Chronological timeline of texts tagged with Multiple Heavens
About This Tag
Ancient writings from various cultures and traditions, including the Bible and derivative works, often describe multiple levels of heaven, each representing different realms of existence, spiritual attainment, or cosmic order. These layered heavens, sometimes numbered as three, seven, or more, are depicted as ascending planes, with lower levels being closer to the earthly realm and higher levels representing divine or ultimate enlightenment. Such beliefs reflect diverse understandings of the universe, the afterlife, and the relationship between humanity and the divine, offering symbolic insights into spiritual progress and cosmic hierarchy.
Note: Dates shown in this timeline are approximate and based on scholarly estimates.
Back to Tag160 B.C.E. - 60 B.C.E.
4Q405
Dead Sea Scrolls
... his whole-offering. The ‘gods’ praise Him [when they take] up their station, and all the s[pirits of] the clear firm[am]ent rejoice in His glory. A sound of blessing (is heard) from all His divisions speaking of the firmaments of His glory, and His gates praise with a resounding voice. When the gods of knowledge enter by the doors of glory, and when the holy angels depart towards their realm, the entrance doors and the gates of exit proclaim the glory of the King, blessing and praising all the spirits of God when they depart and enter by the gates. None among them skips over a precept, nor do they ... against the saying of the King ... They run not away from the path, nor slip away from His domain. They are neither too high for His commission nor too lowly. For He shall be compassionate in the realm of His furious, destr[oying ange]r; He will not judge in the provinces of His glorious wrath. The fear of the King of ‘gods’ is awe-inspiring to [al]l the ‘gods’, [and they undertake] all His commissions by virtue of His true order, and they go ...
195-175 B.C.E.
Sirach 16:18
Deuterocanon
13 The sinner will not escape with plunder, and the patience of the godly will not be frustrated. 14 He makes room for every act of mercy; everyone receives in accordance with his or her deeds. 17 Do not say, "I am hidden from the Lord, and who from on high has me in mind? Among so many people I am unknown, for what am I in a boundless creation? 18 Lo, heaven and the highest heaven, the abyss and the earth, tremble at his visitation! 19 The very mountains and the foundations of the earth quiver and quake when he looks upon them. 20 But no human mind can grasp this, and who can comprehend his ways? 21 Like a tempest that no one can see, so most of his works are concealed. 22 Who is to announce his acts of justice? Or who can await them? For his decree is far off."
200-50 B.C.E.
1 Enoch 14:14
Pseudepigrapha
11 A flaming fire surrounded the walls, and its portals blazed with fire. 12 And I entered into that house, and it was hot as fire and cold as ice: there were no delights of life therein: fear covered me, and trembling seized me. 13 And as I shook and trembled, I fell upon my face. 14 And I saw a vision, and there it was, a second house, greater than the former, and the entire portal was open before me, and it was built of flames of fire. 15 And in every way it so excelled in splendor and magnificence and size that I cannot describe to you its splendor and its size. 16 And its floor was of fire, and above it were lightnings and the path of the stars, and its ceiling also was flaming fire.
100 B.C.E. - 100 C.E.
Testament of Levi 2
Pseudepigrapha
And I was grieving for the race of the sons of men, and I prayed to the Lord that I might be saved. Then I fell asleep, and I saw a high mountain, and I was on it. Then the heavens were opened, and an angel of God said to me, “Levi, enter.” And I entered from the first heaven, and I saw there a great sea hanging. And I saw a second heaven, far brighter and more brilliant, for there was boundless light there as well. And I said to the angel, “Why is this so?” And the angel said to me, “Don’t be amazed by this, for you will see another heaven more brilliant and incomparable.” And when you have ascended there, you will stand near the Lord, and will be His minister, and will declare His mysteries to men, and will proclaim about Him who will redeem Israel. And by you and Judah the Lord will appear among men, saving every race of men.
30 B.C.E - 70 C.E.
2 Enoch 8:1
Pseudepigrapha
1 Those men took me from there and led me up to the third heaven, placing me there. I looked down and saw the produce of these places, the goodness of which was unparalleled. 2 I saw all the sweet-flowering trees and noticed their fruits, which smelled sweet, and all the foods they bore were bubbling with fragrant aromas. 3 In the midst of the trees was the tree of life, the place where the Lord rests when he goes to paradise. This tree is of indescribable goodness and fragrance, adorned more than anything else, appearing golden, vermilion, and fiery, covering all, and bearing all kinds of fruits. 4 Its root is in the garden at the earth's end. 5 Paradise lies between corruptibility and incorruptibility.
30 B.C.E - 70 C.E.
2 Enoch 20:3
Pseudepigrapha
1 And those two men lifted me up from there on to the seventh heaven, and I saw there a very great light, and fiery troops of great archangels, incorporeal forces, and dominions, orders and governments, Cherubim and seraphim, thrones and many-eyed ones, nine regiments, the Ioanit stations of light, and I became afraid, and began to tremble with great terror, and those men took me, and led me after them, and said to me: 2 Have courage, Enoch, do not fear, and showed me the Lord from afar, sitting on His very high throne. For what is there on the tenth heaven, since the Lord dwells there? 3 On the tenth heaven is God, in the Hebrew tongue he is called Aravat. 4 And all the heavenly troops would come and stand on the ten steps according to their rank, and would bow down to the Lord, and would again go to their places in joy and felicity, singing songs in the boundless light with small and tender voices, gloriously serving him.
20-50 C.E.
Life of Adam and Eve 36:4
Pseudepigrapha
1 And God said to him: “Adam, what have you done? If you had kept my commandment, there would now be no rejoicing among those who are bringing you down to this place. Yet, I tell you that I will turn their joy to grief 2 and your grief I will turn to joy, and I will transform you to your former glory and set you on the throne of your deceiver. But he will be cast 3 into this place to see you sitting above him. Then he will be condemned, along with those who listened to him, and he will be deeply grieved when he sees you sitting on his honorable throne.” 4 And he stayed there three hours, lying down, and afterward the Father of all, sitting on his holy throne, stretched out his hand, and took Adam and handed him over to the archangel Michael, saying: “Lift him up into Paradise, to the third Heaven, and leave him there until that fearful day of my reckoning, which I will bring about in the world.” Then Michael took Adam and left 6 him where God told him.
100 C.E.
3 Baruch 7:2
Pseudepigrapha
1 And I said, And where does the sun begin its labors, after the cock crows? 2 And the angel said to me, Listen, Baruch: All things whatsoever I showed thee are in the first and second heaven, and in the third heaven the sun passes through and gives light to the world. But wait, and thou 3 shalt see the glory of God. And while I was conversing with him, I saw the bird, and he appeared 4 in front, and grew less and less, and at length returned to his full size. And behind him I saw the shining sun, and the angels which draw it, and a crown upon its bead, the sight of which we were 5 not able to gaze Upon, and behold. And as soon as the sun shone, the Phoenix also stretched out his wings. But I, when I beheld such great glory, was brought low with great fear, and I fled and 6 hid in the wings of the angel. And the angel said to me, Fear not, Baruch, but wait and thou shalt also see their setting.
100 C.E.
3 Baruch 11:1
Pseudepigrapha
1 And the angel took me and led me thence to a fifth heaven. And the gate was closed. And I said, Lord, is not this gate-way open that we may enter? And the angel said to me, We cannot enter until Michael comes, who holds the keys of the Kingdom of Heaven; but wait and thou shalt see 3 the glory of God. And there was a great sound, as thunder. And I said, Lord, what is this sound? 4 And he said to me, Even now Michael, the commander of the angels, comes down to receive the 5 prayers of men. And behold a voice came, Let the gates be opened. And they opened them, and 6 there was a roar as of thunder. And Michael came, and the angel who was with me came face to
55-57 C.E.
2 Corinthians 12:2
New Testament
1 It is necessary to go on boasting. Though it is not profitable, I will go on to visions and revelations from the Lord. 2 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. 3 And I know that this man (whether in the body or apart from the body I do not know, God knows) 4 was caught up into paradise and heard things too sacred to be put into words, things that a person is not permitted to speak. 5 On behalf of such an individual I will boast, but on my own behalf I will not boast, except about my weaknesses.
55-57 C.E.
2 Corinthians 12:4
New Testament
1 It is necessary to go on boasting. Though it is not profitable, I will go on to visions and revelations from the Lord. 2 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. 3 And I know that this man (whether in the body or apart from the body I do not know, God knows) 4 was caught up into paradise and heard things too sacred to be put into words, things that a person is not permitted to speak. 5 On behalf of such an individual I will boast, but on my own behalf I will not boast, except about my weaknesses.
92-96 C.E.
Revelation 8:1
New Testament
1 Now when the Lamb opened the seventh seal there was silence in heaven for about half an hour. 2 Then I saw the seven angels who stand before God, and seven trumpets were given to them. 3 Another angel holding a golden censer came and was stationed at the altar. A large amount of incense was given to him to offer up, with the prayers of all the saints, on the golden altar that is before the throne.
450-550 C.E.
Chagigah 14b
Rabbinic
§ The Sages taught: Four entered the orchard [pardes], i.e., dealt with the loftiest secrets of Torah, and they are as follows: Ben Azzai; and ben Zoma; Aḥer, the other, a name for Elisha ben Avuya; and Rabbi Akiva. Rabbi Akiva, the senior among them, said to them: When, upon your arrival in the upper worlds, you reach pure marble stones, do not say: Water, water, although they appear to be water, because it is stated: “He who speaks falsehood shall not be established before My eyes” (Psalms 101:7). The Gemara proceeds to relate what happened to each of them: Ben Azzai glimpsed at the Divine Presence and died. And with regard to him the verse states: “Precious in the eyes of the Lord is the death of His pious ones” (Psalms 116:15). Ben Zoma glimpsed at the Divine Presence and was harmed, i.e., he lost his mind. And with regard to him the verse states: “Have you found honey? Eat as much as is sufficient for you, lest you become full from it and vomit it” (Proverbs 25:16). Aḥer chopped down the shoots of saplings. In other words, he became a heretic. Rabbi Akiva came out safely.
450-550 C.E.
Chagigah 12b
Rabbinic
Ma’on, habitation, is where there are groups of ministering angels who recite song at night and are silent during the day out of respect for Israel, in order not to compete with their songs, as it is stated: “By day the Lord will command His kindness, and in the night His song is with me” (Psalms 42:9), indicating that the song of the angels is with God only at night.
600-900 C.E.
Pesikta Rabbati 20
Rabbinic
Finally, when angels of destruction, resentful of his presence in heaven, sought to burn Moses with the breath of their mouths, God spread something of His own splendor about Moses and told him to explain to the ministering angels why he was in heaven. His reply was accepted, and the angel of death even taught Moses how to stand between the dead and the living. God then opened the seven firmaments and showed Moses the Sanctuary on high and the four colors He had used for the Tabernacle. He opened the portals of the seven firmaments and appeared over them and over Israel in His full glory. When Israel heard I am the Lord thy God (Exod. 20:2), their souls at once departed from them. But God made descend the dew which will quicken the souls of the righteous at the resurrection, and thus revived the children of Israel.