But to each one of us grace was given according to the measure of Christ's gift. Therefore it says, "when He ascended on high, He led captive a host of captives, and he gave gifts to men." (Now this expression, "He ascended," what does it mean except that He also had descended into the lower parts of the earth? He who descended is Himself also He who ascended far above all the heavens, so that He might fill all things.)We all know that Jesus died, and three days later he rose again. But what happened during those three days? The details are very scant, but we know that He wasn't passively unconscious.
Jesus said, “An evil and adulterous generation craves for a sign; and yet no sign will be given to it but the sign of Jonah the prophet; for just as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the sea monster, so will the Son of Man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth." [Matthew 12:39-40 NASB].
The nature of death changed when Jesus died. We have a brief description of the afterlife before the death of Jesus.
“Now there was a rich man, and he habitually dressed in purple and fine linen, joyously living in splendor every day. “And a poor man named Lazarus was laid at his gate, covered with sores, and longing to be fed with the crumbs which were falling from the rich man’s table; besides, even the dogs were coming and licking his sores.
“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. “In Hades he lifted up his eyes, being in torment, and saw Abraham far away and Lazarus in his bosom. “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.’
“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. ‘And fnbesides 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.’ “And he said, ‘Then I beg you, father, that you send him to my father’s house— for I have five brothers—in order that he may warn them, so that they will not also come to this place of torment.’
“But Abraham said, ‘They have Moses and the Prophets; let them hear them.’ “But he said, ‘No, father Abraham, but if someone goes to them from the dead, they will repent!’ “But he said to him, ‘If they do not listen to Moses and the Prophets, they will not be persuaded even if someone rises from the dead.’” [Luke 16:19-31 NASB]
When people died, theirs souls descended to Hades - the place of the dead - which was divided into two parts. The evil souls were in torment, while those who received God's favor went to Paradise (not Heaven). They couldn't enter God's presence until the redemptive work of Jesus was complete. The blood of bulls and goats was not enough.
Jesus said to the thief on the cross, “Truly I say to you, today you shall be with Me in Paradise.” [Luke 23:43 NASB].
Today's passage says, "when He ascended on high, He led captive a host of captives." Those souls which were captive in Hades, now redeemed by the blood of Jesus, were led on high to be in the presence of God.
Paul tells us, "Therefore, being always of good courage, and knowing that while we are at home in the body we are absent from the Lord— for we walk by faith, not by sight— we are of good courage, I say, and prefer rather to be absent from the body and to be at home with the Lord." [2 Corinthians 5:6-8 NASB].
Again he says, "But I am hard-pressed from both directions, having the desire to depart and be with Christ, for that is very much better;" [Philippians 1:23 NASB]
Jesus' redemptive work changed the nature of death. Now, because of Christ, when we die, our souls do not descend into Paradise. Paradise has been relocated. We can look forward to leaving this body, and being in the presence of God in Heaven.
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