The term "celestial" pertains to the heavens or the divine realm, often used to describe things that are heavenly, spiritual, or related to the sky. In the context of the Bible, celestial elements are frequently associated with God's creation, His divine nature, and the spiritual realm.

Heavenly Bodies and Creation

The Bible often refers to celestial bodies such as the sun, moon, and stars as part of God's magnificent creation. In Genesis 1:14-18 , God creates the celestial lights to serve as signs for seasons, days, and years, and to give light upon the earth. These heavenly bodies are not only functional but also serve as a testament to God's creative power and order.

Angelic Beings

Celestial beings also include angels, who are spiritual messengers and servants of God. Throughout Scripture, angels are depicted as residing in the heavenly realm and executing God's will on earth. Hebrews 1:14 describes angels as "ministering spirits sent to serve those who will inherit salvation." Their celestial nature underscores their role as divine emissaries.

Heavenly Realm

The concept of the celestial is closely tied to the idea of heaven, the dwelling place of God. In the Lord's Prayer, Jesus teaches His disciples to pray, "Our Father in heaven, hallowed be Your name" (Matthew 6:9), indicating the celestial abode of God. Heaven is depicted as a place of ultimate holiness, peace, and the presence of God, contrasting with the earthly realm.

Resurrection and the Celestial Body

The Apostle Paul speaks of a transformation from the earthly to the celestial in the context of the resurrection. In 1 Corinthians 15:40-44 , Paul contrasts earthly bodies with heavenly bodies, emphasizing that the resurrection will bring about a change from perishable, dishonorable, and weak bodies to imperishable, glorious, and powerful ones. This transformation highlights the hope of believers in attaining a celestial existence.

Celestial Signs and Prophecy

Celestial phenomena are sometimes used in biblical prophecy to signify divine intervention or judgment. In Joel 2:30-31 , God declares, "I will show wonders in the heavens and on the earth, blood and fire and columns of smoke. The sun will be turned to darkness and the moon to blood before the coming of the great and awesome day of the LORD." Such celestial signs serve as harbingers of significant eschatological events.

The Celestial City

Revelation 21 describes the New Jerusalem, a celestial city that descends from heaven, symbolizing the ultimate fulfillment of God's promise to dwell with His people. This city is depicted with divine splendor, having the glory of God and radiating like a precious jewel (Revelation 21:10-11). The celestial city represents the culmination of God's redemptive plan and the eternal communion between God and His people.

In summary, the concept of the celestial in the Bible encompasses the divine, the heavenly, and the spiritual, reflecting God's majesty, the hope of resurrection, and the ultimate fulfillment of His promises.1. (a.) Belonging to the aerial regions, or visible heavens.

2. (a.) of or pertaining to the spiritual heaven; heavenly; divine.

3. (n.) An inhabitant of heaven.

4. (n.) A native of China.

CELESTIAL

se-les'-chal (epouranios, "above the sky," "heavenly"): Peculiar to Paul's majestic argument on the resurrection: celestial verses terrestrial bodies (1 Corinthians 15:40) with reference possibly to sun and moon, etc., but more probably to the bodies of angels in distinction from those of beasts and mortal men (compare Christ's words, Matthew 22:30 Luke 20:36); including also doubtless in the apostle's thought the resurrection-body of Jesus and of the saints already taken-into glory. Light is thrown on its meaning by the rendering of the same Greek original as "heavenly places" (Ephesians 1:3, 20; Ephesians 2:6; Ephesians 3:10); "heavenly" (1 Corinthians 15:48). Hence, "celestial" as used by Paul indicates the soul's continued life beyond the grave, the spiritual body of the redeemed in heaven, who, in Christ, have put on immortality.

Dwight M. Pratt

2032. epouranios -- of heaven
... of heaven. Part of Speech: Adjective Transliteration: epouranios Phonetic Spelling:
(ep-oo-ran'-ee-os) Short Definition: heavenly, celestial Definition: heavenly ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/2032.htm - 7k

32. aggelos -- a messenger, angel
... 32 -- properly, a or -- either human (Mt 11:10; Lk 7:24, 9:52; Gal 4:14; Js 2:25)
or heavenly (a celestial ); someone (by God) to proclaim His message. ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/32.htm - 8k

4756. stratia -- an army
... of stratos (an army; from the base of stronnumi, as encamped); camp-likeness, ie
An army, ie (figuratively) the angels, the celestial luminaries -- host. ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/4756.htm - 7k

2963. kuriotes -- lordship
... domination, dignity Definition: (a) abstr: lordship, (b) concr: divine or angelic
lordship, domination, dignity, usually with reference to a celestial hierarchy ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/2963.htm - 7k

4245. presbuteros -- elder
... Comparative of presbus (elderly); older; as noun, a senior; specially, an Israelite
Sanhedrist (also figuratively, member of the celestial council) or ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/4245.htm - 7k

3770. ouranios -- of or in heaven
... heavenly. From ouranos; celestial, ie Belonging to or coming from the sky -- heavenly.
see GREEK ouranos. (ouranios) -- 7 Occurrences. (ouraniou) -- 1 Occurrence ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/3770.htm - 6k

8064. shamayim -- heaven, sky
... the sky (as aloft; the dual perhaps alluding to the visible arch in which the clouds
move, as well as to the higher ether where the celestial bodies revolve ...
/hebrew/8064.htm - 6k

To be Acquainted with Celestial Things is not Only to Know Them
... THE FOURTH CENTURY 96 To be acquainted with celestial things is not only
to know them. To be acquainted with celestial things is ...
/.../traherne/centuries of meditations/96 to be acquainted with.htm

How Even Celestial Powers Above are Capable of Change.
... II. Second Conference of Abbot Moses. Chapter XVI. How even celestial powers
above are capable of change. But that even the powers ...
/.../cassian/the works of john cassian /chapter xvi how even celestial.htm

The Church Triumphant 507. Light's Abode, Celestial Salem
... V. THE CHURCH The Church Triumphant 507. Light's abode, celestial Salem.
8.7.8.7.8.7 ... Tr. John Mason Neale, 1858. Light's abode, celestial Salem,. ...
/.../the church triumphant 507 lights.htm

Will You See the Infancy of this Sublime and Celestial Greatness? ...
... THE THIRD CENTURY 1 WILL you see the infancy of this sublime and celestial greatness? ...
WILL you see the infancy of this sublime and celestial greatness? ...
/.../christianbookshelf.org/traherne/centuries of meditations/1 will you see the.htm

He Contends that These Testimonies Already Alleged Cannot be ...
... Against Heresies: Book V Chapter XXXV."He contends that these testimonies already
alleged cannot be understood allegorically of celestial blessings, but that ...
/.../irenaeus/against heresies/chapter xxxv he contends that these.htm

Your Gods, it is Recorded, Dine on Celestial Couches...
... Book IV. 33 Your gods, it is recorded, dine on celestial couches? Your
gods, it is recorded, dine on celestial couches, and in ...
/.../arnobius/the seven books of arnobius against the heathen/33 your gods it is.htm

As in the Former Psalms He Propeseth True and Celestial Joys
... THE THIRD CENTURY 80 As in the former psalms he propeseth true and celestial
joys. As in the former psalms he propeseth true and ...
/.../traherne/centuries of meditations/80 as in the former.htm

Whether the Intercession of the Demons Can Secure for Men the ...
... Book IX. Chapter 9."Whether the Intercession of the Demons Can Secure for
Men the Friendship of the Celestial Gods. How, then, can ...
/.../augustine/city of god/chapter 9 whether the intercession of.htm

That He who Has Attained to Trust, Having Put Off the Former Man ...
... That he who has attained to trust, having put off the former man, ought to regard
only celestial and spiritual things, and to give no heed to the world which ...
/.../cyprian/three books of testimonies against the jews/11 that he who has.htm

That the Knowledge of Terrestrial and Celestial Things Does not ...
... Book V. Chapter IV."That the Knowledge of Terrestrial and Celestial Things
Does Not Give Happiness, But the Knowledge of God Only. ...
/.../the confessions and letters of st/chapter iv that the knowledge of.htm

Celestial (3 Occurrences)
... 4. (n.) A native of China. Int. Standard Bible Encyclopedia. CELESTIAL. ... Dwight
M. Pratt. Multi-Version Concordance Celestial (3 Occurrences). ...
/c/celestial.htm - 8k

Zoroastrianism
... 6. Messiah: Similarly, the Messiah, as future king, was fixed in Jewish belief,
and His elevation to celestial position was an inevitable step in the general ...
/z/zoroastrianism.htm - 17k

Nile (37 Occurrences)
... THE NILE IN RELIGION 1. The Nile as a God 2. The Nile in the Osirian Myth 3. The
Celestial Nile A river of North Africa, the great river of Egypt. ...
/n/nile.htm - 29k

Terrestrial (1 Occurrence)
... 1 Corinthians 15:40 There are also celestial bodies, and terrestrial bodies; but
the glory of the celestial differs from that of the terrestrial. ...
/t/terrestrial.htm - 7k

Differs (3 Occurrences)
... 1 Corinthians 15:40 There are also celestial bodies, and terrestrial bodies; but
the glory of the celestial differs from that of the terrestrial. (WEB). ...
/d/differs.htm - 7k

Splendor (87 Occurrences)
... (See NAS). 1 Corinthians 15:40 There are also celestial bodies, and terrestrial
bodies; but the glory of the celestial differs from that of the terrestrial. ...
/s/splendor.htm - 29k

Astronomy
... 2. (n.) The science which treats of the celestial bodies, of their magnitudes, motions,
distances, periods of revolution, eclipses, constitution, physical ...
/a/astronomy.htm - 40k

Earthly (39 Occurrences)
... 1 Corinthians 15:40 There are bodies which are celestial and there are bodies which
are earthly, but the glory of the celestial ones is one thing, and that of ...
/e/earthly.htm - 22k

Bodies (144 Occurrences)
... (See NIV). 1 Corinthians 15:40 There are also celestial bodies, and terrestrial
bodies; but the glory of the celestial differs from that of the terrestrial. ...
/b/bodies.htm - 37k

Augury (5 Occurrences)
... The principal signs from which these augurs deduced their omens were these: (1)
celestial signs, chiefly lightning and thunder, the direction of the former ...
/a/augury.htm - 17k

What is The Pilgrim's Progress by John Bunyan? | GotQuestions.org

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Celestial: Dictionary and Thesaurus | Clyx.com

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