The Promise of Paradise Luke 23:39-43 by Jim Doty Perspective is a wonderful thing. Ever go driving down an unfamiliar street looking for an address and be unable to find it? What do you do? Turn around and drive in the other direction and lo and behold, there it is! With a big sign out in front, no less. How did I miss that, you wonder? Perspective. Going one way and it seems hidden. Going the other and you can’t miss it. Jesus promised the thief on the cross, who was hanging right next to Him: And He said to him, “Truly I say to you, today you shall be with Me in Paradise.” Luke 23:43 (NASB) It is interesting that the man on one side of Jesus hurled insults and didn’t see Jesus for who He is, yet the man on the other side did. A different perspective? Certainly! The man who saw Jesus as his Savior received Jesus’ promise as a great comfort and hope as he faced his death. The other man died without any hope. What is this “Paradise” Jesus promised to the thief on the cross? Is paradise different for everyone? What do you think paradise is? Is paradise sitting on a Hawaiian beach with perfect weather and an available buffet? Is it getting an hour to soak in the tub without interruption? Is it knowing that your family is safe from the pandemic? Take a moment and think about how you would describe paradise. Paradise is a place. Many people have tried to describe it. Even the apostle Paul who was “caught up into the Third Heaven” and “was caught up into Paradise and heard inexpressible words, which a man is not permitted to speak”. (2 Cor 12:3-4) was unable to describe it. One of the interesting things about trying to define paradise is the names of the places some have used to try to describe it as an ideal place. Some of these included: Camelot, Eden, Elysium, empyrean, fantasyland, heaven, lotus land, never-never land, New Jerusalem, nirvana, Promised Land, Shangri-La, utopia, and Zion. Interestingly, the opposites listed were: anti-utopia, dystopia, and hell. It seems that there are more words to describe a “happy place” than a “bad” one. Is there a biblical definition of paradise? a: the garden of God where Adam and Eve first lived (Ez. 28:13 & 31:8) b: God’s dwelling place (2 Cor. 12:4) and c: the abode of the righteous dead. Exactly what was it that Jesus promised to the thief hanging next to Him? Was it a place? Not exactly. It was a relationship and a place that they could dwell together, forever. Jesus said “In My Father’s house are many dwelling places; if it were not so, I would have told you; for I go to prepare a place for you.” When Jesus made His promise, what He was saying was that He loved the man hanging next to Him so much that He would give “To him who overcomes, I will grant to eat of the tree of life which is in the Paradise of God.” (Rev 2:7 NASB) Eternal life in the Paradise of God, of which there are no words to describe or pictures to be painted, only the words of the Savior: Jesus said “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me.” (John 14:6) What does Paradise look like to you? Where is it? Do you seek a sound perspective? Have you accepted the One who can open the gates of God’s dwelling place? If so, come on in, He’s expecting you. .