WHAT’S THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN PARADISE AND HEAVEN?                              By NiteOwlDave                                                     niteowldave@gmail.com        

There is some confusion over where forgiven sinners went when they died before Christ died and arose. Similarly, where did lost sinners go?

The Bible says in Luke 16: 19-31 that unbelievers went to Hell while believers did not go directly to Heaven, but rather to a temporary place called Paradise or Abraham’s Bosom.            Prior to the saving sacrifice of the Lord Jesus Christ, the sacrificial blood of animals temporarily covered sins. This was a period of stiff law keeping that existed from the Garden of Eden to the cross of Christ.                       Believers of the Old Testament were saved on credit.                Those forgiven went to Paradise when they died. Paradise means “park” which suggests a glorious and happy place of comfort and hope with no pain.          Those who broke any of the 10 commandment (that would be ALL) and neglected the animal blood sacrifices established to cover sin, went to Hell. It is suggested that many who lived in the Old Testament “law era” could not have known about a coming Messiah whose blood saves.           People then, perhaps, simply did what they were told by the Levitical priests about the sacrifices and put their faith in God for good results.          Hades is the New Testament Greek word for Hell while Sheol is the Old Testament Hebrew word for Hell. It was like a local lockup compared to a penitentiary. It was a prelim to the Lake of Fire.          Hell is described in Luke 16: 19-31 in the account of the rich man and a poor man named Lazarus.

They each died. The poor man, Lazarus, must have been righteous, as in forgiven. The Bible said he went to Paradise, a temporary Heaven or “Abraham’s Bosom”, as it is sometimes called. The rich man went to Hades, or Hell.

Bible writer Luke notes that a great gulf was fixed between the two of them, and there was no crossing over. 

He writes:                22The poor man died and was carried away by the angels to be with Abraham. The rich man also died and was buried. 23In Hades, where he was being tormented, he looked up and saw Abraham far away with Lazarus by his side. He called out, “Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue; for I am in agony in these flames.” 25But Abraham said, “Child, remember that during your lifetime you received your good things, and Lazarus in like manner evil things; but now he is comforted here, and you are in agony. 26Besides all this, between you and us a great chasm has been fixed, so that those who might want to pass from here to you cannot do so, and no one can cross from there to us.” 27He said, “Then, father, I beg you to send him to my father’s house.28I have five brothers—that he may warn them, so that they will not also come into this place of torment.” 29Abraham replied, “They have Moses and the prophets; they should listen to them.” 30He said, “No, father Abraham; but if someone goes to them from the dead, they will repent.” 31He said to him, “If they do not listen to Moses and the prophets, neither will they be convinced even if someone rises from the dead.”  

When Christ died, he went down into the compartment of the saved. When He arose, he led the saved out of that place into Heaven where He placed his own blood on Heaven’s Mercy Seat.

 According to 1 Corinthians 15:20, believers who died before the resurrection could not precede Christ into glory because Christ had to rise from the dead and become the “first fruits of them that slept.”

Ephesians. 4:8 says, "...When He ascended on high He led captivity captive..."

Hebrews 9:15 says, "And for this cause He is the mediator of the new covenant, that by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions

that were under the first covenant, they which were called might receive the eternal inheritance."

Old Testament believers were not made perfect because the blood of bulls and goats could not take away sin. Rather, animal blood temporarily covered sin until the blood of Christ completely washed sin away forever.          When a born-again believer dies, he immediately goes to be with the Lord. "To be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord," says 2 Corinthians 5:6 & 8.

Since the forgiven thief on the cross died before the resurrection,  Christ promised him, “Today you’ll be with me in Paradise.” Imagine. The thief went to both Paradise and Heaven within three days.         Will you go to Heaven when you die? Will you be in eternity with Christ; or will you be Hell?       The choice is yours.       Have a question?  Write niteowldave@gmail.com