Genesis 28:12-17 (Jacob’s Ladder) - "And he dreamed, and behold, there was a ladder set up on the earth, and the top of it reached to heaven. And behold, the angels of God were ascending and descending on it!"
This vision suggests a connection between earth and a divine realm ("heaven"), where God’s presence is located. Jacob calls the place "the gate of heaven," hinting at a spiritual dimension.
Deuteronomy 26:15 - "Look down from your holy habitation, from heaven, and bless your people Israel..."
Heaven is depicted as God’s dwelling place, a "holy habitation" above the earth, reinforcing the idea of a divine realm separate from human existence.
Daniel 12:2-3 - "And many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt. And those who are wise shall shine like the brightness of the sky above..."
This is one of the clearest Old Testament hints at an afterlife. While "heaven" isn’t named, the reference to "everlasting life" and shining "like the brightness of the sky" suggests a glorified state, possibly linked to a heavenly realm.
2 Kings 2:11 - "And as they still went on and talked, behold, chariots of fire and horses of fire separated the two of them. And Elijah went up by a whirlwind into heaven."
Elijah’s ascent "into heaven" (shamayim) is a rare instance of a human being taken to God’s realm, implying an exceptional fate rather than a universal promise.