The Use of the Terms Heaven and Paradise
When Christians say "Heaven" they mean Paradise. "Heaven" may be the most frequently used word in the Christian vocabulary.
When Christians use the term "Heaven" they are thinking of Paradise, the Paradise that at one time was on the earth in the country of Eden.
It is believed that the term Paradise is of Iranian origin and means "a garden with a wall."
We desire to go to the beautiful garden of God where the Lord Jesus and the Father are—and perhaps some of our loved ones.
One of the most revealing studies of the Bible one could make would be of the use of the term "Heaven." Two problems are encountered immediately.
Neither the Hebrew nor the Greek language differentiates between the physical heaven above us and the spiritual heaven, the abode of spirits. We must tell from the context which heaven is meant.
The word translated "heaven" is often plural. For example, examining the Greek text of the Lord’s prayer we find, "Our Father who are in the heavens." Not in heaven but in the heavens.
In the beginning God created the heaven [the heavens] and the earth. (Genesis 1:1)
The word "heaven," in the preceding verse, is plural and refers to the sky.
In the six hundredth year of Noah’s life, in the second month, the seventeenth day of the month, the same day were all the fountains of the great deep the windows of heaven [the heavens] were opened. (Genesis 7:11)
The word "heaven" in the preceding is plural and refers to the sky.
And he blessed him, and said, Blessed be Abram of the most high God, possessor of heaven and earth: (Genesis 14:19)
The word "heaven" is plural and probably refers to the sky.
And the angel of the Lord called unto Abraham out of heaven [the heavens] the second time, (Genesis 22:15)
The word "heaven" is plural and may refer to the spiritual Heaven but probably to the sky.
Again he said, Therefore hear the word of the Lord; I saw the Lord sitting upon his throne, and all the host of heaven [the heavens] standing on his right hand and on his left. (II Chronicles 18:18)
Micaiah probably was seeing into the spiritual Heaven at this point.
And saying, Repent ye: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand. (Matthew 3:2)
Actually "the kingdom of the heavens."
And while they looked steadfastly toward heaven as he went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel; (Acts 1:10)
Looked steadfastly "into the heaven." Probably the sky.
And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting. (Acts 2:2)
"Out of the heaven." We know the Holy Spirit came from the spiritual Heaven. But since there was a "sound" the reference may be merely to that which came from above them.
And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea. (Revelation 21:1)
"A new heaven." This is in parallel with Genesis 1:1 and may refer to a new sky, a new firmament.
These are but a few examples that suggest that our thinking needs to be revised concerning what we mean by "heaven." A little reflection will reveal that we are thinking of Paradise, not primarily of the spiritual heaven or heavens, or the sky per se.
As we search the Scriptures we will discover there is no emphasis in either the Old Testament or the New on dying and going to the spiritual Heaven. Eternal residence in the spiritual Heaven is never emphasized as being the goal of our salvation. Until we understand clearly that our goal is not eternal residence in the spiritual Heaven or heavens we will have only a dim concept of the Kingdom of God.
The New Testament has very little to say about what happens to the Christian when he or she dies. The emphasis of the New Testament is on the Day of the Lord and the coming of the Kingdom of God to the earth.
The common idea of mansions in Heaven comes from an incorrect translation of John 14:2.
It may be true that the change of the Gospel of the Kingdom of God to a gospel of residence in the spiritual heavens after we die originated after the death of the Apostles and reflects the beliefs of various other religions or the philosophy of Gnosticism. We have an extensive Christian mythology built around "mansions in Heaven," no part of which can be found in the Scriptures.
When the spiritual heavens are mentioned in the Bible we find both good and evil in them. Also, the description does not portray an environment we would choose.
For example:
How that he was caught up into paradise, and heard unspeakable words, which it is not lawful for a man to utter. (II Corinthians 12:4)
Paul had a very desirable experience in Paradise in the third heaven. But look what else is in the spiritual heaven.
And there appeared another wonder in heaven; and behold a great red dragon, having seven heads and ten horns, and seven crowns upon his heads. (Revelation 12:3)
Compare:
For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high [heavenly] places. (Ephesians 6:12)
The environment of the spiritual heavens is not that which we ordinarily associate with "Heaven."
After this I beheld, and, lo, a great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues, stood before the throne, and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands; (Revelation 7:9)
And I saw as it were a sea of glass mingled with fire: and them that had gotten the victory over the beast, and over his image, and over his mark, and over the number of his name, stand on the sea of glass, having the harps of God. (Revelation 15:2)
Are you truly looking forward with joy to standing on a sea of glass with a harp in your hand?
The Paradise we think of, the children among the beautiful flowers, the trees, mountains, rivers, harmless animals, freedom from dread, sickness, pain, death, is not mentioned in the New Testament until we come to the new heaven and earth.
And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away. (Revelation 21:4)
There are mentions of Paradise in the Old Testament.
The wolf also shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the kid; and the calf and the young lion and the fatling together; and a little child shall lead them. And the cow and the bear shall feed; their young ones shall lie down together: and the lion shall eat straw like the ox. And the sucking child shall play on the hole of the asp, and the weaned child shall put his hand on the cockatrice’ den. They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain: for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord, as the waters cover the sea. (Isaiah 11:6-9)
And I will rejoice in Jerusalem, and joy in my people: and the voice of weeping shall be no more heard in her, nor the voice of crying. There shall be no more thence an infant of days, nor an old man that hath not filled his days: for the child shall die an hundred years old; but the sinner being an hundred years old shall be accursed.
And they shall build houses, and inhabit them; and they shall plant vineyards, and eat the fruit of them. They shall not build, and another inhabit; they shall not plant, and another eat: for as the days of a tree are the days of my people, and mine elect shall long enjoy the work of their hands. (Isaiah 65:19-22)
Notice that in the Old Testament accounts and in Revelation, Chapter 21, Paradise is found on the earth. Paradise, the garden of God, originally was on the earth. We know from what Paul said that Paradise in the present hour is in the third heaven. But Paradise was created to be on the earth and will return to the earth with the coming of the Lord Jesus and His Church.
Current Christian preaching stresses that the Lord Jesus Christ came to save us from Hell and to admit us to Paradise (which we call "Heaven").
Nowhere in the New Testament is the Lord Jesus Christ presented as being our deliverer from Hell—nowhere! There most certainly is a Hell! But escape from Hell is not set forth as the emphasis of the Gospel accounts.
We could glean from Paul’s being caught up to Paradise that Christ came to bring us to Paradise.
Also, there is the following passage: And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, Today shalt thou be with me in paradise. (Luke 23:43)
This verse often is used to show the possibility of a deathbed conversion. But the Lord Jesus did not bring the thief into the Kingdom of God or eternal life, which are the hope of the Gospel, but into Paradise.
And:
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. (Revelation 2:7)
However, no conscientious student of the Scriptures, after reviewing the text, could claim that escape from Hell or admission to Paradise is the primary emphasis of the four Gospel accounts or the Epistles of the Apostles.
It appears that Christian preachers need to go back to the Bible, particularly to the Book of Acts, and find out what they are supposed to be preaching.
If escape from Hell and admission to Heaven are not the principal theme of the New Testament, then exactly what is?
After the description of Christ as Saviour and Lord there are three emphases in the New Testament that bear on our personal salvation. The three are interrelated. They are as follows:
Our transformation into a new creation in the moral image of Christ, including the forgiveness of our sins.
The pursuit of eternal life, including the redemption of our physical body.
Our entrance into the Kingdom of God.
Our discussion will deal mainly with our transformation and our pursuit of eternal life. Our entrance into the Kingdom of God is associated so closely with our transformation and our gaining of eternal life that a separate examination may not be necessary.
After we think about our transformation and our pursuit of eternal life, which are in actuality the manner in which we enter the Kingdom of God, we will have a look at how our diligence in grasping transformation and eternal life will affect our life in Paradise. This, after all, is the great question: will our life as an individual in Paradise be significantly affected by our perseverance in grasping the mark God has set before us? Will the overcomer and the nonovercomer both receive substantially the same reward?
There is no more important question in the day in which we are living, because countless multitudes of believers are living careless Christian lives, being under the impression that they are saved by grace and that all saved people will experience destinies so similar there is no need to be overly concerned about pressing toward the rest of God, the fullness of God.
If one is to receive a twenty-story mansion, and the other a three-story mansion, who cares? (Carnal Christians would care in that day for they experience jealousy today concerning material riches!) Why not seek enjoyment in the present world? After all, we have our ticket to Paradise, so why go to the trouble of taking up our cross, denying ourselves, and following the Master?
Why wait in the Lord’s prison, hungering and thirsting, denying ourselves the desires of our heart and soul, when we can reach forth and take what we want without breaking too many laws? If we are saved by unconditional grace, and all saved people receive approximately the same reward, why should we surrender our Isaacs?
God is love, and if He brings us to Paradise, our new environment will be so much better than anything we have ever experienced that extreme diligence in pursuing God’s will in order to walk around with a crown on our head may not appear to be worth the effort.
So we will proceed to discuss our transformation into the moral image of the Lord, our pursuit of the fullness of eternal life, and then point out some of the differences among those who have been admitted to Paradise, that have been produced by a willingness or unwillingness to follow Christ with a perfect heart.