The triumph of Jesus Christ over death by his resurrection has enlivened man’s hope to regain Paradise. Through disobedience man lost the glories and comfort of the beautiful Garden of Eden, and had the sentence of suffering and death passed on him. In spite of the advancement man has made in science and technology he has not been able to wriggle himself from the realities of the divine sentence. So it will be as long as this evil world lasts.
Paradise is a word derived from a Hebrew or Greek root and denotes a park, orchard or garden whose flora is an epitome of natural beauty. King Solomon in his affluence made for his own delight such beautiful gardens. (Eccl. 2:5) The first and best of gardens ever made was the one of God in which the first human couple, Adam and Eve, were placed. For beauty and serenity, and for provision of everything suitable for comfort, happiness and life abundant it was beyond compare.
In the garden located “eastward of Eden”, God made to grow “every tree that is pleasant to the sight, and good for food; the tree of life also in the midst of the garden, and the tree of knowledge of good and evil. And a river went out of Eden to water the garden”. (Gen. 2:8-10) Man was placed in this glorious perfect environment with everything placed at his disposal but was charged with the simple responsibility, to “dress it and to keep it”. To add to man’s comfort and pleasure, and afford him an opportunity to reproduce, God made the woman, Eve, for him.-Gen. 2:15-25.
All that God needed from man was subjection to Him obedience to His commandment. But man failed woefully to live up to expectation by his disobedience. He ate of the tree of knowledge of good and evil that God commanded him not to eat. His excuse that his wife, Eve, gave him to eat could hold no water. Moreover, God pronounced upon them the sentence of death. As it is written: ” In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground; for out of it wast thou taken: for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return.” (Gen. 3:19) From the perfect home of the garden of Eden, where suffering was unknown, God drove him and his wife, “lest he put forth his hand, and take also of the tree f life, and eat, and live forever”.
In a nutshell, this was how man through disobedience lost Paradise – the beautiful Garden of the LORD. Up till today the consequences of this loss is staring everyone, regardless of stature or status, in the face. The world is in shambles. Every kind of evil, evil in any shape or form, is on the increase, making the world an uncomfortable place to live in. The ravages of incurable diseases are felt everywhere, violent crimes are rampart and the pathos of drums and songs of war pervading the international atmosphere are a great cause for apprehension and concern.
It is now very clear to every reasonable mind that human governments have no lasting solution to the problems of mankind. To the end that man might redirect himself or have a recourse to God and regain Paradise Jesus Christ was sent to the world. He was positive in his answer to Pilate that for the purpose of paving the way for his kingdom he was born. and for the cause of it he came into the world.- John 18:36,37.
Ancient prophecies pointed to the Messianic Kingdom, the one Jesus Christ spoke of to Pilate at his trial, and which was described in different terms and likened to paradise because of its beauties. Unlike the Paradise of the garden of Eden which covered a little space or location in Eden, the kingdom of Christ is universal in its widest sense of covering both the heavens and the earth. It is the anticipated New World. Concerning it, God said: “For behold, I create new heavens and a new earth: and the former shall not be remembered, nor come into mind… I create Jerusalem a rejoicing and her people a joy.”-Isa. 65:17,18.
In the New World or New Jerusalem, it is further stated stated that the “voice of weeping shall be no more heard in in her, nor the voice of they crying”. “And they shall build houses, and inhabit them; and shall plant vineyards, and eat the fruit of them…Before they call, I will answer; and while they are yet speaking. I will hear. The wolf and the Lamb shall feed together, and the lion shall cat straw like the bullock: and dust shall be the serpent’s meat. They shall not hurt nor destroy in all I my holy mountain, saith the LORD”. – Verses 19-25.
Thus the terms, “new heavens and a new earth.” “Jerusalem” and “Mountain” were used to symbolise the Messianic kingdom or kingdom of of Christ. In this mountain, God promised to in this mount which to set up on earth, the veil of ignorance which Satan has spread over all nations, would be uncovered. Death shall be nation: swallowed up in victory, and tears shall be wiped off all faces. The inhabitants shall not say, “I am sick”. (Isa. 2:2,3; 11:6-9; 35:6-8; 33:24.) And is written: “For the LORD shall comfort Zion: he will comfort all her waste places; and he will make her wilderness like Eden, and her desert like the garden of the LORD; joy and gladness shall be found therein, thanksgiving, melody.” – Isaiah. 51:3. and the voice of
It is the earth made Paradise in God’s kingdom, Jesus Christ during his crucifixion had in mind when he said to the malefactor or thief, “Verily I say unto thee today, shalt thou (or thou shalt) be with me in paradise.” (Luke 23:43) To infer or teach that the thief went to heaven that same day as being peddled in some religious circles, is a misinterpretation of the Bible, and is wrong and very misleading indeed. If it is so, it means the thief went to heaven before Christ in that Christ was in the grave till the third day when he was raised, and still remained on earth for 40 days before he ascended to heaven. No one could have gone to heaven before Christ, the forerunner, went to present the ransom price to the Father.
The promise of Christ was that when he returned in the last days he would raise the dead to meet him in heaven. (John saints to 14:1-3) Moreover, the thief did not ask to go to heaven. What he said was that when Jesus would come I come again in his kingdom, ,he (Christ) should I remember r him. (Luke 23:42) Since the thief was not one of the apostles, the Little Flock, the question of his going to heaven is entirely ruled out. However, the answer of Jesus Christ to him offered grace, and gives the hope of his partaking in his kingdom, Paradise, on earth at the resurrection of the dead.
In spite of the presence of Satan in heaven until he was cast down before these last days, heaven, the heaven of heavens, has always been a Paradise because of its glories. Unlike the earth that has been ravaged by corruption. heaven is resplendent in glory. St. Paul spoke of how in Spirit he was caught up to the third heaven or heavenly Paradise, and heard Farad unspeakable words. -2 Cor. 12:1-4.
By reason of the obedience of Jesus Christ in accomplishing his mission on earth, man now has hope of regaining Paradise and enjoying eternal salvation. Said St. Paul: “Therefore as by the offence of one judgment came upon all men to condemnation; even so by the righteousness of one the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life. That as sin hath reigned unto death, even so might grace reign through righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord.” -Rom. 5:18,21.
It is by faith in Christ, true Christians look beyond this evil world into the world to come the New World or Paradise. On this score, Peter the apostle of Christ predicted the destruction of this evil world, but assured of the hope in the New World, Paradise, thus: “Nevertheless we, according to his promise (Isa. 65:17), look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness. “(2 Peter 3:13) The apostle then cautioned: “You therefore, beloved, knowing this beforehand, beware lest you be carried away with the error of lawless men and lose your own stability. But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be the glory both now and to the day of eternity. Amen.” (Verses 17,18 RSV) There is hope, therefore, that mankind shall regain Paradise.