Paradise Luke 23:39-43

Introduction While He was hanging on the cross, Jesus told the penitent thief that on that day he would be with Him in Paradise This is the first of only three times the word Paradise is used in the New Testament (NKJV) It comes from a Persian word which means a pleasure garden It is used today to refer to a place or a condition of great happiness where everything is exactly as you would like it to be I want to consider the three places suggested by this word in our lesson

The First Paradise-1 The home that God prepared for our first ancestors- Gen. 2:8-9 That garden must have been a beautiful place with all of it fruit trees and blooming flowers God provided for all of their needs It was a healthy place There was no pollution, either physical or spiritual, there Adam and Eve live in purity and innocence in that paradise There they enjoyed close and free fellowship with God

The First Paradise-2 God gave them only one prohibition, not to eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil on penalty of death- Gen. 2:16-17 Satan deceived Eve into eating of that fruit, and later Adam ate it also They were driven out of the garden of Eden and prevented from returning- Gen. 3:24 By their disobedience, sin and death entered into the world- Rom. 5:12 There hasn’t been a paradise on earth since

The Paradise of Hades-1 Hades is the place of departed spirits- Eccl. 12:7 It is called Sheol in the Old Testament It is incorrectly translated Hell in the KJV It contains a place of torment and a place that Jesus called Abraham’s bosom- Lk. 16:22 The place where Jesus’ spirit went when He died, and where He promised that the penitent thief would be with Him- Lk. 23:43

The Paradise of Hades-2 It is a place of comfort and rest for the spirits of righteous people- Job 3:17 & Rev. 14:13 Where the beggar Lazarus was carried by angels when he died It is a temporary resting place Hades is going to give up its inhabitants in the day of the great judgment- Rev. 20:13 Then, the righteous will inherit an eternal Paradise with God

The Paradise in Heaven-1 The Paradise Christ promised to the faithful Christians at Ephesus- Rev. 2:7 A place where all that was lost due to the sin of Adam and Eve will be restored Its citizens will have free access to the tree of life which grows on each side of the river of life- Rev. 22:2 Let us notice some things that the scriptures reveal about this Paradise

The Paradise in Heaven-2 1. It is a paradise of great beauty It is described as a city called New Jerusalem Having streets of pure gold and walls of jasper- Rev. 21:2 With 12 foundations of precious gems And gates made of pearls Constant light to see and enjoy its beauty- v. 23 Beauty beyond our present comprehension

The Paradise in Heaven-3 It is a Holy paradise Where the spiritual plague that began with Adam and Eve will be eliminated- Rev. 21:27 The causes of sadness that result from sin will not be there No sorrow, pain, crying or death- Rev. 21:4 The best people who have ever lived will be there Heaven is the home of the perfectly Holy One There we will have close fellowship with God And can ever be near to Him- Rev. 21:3

The Paradise in Heaven-4 3. It is an eternal paradise Here the best and most enjoyable times are brief The only lasting joys are in spiritual things which are often mingled with trouble and sorrows Here there are many separations The pleasures and joys of Heaven are eternal They never fade nor will we grow tired of them- I Pet. 1:4 And there will be no separations in that Paradise

The Paradise in Heaven-5 It is a paradise prepared for the righteous It has been prepared by God for His people- Heb. 11:16 Not everyone will have that city Only those who have prepared to enter it It is for those whose names are in the Lamb’s Book of Life- Rev. 21:27 For those who keep His commandments- Rev. 22:14 Is your name written in that Book this morning?