A Word from THE WORD
Good Morning Happy Church,
Today is Tuesday, May 10th, 2016. Today is the 131st Day of 2016.
Today is Steve and Karen Dietderich’s Wedding Anniversary.
There are only 235 days left in this year; and, there are only 40 days left until Father’s Day!
Paradise – Before and After the Cross
Before the death of Jesus Christ on the cross for our sins, when the people of God died their soul and spirit went to a place called “Paradise” which was half of the place of the dead called, “Hades”.
The unsaved dead were imprisoned in the other half with a great and impassable gulf between the two places.
Luke 16:19-31
19 “There was a rich man who was clothed in purple and fine linen and who feasted sumptuously every day.
20 And at his gate was laid a poor man named Lazarus, covered with sores,
21 who desired to be fed with what fell from the rich man’s table. Moreover, even the dogs came and licked his sores.
22 The poor man died and was carried by the angels to Abraham’s side. The rich man also died and was buried,
23 and in Hades, being in torment, he lifted up his eyes and saw Abraham far off and Lazarus at his side.
24 And he called out, ‘Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus to dip the end of his finger in water and cool my tongue, for I am in anguish in this flame.’
25 But Abraham said, ‘Child, remember that you in your lifetime received your good things, and Lazarus in like manner bad things; but now he is comforted here, and you are in anguish.
26 And besides all this, between us and you a great chasm has been fixed, in order that those who would pass from here to you may not be able, and none may cross from there to us.’
27 And he said, ‘Then I beg you, father, to send him to my father’s house—
28 for I have five brothers—so that he may warn them, lest they also come into this place of torment.’
29 But Abraham said, ‘They have Moses and the Prophets; let them hear them.’
30 And he said, ‘No, father Abraham, but if someone goes to them from the dead, they will repent.’
31 He said to him, ‘If they do not hear Moses and the Prophets, neither will they be convinced if someone should rise from the dead.’”
Following His death on the cross, Jesus went into Hades, (the abode of the spirits of the dead) preached to the unsaved dead, (1st Peter 3:18-19) and then took Paradise and His people with Him to the third heaven!
Ephesians 4:7-10
7 “But grace was given to each one of us according to the measure of Christ’s gift.
8 Therefore it says, “When he ascended on high he led a host of captives, and he gave gifts to men.”
9 (In saying, “He ascended,” what does it mean but that he had also descended into the lower regions, the earth?
10 He who descended is the one who also ascended far above all the heavens, that he might fill all things.)”
“Paradise” in now in the Third Heaven with Jesus.
Take note that in eternity the dead maintain the five senses: they see, speak, feel, etc., and they know the people who are there with them.
Since Jesus took Paradise to Heaven with HIM, I do not think people in heaven can any longer see and hear the people in Hell; but, they surely can see, know, and speak with the people in Heaven.
One day, either by death or rapture, you and I who believe in Jesus will join them there.
OH HAPPY DAY.
Do not miss the opportunity for Mid-Week Bible Study… Wednesdays at 6:30 – 8:00pm, we are studying the Second Coming of Jesus and the events that follow into the Eternal State.
Each evening features a stand-alone lesson, so if you can’t make them all; catch as many as you can.
Carpe Diem!
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