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Christ stretching his saving arms to the people in Hades
(Greek Orthodox Icon, Turkey)
Christians
go to Heaven after death, and non-Christians go to
Hades.
Hades has been very frequently confused with Hell. The two are not
the same. Hades [also known as Sheol] is
temporary; while Hell is final. Hades receives
non-believers, who stay there until the final judgment; Hell
is the final destination for non-believers after the Judgment.
The Bible says that the Gospel of Jesus exists
for those in Hades as well (Philippians
2:10-11), and that in the time
near the end of the world, voices of praise and worship to God will be heard
from Hades (Revelation 5:13). How
should we interpret these verses?
Hades is Not Hell
Hades is the world where non-Christians go after
death. It is different from Hell, because the Bible says in Revelation 20:14, "Then death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire.
The lake of fire (=Hell) is the second death."
This passage describes a scene from the end of the world when the old Heaven
and old Earth pass away, when the new Heaven and new Earth are soon to come,
and when all non-Christians, who are now in Hades, are brought out before
God's court to be judged. Final destinies will be determined and after that, the empty Hades will be abandoned and thrown into "the lake of fire," which
is another name for Hell. Since this is what the Bible says,
then how can Hades possibly be one and the same as
Hell? The two are totally and completely different.
Since the Middle Ages, during which the Church suffered heavy corruption, Hades has come to be confused with Hell,
but they are not the same. Hades is a temporary place that receives
non-Christians until God's final judgment of the end of the world, while Hell
is reserved for after Judgment, for those who
continue to reject God.
People are being taught that Christians go to Heaven
after death, and that non-Christians will go to Hell right after death. This
is misleading and not Biblical. The Bible clearly separates the temporary and
the permanent destinations for both Christians and non-Christians.
Christians go to Heaven after death, and they temporarily live in a spiritual
state without a body in heaven. But when the new Heaven and new Earth
replace the old, believers will receive a new and eternal body, which is their final state.
Non-Christians, on the other hand, go to Hades after death, where they remain
until God's final judgment of the end of the world. So,
Hades is their interim
destination. At His court of judgment, God will determine
their final destiny: either the kingdom of God [new Heaven and
new Earth] or "the lake of fire" [Hell].
Before Christ, All who died Went to Hades (Sheol)
Hades is a Greek word which
means world of the dead; the Hebrew word Sheol
matches this meaning entirely. Some claim that Hades of the New Testament has
a slightly different meaning from Sheol, but the
terms are identical in meaning.
Each citation of the Hebrew word Sheol in the Old
Testament is translated as Hades in the Septuaginta,
which was the
authorized Greek translation of the same, and
widely read among Greek Jews in the time of Jesus.
Hades is thus a mere
Greek translation of Sheol.
In times before Christ, Sheol, that is the same as
Hades, was known as the world where all dead people went. Both believers and
non-believers went there. For example, when Jacob, forefather
of Israelites, heard the news that his beloved son Joseph had died, Jacob
said: "in mourning will I
go down to Sheol to my son."
(Genesis 37:35)
In Jacobs understanding, Joseph went to Sheol, in spite of his
pious faith in God. It was a
general understanding
among Jews that all those who died go down to Sheol. Obviously, Sheol is not
Heaven, for it is said to be under the earth. Sheol is not Hell either, since it was a destination for
believers as much as it was for non-believers. Before Christ, Sheol was thus the world for all the dead. (See also Psalm 88:3, Ecclesiastes
9:10, and I Samuel 28:13.)
Not only the wicked, but the righteous (including
Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, Isaiah, Jeremiah and all believers and
prophets) were also destined for Sheol after death,
because it was before Jesus died on the cross. The ancient Jews taught that a
vast Sheol was divided
into several parts: one for the righteous (believers of God), and other
parts for the wicked (non-believers).
The Rich Man Went to Hades, Not Hell
The Book of Enoch, written long before Christ,
was widely familiar and read among Jews, including Jesus disciples. In the
New Testament, the Epistle of Jude verses 14-15 refer back to The Book of Enoch
1:9. This book refers to Sheol as divided into 4
parts: one for souls of the righteous, and the other 3 for that of the
unrighteous. According to their deeds performed on earth, people are each taken to the one division of Sheol
they most deserve. The division for the righteous offers more comfort and
less torment, but the other parts host greater degrees of torment and a
lesser degree of comfort.
Jesus told a story familiarly known as "The
Rich Man and Lazarus" (Luke 16:19-31), depicting certain events that
happened in Sheol, or Hades. The New International
Version (NIV) offers the following translation of Luke 16:22-23:
"The rich man also died and was buried. In hell, where he
was in torment..." In this passage, "hell" is a misleading
translation because the original Greek text is Hades. The rich man went to "the place of torment" (16:28) in Hades, not Hell.
Lazarus went to the place where Abraham had gone, which is the place of comfort in Hades, Greek word for Sheol. As mentioned, all souls went to Sheol (Hades), to one of its divisions. So my point is, this story is set neither in Heaven nor in
Hell; the setting is Sheol (Hades).
The rich man was in Hades, not in Hell.
It seems that the
place of torment where the rich man went is the division of greatest
torment. Even so, the severest torment in Sheol
must have been far lighter than what awaits in Hell. For one thing, the rich
man was able to converse with Abraham, requiring functional intelligence. The
torment that characterizes Hell is so severe that conversations would be out
of the question.
Sheol
(Hades) could be likened to a custody cell, and Hell
would be more like prison. A
custody cell holds the suspect until trial, and prison is
reserved for the convicted criminal. Likewise, Sheol
(Hades) retains souls of the dead until God's final judgment; Hell is prepared for the destruction after that.
One could say that Abraham and Lazarus went to the division of Sheol reserved for believers. It was the division of
relative comfort, but lacking the joy
and glory promised
in Heaven. This relative comfort in Sheol
could be similar to what a person experiences when
going to bed and resting at night, but Heaven,
which is full of Joy and happiness, is promised for Christians.
Believers Who Lived Before Christ Are Now In Heaven
The story, told by Jesus, of Lazarus and the
Rich Man can be understood not as a parable, but as a true story,
because it specifies both Abraham and Lazarus by name. When characters are specified by name in the Bible, it is always a true story. Jesus told many
parables, but never told parables specifically naming his characters and settings.
He always told parables, generalizing his characters and settings,
saying "one man" or "in a place."
On the other hand, when Jesus told stories by name, they were all true accounts.
For instance, when Jesus told, "even Solomon in
all his glory was not arrayed like one of these" (Matthew 6:29), it was
not a parable, but a true story. When Jesus told, "David did when he was
hungry, he and those who were with him" (Matthew 12:3), it was a true
story. Thus, stories of Jesus by name were all
true ones. Jesus told, in the story of Lazarus and the Rich Man, with naming
Abraham and Lazarus, a historical fact of Sheol set during Old Testament times.
But
today, Abraham, Lazarus, the prophets, and all the other believers who lived
in Old Testament times are no longer
in Sheol, but in Heaven. The New Testament observes:
When he (Jesus) ascended on high, he led captives in his train and gave gifts to men. (Ephesians 4:8-9)
When Jesus ascended into Heaven, "he led captives (in his train)."
Who are these "captives"? Evil spirits?
No, Jesus did not lead evil spirits to Heaven. The captives are humans and
Jesus "gave gifts to men." One translation of the Bible refers to
the people in Hades as "spirits in prison" (I Peter 3:19) and in
yet another translation, "spirits in captivity." Those who ascended
to Heaven with Jesus at his ascension were captives held hostage in Hades.
In the eyes of his disciples, Jesus appeared to ascend alone from the Mount
of Olives, but actually, a multitude of spirits from Hades are thought to
have been with Jesus. Saints, prophets, and believers who had
been held hostage in Hades ascended with Jesus. They are now in
Heaven.
Confusion of Hades with Hell
Since Jesus ascension, Christians go to Heaven
after death, and non-Christians go to Hades, or Sheol.
The apostle Paul thought that when he was drawn out
of his body, he would be with Christ in Heaven (II Corinthians 5:8). The book
of Revelation mentions the Christian martyrs in Heaven directly conversing
with the Lord (6:9-11, 8:3). Thus, Christians go directly to Heaven after
death, neither to Hades, nor through Hades, because Christ has redeemed them.
Not so for non-Christians, for Hades remains wide
open as ever for dead souls in general, until Gods final judgment. Each
unbelieving soul is taken to an appropriate division
of Hades, according to their deeds done on earth, and rewarded or avenged
accordingly by God.
All unbelieving souls now bide their time in Hades, or Sheol.
Hell remains vacant. Hell awaits, ready and prepared (Matthew 25:41), but
will remain vacant until after the final judgment. Only then will the damned be thrown into Hell.
The original Greek word for Hell is "Gehenna"
(Matthew 5:29). It is also referred to as "the
lake of fire." The Bible mentions Hell to be the place of eternal
torment (Revelation 20:10) and the final destination for non-believers.
In the 17th century, a translation error in the authorized King James Version (KJV) resulted in
confusing Hades with Hell. Hades was translated into Hell. Even
today, certain English translations still contain the
same mistake. The original
Greek text clearly states that the
rich man went to Hades after death (Luke 16:23);
however, some English translations, including the Living Bible, a best seller in the USA and many other countries, so simply interpret that the rich man went to Hell.
This fundamental error has emerged to be the source of an on-going confusion
that plagues the Christian world.
Many people still think that non-Christians promptly go to Hell after death.
Nonetheless, the Bible clearly states that Hell is for the subjects of the
final judgment of the end of the world. Non-Christians interim destination
continues to be the same old Hades until the end.
We must not confuse Hades with Hell. Such confusion is the source of every
misunderstanding about the world of the dead.
The Gospel
Exists for those in Hades as well
The non-Christians who have passed away now
reside in Hades, or Sheol, and at the end of the
world, God's final judgment will determine their final destiny. Does this
mean all of them will go to Hell? Or, will any of
them be saved and delivered to God's kingdom?
The Bible clearly states in
Philippians 2:10-11 that the Gospel of Christ is not only for the people on
earth, but also for those in Hades:
"that at the name of Jesus every
knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth,
and that every tongue should confess
that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father." (NKJV)
The Gospel of Jesus is not only for the living, but also for "those under the earth," which is the Bibles
special way of referring to the souls of Hades!
The
passage cited above is taken from the New King James
Version, but several other English translations omit the part about "of
those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth,"
in spite that the original Greek text has that part. The
Gospel is for the people of Hades as well, so that they may confess, Jesus Christ
is Lord, which is the confession that saves people. The Bible says:
If you confess with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believe in your heart that God raised
him from the dead, you will be saved. (Romans 10:9)
Romans 14:9 also teaches:
"Christ died and rose and lived
again, that He might be Lord of both
the dead and the living."
Christ's crucifixion, resurrection and salvation are
not only for the living, but also for the dead, including
the dead people in Hades,
so that they may confess, Jesus is Lord, and be saved.
In addition, according to Revelation 5:13, in
the end times, voices will be heard from the depths of Hades praising and
worshipping God:
"Then I heard every creature in
heaven and on earth and under
the earth and on the sea, and all that is in them, singing: To him who sits on the
throne and to the Lamb be praise and
honor and glory and power, for ever and
ever!" (NIV)
Every English translation of this verse includes the part "under the
earth," i.e., Hades. If Hades were confused with Hell in this context,
one may struggle to understand. In the end times, voices of
praise and worship will be heard from Hades.
This does not necessarily mean that all souls in Hades will be saved, for the Greek word for every sometimes does not mean all
in the strict sense of the word, but rather means very many. (See Luke
7:29, Acts 2:47, etc.) In the end times, very many people, who repented and
got to believe in Jesus in Hades, will praise and sing, To God and Christ be praise and honor and glory and power.
They are not evil spirits or people destined to perish, for the Bible does
not record any of them praising God in any verses. They are people who
repented in Hades and got to believe in Jesus, for in the Revelation the
people who are called to praise God are servants of God. (See Revelation
19:5)
Very many people in Hades are thus finally to be saved.
But on the other hand, there are also many who are
to perish. Christ taught:
"Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the
road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it." (Matthew
7:13)
It is easy to walk on the road that
leads to destruction. The gate of the road is wide open for them. People have
to be very careful for finding the road that leads to eternal life, both on
earth or in Hades. Not a few people in Hades cannot repent even in the
opportunity to have faith and receive Gods salvation, and will finally face eternal damnation in Hell. There
are thus two kinds of people in Hades; one is the people who repent, believe
in Jesus praising God, and the other the people who do not repent and finally
go to Hell.
These verses from
Philippians, Romans and Revelation
mentioned above have been often ignored,
attributed to either careless negligence or indifferent disregard.
Regardless, those who do the ignoring often dismiss the idea as heresy. Naturally if this is heresy, then we who probe in search
of truth are labeled heretics, which is objectionable. We are not called to ignore Bible verses, but to rejoice in
and preach the entire Gospel, which declares Gods inclusive Grace for even
the inhabitants of Hades.
Bible Verses Speak about the Second Chance
Living in this world is the first chance
to hear the Gospel and believe in Christ, but there are
many who did not hear it in their lives. So, there is the second chance
for them to be saved in the world after death, as I mentioned above referring to Philippians 2:10-11, Romans
10:9 and Revelation 5:13.
The following verses also testify that there is the
second chance.
"I (Christ) tell you the truth, a time is
coming and has now come when the
dead will hear the voice of the Son of God and those who hear will live...
a time is coming when all who are in their graves will hear his voice."
(John 5:25, 28)
Many Bible commentaries interpret "the dead" as spiritually dead
people, or sinners. It surely means that, but not only that, "all who
are in their graves" shows that "the dead" also means
physically dead people. They are now in Hades but "will hear the voice
of Christ," and those who hear will "live," which, when Christ
says, always means to live in eternal life or to be saved. (Matthew 4:4,
22:32, Romans 1:17, 1 Peter 4:6)
And the Bible says in Ruth 2:20:
"'The LORD bless him!' Naomi said to her
daughter-in-law. 'He has not
stopped showing his kindness to the living and the dead.'"
It is wrong to think that God is not merciful to the dead in Hades. Human
being is the object of God's love, so are the people in Hades.
The Bible tells that God relents according to man's
attitude.
"if that nation I warned repents of its evil,
then I will relent and not inflict
on it the disaster I had planned."(Jeremiah 18:8)
"Rend your heart and not your garments. Return to the LORD your God, for
he is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in love, and he relents from sending calamity. (Joel 2:13)
God judges both the living and the dead by righteousness and mercy. According
to man's attitude, He relents and rethinks of the disaster He planned to him.
If He would relent to the living, He would also relent to the dead. Thinking
of this, Job once said in sufferings:
"If only you (God) would hide me
in the grave and conceal me till your anger has passed! If only you would
set me a time and then remember me! ...You will call and I will answer you;
...Surely then you will count my steps but not keep track of my sin. My
offenses will be sealed up in a bag; you
will cover over my sin." (Job 14:13-17)
Job was a believer of God but experienced great sufferings, and felt he was
perishing similarly like a non-believer. The only hope he got was the second
chance after his death. He believed in God who is merciful and relents to the
dead.
Prophet Jonah once preached to the people of Nineveh, "Yet forty days,
and Nineveh shall be overthrown!" (Jonah 3:4) These were unchangeable
Gods words, and it seemed inevitable that all Ninevehs people would soon
perish. However, the people repented and God relented toward the people. God
did not destroy them. God is thus the one who gives man a chance to repent.
God is merciful toward those in repentance, not only of the living, but also
of the dead.
Why is there a
Temporary Place for Non-Believers?
Through our faith, God guarantees us our
salvation while we are still living. This is very significant. As a result,
we are given the benefit of living in blessed
awareness as children of God. No such life is available in Hades. That is why
our faith in Christ is so important to us while we abide on earth, and also why we ought to start living our lives that
reveals Gods glory.
To experience salvation while still alive on earth would be the most
desirable. On the other hand, many have never heard the Gospel of Christ, not
even once. Still others may have never had the opportunity to secure their
faith. Would they be turned away at the gates of
Heaven for that?
No! As we have seen, the Gospel of
Christ is available to those captives in Hades as well. Revelation
chapter 20 describes Gods final judgment of those in Hades:
"death and Hades gave up the dead that were in them, and each person was
judged according to what he had done." (20:13)
This passage describes how all the dead will be brought before the court,
and how God Himself will judge them according to "the book of
life."
"If anyone's name was not found written in the book of life, he was
thrown into the lake of fire." (20:15)
The book of life" lists the
names of all who believed. This of course suggests that anyone whose name
is not found in it is destined to spend eternity
suffering in Hell. And anyone whose name is found in
it will inherit God's kingdom.
Why does it say that the book of life
will be used to judge people in Hades? If there were no potential believers
among the people in Hades, then for what purpose would God need His list of names? Rather, the book of life is
mentioned here precisely because it will be needed to identify and
separate converts from the others.
Some claim all those in Hades will go to Hell
when judged. But why? If it were already determined
from the beginning, then there is simply no need for God to judge each person
individually, much less is there any need for the book of life to be introduced. If that were the case, would it not suffice
for God to make a clean sweep of Hades, to mindlessly transfer all the people
to Hell without a trial. If that were the case, then
even Hades would have been hardly necessary.
What purpose did God have in mind for Hades when He made and designated it a
temporary storage of the dead until His judgment? Why will God hold a trial
for the people of Hades? Why will the book of life (the
list of believers) be needed in court? These questions all demand an
answer, and the answer is because the people of Hades are all potential
believers who God wants saved and taken to His kingdom. Not a few people of Hades, who are listed
in the book of life, will then be brought to Heaven after the final judgment.
"Second Chance" is Not an Obstacle for
Evangelism
The number of people who oppose this
interpretation of the Gospel is certainly not small. They see it as an
obstacle, directly conflicting with their idea of winning souls. They think
presenting a second opportunity for salvation after death would cause people
to lose any sense of urgency to seek change, and to receive salvation here
and now. They say, People may think I will do what I
like as long as I live, and then ask Gods forgiveness after I die. But we wouldnt want them to think that. So, let us not make any mention of the second chance.
However, this kind of anxiety exposes a misrepresentation
of the Gospel. Suppose you are non-Christian. If you repent and accept
Jesus as your personal Savior while you are still alive, the Bible promises
life abounding in joy, as a child of God. The Bible also promises life even
beyond death, in communion with God.
But if you do not repent during your lifetime, your
independence from Gods will inevitably warrant
your lifeless consequences of Hades. According to
your lifestyle, the seeds you sowed on earth, there you will reap them (Galatians 6:7). You will suffer during your time in
Hades. Even if you did repent in Hades, you would not be relieved of your
circumstances until God's final judgment.
Which is better? Which would you choose? I choose to repent, believe in Christ and receive Gods salvation and His blessings
which are given here and now,
for the benefits to receive them on
earth are too great to refuse. I want to walk on earth in Gods grace
until I die. I want to walk in His blessings as long as I
live, being a child of God. I think you would do the
same, if you get to know His amazing
salvation. The Gospel of Christ is not
only for the eternal life after death, but also for making our lives on earth
abundant and fruitful.
Therefore, if we get to know the wonderfulness of the Gospel of Christ, it is
impossible for us to postpone our repentance beyond death. Repenting on earth is clearly far more excellent than waiting until I am in
Hades to do so. If
we talk enough about this and wonderfulness of the Gospel
which makes our lives on earth happy, seekers would never postpone
their repentance, but choose to repent now on earth. The thought of the
second chance to be an obstacle of evangelism is
merely a misinterpretation of His
Gospel.
I once asked Christian believers, Do you think that it is a wise policy for
you to repent after you die? Then, a woman answered, Now that I know the wonderfulness of Jesus, I cant help but believe
in Him here on earth. I want to live with Jesus. Her answer shows that
she has a full understanding of the Gospel. Thus, if we preach the benefits
to live with Jesus on earth, no one would think that it is a wise policy to
postpone the repentance. If I see a man say, The thought of the second
chance is an obstacle for evangelism, I doubt if he really knows the Gospel
fully or not.
In addition, denying the second chance for the dead people in Hades has ever presented major difficulties to evangelism, especially in the East, for a
vast majority of ancestors of Oriental civilizations never had the chance to
hear the Gospel of Christ. People of Eastern cultures revere
their ancestors very much. One Japanese person who chose against becoming a
Christian writes:
"I asked a Christian missionary, 'Where are my ancestors?' He answered,
'In Hell." So I asked again, 'Is there any way
to save them from there?' He replied, 'No way.' When I heard it, I decided
not to become a Christian. Western person is generally individualistic, and
he may be able to become a Christian even knowing that his ancestors are in
Hell. But I don't want to go to Heaven alone when
all of my ancestors are in Hell with no hope. I don't want to believe in God
who does such an unreasonable thing."
Everyone in the East understands this sentiment. Denying the second chance in
Hades has ever kept
people from knowing Christ. Furthermore, this denial is
based on the confusion of Hades with Hell, a prime heresy of Bible interpretations.
Why Christ Descended To Hades
Jesus once said to His disciples, Go
into all the world and preach the Gospel to every creature (Mark 16:15). The
Gospel must be preached to everyone who once lived on earth. It is impossible for Jesus to
ignore the people who already descended to Hades without any opportunity on
earth to hear the Gospel. If there were no way to preach the Gospel to them,
his words would go in vain.
However, the Gospel was preached in Hades. Jesus descended to Hades after his death on the cross, as we
confess in the Apostles Creed, and as recorded in Acts 2:27. Jesus stayed in Hades for 3 days, after
which he was raised from the dead. What did he do
during those three days in Hades? The Bible says:
"For Christ died for sins once for all, the righteous for the
unrighteous, to bring you to God. He was put to death in the body but made
alive by the Spirit, through whom also he went and preached to the spirits in prison (Hades) who disobeyed long ago when God waited patiently in the
days of Noah while the ark was being built. the gospel was preached even to those who are now dead."
(I Peter 3:18-20, 4:6)
Christ descended to Hades and preached his Gospel there.
This passage is taken from the New International
Version, but in the original Greek, "the gospel was preached even to
those who are now dead" is "the gospel was preached even to the dead."
"Who are now" is not in the original Greek, especially
"now" is an addition of the translator. American Standard Version
correctly translates it into "(unto this end) was the gospel preached
even to the dead." Everyone reading this passage may simply think that
Jesus preached his Gospel to the souls in Hades.
Well-known English scholar Dr. William Berkley, who
reads the New Testament in the original Greek, also writes that these Bible
verses clearly indicate Christ's preaching of the
Gospel in Hades. Rev. Yoshinobu
Kumazawa, the president of the Tokyo Union
Theological Seminary, also interprets these verses as Christs
preaching of the Gospel in Hades.
A great majority of scholars, however, has since long ago insisted on various conflicting
interpretations. One such interpretation is that in Hades, Jesus preached condemnation, instead
of the Gospel. Another is that these verses refer not to Jesus' preaching in
Hades, but to Noahs preaching to the people in Noahs time who are now in
Hades. Many other interpretations also emerged.
The prime reason for these interpretations emerging is the basic confusion of Hades with Hell.
They thought, Jesus
went to Hell. There is no opportunity
for anyone to be saved there.
We cant think that Jesus preached the Gospel in Hell. He must have preached, instead of the Gospel,
condemnation there. Thus, a desperate effort was made to fabricate some acceptable interpretations, ignoring the Biblical meaning.
But Jesus actually
went to Hades, not Hell. He "preached" in
Hades. Furthermore, the original Greek word for "preach" mentioned here at the verse I Peter 3:19 is "kerusso," which, in the Bible, is used always in the context of "preach
the Gospel." For instance,
"preaching the good news of the kingdom" (Matthew 4:23),
"preach the kingdom of God"
(Luke 9:2) (as well as in Acts 9:20, Romans 10:8, I Corinthians 1:23,
Galatians 2:2, II Timothy 4:2, etc.). There
are many others.
Some people assert that "kerusso"
means to condemn; however, this
is wrong. Not one
citation of this term is used in that context in the
Bible. The term is reserved for preaching Good
News. Furthermore, several verses after this, we read "the gospel was preached even to the dead."
(I Peter 4:6) It is the most
natural comprehension that these verses speak of Christs preaching of
the Gospel in Hades.
Other people interpret these verses as Noahs preaching to the people in
Noahs time, and Jesus was in Noahs preaching
spiritually. They say that this was not a preaching in Hades, but preaching
on earth in ancient time. What a complex interpretation they invented! It
would be impossible to interpret so, unless we twist the Bible verses in many
parts.
They Who Died Before the Great Flood Heard the Message of Christ
During Christs stay
in Hades, not everyone there heard his message. The
Bible verses in I Peter indicate that Christ
preached only
to those who had "disobeyed" at the time of
the Great Flood of Noah, which had occurred about
1600 years after the creation of Adam and Eve.
Considering a person's life span prior to the Great Flood was nearly 1000 years, most people who had
been born before the Flood were alive until the time of the Flood. They died in the Flood and went to Hades. They listened
to the message of Jesus who descended there.
While Jesus was in Hades, he preached to the dead who had been only before the Great Flood of
Noah, which occurred around 2400 B.C. An
approximate time of 2400 years had passed since
they died, before
they were given the opportunity to hear the Gospel.
In other words, they were confined in Hades for a
time much longer than the time they had spent alive on earth.
This could mean that, even if souls in Hades were given
an opportunity to repent and to be redeemed, it would quite definitely not be
soon after their deaths. The person would have to spend many more days in
Hades than the days of his/her life on earth before he/she is
given another chance to hear the Gospel.
The opportunity for salvation in Hades is granted
only after many long years of reaping. So in this
respect as well, we cannot honestly say, "It's a fine idea to do as I
please here on earth, and to repent and receive Christs salvation after I
die." Now is our chance to receive it, while we are living and breathing
here on earth.
Christ stretching his saving arms to the people in Hades
(Orthodox Icon, the 14th century)
Then, when will
those who died after the Great Flood be able to hear
the Gospel? The Bible says, in Revelation chapter 11, that two prophets of God will
testify in Jerusalem during the time of great tribulation, as the day of
Christs second coming approaches. As indicated, the prophets will be killed by the "beast" (tyrant), but 3 days and a half later,
they will be raised and taken "up to Heaven."
Where will they spend the 3 days and a half? Since they are destined for
Heaven after their resurrection, they will not go to Heaven during their
death, but to Hades. They will prophesy and proclaim the Gospel of Christ,
like Jesus himself did 2000 years ago, to the souls
in Hades. It is very likely that those who died after the Flood will hear
their Gospel at that time.
Why Should We Believe in Christ Now?
Will everyone in Hades repent? No, not everyone. The Bible says, "the Gospel was
preached even to the dead, so that they might live according to God in
regard to the spirit."
(I Peter 4:6) This means
that Christ preached the Gospel in Hades to save souls, when some responded and were saved by accepting Christs invitation, but the Bible also clearly
prophesies that the number of souls who
will finally perish in Hell is not small. Some of those in Hades will be saved, but not a small number of people will
finally perish. They,
who choose not to take advantage of their second chance in Hades, will surely perish in Hell.
Why does not everyone believe in the Savior and receive salvation? Hades is a
place of suffering, and the people there should know much more about
spiritual things than we do. Do you think it is easy for them to have faith
in the Lord?
Faith is not a mere belief that God exists, or
mere knowledge about God. James says, "You believe that there is one
God. Good! Even the demons believe that -- and shudder." (James 2:19)
The demons know and believe, but they don't have
faith in God.
Demons also know that Jesus is the Savior (Mark 5:7), but neither do they
have faith in him. Thus, faith is not only believing and knowing about God
and Christ. It is more than that. Faith is to love, obey, and live with God
and Christ with all your heart, mind, and energy.
In Hades, ones attitude toward God is all naked and all known. That is how those who have faith will be
distinguished from those who do not. If
you choose not to
repent during your lifetime, you will end up going to Hades, and will never know if you can surely repent there and if you can show your
loyalty to God, who knows everything in your heart.
If you hear the Gospel while you
are alive, it is the best opportunity for you to believe and repent, for your decision to have faith today
in God and Christ will give you forgiveness of all your sins you committed,
happiness as a child of God, power to overcome troubles of your life,
blessings to lead your life and eternal life which lasts even beyond death.
Question 1
The Bible says that Christ descended to Hades (Acts
2:31), but when Christ was suffering on the cross, he said to the criminal
next to him, "today you will be with me in paradise." How does this
make sense?
"Paradise"
in the Bible has two meanings. One is the kingdom
of Heaven
(Revelation 2:7). The other is the state of being in communion with Christ,
for Christ is the "reality" of the kingdom
of God
and the things to come (Colossians 2:17). The source of love, of life, and of
grace in the kingdom of Heaven is Christ.
So in this second meaning, to be with Christ is to
experience paradise. The criminal, who suffered on the cross next to Jesus,
surely went to Hades after death, but he went with Christ, which, according
to this meaning, was his experience of paradise.
Some people think that "paradise" is a place of comfort in Hades
where Abraham and Lazarus went. And yet, Christ
visits the depths of suffering in Hades (I Peter 3:19-20). So,
"paradise" here is understood not to be a
place, but a state of being with Christ.
Question 2
What is the destiny of the rich man in the
story of "The Rich Man and Lazarus" (Luke 16:19-31)?
The rich man said to Abraham, "I beg you,
father, send Lazarus to my father's house, for I have five brothers. Let him
warn them, so that they will not also come to this place of torment."
(16:27-28)
His request was not granted, but note how he was motivated by love. The rich
man wanted Lazarus (not the rich man himself) to go to his brothers, because
he was concerned for their sake, for the sake of his brothers who are still
living selfishly.
These words of the rich man demonstrate his repentance, kindness, and love.
He would gain nothing,
personally, by saying this, but he spoke out of love for his brothers. There is
no reason to think that God would not have pity on this broken-hearted
person.
As mentioned already, this true story occurred in the times of the Old
Testament, because it personally addresses Abraham and Lazarus by name. I
imagine Jesus was moved at heart when he witnessed
this from Heaven. I think the rich man's unselfish attitude made a lasting
impression on Jesus.
And as mentioned above, the Bible speaks of the two prophets from God who will be killed in Jerusalem just before
Christs second coming; they will then descend to Hades and stay there for 3
days and a half (Revelation 11:3). They will prophesy and preach the Gospel
of Christ to the people in Hades.
I suggest it is very probable that the rich man will hear the Gospel at that
time, repent and receive Gods mercy, and be saved.
If so, it is no wonder even if he will be declared
righteous by God at the final judgment, and at last enter into the new
Heaven and the new Earth.
Jesus once told a story of a Pharisee and a tax collector (Luke 18:9-14), in
which the tax collector would not even look up to heaven, but beat his
breast and said, God, have mercy on me, a sinner. Jesus said that he went
home justified before God. I identify the rich man's heart to have been very similar to that of the
tax collector.
Question 3
I was pregnant 3 years ago, but I had to make an
abortion. Where is the child now?
Aborted children are now in Heaven with Christ,
for He said: "unless you change and become like
little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. See that you do
not look down on one of these little ones. For I tell you that their angels
in heaven always see the face of my Father in heaven." (Matthew 18:3,
10)
In other words, little children will enter the kingdom
of Heaven,
for Gods angels guard and guide their souls. Especially embryos, fetuses,
and babies who became victims are no doubt in Heaven now by the mercy of God.
They are with God, in the peace and joy of His presence, but indeed they lost their lives on earth. Could
the abortion have been avoided? If your convenient decision took an
innocent life, then God eagerly awaits your repentance. Ask Him about your
child.
If you are grateful to God for receiving your child into Heaven, then your
life would increasingly reflect that attitude, and expressing your faith in
God would take an increasingly higher priority. You must live more for God
also for your childs sake. If you do not, then you will not meet your child
after you die, for "unless you change and become like little children,
you will never enter the kingdom of heaven." But
if you live for God, you will meet your child again in Heaven.
Since your child is experiencing the deep comfort of Gods love, I am sure that he/she must be eager to
meet you. God will give the child back to you then, and you and your child
will live happily together in Heaven.
Question 4
Did those who committed suicide go
to Hell?
I believe those who committed suicide are now in
Hades, not Hell. As discussed above, Hell will remain reserved until the
final judgment of the world.
The Bible clearly appears
to divide the human state after death as having two stages, the temporary and
the final. For Christians, the temporary stage is Heaven, and the final stage
is Gods kingdom in the new Heaven and the new Earth. For those who deny
Christ, the temporary stage is Hades (Sheol), and
the final stage is Hell. Those who committed suicide abandoned their life and
mission on earth given to them by God. They go to Hades after death.
Some suicides were committed as a result of an easy
decision. Other suicides were committed in the midst of a pitiful situation.
Only our all-knowing God knows everything of situations and motivations. He
is a merciful God, and deals mercifully according to each situation.
As mentioned in the Bible, it seems that God's two prophets -- who are to be killed
in Jerusalem -- will descend to
Hades for 3 days and a half, where they will preach the Gospel of Christ to
the people there. Those souls who committed suicide may listen to their message at that time and find hope.
Among them, I believe that there
must be souls
who are justified at God's final judgment and brought to the new Heaven and
the new Earth full of happiness and glory.
Question 5
I want to believe in Christ. But
my grandfather and grandmother were not believers of Christ. So were other
ancestors of mine. Where are they now?
They are now in Hades, which is not the same as
Hell. They are now in Gods care, in each
part of Hades, according to the deeds they committed
while they were still alive on earth.
Hades is not the final state, but a temporary condition that will last only
until God's final judgment of the world. The Bible says:
"I, the Lord your God, showing love to a
thousand {generations} of
those who love me and keep my commandments." (Exodus 20:5-6)
So if you love God and keep His commandments, then God will show His love
"to a thousand generations" of yours. You can think that the
"thousand generations" are not only those of the future, but also
those of the past, because, if you live now near the end of the world, then
you don't have a thousand generations in the future. And
the Bible always holds ancestors in high esteem. According
to a Biblical interpretation, your ancestors, you and your descendants are
all one set of generations in Gods mind.
Therefore, the
love and grace of God are directed at not only the
believer, but also at his/her family, relatives, descendants and ancestors. If you love God, then His
grace reaches your deceased relatives and ancestors, who are now in Hades.
I call this the Gospel for Family Line.
I do not mean that all of them will be instantly saved,
but I do believe that
many of them, who would otherwise be lost eternally, may be guided to
acknowledge Christ as Lord and Savior.
For instance, when God destroyed the cities of Sodom
and Gomorrah, the Bible
tells that He saved Abraham's nephew, Lot,
and his family from the destruction because He "remembered Abraham."
(Genesis 19:29) This is an example that God's grace to a righteous man,
Abraham, went not only to Abraham, but also to his relatives.
The Bible also tells of Noahs righteousness, without making any claims as to
character of those in his family. But his entire
immediate family was saved from the Great Flood.
When God blessed Abraham, God
also blessed his son Isaac, as well as his grandson Jacob. When Jacob was
blessed, all of his twelve sons, plus his daughters, were
also blessed, and the blessing reached all his descendants known as the
Israelites.
So God's blessing to a person is not limited to the
individual. If you walk with God now, then you shall
meet many relatives, descendants and ancestors in the
coming kingdom of God.
Question 6
I am a Christian. I often told the Gospel of Christ
to my friend, but the other day he was killed in a
car accident before he confessed his faith in the Lord. What happens to him
now?
If he did not believe before he died, then he
would be in Hades (Sheol) now. But
as discussed above, Hades is temporary, not final.
In Hades, I believe he would remember the Gospel of Christ as he heard from
you, for the memories of the things on earth remain in the souls of Hades. In
fact, in the story of The Rich Man and Lazarus (Luke 16:19-31), the rich man
in Hades remembered his life on earth.
So, I believe your friend in Hades remembers what
you told him. Now that he is in Gods merciful
care, it is likely that he will choose to believe in
the Savior.
Thus, your effort of love will not end fruitlessly. He will be grateful for
your labors, and the day will come when you will see him again. It is very
important that we spread the Gospel regardless of whether or not they
believe.
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