Bride Publications
Copyright © 2016 by Daniel Duval
Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture quotations are taken from the King James Version of the Bible.
Scripture quotations marked (AMPC) are taken from the Amplified Bible, Classic Edition, Copyright © 1954, 1958, 1962, 1964, 1965, 1987 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission.
Unless otherwise noted, all Hebrew and Greek words were taken from www.blueletterbible.org.
Cover Design by Gonz Shimura http://www.facelikethesun.com.
Please make any requests to use or reprint material from this book to Daniel Duval through the contact page on www.bridemovement.com.
ISBN: 978-1-94384-459-3 (Print)
ISBN: 978-1-94384-498-2 (ebook)
Dedication
This book is dedicated to the forerunners in the body of Christ. It is dedicated to those who refuse to settle and to those who choose to overcome against all odds. It is dedicated to those that choose to go the distance with God and who refuse to be intimidated by the unknown. This book is also dedicated to the survivors that I work with, who are some of the bravest people on the planet.
Cover
Title
Copyright
Dedication
Table of Contents
Foreword
Introduction
Chapter 1 – Higher Dimensions Revealed
Chapter 2 - Dimensions of Creation and the Spiritual Universe
Chapter 3 – The Heavens
Chapter 4 – Higher Dimensions versus Parallel Dimensions
Chapter 5 - The First Four Spatial Dimensions
Chapter 6 - The Conscious Mind
Chapter 7 - The Subconscious Mind
Chapter 8 - The Unconscious Mind
Chapter 9 - The Heavenly Experience
Chapter 10 - The Trans-Dimensional Nature of the Spirit
Chapter 11 - Introducing the Kingdom of Darkness
Chapter 12 - Victory over the Darkness
Chapter 13 - The Coming Darkness
Chapter 14 - Sharing in the Divine Nature
Chapter 15 - Touching on Parallel Dimensions
Chapter 16 - Regions of Captivity
Chapter 17 - Water Spirits
Chapter 18 - An Introduction to Portals
Chapter 19 - Further Inquiry into Portals
Chapter 20 - The Temple and the Glory
Epilogue
I have a deep passion for quantum physics. I have an even deeper passion for the truth contained in the Bible. I have dedicated much of my time and effort trying to show how the two are not only comparable, but compatible. One of the biggest blessings I have come across in my ministry is the fact that I am not alone in this pursuit; there are other researchers who share my passion in their own unique way.
Dan Duval is absolutely one of these people. He, like me, puts the truth of the word of God first and foremost, but also shows that science can aide in the pursuit of truth. Dan does this with an incredibly unique perspective. He applies the understanding of quantum physics to spiritual warfare, prophecy, and what we have to look forward to as believers in Jesus Christ.
The first time I ever spoke with Dan, I honestly didn’t know what to think. We, along with two others, were guests on Opposing the Matrix, hosted by my personal friend, Jim Wilhelmsen. At the time, I was researching for my book Quantum Creation and unbeknownst to me, Dan was involved in similar research. For a researcher/author, there is a short pang of panic whenever we hear another is currently looking into the same subjects we are preparing to write about. No one wants to step on anyone’s toes and we all want to offer information in our own unique way. Throughout the show we spoke about our respective works. Over time, it became more and more apparent that, while our research had a certain element of overlap, we were both coming from unique perspectives.
Now, I probably should explain my comment about “not knowing what to think” of Dan initially. When I was listening to Dan speak, it was absolutely clear that he knew what he was talking about. However, prior to this show, I was not familiar with Dan Duval or his ministry. On the show, he was speaking with the confidence and authority of a seasoned researcher and author. I was not expecting this. I hoped this confidence was coming from a place of experience and a genuine desire to help people in spiritual need. However, shameful as it is for me to admit, a piece of me feared it may have been coming from a place of pride. Today, I am blessed to proclaim that my fear was absolutely, undeniably, and unequivocally false.
After the show, I had a couple of opportunities to talk to Dan one-on-one. We later met in person at a prophecy conference we were both invited to. Before that time, I had never met an individual with his level of confidence who had managed to remain humble. However, upon getting to know Dan personally, and especially meeting him in person, I realized he is everything a good servant of the Lord should be. I detected not an ounce of pride in him. What I did detect was an extremely intelligent individual with an impressive amount of confidence and charisma, yet with a servant’s heart filled with humility, meekness, and love. This is an extremely rare combination that, at least for me, is a breath of fresh air in a broken world.
After the conference, Dan and I stayed in touch. He was kind enough to invite me on his radio show and we had some excellent conversations. I was thrilled, not only to speak to an honest researcher, but to speak with someone who had no problem keeping up with my off-the-wall and fringe ideas. Many times throughout the shows I forgot I was on the radio, and felt as though I was just in a conversation with a good friend.
It is a rare thing to come across an individual with a way of making you feel like a better person just for knowing him. That’s Dan Duval. Not only can one learn a great deal of head-knowledge from Dan’s research, ministry, and outreach, but one can learn a great a deal of heart-knowledge as well. In my personal reading of Higher Dimensions, Parallel Dimensions, & the Spirit Realm, it is quite obvious to me that there is no one better qualified to write this book than Dan Duval. What you hold in your hands will not only equip you with vital information about science and the Bible, but will also serve as a look into a great man of God and his ministry; one that everyone willing can benefit from. A big and very special thanks goes out to Dan Duval for all of his hard work in serving the people God has called him to, for being a living example of the things Jesus has called us to be, and for the honor of his friendship.
Enjoy the book, take care, and God bless!
Josh Peck
www.ministudyministry.com
What is a higher dimension? What is a parallel dimension? Do they exist? If so, what might one expect to find if we could, as they say, cross over to the other side? Would one find a copy of him or herself in a parallel dimension? Do parallel dimensions contain alternate timelines? Is there more than one earth? Where is God? In an ever-advancing world, many of these questions are now being asked. Judging by the fact that you picked up this book, you are likely the very one asking these questions.
There are many related subjects that warrant consideration. For instance, are there people in other dimensions? Are there aliens? Can angels operate in more than one dimension? Do they? What about sleep paralysis? Why does that happen to so many people? Are portals real? From a biblical perspective, does the atonement of Jesus apply to all dimensions or only the one in which we live?
Whether you’re willing to admit it or not, you’ve probably pondered these questions at least a couple of times in your life. If nothing else, you may have gotten a headache and gone about your typical business, discarding the thoughts. But what would you do if you picked up a book that just so happened to claim that many of these questions could be answered? Would you have the audacity to read it?
Think about the implications of realizing that you exist on more than one dimensional plane. How might that change your life? Consider the intrigue of learning how one partakes of God’s divine nature. Understanding higher dimensions opens the door to the unseen realm. It also has the potential to take the Christian faith to a whole new level. Are you ready to go there?
Not only will this book disclose the reality of higher dimensions and parallel dimensions, but it will also bring the understanding of these places into a practical context. What do you have to lose? Join me on an adventure into the unknown realms of eternity. This may just be the most powerful, eye-opening book you have ever read.
In order to properly understand higher dimensions, we must first establish how the Bible refers to them. In the Bible, heavenly places are elements of higher dimensions. This revelation is absolutely central to this work. Once we define our terms, we quickly realize that higher dimensions are actually a biblical concept. Thousands of years before quantum physics, the Bible established the fact that higher dimensions exist. As a matter of fact, not only do they exist, but they have an incredible influence upon the world in which we live.
Christians have been interacting with higher dimensions since the inception of the early church. They may not have called it what it was, but they did it nonetheless. Let’s consider the upper room incident. After Jesus ascended to heaven, the disciples went to the upper room in Jerusalem to tarry until the Holy Spirit came upon them (Acts 1:9–13). The Holy Spirit arrived on the day of Pentecost.
The Day of Pentecost
“And when the day of Pentecost had fully come, they were all assembled together in one place, when suddenly there came a sound from heaven like the rushing of a violent tempest blast, and it filled the whole house in which they were sitting. And there appeared to them tongues resembling fire, which were separated and distributed and which settled on each one of them” (Acts 2:1–3 AMPC).
This was not a natural experience. Tongues resembling fire do not walk the earth. They do not naturally occur in our three-dimensional world. Instead, these tongues resembling fire appeared to the disciples from another dimension. The reason that they must have manifested from another dimension is because they do not naturally occur in our own. This isn’t a new concept for most people who have read the Bible. However, it may be a new way to think about it.
Understand that there are both natural things and supernatural things. Natural things occur as part of the normal course of events in our world. Supernatural things occur, yet are not part of the normal course of events in our world. Supernatural events are above natural events. In the example from the Book of Acts, the gust of wind may have been written off as a natural thing. However, when the source of the wind was revealed (the tongues resembling fire), the whole event became supernatural. Natural things are confined to the dimension in which we exist physically. Supernatural things manifest from dimensions higher than (and in some cases parallel to) the dimension in which we exist. Clearly, the early church was interacting with higher dimensions (since the early church was officially born on the day of Pentecost).
So, where did these tongues resembling fire come from? They manifested from a heavenly place. Understand that whatever is seen, perceived, or manifested must exist, even if it does not exist in this dimension. Dimensionality, in many ways, unlocks the mysteries of existence. How do we establish a foundation that will allow us to understand things from a dimensional perspective? I propose that the conversation begins with the creation of heaven and earth.
There has been a question that has been overlooked, brushed aside, and willfully ignored for a long time. It is a question that has empowered skeptics and presented a real problem for apologists. It is a question that many lay evangelists have groaned over. It may be a question you have personally wrestled with. This question is properly stated as follows: In the creation week, how is it possible that God spoke light into creation on day one, and then created the sun, moon, and stars on day four? If the sun, moon, and stars did not exist on day one, where was the light coming from? Furthermore, how was there day and night?
“And God said, Let there be light: and there was light. And God saw the light, that it was good: and God divided the light from the darkness. And God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And the evening and the morning were the first day” (Genesis 1:3–5).
“And God said, Let there be lights in the firmament of the heaven to divide the day from the night; and let them be for signs, and for seasons, and for days, and years: And let them be for lights in the firmament of the heaven to give light upon the earth: and it was so. And God made two great lights; the greater light to rule the day, and the lesser light to rule the night: he made the stars also. And God set them in the firmament of the heaven to give light upon the earth, and to rule over the day and over the night, and to divide the light from the darkness: and God saw that it was good. And the evening and the morning were the fourth day” (Genesis 1:14–19).
What is Going On?
We are taught that day and night exist on the physical earth due to its revolution around the sun. Although I acknowledge that there are pockets of people who are now arguing a “flat earth” perspective (which is an entirely separate conversation), the majority of people today hold to a cosmology that portrays a spherical earth rotating around a physical sun. This is known as the heliocentric model. Hundreds of years ago it replaced geocentrism, which is the view that places earth at the actual “center” of the universe, about which every other celestial body rotates.
Interestingly enough, my next question applies to both the heliocentric model and geocentrism equally. The question is, how could there be light on day one if the sun, moon, and stars did not exist until day four? While some would like to say the stars (including the sun) were “actually” created on day one, and that they became visible to earth on day four, this is simply unacceptable. It is a feeble attempt to argue away the obvious. This is not what the text says, and skeptics that point out the lunacy of this rebuttal are justified in doing so. I believe there is a better and more accurate explanation. It simply requires that we bring a dimensional element to the discussion.
A Better Explanation
So what is this better explanation? Plainly stated, I believe that while there are many higher dimensions, the three-dimensional world in which we live is actually set atop a spiritual template. Think about setting out to build a tower. First the support beams must be set in place, then the rest of the tower can be built on top of it. In like manner, I believe that God created our universe in the spirit first. He used the first two days to put the proverbial support beams in place. On subsequent days of the creation week, he put the physical creation on top of it. The question is, what would lead me to suggest such a thing?
As I attempted to address the issue created by the first and fourth days of creation, I began a word study that transformed everything. It utterly revolutionized my understanding of Scripture. It led me to conclude that in the original language and word use, there is not a single element of the creation account, prior to the third day of creation, requiring a “physical” interpretation. Instead, I found that the language (prior to the third day) was actually describing a spiritual creation. The third day was the transition point where the language began to demand a physical interpretation.
As I demonstrate this, it will essentially prove that there is, in fact, a spiritual template underneath the physical creation. This will show that creation is layered, and ultimately intertwines with other dimensions of existence. It will also point to the idea that it was “designed” this way. This may seem slightly far-fetched, but I believe that if you track with me, everything will make sense. It will also serve as a foundation for understanding other elements of this book.
In the Beginning
Beginning in Genesis 1:1, we find that the Bible explains how creation came into existence. God created the heavens, and he created the earth. I believe this means he created all of the dimensions of existence in addition to a spiritual earth. I further believe that in doing this he also tied all of creation to the earth. Therefore, the heavens and earth are present at the outset of creation week.
“In the beginning God (prepared, formed, fashioned, and) created the heavens and the earth” (Genesis 1:1 AMPC).
Moving into the second verse of Genesis, we find that God is preparing to format the earth for the present creation. In this assessment, I am ignoring all arguments relating to the debate of young earth versus old earth. All I am concerned with is explaining the nature of what happened. I am setting out to show that creation was first spiritual and secondarily physical. Therefore, can every element of Genesis 1:2 be interpreted as being entirely spiritual?
“And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters” (Genesis 1:2).
The key Hebrew words in this passage are as follows. The word earth is translated from the Hebrew word erets. This word straightforwardly means “earth.” However, since I am arguing that this was a spiritual earth, the proof isn’t going to come from the name of the planet, but from the other elements in this passage. The next import phrase is without form, which is translated from the Hebrew word tohu. This word means “formless, confusion, unreality, emptiness, and chaos.” Consider just how clear this is. Here we find that earth was in a state of unreality. It was defined as emptiness. In my opinion, this is because it was a spiritual template.
The next important word is void, which is translated from the Hebrew word bohu. This word means “emptiness, void or waste.” Again, I believe the clear intent is to show just how empty the unreality of earth was. This takes us to the word translated darkness, which is the Hebrew word chosek. This word means “darkness,” “obscurity,” or “secret place.” The most interesting thing about the word darkness is its application in other passages. It is repeatedly used in reference to spiritual (and not literal) darkness. I believe this is because it was a spiritual component of the spiritual template that pre-existed the physical creation.
“For thou art my lamp, O Lord: and the Lord will lighten my darkness [chosek]” (2 Samuel 22:29).
“If I wait, the grave is mine house: I have made my bed in the darkness [chosek]” (Job 17:13).
“He brought them out of darkness [chosek] and the shadow of death, and brake their bands in sunder” (Psalm 107:14).
The list of Scriptures that apply darkness, or chosek, to spiritual realities is extensive. This was a spiritual darkness that was present. The next key word that we find is the word deep, which is translated from the Hebrew word tehowm. This word means “deep” or “abyss.” Other definitions include “primeval ocean” and “grave.” How fascinating! This becomes a highly interesting word study as we work our way through Scripture. Tehowm is referred to as a person with a voice and hands. It is also the force by which God destroyed the earth in the days of Noah. The deep is first spiritual, although it has power in the physical realm.
“The mountains saw thee, and they trembled: the overflowing of the water passed by: the deep [tehowm] uttered his voice, and lifted up his hands on high” (Habakkuk 3:10).
“In the six hundredth year of Noah’s life, in the second month, the seventeenth day of the month, the same day were all the fountains of the great deep [tehowm] broken up, and the windows of heaven were opened” (Genesis 7:11).
Next, we see the Spirit of the Lord hovering over the waters. The word translated water is mayim. This word straightforwardly means “water.” Is this water physical or spiritual? From many Scriptures we learn that water is found in the spirit realm as well as in the natural realm. Therefore, we still have no conflict. These waters were spiritual. Remember, I am attempting to prove that every element of creation prior to the third day of creation occurred in the spirit. Where do we see that water can exist in the spirit? One example is that Jesus Christ is the Source of Living Water. This is spiritual water.
“For my people have committed two evils; they have forsaken me the fountain of living waters, and hewed them out cisterns, broken cisterns, that can hold no water” (Jeremiah 2:13).
“For the Lamb which is in the midst of the throne shall feed them, and shall lead them unto living fountains of waters: and God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes” (Revelation 7:17).
Thus, after studying the first two verses of Scripture, we learn the following:
The First Day
This takes us to the first day of creation, which we have already quoted. God said let there be light, and there was light. The word light is translated from the Hebrew word ‘owr. This is the same word we find in the following passages.
“Yea, the light [‘owr] of the wicked shall be put out, and the spark of his fire shall not shine” (Job 18:5).
“He will deliver his soul from going into the pit, and his life shall see the light [‘owr]” (Job 33:28).
“Who coverest thyself with light [‘owr] as with a garment: who stretchest out the heavens like a curtain” (Psalm 104:2).
Note that all of these verses are dealing with spiritual light. God put spiritual light into creation on the first day. Furthermore, since God is Light, and everything that was made, was made through Jesus (John 1:1–3), it would not be much of a stretch to say that this light was God manifesting himself to the creation template. Isn’t it interesting that it is spiritual light determining day and night on the first day?
The Second Day
“And God said, Let there be a firmament in the midst of the waters, and let it divide the waters from the waters. And God made the firmament, and divided the waters which were under the firmament from the waters which were above the firmament: and it was so. And God called the firmament Heaven. And the evening and the morning were the second day” (Genesis 1:6–8).
Next we encounter the second day of creation. During this event, we find God dividing the waters from the waters. God creates a firmament and puts waters above and waters below. The word firmament means “a space” or “gap.” In other words, God used the spiritual waters to set boundaries on the universe. This firmament is the space between earth and the boundaries or edges of our universe (whatever those may be). The waters above became a boundary between our universe and the higher areas of the heavens. The waters below were left to be incorporated into the creation of the physical earth. They were gathered together to become the spiritual template for the physical water of the planet.
Then we see that God called the firmament heaven. This is the “heaven” that manifested as a spiritual template for what we now call “outer space.” As I will repeat later on, I believe that this is part of what is called the “second heaven.” Just like God first set the proverbial beams of earth before placing a physical creation on top of it, God set the proverbial beams of the cosmos before placing a physical creation on top of it. In short, this firmament became the spiritual template for the cosmos.
The Third Day
It is at the outset of the third day that we reach a transition point. On the third day, the nature of the creation account changes. In the beginning, as well as on the first and second days, I believe it is clear that the entire creation was occurring in the spirit realm. Once the spiritual template was created, God was then able to begin his work on the physical elements of the universe. The creation account seems to describe a spiritual creation that God established to ultimately serve as the template for the physical creation. I find it incredibly interesting that instead of beginning with the stars and planets, the first celestial body in our universe to receive a physical creation was the earth. This places the spiritual earth at the center of all activity that is intended to take place in this universe. (I will note that this does not have to mean that the physical earth is positioned at the physical center of the physical universe).
And God said, Let the waters under the heaven be gathered together unto one place, and let the dry land appear: and it was so. And God called the dry land Earth; and the gathering together of the waters called he Seas: and God saw that it was good. And God said, Let the earth bring forth grass, the herb yielding seed, and the fruit tree yielding fruit after his kind, whose seed is in itself, upon the earth: and it was so. And the earth brought forth grass, and herb yielding seed after his kind, and the tree yielding fruit, whose seed was in itself, after his kind: and God saw that it was good. And the evening and the morning were the third day.
(Genesis 1:9–13)
On the third day the waters under heaven were gathered together. They were gathered to one place which is earth. It was at this point that dry land appeared. “Dry land” indicates that God was putting the physical creation on top of the spiritual template. The spiritual earth met the physical earth. It was then that it became necessary to create vegetation. God created the physical trees, seeds, and herbs that we find on the earth. He also created the grass. The first physical creation, according to the account in Genesis, was the earth. At this point, earth in its physical creation was surrounded by nothing more than a spiritual template. It is now that we arrive at the fourth day.
The Fourth Day
And God said, Let there be lights in the firmament of the heaven to divide the day from the night; and let them be for signs, and for seasons, and for days, and years: And let them be for lights in the firmament of the heaven to give light upon the earth: and it was so. And God made two great lights; the greater light to rule the day, and the lesser light to rule the night: he made the stars also. And God set them in the firmament of the heaven to give light upon the earth, and to rule over the day and over the night, and to divide the light from the darkness: and God saw that it was good. And the evening and the morning were the fourth day.
(Genesis 1:14–19)
While spiritual light is translated from the Hebrew word ‘owr, we find that this passage has a different word being translated as light. This is the Hebrew word ma’owr. This word means “luminaries.” Thus we see that the spiritual template gets populated on the fourth day. Whereas the only physical body in existence at the end of the third day was the earth, it is on the fourth day that the rest of the physical universe is brought into existence around the earth. In creating a spiritual template first, and then putting a physical creation on top of it, God does something else interesting. He successfully ties the lower parts of the spirit realm, most notably the spiritual template of our planet, to our space-time. Thus, spirits like demons that are bound upon the earth are subject to time, just like humans. They know that there is a time for their appointed judgment, and this comes out very clearly in the Bible.
“And when he was come to the other side into the country of the Gergesenes, there met him two possessed with devils, coming out of the tombs, exceeding fierce, so that no man might pass by that way. And, behold, they cried out, saying, What have we to do with thee, Jesus, thou Son of God? art thou come hither to torment us before the time?” (Matthew 8:28–29).
“Therefore be glad (exult), O heavens and you that dwell in them! But woe to you, O earth and sea, for the devil has come down to you in fierce anger (fury), because he knows that he has [only] a short time [left]!” (Revelation 12:12 AMPC).
Not all areas of the heavens are subject to time. However, the lower parts of the heavens are. This revelation helps us to understand many things. As it is written, even the devil knows that his time is short (Revelation 12:12). Conversely, God operates far beyond the limitations of time and space.
As to the question of angels, it is fairly clear that they pre-existed the physical creation. As to when they were created, I will not claim to know an answer I do not know. However, we do know that they were present when God was laying the foundation of the earth. What is the foundation of the earth? I propose that it is the spiritual template that I have been talking about all this time. The foundation of the earth is the spiritual earth upon which the physical earth has been placed. It was during its establishment and fastening that the angels were rejoicing. Consider the following passage.
“Where were you when I laid the foundation of the earth? Declare to Me, if you have and know understanding. Who determined the measures of the earth, if you know? Or who stretched the measuring line upon it? Upon what were the foundations of it fastened, or who laid its cornerstone, When the morning stars sang together and all the sons of God [being the heavenly hosts or angels] shouted for joy?” (Job 38:4–7 AMPC, brackets mine).
In conclusion, I believe that great revelation will open up to us as we incorporate higher dimensions into our understanding of the Bible. Regarding the physical creation, when we understand that it resides upon a spiritual template, it allows for a seamless interpretation of the creation account. It also helps us to understand some of the radical things that occur in the earth. For instance, it explains how “ghosts,” or what I would call demons, can be seen in a physical house, yet have no physical nature themselves. It explains how witches can have meetings in the “astral realm” that occur in specific geographies on the physical earth (such as in a house, on a hill, or in a forest). It explains how unseen entities can be present “just one layer” behind the physical realm and then inflict sleep paralysis on an individual as they physically hold them down from the spirit realm. It even points to the significance of hypothetical things such as “Ley Lines.” God is pulling back the veil in these last days and pouring out a new level of understanding and comprehension. As faithful children, we should embrace the things that God is pouring out.
It is at this time that we are prepared to move from the creation of the spiritual universe and into the structuring of the heavens themselves. While I believe it is clear that earth sits atop a spiritual template, and that creation is “layered,” what are we to do with the heavens? How have the heavens been laid out and structured? Furthermore, how does dimensionality play into this conversation?
In the Book of Genesis, we learned that God created the heavens and the earth. We will now transition from what God did with the earth, and into how he laid out and structured the heavens. The word translated heavens is plural in Genesis 1:1. It is translated from the Hebrew word shemayim. This is not an accident.
“In the beginning God (prepared, formed, fashioned, and) created the heavens and the earth” (Genesis 1:1 AMPC).
From the very beginning, the Bible clearly establishes that multiple heavens were designed as part of the original creation. Some believe that there is nothing beyond earth and the stars of outer space. Others add to this a literal heaven and hell, but believe this to be the end of the discussion. This is a terrible oversimplification of the issue at hand. It is absolutely essential to understand the fact that there are multiple heavens and countless heavenly places. Make no mistake that there is a part of heaven that contains the literal throne of God, but this is not all there is to it.
The heavens are broken up into three main realms (2 Corinthians 12:2–4). The Bible makes this revelation pretty straightforward. The realms are defined as follows:
Before breaking each of these realms down we are going to introduce a figure to help guide our discussion.
Jacob’s Ladder and a Working Model
The upcoming figure will help with the process of visualization. It is a model that is based in part on something called Jacob’s ladder, which is discussed in the Book of Genesis. Here is the background. Jacob went to sleep in a particular location and had a dream. In this dream he saw the angels of God descending and ascending from heaven. The angels were descending and ascending upon a “ladder.”
“And he dreamed, and behold a ladder set up on the earth, and the top of it reached to heaven: and behold the angels of God ascending and descending on it” (Genesis 28:12).
Most individuals will read this passage and not give it much thought. Maybe you are one of them—I know I was! Since we cannot build a literal ladder to heaven, many will simply shrug this passage off and continue reading. However, if we take a moment to ponder, we must admit that if nothing else, it is mystifying. What was Jacob actually looking at?
What I believe he saw was the layout of ascending dimensions. Even if this isn’t what he actually saw in his dream, the concept still helps us to build a working model for communicating the idea of higher dimensions. Do not expect to completely understand the figure right now. Use it as a reference point as you familiarize yourself with the concepts we will be discussing.
Figure 1
The Disclaimer
I need to add a disclaimer that this picture is not entirely verifiable. I have no basis by which to accurately determine where the second heaven ends and where the third heaven begins. This figure employs an assumption on this issue (that it is between the seventh and eighth dimensions) for the sheer purpose of expressing the concepts that will be discussed. While we can dogmatically state that the first heaven ends at the third dimension (length, width, and height), there are no official sources that allow us to dogmatically state the breakdown of dimensions beyond the third dimension.
There is also no way to know exactly how many dimensions there are. I show ten for the sake of simplicity. Biblically, ten can represent ordinal perfection or the perfection of divine order.1 Based on this fact, it could make sense that creation would find its pinnacle at the tenth dimension. When we consider different approaches to quantum physics, the Superstring Theory, M-Theory, and Bosonic String Theory respectively posit that there are 10, 11, and 24 dimensions.2 In short, this is anyone’s guess. I personally suspect, along with my friend and mentor Dr. Preston Bailey, that there may be thirteen dimensions. This is why I have included arrows to account for all of the potential dimensions beyond the tenth dimension. Don’t worry if your head is spinning! This will all make much more sense as we proceed.
The Third Heaven
The easiest way to explain this concept is to begin with the third heaven and work our way down. The third heaven is the highest heaven. Thus, it is expected that this is where we would find God, since he is described as the Most High God, possessor and maker of heaven and earth (Genesis 14:22). While the Bible is clear that Jesus has ascended above all heavens (Ephesians 4:10), he still enjoys an existence in the third heaven.3 In the New Testament, the Apostle Paul was taken to this place, enabling him to give us a brief yet relatively vague description. He is speaking in the third person.
“I know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago—whether in the body or out of the body I do not know, God knows—was caught up to the third heaven. And I know that this man—whether in the body or away from the body I do not know, God knows—Was caught up into paradise, and he heard utterances beyond the power of man to put into words, which man is not permitted to utter” (2 Corinthians 12:2–4 AMPC).
The third heaven is the location of paradise. It is a location where Paul heard languages so beautiful that it was impossible to describe them with words. This is the area most people think about when they hear the word heaven. The third heaven is a place of beauty and perfection. It is here that we will find ourselves upon death if we are saved by faith in Jesus Christ. The Bible teaches that to be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord (2 Corinthians 5:8). When we die we will fully exist where he is.
Although this is the only place in the Bible where this place is named “the third heaven,” it is not the only place where the Bible speaks about it. Many passages in the Bible depict scenes that are occurring in this place. The third heaven is vast, and there is much to discuss regarding it. For instance, the living creatures that praise God day and night conduct their service in the realm of the third heaven. How incredible would it be to have been John, the author of the Book of Revelation, in this moment?
After this I looked, and, behold, a door was opened in heaven: and the first voice which I heard was as it were of a trumpet talking with me; which said, Come up hither, and I will shew thee things which must be hereafter. And immediately I was in the spirit: and, behold, a throne was set in heaven, and one sat on the throne. And he that sat was to look upon like a jasper and a sardine stone: and there was a rainbow round about the throne, in sight like unto an emerald. And round about the throne were four and twenty seats: and upon the seats I saw four and twenty elders sitting, clothed in white raiment; and they had on their heads crowns of gold. And out of the throne proceeded lightnings and thunderings and voices: and there were seven lamps of fire burning before the throne, which are the seven Spirits of God. And before the throne there was a sea of glass like unto crystal: and in the midst of the throne, and round about the throne, were four beasts full of eyes before and behind. And the first beast was like a lion, and the second beast like a calf, and the third beast had a face as a man, and the fourth beast was like a flying eagle. And the four beasts had each of them six wings about him; and they were full of eyes within: and they rest not day and night, saying, Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, which was, and is, and is to come.
(Revelation 4:1-8)
This isn’t the only picture we see of the third heaven. There is another account in the Book of Isaiah. On this occasion, an angel referred to as a seraphim took a coal from the altar in heaven and used it to touch the prophet’s lips. This type of angelic being possessed six wings. Once the angel had finished purging the prophet’s sins with the burning coal, the prophet was able to respond to God’s call (see Isaiah 6).