STUDY OF HADES (4)

RECAP: In the Book Revelation 9:1-21, we learn that one purpose of the tribulation is: to unmask Satan’s true character. While in the future men will go to hell: in Revelation 9, hell comes to men.  O’ precious saints of God, the mercy and grace of our Lord and Savior are new every day of our lives; why not recognize HIS blessings, and find that place in your lives that is in sync with the moving of His spirit, that we may be certain beyond doubt that we will see His glorious face when He comes again. Meditate deeply on the below:  

• Satan wants to harm mankind (9:1-11). In 9:1, John writes, "Then the fifth angel sounded, and I saw a star from heaven which had fallen to the earth; and the key of the bottomless pit was given to him." The star that "had fallen" (or descended) from heaven is an angel. This star is referred to in 9:1 by the pronoun "him."  Some think that this angel is Satan but it is unlikely that God would entrust the key of the bottomless pit to Satan or to any fallen angel. Apparently, the Lord Jesus Christ gave one of His angels the key, since we are told in Revelation 1:18 that Jesus has the keys to death and hades. With this key, the angel unlocks the "bottomless pit."

The "bottomless pit"(lit. shaft of the Abyss) is the abode of Satan (Rev 9:11; 20:1-3), the Beast (Rev 11:7; 17:8), and some demons (cf. Luke 8:31; 2 Pet 2:4; Jude 6). It is evidently a preliminary prison, not their final abode, which is the Lake of Fire (Rev 19:20; 20:10; cf. Matt. 25:41).

It is important to note that God is the One who grants authority to Christ, angels, and evil beings. Nothing occurs without His divine permission.

• In 9:2, God’s angel "opened the bottomless pit, and smoke went up out of the pit." In Revelation "smoke" usually relates to judgment, doom, and torment (9:17, 18; 18:9; 19:3; cf. Gen 19:28; Exod 19:18). This is confirmed by the rest of the verse that states the smoke went up "like the smoke of a great furnace; and the sun and the air were darkened by the smoke of the pit." The smoke blocks the sun and the air (like smog or forest fires now).

BRING UP-TO-DATE:

What Was Our Lord Jesus Doing?

1 Peter 3:18-22
New International Version (NIV)

• 18 For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God. He was put to death in the body but made alive in the Spirit. 19 After being made alive,[a] he went and made proclamation to the imprisoned spirits— 20 to those who were disobedient long ago when God waited patiently in the days of Noah while the ark was being built. In it only a few people, eight in all, were saved through water, 21 and this water symbolizes baptism that now saves you also—not the removal of dirt from the body but the pledge of a clear conscience toward God.[b] It saves you by the resurrection of Jesus Christ, 22 who has gone into heaven and is at God’s right hand—with angels, authorities and powers in submission to him.

Note:

• In the New Testament, the word spirits are used to describe angels or demons, not human beings. In 1 Peter 3:20, Peter refers to people as "souls" (KJV).

Peter does not tell us what Jesus proclaimed to the imprisoned spirits, but it could not be a message of redemption since angels cannot be saved (Hebrews 2:16). It was probably a declaration of victory over Satan and his hosts (1 Peter 3:22; Colossians 2:15). Ephesians 4:8–10 also seems to give a clue regarding Jesus’ activities in the time between His death and resurrection. Quoting Psalm 68:18, Paul says about Christ, "when he ascended on high, he took many captives" (Ephesians 4:8). The ESV puts it that Christ "led a host of captives." The reference seems to be that, in paradise, Jesus gathered all the redeemed who were there and took them to their permanent dwelling in heaven.

• I don’t proclaim to be an authority of scripture, and I suppose that I will be studying the WORD of GOD forever because the Bible isn’t fully clear what exactly Christ did for the three days between His death and resurrection. But, from what "I" can understand, He comforted the departed saints and brought them to their eternal home, and He proclaimed His victory over the fallen angels who are kept in prison…Oh, hallelujah! Further still, we can know for certain is that Jesus was not giving anyone a second chance for salvation; we face judgment after death (Hebrews 9:27), not a second chance. Likewise, He was not suffering in hell; His work of redemption was finished on the cross (John 19:30).

We know that Jesus’ soul and spirit went back to the tomb and retrieved His body. That’s what Easter is all about. Only His physical body had been transformed into a new physical body that was made to exist in both the spirit world and the physical world. The spirits and souls of the righteous dead that were released from paradise in the earth went with Him. Matthew 27:52-53 tells us this event. "The tombs broke open and the bodies of many holy people who had died were raised to life. They came out of the tombs, and after Jesus’ resurrection they went into the holy city and appeared to many people."

The righteous dead were not only released from Sheol or Hades but, their bodies were released from death just like Jesus’ body was…….to be cont’d

In Christ,

Janet Irene Thomas

Playwright/Screen Writer/Director

Published Author/Gospel Lyricist &Producer

FOUNDER/CEO

Bible Stories Theatre of

Fine & Performing Arts

www.biblestoriestheatre.org.