CHRIST'S DESCENT INTO HADES.

Introduction.

a. Margaret Birch, when she was about ten, asked me deep theological questions about Hell, for 1 to 2 hours. 1Pet.3v18-20. 4v6. Eph.4v8-10. Rom.10v5-9. We are Loved with the same intense and deep love that the Father loves Jesus. Jn.17v23. 15v9.

b. It is a tragedy that the events of Christ's life, between His death on the cross and the resurrection are not considered or thought upon by the modern church. It is a neglected area of truth, the sublime truth of the depths to which divine love is prepared to sacrifice for us. It was the time of heavens greatest anguish and agony.

c. However modern theology neglects this tremendous truth is a mystery for these were among the most marvellous and important truths about the life of Christ, and more significant and important than the great miracles our Lord performed, and no less important than Him dying on the cross.

d. The fact of our Lord's decent into Hades gives us a remarkable insight into the character of God, and the lengths to which He is prepared to go to save us, and bless us, and His amazing long-suffering and mercy to sinners.

e. The revelation of the longsuffering of God to the wicked and His remarkable efforts to influence and win even the fallen angels in Hades, is of critical importance. We have to be able to say, "True and righteous are thy Judgements." Rev.16v7. 19v2. or a cloud comes between ourselves and the Lord. Total confidence in God can only come when we are totally satisfied with total confidence in His judgements. Intellectual satisfaction in God's justice is vital, for failure to comprehend God's longsuffering character and perfect justice results in darkness in our spirits.

f. The two greatest extremes of pain and joy were the portion of Christ's in Hades. His greatest pain and suffering when He was made sin for us, and His joy at the releasing og His Old Testament Saints and the joy of proclamation of release for the captives of Hades.

g. To correctly understand the Mount of transfiguration and the cross, we have to consider Christ's decent into Hades and the lower parts of the earth. Eph.4v9.

JESUS DID DESCEND INTO HADES.

1. The creed states that Jesus descended into Hell.
The word "hell" with its later meaning of the place of eternal punishment was not in the minds of the makers of the creed. They meant that Christ descended into the unseen world of the departed, into a place where those who had died awaited His coming to release them. Confusion has arisen because of the Authorised Version translations of Sheol and Hades as "Hell." However in early English, "hell" meant, "unseen," or, "covered in." In an old game of English forfeits, "the hell" was the covered place where laughing girls hid themselves to pretend to escape being kissed, when playing a game of forfeits. To them it was heaven not a place of punishment. A Devon thatcher was in time passed called a "hellier" because he "covered in" a dwelling.

2. The various Hebrew and Greek words used for the place of the confinement of the dead.
There are two Greek words translated "hell" in the A.V. one is Hades, the temporary abode of the dead, corresponding to the Old Testament "Sheol" and "Gehenna," which is the eternal abode of the wicked and unrepentant.

a. GEHENNA occurs 12 times in the New Testament.
Mt.5v22,29,30. 10v28. 18v9. 23v15,33. Mk.9v43-47. Lk.12v5. James.3v6. "Gehenna" comes from the Hebrew "Gay" i.e. gorge or valley and "Hinnom" a Jebusite name. So it speaks of the valley of Hinnom outside of Jerusalem, whose perpetual fires were kept burning, to burn the dead bodies of animals and criminals, and the refuse of Jerusalem. This place of .cleansing by fire of the contaminated refuse of Jerusalem was used as a picture of the eternal place of judgment by Jesus, and also by the Jews.

1. Gehenna is also called "the lake of fire." Mt.8v12. 13v42,50. 22v13. 24v51. 25v80. Lk.3v19. It is also the place of "fire and brimstone" Mt.25v41,46. Rev.14v9-11. 19v20. 20v10-15. 21v8. Is.66v22-24.

N.B. The first casting into the lake of fire occurs at the start of the millenium of Christ's second coming, when the followers of Antichrist are eternally judged 1000 years before the last judgement. The wicked angels are also confined to Gehenna at this time. The people who refused to take their stand with Christians in the great tribulation are also sent to Gehenna, their attitude being permanently fixed. Mt.25v30,41,46.

b. HADES is translated as "hell" 10 times in the A.V. Mt.11v23. 16v18. Lk.16v15. 16v23. Acts.2v27,31. Rev.1v18. 6v8. 20v13,14. and quite incorrectly as "grave" in 1Cor.15v55. Hades is not the grave or tomb, Geek, "Mnaymion" which is never translated "hel.l" "Mnaymion" is quite clearly the place where the bodies go to at death, "Hades is the place where the souls go at death. Old Testament saints went to "Abraham's bosom" in Hades, and received some measure of comfort from God.

2. Two other words are used of the parts of Hades in which the evil dead, and in particular the evil angels, are kept in chains of darkness, and are reserved for the day of judgement.

a. THE ABYSS. Gr. "Abbisos." Lk.8v26,31. Rom.10v7. Rev.9v1-3,11. 11v7. 17v8. 20v1-10 The Old Testament equivalent is "Abbaddon." i.e. "destruction." Job.26v5,6. 28v22. 31v12. Ps.85v11. Prov.15v11. 27v20.

b. TARTARUS. 1Pet.3v19. 2Pet.2v4. Jude.v6,7. The lower depths of Hades. "A prison for evil angels 2Pet.2v4. the wicked are silent in darkness," "fearful" and "utterly consumed with terrors." Ps.73v19,20. Heb.10v27. "A fearful looking for of judgement, and fury indignation which shall devour the adversaries."

The evil angels who left their first estate were confined to "Tartarus" awaiting eternal judgement. In Greek writings "Tartarus" was said to be lower than Hades, where the Titans or primitive giants were kept, so they had a smattering of the truth.

N.B. the abyss and "Tartarus" were on the other side of the great gulf where Lazarus was comforted. Lk.16v19-31. Is.14v9. Ez.32v17-32. This was where our Lord went in our place.

3. PARADISE. Lk.23v45. 2Cor.12v1-4. Rev.2v7. Lk.16v19-31. Paradise, Greek, "paradeisos" 3857, is the abode of the righteous in heaven, it indicates a park, pleasure ground, forest, or orchard. In the Septuagint it is used of the garden of Eden. The Hebrew 1588" gan," from 1598; a fenced and protected garden enclosure is used to describe Eden, in Gen.2v8,9,10,15,16. 3v1,2,3,8,,10,23,24. Ezek.36v35. Joel2v3. It is also used to describe the magnificent gardens of the Babylonian and Persian kings, Neh.3v15., the hanging gardens of Babylon are one of the seven wonders of the world. It is used to describe the glorious garden of God in Paradise in heaven, in which Satan walked before he fell, in Ezek.28v13. In Is.58v11., God promises us that with correct praying, and loving living and giving, our souls can be like a watered garden, a veritable Eden.

See also the Hebrew, "pardec" which is translated as "orchard" in Song of Solomon.4v13. Ecc.2v5. Neh.2v8., 6508, "pardec," describes a park, a preserve, an enclosed garden, a forest

The gates of Hades do not prevail against the church, Christians go to the heavenly paradise. Mt.16v18. Lk.23v43. 2Cor.12v4. Rev.2v7.Phil.1v20-24.. 2Cor.5v6-10. Heb.12v18-24.

c. THE TREMENDOUS DIFFERENCE BETWEEN AN OLD TESTAMENT AND NEW TESTAMENT SAINT AT DEATH.

a. The Old Testament saint's fear and dread of death. Heb.2v15." Who by fear of death lived all their lifetime in bondage through fear of death." The blood of bulls and goats could not take away sin, only the redemption and death of Christ. See Eccles.12v7. "Then shall the dust of which Christ made man's body return to the earth as it was, and the spirit shall return to God who gave it." The Old Testament saint lost their body and spirit.

Job, one of the godliest and greatest of God's saints was fearful of death, he said in Job.10v21,22., "I go to the land of darkness and the shadow of death. A land of darkness, as darkness itself, and the shadow of death, without any order, and where the light is as darkness." See also Gen.37v35. 42v38. 44v29,31. Jacob going down to "Sheol" Ps.16v10,11. "My flesh also will rest on hope v10. For you will not leave my soul in Sheol, nor will you allow your Holy One to see corruption v11. You will show me the path of life." This was a prophecy of our Lord's resurrection, but the resting in hope was a real fact of Old Testament saints.

We read in Lk.16v22,25., that Lazarus was carried to Abraham's bosom, and God said to the selfish rich man, now Lazarus is comforted and you are tormented. The Old Testament saints were Comforted in Hades, the wicked were tormented by their sins and confinement in the Abyss, and by fear of future judgement.

2. The New Testament saints victory over Hades and joy in death.
a. We read in Mt.16v18., "The gates of Hades shall not prevail against the Church." "Hades" is not Satan's kingdom, it is God's prison for the wicked and unrepentant dead.

b. He that believes in me shall never die. Jn.11v21-26. 8v35,36. 50v5.

c. "You shall be with me in paradise." Lk.23v43. 2Cor.12v1-4.

d. I go to prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to myself, that where I am there ye may be also. Jn.14v3.

e. Father I desire that they also whom you gave me be with me where I am that they may behold my glory which you have given me. Jn.17v24.

f. For me to live is Christ, and to die gain v23. having a desire to depart and be with Christ which is far, far, far better. Phil.1v21,23.
g. We are confident, yes, well pleased rather to be absent from the body and to be present with the Lord. 2Cor.5v8.

h. "Our Saviour Jesus Christ has abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the Gospel." 2Tim.1v10.

i. "You may come to Mount Zion, and the city of the living God - and the church of the first born in heaven." Heb.12v22-24.

N. B. OUR DEAR LORD JESUS SUFFERED THE PAINS OF HADES.
Acts.2v23-28. verse 24. Whom God hath passed up having leased the pains of death, because it was not possible that He should be holden of it. "Pains" is "Odin" here in Acts.2v24., Mt.24v8. Mk.13v8. and 1Thes.5v3., it literally means "birth pangs."

A. 1. Christ's descent into Hades was the only way that the Old Testament saints could be released from Hades. It also opened heaven to the New Testament sons. Jesus had not only to teach about Hades and judgement, He had to take our place in the Abyss. This is why Moses and Elijah came to encourage our Lord to press on, and they spoke of His "decease," Greek "exodus," which He should accomplish at Jerusalem. Lk.9v31. This encouragement caused Him to "set His face LIKE A FLINT." We read in Is.50v7., "Therefore have I set my face like a flint." "I give my back to the smiters, and my cheeks to those who plucked out the hair, I hid not my face from shame and spitting." We read in Lk.9v51. that Jesus, "steadfastly set His face to go to Jerusalem."

2. The agonies of Gethsemane were an anticipation and result of the agonies of Hades.
a. Mt.26v37. Began to be sorrowful and very heavy - heavy depression - great sorrow "very heavy" same word as Epaphroditus's sickness which brought him near to death. Mk.14v33. "sore amazed" amazement to the edge of horror. Mt.26v38. "perilupus," encompassed around with sorrows, surrounded by sorrows. Lk.22v44. "agony" a conflict, a wrestling, a contest.

b. Jesus found the pains of Hades more than the pains of the Cross. Heb.5v7. Who in the days of this flesh, when he had offered up prayers and supplications, with strong cryings and tears unto Him that was able to save him from - !ek" "out of" death, and was heard in that He feared v8. Though He were a Son, yet learned He obedience by the things that He suffered."
Passcarate sobbing, heavy distraught weeping, Why, not from death BUT OUT OF DEATH. i.e. Hades.

B. WHAT WERE THE BIRTH PAINS OF HADES.
1. The soul-agony of being separated from the Father.
a. "Jesus cried with a loud voice saying, "My God, My God, why hast thou forsaken me?" Mk.15v34. N.B. Notice the pain of the Cross, the mocking, the abuse, the mocking had not caused a cry, but when He was made sin for us and forsaken by God for us, this was the reason for this cry of unutterable anguish. This was the first time Father and Son had not been in fellowship together. It shoed the anguish of soul of our Lord.
b. Moses and Paul had wished themselves accursed for their peoples sake. "I could wish myself accursed for Christ." Rom.9v3. If thou wilt forgive their sin - and if not, let me I pray thee out of thy book which thou hast written." Exod.32v32. which brings us to our next point. But only one was the Lamb of God.

2. The soul-agony of being made sin for us.
a. Jesus alone could be God's perfect Lamb. Christ alone was wounded for our transgressions and bruised for our iniquities. Thou shall make His soul an offering for sin. Is53v5,10.
b. This could have been the experience of an eternity of separation in experience - having experienced it I know God can do it, He did it with me in showing me what eternal punishment felt like.

3. The soul-agonies of judgement by God and isolation with the wicked.
a. Our Lord was separated in evil for us.
b. The Lord Jesus was not only forsaken by God, but judged by God. The Father put Him in the depth of the Abyss, the place of imprisonment for the wicked in Tartarus, the place of the wickedest,------- angels. In the environment of total evil.
c. The Light of the World endued the chains of darkness for us. Jude., 2Pet.

4. The soul-anguish of trusting God without His spirit and God's presence.
a. Surrounded and imprisoned with evil angels. b. We see that when our Lord said, "It is finished." He was thinking of His fulfilment of prophecy, His life on earth. The worst was to come in Hades. Ps.69v20-22." They gave me vinegar to drink."
c. When our Lord said "Father into thy hands I commend my spirit" it was the greatest act of courage there has been, no V.C. can match this for courage.
d.The Lord Jesus had promised that He would never, never, never, never, never forsake his own or fail them - but He had the pain of what His own would never know. Yet our Lord manifested perfect faith in the Father.
e. It was a gigantic act of faith. What this cost the Father is not difficult to imagine, the elements, the darkness of midday.
f. Jesus without the mighty instrument (His spirit) that had challenged the Father's power to the multitudes had to trust God. His means of communion had gone.

5. The soul anguish Jesus suffered in Hades was the greatestHe suffered.
a. It was the pain of soul more severe and greater than Gethsemane.
b. It was the pain of soul more testing than the pain of the cross.
c. When the Lord Jesus spoke on the parable of the rich man and Lazarus and the great gulf and the sufferings of Dives on the wrong side of Hades - our Lord knew He was going to be there on the wrong side of Hades, the great gulf between Him and the saints.
d. He was forsaken by God, so that we might never be forsaken. As He suffered, He said "I am the atoning Lamb, I am their sacrifice, I must go through for them." It was for us.
e. He was in soul anguish to rescue all those who rested in hope in the saviour. Acts.20v26. Justified by faith in Jesus and His death. The Old Testament saints who rested in hope in Hades.

N.B. CHRIST PREACHING IN HADES. 1Pet.3v17-22. 4v6.
"Being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the spirit, by which He went and preached to the spirits in prison which sometimes were disobedient in the time of Noah."

A. THE HEIGHTS OF JOY WITH THE SAINTS.
1. The joy of our Saviours restored fellowship and communion with the Father. When Jesus was quickened in spirit, the Fathers presence filled and surrounded Him. Heaven rejoiced as the Father proclaimed with great joy, "My Son, God the Word, has made atonement for sin, Heaven is now opened to all believers.

2. The joy of knowing that atonement had been made. The Father said, "you have conquered, the sacrifice is accepted, you are indeed, My beloved Son in whom I am well pleased." You have established the Law and made forgiveness possible. HERE OUR LORD TRULY CRIED, "IT IS FINISHED, ACCOMPLISHED, AND BROUGHT TO THE GOAL.

3. The joy over the release of the saints and proclaiming to them their justification in Him.
a. David had said in Ps.139., "If I make my bed in Sheol, thou art there." Christ had been the comfort of the Old Testament saints in Hades - now He comes to release them. Their long wait was over, the Lord had come for His own.

b. The blood of bulls and goats could never atone for sin, Christ comes to proclaim His atonement.
Cyril of Jerusalem. Sees Christ conversing with "strugglers after right who had never seen His face on earth, as well as the disobedient. Cyril also pictures Christ being surrounded by the Holy Prophets who were crying, "O death where is thy sting, O grave where is thy victory, for the conqueror has redeemed us." (See Dean PIumptre in his book, "Spirits in prison."
The rejoicing and praise from saints was greater than words can tell. Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Daniel, all God's great Old Testament saints. The joy are Saviour had in their release.

c. The rejoicing of the saints knowing their eternal salvation was preparedand won by Jesus. Worthy is the Lamb they cry.

B. THE PREACHING TO THE IGNORANT AND WICKED.
N.B. To the spirits that were in prison - disobedient angels.

1. The words used are the normal words for preaching the Gospel.
Kerusso. Robertson says, "The normal word for Christ's preaching." Mt.3v1. Jn.4v17,23. 9v35. 10v7,27. 11v1. 24v14. 26v13. Mk.1v4,7,14,38,39. 3v14. 6v12. 14v9. 6v15,20. Lk.3v3. 4v18,19. 8v1. 9v2. 24v47.

Euangelizo. 1Pet.4v6. To tell good news. Only Mt.11v5. None Mk. N.B. Lk.3v18. 4v18,43. 7v22. 9v6. 20v1. Paul appointed a Kerusso. 1Tim.2v7. 2Tim.1v11. Noah. 2Pet.2v5. In Acts "Kerusso". Acts.8v5. 9v20. 10v37,42. 15v21. 19v13. 20v35. 28v31.
In Acts "Euangelizo". Acts.5v42. 8v4,12,25,35,40. 10v36. 11v20. 14v15,21. 15v35. 16v10. 17v18.
So to say "Kerusso" excludes good news is ridiculous. Our Lord's first message was to the wicked.

2. What was the attitude of Christ to the spirits in prison?
a. He did not go to gloat, He could never be like that. Col.1v20. tells us, "He had made peace with the blood of the cross, by then to reconcile all things; whether they be things in earth or things in heaven.

b. It says Jesus sounded out as an herald His atonement for sin He gave the full revelation of His character. A blaze of the incredible love of God. WHAT LONG SUFFERING. HOW AMAZING.

2. The early Church taught it.
Irenaeus. Bishop of Lyons tells how Jesus entered the world of the dead and preached to them, and, "all who had hopes in Him and submitted to His dispensations recurred remission of sins."
Clement of Alexander. about 50 years after Johns death says that the Scripture teaches Jesus preached the Gospel to the dead. Tertullian says the same.

Origan answers Celsus the infidels question "I suppose your Master when He failed to persuade the living, had to try if He could persuade the dead, answered "whether it please Celsus or no, we of the Church assent that the soul of our Lord, stripped of its body, held converse with other souls that He might convert those capable of instruction. (Objectors,- second chance, after death judgement, now the accepted life)

c. The multitude of Captives in Hades were led to heaven by Jesus, the King of Glory, mighty in battle. Ps.24v7-10.
2. Victorious with all power and authority.
3. Able to save and heal.
3. He leaves the great multitude to meet with, and minister to, the women and Mary Magdalene. He really cares.