‘For thou wilt not leave my soul in hell [Sheol]; neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption.’ – Psalm 16:10 (emphasis and added)
This scripture features David, the anointed King of Israel, prophetically speaking about where a portion of his afterlife is to be spent; doing so with an understanding that his trip to “hell” is only temporary and that his soul would not be left there to suffer separation from God. This scripture was relevant enough to be referenced by Peter in Acts 2:22-34 as he discussed the logistics and validation of Christ’s resurrection for us all; the capstone of this scripture (for the purposes of this blog entry) being verse 34 where Peter states: ‘For David is not ascended into the heavens…’
So if the “man after God’s own heart” had to serve some time in hell, what makes us think we’re any better? I know the answer you’re likely to say: Jesus!
But you know the following just as readily as you know the name: Jesus went to hell, too. How else would Paul be able to write to the Church of Ephesus that Jesus’ ascension provided an implicit indication that He also must have descended as well? Once again, for the sake of presenting the Word of God afresh and hopefully neutralizing the bias that may be attached to my presentation of it, the aforementioned letter to the Ephesians is scripturally written out below:
‘Wherefore he saith, When He ascended up on high, He led captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men. (Now that He ascended, what is it but also that He also descended first into the lower parts of the earth? He that descended is the same also that ascended for above all heavens, that He might fill all things.’
– Ephesians 4:8-10
Verse 10 then sets up Acts 26:23* which indicates that Jesus, not held to hell or death (separation from God) like the rest of us because He did not sin, took the keys to hell (Revelation 1:18) and broke the seal so that it would no longer be the final destination for those who believed in Him:
* ‘That Christ should suffer, and that He should be the first that should rise from the dead, and should show light unto the people, and to the Gentiles.’
Furthermore, we are told in scripture that Jesus will be the first of those who shall rise again:
‘But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the firsfruits of them that slept.’ – 1 Corinthians 15:20
This latter scripture should recall to mind the scripture that opened up PART I of this hellish discourse from 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 as it ties in the same language concerning the dead who “sleep.”
So if Jesus Himself, en route to being seated at the right hand of God, did not break suit in the spiritual path set for all humans that pass away, what makes us think we get to skip a step and go straight to heaven? Or to pose a more rhetorical question from scripture:
‘Who shall descend into the deep? (that is, to bring up Christ again from the dead.)’ – Romans 10:7 (emphasis added)
Nobody had the power to bring Christ UP from the deep or back from the dead other than He. Again, the word “up” implies His passage into a lower realm before His ascension which serves to accent the course that all souls must take.
Admittedly, I have not completely reconciled whether or not those that confess faith in Jesus now still have to go to hell or if we ascend directly to heaven but referring back to the central scripture, why else would Paul address the Church of Thessalonica as he did regarding Christ’s return and the dead being caught up first?
This follow-up questions proves that learning has a curve that is ever extending – which means that there is still much to study and be stumped by in any given subject. To wit, I am puzzled by the thief who confessed belief in Christ while hanging on the cross because he was promised by Christ Himself that ‘…Today, shalt thou be with Me in paradise’ (Luke 23:43).
The definition of paradise as viewed in Strong’s Concordance associates the word to heaven but it also suggests that it may be yet another realm. The former definition lends itself to the conclusion that perhaps Jesus did begin leading captives to freedom from hell upon His resurrection; which would be key to all believers who state that we head straight to heaven upon death. Otherwise, only Enoch, Elijah, Jesus and maybe Moses are representing the Adamic race amongst God and His angelic host in heaven while the rest of us are relegated to a spiritual way station – waiting for the second coming of Christ to be caught up with Him in the air before those that are living at the time.
But back to the thief who confessed belief – did Christ make an exception for this man who shared in His suffering and humiliation? If so, it wouldn’t be the first time. While the thief still died along with Jesus, both Enoch and Elijah did not experience death in the Old Testament. There is even some question regarding Moses as to the mystery of his final resting place and whether or not he was ushered into heaven beyond the grave. After all, was it not Moses and Elijah who appeared alongside Jesus’ transfiguration before Peter, James and John in Matthew 17:1-13? How else could they appear with Jesus if they were confined to the realm of Sheol… unless they were allowed to bypass the system that was already set in place.
The point of this article is not necessarily to tell you you’re still going to hell as a believer in Christ. Rather, it is to utilize the misrepresentation of the scriptural concept of hell in such a way that one will seek the Bible and the truths within it before blindly accepting doctrines based on Christian hearsay.
So at the end of the day, though I’m sure this discourse may spark more questions than answers, the main question becomes centered around how/why Biblically sound doctrine has been overlooked and, seemingly so, purposefully misinterpreted for our own comfort – causing us to stray from the simple truths of His Word? And in such error, I’m lead to ask and attempt to answer: When did we become so hell-bent on heaven, anyway?!!
~
Hellish Topics Like It Hot
a.k.a.
“Droppin’ Knowledge Like It’s Hot Garbage”
Tele-prompted like
Hot garbage, hellish topics
Get dropped like knowledge.
(this and other similar blogs can be found in Reggie’s latest book release entitled: On My Post: Recollections of a Social Media Maverick VOL. III!) #AsSeenOnAmazon
