The Bible repeatedly reveals times when the boundary between the visible and invisible realms appears to open. When open heavens, heavenly doors, visions, supernatural transportation, angelic activity, and encounters in which ordinary perceptions of space and time seem transcended
Jesus Christ is the centre and governing authority of every true spiritual encounter.
Jesus said:
“I am the door. If anyone enters by Me, he will be saved.” John 10:9
1. Jacob’s Ladder — A Gateway Between Heaven and Earth
In Genesis 28:10–17, Jacob sleeps at Bethel and dreams of a ladder or stairway stretching from earth into heaven. Angels ascend and descend upon it, while the Lord stands above it.
Jacob awakens and declares:
“How awesome is this place! This is none other than the house of God, and this is the gate of heaven!”
Genesis 28:17
This is one of Scripture’s clearest gateway passages. Yet the New Testament reveals something even greater. Jesus tells Nathanael:
“You shall see heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of Man.”
John 1:51
Jesus effectively places Himself at the centre of Jacob’s ladder revelation. The ultimate connection between heaven and earth is therefore not a geographical portal. It is Christ!
2. Ezekiel — The Heavens Were Opened
Ezekiel begins his prophetic ministry with –
“The heavens were opened and I saw visions of God.” Ezekiel 1:1
He then encounters the glory of God, living creatures, wheels, fire, brilliant light, and the likeness of God’s throne. Ezekiel wasn’t manufacturing access into another realm.
God opened the heavens.This distinction is vital.
Biblically, supernatural revelation originates under God’s sovereignty. The prophet receives; God reveals. Later Ezekiel experiences something equally extraordinary:
“The Spirit lifted me up between earth and heaven and brought me in visions of God to Jerusalem.”
Ezekiel 8:3
His physical body did not necessarily travel to Jerusalem; Scripture specifically calls it a vision of God. That reminds us that supernatural perception and physical transportation are not always the same thing.
3. Daniel — Revelation Beyond Ordinary Human Knowledge
Daniel’s life introduces another dimension: God revealing mysteries inaccessible through ordinary knowledge.
Nebuchadnezzar demanded that his wise men reveal both his dream and its interpretation.
Daniel responded:
“There is a God in heaven who reveals secrets.”
Daniel 2:28
Daniel later receives visions concerning kingdoms, generations and events beyond his own lifetime.
As looking across stretches of history, but Scripture does not portray Daniel as literally travelling through time.
God brought knowledge of another time into Daniel’s present moment. It is revelation from the One who already knows the end from the beginning.
“Declaring the end from the beginning…”
Isaiah 46:10
4. Elijah — Heaven Intervening in Earthly Space
Elijah’s departure is perhaps one of Scripture’s most mysterious events.
“Suddenly a chariot of fire appeared with horses of fire… and Elijah went up by a whirlwind into heaven.” 2 Kings 2:11
This is God’s supernatural sovereignty!
Interestingly, Elijah later appears alongside Moses at Jesus’ transfiguration.
Matthew 17 records Moses and Elijah speaking with Christ centuries after their earthly ministries.
For a moment, Peter, James and John witness something outside normal human experience.
Yet once again, everything converges upon Jesus.
The Father’s voice declares:
“This is My beloved Son… Hear Him!”
Matthew 17:5
The supernatural must ultimately direct our attention toward Christ.
5. Philip — Supernatural Transportation
One of the most striking New Testament accounts occurs after Philip baptizes the Ethiopian official.
“The Spirit of the Lord caught Philip away…”
Acts 8:39
The next verse says: “Philip was found at Azotus.”
Luke presents it as an extraordinary action of the Holy Spirit. Supernatural translation/transportation.
The Spirit of God acted sovereignly.
Biblical supernatural power belongs to God.
6. Paul — Caught Up Into the Third Heaven
“Such a one was caught up to the third heaven.”
2 Corinthians 12:2
Then Paul makes an extraordinary declaration –
“Whether in the body I do not know, or whether out of the body I do not know, God knows.”
Even Paul didn’t completely understand his own supernatural experience.
That gives us a valuable model. We don’t always need to force an explanation upon something God has not explained.
Paul was comfortable saying:
“God knows.”
7. John — A Door Standing Open in Heaven
Revelation 4
“Behold, a door standing open in heaven.”
Then John hears:“Come up here.” Immediately he says:“I was in the Spirit.”
He then encounters God’s throne, worship, heavenly beings and an entirely different perspective of reality. God opens the door!
God calls John upward.
John enters through the Spirit.
The initiative remains God’s.
8. Time Is Different From God’s Perspective
Scripture also gives fascinating glimpses into God’s relationship with time.
“With the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.”
2 Peter 3:8
Psalm 90:2
“From everlasting to everlasting, You are God.”
“I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End.”
Revelation 22:13
Romans 1:20 does give us a beautiful insight –
“His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made…”
Creation points us toward The Creator of All.
Theology asks ultimately Who created it and what He has revealed about Himself.
The Greater Revelation: Jesus Is the Door
When all these passages are brought together, something beautiful emerges.
Jacob saw a ladder.
Ezekiel saw opened heavens.
Daniel saw future kingdoms.
Elijah was taken upward.
Philip was caught away.
Paul encountered the third heaven.
John saw an open door.
Jesus declares:
“I am the door.”
And Hebrews tells us that through His blood we now have confidence to enter God’s presence.
The deepest biblical message about heavenly access therefore is: “Come through Christ.”
The veil was torn when Jesus died.
Access to God was opened—through the finished work of the Cross.
God reveals that the visible world is not the entirety of reality. Scripture makes that abundantly clear. The invitation is too look higher and beyond.
There is more to God’s Kingdom than what the natural eye perceives.
There is more to eternity than chronological time.
There is more to creation than we presently understands.
Yet at the centre of every mystery stands Jesus Christ.
He is before all things.
He holds all things together.
He is the Beginning and the End.
He is the Word through whom all of creation came into existence.
“For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible… All things were created through Him and for Him.” Colossians 1:16
Denise Sylvia Bruning
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