What is Paradise? Where is it? There are several conflicting beliefs from different groups of people on this subject. All I need to know is, “What does God’s word say about it?”
The word Paradise only appears three times in the Bible. The Apostle Paul mentioned it once in 2 Corinthians 12:4, and Jesus mentions it the other two times, in Luke 23:43, and again in Revelation 2:7. Let’s start with the last one first.
Revelation 2:7
7 He that has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches; To him that overcomes I will give to eat from the tree of life, which is in the middle of the PARADISE of God.
There’s our first clue. Wherever PARADISE is, The Tree Of Life is there, also. Does the Bible tell us where the Tree Of Life is? Let’s see.
In Revelation 21:10, John saw a vision of the great city, the holy Jerusalem coming down out of heaven. He spends the rest of the chapter describing the city. Then in chapter 22, he says the Tree of Life is there in the city.
Revelation 22:1-2
1 And he showed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb.
2 In the middle of the street of it, and on either side of the river, was the tree of life, bearing twelve kinds of fruits, and yielded her fruit every month, and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations.
So, according to Revelation 21 and 22, the Tree of Life is in the holy city, New Jerusalem and so is the throne of God. The next two verses tie it all together.
Ecclesiastes 5:2b
2 …for God is in heaven, and you are on earth…
1 Kings 8:39a
39 Then hear in heaven your dwelling place…
So, according to the Bible, God is in heaven. Heaven is where he lives. That’s where his throne is. The Tree of Life is in the same place where God’s throne is, which is heaven where he lives. The Bible tells us that the Tree of Life is in Paradise. So, Paradise is just another name for heaven.
Paul said the same thing in 2 Corinthians 12:2 and 4.
2 Corinthians 12:2,4
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 knows;) such a one caught up to the third heaven.
4 ….he was caught up into Paradise, and heard unspeakable words, which it is not lawful for a man to utter.
So, again, Paradise and heaven are the same place. Paradise is just another word for Heaven.
This is a good example of how to study God’s word. We have to search the Bible (Acts 17:11) and compare scripture with scripture (Isaiah 28:10) to see what the whole Bible says about any certain subject. Of course, we need the Holy Spirit to help us understand (1 Corinthians 2:14). So pray without ceasing (1 Thessalonians 5:17) and serve God without hesitation. As we read and study the Bible, God will show us the truth (John 16:13) and he will give us a better understanding (Proverbs 4:5-7). He will lead us into a close, personal relationship with himself, and someday we will go to live in Paradise with our Creator who loves us with a love beyond anything our human minds can comprehend right now. That will definitely be Paradise.
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