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What the Hell…Not with Jesus

Posted in Gospel, Hell, Prophecy with tags 1 Peter 3, 2 Corinthians 5, Ephesians 8-10, God the Father, grave, Hades, Heaven, Holy Spirit, Jesus Christ, Luke 23, Paradise, Psalm 16, Resurrection, Revelation 11, Right Hand of Father, sheol on July 26, 2015 by paulthepoke

We all know what happened to Jesus’s body after He died on the cross. He was taken off of the cross. The body was prepared and buried in a rich man’s tomb. What about the soul and spirit? Where did the Spirit of Christ go? Luke 23:46 And Jesus, crying out with a loud voice, said, “Father, INTO YOUR HANDS I COMMIT MY SPIRIT.” Having said this, He breathed His last. See also Matthew 27:50, John 19:30.

The Greek word for “commit” is paratithemi. Per Strong’s Concordance: to place beside or near or set before; to deposit; to entrust or commit to one’s charge.

Jesus trusted the Father to place His Spirit near Him. The Father is in Heaven per the Lord’s Prayer.

One of the men on his cross next to Jesus believed He was the Messiah. Jesus’ words to the thief on the cross next to him verify His destination. Luke 23:43 And He said to him, “Truly I say to you, today you shall be with Me in Paradise.”

The Greek for “Paradise” is paradeisos. Per Strong’s Concordance paradeisos means: a garden, pleasure ground; Heaven; the part of Hades which was thought by the later Jews to be the abode of the souls of pious until the resurrection; the upper regions of the heavens. According to the early church Fathers, the paradise in which our first parents dwelt before the fall still exists, either on the earth or in the heavens, but above and beyond the world.

1 Peter 3:18-20 For Christ also died for sins once for all, the just for the unjust, so that He might bring us to God, having been put to death in the flesh, but made alive in the spirit; in which also He went and made proclamation to the spirits now in prison, who once were disobedient, when the patience of God kept waiting in the days of Noah, during the construction of the ark, in which a few, that is, eight persons, were brought safely through the water.

Note, Jesus’ Spirit remains alive and does not see death at the cross.

The Apostle Peter notes Christ visited “spirits” or “pneuma” in the Greek after His physical death. The “spirits” could refer to fallen angels and/or dead humanity. Peter discusses both parties in his epistles. These “spirits” are in prison (phulake in the Greek: of the place where captives are kept, a prison, a guarding).

With the resurrection of Christ, Psalm 16:10 was fulfilled. For You will not abandon my soul to Sheol; nor will You allow Your Holy One to undergo decay. Jesus did not stay in Sheol/Hades (see Ephesians 8-10). He was resurrected on the third day. Acts 2:31 he looked ahead and spoke of the resurrection of the Christ, that HE WAS NEITHER ABANDONED TO HADES, NOR DID His flesh SUFFER DECAY.

Currently He is alive in a resurrected body at the right hand of the God the Father in Heaven. Hebrews 10:12 but He, having offered one sacrifice for sins for all time, SAT DOWN AT THE RIGHT HAND OF GOD…

Romans 8:34 who is the one who condemns? Christ Jesus is He who died, yes, rather who was raised, who is at the right hand of God, who also intercedes for us.

Ephesians 1:20 which He brought about in Christ, when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places…

For other references of Jesus at the right hand of the Father: Acts 7:55-56; Colossians 3:1; Hebrews 1:3; Hebrews 8:1; Hebrews 12:2; 1 Peter 3:22; Revelation 3:21; Matthew 22:44; Acts 2:33.

Today, with Jesus at the right hand of the Father, what happens to believers in Christ when they experience bodily death? Where do the soul and spirit go? 2 Corinthians 5:8 we are of good courage, I say, and prefer rather to be absent from the body and to be at home with the Lord.

Home is in Heaven with the Father and Son.

Revelation 1:18 and the living One; and I was dead, and behold, I am alive forevermore, and I have the keys of death and of Hades. –Jesus

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What the Hell…No, Bosom of Abraham

Posted in Gospel, Hell, Prophecy with tags Bosom of Abraham, chasm, faith, God, Gospel, grave, Hades, Heaven, Hebrews 11, Jesus Christ, Lazarus, Luke 16, Peace, sheol on July 10, 2015 by paulthepoke

Luke 16:22 Now the poor man died and was carried away by the angels to Abraham’s bosom; and the rich man also died and was buried. Not everyone dies and goes to a place of torment. Prior to the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ, those who believed in God’s coming promises went to be in a place of comfort, the Bosom of Abraham (Luke 16:19-31). Things changed after the good news of the works of Christ. But prior to…

Luke 16:23 In Hades he lifted up his eyes, being in torment, and saw Abraham far away and Lazarus in his bosom. The text is clear. There are two different places in Hades or Sheol or the grave, the right side of the chasm and the wrong side of the chasm. One is a place of comfort. The other is a place of hell. The distance in the verse is “far away” or the Greek phrase makrothen apo. It means: a long way off, afar off, a great distance.

Luke 16:26 And besides all this, between us and you there is a great chasm fixed, so that those who wish to come over from here to you will not be able, and that none may cross over from there to us.

The distance between the two places is “great” or megas in the Greek text. Per Strong’s Concordance it means: great; of the external form or sensible appearance of things (or of persons); in particular, of space and its dimensions, as respects of compass and extent: large and spacious; of measure and height: long. In English we get the adjective “mega” from this Greek work. Anybody watch Mega Structures on TV?

The Greek word for “chasm” is the transliteration chasma. Per Strong’s it means: a gaping opening, a chasm, a gulf.

This gap is ridiculously huge no matter how it is defined. Notice the destination is fixed. Depending on which side you are, there are no transfers. The transfer request is one way. Those with Abraham are not requesting a move. The instructions are for those on the wrong side of gap. They can not come over.

Luke 16:25 But Abraham said, ‘Child, remember that during your life you received your good things, and likewise Lazarus bad things; but now he is being comforted here, and you are in agony. With Abraham’s space there is “comfort”. The original Greek word is parakaleo. It means: to receive consolation; strengthen; exhorting and comforting and encouraging; to call to one’s side, call for, summon. Abraham’s bosom was a call to comfort.

So how did these people arrive at a place of comfort instead of torment? The book of Hebrews provides the answer. With God, it has always been about faith in His word. Ultimately, does one believe what God says? Faith is defined by Hebrews 11:1-2 Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. For by it the men of old gained approval.

Hebrews 11 provides many examples of Old Testament characters who believed of future things to come. Hebrews 11:13 All these died in faith, without receiving the promises, but having seen them and having welcomed them from a distance, and having confessed that they were strangers and exiles on the earth.

Faith without an object is pointless. “I believe! I believe! I believe!” In what?!?!

The Bible calls on humanity to have faith in the good news or Gospel of Jesus Christ, the promises of His second coming, and a future eternity of peace.

Hebrews 11:6 And without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is and that He is a rewarder of those who seek Him.

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What the Hell…Sheol/Hades, Part 2

Posted in Gospel, Hell with tags 1 Samuel, Abaddon, death, Deuteronomy, fire, grave, Habbakuk, Hades, Isaiah, Jesus Christ, Job, Luke, pit, Proverbs, Psalms, Revelation, sheol, sin on June 23, 2015 by paulthepoke

There is fire in Sheol. Deuteronomy 32:22a For a fire is kindled in My anger, and burns to the lowest part of Sheol…The rich man confirms this as fact in Luke 16:24 And he cried out and said, ‘Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus so that he may dip the tip of his finger in water and cool off my tongue, for I am in agony in this flame.’

Sheol is not the Lake of Fire. They are different. Sheol/Hades is not permanent. It is a temporary holding place. Revelation 20:13-14 And the sea gave up the dead which were in it, and death and Hades gave up the dead which were in them; and they were judged, every one of them according to their deeds. Then death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire.

Hades follows Death closely. One dies, then they go to the Pit/Sheol/Hades. Revelation 6:8a I looked, and behold, an ashen horse; and he who sat on it had the name Death; and Hades was following with him…

We all have a set time and date with the grave. It does not matter what our bodies look like. One cannot diet, vitamin, or exercise their way from the Pit. It does not matter if you are rich or poor. One cannot buy their way out of Sheol.

Psalm 89:48 What man can live and not see death? Can he deliver his soul from the power of Sheol? Selah.

Psalm 49:14 As sheep they are appointed for Sheol; death shall be their shepherd; and the upright shall rule over them in the morning, and their form shall be for Sheol to consume so that they have no habitation.

Death always wants more and more. It is never satisfied. Proverbs 30:16 Sheol, and the barren womb, earth that is never satisfied with water, and fire that never says, “Enough.”

Proverbs 27:20 Sheol and Abaddon are never satisfied, nor are the eyes of man ever satisfied.

Habakkuk 2:5 Furthermore, wine betrays the haughty man, so that he does not stay at home. He enlarges his appetite like Sheol, and he is like death, never satisfied. He also gathers to himself all nations and collects to himself all peoples.
There are consciousness and awareness of the inhabitants and Sheol itself. There are examples of this in Scripture in the Old Testament and the New Testament. While in the grave, King Samuel was contacted by a medium from Endor on behalf of King Saul 1 Samuel 28:11-15. The rich man Lazarus is clearly in misery, agony, and torment in Luke 16:19-31. Sheol itself was stimulated with the arrival of the King of Babylon in Isaiah 14:9 Sheol from beneath is excited over you to meet you when you come; it arouses for you the spirits of the dead, all the leaders of the earth; it raises all the kings of the nations from their thrones.

Job 26:6 Naked is Sheol before Him, and Abaddon has no covering. The meaning of Abaddon is “destruction”. Sin is naked before God. In the final analysis, there is no covering of sin apart from the cross work of Christ. God has always made provision for the sin of humanity. Apart from God, sin will be exposed, bare, and raw. Its path leads to destruction. Proverbs 15:11 Sheol and Abaddon lie open before the LORD, How much more the hearts of men!

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What the Hell…Sheol/Hades, Part 1

Posted in Hell with tags 1 Samuel, David, Ecclesiastes, God, grave, Hades, hell, Isaiah, Jesus, Job, Matthew 24, outer darkness, Proverbs, Psalms, sheol on June 14, 2015 by paulthepoke

1 Samuel 2:6 The LORD kills and makes alive; He brings down to Sheol and raises up.

Per Strong’s Concordance, Sheol is the Old Testament designation for the abode of the dead. It means: underworld (place to which people descend at death); place of no return; grave; or the pit.

It is the unseen world. Sheol is the equivalent of the Greek Hades (word translated in the Septuagint, Greek Old Testament). Hades is a synonymous term used in the New Testament.

Per Strong’s Concordance, Hades means: Orcus, the nether world, the realm of the dead; later use of this word: the grave, death, hell.

Sheol is synonymous with the Pit. Proverbs 1:12: Let us swallow them alive like Sheol, even whole, as those who go down to the Pit.

God is present in Sheol as noted by the Psalmist. Psalm 139:8 If I ascend to heaven, You are there; if I make my bed in Sheol, behold, You are there.

Even though God is present in Sheol, there is no discussion of Him there. Psalm 6:5 For there is no mention of You in death; in Sheol who will give You thanks?

Despite His presence, God’s reliability and stability are absent in the grave. God’s truth and sureness are nowhere to be found. Isaiah 38:18 For Sheol cannot thank You, Death cannot praise You; those who go down to the Pit cannot hope for Your faithfulness.

Per David, God apparently does not respond or speak to those in the Pit. Psalm 28:1 To You, O LORD, I call; my rock, do not be deaf to me, for if You are silent to me, I will become like those who go down to the pit.

The grave is a very quiet place. Psalm 115:17 The dead do not praise the LORD, nor do any who go down into silence…

Sheol is a place of darkness, physically and mentally. One cannot clearly remember or think in the grave. There is an absence of sensory stimulation. There is no kindness or goodness, only shame and reproach.

Job 17:13 If I look for Sheol as my home, I make my bed in the darkness…

Psalm 88:10-12 Will You perform wonders for the dead? Will the departed spirits rise and praise You? Selah. Will Your lovingkindness be declared in the grave, Your faithfulness in Abaddon? Will Your wonders be made known in the darkness? And Your righteousness in the land of forgetfulness?

Jesus spoke of the outer darkness. Sounds like angst and despair. Matthew 25:30 Throw out the worthless slave into the outer darkness; in that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

When you are dead there is nothing to do. There is no work. There is no thinking. There is no pondering. There is no way to put information to work. To those of you who want to sit on your butt and do nothing, you will get your wish. Ecclesiastes 9:10 Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might; for there is no activity or planning or knowledge or wisdom in Sheol where you are going.

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