People from the four corners of the world pay dearly to travel long distances to my locality in Australia to enjoy a brief taste of ‘paradise’: a place that is world famous for its pristine golden-sand beaches; clear, blue water swimming and surfboarding; fresh, gentle sea-breeze; warm sunshine; pollution-free blue sky; sumptuous selection of tropical fruit and seafood delicacies; round the clock entertainment; extensive range of thrill-seeking, recreational activities… all, and more, at affordable prices. The place where I live is Surfers Paradise!

Sorry to be a dream-killer, but the paradise where I live is a paradise by name only. You don’t have to live here too long before you see that my earthly paradise doesn’t live up to its name, by far – ‘Surfers’ is not the paradise for me! Why? The following are additional features of Surfers Paradise: man-eating sharks, drownings, drug trafficking, licensed gambling, illicit sex, assaults, killings, suicide, robberies, snakes and much more at no extra cost. No, you won’t find these features in any promotional brochures of this paradise-lost.

The Bible, however, showcases a completely different paradise. When you compare the features of the Bible’s paradise with Surfers Paradise your mind will be dazzled and your life will be changed, forever! The Bible’s Paradise is God-made – offering mind-boggling attractions, substance and satisfaction… while man-made Surfers Paradise, at best, offers superficial attractions, shallow substance and short-lived satisfaction.

Consider these hard to imagine features of God’s Paradise-Perfect: God Himself will be there to greet you and live with you; it’s a no-crying, no-pain, no-evil, no-death, no-sorrow environment; the city will be pure gold, as clear as glass; no night or darkness there as the glory of God illuminates the city, and Jesus will be its light; it will be a curse-free environment; a tree of life bearing fruit, with its leaves used as medicine to heal the nations… we will see God’s face, and His name will be written on our foreheads! (For a more complete listing of Paradise- Perfect’s attractions, please refer to the Revelation, Chap. 21-22, brochure.)

A pie in the sky fantasy some may say, but I say, it’s God’s promise to humanity! Long ago, He planned to replace paradise-lost with a newly created Paradise-Perfect. God’s Paradise doesn’t cost anyone anything… it’s free, paid for in full by the sacrifice of His Son, Jesus. Through surrendering my life to God in 1976, His Paradise instantly became my Paradise, and it can be yours too! Has your name been written in His Book of Life (21:27). Will I see you there? I hope so.

Best wishes, 

Bill Joukhadar