Passover Meditation #25 for the Lenten Season 2012 ( #24 repeated )

~ ~ ~ The Door of the Cross ~ ~ ~

I+

I+ AM

The Resurrection

and

The LIFE:

he that believeth

in ME+,

though he were dead,

yet shall he live.

John 11:25 Green's Greek Interlinear

How could those already dead believe in JESUS the CHRIST ?

Some, we know, did: Simeon the devout man awaiting the Consolation+ of Israel and Anna the prophetess of great age, who were both present in the Temple at His+ Dedication, John the Baptist, Joseph, the guardian ( Gowra, Aramaic) and husband of Mary. Perhaps Lazarus also, Mary and Martha's brother, believed in HIM+ since his sisters evidenced a strong belief in HIM+ as MESSIAH+. These all died knowing HIM+ ...but before Our LORD'S own death and resurrection.

Here, as recorded in John 11:25, Our LORD is looking ahead at what happened in those 3 days and 3 nights HE+ spent in the heart of the earth. (Mt. 12:40)

Well, what DID happen down there?

Sheol, the Old Testament word for "hell," was divided into 2 parts in the heart of the earth. One part was for the unrighteous ones who died in their sins. The other part was called "Abraham's Bosom" (See Luke 16:22).

[ Now, just a note on Abraham's Bosom. In the Old Testament, the bosom was configured as a CAVITY, a carrying-place. It was where one held to his chest things of value. Womenfolk would carry food and other precious items in their aprons, wrapping up the corners of their aprons around the items like a sack and carry the load CLOSE TO THEIR BOSOM. Thus, "Abraham's Bosom" in the heart of the earth was a CAVITY in the earth, filled with precious souls who had died in RIGHT standing with GOD.]

Our LORD spent 3 days and 3 nights down there, in the heart of the earth PREACHING to the DEAD who had died long before JESUS Our LORD was sent to the earth.

How do we know this?

Scripture tells us this

in 1 Peter 3:18, 19:

For CHRIST also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that HE+ might bring us to GOD, being put to death indeed in the flesh, but made alive in the SPIRIT; In which also HE+ went and preached unto the spirits in prison.

This Scripture tells us that JESUS Our LORD died a natural death in the flesh. When HE+ died, HE+ left His+ physical Body on the cross to be buried.

Now, we know The LORD JESUS never went into a jail, a prison, to preach. HE+ preached in many places, but never in an actual civil prison run by the Roman government, who had the authority over the prisons in Israel.

But rather, HE+ HIMSELF+ went in His+ SPIRIT into the heart of the earth... to preach to the dead !

Now THIS tells us some interesting facts:

   • "Death" was a prison from which no-one EVER left

    • it was located in the heart of the earth

   • the dead are simply gone unto ANOTHER PLACE ( either pleasant or bad)

   • the dead are not obliterated even though their bodies of clay are buried in the ground as "lifeless"

   • nor is their consciousness erased

   • nor have their emotions ceased

   • nor is their intellect diminished

Some OTHER Truths of GREAT interest are here also:

     • JESUS was intensely ALIVE the instant HE+ closed His+ eyes in death. We know this because HE+ had said... "It is accomplished, FATHER; into Thy HANDS I+ commit My+ SPIRIT."

     • HE+ left His+ dead, physical Body for 3 days and 3 nights

     • HE+ descended into the heart of the earth, into Sheol ( hell )

     • HE+ was not punished in hell but entered as a VICTORIOUS SAVIOR sent by The FATHER

     • HE+ asked no-one's permission to ENTER into the realm of the dead

    • HE+ asked no-one's permission to LEAVE the realm of the dead...

     • HE+ was busy for 3 days and 3 nights, as The FATHER sent HIM+ down there to preach.

Well, what did HE+ preach to this captive audience who could NOT leave the realm of the Dead ?

HE+ preached

the Good News !

I Peter 4:6 continues from the above Scriptures cited:

For unto this cause ALSO THE GOSPEL WAS PREACHED TO THE DEAD that they might be judged according to men in the flesh, but MIGHT LIVE according to GOD in the SPIRIT. Green's Greek Interlinear

 

O Great REDEEMER+, O THOU+ Who+ had and still has the keys of Death and Hell, I thank THEE+ for dying on that mean Cross in order to break down the gates of Sheol, Hades, and hell in order to bring Life to those who had not the chance to hear the GOOD NEWS before they died.

Forgive me for forsaking the task of sharing this GOOD NEWS of victory over death with others.

Please forgive me of burying this "talent" entrusted unto me and keeping the GOOD NEWS locked up within my smug heart.

Forgive me for fleeing from my responsibility before GOD and man.

Cleanse me of the sin of Self-Preservation and help me instead to labor to Preserve those heading into Eternal Torments in hell and from thence, into the Second Death in the Lake of Burning Fire.

Help me , LORD JESUS, to proclaim this Victory over death, hell, and the grave to the Un-saved, the Lost, the Un-Redeemed amongst my family, friends, acquaintances, and even to strangers.

A LIGHT+ to Lighten the Gentiles...

...JESUS is His+ Name... the light of the world,

the TRUE LIGHT which lighteth every man

that cometh into the world.

HE+ was in the world,

and the world was made by HIM+,

and the world knew HIM+ not.

HE+ came unto His+ own,

and His+ own received HIM+ not.

BUT

as many as received HIM+,

to them gave HE+ power

to become the sons of GOD,

even to them that believe on HIS+ name.

Which were born,

not of blood,

nor of the will of the flesh,

nor of the will of man,

but of GOD.

~ ~ ~

A friend of mine has landed upon a new way for her to share JESUS during the Advent season. She is making a conscious and determined effort to bless someone each day... by phone, by visit, by sharing a treat, by prayer. She arises with this goal in mind: to share JESUS and alleviate some loneliness in the little corner of the world where she lives.

.

If we must do Christmas, then let us do it as unto The LORD, redeeming the time, making every day count to draw someone closer to the LORD. The holy days should be CHRIST-oriented, focused upon The Coming of The LORD.

.

However, many of us have much stronger memories of family get-togethers and gifts and feasts than we do of CHRIST-centered Holy Days. Thus, when family members die or families grow apart through distance or bickering, the holy days become a burden ... a battle with the blues. It is of serious proportions. Many, many persons even in the churches dread these holy days greatly. But, the people belonging to CHRIST can ferret out these individuals and turn the focus upon CHRIST!

.

As someone has said, "In every pew sits a broken heart." Myself, I would change that to, "Most pews are filled with the broken-hearted."
.

The many-fold activities that churches do during this season try to fill up the void. That awful void can only be filled up by CHRIST JESUS. But how shall they hear, if no-one tells them? How shall they know if no-one takes the time to reach out in a personal, quiet, one-to-one way? Was JESUS born so that we could give parties for our friends... or was HE+ born to give hope and love to a sad and lonely heart?

.

Let us become Advent messengers of that hope and love. What is really needed is for CHRIST to be born in the hearts of man, and then HE+ will set the captives free... free from fear, free from loneliness, free from futility of life. And, free to focus upon the SAVIOR+ of Mankind.

.

And we ourselves will be set free of Self-serving. We will be bearers of that LIGHT+, that was the TRUE LIGHT+, that lighteth every man which cometh into the world.

+ + +

In the name of The FATHER,

Who created us;

And HIS Holy SON+ JESUS,

Who+ saves us;

And the Blessed HOLY SPIRIT;

Who sanctifies us.

Amen.

RESURRECTION SEASON ~ DAY 12 ~ Part 2, In the Heart of the Earth

Resurrection Season ~ ~ ~ Day 12
… 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.


+ + +