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Perspective of Heaven on Earth from a Spiritual Viewpoint

The concept of "heaven on earth" from a spiritual viewpoint involves understanding the biblical and theological perspectives on the relationship between the divine realm and the terrestrial world, as well as the ultimate destiny of creation. The phrase "heaven and earth" often signifies the entire universe in biblical texts, as seen in Genesis 1:1, Jeremiah 23:24, and Acts 17:24 [5].

Biblical understanding of "heaven" is multifaceted. The Hebrew word shamayim is frequently used for "heavens" and appears in the expression "the heaven and the earth" [6]. Ancient Jewish thought recognized multiple heavens: the firmament where birds fly, the starry heavens, and "the heaven of heavens" or "the third heaven" [5]. The Psalms describe God looking down from the height of His sanctuary in heaven to see the earth (Psalm 102:19) and stooping down to observe both heaven and earth (Psalm 113:6) [2, 3]. Isaiah 51:6 speaks of the heavens vanishing like smoke and the earth growing old, while God's salvation endures forever [1]. The book of Revelation depicts a mighty angel descending from the sky, clothed with a cloud and a rainbow on his head, illustrating a connection between the celestial and earthly spheres [4].

From a patristic perspective, Augustine of Hippo considered the "heaven of heavens" to be an intellectual creature, distinct from God's eternity but partaking in it [11]. He also understood "heaven and earth" to refer to both the corporeal and spiritual aspects of creation, with light being made and divided from darkness in their embellishment [8]. Augustine further suggested that "heaven" can be understood spiritually as "all holy souls, all righteous souls," implying that even while on earth, individuals like the Apostles could be considered "heaven" because the Lord dwelt in them [15]. He emphasized that God is not spatially divided between heaven and earth, but is "all in heaven and all on earth" simultaneously, filling both [17].

The spiritual perspective of heaven on earth also touches upon the ultimate transformation of the world. Charles Hodge, one theologian, noted that while the material universe is not eternal, the predictions of Scripture primarily concern the earth [9]. He discussed the idea of a final conflagration, where the world that was once destroyed by water will be consumed by fire, though he believed this would cause less injury than the deluge [9, 14]. Hodge also highlighted the varying views among pre-millennialists regarding Christ's kingdom, with some believing Christ and glorified saints will visibly reign on earth for a thousand years, while others suggest the risen saints will be in heaven, similar to angels [14].

Theological traditions have explored the nature of spiritual beings and their relation to the divine. The Seraphim, for instance, are described in Isaiah's vision as celestial beings standing above God's throne, covering their faces and feet with wings as tokens of humility and respect, and serving to praise God's holiness [7]. Aquinas, representing scholastic Catholic thought, considered angels to be more perfectly in the image of God than humans due to their more perfect intellectual nature [10]. He also addressed the beatific vision, stating that no one can see God in this mortal life without in some way departing from it or withdrawing from carnal senses [12]. The soul of Christ, being united to the Word, sees the Divine Essence more clearly than any other creature [13].

John of Damascus, an Eastern Orthodox theologian, defined heaven as "the circumference of things created, both visible and invisible," encompassing both the mental faculties of angels and the world of sense. He asserted that only the Deity is uncircumscribed, filling, surrounding, and bounding all things, being above all creation [18]. This perspective suggests that while heaven is a distinct realm, God's presence permeates all creation, including the earth.

The concept of "heaven on earth" can also be understood in terms of the presence of God's kingdom and righteousness within the present world. Augustine, in his homilies, spoke of eternal life as a "penny" given to all, but with "many mansions" signifying different grades of merit within that one eternal life [16]. This implies a spiritual reality that begins on earth and extends into eternity, with varying degrees of closeness to God. The idea of God's presence being "all in every place" [17] suggests that the divine is not confined to a distant heaven but is intimately involved with the earthly realm.

The spiritual viewpoint of heaven on earth, therefore, encompasses several dimensions: the biblical understanding of a multi-layered cosmos where God resides and interacts with creation; the patristic view of heaven as both a spiritual realm and a state of righteous souls; the theological discussions about the ultimate transformation of the earth and the nature of the resurrected state; and the recognition of God's omnipresence, making Him fully present in both celestial and terrestrial spheres. This complex interplay highlights a continuous spiritual connection between the divine and the human experience within the created order.

Sources

  1. Isaiah “Lift up your eyes to the heavens, and look on the earth beneath; for the heavens shall vanish away like smoke, and the earth shall wax old like a garment; and those who dwell therein shall die in the same way: but my salvation shall be forever, and my righteousness shall not be abolished. -- Isaiah 51:6”
  2. Psalms “For he has looked down from the height of his sanctuary. From heaven, Yahweh saw the earth; -- Psalms 102:19”
  3. Psalms “Who stoops down to see in heaven and in the earth? -- Psalms 113:6”
  4. Revelation “I saw a mighty angel coming down out of the sky, clothed with a cloud. A rainbow was on his head. His face was like the sun, and his feet like pillars of fire. -- Revelation 10:1”
  5. Easton's Bible Dictionary “Easton's Bible Dictionary: Heaven — (1.) Definitions. The phrase "heaven and earth" is used to indicate the whole universe (Gen. 1:1; Jer. 23:24; Acts 17:24). According to the Jewish notion there were three heavens, (a) The firmament, as "fowls of the heaven" (Gen. 2:19; 7:3, 23; Ps. 8:8, etc.), "the eagles of heaven" (Lam. 4:19), etc. (b) The starry heavens (Deut. 17:3; Jer. 8:2; Matt. 24:29). (c) "The heaven of heavens," or "the third heaven" (Deut. 10:14; 1 Kings 8:27; Ps. 115:16; 148:4; 2 Cor. 12:2). (2.) Meaning of words in the original, (a) The usual Hebrew word for "heavens" is shamayim”
  6. Smith's Bible Dictionary “Smith's Bible Dictionary: Heaven — There are four Hebrew words thus rendered in the Old Testament which we may briefly notice. + Raki'a, Authorized Version, firmament. [[602]Firmament] + Shamayim . This is the word used in the expression "the heaven and the earth," or "the upper and lower regions." (Genesis 1:1) + Marom, used for heaven in (Psalms 18:16; Isaiah 24:18; Jeremiah 25:30). Properly speaking it means a mountain as in (Psalms 102:19; Ezekiel 17:23) + Shechakim, "expanses," with reference to the extent of heaven. (33:26; Job 35:5) St. Paul's expression "third heaven," (2 Corinthians 1”
  7. Smith's Bible Dictionary “Smith's Bible Dictionary: Seraphim — (burning, glowing), an order of celestial beings, whom Isaiah beheld in vision standing above Jehovah as he sat upon his throne. (Isaiah 6:2) They are described as having each of them three pairs of wings, with one of which they covered their faces (a token of humility); with the second they covered their feet (a token of respect); while with the third they flew. They seem to have borne a general resemblance to the human figure. ver. 6. Their occupation was two fold to celebrate the praises of Jehovah's holiness and power, ver. 3 and to act as the medium of”
  8. Schaff ANF/NPNF (Patristic) “NPNF1 Vol 1: Augustine — Confessions, Letters — CHAP. XXXII. -- OF THE PARTICULAR WORKS OF GOD, MORE ESPECIALLY OF MAN.: 47- Thanks to Thee, O Lord. We behold the heaven and the earth, whether the corporeal 206 part, superior and inferior, or the spiritual and corporeal creature; and in the embellishment of these parts, whereof the universal mass of the world or the universal creation consisteth, we see light made, and divided from the darkness. We see the firmament of heaven,' whether the primary body of the world between the spiritual upper waters and the corporeal lower waters, or -- becaus”
  9. CCEL (Reformed (Old Princeton)) “Charles Hodge, Systematic Theology, Vol. 3, section 93: the bondage of corruption. The change to be effected is in the dwelling-place of man. ( d .) According to the Apostle Peter, it is the world which once was destroyed by water, that is to be consumed by fire. But although the predictions of Scripture concern only our earth, it does not follow that the material universe is to last forever. As it is not from eternity, it probably will not last forever. It may be only one of the grand exhibitions of the wonderful working of God in the field of infinite space, and in the course of unending age”
  10. theology (Catholic (Scholastic)) “Aquinas, Summa Theologica, First Part (Prima Pars), The End or Term of the Production of Man, Art. 3: Article: Whether the angels are more to the image of God than man is? I answer that, We may speak of God's image in two ways. First, we may consider in it that in which the image chiefly consists, that is, the intellectual nature. Thus the image of God is more perfect in the angels than in man, because their intellectual nature is more perfect, as is clear from what has been said (Question [58], Article [3]; Question [79], Article [8]). Secondly, we may consider the image of God in man as rega”
  11. Schaff ANF/NPNF (Patristic) “NPNF1 Vol 1: Augustine — Confessions, Letters — CHAP. IX.--THAT THE HEAVEN OF HEAVENS WAS AN INTELLECTUAL CREATURE, BUT THAT THE EARTH WAS INVISIBLE AND FORMLESS BEFORE THE DAYS THAT IT WAS MADE.: 9. And therefore the Spirit, the Teacher of Thy servant 4 when He relates that Thou didst in the Beginning create heaven and earth, is silent as to times, silent as to days. For, doubtless, that heaven of heavens, which Thou in the Beginning didst create, is some intellectual creature, which, although in no wise co-eternal unto Thee, the Trinity, is yet a partaker of Thy eternity, and by reason of th”
  12. theology (Catholic (Scholastic)) “Aquinas, Summa Theologica, Second Part of the Second Part (Secunda Secundae), Of the Contemplative Life, Art. 5: Article: Whether in the present state of life the contemplative life can reach to the vision of the Divine essence? I answer that, As Augustine says (Gen. ad lit. xii, 27), "no one seeing God lives this mortal life wherein the bodily senses have their play: and unless in some way he depart this life, whether by going altogether out of his body, or by withdrawing from his carnal senses, he is not caught up into that vision." This has been carefully discussed above (Question [175], Ar”
  13. theology (Catholic (Scholastic)) “Aquinas, Summa Theologica, Third Part (Tertia Pars), Of the Beatific Knowledge of Christ's Soul, Art. 4: Article: Whether the soul of Christ sees the Word or the Divine Essence more clearly than does any other creature? I answer that, The vision of the Divine Essence is granted to all the blessed by a partaking of the Divine light which is shed upon them from the fountain of the Word of God, according to Ecclus. 1:5: "The Word of God on high is the fountain of Wisdom." Now the soul of Christ, since it is united to the Word in person, is more closely joined to the Word of God than any other cre”
  14. CCEL (Reformed (Old Princeton)) “Charles Hodge, Systematic Theology, Vol. 3, section 95: final conflagration will produce less change or injury than the deluge did. 885 885 The Last Times, J. A. Seiss, D. D. p. 74. The utmost confusion also prevails in the views of pre-millennarians as to the nature of the kingdom of Christ. According to one view Christ and his risen and glorified saints are to dwell visibly on the earth and reign for a thousand years; according to another, the risen saints are to be in heaven, and not on earth my more than the angels now are; nevertheless the subjects of the first resurrection, although dwel”
  15. Schaff ANF/NPNF (Patristic) “NPNF1 Vol 8: Augustine — Exposition on Psalms — PSALM CXXIII.(4) (part 2): to imagine that we cannot ascend thither without ladders, or some scaling machines: but if we ascend spiritually, we ought to understand heaven spiritually: if the ascent be in affection, heaven is in righteousness. What is then the heaven of God? All holy souls, all righteous souls. For the Apostles also, although they were on earth in the flesh, were heaven; for the Lord, enthroned in them, traversed the whole world. He then dwelleth in heaven. How?. ... How long are they the temple according to faith? As long as Chri”
  16. Schaff ANF/NPNF (Patristic) “NPNF1 Vol 7: Augustine — Homilies on John — Chapter XIV. 1-3. (part 2): between those who have labored less and those who have labored more: (4) by which penny, of course, is signified eternal life, whereto no one any longer lives to a different length than others, since in eternity life has no diversity in its measure. But the many mansions point to the different grades of merit in that one eternal life. For there is one glory of the sun, another glory of the moon, and another glory of the stars: for one star differeth from another star in glory; and so also the resurrection of the dead. The ”
  17. Schaff ANF/NPNF (Patristic) “NPNF1 Vol 2: Augustine — City of God, Christian Doctrine — CHAP. 29.--OF THE BEATIFIC VISION. (part 4): no more power than the eyes which we now possess, manifestly God cannot be seen with them. They must be of a very different power if they can look upon that incorporeal nature which is not contained in any place, but is all in every place. For though we say that God is in heaven and on earth, as He, Himself says by the prophet, "I fill heaven and earth,"(3) we do not mean that there is one part of God in heaven and another part on earth; but He is all in heaven and all on earth, not at alter”
  18. CCEL (Eastern Orthodox) “John of Damascus, An Exact Exposition of the Orthodox Faith, section 21: Chapter VI .— Concerning the Heaven. The heaven is the circumference of things created, both visible and invisible. For within its boundary are included and marked off both the mental faculties of the angels and all the world of sense. But the Deity alone is uncircumscribed, filling all things, and surrounding all things, and bounding all things, for He is above all things, and has created all things. Since 1683 1683 Cf. Chrysost., In Genes., hom. 4; Basil, Hex. hom. 3, &c. , therefore, the Scripture speaks of heaven, and”
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