paradise

[Thad]

I recently heard that the saints from the old testement were held in paradise until Jesus death then transfered to heaven. Any thoughts?

[JudgeNot]

Thad,
Welcome to C-Unite!

Paradise is heaven.  Heaven is paradise.  As near as I can tell from scripture - there is nothing in between.

(NOW I've started and argument!)  

[aw]

Actually, there are 3 different heavens. I remember Paul saying that he had been caught up into the 3rd one in 1Cor12 or so. Jesus told the thief that "Today you will be with me in paradise," which is the question as to its location? Most expositors seem to think that it was a compartment where the O.T. saints resided until the Lord came (Abraham's bosom). Eph 4 indicates that the Lord went there to carry thm to the 3rd heaven with Him. Today, it is empty as to be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord.

aw

[Sower]

I recently heard that the saints from the old testement were held in paradise until Jesus death then transfered to heaven. Any thoughts?

Not "held in Paradise" but held in Sheol/Hades -- the place of departed souls -- until the RESURRECTION OF CHRIST, at which time they were taken to Paradise and are now in Paradise, which is in the third heaven.  

Sheol was and is in the "lower parts of the earth" which I would interpret as the molten core of the earth, which science postulates. Until the resurrection of Christ, the righteous dead went to one "section"  of Sheol (called "Abraham's bosom" in Luke 16) whereas the unrighteous dead went to another.  There was a wide chasm between the two.

Since the resurrection, only the unrighteous dead go to Hades. The OT saints are in Heaven, which contains Paradise. These are evidently "the spirits of just men made perfect" (Heb. 12:23) whereas the NT saints are evidently "the general assembly and Church of the firstborn" (Heb. 12:22).

At the Great White Throne Judgment, the occupants of Hades will be resurrected -- the resurrection of damnation -- and will then be judged (Rev. 20:10-15).  Thus "death and hell [Hades] will be ultimately cast into the Lake of Fire, which is located in "outer darkness" -- perhaps even outside our universe.

To those who are not saved, a word of warning: "It is appointed unto men ONCE to die, but after this THE JUDGMENT" (Heb. 9:27).  There are no "second chances".
"Behold now is the accepted time, behold now is the day of salvation" (2 Cor. 6:2).