Eden, Paradise, & Heaven

[dave c]

HEALING SHELTER MINISTRIES #132g, Written 15AUG09

The Disciples’ Prayer—Part Seven: Eden, Paradise, & Heaven

by rev dave c

Mt 6:9 "This, then, is how you should pray: "`Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, 10 your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. 11 Give us today our daily bread. 12 Forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. 13 And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one' (NIV).

One of the criminals who hung there hurled insults at him: "Aren't you the Christ? Save yourself and us!" But the other criminal rebuked him. "Don't you fear God," he said, "since you are under the same sentence? We are punished justly, for we are getting what our deeds deserve. But this man has done nothing wrong." Then he said, "Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom." Jesus answered him, "I tell you the truth, today you will be with me in paradise" (Lu 23:39-43; NIV). I have read and heard many teachings that describe heaven as having three, or five, or seven, or even ten layers/parts/realms/sections/etcetera, of which “paradise” is a part. One line of thought says that paradise was an Old Testament “holding tank” for the righteous Godly who died prior to Jesus finishing His work on the cross (Jn 19:30). This was not to be misconstrued as a type of purgatory from which people could be “prayed up and out”. A quick perusal of rabbinic thought of the Seventh Century BC through the Third Century AD regarding Jewish concepts of heaven and paradise proves to be a vermiculate of speculation and tradition that is not founded on the canonized actuality of either OT or NT Scripture. The real significances of Luke 23:43 rest in the assurance that the repentant sinner will go to be with Christ immediately upon the occasion of death (also ref 2Co 5:8); there are no works required, nor sufficient, to gain the gift of salvation; and, while living members of the Church extant are Biblically commanded/encouraged to be obedient in their administration, neither the sacrament of baptism, nor communion is essential to that salvation.

I know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago was caught up to the third heaven. Whether it was in the body or out of the body I do not know--God knows. And I know that this man--whether in the body or apart from the body I do not know, but God knows--was caught up to paradise. He heard inexpressible things, things that man is not permitted to tell (2Co 12:2-4; NIV). I trust the validity of the Apostle Paul’s divinely inspired testimony and accept it at face value. He tells us that he was caught up to the third heaven, and by more than strong inference he regarded/knew this “place” to be the ultimate heaven—the abode of God. Additionally, he seems to use the terms “third heaven” and “paradise” interchangeably, thus discouraging the idea that paradise is something other than heaven, unless paradise is contained within heaven (e.g.: I am in my house—I am in my living room).

Our English word “paradise”, as well as the equivalent Hebrew and Greek terms, is a transliteration of a Persian expression meaning, “a walled garden”. To be allowed to walk within the royal walled gardens while in the company of a Persian king was considered the greatest of honors in the ancient Middle East. This, of course, brings to mind the original idyllic condition of Adam and Eve as they once walked with God in the cool of the evening before their disobedience and subsequent fall (Ge 2:8&9, 3:8). This also indicates the exceedingly great honor felt by Paul as he was allowed to walk with God in paradise/the third heaven, and listen to the direct Word of God (which was too wonderful for human communication).

The Romanized Greek word, paradeisos [Strong’s #3857; of Oriental origin [compare HSN6508]; a park, i.e. (specifically) an Eden (place of future happiness, "paradise"): KJV--paradise], is used just three times in the NT. The first two are quoted above from Luke 23:43 and Second Corinthians 12:3. The third use of paradeisos is in Revelation 2:7, He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes, I will give the right to eat from the tree of life, which is in the paradise of God (NIV). In this verse we have John, as led by the Holy Spirit, telling us that the eschatological destination of faithful believers is the literal paradise of God; which Paul says is the third heaven, or contained within it; which, as the location of the tree of life, is the apparent garden of Eden. Whew.

The idea of paradise being, or being like, a walled garden, is consistent with the Bible wide doctrine of the things of God, the people of God, and all that is dedicated to God, being set aside from the things, the people, and the systems of the world and the flesh. “Our Father in heaven” is more than just establishing the locus of to whom we are addressing our prayers. It is specifically indicating the divine nature and eternal power of the Person to whom we pray. As discussed in Part Six of this series, God/Our Father/heaven transcends all that is common (base) within the experiences of our lives on this planet. Our living faith is to be practiced day-by-day as a cultivated garden of thoughts and actions that is separated out from the wilderness...the desert...the jungle of life that is in, and of, the world. What agreement is there between the temple of God and idols? For we are the temple of the living God. As God has said: "I will live with them and walk among them, and I will be their God, and they will be my people." "Therefore come out from them and be separate, says the Lord. Touch no unclean thing, and I will receive you." "I will be a Father to you, and you will be my sons and daughters, says the Lord (2Co 6:16-18; NIV). Amen.