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First, to grasp what was happening in Acts, you must understand that the OT saints were also saved by faith. They put their faith in God that He would provide a Saviour. God had passed over their sins until Christ died on the cross.

OT SAINTS SAVED BY FAITH

Hebrews 10:1 For the law, having a shadow of the good things to come, and not the very image of the things, can never with these same sacrifices, which they offer continually year by year, make those who approach perfect. 2 For then would they not have ceased to be offered? For the worshipers, once purified, would have had no more consciousness of sins. 3 But in those sacrifices there is a reminder of sins every year. 4 For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and goats could take away sins.

No ceremonial things ever saved anybody. This includes animal sacrifices, which pointed towards Christ's death on the cross and was a reminder of sin, and also includes water baptism, which is an outward expression of an inward truth. No "types" can save. (read Hebrews 9)

Romans 3:21-26 But now the righteousness of God apart from the law is revealed, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets, Even the righteousness of God, through faith in Jesus Christ, to all and on all who believe. For there is no difference; For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, Being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, Whom God set forth as a propitiation by His blood, through faith, to demonstrate His righteousness, because in His forbearance God had passed over the sins that were previously committed, To demonstrate at the present time His righteousness, that He might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.

God had passed over the sins committed by OT saints until Christ's substitutionary death on the cross. By their faith they received Jesus' imputed righteousness, the "righteousness of God". Just as we do today. But they had to wait and were kept in the paradise side of hades until their sins were atoned for on the cross. See the link below.

Also see Romans 4 (OT saints saved by faith)

OT SAINTS KEPT IN THE PARADISE SIDE OF HADES

Read the link, it's worth your time and will lay out a foundation for you to understand this part. This is not the complete picture, but should help to get a basic understanding of what was happening.

HE LED THE CAPTIVES FREE AND GAVE GIFTS TO MEN http://www.biblestudymanuals.net/eph4v9.htm (http://www.biblestudymanuals.net/eph4v9.htm)

WHAT HAPPENED IN ACTS?

You cannot be born again without being baptized into Jesus' death and raised up with Him, this is what it means to be born again. This spiritual baptism is done by Jesus with the Holy Sprit, hence the term "baptism with the Holy Spirit". Nobody in the OT could be born again because there was no death or resurrection to be baptised into. They were kept in the paradise side of Hades. They (OT saints) needed to wait for Jesus to die on the cross to pay for there sins (Romans 3:25-26) before they could go to heaven (John 3:13, Ephesians 4:7-9). The OT saints still living needed to be upgraded (Born again), It was due to them because they had faith, but to be baptised into the Body of Christ by Jesus with the Holy Spirit, they first needed for Jesus to die on the cross and pay for their sins, then to be glorified, sitting at the right hand of the Father. Then, and only then could He send the Helper, the Holy Spirit, the Agent of Baptism so they could be Baptised into His death and resurrection, i.e. born again. After that transition of bringing then living OT saints to NT standards, the norm is "we are all baptised with one Spirit into one Body" (1 Corinthians 12:13). This happens the moment we believe.

The difference between the nature of the relationship between the Holy Spirit and saints from the OT to the NT can be seen in John 14:16-18.

The Church is the Body of Christ. Ephesians 1:23, Colossians 1:24

Christ is the Head of the Church. Ephesians 1:22, Ephesians 5:23

Christ was the first in preeminence. Colossians 1:18 (not the first born again)

The birth of the Church. Acts 2 (birth = the first born again, the first baptised into the Body)

This is still a future event in Acts 1:5, Jesus ascended in Acts 1:9, Holy Spirit given Acts 2:33.

To be baptised with the Holy Spirit by Jesus is part of the born again process. You cannot be born again unless you are baptised/immersed into the Body of Christ. Romans 6:3-6, Colossians 2:9-12.

His baptism with the Holy spirit is that which saves. 1 Peter 3:21, Titus 3:5

Jesus is the prophesied baptizer as John told us. Matthew 3:10-12, John 1:33-34, Acts 1:5

The Holy Spirit is the agent of baptism. 1 Corinthians 12:13

Conditions that needed to be met. You could not be born again until.........

----A) Jesus died and was resurrected.

----B) The Holy Spirit was given, Who is the agent of baptism. These must happen first.
...........1) Christ must go away, depart, physically seen no more. John 16:7, John 16:10.
...........2) He must be glorified. John 7:39.
...........3) To "send" the Holy Spirit (John 14:26, John 15:26, Acts 1:4-5) He must first go away.
...........4) He must go to the Father. John 16:7-10.

At Pentecost the conditions were met. (Acts 2:33. 1) They were not seeing Him (physically) 2) He was glorified (exalted) 3) He could then "send" the Holy Spirit. 4) He was with the Father, at his right hand. The beginning of the transition from the OT to the NT.

The OT saints needed to be upgraded, but now for us...

We are all baptised into one Body. 1 Corinthians 12:13 (norm for today)

There is one Body, one baptism. Ephesians 4:4-6, 1 Corinthians 12:12-13

When you are baptised into Christ and Born again, you are Complete in Him. Colossians 2:9-12, 2 Peter 1:3-4

There is no need of a second blessing. John 3:34

Even during this transitional period, the saved by faith (old covenant) Old Testament saints needed to be upgraded to the New Testament baptism (born again, baptised into the body of Christ, the Church.) Acts 19:1-7.

This Gift from Acts 11:15 (the Holy Spirits permanent indwelling, sealed until the day of redemption) was the same Gift given to the Apostles at the beginning, i.e. The birth of the Church, which is now for all nations and people. Acts 2:38, Acts 2:39. (also notice it is speaking of "the" Holy Spirit as the Gift.)

John 7:39, John 14:16-17, John 14:26, John 15:16, John 16:7, John 16:10 were all fulfilled at Pentecost Acts 2:33, and not John 20:21-22.

" the believers in Samaria who were converted under the ministry of Philip had to wait a short while to receive the baptism with the Holy Spirit, until Peter and John came up to Samaria and layed hands on the converts (Acts 8:17). In that unique transitional situation as the Church was beginning, those particular believers had to wait for the Holy Spirit, but they were not told to seek Him.The purpose for that exception was to demonstrate to the apostles, and to bring word back to the Jewish believers in general, that the same Holy Spirit baptized and filled Samaritan believers as baptized and filled Jewish believers--just a short while later Peter and a few other Jewish Christians were sent to witness to Cornelius and his household in order to be convinced that the gospel was for all men and to see that "the Holy Spirit had been poured out on the Gentiles also"(Acts 10:44-45). Those special transitional events did not represent the norm, as our present text makes clear, but were given to indicate to all that the body was one". (Macarthur)


Continued...

How can we leave tongues out of a discussion about Acts?

The gift of tongues was given solely as a sign to unbelieving Israel.

The sign was threefold: a sign of cursing, a sign of blessing, and a sign of authority.


A SIGN OF CURSING

Some 15 years or so before Isaiah prophesied about the strange tongues from the lips of strangers, the northern kingdom of Israel had been conquered and taken captive by the Assyrians (in 722 BC) because of unbelief and apostasy. The prophet then warned the southern kingdom, Judah, that the same judgment awaited her at the hands of the Babylonians. The proud religious leaders of Judah would not listen to Isaiah. His teaching was too simple. He talked to them, they claimed, as if they were babies, "Those just weaned from milk" and "just taken from the breast." He taught them as if they were kindergardeners: "Order on order, order on order, line on line, line on line, a little here, a little there" (Isaiah 28:9-10). God had indeed spoken to them simply, in order that the least mature among them could understand and so that no Israelite would have an excuse for not knowing the Lord's will and promise. The essence of His promise was, "Here is rest, give rest to the weary," and "Here is repose"; yet Israel "would not listen" (v.12).

About 800 years before Isaiah, God had warned Israel that "The Lord will bring a nation against you from afar, from the end of the earth, as the eagle swoops down, a nation whose language you shall not understand" (Deut. 28:49). the strange language of their conquerers would be a sign of God's judgment. About 100 years after Isaiah, the Lord warned through Jeremiah, "Behold, I am bringing a nation against you from afar, O house of Israel,...a nation whose language you do not know, nor can you understand what they say" (Jer. 5:15). The sign of judgment would be a language they could not understand.

When the apostles spoke at Pentecost and were heard in their own language by Jews from many countries (Acts 2:7-11), those Jews should have known that Gods judgment was imminent. His judgment had fallen on rebellious Israel and then on rebellious Judah. How much more would it fall on those of His people who now had crucified the Son of God? In AD 70 that judgment fell, when Jerusalem was utterly destroyed by the Roman general Titus (later emperor). Over one million Jews were slaughtered; thousands more were taken captive; the Temple was plundered, desecrated, and then utterly destroyed; and the rest of the city was burned to the ground. One historian comments that Jerusalem had no history for 60 years. Just as Jesus had predicted when He wept over the city, "Your enemies will throw up a bank before you, and surround you, and hem you in on every side, and will level you to the ground and your children within you, and they will not leave in you one stone upon another, because you did not recognize the time of your visitation" (Luke 19:44; cf. 21:20-24).

After the destruction of Jerusalem, and especially of the Temple, the reason for tongues ceased to exist. The judgment of which it was a sign had come. After the Pentecost manifestation of tongues, Peter, by implication, reminded his hearers of that judgment: " Therefor let all the house of Israel know for certain that God has made Him both Lord and Christ--this Jesus whom you crucified" (Acts 2:36;cf.vv.22-23).


A SIGN OF BLESSING

The second sign was a residual benefit of the first. The gift of tongues was a sign that God would no longer work through one nation, and favor one people. The church of Jesus Christ was for all peoples of all nations, a church in which there are many languages but no barriers. "There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free man, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus" (Gal. 3:28 ).

With great compassion and sorrow for his fellow Jews, Paul wrote in Romans,"But by their transgression salvation has come to the Gentiles, to make them jealous." But with a note of great hope he continued, "Now if their transgression be riches for the world and their failure be riches for the Gentiles, how much more will their fulfillment be!" (11:11-12). A few verses later he explains more fully:" For I do not want you, brethren, to be uninformed of this mystery, lest you be wise in your own estimation, that a partial hardening has happened to Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in; and thus all Israel will be saved; just as it is written" (vv.25-26). The way would always be open for individual Jews to come into the kingdom, for the hardening was only partial, and one day the entire nation of Israel would be brought back to her Lord. The sign of tongues was repeated when the Gentiles were included in the church, as recorded in Acts 10:44-46.



A SIGN OF AUTHORITY

Those who preached the judgment and promised the blessing were the apostles and prophets, whose authority was validated by "signs and wonders and miracles" (2 Cor.12:12;cf.Rom. 15:19). Among the authenticating signs was the gift of tongues, in which Paul spoke "more than you all" (1 Cor.14:18 ).

As a sign, the purpose of tongues ended when that to which it pointed ended. A person driving to Los Angeles may see the first mileage sign about 300 miles away. Later he sees one that reads "200 miles to Los Angeles," and then "50 miles," and then "10 miles." After he passes through the city, however, the mileage signs to Los Angeles cease. They have no further purpose, because that to which they pointed has been reached and passed. The gift of tongues was attached irretrievably to one point in history, and that point has long been passed.

It is interesting, and I believe highly significant, that no record is given is of a single word spoken in tongues or even interpreted. Every reference to tongues is general. They are always mentioned in relation to their purpose and significance, never in relation to their specific content. The messages given in tongues were not new revelations or new insights, but, as at Pentecost, simply unique expressions of old truths, "the mighty deeds of God" (Acts 2:11). Though tongues could edify when interpreted, their purpose was not to teach, but to point, not to reveal God's truth but to validate the truth of his appointed spokesmen.

Since the destruction of Jerusalem in AD 70 there has been no purpose for the sign gift of tongues, because that to which it pointed has been reached and passed.. Israel has been set aside, the Gentiles have been brought in, and the apostles have given the faith once-for-all delivered to the saints. (MacArthur NT commentary 1 Corinthians)

Today...

"Being filled with the spirit must be distinguished from being baptized with the spirit. The apostle Paul carefully defines the baptism with the spirit as that act of Christ by which He places believers into His body (Romans 6:4-6; 1 Corinthians 12:13; Galatians 3:27). In contrast to much errant teaching today, the New Testament nowhere commands believers to seek the baptism with the Holy Spirit. It is a sovereign, single, unrepeatable act on Gods part, and is no more an experience than are its companions justification and adoption. Although some wrongly view the baptism with the Spirit as the initiation into the ranks of the spiritual elite, nothing could be further from the truth. The purpose of the baptism with the spirit is not to divide the body of Christ, but to unify it. As Paul wrote to the Corinthians, through the baptism with the Spirit "we were all baptized into one body" (1 Corinthians 12:13; cf. Galatians 3:26-27; Ephesians 4:4-6)

Unlike the baptism with the Spirit, being filled with the Spirit is an experience and should be continuous. Although filled initially on the day of Pentecost, Peter was filled again in Acts 4:8. Many of the same people filled with the Spirit in Acts 2 were filled again in Acts 4:31. Acts 6:5 describes Stephen as a man "full of faith and the Holy Spirit," yet Acts 7:55 records his being filled again. Paul was filled with the Spirit in Acts 9:17 and again in Acts 13:9.

While there is no command in scripture to be baptized with the Spirit, believers are commanded to be filled with the Spirit (Ephesians 5:18 ). The grammatical construction of that passage indicates believers are to be continuously being filled with the Spirit. Those who would be filled with the Spirit must first empty themselves. That involves confession of sin and dying to selfishness and self will. To be filled with the Holy Spirit is to consciously practice the presence of the Lord Jesus Christ and to have a mind saturated with the Word of God. Colossians 3:16-25 delineates the results of "letting the word of Christ richly dwell" in us. They are the same ones that result from the filling of the Spirit (Ephesians 5:19-33). As believers yield the moment by moment decisions of life to His control, they "walk by the Spirit" (Galatians 5:16). The baptism of the Spirit grants the power that the filling with the Spirit unleashes." (Macarthur)

A side note: A proper understanding of being "filled" is not to think as a glass being filled with water, being "filled" actually means to be more under the control of the Holy Spirit. Once again, We are given the HS without measure John 3:34, and when we are born again we are complete in Him, lacking nothing Colossians 2:9-12, 2 Peter 1:3-4.

As a side note, the link provided in the first post used 1 John 2:2. Just so that nobody misunderstands, this does not mean that everyone is saved (universalism). Compare for a better picture...

1 John 2:2 And He Himself is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the whole world.

John11:51 Now this he did not say on his own authority; but being high priest that year he prophesied that Jesus would die for the nation, 52 and not for that nation only, but also that He would gather together in one the children of God who were scattered abroad.

If you have any questions about the transition period and the baptism with en[/b] the Holy Spirit, please feel free to ask.

God bless

Dave

Dave,
I think alot of what your saying is right on. However I have a question concerning the transfer of OT saints to heaven. The following is a quote from the link you gave. I will post some scripture after the quote for comparison. How can we reconcile the quote with the scripture? 

Once Christ died on the cross, the sins of the whole world being completely paid for, (1 Jn 2:2), having already received as a result of a moment of faith in a coming Messiah through the seed of Abraham, the gift of God's Perfect Righteousness, (Gen 15:6; Ro 4:3),
the Old Testament period believers were immediately brought out of Paradise in Hades into heaven to be with God for the rest of eternity.

Act 2:29  Men and brethren, let me freely speak unto you of the patriarch David, that he is both dead and buried, and his sepulcher is with us unto this day.
Act 2:30  Therefore being a prophet, and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him, that of the fruit of his loins, according to the flesh, he would raise up Christ to sit on his throne;
Act 2:31  He seeing this before spake of the resurrection of Christ, that his soul was not left in hell, neither his flesh did see corruption.
Act 2:32  This Jesus hath God raised up, whereof we all are witnesses.
Act 2:33  Therefore being by the right hand of God exalted, and having received of the Father the promise of the Holy Ghost, he hath shed forth this, which ye now see and hear.
Act 2:34  For David is not ascended into the heavens: but he saith himself, The Lord said unto my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand,
Act 2:35  Until I make thy foes thy footstool.

Would'nt the transition from paradise to heaven take place when God makes the enemies of Jesus His footstool?  Why is'nt David in heaven in this passage? Could it be that though David is still in paradise that he is in the presense of Jesus there? After all, Jesus ascended so that He could fill all things. Would'nt it be more accurate to say that when we die we too go to paradise to be present with the Lord there? To be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord, but does it neccessarily require us to go to heaven at death?  Is'nt the rapture or resurrection the time when all are taken out of paradise? I am really trying to be a Berean and so I am sincerely asking these questions to see if there is any legitimacy to these observations.

Eph 4:10  He that descended is the same also that ascended up far above all heavens, that he might fill all things.)
2Co 5:8  We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord.

Eph 4:8  Wherefore he saith, When he ascended up on high, he led captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men.
Eph 4:9  (Now that he ascended, what is it but that he also descended first into the lower parts of the earth?
Eph 4:10  He that descended is the same also that ascended up far above all heavens, that he might fill all things.)
Eph 4:11  And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers;
Eph 4:12  For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ:

It seems to me that he did not give gifts to those in sheol but to the living on earth. In Christ's ascension He sat down at the right hand of God, completing His work. As a result He now gives-gifts through the Holy Spirit outpoured to men. Some gifts are actually people-apostles, prophets, etc.
The lower parts of the earth could be the womb as is stated in the Psalms.

Psa 139:15  My substance was not hid from thee, when I was made in secret, and curiously wrought in the lowest parts of the earth.

Jesus descended into the virgins womb to be born into a sinful world. To lead captivity captive was His mission. He came to seek and to save that which was lost. He ascended in order to send the Holy Spirit and give gifts to men for the building up of His Body.
I also believe that Jesus descended to paradise (Hades/Sheol). But I cannot see this as Jesus bringing those OT saints to heaven at the time of His ascension. He will bring them at the resurrection of the righteous.

I guess I just do not see in scripture where it explicitly says that OT saints were taken to heaven at Jesus' ascension.

Respectfully submitted-

asaph

Blessings!

I could be wrong (I have been once before, I think..hee hee) but, in Revelations, when Jesus returns; Does He also raise the dead from the graves? It was always my belief that, God took His favored ones to heaven, for they used to sacrifice burned offerings for their sins. Abraham, Noah, Jacob--all of those in the Old Testament that were faithful to God, including David did this and prayed constantly for God's forgiveness and mercy. I also believe that David, in many of his Psalms speaks about being in God's Kingdom and God is his Savior. Since Jesus was and always has been, long before he was born of the flesh, I would only take the belief that the old testament faithful would have been in Heaven. Jesus took away the need for burned offerings upon His birth. If the burned offerings before His birth were for sins, it only seems logical to me that God took those people to Heaven as long as they followed and worshipped Him, as well as obeying His laws of that time.

I am no scholar so, if I am way off on this, let me know. I love to learn and take any posts as knowledge.

God Bless,
Kelly

Thanks for that Kelly. Whatever the case may be, believers will be raised from the dead by Jesus. The issue here is whether or not the OT saints are in heaven  now or are they still in hades (paradise). We know heaven is their destiny. All I am pointing out is that Peter said in Acts 2 that David did not ascend to heaven after the ascension of Jesus. I think this implies that no old testament saint has been transfered to heaven yet. I believe that the resurrection of their bodies must take place first.
Having said that, technically speaking, we are all in heavenly places even now, seated with Christ there. Hallelujah! Where can we go from His presence? Even if I make my bed in sheol (Hades) He is there. We are sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise. We are secure in Him. What a wonderful person He is! We are heirs together with all the saints OT and NT!
I am no scholar either sister. I am one of those "not wise" ones that Paul the apostle wrote about.

1Co 1:30  But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption:
1Co 1:31  That, according as it is written, He that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord.

In His Kindness,

asaph 

Hi Asaph and kelly.

Thanks for the very insightful replies and questions. I've been wrong too. This is something that i'm going to need to look into further. I always said that finding the right questions to ask is half the battle won. I'm on a public computer so when I don't know, I usually print it out and go over it when I have my bible in hand later at night.

God bless you both.

Dave

Conscerning the scripture from Acts 2, starting with verses 25-28, Peter quotes Psalm 16.

Quote from JMSB on Psalm 16:10
These words expressed the confidence of the lesser David, but were applied messianically to the ressurection of the greater David (the Lord Jesus Christ) both by Peter (Acts 2:25-28) and Paul (Acts 13:35)

If we go to Acts 13:35 we can see that Paul quotes Psalm 16 and other OT passages to correct the misunderstanding that the man David was the one who fulfilled the prophecy of Psalm 16.

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Acts 13:29 Now when they had fulfilled all that was written concerning Him (Jesus), they took Him down from the tree and laid Him in a tomb. 30 But God raised Him from the dead. 31 He was seen for many days by those who came up with Him from Galilee to Jerusalem, who are His witnesses to the people. 32 And we declare to you glad tidings—that promise which was made to the fathers. 33 God has fulfilled this for us their children, in that He has raised up Jesus. As it is also written in the second Psalm:


      ‘ You are My Son,
      Today I have begotten You.’

 34 And that He raised Him from the dead, no more to return to corruption, He has spoken thus:


      ‘ I will give you the sure mercies of David.’


 35 Therefore He also says in another Psalm:


      ‘ You will not allow Your Holy One to see corruption.’( Psalm 16:10 )

36 “For David, after he had served his own generation by the will of God, fell asleep, was buried with his fathers, and saw corruption; 37 but He whom God raised up saw no corruption. 38 Therefore let it be known to you, brethren, that through this Man is preached to you the forgiveness of sins; 39 and by Him everyone who believes is justified from all things from which you could not be justified by the law of Moses."
-----------------------

Speaking of corruption, or decay, believed to set in after three days, of which Jesus didn't know, but David did. This is speaking of the physical ressurection. When we understand this, what Peter writes in Acts 2 makes perfect sense.

--------------------------------
Acts 2:25 25 For David says concerning Him:

quote from Psalm 16
      ‘ I foresaw the LORD always before my face,
      For He is at my right hand, that I may not be shaken.
       26 Therefore my heart rejoiced, and my tongue was glad;
      Moreover my flesh also will rest in hope.
       27 For You will not leave my soul in Hades,
      Nor will You allow Your Holy One to see corruption.
       28 You have made known to me the ways of life;
      You will make me full of joy in Your presence.’

29 “Men and brethren, let me speak freely to you of the patriarch David, that he is both dead and buried, and his tomb is with us to this day. 30 Therefore, being a prophet, and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him that of the fruit of his body, according to the flesh, He would raise up the Christ to sit on his throne. 31 he, foreseeing this, spoke concerning the resurrection of the Christ, that His soul (spiritual) was not left in Hades, nor did His flesh (physical) see corruption. 32 This Jesus God has raised up, of which we are all witnesses. 33 Therefore being exalted to the right hand of God, and having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, He poured out this which you now see and hear.
 
34 “For David did not ascend (physically) into the heavens, but he says himself:


      ‘ The LORD said to my Lord,

      “ Sit at My right hand,
       35 Till I make Your enemies Your footstool.”’

36 “Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly that God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ.”

(Emphesis and description) added by Dave
--------------------------------------

David did not ascend physically (vs. 34), and his body did see decay (vs. 29), Jesus' body did not see decay/corruption and did physically and spiritually ascend.

continued...

From the link provided in the first post. Put this scripture within it's propper time frame. John 3:13 is pre-resurrection, Philippians 1:23-24 is post-resurrection, etc.

----------------------
"Before Christ's ascension, believers as well as unbelievers were said to enter Sheol or Hades. After Christ's ascension, the New Testament pictures believers after death as entering heaven to be with Christ...(Phil 1:23), which is far better than Hades.

iii) [Compare Jn 3:13]:
"No one has ever gone into heaven except the One Who came from heaven - the Son of Man."

Notice that "No one has ever gone into heaven"= No Old Testament saint had as yet occupied heaven after they died, yet there is evidence in Scripture that O.T. saints did occupy some place after they did die. After the cross, Scripture indicates that believers occupied heaven:


iv) [Phil 1:23-24]:

(v. 23) "I [Paul] am torn between the two: [duty on earth or going to be with the Lord in heaven, (vv. 21-22)]: I desire to depart and be with Christ [Who is at this moment in heaven], which is better by far;

(v. 24) but it is more necessary for you that I remain in the body."

[Morey, cont.]:
"[So believers] are present with the Lord (2 Cor 5:6-8), worshipping with the angelic hosts of heaven (Heb 12:22, 23) at the altar of God (Rev 6:9-11). Thus believers do not now enter Hades but ascend immediately to the throne of God....

[ on the believer's immediate destiny in heaven when he dies]

...That Christ went to Hades, i.e., the world beyond death, is clear from Acts 2:31."

v) [Compare Acts 2:31]:

"He [David, (v. 29) looked ahead and spoke of the resurrection of the Christ, that He was neither abandoned to Hades ["hadou" = Hades], nor did His flesh see decay.

[Notice that this indicates that our Lord did go to Hades]

To Jews at that time it was on the 4th day that corruption set in thus revealing most unequivocally that our Savior’s human soul was in Hades while His body lay in the sepulcher, He ascending out of Hades to receive His body instead of descending down from heaven. Ephesians 4:8-10 vividly describes the descension of our Lord "into the lower parts of the earth," which never could mean the sepulcher or grave in which He was deposited. It is not in the lower parts of the earth, but on the surface, excavated out of a great rock in the mountain side, and entered horizontally. No grave is in the "lower parts of the earth," much less our Savior’s sepulcher.

Furthermore, Paradise was not in heaven before the cross, for Jesus testified to the women on the morning He was resurrected that He had not yet gone up to His Father, (Jn 20:15-18), whereas He had met the thief in Paradise on the preceding Wednesday."

vi) [Compare Jn 20:15-18]:
(v. 15) ''' "[Jesus said] 'Woman,' He said, 'why are you crying? Who is it you are looking for?' Thinking He was the gardener, she [Mary Magdalene] said, 'Sir, if you have carried Him away, tell me where you have put Him, and I will get Him.'
(v. 16) Jesus said to her, 'Mary.' She turned toward Him and cried out in Aramaic, 'Rabboni!' (which means Teacher).
(v. 17) Jesus said, 'Do not hold on to Me, for I have not yet returned to the Father [in heaven]. Go instead to My brothers and tell them, 'I am returning to My Father and your Father, to My God and your God.' " '''

(Note: our Lord was crucified on the Passover Sabbath Wednesday:.. on the crucifixion/resurrection chronology)"

vii) [Compare Luke 23:43]:

"Jesus answered him [the thief on the cross, (v. 40)], 'I tell you the truth, today [Wednesday the Passover Sabbath] you will be with Me in paradise.' "

[Morey, cont.]: )
"While 'paradise' in the gospel account (Luke 23:43) referred to the section of Hades reserved for the righteous [before the cross], by the time Paul wrote 2 Cor 12:2-4 paradise had been taken out of Hades and was now placed in the third heaven.

viii) [Compare 2 Cor 12:2-4]:
(v. 2) "I know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago was caught up to the third heaven. Whether it was in the body or out of the body I do not know that this man - whether in the body or apart from the body I do not know, but God knows -
(v. 4) was caught up to paradise. He heard inexpressible things, things that man is not permitted to tell.

[Morey, cont.]:
"According to the post-resurrection teaching in the New Testament, the believer now goes to heaven at death to await the coming resurrection and the eternal state. But, what of the wicked? The wicked at death descend into Hades which is a place of temporary torment while they await the coming resurrection and their eternal punishment.

First, it is clear that the souls of the wicked are in torment during the intermediate state in Hades. The Apostle Peter stated this in language which could not be clearer:

ix) [2 Pet 2:9]:

"Then the Lord knows how to rescue the godly from temptation, and to keep the unrighteous under punishment for the day of judgment."
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Peace

We must have a bunch of preachers here...all these long winded posts  ;D ;D

Ain't it great!  :)

 ;D :P