Category: Biblical Cosmology

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The Righteous shall shine as the Brightness of the Firmament

Enoch 103:2Wait with patient hope; for formerly you have been disgraced with evil and with affliction; but now shall you shine like the luminaries of heaven. You shall be seen, and the gates of heaven shall be opened to you. Your cries have cried for judgment; and it has appeared to you: for an account of all your sufferings shall be required from the princes, and from every one who has assisted your plunderers Deuteronomy 6:25It will be righteousness for us if we are careful to observe all this commandment before the Lord our God, just as He commanded us. Proverbs 4:18But the path of the righteous is like the light of dawn, That shines brighter and brighter until the full day. Matthew 13:43Then the righteous will shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. He who has ears, let him hear. 1 John 3:7Little children, make sure no one deceives you; the one who practices righteousness is righteous, just as He is righteous;

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July 1, 2024 No Comments

Songs of Sabbath Sacrifice

Songs of Sabbath Sacrifice 8 – 4Q403 FRAG. 1Praise the God of all the highest heavens, all you who are eternally holy, deputies among the priests who draw near, the second council in the wondrous habitation among the seven priests, among those knowledgeable of eternal things. Exalt Him, princes who rule, with His portion, His wonders: Praise the God of the godlike, you seven priests who draw near to Him in the highest heaven, seven wondrous realms set out by the precepts governing His temples. […] the temples of the realm of the sevenfold priesthood, in the wondrous temple belonging to the seven holy councils […] the prince, the angels of the King in the wondrous habitations. Songs of Sabbath Sacrifice 7 – 4Q404 F. 3-5Hy[mn] the G[od a]wesome in power, [all you] wise (spirits) of light; together laud the utterly brilliant firmament that girds His holy temple. Praise Him, godlike spirits, lauding eternally the firmament of the uttermost heaven, all its beams and walls, all its structure and crafted design. The utterly holy spirits, living divinities, eternally holy spirits above all the holy ones …] wondrous and wonderful, majesty and splendor and marvel. Glory abides in the perfected light of knowledge … in all the wondrous temples, divine spirits surrounding the abode of the righteous and true King… Songs of Sabbath Sacrifice 13 – 11Q17 COL. 10His Testimonies and all the blessings of His Peace […] the Glory of His Works and with the light […] and with the Splendour of His Praise in all the firmaments of […] light and darkness, and figures […] the Holiness of the King of Glory towards all the Works of His Truth […] for the angels of knowledge, in all […] holy upliftings for the Thrones of His Glory and for the Footstool of His Feet […] Chariots of His Majesty, and for His Holy Inner Sanctums […] and for the entry portals of […] with all exits of […] corners of its structure, and for all dwellings of […] and for the Temples of His Glory, and for the firmaments of […]

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July 1, 2024 No Comments

The 1st Heaven

• The Hebrew word “raqia”, translated as “firmament”, is defined as a beaten out, extended surface, and a solid, vaulted dome. https://biblehub.com/hebrew/7549.htm https://www.blueletterbible.org/lexicon/h7549/kjv/wlc/0-1 https://www.kingjamesbibleonline.org/Firmament.php4 • In Genesis 1: the name “heaven” is given to the structure of the firmament. Genesis 1:8And God called the firmament Heaven. So the evening and the morning were the second day. • The vault of heaven is spread out over earth: Job 22:14Clouds are a hiding place for Him, so that He cannot see; And He walks on the vault of heaven. Amos 9:6The One who builds His upper chambers in the heavens And has founded His vaulted dome over the earth, He who calls for the waters of the sea And pours them out on the face of the earth, The Lord is His name. This heavenly ceiling contains waters above it: Psalms 148:4Praise Him, highest heavens, And the waters that are above the heavens! 2 Esdras 6:41Then on the second day you created the spirit of the firmament and commanded that it divide and make a division between the waters so that a certain part might recede upward and another part remain below.

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July 1, 2024 No Comments

The 2nd Heaven

• The 2nd heaven isn’t directly mentioned by number in any book of the modern Protestant canon. But it’s existence is evident when a 3rd heaven is mentioned in 2 Corinthians 12. • Contrary to popularly held teachings, this 2nd heaven is not a spiritual embodiment of an “outer space” in a heliocentric universe. Rather, the foundational definition of a “heaven” remains consistent for every heaven God created: a vaulted, firmament dome structure.(See Genesis 1; On day two of creation, God named the firmament “heaven” in verse 8 – after already creating multiple other heavens on day one in verse 1.) • In the Testament of the 12 Patriarchs, Levi describes a vision of the 2nd heaven where he specifically sees fire and ice reserved for the day of judgement. These heavenly weapons are mentioned numerous times in scripture. Testament of Levi 2:8-9And further I saw a second heaven far brighter and more brilliant, for there was a boundless light also therein. And I said to the angel, Why is this so? And the angel said to me, “Marvel not at this, for thou shalt see another heaven more brilliant and incomparable.” Psalms 18:12-14From the brightness before Him, His thick clouds passed with hailstones and coals of fire. The Lord thundered from heaven, And the Most High uttered His voice, Hailstones and coals of fire. He sent out His arrows and scattered the foe, Lightnings in abundance, and He vanquished them.

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July 1, 2024 No Comments

The 3rd Heaven

• The 3rd firmament vault of heaven is directly mentioned and numbered in the modern western canon of 66 books, within Paul’s 2nd letter to the Corinthians. Notice that Paul doesn’t say he himself was caught up to the third heaven, but that he knew a man: 2 Corinthians 12:2-4I 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. And I know how such a man-whether in the body or apart from the body I do not know, God knows- was caught up into Paradise and heard inexpressible words, which a man is not permitted to speak. • “Paradise”, is a term only ever used in reference to the Garden of Eden, and its exapanded renewed form: the New Jerusalem Kingdom.– 1 Enoch 41:1, Testament of Levi 18:10-11, 2 Esdras 3:4-6, 2 Esdras 8:52, Luke 23:42-43, Revelation 2:7 • It can be inferred from Revelation 12:1, if the woman clothed with the Sun is this New Jerusalem, then the Sun is likely in the 3rd heaven where Paradise is currently located. This is directly stated in other apocalyptic literature ascribed to Baruch.“The Moon under her feet” could place the Moon in either the 3rd or 2nd heaven, though no available scripture specifies this

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July 1, 2024 No Comments

The 4th Heaven

In the Testament of Levi found in the Dead Sea Scrolls, the 4th vault of heaven is enumerated and described as containing certain classes of Angels who continually sing praises to YHWH. These Angelic types are Thrones & Dominions. • Numerous scholars and students of angelology have concluded that Thrones are synonymous with Ophanim – or more commonly recognized as the “wheels” of Ezekiel’s vision. Ezekiel 1:16-18The appearance of the Ophanim and their workmanship was like sparkling beryl, and all four of them had the same form, their appearance and workmanship being as if one Ophanim were within another. Whenever they moved, they moved in any of their four directions without turning as they moved. As for their backs they were lofty and awesome, and backs of all four of them were full of sparkle round about. To better understand Ezekiel’s vision of the Ophanim “wheels”, consider this presentation:https://youtu.be/1EPeMotXpXk • Some assert that these beings are also called “chariots” in scripture: Sirach 49:8It was Ezekiel who saw the vision of glory, which God showed him above the chariot of the cherubim. Psalms 68:17The chariots of God are myriads, thousands upon thousands; The Lord is among them as at Sinai, in holiness. Isaiah 66:15For behold, the Lord will come in fire And His chariots like the whirlwind, To render His anger with fury, And His rebuke with flames of fire. • These angels who never sleep, and forever praise God, are also shown to Enoch: Enoch 60:13-14He shall call to every power of the heavens, to all the holy above, and to the power of God The Cherubim, the Seraphim, and the Ophanim, all the angels of power, and all the angels of Dominions, namely, of the Elect One, and of the other Power, who was upon earth over the water on that day, shall raise their united voice; shall bless, glorify, praise, and exalt with the spirit of faith, with the spirit of wisdom and patience, with the spirit of mercy, with the spirit of judgment and peace, and with the spirit of benevolence; all shall say with united voice: Blessed is He; and the name of the Lord of spirits shall be blessed for ever and for ever; all, who sleep not, shall bless it in heaven above

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July 1, 2024 No Comments

The 5th Heaven

• The 5th firmament of heaven is explained in a number of scriptures to be the location of the stars and an Angellic class of Powers who conduct the stars. Enoch is given an extensive tour of this area of the heavens: Enoch 70:4-6And Michael, one of the archangels, took me by my right hand, raised me up, and brought me out to where was every secret of mercy and secret of righteousness. He showed me all the hidden things of the extremities of heaven, all the receptacles of the stars, and the splendours of all, from whence they went forth before the face of the holy. And he concealed the spirit of Enoch in the heaven of heavens Enoch 74:15I saw likewise the chariots of heaven, running in the world above to those gates in which the stars turn, which never set. • Enoch is even told the names of some of the Powers who conduct the stars, that the Angel Uriel is in charge of: Enoch 71:1The book of the revolutions of the luminaries of heaven, according to their respective classes, their respective powers, their respective periods, their respective names, the places where they commence their progress, and their respective months, which Uriel, the holy angel who was with me, explained to me; he who conducts them. • A condensed list of the names of the angellic Powers who conduct the stars from Enoch 71: Melkel, Helammelak, Meliyal, Narel, Adnarel, Jyasusal, Jyelumeal, Melkyas, Tamani, Zahay, Barkel, Zelsabel, Heloyalef, Helemmelek, Zahay, Gedaeyal, Keel, Heel, Asphael

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July 1, 2024 No Comments

The 6th Heaven

• A 6th vaulted dome of heaven is listed byLevi, son of Jacob. He recounts his vision ofwhat takes place in this firmament by depicting a priesthood of Angels called the Angels of the Presence. These beings serve and minister on the altars in heavenly temples, performing sacrificial offerings of worship to The Most High. • These proceedings are also shown to John: Revelation 11:19And the temple of God which is in heaven was opened; and the ark of His covenant appeared in His temple … Revelation 14:17And another angel came out of the temple which is in heaven … Revelation 15:5-6After these things I looked, and the temple of the tabernacle of testimony in heaven was opened, and the seven angels who had the seven plagues came out of the temple, clothed in linen, clean and bright, and girded around their chests with golden sashes. • A number of scriptures refer to certain angels as “ministers”, indicating a priestly duty: Psalm 104:4 LXXWho makes his angels spirits, and his ministers a flaming fire. Hebrews 1:7And of the angels He says, “Who makes His angels winds, And His ministers a flame of fire.” 2 Baruch 48:10Innumerable armies stand before You and minister in their orders quietly at Your nod. • Seven of these Angels of the Presence who oversee various aspects of creation are named in 1 Enoch: Enoch 20:1-8And these are the names of the holy angels who watch. Uriel, one of the holy angels, who is over the world and over Tartarus. Raphael, one of the holy angels, who is over the spirits of men. Raguel, one of the holy angels who takes vengeance on the world of the luminaries. Michael, one of the holy angels, to wit, he that is set over the best part of mankind and over chaos. Saraqâêl, one of the holy angels, who is set over the spirits, who sin in the spirit. Gabriel, one of the holy angels, who is over Paradise and the Seraphim and the Cherubim. Remiel, one of the holy angels, whom God set over those who rise. Tobit 12:15 LXXI am Raphael, one of the seven holy angels, which present the prayers of the saints, and which go in and out before the glory of the Holy One. Luke 1:19The angel answered and said to him, “I am Gabriel, who stands in the presence of God, and I have been sent to speak to you and to bring you this good news.

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July 1, 2024 No Comments

The 7th Heaven

• The highest heaven and 7th firmament is shown to a number of Patriarchs and Prophets, as it is where the throne of the Most High God is. This “heaven of heavens” is mentioned multiple times in the modern canon: Deuteronomy 10:14Behold, to the Lord your God belong heaven and the highest heaven, the earth and all that is in it. Nehemiah 9:6You alone are the Lord; You have made heaven, The heaven of heavens, with all their host, The earth and everything on it, The seas and all that is in them, And You preserve them all. The host of heaven worships You. See also: 1 Enoch 70:6, Deuteronomy 10:14, 1 Kings 8:27, 2 Chronicles 2:6, 2 Chronicles 6:18, Psalms 68:33, Ecclesiasticus 16:18 • Though a numerical quantity of the totalheavens is not specified in the common western Bible of today, collections of scripture from across the world and throughout time have included other books that do: Apocalypse of Abraham 10:4-8And the angel whom He had sent came to me in the likeness of a man and grasped me by my right hand and set me up upon my feet and said to me, “Stand up Abraham, O friend of God who loves you; let not the trembling of man seize you! For lo! I have been sent to you to strengthen you and bless you in the name of God, who loves you, the Creator of heaven and earth. Be fearless and hasten to Him. I am called Jaoel by Him who moves those who exist with me on the seventh expanse over the heavens, a power in virtue of the ineffable Name that is dwelling in me.” Apocalypse of Abraham 19:5-6And I looked downwards from the mountain on which I stood to the sixth firmament, and there I saw a multitude of angels of pure spirit, without bodies, whose duty was to carry out the commands of the fiery angels who were upon the seventh firmament, as I was standing suspended over them. Testament of Levi 3:1Listen concerning the seven heavens.

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July 1, 2024 No Comments

The Day of the Lord

Isaiah 24:23Then the moon will be abashed and the sun ashamed, For the Lord of hosts will reign on Mount Zion and in Jerusalem, And His glory will be before His elders. Isaiah 51:6Lift up your eyes to the heavens, And look on the earth beneath. For the heavens will vanish away like smoke, The earth will grow old like a garment, And those who dwell in it will die in like manner; But My salvation will be forever, And My righteousness will not be abolished. Matthew 24:29Immediately after the tribulation of those days the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light; the stars will fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken.

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July 1, 2024 No Comments