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God, the householder of the parable, graciously and generously offered the laborers the opportunity to work in His vineyard – a privilege offered out of the goodness of His heart. (Matthew 9:37,38; 1 Corinthians 6:1,2) For this work, He granted a very generous wage, beyond anything man could ever have expected. (1 Peter 2:9; Revelation 20:6; 3:21) The same reward goes to all who are faithful (Matthew 19:28,29; 1 Peter1:3,4; Colossians 3:24). Each laborer freely chose to accept the work for a wage. God did not command or coerce them. If He had not offered work, they would have had nothing. The workers are those who answer God’s call, His invitation to follow Christ during this Gospel Age (Romans 12:1,2). He is gathering these individuals who fully appreciate God’s love, grace, generosity, wisdom, power and justice (John 3:16, Psalm 136:26; Isaiah 55:8). They must exercise self-denial and sacrifice to faithfully follow Christ (Ephesians 4:1-4; Colossians 1:10). Laboring for God offers not only a huge reward if faithful (Revelation 2:10, Romans 8:17; Galatians 3:29) but daily blessings, joy in the Lord, His favor and nearness to Him (Psalms 84:11; 65:4, Proverbs 3:1-4). John 4:36 informs us that “already he that reaped, received wages and gathered fruit unto life eternal…rejoice…” God is in charge. He is omnipotent (Malachi 3:6), just (Psalm 89:14) and true/fair (Hebrews 6:10, Psalms 25:8-10). His standards and expectations do not change (James 1:17). Those invited to follow the Master must exercise complete faith and trust that whatever He decides is best (Proverbs 3:5). The different experiences that His followers and laborers are given yield daily rewards now or are tests for these justified ones (2 Corinthians 9:10, Ephesians 3:20). Romans 9:20 reinforces that God’s followers are not in the position to question His motives or complain about the experiences received along the way. “Who are you oh man, to answer back to God? The thing molded will not say to the molder, ‘“Why did you make me this way?’ Will it? Or does the potter have a right over the clay to make from the same lump, one vessel for honorable use and another for common use?” (Isaiah 45:9,10). Numbers 23:19 addresses the repercussions of questioning God’s intentions and complaining about His integrity. God as the Master was never obligated to offer work or pay to anyone. He offered it out of loving kindness and the workers must appreciate whatever they receive, not comparing their efforts or rewards with others. 1 Corinthians 4:7 – “For who makes thee to differ and what do you have that you did not receive?”  As 1 Corinthians 12:18 reminds us: “God sets the members as it pleases Him”. So, why did the Owner of the vineyard, God, pay each the same amount? He answers – first that to do so was lawful, it was His money; second that He is generous (Matthew 20:15). What a generous God we serve!

Genesis opens with the universe and our earth already created. Genesis chapter 1 is told from the point of view of God looking at the earth and beginning its specific creative works including mankind. Genesis 2 continues from the point of view of Adam, looking out in the expanse of the universe and what was created for him on earth. Although the Scriptures do not provide a means to understand how much time was involved in this process of creation overall, they do offer insight into the progression of the creative process, and God’s judgment on each stage of progression. In Genesis 1:4, light is separated from dark, and God declares the light to be “good.” The next part of the creative process which God judges as “good” is the separation of the dry land from the seas in Genesis 1:10. Next, verse 12 in which plants are established, followed by the establishment of the earth’s day-and-night cycle in verse 18 are both judged “good.” Verse 21 describes the establishment of first sea life, then avian or “winged fowl” life which are the next to be judged “good.” Verse 25 describes the establishment of land-based life, which is the final creation to be judged “good.” Finally, verses 27-38 describe the creation of man, and it is only after man’s creation that God considers His creation to be “very good.” There is an orderly progression to this creative process, as one might expect from God, which, from a certain perspective is in harmony with at least some modern scientific theories. After the creation of man, Genesis chapter 1 ends. With mankind being the final creation mentioned in the chapter, and with God giving man dominion over the previously created things in Genesis 1:28-30, there is a sense that God’s creation to this point was all meant to lead up to the creation of mankind. Confusion can arise from misapplying the timeline of the entire creative process specifically with the history of man. Genesis 1:27 states that man was created in God’s image. Man was created perfect, with a perfect mind and body, according to God’s plan. Man was also created with free will; the ability to consciously choose his actions. This is evident by Genesis 2:16-17. God commands Adam not to eat of a certain tree. The fact that God commanded Adam demonstrates that Adam had a choice. One does not issue commands to something that has no choice but to obey. Neither does one expect perfect obedience from something that has no reasoning ability to guide their choice to obey. In Genesis 3:6, both Adam and Eve disobey God’s commandment. In Genesis 3:16-19, God describes the punishment for their disobedience, which is ultimately death. This punishment was not only applied to Adam and Eve, but all their descendants down through the generations of mankind, to us, today. From this perspective, by the disobedience of one man, Adam, death became a reality to mankind, as referred to by Paul in Romans 5:12. This does not mean that the other living things of God’s creation outside of mankind did not die prior to Adam’s disobedience. God’s judgement, as reflected in Paul’s words, are specific to mankind. Mankind was the only part of God’s creation made after “His image” (Genesis 1:27), and thus death only came upon mankind specifically because of Adam’s disobedience. Centuries later, God delivered a set of laws and sacrifices to a group of mankind in Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy. The perfect keeping of these laws would entitle one to life, with respect to God’s justice, as stated in Leviticus 18:4-5. Over the centuries, none could perfectly keep this Law, so all of mankind continued to be subject to death. This cycle was broken when Jesus was able to perfectly keep the Law and earn the right to life in view of God’s justice. This is evident in Jesus’s own words in Matthew 5:17-18, where Jesus states that he came to fulfill the law. The fact that Jesus did so is emphasized by Paul in Philippians 2:8, where Paul states that Jesus was “obedient unto death.” Obedience means that one has complied with whatever rules one is under. As by Jesus’s own words, he came to fulfill God’s law, and was obedient to it until his death, the conclusion is that he kept that law, and as stated in Leviticus 18:4-5, had a right to life. Jesus willingly gave up that life, and in so doing, balanced the scales of God’s justice that Adam, through his disobedience, had set to unbalance. Jesus’s perfect life, rightfully earned and willingly sacrificed, provided a corresponding price for the perfect life that Adam, through disobedience, lost. This is the balance that Paul refers to in Romans chapter 5. In balancing the scales of God’s justice, Jesus “purchased” mankind from Adam. In the fulness of God’s plan, all mankind will thus have an opportunity to return fully to God, and enjoy the blessings of life that were lost due to Adam’s disobedience. This “time of restitution,” as referred to in Acts 3:21, is approaching with each passing day, and will usher in a new period of everlasting joy and life for mankind (Revelation 21:4).

We know that before the Gospel was opened and preached to the Gentiles (Cornelius being the first Gentile convert – Acts 10), Israel was the chosen nation by God, and he worked and dealt only with them. Amos 3:2 “You only have I chosen of all the families of the earth…” Everything that happened to them was a shadow of better things to come. (Colossians 2:17). The reality is found in Jesus.God illustrated His relationship with Israel, as a husband and wife, God being the husband and Israel the wife. Isaiah 54:5 “For your Maker is your husband…” Jeremiah 31:32 “…My covenant which they broke, although I was a husband to them, declares the Lord.” However, Israel in numerous occasions left their true God and worshiped foreign gods. This was considered adultery against them. In the story of Hosea and Gomer, God wanted to show Hosea and the nation of Israel how does it really feel, when the chosen one, the one you love and care for, leaves you. We recommend a wonderful Powerpoint sermon called “Hosea – a Minor Prophet with a Major Problem.”  You can watch it here: https://bibleresources.info/videos/hosea-a-minor-prophet-with-a-major-problem/ The prophet Hosea was instructed by God to do the unthinkable, to marry a harlot. This video probes the reasons and symbolism God intended to convey, including lessons of God’s loyalty to His people as well as a Christian’s loyalty to God and His principles.

Mark 15:21 gives us the answer: (NIV) “A certain main from Cyrene, Simon, the father of Alexander and Rufus, was passing by on his way in from the country, and they forced him to carry the cross.” Can we imagine what a privilege it was for him to carry our Redeemer’s cross? Would you or I have done this? We would like to share with you a wonderful comment from one of our devotions book: And as they led Him away, they laid hold upon one Simon,…and on him they laid the cross, that he might bear it after Jesus. (Luke 23:26) WE have often wondered, where were Peter and John and James that they did not see the Master’s burden and run to proffer assistance? If disposed to envy Simon his privilege of assisting the Master in the bearing of the cross, let us reflect that many of the Lord’s brethren are daily bearing symbolic crosses, and that it is our privilege to assist them, and that the Lord agrees to reckon any service done to His faithful followers as though it were rendered to His own person….As the wooden cross was not our Lord’s heaviest burden, so, too, His followers have crosses which the world sees not, but which the “brethren” should understand. “Bear ye one another’s burdens and thus fulfill the law of Christ.”

Jacob’s name was changed to Israel, meaning “let God prevail.” See Genesis 32:22-32.

The account is found in 1 Chronicles 21 and 2 Samuel 24. In summary, David ordered that a census of fighting men be taken. This was against the counsel of Joab, the captain of his army, and we quickly learn it was an act not directed by God causing God to become very angry. God sends a death angel throughout the borders of Israel, but the angel stops right at Jerusalem after killing 70,000 men. As directed by God, David builds an altar on a threshing floor, and the burnt offerings he makes stays the hand of the death angel. On this very spot would eventually be built the second Temple, the Temple Mount in Jerusalem today. 2 Samuel 24: 1-3:  (NASB) 1Now again the anger of the Lord burned against Israel, and it incited David against them to say, “Go, number Israel and Judah.” 2The king said to Joab the commander of the army who was with him, “Go about now through all the tribes of Israel, from Dan to Beersheba, and register the people, that I may know the number of the people.” 3But Joab said to the king, “Now may the Lord your God add to the people a hundred times as many as they are, while the eyes of my lord the king still see; but why does my lord the king delight in this thing?” 1 Chronicles 21:1-3: (NASB) 1Then Satan stood up against Israel and moved David to number Israel. 2 So David said to Joab and to the princes of the people, “Go, number Israel from Beersheba even to Dan, and bring me word that I may know their number.” 3 Joab said, “May the Lord add to His people a hundred times as many as they are! But, my lord the king, are they not all my lord’s servants? Why does my lord seek this thing? Why should he be a cause of guilt to Israel?” Did Satan tempt or did God direct? Obviously, God never forces us to sin.  Satan knows us well enough to know our weaknesses.  It appears that God was angry with Israel and allowed Satan to tempt David through David’s concern that Israel was not strong enough militarily or tempted his pride over the strength of his kingdom. Either motivation showed David’s lack of complete trust in God. In the previous chapter, (1 Chronicles 20) Israel had just been through a series of battles with the Ammonites and the Philistines. Then 1 Chronicles 21:1 begins by saying, “Then Satan stood against Israel and provoked David to number the people.” It is possible Satan was responding to Israel’s victories in the previous chapter. He couldn’t destroy them in battle, so he resorted to another tactic he has used in other instances: When he couldn’t directly defeat Israel in battle, he would try to corrupt them. In doing so, God’s wrath would be kindled and God himself would kill them. The instance with Balaam in Numbers 31:16 is an example. In both accounts God responded in a predictable way, by killing Israelites. Satan was using God’s standard of righteousness to accomplish his own purposes.  He was now using David’s pride to drive a wedge between God and David (and Israel). Why was counting the people a sin? It is thought that by counting the people, David was either using the number as a source of pride because of his own kingship and military might or wanted the security of knowing he had enough fighting men to counter invaders. Either way, he was not relying on the Lord’s promise to “increase Israel like to the stars of the heavens.” 1 Chronicles 27:23. There was no acceptable purpose for the count or specific command from God, and he did not first ascertain the will of God, so we can conclude that David’s motivation was sinful. For example, God required Moses to take a census in Numbers 1, along with charging a corresponding census tax.  Back then, Israel was about 603,550 strong.  (Numbers 1:46) At this point, Israel and Judah probably had about 6 million people including women and children. Who was Joab? Joab was the captain of David’s army but also his nephew – the son of Zeruiah, King David’s sister. Joab’s example to us is beneficial. We need to speak up when those around us are clearly heading down the wrong path, even if they do not listen to our scriptural advice. We should all be Joab, challenging those around us to depend on God instead of giving in to fear or pride. See Proverbs 27:6. Since King David insisted the census be taken, Joab traveled throughout Israel to count the people. He returned to Jerusalem and gave David the numbers, omitting the tribes of Benjamin and Levi. Why weren’t Benjamin and Levi counted? It makes sense that the priestly tribe of Levi would not be counted for a military or political census, but why not the tribe of Benjamin? There are at least three thoughts. The first is that Benjamin was the smallest of the tribes and bordered Jerusalem so from a practical standpoint, it could be numbered after Joab returned to David in Jerusalem. The second is that by the time Joab returned 290 days later, David had understanding of his grave error and ordered the counting to stop. 1 Chronicles 27:24: (KJV) “Joab the son of Zeruiah began to number, but he finished not, because there fell wrath for it against Israel…” The third explanation is provided by 1 Chronicles 21:6: “But Levi and Benjamin were not counted among them; for the king’s word was abominable to Joab.” Joab was so against the counting that he simply did not finish the task. 1 Chronicles 27:24 ends with: “…neither was the number put in the account of the chronicles of King David.” Because of the tragedy associated with this error, this census must not have been added to the official record making it even more pointless. David eventually realized he did wrong and in verse 8 says: “I have sinned greatly, in that I have done this thing: but now, put away, I beseech thee, the iniquity of thy servant; for I have done very foolishly.” Of course,

“Enoch walked with God; then he was no more, because God took him away.” Genesis 5:24 The Apostle Paul confirms this thought in Hebrews 11:5, “By faith Enoch was translated that he should not see death; and was not found, because God had translated him.” Notice, neither of these scriptures mentions that Enoch went to heaven to be with God. In fact, he could not have received a heavenly reward at that time, since Jesus had not yet come to earth to pay the price of redemption that would enable the faithful ones to enter heaven. What, then, happened to Enoch? God took him away as a man of 365 years (Genesis 5:23) so that he would not see death in the normal way. He was taken in a supernatural way, as is evidenced by the word “translated.” According to Strong’s, Thayer’s and Bullinger’s Greek Lexicons, “translate” means “to put or place in another place, to transport, to transfer.” The same Greek word is rendered “carried over” in Acts 7:16 where Jacob’s body was ‘translated’ or ‘transported’ to Shechem where he was buried. Likewise, God took Enoch and buried him somewhere so as not to be found, just as He did with the body of Moses in Deuteronomy 34:6. No man knows where either Moses’ or Enoch’s grave is. God hid them for reasons known only to Him. It is our belief that both of these Ancient worthy ones will come forth from their graves at the time God has appointed for them. “Suddenly a chariot of fire and horses of fire appeared . . . and Elijah went up to heaven in a whirlwind.” (2 Kings 2:10) Yet, over nine hundred years after this event, Jesus himself said, “And no man hath ascended up to heaven, but he that came down from heaven, even the son of man which is in heaven.” John 3:13 Are these two Bible statements contradictory? If Elijah did not go to heaven, then where did he go? The scriptures use the word “heaven” to describe three places, not just one. The first heaven is the earth’s atmosphere where birds fly (Genesis 1:20, Jeremiah 4:25; 34:20, Lamentations 4:19, Zephaiah 1:3). This Hebrew word shamayim is translated as “sky” in the scripture comparing Genesis 7:3, “fowls also of the air,” with Genesis 7:23, “fowl of the heaven.” The word “sky” and “heaven” are used interchangeably from the same Hebrew word (Psalm 8:8). So the first heaven is synonymous with “heights” or “elevations.” The second heaven is outer space where the planets and stars exist (Genesis 1:14- 17; 15:5; 22:17; 26:4, Deuteronomy 1:10; 17:3; Psalm 8:3, Jeremiah 8:2; Matthew 24:29). The third heaven is literally called “the third heaven” in 2 Corinthians 12:2. This third heaven is what Jesus calls his “Father’s house” (John 14:2) and both Jesus and the Apostle Paul call “paradise” (Luke 23:43, 2 Corinthians 12:2-4, Revelation 2:7). This third heaven is where God and the heavenly sanctuary exist (1 Peter 3:22). Since Elijah could not have gone to God’s heavenly throne, which “heaven” did he go to—the first or second? We believe that he was taken into the earth’s atmosphere, the first heaven, because there could be no whirlwind in any other place but in the atmosphere surrounding the earth. Did Elijah die when God took him up into the atmosphere? We believe he did not. Almost ten years after Elijah was taken from his people, the wicked king of Judah, Jehoram, received a letter from Elijah (2 Chronicles 21:12-15). From the wording of the letter, it is clear that it was written after the events of the last decade had occurred. Elijah speaks of the events as past events and of the diseases as future. Two years after receiving the letter, the king became diseased and died. This letter proves that Elijah was alive and living someplace else. The Bible does not reveal how much longer Elijah lived after writing the letter, but we do know that when he did die, he did not go to heaven. A similar incident to Elijah’s took place in Acts 8:39-40 where Phillip was caught up into the first heaven and was transported to another location approximately 20-30 miles away. Ezekiel also experienced God’s power of transportation when the spirit lifted him up (Ezekiel 3:12) “between the earth and heaven” and brought him “to Jerusalem, to the door of the inner gate” (Ezekiel 8:3). Afterwards, the spirit took him up to Chaldea (Ezekiel 11:24). Neither Enoch nor Elijah could have entered the third heaven when they died, as the time for a heavenly reward had not yet been offered.

The Bible records Jesus performing many miracles, and we can read specific details for approximately 35 of these. To help us remember them, we can break them down into four categories: HEALING: He made people well or whole 17 times. RAISING THE DEAD: He brought 3 people back to life. NATURE: He used some form of nature (like fish or water) 9 times. CASTING OUT DEMONS: He cast evil spirits out of people 6 times. Let’s look at a few of Jesus’ amazing miracles in detail. The night of Jesus’ crucifixion, officers came to arrest Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane. Luke 22:49-51 records how Peter tried to defend Jesus by cutting off the ear of a soldier named Malchus. Jesus healed his ear on the spot, showing us how Jesus loved his enemies, just as we should, too. In John 11, we read about one of Jesus’ dear friends named Lazarus who became sick and died. Lazarus had already been in the tomb four days when Jesus arrived to awaken him from the sleep of death. This miracle gives us a small glimpse of what God’s future kingdom will be like, when every person who has ever died will be raised to life again. Matthew 14:13-21 tells us about Jesus feeding over 5,000 people with just 5 loaves of bread and 2 fish, with 12 baskets of pieces left over.  This miracle shows us that Jesus has the power to provide for all of mankind’s needs in God’s future kingdom. In Mark 1:21-27, Jesus cast an unclean spirit out of a man in the synagogue, the building where the Jews met to worship. This miracle shows us that Jesus has authority over demonic spirits. So, what were the miracles of Jesus? The Bible records approximately 35 miracles that fit into four categories: healing, raising the dead, using nature, and casting out demons. Study the books of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John to learn more about his miracles!

The Ten Commandments are an important part of God’s plan, so why wouldn’t God have given them right at the beginning to Adam and Eve? Why did God wait until the time of Moses to tell His people what He expected of them? God is orderly and wise. He knows when the best time to act for the greatest good of His creation. The Scriptures describe different times and seasons in His plan, and they are reasonable when we see what transpired during them. In the beginning of our race, Adam and Eve were given a simple test of obedience. God said to Adam, Of every tree of the garden, thou may freely eat. But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil thou shalt not eat of it, for in the day thou eatest thereof, thou shalt surely die. Genesis 2:16, 17 Our first parents failed this simple test. But the slow process of learning the difference between good and evil began for them, as well as for the human family. A parallel we can draw when God gave such a simple test is in raising children. When a child is very young, parents make their rules simple and understandable. More complicated rules would be impossible for young children to obey. God followed the same principle with Adam and Eve. They were both inexperienced and did not fully understand the consequences of disobedience. Giving them all the laws of Moses would have been overwhelming. The Law given to Moses was far more than the Ten Commandments. He was given hundreds of laws that God expected Israel to follow. Israel started as a family when first brought to Egypt by Joseph. They initially prospered. But in time, a new Pharaoh arose who made the Israelites his slaves. He was a hard, oppressive taskmaster. At the right time, God raised up Moses to be their deliverer. He wanted them to become a nation, and they could not function without rules and laws. Adam and Eve were to learn good and evil through their personal disobediences. They did not need laws meant to govern a nation. Those laws structured their method of government, it gave them the Tabernacle sacrifices which maintained their relationship with God and provided many other features. To give all of this to Adam and Eve would have been premature and unnecessary. Another reason the Law was given to Israel and not sooner was because they were descendants of Abraham. God made a special promise to Abraham after he obeyed God and offered his son as a sacrifice. Such faith was rewarded with a special promise to bless all the families of the earth through his posterity. God said, …Because thou hast done this thing, and hast not withheld thy son, thine only son: that in blessing I will bless thee, and in multiplying I will multiply thy seed as the stars of the heaven, and as the sand which is upon the seashore; and thy seed shall possess the gate of his enemies; and in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed; because thou hast obeyed My voice. Genesis 22:16-18 Unlike Adam and Eve, Abraham had great faith. As a result, he and Israel will be used in God’s kingdom to bless all the families of the earth. That’s the same kingdom Jesus taught us to pray for. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven (Matthew 6:10). God’s plan is headed for that kingdom, and our education in good and evil began the journey for all of us. To learn more about the law of Moses, listen to, “Does the Old Testament Law Apply to Me?” To learn more about the Ten Commandments visit our special Ten Commandments series resource page to learn what each commandment meant in Moses’ time and what it means for us today. 

The third heaven is literally called “the third heaven” in 2 Corinthians 12:2. This third heaven is what Jesus calls his “Father’s house” (John 14:2) and both Jesus and the Apostle Paul call “paradise” (Luke 23:43, 2 Corinthians 12:2-4, Revelation 2:7). This third heaven is where God and the heavenly sanctuary exist (1 Peter 3:22). Since Elijah could not have gone to God’s heavenly throne, which “heaven” did he go to—the first or second? We believe that he was taken into the earth’s atmosphere, the first heaven, because there could be no whirlwind in any other place but in the atmosphere surrounding the earth. Did Elijah die when God took him up into the atmosphere? We believe he did not. Almost ten years after Elijah was taken from his people, the wicked king of Judah, Jehoram, received a letter from Elijah (2 Chronicles 21:12-15). From the wording of the letter, it is clear that it was written after the events of the last decade had occurred. Elijah speaks of the events as past events and of the diseases as future. Two years after receiving the letter, the king became diseased and died. This letter proves that Elijah was alive and living someplace else. The Bible does not reveal how much longer Elijah lived after writing the letter, but we do know that when he did die, he did not go to heaven. A similar incident to Elijah’s took place in Acts 8:39-40 where Phillip was caught up into the first heaven and was transported to another location approximately 20-30 miles away. Ezekiel also experienced God’s power of transportation when the spirit lifted him up (Ezekiel 3:12) “between the earth and heaven” and brought him “to Jerusalem, to the door of the inner gate” (Ezekiel 8:3). Afterwards, the spirit took him up to Chaldea (Ezekiel 11:24). Neither Enoch nor Elijah could have entered the third heaven when they died, as the time for a heavenly reward had not yet been offered. As a side note, there is a symbolic interpretation of the three heavens referring to the periods of time when the earth has been under different spiritual rule, as in 2 Peter 3. 1. The first “heaven”- the earth before the flood was ruled by the angels and was destroyed by God for the wickedness of mankind and the descendants of the angels inhabiting the earth. a. The Nephilim were on the earth in those days, when the sons of God came in to the daughters of men, and they bore children to them. Those were the mighty men who were of old, men of renown. “Then the LORD saw that the wickedness of man was great on the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. The LORD was sorry that He had made man on the earth, and He was grieved in His heart. The LORD said, “I will blot out man whom I have created from the face of the land, from man to animals to creeping things and to birds of the sky; for I am sorry that I have made them.” Genesis 6:4-7 b. “For when they maintain this, it escapes their notice that by the word of God the heavens existed long ago and the earth was formed out of water and by water, through which the world at that time was destroyed, being flooded with water.” 2 Peter 3:6 2.  The second “heaven”- this present evil world ruled by Satan. a. “So it will happen in that day, that the LORD will punish the host of heaven on high, and the kings of the earth on earth.” Isaiah 14:13 b. “But by His word the present heavens and earth are being reserved for fire, kept for the day of judgment and destruction of ungodly men.” 2 Peter 3:7 3. The third “heaven”- the future kingdom of God and Jesus “on earth as it is in heaven.” a. “Then the seventh angel sounded; and there were loud voices in heaven, saying, The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our LORD and of His Christ; and He will reign forever and ever.” Revelation 11:15 b. “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.” 2 Corinthians 12:2 c. “But according to His promise we are looking for new heavens and a new earth, in which righteousness dwells.” 2 Peter 3:13