speak of `silver spread into plates' (Jer. 10:9).  Job speaks of Him `which

alone spreadeth out the heavens' (Job 9:8), and who `stretcheth out the north

over the empty place' (tohu, `without form' of Genesis 1:2), (Job 26:7).  The

stretched -out heavens are likened to a tent or tabernacle:

`That stretcheth out the heavens as a curtain, and spreadeth them out

as a tent to dwell in' (Isa. 40:22).

`He that created the heavens, and stretched them out'  (Isa 42:5).

`... stretched forth the heavens ...' (Isa. 44:24; 51:13; Zech. 12:1).

Not only is the firmament spoken of in language that reminds of the

Tabernacle, there is a reference in Job, that suggests that the earth too, is

looked upon as the ground upon which this tabernacle of the sky rests:

`Whereupon are the foundations thereof fastened?' (Job 38:6).

At first sight there may not appear much in this passage to link it

with the tabernacle, but when it is known that this same word which is

translated `foundation' is translated `socket' fifty -three times, and that

fifty -two of the occurrences refer to the sockets on which the Tabernacle

rested in the wilderness, then the reference in Job 38, takes on a richer and

deeper meaning.

The firmament of Genesis 1:6 is a lesser and temporary `heaven',

destined like a tent to be folded up and to pass away when the ages come to

an end.

The `firmament' is not merely the distant `heaven' of the sun, the moon

and stars, it is also the place where birds can fly (Gen. 1:20) consequently

we can understand that when Christ ascended, He is said to have `passed

through the heavens', dierchomai not `passed into' (Heb. 4:14).*  In Hebrews

7:26 Christ is said to have been `made higher' than the heavens, while

Ephesians declares that He ascended up `far above all heavens' with the

object that He might `fill' all things (Eph. 4:10).  Christ is said to have

passed through the heavens, to have been made higher than the heavens, and to

have ascended up far above all heavens, consequently it is impossible for Him

to be far above all heavens, and yet be at the same time seated in those very

heavens, for even though knowledge of heaven and heavenly things may be very

limited, we can understand the simple import of the language used.

Consequently we discover that two words are employed for `heaven', one

ouranos, which includes the highest sphere of all, but nevertheless can be

used of that `heaven' which is to pass away (Matt. 5:18), of the `air' where

birds fly (Matt. 6:26), the heaven of the `stars' (Matt. 24:29) and of the

`angels' (Mark 13:32), and the other epouranios.

*

The student should note that this reference is omitted in Young's

Analytical Concordance to the Bible.

We perceive that in many passages ouranos refers to the `firmament' of

Genesis 1:6, while epouranios refers to the heaven of Genesis 1:1 which was

unaffected by the overthrow of verse 2, will not be dissolved and pass away,

and is where Christ now sits at the right hand of God `far above all of the

heavens'.  Hebrews 9:24 speaks of this sphere as `heaven itself'.  In two

passages, the heavens are said to be rolled together or to depart `as a