Once one has made the journey from Flatland to Cubeland—from 2-D to 3-D—hyperspace, unlike hyperactive children, should not be overly challenging.[1] In the previous post, “The Locked Door”, I depicted a cube with both a line drawing and a shaded shape. In both cases, each was a two-dimensional representation of a three dimensional object. The figure below uses the same drawing principles to illustrate a four-dimensional cube, otherwise known as a hypercube or a tesseract.[2]

Some readers may recognize this figure from a similar one I used in the post “Boundless Love.” Ephesians 3:18 may be the most overt, four-dimensional declaration of truth in all of Scripture.

Ephesians 3:17-19
17 That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love,
18 May be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height;
19 And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God.

Paul describes the enormity of Christ’s love using four spatial measurements: breadth, length, depth, and height. When we measure boxes, we do so using the terms length, width, and height. The volume of the box can be figured by multiplying these measurements (i.e., Length x Width x Height = Volume). If the box were a cube with an edge length of r, its volume would be r³. Knowing this, deriving the volume of a space with four equal dimensions—a hypercube—is straightforward math. A tesseract with an edge length r would have a volume of r⁴. I share this to show how mathematics can give us physical insights into spatial realms we cannot directly examine.

The extra dimension of the hypercube also allows for an additional degree of freedom of motion. Just as we unfolded a regular cube to illustrate the different capabilities of 3-D creatures as compared to 2-D creatures, let’s unfold the hypercube into three-dimensional space.

The unfolded hypercube looks like an ultra-modern residential building with eight apartments. Let’s suppose that A and B are 3-D creatures who have each rented one of the apartments from the landlord, Mr. C. Both A and B would have to move through the central cube to get to C. But Mr. C is a four-dimensional creature. To him, the building is actually laid out like the hypercube and he can arrive at A or B traveling through the fourth-dimensional plane. B might perceive him as having walked through his western wall. A might see him drop through the ceiling.

Scripture actually provides us with a similar building comparison.

Hebrews 8:1-5
1 Now of the things which we have spoken this is the sum: We have such an high priest, who is set on the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens;
2 A minister of the sanctuary, and of the true tabernacle, which the Lord pitched, and not man.
3 For every high priest is ordained to offer gifts and sacrifices: wherefore it is of necessity that this man have somewhat also to offer.
4 For if he were on earth, he should not be a priest, seeing that there are priests that offer gifts according to the law:
5 Who serve unto the example and shadow of heavenly things, as Moses was admonished of God when he was about to make the tabernacle: for, See, saith he, that thou make all things according to the pattern shewed to thee in the mount. [Emphasis added.]

The tabernacle was a shadow of the true tabernacle in heaven. The Lord gave Moses detailed instructions on the manufacture and measurements of the tabernacle and its furnishings.[3] The sanctuary in the wilderness had length, width, and height. It was three-dimensional. The writer of Hebrews refers to the tabernacle as a “shadow” of the heavenly. Shadows are two-dimensional projections of three-dimensional objects. The picture below is a shadow of my family taking a walk.

The shadows have length and width and provide a limited amount of information. Though certain things about my family could be guessed from the shadows, I can assure you that its three-dimensional reality is more beautiful and complex. In the same way, the tabernacle of Moses is but a three-dimensional projection of a higher dimensional building. The tabernacle in heaven is outside of the space-time continuum of this universe.

Hebrews 9:11-12
11 But when Christ appeared as a high priest of the good things that have come, then through the greater and more perfect tent (not made with hands, that is, not of this creation)
12 he entered once for all into the holy places, not by means of the blood of goats and calves but by means of his own blood, thus securing an eternal redemption. ESV [Emphasis added.]

The heavenly tabernacle exists in the hyper-dimensional spirit realm. Celestial beings have greater degrees of freedom of motion than earthly beings. They can access points and places on earth through approach vectors unavailable to mere mortals.

1 Corinthians 15:40-49
40 There are also celestial bodies, and bodies terrestrial: but the glory of the celestial is one, and the glory of the terrestrial is another.
41 There is one glory of the sun, and another glory of the moon, and another glory of the stars: for one star differeth from another star in glory.
42 So also is the resurrection of the dead. It is sown in corruption; it is raised in incorruption:
43 It is sown in dishonour; it is raised in glory: it is sown in weakness; it is raised in power:
44 It is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body. There is a natural body, and there is a spiritual body.
45 And so it is written, The first man Adam was made a living soul; the last Adam was made a quickening spirit.
46 Howbeit that was not first which is spiritual, but that which is natural; and afterward that which is spiritual.
47 The first man is of the earth, earthy: the second man is the Lord from heaven.
48 As is the earthy, such are they also that are earthy: and as is the heavenly, such are they also that are heavenly.
49 And as we have borne the image of the earthy, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly.

Prior to his death and resurrection, Jesus was primarily restricted to moving through space just as you and I do. He walked up mountains and through vineyards. He entered houses and sat at tables. He slept in boats as they sailed across the lake. Of course, there were the notable miracles of transit like walking on the water or through the angry mob.[4] He even cloaked himself upon occasion.[5] But it was after the resurrection that he entered locked rooms,[6] became invisible,[7] and superseded the law of gravity on an astronomical scale.[8]

After Christ entered with His own blood into the heavenly tabernacle and was glorified with the glory He had with the Father before the world began, He poured out the Holy Spirit to birth new children into the kingdom of God. As recipients of the Spirit of adoption, we are tasters of the powers of the world to come.[9] Because of His everlasting love, we have freedom of motion beyond the laws and restrictions of this space-time continuum.

2 Corinthians 3:17
Now the Lord is that Spirit: and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.

[1] My brother Timothy was hyperactive. We have photos of him tethered to a tree at the park when he was a toddler. His childhood antics are legendary in my family.
[2] In this discussion, when referring to four-dimensional space or the fourth dimension, the author is not speaking of the 4^th dimension of the space-time continuum, time. The author is instead referring to an additional spatial dimension.
[3] Ex. 25-27. See also 1 Chron. 28:11-12 with regard to the temple.
[4] Matt. 14:25-29; Luke 4:28-30.
[5] John 8:57-59.
[6] John 20:26;
[7] Luke 24:31. We see the light that bounces off objects. One means of opaque objects becoming invisible would be to move them faster than light (FTL) can travel. A being that can move FTL would have moved past the constraints of our space-time continuum.
[8] Mark 16:19; Acts 1:9
[9] Heb. 9:11-12; John 17:5; 7:37-39; Acts 2:32-33; Rom. 8:15-17; Heb. 6:4-5.