171. There is no way to describe briefly how things look to angels in the heavens. To a considerable extent, they look like the things we see on earth, but they are more perfect in form and also more abundant.

We may conclude that there are things like this in the heavens because of what the prophets saw - for example what Ezekiel saw of the new temple and the new earth as described in chapters 40-48 [of his book], what Daniel describes in his chapters 7-12, what John saw as described from the first through the last chapter of Revelation, along with other visions presented in both the historical and the prophetic books of the Word. They saw things like this when heaven was opened to them, and heaven is said to be opened when our inner sight, the sight of our spirit, is opened. For the things that exist in heaven cannot be seen with our physical eyes, but only with the eyes of our spirit; and when it pleases the Lord, these are opened. At such times we are led out of the natural light that our physical senses are in and raised into the spiritual light in which we dwell because of our spirit. This is the light in which I have seen the things that exist in the heavens.

If you think about sitting, it seems fair to say that where you're sitting is more important than that you're sitting. Sitting in a movie theater, sitting in a classroom, sitting in the driver's seat of a car, sitting in the defendant's seat at a trial, sitting at the family dinner table -- those are very, very different things. But even so, the fact that you're sitting in those places is important -- it means you are part of what's going on, you're staying in place. This is similar to "sitting" in the Bible. Sitting on a throne indicates judgment; sitting in a tent door indicates holiness. The context is crucial. But in all cases "sitting" indicates a sense of permanence, belonging, and full participation in the spiritual state illustrated through the context.