The Throne of God: A Word Study Of Heaven
The Greek word οὐρανός, οῦ, ο (heaven, sky) goes back to Homer and beyond, and even then had both a literal and a figurative meaning.
It was both the firmament or sky, a fortress of brass or iron mounted above the αίθρη (the aether or clear sky), as well as the home of the gods. Very early on in the Iliad the goddess Thetis mounts up to μέγαν οὐρανὸν Οὐλυμπόν τε (great heaven and Olympus) to appeal to Zeus on behalf of her son Achilles.
Similar meanings are ascribed to the word in the New Testament. There is, however, no brass or iron fortress involved and the transcendent abode is not inhabited by a loose knit family of squabbling gods and goddesses.
Everything that is not planet Earth
The word οὐρανός, οῦ, ο is defined by BDAG (p 737) firstly as “the portion or portions of the universe generally distinguished from planet earth, heaven”.
This meaning can be used conceptually when heaven is paired with earth (ο οὐρανὸς καὶ η γῆ - “the heaven and the earth”) to express the idea of creation in toto.
It is the home of the stars (including falling stars) e.g. καὶ οι ἀστέρες πεσοῦνται ἀπὸ τοῦ οὐρανοῦ - and the stars will fall from the sky (Matthew 11:29 ESV).
It is also, occasionally, the airy vault above us, the abode of birds and clouds e.g. τὰ πτεινὰ τοῦ οὐρανοῦ - the birds of the air (Mark 4:32).
It is also used to express the concept of a great height or worth, for instance of a something that may be exalted to “heaven” e.g. μή έως οὐρανοῦ υψωήση - will you be exalted to heaven? (Matthew 11:23 ESV).
These meanings, more literal or naturalistic, are uncommon however when compared with the almost default sense of the word in the New Testament.
THE TRANSCENDENT ABODE
BDAG (p 738) defines this sense of the word as the “dwelling-place (or throne) of God”.
Examples of this usage in the New Testament are plentiful and none more illustrative than those instances when God speaks ἐξ οὐρανοῦ in Matthew 3:17, Mark 1:11 and Luke 3:22.
Talk of a Father in heaven, treasure in heaven, bread from heaven and similar references to the riches and rewards to be found or stored up in this figurative dwelling place further exemplify this widespread sense of the word.
As a corollary, the heavens are also the dwelling place of angels e.g. ἀγγελοι ἐν τοῖς οὐρανοῖς (Mark 12:25) and an epithet of Christ (ἐξ οὐρανοῦ).
So common is this second sense of the word that is would be almost safe to say that nine times out of ten when you meet it in the New Testament, think God. In fact, in Luke 15:18, the word is used as a sort of surrogate for God: ήμαρτον εἰς τὸν οὐρανὸν - I have sinned against heaven.
RELATED WORDS
οὐράνιος -ον: a two ending adjective meaning “belonging to or coming from heaven, heavenly.” This word is found only six times in the New Testament, in Matthew, Luke and Acts.
οὐρανόθεν: an old, Homeric adverb meaning “from heaven”. This word is found only twice in the New Testament, in Acts.
