Paradise Restored - Dual Plan
PARADISE RESTORED
"And he showed me a river of water of life, bright as crystal, proceeding out from the throne of God and the Lamb. In the midst of its broad place, and of the river, on this side and on that, was a wood of life, bearing twelve manner of fruits, yielding for each month its own fruit; and the leaves of the wood were for the healing of the nations." (Rev. 22: 1, 2, Emphatic Diaglott.)
The blessed home for which man was created will finally be restored again to its original beauty and holiness, with an additional glory, unfolded by the work of salvation. The evil, permitted to destroy that innocent home, also its development into a great red dragon which has spread itself over God's creation, serves as the very means to open the minds and the hearts of the oppressed portion of the human family so that the attributes of God, which otherwise would have been unknown, find room. The perfection of love and joy between the Father and his tried children is thus brought into existence. They have a practical knowledge of the manifold greatness of their God and Father.
The prefigured Paradise—with its evergreen floral bowers, its myriads of living beings, of all colors, shapes and kinds, which like a flock of lambs innocently enjoy themselves together in the free and peaceful home—is seen again. The wisdom, the creative-power and the life-sustaining force of God are developed there. But the redeemed human family—for which all is created—see the Omnipotent in a still greater light. His qualities, such as fatherly love, mercy, long-suffering, compassion—one who forgives the lawbreaker and violator, and takes him up as a child of repentance to bless and enrich him with eternal glory—are understood and appreciated by the children of man. Grand union and unspeakable joy is the glorious result of such knowledge.
The great Father's memory and appreciation of his children's noble deeds in the valley of oppression, unfold in a corresponding ray of glimmer and glory. They will eternally constitute reflecting monuments—monuments of their acts of faith in defending the rights of Heaven while exposed to the depressive spirits and ruling elements in the kingdom of fallen man.
The tree of knowledge of good and evil will never again exist. The human family brought over the boundary line into Paradise has realized the consequence of eating its fruit, and they carry their experience, or their knowledge of good and evil, with them in the new creation. But the tree of life—the fruit of which imparts to the eaters thereof the very life-elixir that the wise in the kingdom of Nimrod have been hunting for in the tree of knowledge of good and evil—is now the most prominent and the most glorious tree in the Paradise restored. It develops its delicious fruits at every new moon. Its golden fruit immortalizes the lives of those eating thereof, and the leaves serve as medicine for the nations still in their mortal state. (See Zech. 14: 12-21.) Hence, they are restored to enjoy an age similar to the one that prevailed before the flood.
When Adam had eaten of the fruit of the tree of knowledge, God placed "at the east of the garden of Eden cherubim with a flaming sword which turned every way, to keep the way of the tree of life." (Gen. 3: 24.) When cut off from the eating of its fruit, corruption stamped its seal on man, and death gradually developed its power over his being. The "cherubim" at that end of time reflected the "cherubim" connected with the sanctifying institution of God at this eud of time, who, in the beings of the two witnesses of Jesus, will hinder every unclean being from passing the line of Paradise. The "flaming sword," like the sword of the red dragon which defends the boundaries of Babylon, will be drawn on all sides in defense of the tree of life. Every soul must be moulded for eternity by the sanctifying institution of God, else death will eventually be his portion.
The first resurrection brings forth the company constituting the living city. John says:
"The persons of those who had been beheaded (Greek: had been cut with sharp Instruments—forcibly killed) because of the testimony of Jesus, and because of the word of God, even those who did not worship the beast, nor his image, and did not receive the mark on their forehead, and on their hand; and they lived and reigned with the Anointed one the thousand years. But the rest of the dead did not live till the thousand years were ended. This is the first resurrection." (Rev. 20: 4, 6.)
Only the 144,000 and the martyrs of the two dispensations, also those who have lived their lives separated from the kingdom of the serpent, are honored by the grand display that follows the first resurrection. They constitute the courts of judgment which shall decide the cases of those subject to the second resurrection: i. e., both good and evil. They constitute the royal priesthood that eternally shall govern the kingdom of heaven. In their state of suffering, they have deserved higher positions than those who have sacrificed but little to gain an inheritance in that kingdom. The law of equity will rule there.
The millennium, we understand, is set apart for the judgment of the criminals whose evil deeds have gone before them to the judgment-seat of Christ. The martyrs will then sit in judgment; they will have power to call forth from the grave the criminals and their subjects as well as the witnesses. Rev. 20: 4 and similar texts testify as to that. This act of judgment belongs to "the restitution of all things." (Acts 3: 20, 21.)
The second resurrection brings forth the class constituting the people of the kingdom. A similar scene to the one developing at the beginning of the millennial age takes place at the closing up of that age. Then follows the age referred to in the prophecies as the "age of ages." That period seems to be set apart for the final punishment of the iniquitous.
At last comes the time when everything is placed under the feet of Christ.
"For he must reign till he has placed all enemies under his feet. Even death, the last enemy, will be rendered powerless. And when he shall have subdued all things to him, then the Son himself will be subject to him who subdued all things to him, that God may be all in all." (1 Cor. 15: 25-28.)
Then the glory of God will proceed from the heavenly throne situated in the new and living Jerusalem like a mighty flood of life-power over the new creation. Unspeakable joy fills the heart of every being there—no more oppression, no more toil or struggle for bread, no more parting from dear and loved friends, no more sorrow and death.
"Blessed are those who wash their robes so that their right may be to the wood of the life, and they may enter by the gates into the city (the way Abraham was told to go). He who testifies these things says: Yes, I am coming speedily. Amen! Come!—Lord Jesus."
(Luk 23:42) And he said unto Jesus, Lord, remember me when thou
comest into THY KINGDOM.
(Luk 23:43) And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, To day
shalt thou be with me in PARADISE.
(2Co 12:2) I knew a man in Christ above fourteen years ago, (whether
in the body, I cannot tell; or whether out of the body, I cannot tell:
God knoweth;) such an one caught up to the THIRD HEAVEN.
(2Co 12:3) And I knew such a man, (whether in the body, or out of the
body, I cannot tell: God knoweth;)
(2Co 12:4) How that he was caught up into PARADISE, and heard
unspeakable words, which it is not lawful for a man to utter.
(2Co 12:5) Of such an one will I glory: yet of myself I will not
glory, but in mine infirmities.
(2Co 12:6) For though I would desire to glory, I shall not be a fool;
for I will say the truth: but now I forbear, lest any man should think
of me above that which he seeth me to be, or that he heareth of me.
(2Co 12:2) I knew1492 a man444 in1722 Christ5547 above4253
fourteen1180 years2094 ago, (whether1535 in1722 the body,4983 I cannot
tell;1492, 3756 or whether1535 out1622 of the3588 body,4983 I cannot
tell:1492, 3756 God2316 knoweth;)1492 such a one5108 caught up726
to2193 the third5154 heaven.3772
(2Co 12:3) And2532 I knew1492 such5108 a man,444 (whether1535 in1722
the body,4983 or1535 out1622 of the3588 body,4983 I cannot tell:1492,
3756 God2316 knoweth;)1492
(2Co 12:4) How that3754 he was caught up726 into1519 paradise,3857
and2532 heard191 unspeakable731 words,4487 which3739 it is not
lawful1832, 3756 for a man444 to utter.2980
(2Co 12:5) Of5228 such a one5108 will I glory:2744 yet1161 of5228
myself1683 I will not3756 glory,2744 but1508 in1722 mine3450
infirmities.769
EXPLAINED HERE AS AN EDEN
G3857
παράδεισος
paradeisos
par-ad'-i-sos
Of Oriental origin (compare [H6508]); a park, that is, (specifically)
an Eden (place of future happiness, “paradise”): - paradise.
(Rev 2:7) He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith
unto the churches; To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the
tree of life, which is in the midst of the PARADISE OF GOD.
(Rev 2:7) He that hath2192 an ear,3775 let him hear191 what5101
the3588 Spirit4151 saith3004 unto the3588 churches;1577 To him846 that
overcometh3528 will I give1325 to eat5315 of1537 the3588 tree3586 of
life,2222 which3739 is2076 in1722 the midst3319 of the3588
paradise3857 of God.2316
TREE OF LIFE
(Gen 2:9) And out of the ground made the LORD God to grow every tree
that is pleasant to the sight, and good for food; the TREE OF LIFE
also in the midst of the garden, and the tree of knowledge of good and
evil.
(Gen 3:22) And the LORD God said, Behold, the man is become as one of
us, to know good and evil: and now, lest he put forth his hand, and
take also of the TREE OF LIFE, and eat, and live for ever:
(Gen 3:23) Therefore the LORD God sent him forth from the garden of
Eden, to till the ground from whence he was taken.
(Gen 3:24) So he drove out the man; and he placed at the east of the
garden of Eden Cherubims, and a flaming sword which turned every way,
to keep the way of the TREE OF LIFE.
(Rev 2:7) He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith
unto the churches; To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the
TREE OF LIFE, which is in the midst of the PARADISE OF GOD.
(Rev 22:1) And he shewed me a pure river of water of life, clear as
crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb.
(Rev 22:2) In the midst of the street of it, and on either side of
the river, was there the TREE OF LIFE, which bare twelve manner of
fruits, and yielded her fruit every month: and the leaves of the tree
were for the healing of the nations.
(Rev 22:14) Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may
have right to the TREE OF LIFE, and may enter in through the gates
into the city.