Elijah Went to Heaven in a Chariot of Fire.
“And it came to pass as they still went on, and talked, that behold, there appeared a chariot of fire, and horses of fire, and parted them both asunder; and Elijah went up by a whirlwind into heaven.” ([2 Kings 2 : 11].)
The writer of Luke, has given us almost a literal copy of this story in telling of Jesus’ ascent to heaven:
“And he led them out as far as Bethany, and he lifted up his hands, and blessed them; and it came to pass while he blessed them, he was parted from them and carried up into heaven.” ([Luke 24 : 50, 51].)
“So then after the Lord had spoken unto them, he was received up into heaven, and sat on the right hand of God.” ([Mark 16 : 19].)
To these writers heaven was only a few miles away. They had not the faintest conception of the distance of the nearest fixed star:
“And he (Jacob) dreamed and behold a ladder set up on the earth and the top of it reached to heaven: and behold the angels of God ascending and descending on it.” ([Gen. 28 : 12].)
The tower of Babel was another method of reaching heaven. The writers of the gospels have no better ideas than the ancient Jews had.
I give below, a few out of many passages which show that the writers of the New Testament regarded heaven as only a few miles away.
“And, lo, the heavens were opened.” ([Mat. 3 : 16].)