Paradise

2018-03-04

The word Paradise is used three times in the Bible: Luke 23:43; 2 Corinthians 12:4; and Revelation 2:7.

Let us look at these three cases:

And one of the malefactors which were hanged railed on him, saying, If thou be Christ, save thyself and us. But the other answering rebuked him, saying, Dost not thou fear God, seeing thou art in the same condemnation? And we indeed justly; for we receive the due reward of our deeds: but this man hath done nothing amiss. And he said unto Jesus, Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom. And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, To day shalt thou be with me in paradise. (Luke 23:39-43)

The first of the three cases of the word Paradise is concerning the thief on the cross. This thief first mocked Jesus (Matthew 27:44), but later rethought his disrespect and believed on the Lord (Luke 23:42). Because he believed on Christ, Christ promised him, “To day shalt thou be with me in paradise” (Luke 23:43).

The next case is with Paul, who was caught up to Paradise:

I knew a man in Christ above fourteen years ago, (whether in the body, I cannot tell; or whether out of the body, I cannot tell: God knoweth;) such an one caught up to the third heaven. And I knew such a man, (whether in the body, or out of the body, I cannot tell: God knoweth;) How that he was caught up into paradise, and heard unspeakable words, which it is not lawful for a man to utter. (2 Corinthians 12:2-4)

Paul first said that he received a vision from the Lord, being caught up to Paradise (2 Corinthians 12:4). Previously, he called this place “third heaven” (2 Corinthians 12:2).

Lastly, we see Jesus again speaking of Paradise:

He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the tree of life, which is in the midst of the paradise of God. (Revelation 2:7)

Jesus promises believers that they will be in paradise, eating of the tree of life which is in Paradise.

Let us draw some conclusions on what we can know about Paradise.

  1. Paradise is “up.” Paul was “caught up” to Paradise. It is also called “the third heaven.” Heaven is up. The first two “heavens” in the Bible are simply the sky, and the recesses of space. The phrases used are heaven, heavens, or heaven of heavens. The context will determine which heaven is being referenced. Either way, “heaven” is always up. It is not some netherworld place in the center of the earth as some have said.
  2. Unspeakable words are spoken there. Paul heard things he was not allowed to repeat anywhere else. John also heard this in his vision (Revelation 10:1-4). We cannot know what was said, but it does make one curious! Whatever it is, we know that it must honor God in a wonderful way.
  3. The tree of life is there. The tree of life that was in the Garden of Eden imparted life to the inhabitants of that earthly paradise (Genesis 3:22). This tree of life, whether it be the same or not, is in this third heaven.
  4. When we die, we go there. The thief on the cross was in paradise the same day he died. It gets a little confusing, because we know that Jesus Christ died and went into the lower parts of the earth (Ephesians 4:9). Being God, He is everywhere, so this is the most likely way we can reconcile this. We know that today, Christ must be there, for when we die, we immediately are with Him (2 Corinthians 5:8).