“And Jesus said to him, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, today you will be with me in Paradise’.” (Luke 23:43)
The Bible reports that sometime between His crucifixion and His resurrection, Jesus went to hell. In fact, Ephesians 4:9 says that Jesus “first descended into the lower parts of the earth.” Why? The Bible says it was to set the captives free and to take the very keys to hell away from Satan. Otherwise, how could we ever claim to have victory over death?
That’s what Jesus meant when He said in Revelation 1:18, “I am he who lives, and was dead, and behold, I am alive forevermore. Amen. And I have the keys of Hades and of Death.”
If all that is true – and it is – then how could Jesus have been in two places at the same time? After all, He told the thief on the cross, “Today you will be with me in Paradise.” (Luke 23:43)
You might find it a little surprising, but the Bible records that Paradise was in Hades. That’s right. Jesus spoke about it when He told the Parable of the Rich Man and Lazarus. “So it was that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels to Abraham’s bosom. The rich man also died and was buried. And being in torments in Hades, he lifted up his eyes and saw Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom.” (Luke 16:22-23)
The truth is that Scripture supports that Hades included both hell AND heaven (Abraham’s bosom, or what Jesus and many of the everyday Jews of his day referred to as Paradise). According to Jesus, in between the two was “A great gulf fixed, so that those who want to pass from here to you cannot, nor can those from there pass to us.” (Luke 16:26)
There’s even more biblical evidence that Paradise may not have been in heaven at that time. Remember, just three days after Jesus told the thief that he would be in Paradise with Him, He asked Mary Magdalene, who first saw Him in resurrected form, “Do not cling to me, for I have not yet ascended to the My Father.” (John 20:17) If had not yet ascended to the Father, then Paradise was not located in heaven.
It certainly makes you think, doesn’t it? Even more thought provoking is what Paul said to the Church at Corinth. Paul also referred to Paradise, but spoke of it synonymously with the third heaven. “I know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago – whether in the body I do not know, or whether out of the body I do not know, God knows – such a one was caught up in the third heaven. And I know such a man – whether in the body or out of the body I do not know, God knows – how he was caught up into Paradise and heard inexpressible words, which it is not lawful for a man to utter.” (II Corinthians 12:2-4)
Could it be that there were two places called Paradise? I don’t think so. However, I admit that what I do believe cannot be found in Scripture except to say that some very strange things happened between the death of Jesus and His resurrection, not the least of which is that He went to the very jaws of hell to make sure that we could have victory over sin and death.
Professional golfers often refer to the Saturday in the tournament as “moving day”. It’s the day when they position themselves to win on Sunday. I tend to think the same philosophy was going on in the mind of God. The Saturday between the death of Jesus and His Resurrection Sunday was moving day. Paradise was moved from Hades to Heaven. Captives were set free, and Jesus was showing the world that victory would come on Resurrection Sunday, and every day thereafter!
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I would like to say thank you for reminding us those who wait for Jesus second time cominig.
But i don’t understand that how you said that heaven is on Earth.
Wogayehu
From
Addis Abeba.
Ethiopia.
Box 10642.
I wouldnt say paradise was part of hades but they were both located in the bowels of the earth. So when Jesus went to paradise and those that were supposed to be at rest told Jesus that they could hear the cries of those in torment he told them he will relocate them. So when ressurected he brought paradise out of the bowels of the earth so the saints could surely rest in peace.
Paradise did exist but CHRIST changed all that by clearing out Paradise and bringing all souls with Him to Heaven. Paradise is not Heaven and Heaven not Paradise. Paradise or Abrahams bosom was the place the righteous dead went to until Christ Paid for there sins and made a way for them to go to Heaven. Paradise like Hades is in the earth Heaven is above.
I understand that Paradise is now closed and empty, that it was not a part of hell, and that it will be,or is,in Heaven. I also know that when we die the Holy Spirit leaves our bodies and likewise our souls leave our bodies. My question: where are our souls sent to and what will the human soul look like until the Rapture?
You asked how can Jesus be in two places in the same day.
1. How long is a day to God?
His time measurement and ours are different.
2. How much time does Jesus need to do His work?
It could be in a twinkling of an eye, 3 seconds, or 3 hours or 3 days?
3 .So when Jesus said, “Today you will be with me in paradise:”-
it is not conflicting. Yes, he could be in two places at the same
time (in the same day).
Like a human can be at 5 different places in a day-
home, office, store,school and gym.
I believe Paradise is a waiting place for the saints. I dont believe it is empty because their are no saints in Heaven yet as we speak. The old testament saints who rose from the dead after Jesus had risen didnt go to heaven, but were risen to recieve the baptism of the holy ghost on the day of Pentecost.Then they died again so they can take part in the 1st resurection. Jesus says no man can ENTER the kingdom unless he was born of water and spirit, which is born of water and receiving of the Holy ghost with evidence of speaking in tongues. This why the saints rose from the dead bcuz the holy ghost was not available to them when they lived
From my understanding of the Bible, paradise was not part of hades.
Luke 16:19-26
Lazarus was carried by the angels to Abraham’s side, and the rich man was in Hades. Between Abraham’s side and Hades a great chasm has been set in place, so that those who want to go from here to Hades cannot, nor can anyone cross over from there to Abraham’s side.
2 Corinthians 12:1-4
Paul was caught up to the third heaven (v2). In other words, he was caught up to paradise(v4).
I think you miss the point that Jesus was omnipresent.
After he died on the cross, his spirit set free from his body.
He was able to go to paradise and to hades at the same time.
I believe that the big problem that is arising for so many is that they are applying the concepts of time to eternity. I think the atheist Brian Cox gave some insight into this when he said (something like) “do not think of the Big Bang as an explosion of matter and energy into space and time. Before the Big Bang there was no space and time.”
Unlike Brian we know who brought the Creation about: God who exists outside of our limited space-time (but praise him that he has come into it!) and who inhabits eternity. He has the nature to be in all places at all times. I believe that our resurrected souls and bodies are already with him in eternity, enjoying his eternal Now, even though our current mortal body experience is in time. Eternity is not “after” this created space-time existence; it is “outside” it. In the Bible Sheol, Hades, Paradise are very difficult to translate because they are concepts seen differently from our time-bound and heaven’s eternity-free perspectives.
I have been told when we die we go to Hades (Paradise) but in researching many have said Hades is no longer after Christ died on the cross, went to Hades and set the captives free and took them to Heaven with Him, now when we die we go directly to Heaven. Please give me some understanding. In Rev. 1:18 it states Jesus has the Keys to Hades and Death,does this mean it it closed and no longer and when we die we now go to Heaven??
Hello brothers and sisters in Christ:
Please forgive my spelling, english is not my native language.
Have you ever read the story about the admiral Richard Evelyn Byrd?, if you haven’t I recommend you to read it; there’s a paradise inside the Earth, the Earth is hollow, it is not solid as we have been taught in school, the Bible confirm this, it has expanded when the flood occurred, leaving an inmense space under our feet, research about this, there is a central sun inside the Earth and in the inner Paradise the weather is perfect, there are rivers, amazing lush vegetation, mountains, exotic animal, birds, and fish, and when the saints died before Christ died they were taken to this inner Paradise, it has to be a perfect place to be living for centuries, this paradice according to the Bible was called “Abraham’s bossom” that’s the paradise where the thief was taken to, this inner paradise is still there, but now its occupants are Satan’s angels, who have their own cities in there, the place of torment where was the rich man of the story of Luke 16 is what we call hell, this place of torment is between our ground and the paradise ground, that’s why the rich man could see Lazarus and Abraham, because they were together, and the posible distance was no more than 1 kilometer, because of the large chasm between them. When Christ descended to the lower parts of the Earth, Christ released all his people who died before him and take them to another paradise, the paradise where the saints are now taken to after Christ died is located outside this galaxy, in another galaxy, it is a wondeful and humongous planet, a real Paradise, where Christ his saints live and where the angels take them to. The word heaven comes from the hebrew word “shamayim” and this heaven is the same heaven as the sky, the third heaven is outside our galaxy the Milky Way, first heaven is where the birds and airplanes fly, second heaven is where the stars and the planets dwell, third heaven is where the galaxies are; heaven is not a cloudy mysthical place, heaven is a very real place and even more real tan this “reality” where we live in, heaven is the space from our heads upwards, Paradise is a planet, but there are not only one Paradise, there are many of them, where the angels live and enjoy the blessings of the Lord God Almighty, there are even advanced cityes in those heavenly planets, angels are some of the extraterrestrials not all, because many of the extraterrestrials are angels of Satan, the angels use advanced technology here on planet Earth and in those planets where they dwell, the technology we are using now has ben revealed by Satan and his angels to many of the scientists, researchers and philosofers of the world to corrupt the human race to bring to life that lie of Satan that the humans can become God, the chariots of fire are some of UFO’s not all because some of the UFO’s are Satan´s angels’, and when a child of God die, he/she is taken by angels in their “chariots of fire” (chariots of fire= flying gleaming vehicles), like Elijah, Enoch and Lazarus, to the Paradise which is located ouside our galaxy, is this hard to believe?, research more about this in the Bible and outside the Bible; and I want to clarify, I’m not mormon, scientologist, Rael follower, new ager, or from any other sect, I’m a christian washed by the blood of my Lord Jesus Christ.
In Christ, John O’G.
Revelation 2:7 seems to make Paradise synonymous with the new heaven and the new earth (or a location there within), perhaps New Jerusalem that comes out of heaven onto the new earth. I’d say there are a couple possible interpretations. Either A) Paradise keeps shifting from a location holding captive believers within the Earth (Samuel 28), to Heaven, to the New Earth, or B) “Paradise” is a Jewish name for any place without sin or pain that recalls God’s original perfection of the garden of Eden before the fall of mankind and the world into sin and can therefore be used of both places in the Afterlife and the future Earth after Christ makes all things new.
As for the verses you mentioned, I’ve been talking with other Christians about it and I seem to see something different in Scripture, which sometimes upsets them. I’m researching the topic to not only understand their point of view, but to make sure my doctrines on Paradise are correct. It seems to me that Ephesians 4:9 is talking about Jesus descending from Heaven to Earth (which is lower than God’s Heaven) to set the captives (sinners destined for Hell, slaves of sin, the children of the Devil, etc) free (John 8:32) by dying for them on the cross in their place and thus breaking Satan’s power over them. I get this because it says that since Christ is ascending to God’s Heaven He therefore must have came down from Heaven originally (John 1:1-18). This descent then seems to me to be properly understood as coming down to Earth, A.K.A. God born as the man Christ Jesus.
In this sense, it is possible to say that Christ took the keys of death and Hades away from Satan when He died on the cross and rose again. The ascension was Him going back to His Father in Heaven, not His rising from the grave, as His descension would refer in this context to His coming down to Earth by being born as a man, not to His spirit descending to Hades.
This is a possible interpretation, and my preferred, but there is not time now for me to consider with you the possible interpretations of other verses. There is certainly a lot to go through! Let me know if I misunderstand anything. Anyway, here’s to studying the Scriptures!
I agree with David King and it’s very uplifting to know that others have such open minds and imaginations as I do. This is more or less exactly what I already believe and imagine. Yes, the Big Bang was even spoken of by Steven Hawking as the point that both space AND time started. Scientifically, this is either difficult or down right impossible to explain. Only something outside space and time could put the Big Bang into motion. A famous atheist – I forgot his name, but I believe it starts with the letters “Kei” (he is mentioned in Lee Strobel’s “Case for Faith”) – said that, “If you heard a bang and asked someone what made that bang and they said, ‘Oh, nothing did. It just happened,’ you wouldn’t accept that.” And that’s exactly the point. Something had to have made that Big Bang – but it had to have been something that is outside both space and time and not bound by it or its laws. So far the only acceptable explanation is an Intelligent Designer – God.
Anyway, I don’t think this lends much to the topic at hand, but it’s very interesting in and of itself. I have always believed God was outside of time and space and a few years back a cartoon – of all things – got me to thinking that even more. And now I’m thinking that maybe Heaven, where God dwells, may be out of time and space as well. But that might be harder to swallow. After all, only God Himself is omnipresent, omnipotent, and all of that jazz. We cannot put a physical or spiritual location on His level of supreme being and existence. Despite this, I believe that there is not time as we know it in Heaven. Things work differently up there. I’m sure.
I would like to thank you for your efforts in doing this work. I have a problem with the teaching that folks got to heaven or hell as soon as they die. When you look into the text you find a different insight on this subject.
Yeshua told the thief on the cross I tell you “today” thou shall be with me in paradise. I t does not say that the man would go to paradise as soon as he died. Yeshua said to Miriam dont touch me for I have not yet ascended to my Father. So he did not go to heaven or paradise,he was in the grave 3 days and 3 nights just as He told the apostles He would be as the sign of Jonah. He also said “I go and “prepare a place for you so that when I come there ye may be also. When He comes He is bring the City with Him that has many dwelling places Heaven New Jerusalem.The Father will judge all of us before anyone is admitted through the gates. All will be judged by a just Father.
Blessings to you man of God, may our Messiah and savior continue to guide you through the Spirit of our Father. It is my opinion that the refferences to paradise in these passages are not the same.
I believe that Paul was absolute in his belief of the Kingdom of God Coming to earth (1 Thessalonians 4:13) and that without question he believed that those who died stay asleep until Christ returns.
We should always remember that Jesus preached the coming of the Kingdom not the going to the Kingdom my brother in Christ.
Be blessed!
“How” could Jesus be in “two” different places at the same time? Not really a difficult thing to accept once we understand that “Jesus” was simply a “vessel.” The spirit “inside” of that vessel was the “omnipresent” God who is everywhere at once.
John 14:10
Believest thou not that I am in the Father, and the Father in me? the words that I speak unto you I speak not of myself: but the Father that dwelleth “IN ME”, “HE” doeth the works.
When God (in Jesus) stepped out of Jesus(John 10:18) at the crucifixion, Jesus ceased to function, that body was laying in a tomb. It was not a “spirit” Jesus that descended, it was the almighty God.
The demons in the book of Matthew further identify the spirit “within” Jesus
Matthew 8:29
And, behold, they cried out, saying, What have we to do with thee, Jesus, thou Son of God? art thou come hither to torment us before the time?
The demons saw beyond the flesh that housed the omnipresent God, and saw their creator and Judge.
If we look to the old testament, we have no evidence of a pre-incarnate son.
Best Regards.
I think the two places are different. The Hades is a waiting place for those who haven’t accepted Jesus Christ as their saviour and Paradise is waiting place for those who have accepted Jesus and their deeds follow what is written on the bible.
Here’s what history says about the matter, but you are basically right. . .just need a few presumptions thrown out. Check it out! http://passionateproject.blogspot.com/2013/05/the-reality-of-heaven-and-hell-in.html
If you are a real believing Christian, when you die you go to Paradise under the earth, which is called “Abraham’s Bosom”. The thief on the cross is still there. Lazarus is still there. When Jesus ascended he did NOT take the dead Old Testament saints with him to Heaven. In Acts 2 v 34 Peter says “For David has NOT ascended into the heavens”…. This word was spoken just AFTER the Lord’s ascension. David is still “at home” in Paradise with Christ (and Lazarus and Paul etc). He is in the pleasant section of Hades under the earth awaiting resurrection along with all the other dead believers. At a later time our bodies will be either resurrected or raptured (if we are still alive at the Lord’s coming). Christ is omnipresent. Ephesians 2 v 6 tells us that we living Christians have already been raised together with Christ and have been seated together with Him in the heavenlies. This is our marvellous spiritual position in Christ.He has made us conquerers in Himself. Ephesians 4 v 8-12 speaks of Christ in His ascension triumphantly leading those taken captive by Satan,sin and death (us) and giving these captives as gifts to His Body the church, for the believers’ building up,in order to become His dwelling place on earth, in spirit(Eph 2 v 22). Second Corinthians 12 says that the Apostle Paul was caught away to the third Heaven AND into Paradise,(Abraham’s Bosom). He went to BOTH places and received abundant revelations. This is proved by verse 3 which says “AND I knew a man”(in Christ)…. The above verses show us clearly that Paradise and Heaven are two separate places in the Bible.
Before I read your article I came to this same conclusion. I believe its true .. Good work brother.
Nice post. I learn something new and challenging
on websites I stumbleupon everyday. It will always be interesting to read through articles
from other authors and use a little something from
their sites.
The Kingdom of Heaven is in us. We experience Christ in our vessels and when we leave our vessels. Whether in the body or out of the body we are in Christ. That is why Jesus said If you hate your life, you will keep it forever. We have to have the Holy Spirit to have the fruit of the spirit, Which we keep forever, That is why we have to be born again. If you have been born again then there is no need to wonder about heaven, because it is the same experience but without the flesh. Peace
Yes, JOHN 20:17 WE CAN UNDERSTAND PARADISE WAS AND IS THERE The former paradise was called Abraham’s bosom was the place where all old testament saints were once stayed they were waiting for their redemption And now this paradise was empty as Jesus took every one with him to heaven
The new paradise is in heaven
But i believe the torment place is still beneath
Thank god in the name of jesus iam heartfully enjoyed my live with truths supplied is very useful to real christians with answers i too know what is in the present situation of our lives given by u good answers pl. Possible send secreats of holy bible
Paradise of God is a place where God and the righteous relate or interact perfectly like the Garden of Eden where God and Adam related before his fall it is a place where the righteous appears in full image and likeness of God’s son. It is a place where God blesses the righteous with all blessings. There are more than one paradise of God. God’s paradise is availale on earth, benearth the earth and above the earth (Heaven) Adam enjoyed it at the Garden of Eden) Abraham enjoyed it at Hebron.(Gen er:19-24:1) Through Isaiah, God promised it in the new testament.(Isaiah 65:17-25) Our Lord Jesus proclaimed it, (Luke 22:29) and took a repented thief to one beneath the earth.(Luke 23:43) He showed John and Paul the heavenly one.(Rev 21:1-5, 2Cor 12:3)The righteous and those whose destinies righteously merge, enjoy it together, like Eve to Adam. God has created one for you to enjoy. But It starts with a new birth. May you get there in Jesus name I pray amen! apostlezohman@yahoo.com
If a person goes to heaven or hell when they die, that would be their judgment.
It sounds as tho you don’t believe there will a day when Christ returns to judge anyone.
Luther
I believe This was a good article and Jesus did decend into the lower parts Paradise and took many old Testament chrisians with him to Heaven…..He also took away the keys from satan….to Hades and of death…..Praise God…for that..
Remember thousand years for man is only a day for the Lord. The thief was with God in paradise in the same day as Jesus said to him.
The true Christ believers was straight in paradise called heaven after death.
The new heaven the dwelling place of God and his people will go down from heaven. The old earth and old heaven be set on fire
If the dead knows not- How can they be aware of activities taking place around them.
I was shocked iThat the answer’n Sunday School when are teacher said she believed that Moses, Abraham e+c….. was in heaven. I automatically thought everyone believed as I was taught growing up in my home church. I started to study and lets just Say alot of prayer. I pointed out to my Sunday School teacher the verse where we learn of the graves opening and witnesses said they saw souls. My searches on the internet have been eye opening to see so many interpretations I asked Jesus to help me understand and when I was headed to church I told my husband I wanted to try this new church and he agreed we could It was in this Service that Jesus gave me His answer. Asleep in Christ! Thats the answer! I don’t need to Know where. I don’t need to Know how. And I don’t need to know
when. I remembered a very wise man once said “Don’t put God in a box” There is not a box of any size that Can begin to hold the Knowledge and wisdom of God not alone His glory. It is enough to know I will be in/with Jesus. That being said it is a human trait to theorize and analyze everything. I try to remember that although interesting as everyone’s theories are they are theories interpretations can be confusing and when your confused go to the one that never is confused. We can’t see what God doesn’t want us to see. I will say that 2 people pleased God and God took them to be with Him without dyeing. Remember that the sacrifice made by Moses’ and Abraham was to clean them of there sins so that they could have a relationship with God those that did not sacrifice had no relationship with God. Jesus was/is our sacrifice that we don’t deserve yet by His mercy and Love given freely like a lamb for our sin. So by being saved by the savior Jesus Christ son of the most high God we can come in God’s presence “in Christ”. So is paradise next to hades? Is paradise in the middle of the earth? Are those saved by Jesus going to paradise or heaven? My belief: Who am I who can’t add another day to my life or can change tomorrow? I will trust the one who can PRAISE GOD I am with Him who Is Was And Forever Will Be. (By the way on a side note there is mention of Jesus in old testament and one particular appearing just not in name. It is with the three in the fireury furnace. There were 3 who went in and 4 seen. It is suggested that this was the spirit of Jesus as well as parts where God talks of three in the beginning. ) may all find peace with the only TRUE peace.
The bible says those who died in the lord came back with him to recieve a baptism of the Holy ghost. Paradise was in hades because he had to go and fetch those who were children of the lord.
So…where did…the souls go…that were set free in paradise…
I believe that Jesus is seated on the right hand of the Father making intersession for me as well as for all of His children, I believe that Paradise is a part of Heaven, where the saints go and are at rest, asleep , I believe that when Jesus called Lazarous back He came in the image of who he was, before he died, or they would not have known him, I believe that Jesus took the keys of death, hell and the grave away from Satan(who apparently does go to and fro from hell to earth and to heaven where he accuses us every day) He gave them to God, and that set the captives(all believers after the flood to the cross, till He comes back for us) free from the grip of Satan’s snare. Hell was made for the devil and his angel’s, of which some are still chained there in darkness, if God had put Paradise in hell, the bible would plainly said so, those in prison were those that refused to believe and were destroyed in the flood, Jesus had to present Himself to them, so fulfills the scripture, “Every Knee shall bow and every tongue confess, that Jesus Christ is Lord”.
This question is one of those “dark sayings”. The answer is complex. Jesus Himself says He will go down to Paradise. I am preaching on this subject now. Thursday 3:30 at Cornerstone Church in Manteca, California. Revelation tells us that paradise is now in heaven because Paul talked about it. Jesus entered Paradise in the earth, I am reasonably certain there was rejoicing like we have never heard. All those who believed and trusted in God before the cross rejoiced because When they saw Jesus for the first time there was rejoicing endlessly and then they knew He would command Paradise to be in the heavens. When Mary (not his mother) saw Him when He was resurrected by God He was the pure sacrifice that had to be first presented To God the father in His Holy Temple once for all and it was accepted. That is when He had taken the saints to heaven with Him and those Mary couldn’t see. He told her not to touch Him yet because He had that important task to complete. He then returned to earth to be seen and touched by many for a witness that He has indeed arose from the dead. He did it for all. Sadly few will actually make it in. Only those who believe and trust in the Lord Jesus Christ and continue in their walk in obedience to His word and trust Him for Salvation. With Godly fear we continue to serve Him and stay faithful in all things until He calls us Home. God bless in His Love, John
Perhaps Christ is Paradise. When he said to the thief ‘Today” you are with me, means. You are Mine” He is The Reality of the Heavenly Jerusalem for we know The Glory of God is the Light and The Lamb is the Lamp, He said else where, Now Satan is cast out, would mean He has overcome Death with The Life and Power of the Resurrection so that even Death has been Conquered, , Satan’s very Spiritual Reality had no place Heaven and now nor on earth for those who are in Christ Jesus no matter where they are. “No one ascends to heaven be He Who descended from heaven, the Son of Man Who is in Heaven’ (that is the correct translation, KJV)
6 And God said, Let there be a firmament in the midst of the waters, and let it divide the waters from the waters.
7 And God made the firmament
, and divided the waters which were under the firmament
from the waters which were above the firmament:
and it was so.
8 And God called the firmament Heaven.
And the evening and the morning were the second day.