Many are surprised to learn that the word “paradise” in the Bible only three times: Luke 23:43, 1 Corinthians 12:4, and Revelation 2:7. “Paradise” is translated from the Greek word paradeisos. This is a word of Persian origin and means a garden, particularly a garden of pleasure, filled with trees, shrubs, fountains, and flowers. In hot climates, such gardens were peculiarly pleasant, and hence they were attached to the mansions of the rich and the palaces of princes. The word came thus to denote any place of happiness and was used particularly to denote the abodes of the blessed in the Kingdom of God. Jesus used this word to the thief on the cross (Luke 23:43) as a type of the Kingdom of God where the earth will be like a beautiful garden, plush, green, and at peace. Compare Isaiah 11:6–9; 65:25.

When God formed man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, man became a living being (Genesis 2:7). But man also was given a spirit that made him far superior to the animal world, which operates solely on instinct and conditioned response.

The human mind, coupled with the human spirit, gives man intelligence far above the animal kingdom. When a human is converted and is given the Holy Spirit from God, that Spirit combines with the human spirit to begin the formation of a new spiritual creature. Then, when a person dies, his spirit returns to God until the resurrection. In analogy, the human spirit may be compared to a master recording device that records all of a man’s characteristics, intelligence, and experiences.

If God so chooses, He can rebuild that man either from new physical material or from spirit (depending on which resurrection he may be in) from all the information contained in the human spirit. Scripture clearly speaks of two types of spirit a man can have: The spirit of man, “which is in him,” and the Spirit of God, which is given to him during the conversion process. Some scriptural references in this regard can be found in your own Bible: Genesis 2:7; Job 32:8; Ecclesiastes 3:21; 12:7; Daniel 45:28–37; Zechariah 12:1; Romans 8:16; and 1 Corinthians 2:11–15.

Contrary to what many religious organizations teach about heaven, YOUR BIBLE says, “NO man hath ascended up to heaven, but He [Christ] that came down from heaven, even the Son of man which is in heaven” (John 3:13). Revelation 5:10 says, “And hast made us unto our God kings and