Paradise ?

[Kunja]

Luke 23:43
When Christ speaks of Paradise to the thief on the cross, is He referring to Heaven or some kind of place of holding for Old Testament Saints?
I have always understood Paradise to be Heaven; however I have recently been told by two different men, more studied then me that the place mentioned to the thief is a secondary compartment in Hell. According to both men this place is also described as “Abraham’s bosom” in Luke 16:22.
I have looked at this view from every angle I can think of, and I cannot support this idea of an Old Testament Purgatory.
Any help would be appreciated!

 

[Hentenza]

Mod Hat On


Thread moved to Christian Scriptures from Theology Staff discussions.
​

 

[wildboar]

I wouldn't call it an OT purgatory. These people were not atoning for their sins or anything like that.

Ephesians 4:8-9 Therefore He says: "When He ascended on high, He led captivity captive, And gave gifts to men." 9 (Now this, "He ascended" -- what does it mean but that He also first descended into the lower parts of the earth? 10 He who descended is also the One who ascended far above all the heavens, that He might fill all things.)

1 Peter 3:18-20 For Christ also suffered once for sins, the just for the unjust, that He might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive by the Spirit, 19 by whom also He went and preached to the spirits in prison, 20 who formerly were disobedient, when once the Divine longsuffering waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was being prepared, in which a few, that is, eight souls, were saved through water.

"Whether we comprehend it with or without pictures, is an indifferent matter, as long as we don't become heretics and this article remains intact, that our Lord Jesus Christ did descend into hell, battered hell open, overcame the devil, and delivered those who were held captive by the devil." The House Postils,Vol. 1, p. 480 And again: "Christ has crushed hell, opened up heaven,bound and taken captive the devil, and delivered the prisoners." (Martin Luther, The HousePostils, Vol. 1, p. 482.)

The soul, having obtained union with the Word; descended into hell; but using its divine power and efficacy, it said to the ones in bondage, "Go forth!" (St. Cyril of Alexandria, as cited in Catalog of Testimonies VI)

Recognize this, brothers: be glad, brothers, that after the triumph of Christ the prison of the saints has been broken open, and the netherworld no longer exercises any jurisdiction over the saints, since Christ penetrated all the way to the netherworld in order to free the just, not the unjust. Let us realize, brothers, how great a benefit Christ has provided, or rather, how without Christ no one possessed salvation, since, besides the wretched dissolution of their bodies, the souls, too, of the saints were being held in confinement in the underworld. (St. Peter Chrysologus, Sermon 123, par. 7)

 

[k2svpete]

To understand this verse it is important to get the sentence structure correct. Christ says, 'I say to you this day, you will ......' Not , 'I say to you, this day you will ....' Do you notice the difference? The scripture is written that Christ is telling him this news today, rather than today something was going to happen.

Now, the reference to Abraham's bosom is misused. The reference to it in Luke 16 is as part of a parable told to members of a religious order. It was a belief of these guys that there was such a place and so Jesus used that in the construct of his parable. We are told time and again in the scriptures that the righteous dead are sleeping and will be resurrected when the Kingdom of God is established on this earth.

So, in short. The reference to paradise in Luke 23 refers to the Kingdom of God that is to come and that that thief was promised his place there by Jesus that day on the cross.

 

[BigNorsk]

What is Paradise?

Well answer is we can't be completely sure.

What we are pretty certain of is it isn't purgatory as taught by the Roman Catholic Church. Because that certainly isn't paradise under any stretch.

We do have some references to a place that is not heaven that is called for instance Abraham's bosom.

Some think that was a place for just until Christ's work was completed and that those saints were then taken to heaven.

Other's think that is still in operation with saints going there until the white throne judgement.

I put it in an area of things not clear, and don't believe it should be dogmatically taught exactly what paradise is or exactly when Jesus was referring to.

For instance, maybe you've seen it where you move a comma and the meaning changes.

I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise.

I tell you today, you will be with me in paradise.

Marv

 

[OldWiseGuy]

Luke 23:43
When Christ speaks of Paradise to the thief on the cross, is He referring to Heaven or some kind of place of holding for Old Testament Saints?
I have always understood Paradise to be Heaven; however I have recently been told by two different men, more studied then me that the place mentioned to the thief is a secondary compartment in Hell. According to both men this place is also described as “Abraham’s bosom” in Luke 16:22.
I have looked at this view from every angle I can think of, and I cannot support this idea of an Old Testament Purgatory.
Any help would be appreciated!

It always helps to look up the literal meaning of the word, if it indeed can be determined, as well as the important context in which it is found.

3857 // paradeisov // paradeisos // par-ad'-i-sos //

of Oriental origin cf 06508 ; TDNT - 5:765,777; n m

AV - paradise 3; 3

1) among the Persians a grand enclosure or preserve, hunting
ground, park, shady and well watered, in which wild animals,
were kept for the hunt; it was enclosed by walls and furnished
with towers for the hunters
2) a garden, pleasure ground
2a) grove, park
3) the part of Hades which was thought by the later Jews to be
the abode of the souls of pious until the resurrection: but
some understand this to be a heavenly paradise
4) the upper regions of the heavens. According to the early
church Fathers, the paradise in which our first parents dwelt
before the fall still exists, neither on the earth or in the
heavens, but above and beyond the world
5) heaven

we can return to these choices later, but now let's look at the whole context of the story:


Luke 23:

32 And there were also two other, malefactors, led with him to be put to death.

33 And when they were come to the place, which is called Calvary, there they crucified him, and the malefactors, one on the right hand, and the other on the left.

34 Then said Jesus, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do. And they parted his raiment, and cast lots.

35 And the people stood beholding. And the rulers also with them derided him, saying, He saved others; let him save himself, if he be Christ, the chosen of God.

36 And the soldiers also mocked him, coming to him, and offering him vinegar,

37 And saying, If thou be the king of the Jews, save thyself.

38 And a superscription also was written over him in letters of Greek, and Latin, and Hebrew, THIS IS THE KING OF THE JEWS.

39 And one of the malefactors which were hanged railed on him, saying, If thou be Christ, save thyself and us.

40 But the other answering rebuked him, saying, Dost not thou fear God, seeing thou art in the same condemnation?

41 And we indeed justly; for we receive the due reward of our deeds: but this man hath done nothing amiss.

42 And he said unto Jesus, Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom.

43 And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, Today shalt thou be with me in paradise.

Several things are evident:

The thief that "railed" on Christ was of the same disbelief that the crowd displayed. (I'm guessing that he was on Christ's left, i.e. the goats.) He, as well as the crowd, reflected the challenge of Satan that, "If you be God" save yourself.

The thief (on his right?) not only expressed admission of guilt, but knowledge and belief in both Christ and the coming Kingdom. Notice too that he also acknowledged Jesus as Lord. This is the very belief that is counted as righteousness. We don't know anything about this man but it is clear that although he was a "malefactor" he was not an evil person, as the other probably was.

If he was indeed a type of the "sheep", blessed of the Father, on the right hand of Christ, he may well have not realized his own goodness. Recall that those on Christ's right had to ask him when they did all those good things to him. Perhaps this man was really a good and generous person who made some horrible mistakes.

Asking to "be remembered when you come into your kingdom" is also revealing. Christ was going to "come into" his kingdom like a person "comes into" an inheritance. Asking in this way reveals a great deal of knowledge about the kingdom and Christ's lordship of it.

The first part of Christ's rule will occur on the earth where he will be King of Kings, and Lord of Lords, and reign for a thousand years. During this time the earth will "enjoy her sabbaths", be completely healed, animal nature changed, sickness and disease ended, etc. It will indeed be Edenlike, as in the beginning. It is to this Eden that we can look for the answer to what Christ meant by "Paradise".

The word Eden literally means pleasure. The garden of Eden was the garden of pleasure, or, the (a) pleasure garden. Look back at the definition choices; number 2 is the most reasonable choice given all the circumstances I have presented. It is the same pleasure garden that is denoted by Eden; a special place prepared for refreshment and pleasure usually filled with pools, trees, flowers, animals and birds, etc.

These special gardens are found throughout history in almost all cultures, and even today. Search "pleasure gardens"; you will be amazed at what you find (I was).

So if the thief was to be with Christ in paradise when will Christ himself be in paradise? Christ will return to the earth and gather his elect, the church. But it does appear that everyone who has died will not be resurrected at the same time:

1 Corinthians 15:22-24

22 For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive.

23 But every man in his own order: Christ the firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ's at his coming.

It is probable that Christ made the thief one of "they that are Christ's", but because of the 'every man's order' thing it is unclear just when he will come up. But what is clear is that he will be there at the time the earth is restored to a condition of paradise.

Regarding the exact time the thief would be with Christ in paradise, consider this: "Today" could be the next conscious moment of a resurrected person (the dead know nothing at all). If so he wouldn't come up until the earth was restored, sometime after the general resurrection of the saints. Therefore "today" would be the 'tomorrow' the thief would have anticipated waking up to in the resurrection. He would then be with Christ in the paradise of the restored earth.

Christ assured him of this by using the term Verily (truly, most assuredly).

Because the thief knew that Christ was Lord; that he was going to die; and that he was yet going to come into his kingdom, he must have been aware of the resurrection from the dead. Thus what Jesus said to him (as written in the AV) was understood by him, even if not by us.

owg

 

[dendau]

First of all let me write to k2svpete,

you are either a Jehovah Wittness or influenced by their teaching, meaning you really need help.


Secondly let me answer oldwiseguy question,

In Luke chapter 16:19-31 Jesus explains about the only place the Old Testament believers could stay, all believers and unbelievers (unto Jesus)stayed in Hades (Greek) also called Sheol (Hebrew), Jesus said it was divided by a gulf between the 2 departments.

Jesus is the gate to heaven and that door had to come first before any man could enter into heaven.

The story of Luke chapter 16:19-31 is the only time Jesus used a name (Lazarus) in His teachings, He did it to settle all future arguements concerning if this was a parable or a true account.

In the Old Testament we never come a cross a statement that the believers said that they would die to be in heaven, but they said they would be with their fathers. Genesis 37:35 (Grave is sheol in Hebrew)

In the New Tetsament they speak about dying and being with the Lord.
2.Corinthians 5:8; Philppians 1:23

In the great tribulation we see a numberless people standing before God's throne. Revelation 7:9, 15-17

We also see the overcomers standing before God's throne in Revelation 15:1-4

A prophecy and promise was given in Old Testament time Hosea 13:14
that was fulfilled by Jesus who is the door into heaven.

If we are in Christ and Christ in us, and if we are already seating (some how) on His throne (Ephessians 2:6) then when we die we cannot be seperated from Him.

 

[ebia]

Luke 23:43
When Christ speaks of Paradise to the thief on the cross, is He referring to Heaven or some kind of place of holding for Old Testament Saints?
I have always understood Paradise to be Heaven; however I have recently been told by two different men, more studied then me that the place mentioned to the thief is a secondary compartment in Hell. According to both men this place is also described as “Abraham’s bosom” in Luke 16:22.
I have looked at this view from every angle I can think of, and I cannot support this idea of an Old Testament Purgatory.
Any help would be appreciated!

"Heaven" is not the final destination of God's people. 1st century Jews were already expecting God to sort out what was wrong with creation "at the end of the age" and resurrect his people into that renewed, redeemed, re-perfected creation where suffering is done away with. Paradise and Abraham's Bosom were labels for intermediate time of waiting by the dead waiting for that final resurrection.

When Jesus rose from the dead the earliest church quickly realised that what was supposed to happen to all (God's) people at the end of time had happened to Jesus of Nazareth on Easter Morning. On that they built their theology - "paradise", "being with Jesus", "abraham's bosom", "with Christ" all properly refer to the intermediate time before the final resting place. Then at the end of the age God will sort out creation, evil and sufffering will finally be done away with, the trees of the field will clap their hands and all the rest of Isaiah's wonderful poetry, and God's people will be resurrected into the New Heavens and New Earth, as the veil between the two is no longer necessary.

The two ideas get mixed up in a lot of Christian thinking since the early middle ages, but they are very distinct in both 1st century jewish and 1st century christian thinking - and neither really ought to be called "heaven", which properly refers to God's space, God's throne-room, God's sphere which is currently distinct from our sphere.

The idea of escaping this creation into an eternal, non-physical, reality is gnostic - not Christian. Gnosticism says "creation and physicality bad - must be done away with". Judeo/Christianity says "Creation good but gone wrong and in need of fixing".

 

[barryrob]

Luke 23:43
When Christ speaks of Paradise to the thief on the cross, is He referring to Heaven or some kind of place of holding for Old Testament Saints?
I have always understood Paradise to be Heaven; however I have recently been told by two different men, more studied then me that the place mentioned to the thief is a secondary compartment in Hell. According to both men this place is also described as “Abraham’s bosom” in Luke 16:22.
I have looked at this view from every angle I can think of, and I cannot support this idea of an Old Testament Purgatory.
Any help would be appreciated!

No.
Lets see what the Bible says about this. Jesus, The Jewish Theologian, said to the “evildoer” by his side:-


Luke 23:43 And he said to him: “Truly I tell you today, You will be with me in Paradise.”

TO the Jewish mind did “paradise” mean the same as Jesus was talking to Jews.​

Is it the same as taught by THE Churches TODAY? NO!​

One scholar renders this verse in his book : Jesus Rabbi & Lord’ the Hebrew story of Jesus behind our Gospels by Robert L. Lindsey p.170 “”Amen I tell you, today you will be with me in gen eden (Paradise, literally, the Garden of Eden, a common name for the world to come among Hebrew speakers.)”

PARADICE ON EARTH​

Rresurrection to where? - PARADICE HERE ON EARTH!​

ACTS 24:15
“and I have hope toward God, which hope these [men] themselves also entertain, that there is going to be a resurrection of both the righteous and the unrighteous.”


“The Unrighteous” cannot go to heaven, as heaven is for the ones that God declares as righteous!


Jehovah original purpose for Man (Adam) was to “fill the earth,” which texts show:-

Gen 1:28
Further, God blessed them and God said to them: “Be fruitful and become many and fill the earth and subdue it, …”


Does the “N. T.” refer to a future earthly paradise or is that only in the “O. T.”?


God’s original purpose for all the earth to be a paradise populated by those who appreciatively obey his laws will not go unfulfilled. (Isa. 45:18; 55:10, 11) That is why Jesus said:

(A) “Happy are the mild-tempered ones, since they will inherit the earth.”


(B) That is also why he taught his disciples to pray:“Our Father in the heavens, let your name be sanctified. Let your kingdom come. Let your will take place, as in heaven, also upon earth.” MATT. 5:5; 6:9, 10)

As Jesus said “You will be with me in Paradise,” at Luke 23:43, must mean on Earth.

 

[timbo3]

At about noon on Nisan 14, 33 C.E., on the day of Jesus death, while he was hanging on the torture stake alongside two evil-doers, one of the evil-doers requested Jesus to "remember me when you get into your kingdom." Jesus replied: "Truly, I tell you today, You will be with me in Paradise."(Luke 23:42,43) Being as this evil-doer was most likely Jewish, what is the only paradise that he would be acquainted with ? The one in the Garden of Eden.(Gen 2)

The word "paradise" comes from the Greek word pa·ra´dei·sos, and which occurs three times in the Christian Greek Scriptures, commonly called the New Testament. (Luke 23:43; 2Cor 12:4; Rev 2:7) At Genesis 2:8, the Bible says that "Jehovah God planted a garden in Eden, toward the east, and there he put the man whom he had formed."

In Hebrew, Eden means "Pleasure, Delight", and the words "Garden of Eden" is translated by the Greek Septuagint of the second century before Christ as pa·ra´dei·son en E·dem´ (Latin, pa·ra·di´sum vo·lu·pta´tis, vo·lu·pta´tis, from which the English word "voluptous" comes) meaning “paradise of pleasure.”

So when Jesus told the evil-doer that he would be with him in "paradise", he was not referring to heaven. Rather, he was referring to the earth, for that is where the original "paradise" existed, and of which was the only one that the evil-doer was aware of.

In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus told the Jewish crowd: " Happy are the mild-tempered ones ("meek", King James Bible), since they will inherit the earth."(Matt 5:5) Thus, the earth is to be ' inherited ' by "meek" ones, those who are willing to submit to God's laws and moral guidelines.

That the earth is to be restored to it's original pristine "paradise" condition, with "meek" ones inhabiting it, is seen at Revelation 21:5, which says that "the One seated on the throne said: "Look ! I am making all things new". Also, he says: "Write, because these words are faithful and true."

However, for the "meek" ones to enjoy life on the earth, there are things that need to be removed. In verses 3 and 4, the apostle John says that "with that I heard a loud voice from the throne say: "Look ! The tent of God is with mankind, and he will reside with them, and they will be his peoples. And God himself will be with them."

This promise is then made: "And he will wipe out every tear from their eyes, and death will be no more, neither will mourning nor outcry nor pain (as in "pain of heart" or when suffering from illness, adversity, or abuse) be anymore. The former things have passed away."

Thus, the earth is to be mankind's home, as an inheritance from God, and of which all things that cause anguish, such as sickness, sorrow and death will be removed. The "meek" ones will then able to fully enjoy life forever, as God intended when he created Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden.

David was inspired to write that "the meek ones themselves will possess the earth, and they will find their exquisite delight in the abundance of peace....and they will reside forever upon it."(Ps 37:11,29) At Psalms 115:16, this is told to us: "As regards the heavens, to Jehovah the heavens belong, but the earth he has given to the sons of men." The earth is our home, given to us by God and of which will be restored to like the "Garden of Eden", a paradise.

 

[OldWiseGuy]

Excellent comments. God created the material universe and especially the earth for the purpose of 'pleasure', meaning the sensate (and sensual) pleasure of his created beings to enjoy. The original benefactors, the angels, left this perfect 'habitation' (Jude) seeking equality with God. They were cast back to an earth now destroyed of it's beauty and hospitality. The beautiful bodies that God had given them to enjoy this paradise were now changed into beasts (dinosaurs) that reflected the predatory creatures they had become. The angels were the loved ones of God who until their rebellion enjoyed the most exquisite pleasures imaginable. God will renew the earth and once again bequeath these pleasures to his new loved ones.

owg

 

[StevenMerten]

Hello Kunja,

In the spiritual theater physical time is irrelavant. God exists outside of physical time. God is Omni-Present to the whole of physical time.

Jesus tells us of the Awesome Power of God that the Sadducees simply cannot comprehend. Jesus, while He is of the flesh and has not yet died for our and Abraham's sins, tells us that Abraham is in heaven right now even before His (Christ's) death. Jesus tells us that Abraham is not dead waiting to rise from the dead into eternal life but he already exists in eternal life. We know that Abraham, like we Christians, must rise from death into eternal life after and through our Lord Jesus Christ's physical death and ressurrection. Yet Jesus tells us that Abraham is already alive in the Kingdom of God and not dead waiting to rise into eternal life. This is because once born into eternal life through Jesus, one exists in Spiritual omni-presence to the whole of physical time. Believe Jesus when He warns the Sadducies that they fail to understand the "power of God". God does not let physical time effect Him or what He does in anyway.

Abraham, and the thief on the cross next to Jesus, wait in physical death and rise through Jesus' into spiritual life where they now exist outside of physical time for all eternity. This is how Moses came down from heaven and speaks to Jesus while Jesus is in the flesh before His death and ressurection. Never, ever underestimate the Power of God. Jesus, the thief, Abraham, and all the saints exist in heaven from before creation to beyond the end of physical time. All the saints enter into heaven through Christ's death and ressurection to exist in spiritual omni-presence with God for all eternity from before creation to beyond the end of time. This is how the thief is already in paradise on Good Friday before Christ's ressurrection on Easter Suday.

NAB MAR 12:18

Then some Sadducees who hold there is no resurrection came to him with a question ...\\...12:24 Jesus said: "You are badly misled, because you fail to understand the Scriptures or the power of God . When people rise from the dead, they neither marry nor are given in marriage but live like angels in heaven. As to the raising of the dead, have you not read in the book of Moses, in the passage about the burning bush, how God told him, 'I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, the God of Jacob'? He is the God of the living not of the dead, You are very much mistaken." ​

NAB LUK 20:37

Moses in the passage about the bush showed that the dead rise again when he called the Lord the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob. God is not the God of the dead but of the living. All are alive for him. ​

 

[timbo3]

At John 3:13, Jesus, after speaking to Nicodemus of being "born again" in order to "see the kingdom of God", then says that "no man has ascended into heaven but he that descended from heaven, the Son of man." Thus, no person, other than Jesus, had been to heaven. Some twenty years later, the apostle Paul in writing to the Hebrew Christians, told them: "Therefore, brothers, since we have boldness for the way of entry into the holy place by the blood of Jesus, which he inaugurated for us as a new and living way through the curtain, that is, his flesh."(Heb 10:19,20)

Hence, the "entry" into heaven was "new", and could not be crossed until Jesus provided his "soul" as a ransom (Matt 20:28), until he gave his fleshly body, and in which opened the "doorway" to heaven for those chosen or selected by God.(2 Thess 2:13) Faithful "men of old", such as Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, having already died, were not chosen by God to serve in heaven as "kings and priests".(Rev 1:6)

The apostle Paul explains that the curtain of the tabernacle, separating the Most Holy from the Holy compartment, pictures Jesus’ flesh. When Jesus sacrificed his life, this curtain was rent in two, showing that Jesus’ flesh was no longer a barrier to his entry into God’s presence in heaven. On the basis of Jesus’ sacrifice, his anointed underpriests who died faithful would, in due course, also pass into the heavens. (Matthew 27:50, 51; Hebrews 9:3) Only after Jesus death, on the day of Pentecost, 33 C.E., were the first ones selected to become a "kingdom amd priests to our God".(Rev 5:10)

At Mark 12:18-27, Jesus was focused on the Sadducees, who said that "there is neither resurrection nor angel nor spirit."(Acts 23:8) To correct their mistaken viewpoint, Jesus, in pointing to Exodus 3 of Moses and the thornbush, was disproving their contention that there is no resurrection; not that Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob were actually alive and in heaven. To God, these were as if alive, for in his eyes, he is desirous of bringing these loyal ones back to life during the "thousand year" reign of Jesus Christ.(Rev 20:6, 13)

That is why righteous Job asked: "If an able-bodied man dies, can he live again ?" Job realized that he would have to wait in the grave until his resurrection, his "compulsory service", for he now says: "All the days of my compulsory service I shall wait, until my relief comes."(Job 14:14) It will be as if hearing a voice from God while in a deep sleep, for Job continues: "You will call, and I myself shall answer you. For the work of your hands you will have a yearning."(Job 14:15)

Job will have the opportunity to enjoy life on the earthly Paradise, that Jesus spoke of to the evil-doer.(Luke 23:43) Revelation 21:3-5 identifies what God will remove - death, mourning, outcry, pain(of heart).

 

[millerrod2]

wwwwwwwwwwwwwww

 

[k2svpete]

First of all let me write to k2svpete,

you are either a Jehovah Wittness or influenced by their teaching, meaning you really need help.

You think so? Well, I'm not a JW but what I do believe is scripture in context and doctrine that is consistent throughout. I have significant issues with some of the doctrines of the JWs but that does not mean that they have missed the target on everything.

I'm sure I could pick some of your beliefs and point out to you the pagan origins of them but that does not mean that all your beliefs are in error.

Be as the Bereans and search the scriptures for the truth.

 

[timbo3]

When Jesus said that the evil-doer would be with him Paradise, at Luke 23:43, this evil-doer being most likely Jewish, may have recalled what is prophesied in Isaiah 11:6-9. Following the prophecy of "a twig out of the stump of Jesse", that is Jesus Christ, that would have God's spirit "settle down" upon him and in which he would bring righteousness to the earth, Isaiah 11 says "the wolf will actually reside for a while with the male lamb, and with the kid the leopard itself will lie down, and the calf and maned young lion and the well-fed animal all together; and a mere little boy will be leader over them. And the cow and the bear themselves will feed; together their young ones will lie down. And even the lion will eat straw just like the bull. And the sucking child will certainly play upon the hole of a cobra; and upon the light aperture of a poisonous snake will a weaned child actually put his hand."

That this will actually take place, verse 9 says: "They will not do any harm or cause any ruin in all my holy mountain; because the earth will certainly be filled with the knowledge of Jehovah as the waters are covering the very sea." Hence, the paradise that Jesus spoke to the evil-doer is to be on the earth, whereby even the animals will be at peace with both humans and each other. Isaiah 65:25 again says that "the wolf and the lamb themselves will feed as one, and the lion will eat straw just like the bull; and as for the serpent, his food will be dust. They will do no harm nor cause any ruin in all my holy mountain,", Jehovah has said."

Our Creator has given the promise that the earth will be restored as was in the Garden of Eden, to a paradise or "garden of pleasure", in which all the animal kingdom will be at peace with "the sons of men", who have been "given" the earth.(Ps 115:16) In addition, Isaiah 25:7,8 says that "in this mountain he will certainly swallow up the face of the envelopment that is enveloping over all peoples, and the woven work that is interwoven upon all the nations. He will actually swallow up death forever, and the Sovereign Lord Jehovah will certainly wipe the tears from all faces. And the reproach of his people he will take away from all the earth, for Jehovah himself has spoken it."

Thus, all the ravaging effects of sin will be removed from the earth, and in which the evil-doer (along with all others in "hades"(Greek) or the common grave of mankind) will have the opportunity to enjoy if he proves worthy of life everlasting after his resurrection from the dead during the "thousand year reign" of Christ Jesus.(Rev 20:13)