… In the Heart of the Earth, Part 2
for the Year of Our LORD, 4.3.2008
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.
The Words of The LORD JESUS CHRIST,
recorded in Matthew 12:40
What happened during those 3 days and 3 nights HE+ spent in the heart of the earth? Yes, it was in the heart of the earth HE+ went. We recall Ephesians 4:8-10 which states the fact that HE+ first descended into the lower parts of the earth before HE+ ascended to His+ FATHER and our FATHER.
For thou wilt not leave my soul in hell;
neither wilt thou suffer
thine Holy One to see corruption.
Psalm 16:10
+ + +
Our discussion yesterday was about hell. In a nutshell, the KJV translators used one word (hell) to translate four different words used in the original Greek and Hebrew texts.
One term was Tartarus, the hell reserved for fallen angelic beings.
The second term was Gehenna. It refers to the Lake of Burning Fire into which Death and Hell itself will be thrown. This Lake is unpopulated right now. (See yesterday’s blog.)
Further explanation can be found in Enoch I, chapter 22. This book is quoted by the Apostle Jude in the currently accepted Canon of Scripture, although the Book of Enoch was accepted by the Ancient Church in earlier times.
Then, there are two terms which refer to the same place in the heart of the earth, the repose of the dead: Hades, in the Greek text, and Sheol in the Hebrew text. All human beings’ souls and spirits descended into this place.
To complicate things a little more, the “hell” which was referring to Hades or Sheol was divided into 2 parts. Between them, was a deep chasm fixed and no-one (soul and spirit) was able to pass from one place to another. A shaft existed in the nethermost part which was said to lead to the abyss… the bottomless deep. (See yesterday’s blog.)
The repose of the RIGHTEOUS souls and spirits was in the part of Hades/Sheol called Abraham’s Bosom, Luke 16. Our LORD referred to this place as paradise when HE+ was talking to the repentant thief on the cross.
The place of torment for the UNRIGHTEOUS dead was in a separate part of Hades/Sheol, the nethermost region. Let us keep in mind that the souls and spirits of the dead were still alive in BOTH Abraham’s Bosom (Paradise) AND the section of Hades or Sheol filled with torments.
Let us remember Our LORD’S answer to the Sadducees who were mocking the resurrection. HE+ told them straightly that they did greatly err. The spirits of the dead Patriarchs were still alive.
“For HE is not a GOD of the dead, but of the living; for all live [are alive] unto HIM+,” the LORD JESUS said in Luke 20:34-38. (See also Mark 12:24-27 and Matthew 22:29-32)
+ + +
Which part of hell did The living soul and spirit of Our LORD JESUS CHRIST descend into, leaving His+ tired though uncorrupted, sinless body in the tomb? Scripture does NOT say that CHRIST would be kept OUT of hell (Hades, Sheol) but rather that His+ soul should not be LEFT there… as were all the souls and spirits of the dead, up to that time.
Which part was HE+ in for 3 days and 3 nights… and why?
Our LORD would not have gone into Tartarus, the place reserved for the punishment of the fallen angelic beings who corrupted the human race in Genesis 6. That was not the repose of the souls and spirits of dead humans.
Our LORD would not have gone into Gehenna, the Lake of Burning Fire of Revelation 20: 10-15. That Lake of Fire comes at the end of His+ thousand year reign and is unpopulated now. That is the place where HE+ deals with the devil, the beast, and the false prophet. They are thrown into it, as well as all those who are not found written in the LAMB’S Book of Life. These were all CHRIST-rejectors during their life on planet earth.
Yes, HE+ would have descended into the repose of the dead (Hades/ Sheol) because --- as with His+ birth, His+ earth-bound life, His+ physical agony on the cross, and His+ intense despair of heart at feeling forsaken by The FATHER--- Our LORD followed the Adamic line. HE+ too had to leave His+ body. His+ soul and spirit also had to descend into Hades/Sheol just like all the other human beings on earth. But, let us keep in mind that all human souls and spirits were still alive down there, although their Adamic, fleshly bodies had died due to Adam’s curse.
It is NOT clear the extent of the areas of Hades/ Sheol where HE+ went. Romans 10:7 states a question: “Who will go down into the deep (Gk: abyss ) that is, to bring CHRIST up from the dead?” We do know that HE+ did descend into the heart of the earth, Hades or Sheol, where all the departed souls and spirits of the dead humans went.
What was HE+ doing down there
… all that time ?
Let’s look at 1 Peter 3: 18, 19, and part of 20, using the OGS Expanded Version from the Greek text as well as the KJV.
For Christ also hath once suffered for sins,
[Because even CHRIST, one time, solely and uniquely,
suffered concerning sins ]
the just for the unjust,
[ the righteous on behalf of the unrighteous ]
that he might bring us to God,
[that HE+ might bring us to GOD]
being put to death in the flesh,
[having been put to death truly IN THE FLESH]
but quickened by the Spirit:
[but having been made alive IN THE SPIRIT]
By which also he went and
preached unto the spirits in prison;
[by which also, going UNTO THE SPIRITS IN PRISON,
HE+ proclaimed, heralded, announced, and preached
to the formerly disobeying ones ,]
Which sometime were disobedient,
when once the longsuffering of
God waited in the days of Noah…
[when one time, solely and uniquely,
the long-suffering of GOD Himself
was expectantly waiting in the days of Noah…]
I Peter 3: 18, 19, 20a OGS Expanded Version
At least one purpose of HIS+ descent was to preach the Gospel! This is the picture we see: The LORD left His+ body on the cross awaiting its burial by Nicodemus and Joseph of Arimathea. His+ Soul and Spirit descended into hell (Hades or Sheol, not Tartarus nor Gehenna). This is one thing Scripture in the words of the Apostle Peter tells us that HE+ did down there:
For to this end also
the GOSPEL WAS PREACHED
TO THE DEAD ONES,
that they might truly be judged
according to men in the flesh,
but might live according to GOD in the Spirit.
(I Peter 4:6, Gk)
TO WHOM DID HE+ PREACH THE GOSPEL?
The old accounts** verify HE+ preached to several groups in prison. Now, we do know HE+ did NOT preach in any civilized, governmental prison on earth, so this prison, this stronghold of the souls and spirits of men, must have been located in the heart of the earth where HE+ went. This prison was only for human souls and spirits. They were kept captive. They could not leave. Perhaps this is referred to in Psalm 146:7, which is an obvious reference to The LORD JESUS CHRIST and His+ work.
(To be continued)
** These references will be listed in the next blog.
Because thou wilt not leave my soul in hell,
neither wilt thou suffer
thine Holy One to see corruption.
Acts 2: 22-27
The Resurrection of JESUS CHRIST
… the most life-changing event in human history.
+ + +
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