The very first verse in the Bible reads: “In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth”. The word ‘Beginning’ as it relates to the beginning of the Universe takes us back to the beginning of Time, Time can be measured from the instant that ‘Matter’ first came into existence. The beginning of the material Universe, signifying all things that are made out of matter, begins with the formation of the heaven and the earth. Though it is commonly assumed that the heaven, as in the dwelling place of God, and the earth, and the heavens comprising of all the other heavenly bodies were formed simultaneously, this interpretation is incorrect. The Bible declares in more than one place that the ‘heavens’ or all of Space cannot contain God so why God would need a dwelling place becomes a legitimate question whose answer will be provided later on in this work. There was a definite order in which construction of the material Universe progressed, beginning with The Heaven, the earth and the heavens coming later in their own order. The Bible makes a clear distinction between the heaven (singular) and the heavens (plural). There are dozens if not hundreds of scriptures that speak of the abode of God in the singular as a place that is a city that most likely exists above the sphere of Space. Scriptures, as for example Deut. 26:15, 1 Kin. 8:30,39,43,49 , 1 Chr. 21:26, Neh. 9:27, Psa. 11:4 and too many others to be listed here prove that there is a specific place identified in the Bible as ‘Heaven’ where God abides. 2 Chronicles 2:6 But who is able to build him an house, seeing the heaven and heaven of heavens cannot contain him? The preceding scripture among many others such as Deuteronomy 10:14, 1 Kings 8:27, 2 Chronicles 6:18 and Psalm 115:16 proves that the Bible makes a clear distinction between ‘the heaven’ and the ‘heaven of heavens.’ ‘THE HEAVEN’ refers to a specific place defined as the dwelling place of God; ‘THE HEAVEN (Space) OF HEAVENS (celestial bodies)’ on the other hand refers to Space in which are contained all the heavenly bodies. Thus ‘heaven of heavens’ is to be understood as the physical space above the Earth that we sometimes refer to as ‘the sky’ that contains stars, planets and other heavenly bodies.
The dwelling place of God, ‘The Heaven’ is indeed a city that probably is not situated on a planet. It is in all likelihood a powered spacecraft of immense proportions, literally a flying city located due north of the cosmic North Pole which may or may not coincide with the Earth’s geographical North Pole. The following scripture clearly defines heaven as a city: Heb. 12:22 But ye are come unto mount Sion, and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of angels. There are other scriptures that address ‘Heaven’ as a city, such as Psalm 46:4 There is a river, the streams whereof shall make glad the city of God, the holy place of the tabernacles of the most High. Heb. 12:22 speaking of the present Heaven, not the one to come, describes it very specifically as a city. It would also stand to reason that just as earthly kingdoms were located in cities, and the king’s palace and the temple of the local god were the central point of the city, so too would God’s kingdom be centered in a temple that would also be located in a city. God does indeed have a temple in Heaven where his throne is located: Rev 11:19 And the temple of God was opened in heaven, and there was seen in his temple the ark of his testament. Here are more scriptures that confirm the fact that ‘heaven’ is a city: Heb. 11:10 For he looked for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God. Heb. 12:22 But now they desire a better country, that is, an heavenly: wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God: for he hath prepared for them a city.
The location of the city of Heaven is impossible to determine using current astronomical data but the Bible does give us some clues that it is located due North according to the compass of God. Proverbs 8:27 When he prepared the heavens, I was there: when he set a compass upon the face of the depth, there is a compass of God that determines the true cosmic directions but these are probably not the same as the ones we currently employ here on Earth. The following scriptures confirm the fact that the city of God is located in the sides of the North:
Psalm 48:2 Beautiful for situation, the joy of the whole earth, is mount Zion, on the sides of the north, the city of the great King. Some would argue that this is simply a reference to a place in the land of Israel but when compared to Isaiah 14:13 For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north; it becomes apparent that this reference to a city upon a mountain the sides of the north is not merely to an earthly city but to a heavenly one. Isaiah 14 refers to the time of the fall of Lucifer that predates the nation of Israel by eons; therefore the city of the Great King is the heavenly Jerusalem that is located on a mountain somewhere in the heavenly north. This celestial mountain where the celestial city is located may not necessarily be made out of Earth but maybe made out of metal, look at the following scripture: Zec. 6:1 And I turned, and lifted up mine eyes, and looked, and, behold, there came four chariots out from between two mountains; and the mountains were mountains of brass. The fact that these mountains of brass are located in Heaven is obvious from the following scripture: Zec. 6:5 And the angel answered and said unto me, These are the four spirits of the heavens, which go forth from standing before the LORD of all the earth. The angel told the prophet Zechariah that the spirits that he saw coming out from between the mountains of brass came from standing before the LORD (Jehovah). And where does the LORD (Jehovah) reside but in Heaven? So what is the significance of the mountains of brass? It would tend to prove that the Heaven is city made of metal, a spacecraft city perhaps?
Whilst I do not believe it is of doctrinal significance whether the Heaven is a city located on a planet or it is a free floating powered spacecraft but Biblical evidence would tend to support the view that it is indeed a city located above the sphere of Space. If God truly dwells above the physical ‘heavens’ as following scriptures would seem to indicate then the ‘Heaven’ cannot be a physical planet located within Space. Psalm 8:1 O LORD, our Lord, how excellent is thy name in all the earth! who hast set thy glory above the heavens. Ephesians 4:10 He that descended is the same also that ascended up far above all heavens, that he might fill all things. This preceding scripture is referring to Jesus’ ascension to Heaven after his resurrection. Now we know that Jesus sits at the right hand of the Father in Heaven, and if he had to ascend far above all heavens (meaning the Space that contains all heavenly bodies) then it can be reasonably concluded that the Heaven is a city, as proven before, that is situated outside the bounds of the physical Universe. If Heaven itself is a place made out of matter which it appears to be then how it exists outside of Space is a paradox that may be understood by understanding the configuration of the Universe as explained in the Bible, which we will do a little bit further on in this work.
The idea of a planet sized city travelling through space has been explored in science fiction going back to the early part of the last century in books and movies. The cover picture of ‘Analog’ magazine from the 1950’s imagines future space travel in city sized spacecraft. I suppose the writer of this article was not aware of the Biblical adage that there is nothing new under the sun, that God had already created the most technologically advanced flying city in history at the very beginning of history. The following You Tube clip is from a 1998 movie called Dark City about a planet size city flying through space without the citizens knowing that it is a spacecraft.
The TV series Stargate Atlantis also has some fine special effects depicting the flying city of Atlantis.
The greatest evidence that can be presented to prove that the present Heaven is a spacecraft type city is by studying the description of the NEW HEAVEN in Rev. 21. If the New Heaven is a technological marvel city that can fly then why can’t the present Heaven similarly be a city that is not based on a planet? Rev. 21:1 And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away. When we picture the new Earth we picture it as a round planet similar to the present one, so why would the first Heaven and the new Heaven also not be similar? Therefore it is not illogical to conclude that Heaven, the command and control centre of the present Universe is a technological marvel city run by God the Creator from which he guides the Cosmos, not magically but technologically.
It also stands to reason that as a Wise Master Builder the first place God would make in the Universe would be The Heaven from where he would guide the construction process of the Cosmos. Whenever man undertakes a major construction project the first place that is built is the construction office from which the foreman directs the actual building process. However even before the preparation of the construction site begins something more important than the construction process itself has to take place. The architect of the project or building first of all has to prepare the plans and blueprints that the foreman and workers will follow in the actual construction process. Although the common interpretation of the first chapter of the book of Genesis is that God suddenly started speaking everything into existence, the Bible explains that he used wisdom, knowledge, understanding, intelligence, discretion before beginning the process of the construction of the Universe. In other words he made specific plans and drew specific blueprints before one particle of Matter came into existence.
Jeremiah 10:12 He hath made the earth by his power, he hath established the world by his wisdom, and hath stretched out the heavens by his discretion. In this scripture the word Power means ABILITY, Wisdom means SKILL and Discretion means INTELLIGENCE. Proverbs 3:19 The LORD by wisdom (skilful design) hath founded the earth; by understanding (thought, intelligence) hath he established the heavens. So even before a single particle was formed, all material things were given shape in the mind of God. Prov. 8 is a first person account given by the Wisdom of God, his skill, his understanding, his knowledge, that reveals that Wisdom was employed BEFORE the Earth and the heavens came into existence. Everything that exists today, and that which came into existence in the very beginning was thoughtfully designed and planned by God down to the microscopic level. God did not start making things and then decide what they ought to become! Prov. 8:22 The LORD possessed me in the beginning of his way, before his works of old. 23 I was set up from everlasting, from the beginning, or ever the earth was. The preceding scriptures among others prove that before the beginning there was a ‘Before’, a process of planning, of designing, of making the pattern that would be followed when the actual construction process began. That God uses blueprints and patterns is obvious from scripture, take for example Heb. 8:5 ... See, saith he, that thou make all things according to the pattern shewed to thee in the mount. The pattern was created long before the tabernacle was built; this pattern (pardon the pun) is the very same that has been followed in the construction of all things that God has built, whether it is a planet or a star or a plant or an animal or man, first was created the pattern or blueprint and then came the building. God created (patterned) everything in his mind first before one grain of sand was ever formed, before the foundations of the Earth were ever laid.
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