What do we mean by the word “heaven”?

The Jews thought that there are three heavens:

The first heaven is the atmosphere of the planet earth, which St. Basil the Great calls the heaven of the birds.

The second heaven is the firmament [or space] wherein are the planets and stars.

And the third heaven is called the heaven of heavens, wherein are the throne of God and the ranks of heaven. It is also called Paradise. The apostle Paul says, “I know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago, whether in the body I do not know, or whether out of the body I do not know, God knows, such a one was caught up to the third heaven … how he was caught up into Paradise and heard inexpressible words which it is not lawful for a man to utter” (2 Cor. 12:2–4)

The Church believes that paradise is a waiting place for the souls of the righteous that depart from the body. And while we believe that God is everywhere, He is described as abiding in heaven. In the prayer of Solomon on the occasion of the consecration of the temple, he says, “And may You hear the supplication of Your servant and of Your people Israel, when they pray toward this place. Hear in heaven, Your dwelling place, and when You hear, forgive” (1 Kings 8:30). In Lord Christ’s dialogue with Nicodemus, He says, “No one has ascended to heaven but He who came down from heaven, that is, the Son of Man who is in heaven” (John 3:13). And we read in the Book of Acts that to those present at the Lord’s ascension it was said, “The same Jesus who was taken up from you into heaven, will so come in like manner as you saw Him go into heaven” (Acts 1:11).