THE THIRD (3rd) HEAVEN

THE THIRD (3rd) HEAVEN

 

When the Lord Jesus ascended to heaven, He took with Him the soul-spirits - not the bodies - of all believers who had died from Adam and Eve to John the Baptist. They are no longer in "the lower parts of the earth" (Eph. 4:9) - namely "Paradise" (Luke 23:43), or "Abraham's bosom" (Luke 16:22).
Hear the Apostle Paul on this point.
Therefore He says:
"When He ascended on high,
He led captivity captive,
And gave gifts to men."
(Now this, "He ascended" - what does it mean but that He also first descended into the lower parts of the earth? He who descended is also the One who ascended far above all the heavens, that He might fill all things.) (Eph. 4:8-10)
Later, Paul stated that he "was caught up to the third heaven ... into Paradise and heard inexpressible words, which it is not lawful for a man to utter" (2 Cor. 12:2, 4). Thus Paradise and all who were in it were transferred to the third heaven when the Lord Jesus ascended to that realm ten days before the Day of Pentecost (cf. Acts 1:1-11).