Hades
2 Corinthians 5:8 (King James Version)
We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord.
Isn't is wonderful as a Christian to know that when we die, we will immediately be present with God? As I get older this idea gets more precious each and every day. Someday I shall see my Lord face to face. I will stand before Him in the imputed righteousness of Jesus Christ, my savior. I am a believer in the "Doctrine of Double Imputation" which in simple terms means that my sins were imputed to Him and His righteousness was imputed to me. He carried my sins to the cross and became the propitiation for those sins and I will stand in cloak of His righteousness forever.
In the verse above Paul was speaking of people who died post-atonement. This was not the case pre-atonement. The dead, even the righteous dead, did not go to be in the presence of God.
The Hebrews believed in Hades. The teachings of Jesus did nothing to discourage this pre-atonement concept of the after-life. In fact, His parable of Lazarus and Dives (the rich man) re-affirmed this belief.
Hades was made up of two separate places, Paradise and Gehenna. When the rich man died, he lifted up his eyes in hell (Gehenna). Contrarily, when Lazarus died he went to Abraham's Bosom (Paradise). Gehenna is a place of torment as witnessed by the rich man and Paradise was a wonderful place of rest but not the final abode of the righteous and not in the presence of God. The reason that the righteous souls were not with God was because they had not yet been redeemed. The price had not yet been paid.
Hell is the permanent and final place of judgment for the lost. Gehanna part of Hades is a temporary place.
Luke 23:43 (New King James Version)
And Jesus said to him, “Assuredly, I say to you, today you will be with Me in Paradise.”
Jesus’ body was in the tomb; His soul/spirit went to the “paradise” side of Hades. He then removed all the righteous dead from paradise and took them with Him, worshiping a Holy God around the throne. I believe that He preached to these souls in Paradise and the message was that the price was paid for their redemption. I can only imagine the rejoicing of souls, even though in Paradise, who knew that Christ would take them home to be with God.
Psalm 16:10-11 (King James Version)
10 For thou wilt not leave my soul in hell; neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption.
11 Thou wilt shew me the path of life: in thy presence is fulness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore
The Paradise part of Hades is empty. The pre-atonement righteous dead and the post-atonement righteous dead are now in the presence of God. In this we can rejoice, knowing that if we die before He comes again, we will also go to be with our Creator immediately.
The Gehenna part of Hades is very much in existence today. The wicked dead of all ages are being tormented in the flames at present. Revelation tells us that these wicked ones will someday be taken out of Hades and then stand at the Great White Judgment with God as their Judge and receive their reward. Then they will be cast into the Lake of Fire that was prepared for them.
Revelation 20:13-15 (New King James Version)
13 The sea gave up the dead who were in it, and Death and Hades delivered up the dead who were in them. And they were judged, each one according to his works. 14 Then Death and Hades were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.15 And anyone not found written in the Book of Life was cast into the lake of fire.
2 Timothy 2:15 (King James Version)
Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.
2 Corinthians 5:8 (King James Version)
We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord.
Isn't is wonderful as a Christian to know that when we die, we will immediately be present with God? As I get older this idea gets more precious each and every day. Someday I shall see my Lord face to face. I will stand before Him in the imputed righteousness of Jesus Christ, my savior. I am a believer in the "Doctrine of Double Imputation" which in simple terms means that my sins were imputed to Him and His righteousness was imputed to me. He carried my sins to the cross and became the propitiation for those sins and I will stand in cloak of His righteousness forever.
In the verse above Paul was speaking of people who died post-atonement. This was not the case pre-atonement. The dead, even the righteous dead, did not go to be in the presence of God.
The Hebrews believed in Hades. The teachings of Jesus did nothing to discourage this pre-atonement concept of the after-life. In fact, His parable of Lazarus and Dives (the rich man) re-affirmed this belief.
Hades was made up of two separate places, Paradise and Gehenna. When the rich man died, he lifted up his eyes in hell (Gehenna). Contrarily, when Lazarus died he went to Abraham's Bosom (Paradise). Gehenna is a place of torment as witnessed by the rich man and Paradise was a wonderful place of rest but not the final abode of the righteous and not in the presence of God. The reason that the righteous souls were not with God was because they had not yet been redeemed. The price had not yet been paid.
Hell is the permanent and final place of judgment for the lost. Gehanna part of Hades is a temporary place.
Luke 23:43 (New King James Version)
And Jesus said to him, “Assuredly, I say to you, today you will be with Me in Paradise.”
Jesus’ body was in the tomb; His soul/spirit went to the “paradise” side of Hades. He then removed all the righteous dead from paradise and took them with Him, worshiping a Holy God around the throne. I believe that He preached to these souls in Paradise and the message was that the price was paid for their redemption. I can only imagine the rejoicing of souls, even though in Paradise, who knew that Christ would take them home to be with God.
Psalm 16:10-11 (King James Version)
10 For thou wilt not leave my soul in hell; neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption.
11 Thou wilt shew me the path of life: in thy presence is fulness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore
The Paradise part of Hades is empty. The pre-atonement righteous dead and the post-atonement righteous dead are now in the presence of God. In this we can rejoice, knowing that if we die before He comes again, we will also go to be with our Creator immediately.
The Gehenna part of Hades is very much in existence today. The wicked dead of all ages are being tormented in the flames at present. Revelation tells us that these wicked ones will someday be taken out of Hades and then stand at the Great White Judgment with God as their Judge and receive their reward. Then they will be cast into the Lake of Fire that was prepared for them.
Revelation 20:13-15 (New King James Version)
13 The sea gave up the dead who were in it, and Death and Hades delivered up the dead who were in them. And they were judged, each one according to his works. 14 Then Death and Hades were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.15 And anyone not found written in the Book of Life was cast into the lake of fire.
2 Timothy 2:15 (King James Version)
Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.