The Firmament

2024-02-20

The word “firmament” is the only translation of the word רָקִיעַ. I think there is a simple solution to what this is. Let us look at the usage of this word.

The Firmament in Genesis

God said, Let there be a firmament in the midst of the waters, and let it divide the waters from the waters. And God made the firmament, and divided the waters which were under the firmament from the waters which were above the firmament: and it was so. And God called the firmament Heaven. And the evening and the morning were the second day. (Genesis 1:6-8)

Recall that the earth was a formless and watery chaos. God made the world to be inhabited by living creatures. In preparation for this, He made an expanse so that there would be a space where there would be something other than water. There was water below this firmament and there was water above this firmament. So, there would be water, then a space, then more water. This “space” or “firmament” is called heaven. Afterwards, the water below the firmament are gathered together so that dry land appears.

What goes in this firmament?

And God said, Let there be lights in the firmament of the heaven to divide the day from the night; and let them be for signs, and for seasons, and for days, and years: And let them be for lights in the firmament of the heaven to give light upon the earth: and it was so. And God made two great lights; the greater light to rule the day, and the lesser light to rule the night: he made the stars also. And God set them in the firmament of the heaven to give light upon the earth, And to rule over the day and over the night, and to divide the light from the darkness: and God saw that it was good. (Genesis 1:14-18)

The firmament includes all heavenly bodies: the sun, the moon, and the stars (cf. Daniel 12:3; the stars and the firmament are likened to each other in the metaphor in that verse). This expanse, therefore, is huge. What else is in there?

And God said, Let the waters bring forth abundantly the moving creature that hath life, and fowl that may fly above the earth in the open firmament of heaven. (Genesis 1:20)

We see this firmament includes both the earth’s atmosphere and what we call outer space.

The Biblical cosmological model is layered, namely, water-space-water. The water below the firmament was gathered for dry land to appear also. The firmament space divides the outer sphere of water and inner sphere of water and dry land. A major question remains for us: If the sun and the moon are in the firmament, and the earth and seas are not in the firmament, then how can this sustain a truly heliocentric model? All the spinning and moving of heavenly bodies are happening in the firmament, but the earth and seas are not in this firmament, but distinct from it. What we observe may not be as it really is. From our frame of reference on the earth, the heavenly bodies move about us in the firmament.

The Firmament in the Psalm 19

The firmament is defined as heaven again in Psalm 19:1: “The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament sheweth his handywork” (Psalm 19:1). Subsequent verses describe how this firmament demonstrates God’s glory and power (cf. Psalm 150:1). The immensity of it all shows that the God who created everything is more powerful and immense than what is in the firmament.

Moreover, because the firmament envelopes the whole earth, all humankind can see God’s power and glory. There is nobody that can say they are truly ignorant of the Creator and His splendor.

The example of the sun in its circuit is given. This shows the high intellect of God, since this sun gives the exact heat that the earth needs. Moreover, we see God’s grace, because we require the warmth of the sun for survival: “and there is nothing hid from the heat thereof” (Psalm 19:6).

The Firmament in Ezekiel 1

The word firmament appears four times in Ezekiel 1 during the vision of the living creatures: Ezekiel 1:22, 23, 25, 26. Is this the same firmament as in Genesis? I am not sure, but it could be.

There is a firmament on and above the living creatures: “And the likeness of the firmament upon the heads of the living creature was as the colour of the terrible crystal, stretched forth over their heads above” (Ezekiel 1:22). The word for “crystal” is translated elsewhere as frost and ice; it is only translated “crystal” here. If at the top of the firmament is ice, it agrees with the Genesis context that above the firmament is water.

Below the firmament are the wings of the living creatures: “And under the firmament were their wings straight, the one toward the other: every one had two, which covered on this side, and every one had two, which covered on that side, their bodies” (Ezekiel 1:23). This casts some doubt whether this is the same firmament as in Genesis. Below the firmament in Genesis is dry land and seas. If this is the same firmament, perhaps we interpret this as below the upper boundary of the firmament. Whatever the solution, below this firmament are their wings straight and toward each other.

From above this firmament came a voice: “And there was a voice from the firmament that was over their heads, when they stood, and had let down their wings” (Ezekiel 1:25). The firmament formed a boundary between these living creatures and what was above.

Above the firmament and the ice crystal is the throne of God: “And above the firmament that was over their heads was the likeness of a throne, as the appearance of a sapphire stone: and upon the likeness of the throne was the likeness as the appearance of a man above upon it” (Ezekiel 1:26). The description of God’s throne in this verse and its subsequent verses are like what we see in Revelation 4.

Since this is a vision and not necessarily a physical transport of Ezekiel to the location (Ezekiel 1:1), this could be a vision of highest edge of the firmament, the boundary between the furthest recess of space and the waters above the firmament and beyond.

The throne room of God is likely what is referred to as third heaven or paradise. A discussion of third heaven can be found here.

Summary

If we put the pieces together, the firmament is a vast gap between the land and sea, and the waters above the earth. If we assume that the firmament mentioned in Ezekiel is the same as the one throughout the Bible, beyond the waters above the firmament would be the throne of God.