The First Heaven

(open firmament, atmosphere or sky)

Then God commanded, “Let the water be filled with many kinds of living beings, and let the air be filled with birds.”

(Genesis 1:20) Good News Translation

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.

(Genesis 1:20) King James Version

Part of the space between the firmament and Earth is the area in contact with the Earth that we call the atmosphere, or sky. This is where the birds fly. It’s referred to as the open firmament.

There will be the shout of command, the archangel’s voice, the sound of God’s trumpet, and the Lord himself will come down from heaven. Those who have died believing in Christ will rise to life first; then we who are living at that time will be gathered up along with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will always be with the Lord. So then, encourage one another with these words.

(1 Thessalonians 4:16-18) Good News Translation

Any time that the Bible refers to the clouds or the air we can be sure that it’s referring to the atmosphere.

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