Is Heaven Beyond the Cosmic Horizon?
A young child's innocent question about driving to heaven sparks a fascinating exploration of where heaven might be located. The Bible describes heaven as being "up" there, but what does that mean in scientific terms?
Three Levels of Heaven According to the Bible
- Lowest Level: Earth's atmosphere
- Middle Level: Outer space
- Highest Level: Where God is said to dwell
The Bible often mentions looking "up" to God in heaven and God looking "down" on Earth.
The Cosmic Horizon: The Farthest Point from Earth
In 1929, Edwin Hubble made a groundbreaking discovery. He found that galaxies are moving away from each other at a speed that increases with distance. This is known as Hubble's Law.
- Cosmic Horizon: The farthest point from Earth, where galaxies move at the speed of light.
- Distance: About 273 billion trillion miles from Earth.
- Inaccessibility: Even the fastest rocket couldn't reach it.
Why Heaven Might Be Beyond the Cosmic Horizon
- Beyond the Observable Universe: Modern cosmology suggests there's an entire universe beyond the Cosmic Horizon, but we can't see or reach it.
- Timelessness: Time stops at the Cosmic Horizon, meaning there's no past, present, or future there.
- Habitability: Space still exists beyond the Cosmic Horizon, making it habitable for light and light-like entities.
- Oldest Celestial Objects: The Cosmic Horizon is lined with the oldest celestial objects in the observable universe, predating the Big Bang and the beginning of our universe.
These scientific findings make it reasonable to speculate that heaven is indeed "up" there, beyond our visible universe. It's inaccessible to us while we're alive, inhabited by non-material, timeless beings, and the dwelling place of the One who created the universe.
