Paradise

Waar of wat is paradys? Dis `n vraag, indien teologies benader, baie tyd kan mors en absoluut niks aan ons saligheid doen nie. Daar is baie opinies oor die saak. Ek dink aan die skrif wat sê: "Die Here is die Gees, en waar die Gees van die Here is, daar is vryheid." (2 Kor 3:17). Dit klink vir my soos `n plek wat paradys genoem kan word. Bernard Beugger het vir my die volgende gestuur oor sy openbaring oor die paradys. Lees gerus die hele stuk deur. Ek stem nogals saam. Groete en seën.

Luke 23:43 “Today, you will be with me in paradise.” (Jesus to the good thief hanging on another cross next to Him).

Where is paradise? Edward F. Markquart (pastor of Grace Lutheran Church, Seattle) pictures paradise as follow:

§ Paradise is a place of enormous beauty.

§ In paradise, you see and feel the Presence of God.

§ In paradise, there is an absence of conflict, pain, and evil.

§ In paradise, your heart is filled with thanksgiving and praise to God.

§ You want to share paradise with another person you love.

The Bible begins with a true story about paradise. The Greek word, “Paradeisos”, simply means “a fenced garden” (the Septuagint Greek translation of the Old Testament). In Hebrew the word, “Pardace”, was used to describe “an incredibly lush and green forest”. God planted the lush vegetation, and put mankind, whom He created in His own image, in that garden to rule over His creation while walking and remaining in His absolute presence (continual communication with Him).

So where is paradise? Simply put, it is a place of healing and restoration of mankind in their returned fellowship with God.

Focus on the good thief:

§ He did not mock God or make fun of Jesus Christ.

§ He stood in awe of God, in reverence for God.

§ He believed Jesus.

That was why he was called the “good thief”, because of the above attributes.

The word “Paradeisos” is used only three times in the New Testament:

1) Luke 23:43 (as referred to the above introduction).

2) 2 Corinthians 12:4

He was caught up into paradise.

This is Paul’s reference of someone having been caught up into the intimate presence of God. The People’s New Testament commentary describes Paradise (mentioned in this passage) and the third heaven (mentioned in v2) as the same place. The term applies to a blessed abode beyond the current position in Luke 23:43. The third heaven = A secret place of the Almighty.

3) Revelation 2:7 (God’s Word Translation)

"Let the person who has ears listen to what the Spirit says to the churches. I will give the privilege of eating from the tree of life, which stands in the paradise of God, to everyone who wins the victory.”

The state of the church is challenged in Revelation 2 regarding their first love, or put in different words, their intimate relationship with God. Revelation 2 (The Message) declares:

^{2 -3}"I see what you've done, your hard, hard work, your refusal to quit. I know you can't stomach evil, that you weed out apostolic pretenders. I know your persistence, your courage in my cause, that you never wear out.

^{4 -5}"But you walked away from your first love—why? What's going on with you, anyway? Do you have any idea how far you've fallen? A Lucifer fall!

"Turn back! Recover your dear early love. No time to waste, for I'm well on my way to removing your light from the golden circle.

⁶"You do have this to your credit: You hate the Nicolaitan business. I hate it, too.

⁷"Are your ears awake? Listen. Listen to the Wind Words, the Spirit blowing through the churches. I'm about to call each conqueror to dinner. I'm spreading a banquet of Tree-of-Life fruit, a supper plucked from God's orchard."

It is important to be careful of church dogma that wounds you up in legality issues and spiritual practises that seem right, but neglect the intimacy God wants to have with every individual. As Jesus says in Matthew 7 (NIV):

²¹”Not everyone who says to me, `Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. <sup>22</sup>Many will say to me on that day, `Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?’ ²³Then I will tell them plainly, `I never knew you…”

It is important to dwell in the secret place of the most High, have an intimate relationship with God and hear what He asks you to do and be today. As the psalmist aptly puts it in Psalm 91:

¹He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty. ²I will say of the LORD, “He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.” (NIV)

Psalm 91 (The Message)

^{1 -2}You who sit down in the High God's presence, spend the night in Shaddai's shadow,
Say this: "God, you're my refuge.
I trust in you and I'm safe!"

^{14 -16} "If you'll hold on to me for dear life," says God,
"I'll get you out of any trouble.
I'll give you the best of care
if you'll only get to know and trust me.
Call me and I'll answer, be at your side in bad times;
I'll rescue you, then throw you a party.
I'll give you a long life,
give you a long drink of salvation!"

So why not enter paradise today? It won’t help to wait till the day you die, even if you are calling yourself a Christian today. By then the opportunity has been lost forever to live your life to the full today and to do and be what God had intended for you to do and be today. Get to know Him intimately today by asking Him what His purpose is for you and then training your ears to hear His reply as he declares the fullness of His grace and restoration over you.

As Paul put it to His defense in Acts 28 (NIV):

²⁶”`Go to this people and say, “You will be ever hearing but never understanding; you will be ever seeing but never perceiving.” ²⁷… Otherwise they might see with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their hearts and turn, and I would heal them.’

God wants you to see Him, hear Him and understand in your hearts so that He can restore your intimacy with Him today.