Paradise
Paradise comes from the old Persian language Avestan which had a noun "pairidaza" which is composed of pairi, "around," and daza "wall," therefore meaning "a garden or orchard enclosed by a wall." It was common for Persian nobles to plant a "paradise" and tend the orchard themselves. The garden of Eden was planted by God himself, and in it He placed man and also the tree of life. The importance of planting gardens or "paradises" is very old.
Ecclesiastes 2:5 I made gardens and parks for myself and I planted in them all kinds of fruit trees.
Although the word paradise is not in the old testament, due to the fact that the word did not exist at the time, the concept is.
In the new testament, the word paradise is used 3 times.
The first instance is in one of the gospels -- the promise Yeshua made to the thief.
Luke 23:43 And Jesus said to him: Amen I say to you this day you shall be with me in PARADISE.
The second time is used by the apostle Paul where he mentions a person he knew who visited paradise -- a place away from this earth.
2 Corinthians 12:2-4 I know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago -- whether in the body I do not know, or out of the body I do not know, God knows -- such a man was caught up to the third heaven. And I know how such a man -- whether in the body or apart from the body I do not know, God knows -- was caught up into PARADISE and heard inexpressible words, which a man is not permitted to speak.
The third time is in the book of revelation.
Revelation 2:7 He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes, I will grant to eat of the tree of life which is in the PARADISE of God.
From these references we conclude that Paradise is a place where Christ will be (you shall be with me in PARADISE), it is at present time located in the third heaven (caught up to the third heaven), it is the place promised to the righteous (to him who overcomes), it is a place were people could live forever (eat of the tree of life) and that it is the gift of God through Christ (I will grant).
Although the paradise (Garden of Eden) that God planted was destroyed with the Deluge, obviously Yeshua has already built another one for us-- the place Paul's friend visited. This is the abode we will be taken to during the rapture.
Our voyage to Paradise is described as:
Isaiah 55:12 For you shall go out with joy, and be LED FORTH with peace: the mountains and the hills shall break forth before you into singing, and all the trees of the field shall clap [their] hands.
The place is pictured as:
Isaiah 55:13 Instead of the thorn shall come up the fir tree, and instead of the brier shall come up the myrtle tree: and it shall be to the LORD for a name, for an everlasting sign [that] shall not be cut off.
Isaiah 11:6 And the wolf will dwell with the lamb, and the leopard will lie down with the young goat, and the calf and the young lion and the fatling together; and a little boy shall lead them.
Revelation 7:16 They will never be hungry, neither thirsty any more; neither will the sun beat down on them, nor any scorching heat;
Revelation 7:17 For the Lamb which is in the midst of the throne shall feed them, and shall LEAD them unto living fountains of waters: and God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes.
In this new earth where there is a Paradise, there are animals, there is a moon and a sun, men work and eat, and live and die... but there are no ferocious animals ... people are happy and without fears away from the influence of the Devil.
The economic system will be vastly different than what we have on this Earth:
Isaiah 55:1"Ho! Every one who thirsts, come to the waters; and you who have no money come, buy and eat. Come, buy wine and milk WITHOUT money and without cost.
Christ promised us that He would return to take us to be with him to one of the "abodes" that He was going to prepare for us John 14:1-3. Obviously, this first return will be to take us out of this planet to the abode He has provided for us.
We must not confuse the return of Christ for the rapture with the return of Christ for the Millennium. In the Rapture, Christ comes and LEAVES with His followers; in the Millennium Christ comes with His saints to STAY on this earth. See The Rapture.
In contrast to the new heaven and new earth of the Rapture, there will be another new heaven and new earth which God will create after the Millennium, after the white throne judgment and the second resurrection Re 21:1.
In this new earth created after the Millennium there will be no death, no moon, no sun, and no sea. This new earth is created after the Earth we live in now is destroyed, after "....death and Hades were hurled into the lake of fire. This means the second death, the lake of fire" Re 20:14.
In this new earth, there will be no night; it will always be daylight; men will not need to sleep. God will reside in the city called New Jerusalem which will be brought down from heaven into this "new earth."
This new earth after the Millennium is the place Christ promised the thief when He stated:
Luke 23:43 And Jesus said to him: Amen I say to you this day you shall be with me in PARADISE.
See Timeline for Revelation for a better explanation of the sequence of events.
Let us compare and contrast the conditions on these two created earths:
New Earth for the Rapture
New Earth after the Millennium
Isaiah 65:17 For behold, I create NEW heavens and a new earth; and the former things will not be remembered or come to mind.
Isaiah 65:18 But be glad and rejoice forever in what I create; for behold, I create Jerusalem for rejoicing and her people for gladness.
Isaiah 65:19 I will also rejoice in JERUSALEM and be glad in My people; and there will no longer be heard in her the voice of weeping and the sound of crying.
This does not refer to this Earth we live in , because now there is weeping and crying in Jerusalem.
Isaiah 65:20 "No longer will there be in it an infant who lives but a few days, or an old man who does not live out his days; for the youth will DIE at the age of one hundred, and the one who does not reach the age of one hundred will be thought accursed.
This is not after the Millennium because in this new earth people die. Here, a person that is 100 years old will look like a youth; people will live thousands of years like some trees. Although death is a possibility, the tree of life will give those who overcome, the ability of living forever in the flesh:
Revelation 2:7 He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes, I will grant to eat of the tree of life which is in the PARADISE of God.
Isaiah 65:21 They will build houses and inhabit them;
They will also plant vineyards and EAT their fruit.
The people who live in this new earth plant crops, eat, and die.
Isaiah 65:22 They will not build and another inhabit,
They will not plant and another eat; for as the lifetime of a tree, so will be the days of My people, and My chosen ones will wear out the work of their hands.
It will not be like nowadays that employees cannot enjoy the fruit of their labors. Today construction workers build mansions for rich people, but they can not afford one for themselves.
Today there are foods that only a few can afford, especially in poor countries.
In this new world people will live a long life -- their works will wear out before they do -- the house will get old and wear out, but they will continue being young.
Remember, people will live thousands of years, like some trees.
Isaiah 65:23 They will not labor in vain, Or bear CHILDREN for calamity; for they are the offspring of those blessed by the LORD, and their descendants with them.
They will have children who are healthy. They are the descendants of the people who were saved during the Rapture.
Isaiah 65:24 It will also come to pass that before they call, I will answer; and while they are still speaking, I will hear.
They will have a closer relationship with God.
Isaiah 65:25 "The wolf and the lamb will graze together, and the lion will eat straw like the ox; and dust will be the serpent's food. They will do no evil or harm in all My holy mountain," says the LORD.
There will not be carnivorous animals. in fact, everyone will be a vegetarian. The conditions on this new earth will be the conditions that existed in Paradise before Adam sinned. Adam was not afraid of any animal, and the animals were not afraid of anyone. Also the animals will not attack. That is why God compares the lion to an ox, not a bull.
In chapter 66, Isaiah mentions that this new earth, which has sun and moon, will endure.
Isaiah 66:22 "For just as the NEW heavens and the new earth which I make will endure before Me," declares the LORD, "So your offspring and your name will endure.
Isaiah 66:23 "And it shall be from new moon to new moon, and from Sabbath to Sabbath, all mankind will come to bow down before Me," says the LORD.
In this earth there is a moon, and there is a sun so we can count the days to celebrate Sabbath.
In contrast, in the earth created AFTER the Millennium there is no sea, sun, or moon.
Revelation 21:1 Then I saw a NEW heaven and a new earth; for the first heaven and the first earth passed away, and there is no longer any sea.
The first Earth is the Earth you live in now.
Revelation 21:2 And I saw the holy city, new JERUSALEM, coming down out of heaven from God, made ready as a bride adorned for her husband.
This new Jerusalem is coming down from heaven, into the new earth that God creates after the Millennium.
Revelation 21:3 And I heard a loud voice from the throne, saying, "Behold, the tabernacle of God is among men, and He will dwell among them, and they shall be His people, and God Himself will be among them,
Revelation 21:4 and He will wipe away every tear from their eyes; and there will no longer be any DEATH; there will no longer be any mourning, or crying, or pain; the first things have passed away."
Revelation 21:5 And He who sits on the throne said, "Behold, I am making all things new." And He said, "Write, for these words are faithful and true."
Revelation 21:6 Then He said to me, "It is done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give to the one who thirsts from the spring of the water of life without cost.
Revelation 21:7 He who overcomes will inherit these things, and I will be his God and he will be My son.
Revelation 21:8 But for the cowardly and unbelieving and abominable and murderers and fornicators and druggers and idolaters and all liars, their part will be in the lake that burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death."
Revelation 21:9 Then one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls full of the seven last plagues came and spoke with me, saying, "Come here, I will show you the bride, the wife of the Lamb."
Revelation 21:10 And he carried me away in the Spirit to a great and high mountain, and showed me the holy city, JERUSALEM, coming down out of heaven from God,
Revelation 21:11 having the glory of God. Her brilliance was like a very costly stone, as a stone of crystal-clear jasper.
Revelation 21:22 I saw no temple in it, for the Lord God the Almighty and the Lamb are its temple.
Revelation 21:23 And the city has no need of the SUN or of the MOON to shine on it, for the glory of God has illumined it, and its lamp is the Lamb.
Revelation 21:24 The nations will walk by its light, and the kings of the earth will bring their glory into it.
Revelation 21:25 In the daytime (for there will be no night there) its gates will never be closed;
Revelation 21:26 and they will bring the glory and the honor of the nations into it;
Revelation 21:27 and nothing unclean, and no one who practices abomination and lying, shall ever come into it, but only those whose names are written in the Lamb's book of life.
Isaiah mentions the same about this new earth:
Isaiah 60:18 Violence will not be heard again in your land, nor devastation or destruction within your borders; but you will call your walls salvation, and your gates praise.
Isaiah 60:19 No longer will you have the SUN for light by day, nor for brightness will the MOON give you light; but you will have the LORD for an everlasting light, and your God for your glory.
Isaiah 60:20 Your SUN will no longer set, nor will your moon wane; for you will have the LORD for an everlasting light, and the days of your mourning will be over.
Isaiah 60:21 Then all your people will be righteous; they will possess the land forever, the branch of My planting, the work of My hands, that I may be glorified.
Isaiah 60:22 The smallest one will become a clan, and the least one a mighty nation. I, the LORD, will hasten it in its time.
The above words will happen after the Millennium, when there will be no more sun and no more moon, no more sea.
God will keep his word as stated by the holy prophets. He will very soon send His son Jesus/Yeshua and His holy angels to rescue us from this Earth and take us to the new abodes that Jesus Christ went to prepare for us.
Isaiah 55:5 Behold, you will call a nation you do not know, and a nation which knows you not will run to you, because of the LORD your God, even the Holy One of Israel; for He has glorified you.
The place that God has prepared for us is so wonderful that:
I Corinthians 2:9 . . . Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love Him.
The signs for Jesus return for the rapture/rescue are better described in Time for the Rescue.
May you believe these words and have comfort.
