Completely.
It might take Jesus some time for them to enter heaven. I mean even I have to wait in a queue to see or do stuff. Don't we all have to go through Jesus? People dying everyday, and Jesus giving them personal attention. God can't have destroyed paradise, if Jesus said to the thief dying on the cross, today, you be with me in paradise. He didn't say 'the kingdom of heaven'.
Time is a non-entity in the Kingdom.
When Jesus said to the thief that he will be with Him in Paradise, He meant it. He went there that day. Jesus was there and revealed Himself as their long-awaited Messiah. Jesus gave them their salvation and led them out to heaven. No believer who dies goes to Paradise now---he goes to Jesus!
Please show me in scripture where it is that paradise got destroyed, or is completely empty. I mean, no harm waiting a while, we all in eternity...but I think you'd see your loved ones first and have angels around before you enter the city gates. Even ppl who have near death experiences talk about paradise but not actually heaven cos our Father is right in there on the throne. Idk.
I think more bible study is required, for you seem to miss the truth of all believers never being separated from Jesus in life or death. Paradise was a separation.
Ephesians 4:9 (AMP)
[But He ascended?] Now what can this, He ascended, mean but that He had previously descended from [the heights of] heaven into [the depths], the lower parts of the earth?
Jesus “first descended into the lower parts of the earth"---to set the captives free and to take the keys of hell away from Satan. Because of that, we now have victory over death!
Revelation 1:18
I am He who lives, and was dead, and behold, I am alive forevermore. Amen. And I have the keys of Hades and of Death.
The bible teaches us that paradise was in Hades, because that is exactly where Jesus went upon His death, right after telling the thief next to him on his cross that "Today you will be with me in Paradise.” (Luke 23:43)
Jesus even mentioned it (as Abraham's Bosom) in His parable of Lazarus and the rich man.
Luke 16:22-23 (AMP)
And it occurred that the man [reduced to] begging died and was carried by the angels to Abraham’s bosom. The rich man also died and was buried.
23 And in Hades (the realm of the dead), being in torment, he lifted up his eyes and saw Abraham far away, and Lazarus in his bosom.
Scripture supports that Hades included hell (for unbelievers) and Paradise or Abraham's Bosom for the righteous.
Luke 16:26
And besides, there is a great chasm separating us. No one can cross over to you from here, and no one can cross over to us from there.’
Furthermore, Paradise is not heaven simply because of what Jesus said to Mary Magdalene upon His resurrection:
John 20:17
“Don’t cling to me,” Jesus said, “for I haven’t yet ascended to the Father. But go find my brothers and tell them, ‘I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.’”
You cannot take NDE's as proof of anything, as Satan is a fairly good mocker and anyone who is not saved has no spiritual discernment and can be deceived greatly.
I just know that...there must be a garden where you find your rest before being crowned and having supper.
You think, but do not know. There's a point you need biblical backup for.