Seven is God's favorite number. Time itself is divided into seven parts.
1) Seconds.
2) Minutes.
3) Hours.
4) Days.
5)Weeks.
6) Months.
7) Years.
God created the heaven and earth, or God created a physical realm and placed earth in it.
Side note: Let's ponder something (for better understanding) while we look at the picture above.... The picture above is supposed to be our universe which contains everything physical. Imagine that God lives on the outside of this. Why? The physical objects contain inside this realm (heaven as God's word would call it), require time with the curse of death in order to exist. God lives in eternity which is time minus the curse of death or age. Which means that time with the curse of death is contained, and is separate from eternity which exist outside of our universe. Now to continue with subject....
Notice that heaven is created before the earth. This is because earth cannot exist in eternity (where God is). The first heaven is the physical heaven that you see in the above picture. Now, most people would make the mistake of thinking the word "heaven" for actual heaven where God lives. So before I explain this any further, I need to make clear that the reference to heaven is not always to where God is. Back in biblical times, they did not have a word for realms, or parallel universe. So the word heaven was used instead for each realm, or universe created (both physical and spiritual). To prove this, I refer to the verses that state there is more than one heaven.
II Corinthians 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.
Deuteronomy 10:14 Behold, the heaven (1) and the heaven (2) of heavens (3) is the LORD'S thy God, the earth also, with all that therein is.
I Kings 8:27 But will God indeed dwell on the earth? behold, the heaven (1) and heaven (2) of heavens (3) cannot contain thee; how much less this house that I have builded?
II Chronicles 2:6 But who is able to build him an house, seeing the heaven (1) and heaven (2) of heavens (3) cannot contain him? who am I then, that I should build him an house, save only to burn sacrifice before him?
II Chronicles 6:18 But will God in very deed dwell with men on the earth? behold, heaven (1) and the heaven (2) of heavens (3) cannot contain thee; how much less this house which I have built!
Nehemiah 9:6 Thou, even thou, art LORD alone; thou hast made heaven (1), the heaven (2) of heavens (3), 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.
So was God setting up the boundaries between the physical realm, and the spiritual (good and evil)? If you notice, every-time heaven is mentioned in Genesis 1, it always singular. Note: The 3 heavens also go along with the trinity (Father, Son, Holy Ghost), and the 3 day resurrection.
Genesis 1, 1 In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth. 8 And God called the firmament Heaven. And the evening and the morning were the second day. 9 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. 14 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: 15 And let them be for lights in the firmament of the heaven to give light upon the earth: and it was so. 17 And God set them in the firmament of the heaven to give light upon the earth, 20 And God said, Let the waters bring forth abundantly the moving creature that hath life, and fowl that may fly above the earth in the open firmament of heaven.
Side note: Notice that heaven is mentioned 7 times during creation, which is God's perfect number. And this is done before the word heaven become plural in Genesis 2:1. In biblical numerology, 7 is the number of completion.
So in each mention of heaven, God is working with "one" of the heavens during creation. It is not yet known that there is more than one heaven created during creation until creation is done. Now the word heaven becomes plural.
Genesis 2:1 Thus the heavensand the earth were finished, and all the host of them.
So what are the three heavens, and the host of them?
Heavens
Explanation
Host of them
Heaven one:
The physical realm in which we live. For it was the first heaven created to contain earth.
Contains all physical things. All the planets, stars.
Heaven two:
The spiritual realm of evil. Because darkness existed before the light, in the physical realm. What goes into darkness (evil, Satan and his fallen angels) goes there. Yes, this was when Satan was cast to earth. And also puts him here in time to tempt Eve to sin.
Contains Satan and his fallen angels.
Heaven three:
The spiritual realm of good. This is where God lives.
Contains God, the Son, and all of God's angels.
Note: When we get to the creation of the first light, it will be explained in more detail about good and evil, and when Satan was cast down.
