3 DAYS... 3 NIGHTS... What Was HE+ DOING DOWN THERE... All That Time ?

RESURRECTION ! 

  When HE+ had received the vinegar HE+ cried with a LOUD VOICE,  

" FATHER, INTO YOUR HANDS I+ COMMIT MY SPIRIT."

 Having said this HE+ bowed HIS+ Head and released HIS Spirit and Descended into the Heart of the Earth, leaving HIS+ tired Body on the Cross.

     And the Earth SHOOK and the rocks were sheared and the Veil of the Temple was torn in TWO... from TOP TO BOTTOM !

 Where did JESUS go during the Three days and Three nights?

   The Scripture states plainly from our LORD'S own lips that HE+ would be Three Days and Three Nights in The Heart of the Earth., the Realm of the departed human soul and spirit, called in the Hebrew sheol.

   One thing we DO know is where JESUS our LORD+ went when HE+ left the CROSS and HIS Crucified Body there because HE+ said so HIMSELF+.

 Also... we can KNOW that HE+ went there as a Victor and a Conqueror!  HE+ did not go there as some cults, some  groups, and yes, witches' covens, teach to be tortured by satan. 

ABSOLUTELY NOT!

NO!  On HIS+ CROSS HE+ Broke satan's back and broke his head as well! JESUS said, "IT IS FINISHED!"  HE+ went into "sheol" in HIS+ FATHER'S STRENGTH, to the TERROR and HORROR of the Unclean rebel spirits.  ( Genesis 3:15 )

What did HE+ do during the three days and nights?  

.... WHATEVER HE+ WANTED TO DO !

 HE+ was CHRISTUS VICTOR!

CHRIST the VICTOR !

 Taking down the gates of Hell from the area called in Scriptures,  Abraham's Bosom ... only the dead could enter the realm of the departed human soul and spirit, but THIS ONE TIME... the Crucified , SECOND ADAM+ entered into it! 

For GOOD REASON Abraham "rejoiced to see HIS+ Day... He saw it ... and was GLAD ! 

  

GLORIOUS LIGHT FLOODED SHEOL!

Here are some quotes from Scripture from the Ancient Pre-Nicene Church Writings. They had the same Scriptures we do, and they knew how to use them and TO LIVE BY THEM.

...The LORD DESCENDED INTO THE REGIONS BENEATH THE EARTH PREACHING HIS+ ADVENT THERE ALSO AND DECLARING THE REMISSION OF SINS RECEIVED BY THOSE WHO BELIEVE IN HIM+...

ANF vol 1, pg. 499, Irenaeus Against Heresies, chapter 27, section 2

 Preaching Salvation to the Righteous Dead. The Patriarchs, the Prophets, the Ninevites who repented at the preaching of Jonah

( ANF vol 1, pg 7, chapter 7, First Epistle of Clement )

 From  I Peter ... 

3:18 .... 

For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but Made Alive by the SPIRIT:

  

3:19 By Which ( HOLY SPIRIT/RUACH ha KADOSH,) also HE+ went and preached unto the spirits in prison;

1 Peter 4:6  

 For for this cause was the gospel preached also to them that are dead, that they might be judged according to men in the flesh, but live according to God in the spirit.

3:20 Which sometime were disobedient, when once the long-suffering of God waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was being prepared, wherein few, that is, eight souls were saved by water.

 

3:21 The like figure whereunto even baptism doth also now save us (not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God,) by the resurrection of JESUS CHRIST:

( To the Ancient Church, baptism was not a "symbol" or an afterthought, but a SUPERNATURAL event of Rebirth into Light.) The SPIRIT of GOD, The Water ,and The BLOOD of The LAMB+ MESSIAH, agree to the ONE THING!  ( 1 John 5:8 )

 

3:22 Who has gone into heaven, and is on the right hand of God; angels and authorities and powers being made subject unto him.

 Leading Captivity captive, away on HIGH, ...THOU didst not leave His+ soul in Hell... 

 For thou wilt not leave my soul in hell; neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption.

Psalm 16:10

 

 Preparing HIMSELF+ to raise His Earthly Body as a GLORIFIED BODY, being the Second Adam,  as The prototype of The NEW BODIES THAT ALL WHO TRUST IN HIM+ and OBEY HIS+ Voice shall have in the  RESURRECTION unto  Eternal Life  with HIM+.

 

As our LORD+ JESUS said,

"NO man can take MY+ Life from ME+;  

 I+ have Power to lay down MY+ Life, 

and I+ have Power to TAKE IT UP AGAIN! 

This Commandment 

I+ have received from MY+ FATHER"  

 John 10:18

 This is part of what our Precious LORD+ was doing in the Three Days and Nights in the Heart of the earth!  

        HE+ also took with HIM+ those Righteous dead ones from the area of Abraham's Bosom, and brought them with HIM+ after HIS+ Resurrection, and sent them into Jerusalem to appear unto many there. 

    Ancient writings state that what they said to many in Jerusalem was that: "YESHUA of Nazareth who was Crucified and rejected by the religious leaders, IS THE MESSIAH! We are only her for a very short time to tell you this. We must leave and go with HIM where HE+ carries us. 

      JESUS then assembled these dead ones to HIMSELF+ and ascended on HIGH, taking and leading the formerly captive ones away from the earth completely, and giving gifts unto the children of Adam who had died and waited in sheol/hades for HIS+ appearing.  ( Ephesians 4:8 ) 

Our LORD+ then CAME OUT OF THE TOMB ON THE FIRST DAY OF THE WEEK, TOTALLY ALIVE AND TOTALLY GLORIFIED!!  BODY, SOUL, AND SPIRIT!

HE+ IS THE LIGHT IN THIS DARK WORLD!

NOTHING WILL EVER BE THE SAME AGAIN!

GLORY TO GOD IN THE HIGHEST!

AMEN 

+ + +

 

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.