Bible Dictionaries
Heaven, Heavenly

Vine's Expository Dictionary of NT Words

probably akin to ornumi, "to lift, to heave," is used in the NT (a) of "the aerial heavens," e.g., Matthew 6:26; 8:20; Acts 10:12; 11:6 (RV, "heaven," in each place, AV, "air"); James 5:18; (b) "the sidereal," e.g., Matthew 24:29,35; Mark 13:25,31; Hebrews 11:12 , RV, "heaven," AV, "sky;" Revelation 6:14; 20:11; they, (a) and (b), were created by the Son of God, Hebrews 1:10 , as also by God the Father, Revelation 10:6; (c) "the eternal dwelling place of God," Matthew 5:16; 12:50; Revelation 3:12; 11:13; 16:11; 20:9 . From thence the Son of God descended to become incarnate, John 3:13,31; 6:38,42 . In His ascension Christ "passed through the heavens," Hebrews 4:14 , RV; He "ascended far above all the heavens," Ephesians 4:10 , and was "made higher than the heavens," Hebrews 7:26; He "sat down on the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens," Hebrews 8:1; He is "on the right hand of God," having gone into heaven, 1 Peter 3:22 . Since His ascension it is the scene of His present life and activity, e.g., Romans 8:34;. Hebrews 9:24 . From the thence the Holy Spirit descended at Pentecost, 1 Peter 1:12 . It is the abode of the angels, e.g., Matthew 18:10; 22:30; cp. Revelation 3:5 . Thither Paul was "caught up," whether in the body or out of the body, he knew not, 2 Corinthians 12:2 . It is to be the eternal dwelling place of the saints in resurrection glory, 2 Corinthians 5:1 . From thence Christ will descend to the air to receive His saints at the Rapture, 1 Thessalonians 4:16; Philippians 3:20,21 , and will subsequently come with His saints and with His holy angels at His second advent, Matthew 24:30; 2 Thessalonians 1:7 . In the present life "heavens," is the region of the spirtual citizenship of believers, Philippians 3:20 . The present "heavens" with the earth, are to pass away, 2 Peter 3:10 , "being on fire," 2 Peter 3:12 (see ver. 2 Peter 3:7 ); Revelation 20:11 , and new "heavens" and earth are to be created, 2 Peter 3:13; Revelation 21:1 , with Isaiah 65:17 , e.g.

In Luke 15:18,21 , "heaven" is used, by metonymy, for God. See AIR.

Notes: (1) For the phrase in Luke 11:13 , see Note on B, No. 2.

(2) In Luke 11:2 , the AV, "as in heaven," translates a phrase found in some mss.

denotes "mid-heaven," or the midst of the heavens (mesos, "middle," and No. 1), Revelation 8:13; 14:6; 19:17 .

signifying "of heaven, heavenly," corresponding to A, No. 1, is used (a) as an appellation of God the Father, Matthew 6:14,26,32 , "your heavenly Father;" Matthew 15:13 , "My heavenly Father;" (b) as descriptive of the holy angels, Luke 2:13; (c) of the vision seen by Paul, Acts 26:19 .

"heavenly," what pertains to, or is in, heaven (epi, in the sense of "pertaining to," not here, "above"), has meanings corresponding to some of the meanings of ouranos, A, No. 1. It is used (a) of God the Father, Matthew 18:35; (b) of the place where Christ "sitteth at the right hand of God" (i.e., in a position of Divine authority), Ephesians 1:20; and of the present position of believers in relationship to Christ, Ephesians 2:6; where they possess "every spiritual blessing," Ephesians 1:3; (c) of Christ as "the Second Man," and all those who are related to Him spirtually, 1 Corinthians 15:48; (d) of those whose sphere of activity or existence is above, or in contrast to that of earth, of "principalities and powers," Ephesians 3:10; of "spiritual hosts of wickedness," Ephesians 6:12 , RV, "in heavenly places," for AV, "in high places;" (e) of the Holy Spirit, Hebrews 6:4; (f) of "heavenly things," as the subjects of the teaching of Christ, John 3:12 , and as consisting of the spiritual and "heavenly" sanctuary and "true tabernacle" and all that appertains thereto in relation to Christ and His sacrifice as antitypical of the earthly tabernacle and sacrifices under the Law, Hebrews 8:5; 9:23; (g) of the "calling" of believers, Hebrews 3:1; (h) of heaven as the abode of the saints, "a better country" than that of earth, Hebrews 11:16 , and of the spiritual Jerusalem, Hebrews 12:22; (i) of the kingdom of Christ in its future manifestation, 2 Timothy 4:18; (j) of all beings and things, animate and inanimate, that are "above the earth," Philippians 2:10; (k) of the resurrection and glorified bodies of believers, 1 Corinthians 15;49; (l) of the "heavenly orbs," 1 Corinthians 15:40 ("celestial," twice, and so rendered here only).

Note: In connection with (a), the word "heavenly," used of God the Father in Luke 11:13 , represents the phrase ex ouranou, "from heaven."

formed from A, No. 1, and denoting "from heaven," is used of (a) the aerial heaven, Acts 14:17; (b) heaven, as the uncreated sphere of God's abode, 26:13.