Heaven, earth, sea: That three-decker universe is standard-issue in biblical cosmology (Exodus 20:11; Psalm 69:34; 96:11; 135:6; 146:6; Revelation 10:6). Occasionally a second heaven is added to the scheme (Nehemiah 9:6).
But when the Lamb ascends to take the book, praise arises from four dimensions of creation: heaven, earth, under the earth, and sea (Revelation 5:13). So far as I can tell, this is unprecedented. A fourth dimension is added not by reference to a tip-top story, a highest heaven. A fourth dimension is added below, a basement beneath the earth.
When the slain Lamb stands in heaven, the question of the Psalms gets answered: Can the dead praise you? In Sheol, who can give you thanks?
YOU MIGHT ALSO LIKE
The Church in the Age of Therapy
In 1966, Philip Rieff wrote in The Triumph of the Therapeutic that “Religious man was born to…
Canada’s Deadliest Blind Spot
On September 20, the Daily Mail ran a story with the provocative headline, “Our 83-year-old Christian grandmother…
The Faithful Joy of Dolly Parton and Fulton Sheen
Dolly Parton and Fulton Sheen seem to have had little in common. She favored rhinestones; he wore…
