Many think that we will go to heaven when we die, and that biblical references to “heavenly places” support this assumption. But this is a false conclusion.
Just to reiterate what we have explained so many times: David, a man after God’s own heart, did not ascend into the heavens, nor is he in heaven (Acts 2:29, 34); Elijah and Enoch are not in God’s third heaven either, as Christ said in John 3:13 that no one has ascended to God’s heaven (in fact, the Luther Bible 1912 says that no one ascends to heaven except for Jesus Christ who came down from heaven).
The concept of “heavenly places” does not teach something differently. Actually, as we will explain, the words “heavenly places” are not even in the Greek. The word “places” has been added. In the Greek, the word for “heavenly,” “epouranios,” is used several times in the New Testament. According to Strong’s, this word (Number 2032) means “above the sky:-celestial (in) heaven (-ly), high.”
The Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary says:
“… in heavenly places—a phrase five times found in this Epistle (of Paul to the Ephesians), and not elsewhere.”
In these five passages, the Greek word for “heavenlies” is used as a noun.
Let us note these five places in detail. We will see that the translator added the word “places” after the word “heavenly.” This does not necessarily reflect the best choice. Literally, the rendering would be, “heavenlies.”
Ephesians 1:3:
“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ…”
We are being blessed in heaven by God, both by the Father and Jesus Christ.
Ephesians 1:20:
“… which He worked in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places…”
Christ is in fact seated in the heavenly realm with God the Father.
Ephesians 2:6 (where it is sometimes, in other Bible renditions, translated “in high (places)”:
“… and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus…”
We will address the meaning of this passage later in this Q&A.
Ephesians 3:10:
“… to the intent that now the manifold wisdom of God might be made known by the church to the principalities and powers in the heavenly places…”
Here, the principalities and powers in the “heavenlies” seem to refer to God’s holy angels; it could perhaps also include the demonic world, when considering the next passage, quoted below.
Ephesians 6:12:
“For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.”
The Pulpit Commentary writes:
“When it is said (in Ephesians 2:6} that ‘we have been seated with Christ in heavenly places,’ the allusion is to the spiritual experience of his people… where their hearts are full of heavenly thoughts and feelings; the statement now before us is that, even in such places, amid their most fervent experiences…, they are subject to the attacks of the spirits of wickedness.”
Got Questions gives a good summary of the foregoing five passages in Ephesians, and in particular to Ephesians 6:12:
“The phrase ‘heavenly places’ or ‘heavenly realms’ is used several times in the book of Ephesians (1:3, 20; 2:6; 3:10; 6:12). This phrase is translated from the Greek word epouranios, meaning ‘the sphere of spiritual activities.’ ‘Heavenly realms’ can refer to both angelic and demonic activity. Ephesians 1:20 says that God ‘raised Christ from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms.’ But Ephesians 6:12 speaks of evil forces in the same realm: ‘Our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against . . . the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.’…
“… there is fierce warfare taking place at all times. Satan and his demons are actively working to thwart the plans of God and destroy whatever they can… If a mighty angel on a mission from God could be detained by demonic forces, then demons must have great power… God does not leave His children defenseless against this evil army. In ourselves, we are no match for Satan’s devices. We need [God’s] spiritual armor to fight spiritual battles… There are forces unknown to us that may interfere with God’s desire to aid us, and we must continue to persevere in prayer until the answer comes…
“When we live our earthly lives in recognition of the unseen battles that rage all around us, we will be more careful about what we say and do… We will be faithful to utilize our weapons of prayer and the armor of God, knowing that the real battles are fought and won in the heavenly realms.”
In addition, similar or related Greek words are also used and should be understood correctly.
According to Young’s, the words “ta epourania,” (as used as adjectives), defined or rendered as heavenly things, are used as follows:
John 3:12:
“If I have told you earthly things and you do not believe, how will you believe if I tell you heavenly things?”
Hebrews 8:4-5:
“For if He were on earth, He would not be a priest, since there are priests who offer the gifts according to the law; who serve the copy and shadow of the heavenly things, as Moses was divinely instructed when he was about to make the tabernacle. For He said, ‘See that you make all things according to the pattern shown you on the mountain.’”
Hebrews 9:23:
“Therefore it was necessary that the copies of the things in the heavens should be purified with these, but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these.”
These passages tell us that there are indeed things in heaven—heavenly things—just as God’s Throne, God’s Temple, God’s Tabernacle, heavenly books, a heavenly mountain, and so much more.
Furthermore, the Greek word “epouranios” is also used as follows, but not as a noun, and is normally rendered as “heavenly”:
Matthew 18:35:
“So My heavenly Father also will do to you if each of you, from his heart, does not forgive his brother his trespasses.”
The word “epouranios”, for “heavenly,” is also used twice in 1 Corinthians 15:40 (where it is inconsistently translated as “celestial”).
“There are also celestial bodies and terrestrial bodies; but the glory of the celestial is one, and the glory of the terrestrial is another.”
In 1 Corinthians 15:48 and the following passages, the word “epouranios” is translated consistently as “heavenly”:
“As was the man of dust, so also are those who are made of dust; and as is the heavenly Man, so also are those who are heavenly.”
1 Corinthians 15:49:
“And as we have borne the image of the man of dust, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly Man.”
2 Timothy 4:18:
“And the Lord will deliver me from every evil work and preserve me for His heavenly kingdom. To Him be glory forever and ever. Amen!”
Hebrews 3:1:
“Therefore, holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling, consider the Apostle and High Priest of our confession, Christ Jesus…”
Hebrews 6:4-6:
“For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted the heavenly gift, and have become partakers of the Holy Spirit, and have tasted the good word of God and the powers of the age to come, if they fall away, to renew them again to repentance, since they crucify again for themselves the Son of God, and put Him to an open shame.”
Hebrews 11:16:
“But now they desire a better, that is, a heavenly country. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for He has prepared a city for them.”
In this regard, we need to realize that God will send His heavenly city down to a new earth (Revelation 3:12). But it exists already in heaven. Note also the next passage.
Hebrews 12:22-24:
“But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, to an innumerable company of angels, to the general assembly and church of the firstborn who are registered in heaven, to God the Judge of all, to the spirits of just men made perfect, to Jesus the Mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling that speaks better things than that of Abel.”
We see that in all these passages, the word “heavenly” does refer to something or someone in God’s third heaven (2 Corinthians 12:3), including spiritual gifts and blessings bestowed on us from heaven. But this does not mean, and nowhere is it stated in these passages, that we will go to heaven when we die. Rather, His heavenly kingdom (2 Timothy 4:18)—our heavenly country (Hebrews 11:16)—will be restored on earth, and some of the heavenly things will come down later to a new earth. The heavenly Man, Jesus Christ, will also come to this earth, and we will be like Him, seeing Him as He is. We will indeed bear His image. We will reign and rule with and under Him on the earth—not in heaven (Revelation 5:10).
We see that in all these passages, the word “heavenly” does refer to something or someone in God’s third heaven, including spiritual gifts and blessings bestowed on us from heaven. But this does not mean, and nowhere it is stated in these passages, that we will go to heaven when we die. Rather, His heavenly kingdom—our heavenly country—will be restored on earth, and some of the heavenly things will come down later to a new earth. The heavenly Man, Jesus Christ, will also come to this earth, and we will be like Him, seeing Him as He is. We will indeed bear His image. We will reign and rule with and under Him on the earth—not in heaven (Revelation 5:10).
The word “epouranios” is also used in Philippians 2:9-10 (where it is translated “in heaven”):
“Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth,”
The Berean Study Bible makes the following comments in this regard:
“‘In heaven’ refers to the celestial beings, angels, and the heavenly realm, acknowledging Christ’s authority over the spiritual domain.”
Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible adds:
“… and things under the earth; or ‘in the abyss’, as the Ethiopic version renders it; meaning either the devils in the bottomless pit; or rather the dead bodies of men in the grave, which shall come forth and stand before the judgment seat of Christ…”
In concentrating on the passage in Ephesians 2:6, we will recall that it states that we are sitting together in the heavenly places or in the “heavenlies” in or with Jesus Christ. This obviously does not mean that we are quite literally sitting in heaven, as we are clearly on this earth. But it is something we need to visualize, spiritually speaking. We should, in our mind, think of God’s throne in heaven, with all the angels around Him and all the heavenly things which are mentioned in the Bible. That is, when we pray, we are coming in the presence of God in heaven and His beautiful heavenly realm (Hebrews 4:16).
But it should not be limited to just the moment when we pray. Rather, we should be aware and keep in mind, at all times, that:
We are no longer part of this world (Ephesians 2:1-3; Galatians 1:3-4; 1 Peter 2:11-12).
We are no longer under Satan’s rule and dominion (James 4:7; Luke 10:19; Acts 26:18; Hebrews 2:14-15. Ultimately, this is what we have been promised: Romans 16:20.).
We belong to God’s Family and His Kingdom (Colossians 1:13-14). We are tasting the powers of the world to come (Hebrews 6:5). We seek the things which are above where Christ is (Colossians 3:1).
Our hope is laid up for us in heaven (Colossians 1:5).
Our reward is in heaven (Matthew 5:12), which Christ will bring with Him when He comes (Revelation 22:12).
Our citizenship is in heaven (Philippians 3:20).
Our inheritance is in heaven (1 Peter 1:4).
And there is so much more. Having all of this continuously in mind, we are sitting indeed in the heavenlies in and with Christ Jesus.
Lead Writer: Norbert Link
