Are you not even reading my posts? How could Jesus fulfill His pledge to the thief if He didn't ascend to Heaven til after His resurrection? The original greek didn't have any punctuation so the verse can read another way as well which fits the narrative and doesn't make Jesus a liar, bearing false witness to the thief.
I'll break it down even better... did the thief go to Heaven the day he died? Jesus didn't... reconcile that and don't hide behind some, "it's not clear or revealed but that just how I read it" mantra... if it doen't make sense it's not right.
Paradise refers to spiritual places where human souls are held after death. There are at least 2 (or more) places where souls are held. One is in the third heaven where Paul was brought to. It's commonly referred to as "Abraham's Bosom". The souls of chosen saints and witnesses such as Moses and Elijah were brought there to continue to do witnessing for God.
That's why Jesus met with Moses and Elijah in there spiritual form. Souls by default however are invisible, our body is referred to as our image which is for humans to reckon each other visually.
Hades is another place holding human souls. It is the main place for almost everyone. We go there naturally after death. Lazarus needs to be carried by an angel to Abraham's Bosom because Abraham's Bosom is not the default place to go. Hades is for everyone to descend to after death.
To believers (God's people), Hades is a resting place for us to enter. God however ever said the oath that "they can never enter my rest". There will be no rest for the unbelievers there. Believers will be put to a sleep, but not the wicked souls.
Samuel was summoned from his sleep in Hades but later possibly entered Abraham's Bosom (a place for the saved and awaken). God somehow made used of that event for Samuel to deliver the message to Saul. Even the witch was surprised and scared by the event. The event was not what she expected and intended.
When putting to a sleep we don't feel time. So it's like we die this moment, the resurrection and judgment will come the next moment.
In the book of Revelation the temple, which is the heavenly tabernacle, is representative of the Heaven we are talking about. It is the dwelling place of God. The second curtain which blocking the way from humans to reach this temple is now open after Jesus' death. It's a sign of reconciliation between God and man. However, no human (other Jesus of course) can enter the temple yet.
Revelation 15:8 (KJV)
And the temple was filled with smoke from the glory of God, and from his power; and
no man was able to enter into the temple, till the seven plagues of the seven angels were fulfilled.
