Paradise

What is it? Where is it? When is it?

2Co 12:2  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.

2Co 12:3  And I knew such a man, (whether in the body, or out of the body, I cannot tell: God knoweth;)

2Co 12:4  How that he was caught up into paradise, and heard unspeakable words, which it is not lawful for a man to utter.

 

Reading through commentaries on these verses one comes up with a plethora of interpretations on the event and the word “Paradise”.  Some think two events or raptures, some only one. There is discussion on 7 heavens as some Jews believed or only 3. Some think heaven and Paradise are the same, others not. If I posted what one commentator thought it could be countered by what another thought.

 

“Paradise” appears only three times in Scripture but, interestingly, it occurs often in the Septuagint as the translation of the word garden; Gen. 2:8-10, Gen. 2:15-16; Gen. 3:1-3, Gen. 3:8,Gen. 3:16, Gen. 3:23-24; Gen. 13:10; Num. 24:6; Isa. 51:3; Eze. 28:13; Eze. 31:8-9; Joe. 2:3. And also Isa. 1:30; Jer. 29:5; and of the word פּרדס  pardēc in Neh. 2:8; Ecc. 2:5; Son. 2:13.

 

So, the word means a beautiful garden.  The Septuagint equates it to the Garden in Eden.  Christ promised it to the thief who asked to be in His Kingdom. Paul says he was taken there. The only biblical verse that describes it at all is Rev. 2:7 “…To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the tree of life, which is in the midst of the paradise of God.”

 

Paul was taken to heaven and shown Paradise just as John was taken up and shown the culmination of this present age. We lost Paradise when Adam & Eve were driven from the garden. We will regain it when Christ comes again.

 

This reference in Revelation, going back to the Garden in Eden of Genesis, coincides precisely to the description given of “Paradise” in the Complete Word Study Dictionary:

“This is an oriental word which the Greeks borrowed from the Persians, among whom it meant a garden, park, or enclosure full of all the vegetable products of the earth… gardens or enclosures full of every beautiful and good thing the earth could produce.  Sanskrit, paradésha and paradisha  meant a land elevated and cultivated. In Armenian, pardes means a garden around the house planted with grass, herbs, and trees for food and ornament. The Septuagint uses it to refer to the Garden of Eden (Gen 2:8).”

 

In Revelation chapters 2 and 3 Christ makes promises to those that "overcome." The first of these, in Rev. 2:7 is the promise of Paradise. The other six are; they shall not be hurt by the second death, hidden manna and a new name, power to rule over the nations and the morning star, clothed in white raiment and have his name confessed before The Father, and become a pillar in the temple of God, in New Jerusalem which comes down out of heaven. Obviously these are speaking of the same event. The establishment of Christ's Kingdom on earth. This is what the thief asked for. This is what Christ promised him.

 

So then, Christ promised the thief that he would be with Christ in His kingdom which would be similar to an Eden-like garden. So what is the Kingdom of God?

 

It is the kingdom spoken of by Daniel in chapter 2.

Dan 2:44  And in the days of these kings shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom, which shall never be destroyed: and the kingdom shall not be left to other people, but it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand for ever.

Dan 2:45  Forasmuch as thou sawest that the stone was cut out of the mountain without hands, and that it brake in pieces the iron, the brass, the clay, the silver, and the gold; the great God hath made known to the king what shall come to pass hereafter: and the dream is certain, and the interpretation thereof sure.

 

And again in Daniel 7

Dan 7:13  I saw in the night visions, and, behold, one like the Son of man came with the clouds of heaven, and came to the Ancient of days, and they brought him near before him.

Dan 7:14  And there was given him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all people, nations, and languages, should serve him: his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed.

Dan 7:27  And the kingdom and dominion, and the greatness of the kingdom under the whole heaven, shall be given to the people of the saints of the most High, whose kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and all dominions shall serve and obey him.

 

Or in the Revelation

Rev 11:15  And the seventh angel sounded; and there were great voices in heaven, saying, The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Christ; and he shall reign for ever and ever.

 

It is the kingdom foretold to Mary and looked for by the Jews.

Luk 1:31  And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name JESUS.

Luk 1:32  He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David:

Luk 1:33  And he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end.

 

Is it correct to equate the Paradise promised the thief to the Kingdom foretold to Mary? I have no doubt that it is. It is a restoration of the Garden in Eden.
 

Isa 35:1  The wilderness and the solitary place shall be glad for them; and the desert shall rejoice, and blossom as the rose.   Isa 35:5  Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf shall be unstopped. Isa 35:6  Then shall the lame man leap as an hart, and the tongue of the dumb sing: for in the wilderness shall waters break out, and streams in the desert. Isa 35:7  And the parched ground shall become a pool, and the thirsty land springs of water: in the habitation of dragons, where each lay, shall be grass with reeds and rushes.   Isa 35:10  And the ransomed of the LORD shall return, and come to Zion with songs and everlasting joy upon their heads: they shall obtain joy and gladness, and sorrow and sighing shall flee away.   Isa 11:6  The wolf also shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the kid; and the calf and the young lion and the fatling together; and a little child shall lead them. Jer 31:12  Therefore they shall come and sing in the height of Zion, and shall flow together to the goodness of the LORD, for wheat, and for wine, and for oil, and for the young of the flock and of the herd: and their soul shall be as a watered garden; and they shall not sorrow any more at all.

 

Mat 5:3  Blessed are the poor in spirit for the kingdom of heaven is theirs!

Mat 5:4  Blessed are the mourners: for they shall be comforted!

Mat 5:5  Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth!

Mat. 6:9-10 "Pray, then, in this way: 'Our Father who is in heaven, Hallowed be Your name.
'Your kingdom come. Your will be done, On earth as it is in heaven. (NASB)