Where was paradise located in Old Testament times?
In Old Testament times, paradise was located down in the center of the earth, not in heaven. Because Christ’s atoning blood had not yet been shed, Old Testament believers could not go up into God’s presence, so they went down into paradise. It remained there until after Christ’s resurrection.
Les teaches that in the Old Testament economy, because the atoning blood of Christ had not yet been shed and animal blood could not atone for sin but only cover it, the Old Testament believer could not go up into the presence of God. Therefore he went down into paradise. Les then points to Matthew chapter 12, verses 38–40, where Jesus gives the sign of Jonah: as Jonah was three days and three nights in the whale’s belly, so the Son of man would be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth. This confirms that everything concerning paradise in the Old Testament economy, until after Christ’s resurrection, was down in the center of the earth.
For as Jonas was three days and three nights in the whale’s belly; so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.