The word ‘Paradise’ is found only three times in the Bible.  Let’s read those three verses.

  • Luke 23:43, “And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, To day shalt thou be with me in PARADISE.”  The is the Lord Jesus speaking to the repentant thief from the cross.  Let’s read that account. Luke 23:39-42 says, “And one of the malefactors which were hanged railed on him, saying, If thou be Christ, save thyself and us. But the other answering rebuked him, saying, Dost not thou fear God, seeing thou art in the same condemnation? And we indeed justly; for we receive the due reward of our deeds: but this man hath done nothing amiss. And he said unto Jesus, Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom.” 

This man realized the sinlessness of Christ, he acknowledged his own sins and recognized Christ as ‘Lord.’  He asked the Lord to remember him when He came into His kingdom.  The Lord’s response is loving and revealing.  He promised that man that he would be with Christ THAT VERY DAY in paradise!  So, where did the Lord go that very day?  We find the answer in Luke 23:46, “And when Jesus had cried with a loud voice, he said, Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit: and having said thus, he gave up the ghost.”  Christ went to be with His Father in Heaven.  THAT VERY DAY the repentant thief also went to Heaven. 

  • 2 Corinthians 12:4, “How that he was caught up into PARADISE, and heard unspeakable words, which it is not lawful for a man to utter.” 

In this verse, Paul is speaking of himself and how he was caught up into Heaven 14 years earlier.  In verse 2 of this portion, Paul writes, “I knew a man in Christ above fourteen years ago, (whether in the body, I cannot tell; or whether out of the body, I cannot tell: God knoweth;) such an one caught up to THE THIRD HEAVEN.  In these two verses, we see Paul interchanges the words PARADISE and HEAVEN, showing both words refer to the same place. 

  • Revelation 2:7, “He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the tree of life, which is in the midst of the PARADISE of God.”

In Revelation 22:1-5, we have a wonderful description of Heaven.  That says, “And he shewed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb. In the midst of the street of it, and on either side of the river, was there THE TREE OF LIFE, which bare twelve manner of fruits, and yielded her fruit every month: and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations. And there shall be no more curse: but the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it; and his servants shall serve him: And they shall see his face; and his name shall be in their foreheads. And there shall be no night there; and they need no candle, neither light of the sun; for the Lord God giveth them light: and they shall reign for ever and ever.”  While Revelation 2:7 tells us that the tree of life is in “the midst of the PARADISE OF GOD”, Revelation 22:2 shows us the tree of life is in Heaven where the throne of God and of the Lamb is located. 

These three uses of the word PARADISE show us that the word is synonymous with the word HEAVEN.  Let’s look at another verse in Revelation.  Revelation 22:14 says, “Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city.”  Have you obeyed the Lord’s commandments?  Do you have a right to enter Heaven where the tree of life is? 

What is it that you must do to be saved and go to Heaven?  John 6:28-29 makes it clear, “Then said they unto him, What shall we do, that we might work the works of God? Jesus answered and said unto them, This is the work of God, that ye BELIEVE ON HIM whom he hath sent.”  We read in Acts 16:31, “…Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved…”  (CC)  (527.2)