Coptic Orthodox Diocese of the Southern United States
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Does the Kingdom of Heaven physically exist?

St. Paul talked about a third heaven "One was caught up to the third heaven...how he was caught up into Paradise" (2 Cor 12:2-4). The first heaven is the heaven of the birds i.e. the sky, the second one is the space with all the planets, the third heaven is Paradise, and then there is the heaven of heavens, which is the Kingdom of heaven.

Some denominations do teach that the kingdom of heaven is a state of mind and a condition not a place. They base their teaching on the verse in the Holy Gospel of St. Luke "The kingdom of God does not come with observation; nor will they say, 'See here!' or 'See there!' For indeed, the kingdom of God is within you" (Lk 17:20-21).

Our Church believes that the kingdom of Heaven is the place of God's throne beyond time and space. It is the eternal dwelling of God's angels, and all the saints. Though we as Christians live in this world, we belong to the Kingdom of heaven, and that Kingdom is our true home that we are all looking forward to go to on Judgment Day.

God being omnipresent is definitely not limited by a place, however our Lord Jesus Christ Himself taught us to pray saying "Our Father who art in heaven...Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven" was our Lord talking here about the sky and the space?

Our Lord Jesus Christ said to Nicodemus, "No one has ascended to heaven but He who came down from heaven, that is, the Son of Man who is in heaven" (Jn 3:13). He descended from heaven to earth, but continued in heaven because he is present everywhere and no place is empty of Him. Our Lord Jesus Christ also ascended to the heaven of heavens, the place of God's throne and glory. "But I say to you, do not swear at all: neither by heaven, for it is God's throne" (Mt 5:34) and "So then after the Lord had spoken to them, He was received up into Heaven, and sat down at the right hand of God" (Mk 16:19).

In that place people will recognize each other and will have an eternal life together "And I say to you that many will come from east and west, and sit down with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven" (Mt 8:11).

However, what heaven is like can't be conceived here on earth for St. Paul says "No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love him" (1 Cor 2:9), there is no physical description of heaven that can qualify. St. John saw a glimpse of the Kingdom of Heaven in a revelation and described it in the Holy Book of Revelation.
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