Is Heaven “Paradise”?

It could be proven that heaven is paradise but paradise is not necessarily heaven.  Eden was a pristine, pure, beautiful place though not heaven- and I believe that type of place is what the word is referring to.  Abraham’s bosom before Christ’s death and resurrection wasn’t heaven as in the sense of the third heaven, the place where God dwells (2 Cor. 12:4); but it was still a paradise nonetheless.

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.” 

Obviously, one place could be paradise in relation to another-say, Florida compared to New York.  Obviously, nowhere, not even Abraham’s bosom or the Garden of Eden, is paradise in comparison to the third heaven where God is now or in comparison to earth after Christ comes back and reigns here (and this is what and when Isaiah 11:6-9 is directly referring to).

Isa 11:6-9 “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. 7 And the cow and the bear shall feed; their young ones shall lie down together: and the lion shall eat straw like the ox.  8 And the sucking child shall play on the hole of the asp, and the weaned child shall put his hand on the cockatrice’ den. 9 They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain: for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the LORD, as the waters cover the sea.”

Technically and biblically speaking, paradise & heaven are the same in a sense that man dies once and then Judgement.

Heb 9:27 “And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment”

Rev 2:7 “He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; To him that OVERCOMETH (CEASES WILLFUL SIN ON EARTH, LIVES HOLY & ENDURES UNTIL THE END) will I give to eat of the TREE OF LIFE (ETERNAL LIFE), which is in the midst of the PARADISE of God.”

God planted a paradise in Eden. Hence the word has been transplanted (USED) into the New Testament to signify a place of exquisite pleasure and delight (Heaven).

We see the “rich man” in hell and Lazarus in Heaven (on Abraham’s bosom immediately after death).

You can see Heaven and Hell here immediately after death: The Rich Man and Lazarus:

Luke 16:19-31 “There was a certain rich man, which was clothed in purple and fine linen, and fared sumptuously every day: 20 And there was a certain beggar named Lazarus, which was laid at his gate, full of sores, 21 And desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man’s table: moreover the dogs came and licked his sores. 22 And it came to pass, that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels into Abraham’s bosom: the rich man also died, and was buried; 23 And in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom. 24 And he cried and said, Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water, and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame. 25 But Abraham said, Son, remember that thou in thy lifetime receivedst thy good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things: but now he is comforted, and thou art tormented. 26 And beside all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed: so that they which would pass from hence to you cannot; neither can they pass to us, that would come from thence. 27 Then he said, I pray thee therefore, father, that thou wouldest send him to my father’s house: 28 For I have five brethren; that he may testify unto them, lest they also come into this place of torment. 29 Abraham saith unto him, They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them. 30 And he said, Nay, father Abraham: but if one went unto them from the dead, they will repent. 31 And he said unto him, If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded, though one rose from the dead.”

Jesus said “TODAY”. So, we ask… Where is Jesus?

Luke 23:43 And He said to him, “Truly I say to you, today you shall be with Me in Paradise.”

We see where Jesus is here:

Mark 16:19 “So then after the Lord had spoken unto them, he was received up into HEAVEN, and sat on the right hand of God. “

The NEW HEAVEN and the NEW EARTH are coming:

Rev 21:1 “And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea. Rev 21:2 And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. Rev 21:3 And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God. Rev 21:4 And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away. Rev 21:5 And he that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new. And he said unto me, Write: for these words are true and faithful. Rev 21:6 And he said unto me, It is done. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give unto him that is athirst of the fountain of the water of life freely. Rev 21:7 He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son. Rev 21:8 But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.”

One could deduce that both the “Heavenly paradise” and hell are “temporary holding places” until the day when Jesus Christ comes back to judge the world based on whether or not individuals have believed in Him (truly obeyed and endured ’til the end). The first resurrection is of believers who will stand before the Judgment Seat of Christ to receive rewards based on deserving/obedient service to Him. The second resurrection will be that of unbelievers who will stand before the Great White Throne Judgment of God. We will all be judged by our WORKS.

2Co 5:10 “For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad.”

At that point, all will be sent to their final eternal destination—the wicked to the lake of fire (Revelation 20:11-15), and the righteous to a new heaven and a new earth (Revelation 21—22). Make no mistake about it, there is torment in hell before final judgment as we clearly saw with the “Rich Man” above.

Now that we know about Heaven, we must call the lost (sinners) to repentance below. Please know that sinners do not enter heaven. No “saved sinners”!

Anyone living unholy (willfully sinning) will not go to heaven, but to hellfire forever. Heaven is a Kingdom of a Holy God and no sin shall enter. This is why God kicked Adam & Eve out from the Garden of Eden when they sinned. The “Heaven on earth” was no more!

Further, God kicked out Lucifer (the devil) and 1/3 of the Angels in Heaven out with him. So, if he kicked them out and they are in chains in hell, ALL willful sinners shall end up there.

2Pe 2:4 “For if God spared not the angels that sinned, but cast them down to hell, and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be reserved unto judgment”

Jude 1:6 “And the angels which kept not their first estate, but left their own habitation, he hath reserved in everlasting chains under darkness unto the judgment of the great day.”

1Pe 4:18 “And if the RIGHTEOUS SCARCELY BE SAVED, where shall the UNGODLY  and the SINNER appear?”

1Pe 4:16 “Yet if any man suffer as a Christian, let him not be ashamed; but let him glorify God on this behalf. 1Pe 4:17 For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God? 1Pe 4:18 And if the righteous scarcely be saved, where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear?”

Satan is referred to as a star which fell or was cast down to earth:

Revelation 12:4 says a third of the stars were cast out with him. Rev 12:4 “And his tail drew the third part of the stars of heaven, and did cast them to the earth: and the dragon stood before the woman which was ready to be delivered, for to devour her child as soon as it was born.”

So, the conclusion is that the stars in Revelation 12 refer to fallen angels, fully one-third of the heavenly host. The great news is we still have 2/3’s on our side. We only need the Lord Jesus, but, the more the better.

Isa 14:12 “How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning (bright morning star)! how art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations!” Lucifer – ‘Day-star’ (הילל hēylēl, from הלל hâlal, “to shine”).

The THIEF spoken about here is the false “pastor/teacher” and most all the “churches” today have these wolves in the pulpit. John 10:10 “The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.”

We have a set of teachings exposing the false church here. 

So, Jesus came as a SIN OFFERING… His love is AVAILABLE to everyone brother but FEW take it…

One must be SANCTIFIED by truly repenting and living Holy. SINNERS DO NOT ENTER HEAVEN!

 1Co 6:9-10 “Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, 10 Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God.”

SAINTS WAKLING HOLY (THOSE WHO “ARE SANCTIFIED” BY ABIDING IN JESUS (TRUE FAITH) LIVING HOLY AS COMMANDED) ENTER HEAVEN

1Co 6:11 “And such WERE some of you(VVS 9, 10): but ye are washed, but ye ARE SANCTIFIED, but ye ARE JUSTIFIED in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.”

THEN we are received by Jesus and as long as we ABIDE in Him until our last breath:

Heb 10:14 “For by one OFFERING he (JESUS) hath perfected for ever THEM THAT ARE SANCTIFIED.” (LIVING FREE FROM SIN AND BELIEVING IN JESUS).

Everyone likes to read “John 3:16”. Those living in sin hate to read the next 5 verses (John 3:17-21) to see who is condemned already. 

John 3:17-21 “For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. 18 He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is CONDEMNED ALREADY, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. 19 And THIS IS THE CONDEMNATION, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness (LOVED SIN) rather than light, because their deeds (SINS) were evil. 20 For every one that doeth evil (SINS) hateth the light(HATES JESUS), neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved. 21 But HE THAT DOETH TRUTH COMETH TO THE LIGHT (JESUS), that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God.” 

Sinners really hate the truth in the last verse of John 3 too. John 3:36 “He that believeth on the Son hath evering life: and he that believeth not (MEANING DOES NOT OBEY) the Son shall not see life; but the WRATH (HATRED/ABHORRENCE) of God abideth on him.”

The wrath (hatred of God) abides on the sinner yet His LOVE (OFFERING) is available to everyone until they take their last breath. Most erroneously believe that “Jesus loves everyone”. This is a fallacy! God (Jesus) hates.

If you have not truly repented of your sins in godly sorrow and are not living holy as commanded, click here to read how to get to The Cross.