Heathen.  This is one of the translations given in the New Testament of the

Greek word ethnos, which word and its implications is more fully considered

under the heading Gentile (p. 49).

There are five words employed in the Hebrew Old Testament translated

`heaven' and one Greek word so translated in the New Testament.  Of the Hebrew

words, galgal (Psa. 77:18) refers to the `rolling clouds', the word galgal

being elsewhere rendered `wheel' and `rolling thing'.  Shachaq, used in Psalm

89:6 and 37 means a `thin cloud', and is elsewhere translated `cloud', `sky'

and `small dust'.  It may be accidental, but it is nevertheless interesting,

that the blue colour, and hence the visibility of the `sky', is owing to

refraction of blue rays of light, and that `it is to the vapoury and the earthy

particles in the atmosphere that the refraction is due; but for these there

would be total darkness till the instant of sunrise'.  As the imagery of the

Old Testament has been seized upon to `prove' the unscientific character of

these ancient writings, the inclusion of the above note may not be without

justification.  Arabah `mixed cloud' (Psa. 68:4) and ariphim `dropping clouds'

(Isa. 5:30) complete the references that refer to the clouds under the covering

figure of heaven.

Shamayim.  This Hebrew word is the one that is translated `heaven' or

`heavens' in the Old Testament  except in those portions where the Chaldee

equivalent shemayin is used (Ezra, Daniel and Jer. 10:11).  The Hebrew shamayim

occurs in the Old Testament  419 times, of these, twenty -one occurrences are

translated `air', as in Genesis 1:26.  In the New Testament  only one word,

ouranos, is translated `heaven'.  This Greek word occurs over 280 times, of

which `air' accounts for ten occurrences and `sky' for five.  `The name

"heaven" in our own language has been explained, according to its etymology,

that which is heaved or lifted up, and a similar origin has been assigned to

the Greek ouranos, and the Hebrew shamayim' (Imp. Bib. Dic.).  Under the

heading Firmament (p. 21), we have discussed the nature of the temporary

`heaven' stretched out like a tent over the earth during the ages of

Redemption.  In this article we deal with heaven itself.  Whether the

translation reads `heaven' or `heavens', the word is always plural in the

original.  This no more indicates a plurality of `heavens' than the plural

Elohim `God' indicates a plurality of Gods.  There is a use of the plural in

the Hebrew language known as `The Plural of Majesty' as, for example, `the

sacrifices of God' in Psalm 51:17, which means `the great sacrifice'.

Creation is divided into two parts, `heaven and earth' (Gen. 1:1), which

in Colossians 1:16 is expanded to mean `all things visible and invisible', and

the term `heaven' may include thrones, dominions, principalities and powers, as

well as physical sun, moon and stars.  Heaven is often used as a symbol of

authority, for example, when Nebuchadnezzar learned `that the heavens do rule'

(Dan. 4:26).  The superiority of the heavens to the earth is expressed in the

words `on high' (Luke 1:78; Heb. 1:3), `height' (Isa. 7:11; Psa. 148:1; Prov.

25:3).  It is possible that, after Genesis 1:1, there are but nine or ten

references to `heaven itself', i.e., the heaven of Genesis 1:1, in the whole of

the Old Testament.  This can be put to the test by reading the book of Genesis,

and noting every allusion to `heaven'.  We read of the waters that are under

heaven, lights in the firmament of heaven, fowl that fly in the `air', the

windows of heaven opened at the deluge, Abraham directed to look toward heaven,

to the countless number of the stars, but no passage demands that the term

`heaven' should be interpreted of the heaven of Genesis 1:1.  We cannot print