What and Where is Paradise?
“I know a man in Christ, fourteen years ago (whether in the body, I don’t know, or whether out of the body, I don’t know; God knows), such a one caught up into the third heaven. I know such a man (whether in the body, or outside of the body, I don’t know; God knows), how 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 WEB)
The original Greek word for “caught up” in the passage above is “harpazo”, same as the word describing how we will be caught up into the air to meet with Jesus when He returns for His church.
The third heaven is the realm of God, which exists above the sky and above the sea of the “waters above”.
Paradise is a specific location in the third heaven.
If you examine the Greek word for Paradise, you will find that it is Paradeison, and it means “a pleasure garden”.
Jesus used the same word when He spoke to the penitent robber who was crucified next to Him:
“Jesus said to him, “Assuredly I tell you, today you will be with me in Paradise.”” (Luke 23:43 WEB)
Now what’s interesting is to read how Jesus would have spoken it in Hebrew:
“And Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach said to him, Omein, I say to you, hayom (today) with me you will be in Gan Eden.” (Lukas 23:43 OJB)
Does that sound familiar? In the Book of Genesis, we find that God planted a garden in Eden:
“Yahweh God took the man, and put him into the garden of Eden to cultivate and keep it.” (Genesis 2:15 WEB)
And in the original Hebrew:
“And Hashem Elohim took the adam and put him in the Gan Eden la'avod (to till, to work) it and to be shomer over it.” (Bereshis 2:15 OJB)
Did you know that Eden means “pleasure”? So the Greek and Hebrew both agree. It is a pleasure garden.
Jesus couldn’t be any clearer. He said to the robber that “today”, he would be with Him in the Garden of Eden.
The Garden of Eden is no longer on earth. It was translocated into the third heaven.
When? It must have happened before God sent the flood in the days of Noah.
Why? One of the reasons is to preserve the tree of life that was in the Garden of Eden, so that it wouldn’t be wiped out in the flood.
The tree of life is now in the Garden of Eden in the third heaven. Notice how Jesus in the verse below says “which is in” (present tense):
“He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the assemblies. To him who overcomes I will give to eat from the tree of life, which is in the Paradise of my God.” (Revelation 2:7 WEB)
In eternity, we will live in the city of New Jerusalem, and because God preserved the original tree of life, the seeds from it will grow into new trees of life.
“in the middle of its street. On this side of the river and on that was the tree of life, bearing twelve kinds of fruits, yielding its fruit every month. The leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations.” (Revelation 22:2 WEB)
A place greater than the Garden of Eden will be our final home, and we will live with God forever!
Did you know that the Bible gives us some of the layout of Heaven and important geographical aspects of it?
Knowing your eternal destination will give you a peace and confidence in your soul, enabling you to live life without the hovering cloud of uncertainty about what lies ahead.
Order and download my ebook “A Tour of Heaven and Eternity” to learn more about the third heaven and our final abode which is New Jerusalem: https://www.miltongoh.net/store/p15/a-tour-of-heaven-and-eternity-milton-goh.html
