  In this course, I’m primarily interested in focusing on the characteristics of heaven.  So I’ve ignored the many generic references (particularly in the Old Testament) to things such as “the heavens opened and poured out rain” or “they turned their eyes to heaven and prayed”.

Quiz on Heaven

1. T/F  In the Pentateuch, heaven is described as a place that the righteous go after they die
2. T/F  There are no visions of heaven in the Old Testament
3. T/F  The only two Old Testament figures that ascend to heaven without dying are Elijah and Moses
4. Two people that have a vision of heaven in the New Testament are Paul and John
5. T/F  There is no concept of a “Son of Man” figure being in heaven in the Old Testament
6. T/F  1 Enoch was written by Enoch in 1^st century B.C.
7.  T/F  The only place in the Bible that discusses seraphs is Revelation
8. T/F  Revelation describes a war in heaven between Michael and Satan
9. T/F  Protestants typically believe that the fact that Peter received the “keys to the kingdom of heaven” means that the Church receives its authority from Peter
10. T/F  There are more references to heaven in Genesis than in any other book of the Bible
11.  T/F  The New Testament teaches that heaven will always exist as it exists today
12.  T/F  Revelation teaches that the new Jerusalem will have a magnificent Temple from which to worship God
13. T/F  Peter decides to preach to the Gentiles because of a vision from heaven
14. T/F  The cherubim placed on the east side of the Garden of Eden are cuddly children

Heaven in the Old Testament

Historical books/Pentateuch

In the earliest parts of the Old Testament, including the Pentateuch, heaven is presented as a place where God and his angels reside, but not as a place where the righteous go after they die.  (In most of the Old Testament era, it was believed that humans receive their reward or punishment for their behavior in this life – hence, the skepticism of Job’s “friends” when he tells them that he’s done nothing wrong).  Some other notes on the earliest writings on heaven.

• God created heaven
• God resides in heaven
• God can send angels out from heaven to communicate with and interact with humans
• God can speak from heaven to humans (Moses), and send down fire from heaven
• Heaven is “above”, earth “below”
• God sits on a throne in heaven (although we don’t get much of a description of the throne or environs)
• When humans decide that they’ll try to build a tower to heaven, God strikes down their efforts – thus, humans can only enter heaven as part of God’s will, not their own
• Humans can have dreams or visions about heaven

In the introduction to this section I said that in the historical/Pentateuch books of the Bible, heaven is not positioned as a place that the righteous go after they die.  However, we do have two instances in the text where humans enter heaven, although both are still alive - Elijah and Enoch. 

In the case of Enoch, the Old Testament is actually ambiguous as to whether Enoch was alive or dead when he was taken to heaven:

“When Enoch had lived 65 years, he became the father of Methuselah. And after he became the father of Methuselah, Enoch walked with God 300 years and had other sons and daughters. Altogether, Enoch lived 365 years. Enoch walked with God; then he was no more, because God took him away.” (Genesis 5:21-24)

However, the New Testament (and later Jewish thought – see 1 Enoch) views that Enoch indeed was taken to heaven while still alive:

“By faith Enoch was taken from this life, so that he did not experience death; he could not be found, because God had taken him away…” (Hebrews 11:5)

In the case of Elijah, one of the greatest of the Old Testament prophets, his ascension to heaven is presented in a rather abrupt fashion.  Elisha and Elijah are walking down the road, and sudden, Elijah is taken up!

“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. Elisha saw this and cried out, “My father! My father! The chariots and horsemen of Israel!” And Elisha saw him no more. Then he took hold of his own clothes and tore them apart.” (2 Kings 2:11-12)

So, why are these two singled out?  Why Elijah, say, and not Isaiah or Jeremiah or Ezekiel?  One can only speculate, but it is possible that Elijah was taken up because he would later return in the form of John the Baptist (thus, in a literal reading of Christ’s comments in Matthew 11:14, there is no hint of reincarnation).  It is also possible that Enoch and Elijah are the “two witnesses” mentioned in Revelation – and that they are protected from death until the “end times”. 

John Calvin argues that in the case of Enoch, “this translation was a proof of the Divine love towards Enoch, by connecting it immediately with his pious and upright life”.  However, there have been many others since Enoch that have lived “pious and upright lives”, but they weren’t whisked away to heaven!

“He must be shamelessly contentious, who will not acknowledge that something extraordinary is here pointed out. All are, indeed, taken out of the world by death; but Moses plainly declares that Epoch was taken out of the world by an unusual mode, and was received by the Lord in a miraculous manner…Enoch, in the middle period of life, suddenly, and in an unexampled method, vanished from the sight of men, because the Lord took him away, as we read was also done with respect to Elijah. Since, in the translation of Enoch, an example of immortality was exhibited; there is no doubt that God designed to elevate the minds of his saints with certain faith before their death; and to mitigate, by this consolation, the dread which they might entertain of death, seeing they would know that a better life was elsewhere laid up for them.

… there was, in the translation of Enoch, an instruction for all the godly, that they should not keep their hope confined within the boundaries of this mortal life. For Moses shows that this translation was a proof of the Divine love towards Enoch, by connecting it immediately with his pious and upright life. Nevertheless, to be deprived of life is not in itself desirable. It follows, therefore, that he was taken to a better abode; and that even when he was a sojourner in the world, he was received into a heavenly country; as the Apostle, in the Epistle to the Hebrews, (Hebrews 11:5) plainly teaches.”  (Commentary on Genesis, John Calvin)

The Psalms and Job

Most references to heaven in the Psalms and Job are made in passing, and are a subset of the information seen in the historical books/Pentateuch. 

The Prophets

In the Old Testament writing of the prophets, which include some of the last books written for the Old Testament (Daniel, Malachi, Zechariah), we start to see glimpses of the theology of heaven and the descriptions of heaven that would later flower in the late inter-Testamental period, including discussion of issues such as:

• It is possible to fall from heaven (Satan?)
• Detailed descriptions of God’s heavenly attendants
• An introduction to a “Son of Man” figure in heaven
• A description of God on his thrown
• The concept of atonement and forgiveness of sins through the intercession of a heavenly being
• The concept of “open books” in heaven is introduced

Isaiah 6:1-7 describes heavenly beings named seraphs (mentioned no where else in the Bible), and introduces the concept of heavenly atonement for sin. 

“In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord seated on a throne, high and exalted, and the train of his robe filled the temple. Above him were seraphs, each with six wings: With two wings they covered their faces, with two they covered their feet, and with two they were flying. And they were calling to one another:

    “Holy, holy, holy is the LORD Almighty;

    the whole earth is full of his glory.”

At the sound of their voices the doorposts and thresholds shook and the temple was filled with smoke.

“Woe to me!” I cried. “I am ruined! For I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips, and my eyes have seen the King, the LORD Almighty.”

Then one of the seraphs flew to me with a live coal in his hand, which he had taken with tongs from the altar. With it he touched my mouth and said, “See, this has touched your lips; your guilt is taken away and your sin atoned for.”” (Isaiah 6:1-7)

Perhaps the most vibrant description of heaven and heavenly beings in the Old Testament is in the first two chapters of Ezekiel.  In the first chapter, we’re introduced to the “four living creatures” (compare to Revelation 4:6-8):

“I looked, and I saw a windstorm coming out of the north—an immense cloud with flashing lightning and surrounded by brilliant light. The center of the fire looked like glowing metal, and in the fire was what looked like four living creatures. In appearance their form was that of a man, but each of them had four faces and four wings. Their legs were straight; their feet were like those of a calf and gleamed like burnished bronze. Under their wings on their four sides they had the hands of a man. All four of them had faces and wings, and their wings touched one another. Each one went straight ahead; they did not turn as they moved.” (Ezekiel 1:4-9)

Accompanying the four living creatures are “wheels in wheels”:

“As I looked at the living creatures, I saw a wheel on the ground beside each creature with its four faces. This was the appearance and structure of the wheels: They sparkled like chrysolite, and all four looked alike. Each appeared to be made like a wheel intersecting a wheel. As they moved, they would go in any one of the four directions the creatures faced; the wheels did not turn about as the creatures went. Their rims were high and awesome, and all four rims were full of eyes all around.”

When the living creatures moved, the wheels beside them moved; and when the living creatures rose from the ground, the wheels also rose. Wherever the spirit would go, they would go, and the wheels would rise along with them, because the spirit of the living creatures was in the wheels. When the creatures moved, they also moved; when the creatures stood still, they also stood still; and when the creatures rose from the ground, the wheels rose along with them, because the spirit of the living creatures was in the wheels.” (Ezekiel 1:15-21)

We are also given a description of God on his throne in the first chapter of Ezekiel:

“Then there came a voice from above the expanse over their heads as they stood with lowered wings. Above the expanse over their heads was what looked like a throne of sapphire, and high above on the throne was a figure like that of a man. I saw that from what appeared to be his waist up he looked like glowing metal, as if full of fire, and that from there down he looked like fire; and brilliant light surrounded him. Like the appearance of a rainbow in the clouds on a rainy day, so was the radiance around him.

This was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the LORD. When I saw it, I fell facedown, and I heard the voice of one speaking.” (Ezekiel 1:25-28)

In Daniel 7 (perhaps the last section of the Old Testament to be written), we get a detailed description of God on his throne, the multitudes that attend him, and the “books [that] were opened”.  These are all themes that would be enlarged upon in New Testament writings, such as Revelation 4 and 5.

“As I looked,

    “thrones were set in place,

    and the Ancient of Days took his seat.

    His clothing was as white as snow;

    the hair of his head was white like wool.

    His throne was flaming with fire,

    and its wheels were all ablaze.

A river of fire was flowing,

    coming out from before him.

    Thousands upon thousands attended him;

    ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him.

    The court was seated,

    and the books were opened.” (Daniel 7:9-10)

In the same chapter of Daniel, we’re introduced to another heavenly figure – “one like a son of man”.  Later Christian theology would associate this figure with Christ. 

“In my vision at night I looked, and there before me was one like a son of man, coming with the clouds of heaven. He approached the Ancient of Days and was led into his presence. He was given authority, glory and sovereign power; all peoples, nations and men of every language worshiped him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion that will not pass away, and his kingdom is one that will never be destroyed.” (Daniel 7:13-14)

In Zechariah, we get a description of yet more types of heavenly beings – the “four spirits” of heaven, associated with four different colored horses.  Compare to Revelation 6:1-7:

“The angel answered me, “These are the four spirits of heaven, going out from standing in the presence of the Lord of the whole world. The one with the black horses is going toward the north country, the one with the white horses toward the west, and the one with the dappled horses toward the south.”

When the powerful horses went out, they were straining to go throughout the earth. And he said, “Go throughout the earth!” So they went throughout the earth.” (Zechariah 6: 5-7)

So, the Old Testament provides interesting glimpses into what heaven looks like, and activities therein, but it still doesn’t appear to be positioned as a place that believers go after they die.  Old Testament belief appears to have been that everyone went to the shadowy place named sheol (“abode of the dead”) after they died – good or evil.  Sheol seems to have different meanings in different contexts in the Old Testament (sometimes used as a metaphor, sometimes referring to a place, etc. – see below).  But Psalms 139:8 says that God is still with people in Sheol.

Heaven as a place for the righteous to go after they die to be with God in eternity is a concept that grew in the Inter-Testamental period, and in the New Testament.

The Inter-Testamental writings

The inter-Testamental  period can be defined as the time between the end of the Old Testament (c. 430 B.C.), and the time of Jesus (1^st century A.D.)  The development of certain theological viewpoints in the Inter-Testamental period that would later flourish under Christianity, such as resurrection of the dead, belief in the devil, demons, and hell, a focus on the end times, belief in a divine Messiah, and a highly developed “angel-ology” occurred in this time, in documents such as the Apocrypha, the Dead Sea Scrolls, and 1 Enoch.

Is there a similar development in these inter-Testamental writings in the theology of heaven?  Well examine that question next.

Heaven in the Apocrypha

Angels from heaven intervening in human affairs

An important theme that runs through several of the Maccabees is that God will send help from heaven to protect his faithful.  This is explicitly outlined in 2^nd Maccabees:

“For he who has his dwelling in heaven watches over that place [the Temple treasury] himself and brings it aid, and he strikes and destroys those who come to do it injury. This was the outcome of the episode of Heliodorus and the protection of the treasury.” (2 Maccabees 3:39-40, NRSV)

Here are three examples of divine intervention from heaven in the Maccabees, the first two in Judea, the third in Egypt:

“He said that he had come with the king’s authority to seize the private funds in the treasury. The people indignantly protested his words, considering it outrageous that those who had committed deposits to the sacred treasury should be deprived of them, and did all that they could to prevent it. But, uttering threats, Apollonius went on to the temple. While the priests together with women and children were imploring God in the temple to shield the holy place that was being treated so contemptuously, and while Apollonius was going up with his armed forces to seize the money, angels on horseback with lightning flashing from their weapons appeared from heaven, instilling in them great fear and trembling. Then Apollonius fell down half dead in the temple area that was open to all, stretched out his hands toward heaven, and with tears begged the Hebrews to pray for him and propitiate the wrath of the heavenly army.” (4 Maccabees 6-11, NRSV, emphasis added)

“When the battle became fierce, there appeared to the enemy from heaven five resplendent men on horses with golden bridles, and they were leading the Jews. Two of them took [Judas] Maccabeus between them, and shielding him with their own armor and weapons, they kept him from being wounded. They showered arrows and thunderbolts on the enemy, so that, confused and blinded, they were thrown into disorder and cut to pieces. Twenty thousand five hundred were slaughtered, besides six hundred cavalry.” (2 Maccabees 10:29-31, NRSV, emphasis added)

“And when the Jews observed this they raised great cries to heaven so that even the nearby valleys resounded with them and brought an uncontrollable terror upon the army. Then the most glorious, almighty, and true God revealed his holy face and opened the heavenly gates, from which two glorious angels of fearful aspect descended, visible to all but the Jews. They opposed the forces of the enemy and filled them with confusion and terror, binding them with immovable shackles. Even the king began to shudder bodily, and he forgot his sullen insolence. The animals [drunken elephants!] turned back upon the armed forces following them and began trampling and destroying them.” (3 Maccabees 6:17-21, NRSV, emphasis added)

Heaven as a place for the righteous

Even fairly late in the Inter-Testamental period (1^st or 2^nd century B.C.), there still seemed to be the attitude that heaven was a place for God and his heavenly attendants – not a place for the saved righteous:

“For your dwelling is the heaven of heavens, unapproachable by human beings.” (3 Maccabees 2:15, NRSV)

However, in 2 Esdras (which describes a vision of Ezra), we finally (parts of 2 Esdras were probably written in 1^st century A.D.) see a clear harbinger of the later Christian theology of heaven as a paradise for the righteous – and hell as an abode for the sinful.

“The pit of torment shall appear, and opposite it shall be the place of rest; and the furnace of hell shall be disclosed, and opposite it the paradise of delight. Then the Most High will say to the nations that have been raised from the dead, ‘Look now, and understand whom you have denied, whom you have not served, whose commandments you have despised. Look on this side and on that; here are delight and rest, and there are fire and torments.’ Thus he will speak to them on the day of judgment…” (2 Esdras 7:36-38, NRSV, emphasis added)

Judgment Day

Finally, 2 Esdras discusses one of the most momentous future events in heaven – Judgment Day:

“The Most High shall be revealed on the seat of judgment, and compassion shall pass away, and patience shall be withdrawn. Only judgment shall remain, truth shall stand, and faithfulness shall grow strong.” (2 Esdras 7:33-34, NRSV)

Heaven in the Dead Sea Scrolls

One of the most apocalyptic and eschatological documents among the Dead Sea Scrolls is the War of the Sons of Light Against the Sons of Darkness, often contracted to simply the War Scroll.  The tone of one of the passages in the War Scroll echoes the passages we’ve already examined in the Maccabees -  the direct intersession of heavenly figures to assist humans in times of military crisis.  Note that in the following passage, the angelic host fights alongside the faithful:

“For Thou wilt fight with them from heaven... For the multitude of the Holy Ones [is with Thee] in heaven, and the host of the Angels is in Thy holy abode, praising Thy Name. And Thou hast established in [a community] for Thyself the elect of Thy holy people. [The list] of the names of all their host is with Thee in the abode of Thy holiness; [the reckoning of the saints] is in Thy glorious dwelling-place. Thou hast recorded for them, with the graving-tool of life, the favours of [Thy] blessings and the Covenant of Thy peace, that Thou mayest reign [over them] for ever and ever and throughout all the eternal ages. Thou wilt muster the [hosts of] Thine [el]ect, in their Thousands and Myriads, with Thy Holy Ones [and with all] Thine Angels, that they may be mighty in battle, [and may smite] the rebels of the earth by Thy great judgements, and that [they may triumph] together with the elect of heaven.

For Thou art [terrible], O God, in the glory of Thy kingdom, and the congregation of Thy Holy Ones is among us for everlasting succour. We will despise kings, we will mock and scorn the mighty; for our Lord is holy, and the King of Glory is with us together with the Holy Ones. Valiant [warriors] of the angelic host are among our numbered men, and the Hero of war is with our congregation; the host of His spirits is with our foot-soldiers and horsemen. [They are as] clouds, as clouds of dew (covering) the earth, as a shower of rain shedding judgement on all that grows on the earth.” (War Scroll, XII, Vermes translation, emphasis added)

An interesting section in the Thanksgiving Hymns discusses how at the time of Judgment Day, “the everlasting gates [assumedly, the gates of heaven] shall send out weapons of war”.  Compare this with Chapter 19 of Revelation (“I saw heaven standing open…The armies of heaven were following him…”)

“And then at the time of Judgement the Sword of God shall hasten, and all the sons of His truth shall awake to [overthrow] wickedness; all the sons of iniquity shall be no more. The Hero shall bend his bow; the fortress shall open on to endless space and the everlasting gates shall send out weapons of war.” (Thanksgiving Hymn, Section XIV, Vermes Translation)

A passage in the Testament of Amram, while it doesn’t actually mention heaven, establishes a dichotomy between those that will go towards the light, and those that go toward perdition.  If we assume that that place they are going is heaven or hell, then this shows a development of theological thought from the Old Testament sheol. 

“..I an[nou]nce (this) to you [and al]so I will indeed inform y[ou…For the Sons of Light] will shine, [and all the Sons] of Darkness will be dark. [For all the Sons of Light]…and by all their knowledge they will...and the Sons of Darkness will be burnt…For all folly and wicked[ness are dar]k, and all [pea]ce and truth are brigh[t. For all the Sons of Light g]o towards the light, towards [eternal] jo[y and rej]oicin[g], and all the Sons of Dar[kness go towards death] and perdition…The people shall have brightness…and they will cause them to live…” (The Testament of Amram, 4Q548, Vermes translation, emphasis added)

Finally, in a scroll called The New Jerusalem, we see a description of Jerusalem during the end times (compare with Revelation 21 - “It had a great, high wall with twelve gates, and with twelve angels at the gates. On the gates were written the names of the twelve tribes of Israel.”).  The text itself doesn’t break any new theological ground – it simply describes the new Jerusalem – but the very fact of belief in a new Jerusalem is an interesting theological development.

“[And they] c[al]l [the name of] this (one) [Gate] of Naphtali. And from this gate he measured to the [eastern] gate 25 [s]tadia. And they call this gate Gate of Asher. And he measu[red from] this [ga]te to the eastern corner 25 stadia. vacat And he led me into the city, and he measured each block of houses for its length and width, fifty-one reeds by fifty-one, in a square a[ll]…” (The New Jerusalem, 4Q554, Geza Vermes translation)

Heaven in 1 Enoch

1 Enoch purports to be written by Enoch, describing his vision of heaven (see Genesis 5:24):

“Concerning these things will I speak, and these things will I explain to you, my children: I who am Enoch. In consequence of that which has been shewn to me, from my heavenly vision and from the voice of the holy angels have I acquired knowledge; and from the tablet of heaven have I acquired understanding.” (1 Enoch 92:2-3, translation by Richard Laurence, LL.D., 1821)

Most scholars today believe that several authors wrote 1 Enoch, perhaps over a period of some years.

Unlike the Apocrypha and the Dead Sea Scrolls, 1 Enoch displays a significant development of theological thought regarding heaven when compared with the Old Testament.  It contains many descriptions of heaven, God on his throne, God’s heavenly attendants, and various archangels.  It also firmly positions heaven as a place for the faithful and righteous to be with God – in distinction to hell, which is for sinners and nonbelievers.  Note also that 1 Enoch seems to come down on the side of those people that believe that we don’t go to heaven until Judgment Day.

Chapter 13 describes Enoch’s entry into heaven and his description of God on the throne:

“9. Behold, in that vision clouds invited me, and a mist invited me; the running of the stars and flashes of lightning impelled and pressed me forwards, while winds in the vision assisted my flight, hastening me.

10. They elevated me aloft to heaven…

16. …Its floor was on fire; above were lightnings and agitated stars, while its roof exhibited a blazing fire.

17. Attentively I surveyed it, and saw that it contained an exalted throne;

18. The appearance of which was like that of frost; while its circumference resembled the orb of the brilliant sun; and there was the voice of the cherubim.

19. From underneath this mighty throne rivers of flaming fire issued.

20. To look upon it was impossible.

21. One great in glory sat upon it

22. Whose robe was brighter than the sun, and whiter than snow.

23. No angel was capable of penetrating to view the face of Him, the Glorious and the Effulgent; nor could any mortal behold him. A fire of flaming fire was around Him.

24. A fire also of great extent continued to rise up before Him; so that not one of those who surrounded Him was capable of approaching Him, among the myriads of myriads who were before Him. And He required not holy counsel. Yet did not the sanctified, who were near Him, depart far from Him either by night or by day; nor were they removed from Him. I also was so far advanced, with a veil on my face, and trembling. Then the Lord with his own mouth called me, saying: Approach hither, Enoch, at my holy word.

25. And He raised me up, making me near even to the entrance. My eye was directed to the ground.” (1 Enoch, Chapter 13, translation by Richard Laurence, LL.D., 1821)

1 Enoch introduces the concept of a holding place (“delightful places”) for the righteous dead, awaiting their resurrection on Judgment Day:

“1. From thence I proceeded to another spot, where I saw on the west a great and lofty mountain, a strong rock, and four delightful places.

2. Internally it was deep, capacious, and very smooth; as smooth as if it had been rolled over; it was both deep and dark to behold.

3. Then Raphael, one of the holy angels who were with me, answered and said: These are the delightful places where the spirits, the souls of the dead, will be collected; for them were they formed; and here will be collected all the souls of the sons of men.

4. These places, in which they dwell, shall they occupy until the day of judgment, and until their appointed period.” (1 Enoch, Chapter 22, translation by Richard Laurence, LL.D., 1821, emphasis added)

Chapter 39 clearly paints heaven as a place for the righteous.  The reward of the righteous – to be “in the presence of God for ever and for ever”:

“4. There I saw another vision; I saw the habitations and resting places of the saints. There my eyes beheld their habitations with the angels, and their resting places with the holy ones. They were entreating, supplicating, and praying for the sons of men; while righteousness like water flowed before them, and mercy like dew was scattered over the earth. And thus shall it be with them for ever and for ever.

5. At that time my eyes beheld the dwelling of the elect, of truth, faith, and righteousness.

6. Countless shall be the number of the holy and the elect, in the presence of God for ever and for ever.

7. Their residence I beheld under the wings of the Lord of spirits. All the holy and the elect sung before him, in appearance like a blaze of fire; their mouths being full of blessings, and their lips glorifying the name of the Lord of spirits. And righteousness incessantly dwelt before him.” (1 Enoch, Chapter 39, translation by Richard Laurence, LL.D., 1821)

Chapter 46 describes the “Ancient of Days”, and discusses the “Son of man” (compare with Daniel 7):

“1. There I beheld the Ancient of days, whose head was like white wool, and with him another, whose countenance resembled that of man. His countenance was full of grace, like that of one of the holy angels. Then I inquired of one of the angels, who went with me, and who showed me every secret thing, concerning this Son of man; who he was; whence he was and why he accompanied the Ancient of days.

2. He answered and said to me, This is the Son of man, to whom righteousness belongs; with whom righteousness has dwelt; and who will reveal all the treasures of that which is concealed: for the Lord of spirits has chosen him; and his portion has surpassed all before the Lord of spirits in everlasting uprightness.” (1 Enoch, Chapter 46, translation by Richard Laurence, LL.D., 1821)

Chapter 70 describes God’s heavenly attendants, and gives a further description of the Ancient of Days:

“7. There I beheld, in the midst of that light, a building raised with stones of ice;

8. And in the midst of these stone vibrations of living fire. My spirit saw around the circle of this flaming habitation, on one of its extremities, that there were rivers full of living fire, which encompassed it.

9. Then the Seraphim, the Cherubim, and Ophanin [four living creatures/wheels] surrounded it: these are those who never sleep, but watch the throne of his glory.

10. And I beheld angels innumerable, thousands of thousands, and myriads and myriads, who surrounded that habitation.

11. Michael, Raphael, Gabriel, Phanuel and the holy angels who were in the heavens above, went in and out of it. Michael, Raphael, and Gabriel went out of that habitation, and holy angels innumerable.

12. With them was the Ancient of days, whose head was white as wool, and pure, and his robe was indescribable.” (1 Enoch, Chapter 70, translation by Richard Laurence, LL.D., 1821)

Chapter 92 of 1 Enoch describes a “new heaven”, which is to come since “the former heaven shall depart and pass away” (compare with Revelation 21):

17. The former heaven shall depart and pass away; a new heaven shall appear; and all the celestial powers shall shine with sevenfold splendour for ever. Afterwards likewise shall there be many weeks, which shall externally exist in goodness and in righteousness.” (1 Enoch, Chapter 92, translation by Richard Laurence, LL.D., 1821)

And finally, 1 Enoch has several references to the final judgment:

“And after this, on the seventh day of the tenth week, there shall be an everlasting judgment, which shall be executed upon the Watchers; and a spacious eternal heaven shall spring forth in the midst of the angels.”  (1 Enoch, Chapter 92, Laurence)

“O ye kings, O ye mighty, who inhabit the world, you shall behold my Elect one, sitting upon the throne of my glory.  And he shall judge Azazeel [Satan] all his associates, and all his hosts, in the name of the Lord of spirits.”  (1 Enoch 54:5, Laurence)

“He sat upon the throne of his glory; and the principal part of the judgment was assigned to him, the Son of man.”  (1 Enoch 68:39, Laurence)

Heaven in the New Testament

Synoptic Gospels

Like in the Old Testament, the synoptic Gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke) discuss heaven as a place where God reigns on his throne, surrounded by the heavenly hosts.  Also like the Old Testament, people can be cast out of heaven (“I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven…”), destructive forces can be unleashed from heaven, and God can talk to humans from heaven.

However, there are elements in the Synoptic Gospels that are generally not in the Old Testament (although some exist in late inter-Testamental writings), including:

• Believers are encouraged to store up treasure in heaven
• After the resurrection of the dead, humans will become like angels in heaven
• A specific apostle (Peter) is told he is being given “keys to the kingdom of heaven”
• Jesus ascends to heaven – and will return from there during the end times
• Jesus, the Son of God, reigns in heaven with God (much more specific than the passages in Daniel 7)
• Heaven will not always exist(!)
• There are many references to the “kingdom of heaven” in Matthew – a concept not mentioned in the Old Testament.  I’ve noted them in the table below, but the phrase probably doesn’t refer to a place, but rather God’s omnipotent rule.

Keys of the Kingdom of Heaven

As noted above, Matthew 16:19 says that Peter is to be given “the keys of heaven”.  It is worth noting the different ways that Protestants and Catholics have interpreted those verses over the years.

(Mat 16:18 NIV)  “And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it.

(Mat 16:19 NIV)  I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven."

These verses have been traditionally interpreted by the Roman Catholic Church as indicating that the Christian Church has received its authority from the legacy of Peter. The Roman Church also points to passages such as John 21:16, where Jesus says to Peter "Take care of my sheep", as further justification that Peter is the founder of the Christian Church.

Protestants have traditionally interpreted the “rock” and “keys” passages to indicate that the faith of Peter is the “rock upon which I will build my church”, and that faith is the “keys to the kingdom.”  Protestants often view that Paul, not Peter, is the founder of the Christian Church as we know it today.

Acts

Acts, being a history of the early church, doesn’t contain a lot of material about heaven, but there are a few items of interest:

• At Pentecost, the Holy Spirit descends from heaven (“…a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house…”)
• Jesus will remain in heaven until the end times
• As part of Paul’s conversion on the road to Damascus, he sees a light from heaven
• Peter receives a vision of heaven which results in his taking his ministry to the Gentiles