Third Heaven and Beyond: 2 Corinthians 12:2
Did you know that the New Testament contains the most intriguing statement that suggests the existence of multiple heavens? The reference appears in Paul's second letter to the Corinthians. He writes, “I know a man in Christ who, fourteen years ago, whether in the body I do not know, or out of the body I do not know, God knows, such a man was caught up to the third heaven (ἁρπαγέντα τὸν τοιοῦτον ἕως τρίτου οὐρανοῦ).” (2 Corinthians 12:2). Third heaven? Are there more? How many heavens are out there? If you have been told that there is heaven, hell, and nothing in between, this text would raise some questions about what in the world Apostle Paul is talking about...
While the Hebrew Bible hints at heaven being a multi-layered reality, Second Temple Jewish literature is where this idea finds a fuller expression of multiple heavens. Passages like Deuteronomy 10:14, 1 Kings 8:27, and Psalm 148:4 indeed mention “heavens of heavens” (שְׁמֵי הַשָּׁמָיִם; shemei ha-shamayim), but Second Temple era Jewish writers vividly describe the full complexity of the heavenly realm. Some of these books are actually about heavenly journeys and conversations with angels, so they are quite detailed on t the topic.
For example, the First Book of Enoch (3rd century BCE to the 1st century CE) features stories about Enoch's ascent through multiple heavenly realms. In 1 Enoch, the first heaven contains storehouses of snow, dew, and atmospheric phenomena. Higher levels are where Enoch witnesses the “Great Glory” seated on the throne. Surprisingly, some areas of heaven house rebellious angels. In one of the heavens’ layers, Enoch even saw the garden of righteousness and the Tree of Wisdom.
Pinchas Shir
The most comprehensive exposition of the structure of heaven appears in 2 Enoch (1st century CE), which paints the picture of seven heavens. The Second Book of Enoch provides a stage-by-stage account of Enoch's journey through each heaven, describing each realm in detail. From the seventh heaven, Enoch could see the dwelling place of God, his archangels, and the highest of angelic orders. But in his vision, the seer speculated that there were even more layers.
And the Enoch tradition is not alone in this. The Testament of Levi, part of the Testaments of the Twelve Patriarchs (2nd century BCE to 1st century CE), describes Levi's visionary ascent through multiple heavens, too.
“The first heaven is dark... The second has fire, snow, and ice... In the third are the hosts of the armies... The fourth has thrones and authorities... In the fifth are the angels who bear answers to the angels of the presence of the Lord... In the sixth are the archangels... In the seventh is the Great Glory.” (Testament of Levi 2:7-3
Pinchas Shir
Eventually, the seven heavens became the number most widely accepted. The Apocalypse of Abraham (1st-2nd century CE) describes Abraham's ascent through multiple heavenly realms guided by the angel named Iaoel. Just like the books of Enoch, it portrays a cosmic journey that culminates in a vision of the divine throne, surrounded by the fiery creatures (חַיּוֹת; chayyot) described in Ezekiel's vision. The Ascension of Isaiah (late 1st to early 2nd century CE) presents a detailed seven-heaven cosmology with distinctly Christian elements. Isaiah ascends through each heaven, witnessing increasingly glorious angelic orders, until reaching the seventh heaven where he beholds God and “the Beloved” (Messiah himself).
The early and classical rabbinic texts tend to avoid esoteric speculation, yet they also mention multiple heavens. Some rabbis decried this: “Whoever speculates on four things, it were better had he not come into the world: what is above, what is beneath, what was before time, and what will be hereafter” (Mishnah Hagigah 2:1). Yet Midrash Genesis Rabbah 4:3 elaborates on seven heavens and ties biblical verses to each. Tractate Hagigah 122b asserts, “Our Rabbis taught: There are seven heavens” (תנו רבנן שבעה רקיעים הן). Thus, we see a harmonizing of rabbinic Jewish tradition with Enoch lore.
Are there indeed seven heavens out there? We may never know unless given the chance, and access to experience the “heavens of heavens” (שְׁמֵי הַשָּׁמָיִם; shemei ha-shamayim). For now, we listen to the ancient stories and wonder.
Pinchas Shir