First consider the seven hells which is referred to as one-third of the heavens as in Revelations 12:4, "And his tail drew the third part of the stars of heaven, and did cast them to the earth: and the dragon stood before the woman which was ready to be delivered, for to devour her child as soon as it was born."
Then we have the seven earths, or seven earthly states, the most perfect of which is that of our earth.
Their names are -- Erets, Adamah, Geh, Neshiah, Tsiah, Arka, and Tebel. The earth is tarnished with fragmentary planes of reflection. Tebel (upper earth), is the whole and perfect symbol of all of them, includes the complete harmony of all the possibilities of the other six earths. The seventh state, which is the aim or end of the work of creation.
From Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible:
- 1) tebel, tay-bale’; from Heb. yabal, yaw-bal’, a primary root, properly to flow, causation to bring; bring (forth), carry, lead (forth); thus the earth (as moist and therefore inhabited); by extension the globe; by implication its inhabitants, specially a particular land, habitable part, world.
- 2) ‘arka’ (Chaldean), ar-kaw’; or ‘arkaw; from Heb. ‘arak, aw-rak’, a primary root, to be long, live; thus meaning length: lengthening, prolonged.
- 3) tsiah, (no information found).
- 4) neshiah, (no information found).
- 5) ge’, gay; for Heb. ge’eh, gay-aw’; from Heb. ga’ah, gaw-aw’; a primary root, to mount up, to rise; lofty; fig. arrogant, thus meaning haughty; - proud. Heb. ge’ah, gay-aw’, feminine arrogance, pride.
- 6) ‘adamah, ad-aw-maw’; from Heb. ‘adam, aw-dam’, to show blood in the face, red, thus meaning soil (from its general redness): - country, earth, ground, husband, land.
- 7) ‘erets, eh’-rets, from an unused root probably meaning to be firm; the earth (at large, or partitively a land): - country, earth, field, ground, land, wilderness, world.
Other Hebrew words for world of interest are:
- chedel, kheh’-del; from Heb. chadal, khaw-dal’, desist, be idle, thus meaning rest, i.e. the state of the dead: - world.
- cheled, kheh’-led; from an unused root apparently meaning to glide swiftly; life, hence the world (as transient): - age, short time, world.
- ‘owlam, o-lawm’; or ‘olam; from Heb. ‘alam, properly concealed, the vanishing point, time out of mind (past or future), eternity, always, ancient time, (beginning of the) world.
Next we have the seven created heavens or the seven Sefiroth of construction. The sun, a symbol of the seventh Sefiroth or Tifereth, which synthesizes the six active Sefiroth of construction and determines the six directions of space and their spiritual center, called the 'Holy of Holies.'
The seven Sefiroth of construction consist of first: Malkuth (Kingdom); second Yesod (Foundation); third Hod (Glory); fourth Netsah (Victory); fifth Din (Judgment); sixth Hesed (Grace); and the seventh Tifereth (Beauty) and the middle pillar which contains the 'Holy of Holies' the ‘heaven of heavens’.
The 'heaven of heavens' is called Araboth, where the Holy One resides. The One does not go out of his supreme triunity, but he opens his 'seven eyes' or Sefiroth of construction. His double triunity consist of Kether--Hokhmah--Binah, meaning (Crown, Wisdom, Intelligence). Secondly the ten curtains of the Tabernacle symbolize the ten firmaments or the ten Sefiroth and their mystery can be accomplished only by the wise of heart, in which the triple celestial principle, Shekhinah--Metatron--Avir, dwells and is revealed; he who grasps this attains great wisdom and penetrates into the mysteries of the universe. Shekhinah is the real presence of Kether (Crown); Metatron is the divine immanence of Hokhmah (Wisdom); and Avir is the emanation of Binah (Intelligence). The following are the seven books where these heavens are acknowledged in the Bible.
- Deuteronomy 10:14 Behold, the heaven and the heaven of heavens is the LORD's thy God, the earth also, with all that therein is.
- Deuteronomy 33:13 And of Joseph he said, Blessed of the LORD be his land, for the precious things of heaven, for the dew, and for the deep that coucheth beneath, 33:14 And for the precious fruits brought forth by the sun, and for the precious things put forth by the moon, 33:15 And for the chief things of the ancient mountains, and for the precious things of the lasting hills, 33:16 And for the precious things of the earth and fulness thereof, and for the good will of him that dwelt in the bush: let the blessing come upon the head of Joseph, and upon the top of the head of him that was separated from his brethren. 33:17 His glory is like the firstling of his bullock, and his horns are like the horns of unicorns: with them he shall push the people together to the ends of the earth: and they are the ten thousands of Ephraim, and they are the thousands of Manasseh.
- I Kings 8:27 But will God indeed dwell on the earth? behold, the heaven and the heaven of heavens cannot contain thee; how much less this house that I have builded?
- 2 Chronicles 2:6 But who is able to build him an house, seeing the heaven and heaven of heavens cannot contain him? who am I then, that I should build him an house, save only to burn sacrifice before him?
- Nehemiah 9:6 Thou, even thou, art LORD alone; thou hast made heaven, the heaven of heavens, with all their host, the earth, and all things that are therein, the seas, and all that is therein, and thou preservest them all; and the host of heaven worshippeth thee.
- Psalm 148:4 Praise ye him, ye heavens of heavens, and ye waters that be above the heavens.
- Luke 16:22 And it came to pass, that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels into Abraham's bosom; the rich man also died, and was buried; 16:23 And in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Laz'a-rus in his bosom. [Abraham's bosom is a reference to the first heaven, from which the rich man begged for relief in verse 24-25.] 16:26 And beside all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed: so that they which would pass from hence to you cannot; neither can they pass to us, that would come from thence. [Gulf - Greek chasma, Khas'-mah, is from an obsolete primary Gr. chao, to gape or yawn, a chasm or vacancy, impassable interval - gulf].
- Luke 23:42 And he said unto Jesus, Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom. 23:43 And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, To day shalt thou be with me in paradise. 23:44 And it was about the sixth hour, and there was a darkness over all the earth until the ninth hour. 23:45 And the sun was darkened, and the veil of the temple was rent in the midst.
- 2 Corinthians 12:1 It is not expedient for me doubtless to glory. I will come to visions and revelations of the Lord. 12:2 I knew a man in Christ above fourteen years ago, (whether in the body, I cannot tell; or whether out of the body, I cannot tell: God knoweth;) such an one caught up to the third heaven. 12:3 And I knew such a man, (whether in the body, or out of the body, I cannot tell: God knoweth;)
12:4 How that he was caught up into paradise, and heard unspeakable words, which it is not lawful for a man to utter.
- Revelation 2:7 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the tree of life, which is in the midst of the paradise of God.
This file was updated on 1/7/2006.
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