Paradise was relocated to heaven when Jesus rose from the dead.
Before the cross, believing Old Testament saints went down to the paradise side of Hades/hell because Christ's atoning blood had not yet been shed. At His death, Jesus descended into that paradise side with the thief. On resurrection morning, He took paradise to heaven, so believers now go immediately into the Lord's presence.
Luke 23:43 — Jesus explicitly promises the thief that he will be with Him in paradise that very day, identifying paradise as where the Lord and the thief went at death.
2 Corinthians 5:8 — After the ascension, Paul writes that believers are 'absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord,' pointing to paradise being in the Lord's presence.
Luke 16:26 — The great gulf fixed between torment and paradise shows the two compartments of Hades before paradise was taken to heaven.
The Bible records that Jesus told the penitent thief on the cross, "Verily I say unto thee, To day shalt thou be with me in paradise" (Luke 23:43). In the parable of Abraham and Lazarus, Jesus describes a place where the righteous are comforted and the wicked are in torment, with "a great gulf fixed" between them (Luke 16:26). Later, after the Lord's ascent, Paul writes that for believers, being "absent from the body" is to be "present with the Lord" (2 Corinthians 5:8). The Scriptures do not explicitly narrate the moment paradise was relocated; that connection is made by Les Feldick from these passages.
Les Feldick teaches that before the cross, every believer—with the exception of Enoch and Elijah—went down to paradise when he died, not to heaven. The reason: the atoning blood of Christ had not yet been shed; animal blood only covered sin and could not remove its stain. Paradise was one side of Hades/hell, separated from the torment side by a great gulf. When Jesus died, He descended into that lower part of the earth and entered the paradise side, which is why He could say to the thief, "Today shalt thou be with me in paradise." On His resurrection morning, He took that whole paradise compartment to heaven. From then on, a believer who dies is "absent from the body and present with the Lord," already seated in the heavenlies. The torment side of Hades remained, and it will eventually be emptied when the earth is destroyed and its inhabitants stand before the Great White Throne.
Les explains that from Adam onward, believers went down to the paradise side of Hades/hell, not up to heaven. They could not enter God's presence because the atoning blood of Christ had not been shed, and animal blood could not take away their sin. They were saved for eternity but not ready for God's presence. A great gulf separated paradise from the place of torment. Enoch and Elijah were God's exceptions and went directly up.
Jesus told the thief on the cross, "Today shalt thou be with me in paradise." Les says this means Jesus descended into the paradise side of Hades/hell that very day. He entered the compartment where the believing Old Testament saints were waiting, not the torment side. The thief would attend Christ's descent into paradise.
At His resurrection morning, Jesus took paradise to heaven. Since Christ ascended, believers who die go up to paradise, not down into the earth. They are in Christ's presence and already seated in the heavenlies. For a believer, to be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord. At the rapture, Christ will bring those souls with Him and join them with their resurrected bodies.
The torment side of Hades/hell remained after paradise was removed. Since the earth will one day be destroyed, even the inhabitants of hell had to be removed. They will be resurrected bodily to stand before the Great White Throne and then be sent to their place in the lake of fire, which is an eternal separation from God.
The Two Compartments of Hades
Les describes Hades/hell as having a torment side and a paradise side separated by a great gulf, and explains why Old Testament believers went down to paradise.
Jesus Took Paradise to Heaven
Les states plainly that Jesus descended into the paradise side and at His resurrection morning took paradise to heaven, so now absent from the body means present with the Lord.
Today With Me in Paradise
Les shows from Luke 23:43 that the thief would be with Jesus in paradise that very day, identifying paradise as the destination of Christ's descent.
Paradise Now in the Lord's Presence
Since Christ ascended, departed believers have gone up to paradise and are in attendance in Christ's presence, waiting for the resurrection.
Hell Must Be Emptied
Because the earth will be destroyed, hell must be emptied and its inhabitants resurrected bodily to appear before the Great White Throne.
Is Jesus God? The Prophecies of the Coming King Explained
In the earth. Now, you see how plainly all this comes through? This is the promised kingdom that's also going to go right on into eternity, but where is it? On the earth, and so few people have any concept of that. They just think of heaven as someplace way out there. Well, yes, the throne room of God tonight, the very paradise that we think of as heaven, yes, it's up someplace.
Believers Already Seated in Heavenlies
Today a believing loved one who dies is already in the Lord's presence and seated in the heavenlies, showing where paradise now is.
Old Testament Saints Went to Paradise
Old Testament saints went to paradise at death, while the Jew's future promises remain earthly rather than heavenly.
Luke 23:43: And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, To day shalt thou be with me in paradise.
Jesus promises the thief he will be with Him in paradise that very day, showing where Jesus went at death.
2 Corinthians 5:8: We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord.
After the ascension, believers are described as going immediately into the Lord's presence at death.
Luke 16:26: And beside all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed: so that they which would pass from hence to you cannot; neither can they pass to us, that would come from thence.
The great gulf separates the torment side from the paradise side of Hades.
Yes. Les Feldick teaches that Jesus descended into the paradise side of Hades/hell after the cross and told the thief, "Today shalt thou be with me in paradise." On resurrection morning He took paradise to heaven.
Paradise is now in heaven. After His resurrection, Jesus took paradise to heaven, so since then believers who die go up into the Lord's presence rather than down into the earth.
They went down to paradise, but could not enter heaven because their sins had not been atoned for by Christ's blood. Enoch and Elijah were God's exceptions. At Christ's resurrection, paradise was moved to heaven.
Yes, the torment side of Hades remained after paradise was removed. Eventually hell will be emptied so its inhabitants can stand bodily before the Great White Throne before the earth is destroyed.
Watch the Teaching: What Happens After Hell? The Great White Throne Explained