Abraham’s Bosom: Part 4 of 4
(Please be sure you’ve read Parts 1-3 first)
Folks, the record shows there was only ONE ascension into heaven and that was Christ’s!
This also proves there was only ONE resurrection to immortality and that was Christ’s. In order for any of the dead to have ascended into heaven, they would have first needed to be resurrected unto immortality because, as the bible has clearly shown, they were (and are still) dead! But the record only shows ONE resurrection unto immortality and ONE ascension into heaven! Both belonging to Christ alone!
And just for the record, there were other resurrections AFTER the resurrection of Christ, however, Christ’s was still first! But these weren’t the same type of resurrections. Christ’s resurrection was unto incorruptibility and immortality… spiritual! The few resurrections that followed AFTER His, were of a miraculous nature like that of Lazarus and others who had previously been brought back from death to normal life, but would eventually die again some time later. And besides, none of these ever ascended into heaven like Christ did. You can find the record here: Matthew 27: 52-53.
And for the immortal soul theorists, how do you resurrect an immortal soul if it can’t even die in the first place? To resurrect- or resurrection, means to restore to life or bring back to life! In this theory, the soul is what is considered having life and the body is just an inert glob of mud and clay housing this life. The biblical doctrine of a resurrection then destroys your theory of an undying immortal soul! For the resurrection RESTORES life to ONLY that which once (past tense) had it, but has since ceased living! It does not restore life to that which is incapable of life- or that which never had it in the first place.
So one more time, when will we be resurrected and gathered unto Christ?
1Co 15:23 But each in his own order: Christ the first-fruit, and afterward they who are Christ’s at His coming;
Once again, the bible is in agreement as to when we will be gathered to Christ- and that is at His coming!
Now let’s backup a bit:
The phrase, “When He ascended up on high, He led captivity captive and gave gifts to men” is what really throws off so many lacking real solid study.
Is it being implied that Christ held Abraham and other souls as prisoners (captives) and led them away into heaven?
Isn’t Christ the author and authority on free will and free choice? Why would he have to take anyone CAPTIVE to heaven? When one is being taken captive- it is usually against their free will isn’t it?
Isn’t the phrase in question already telling us as to who is being led away as a captive though? Sure it is:
“He led CAPTIVITY captive…”
Leading Captivity captive speaks of the utter demise of CAPTIVITY! The “FORCES” who held God’s people captive- or in captivity, have now been led captive!
Jesus Christ, at the cross (and resurrection), has triumphed over and bound forever THE POWERS of Satan, sin and death, which once held man in absolute captivity.
And as a result of the total annihilation of these enemies, God freely gives gifts to men such as the possibility of eternal life for any who chooses to follow its path of obedience.
The gift of eternal life is promised to the righteous ONLY!
But if man- whether he is righteous or not, already possesses immortality through an immortal soul, then what need would there be of the promised gift of eternal life? Even this promise would be made vain and to no effect- wouldn’t it? Sure it would!
So the bottom line is this: Every belief and every claim you make as being biblical, must harmonize with the rest of the bible. ALL OF IT!
You can’t take one isolated phrase out of context such as “Abraham’s Bosom” and try and force your false interpretation of it to harmonize with the rest of the bible- it’s impossible! You must let the Bible interpret the Bible!
And when you see that it doesn’t harmonize but rather contradicts, then you must let it go and accept whatever truths your bible is actually pointing you to.
Abraham’s Bosom was never a literal place. It was mentioned only once in the entire bible in the parable of Lazarus and the Rich Man.
Again, please check back often for the upcoming article, “Lazarus and the Rich Man”.
You’re article was very interesting but, have you considered Elisha and Enoch. Both having lived before Christ, never having tasted death, and ascending to Heaven before Christ. While soul sleep does help explain parts of difficult scriptures have you considered what Paul meant when he said being absent from the body is to be present with the Lord. And also every soul is eternal based upon Revelation 20, after death (destruction) is destroyed nothing that remains (the soul) can be destroyed.
What’s your thoughts?
Matt, thanks for dropping by and commenting. If you haven’t already, please read the article “Absent From The Body” at this link:
http://biblepapers.com/2009/08/absent-from-the-body/
Then if you have any questions, please leave a comment.
Revelation 20, is referencing the First Resurrection- which is a resurrection “from the dead” TO ETERNAL LIFE! So at this point (AFTER the resurrection), YES, YOU- the soul, WILL BE eternal. But BEFORE this resurrection, because we have all sinned, YOU- or if you prefer- “your soul”, is subject to death:
Ezekiel 18:4 Behold, all the souls are mine; as the soul of the father, so also the soul of the son is mine: the soul that sinneth, it shall die.
And also please remember that man IS A SOUL, he doesn’t possess one:
Genesis 2:7 And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; AND MAN BECAME a living soul.
Both Elisha (Do you mean Elijah?) and Enoch died and did not ascend to heaven where God dwells. We are told this about Enoch:
Genesis 5:24 And Enoch walked with God: and he was not; for God took him.
During his lifetime, Enoch had walked faithfully in God’s ways. Then he was no more- for God took him! Either Enoch died and God took him to bury- or he took him to an undisclosed location where he later dies! The bible says that Enoch lived A TOTAL of 365 years and not a day more!
Gen 5:23 Enoch lived A TOTAL of 365 years.
God, in times past, would translate (Transport or Carry Away) his prophets from physical locations to undisclosed secret locations for protection, that they might not see death at the hands of those who sought to kill them- just like Elijah; but all of these eventually died! For at times even God himself would take them away and bury them:
Deuteronomy 34:6 The LORD buried the body of Moses in Moab. His grave is in the valley across from Beth Peor. But to this day no one knows where it is.
In the case of Elijah, it was already a well known fact at the time, that God would regularly translate (transport) him to secret locations for his protection (1 Kings 18:7-15), that he might not see death, at the hands of those seeking to kill him:
1 Kings 18:12 But as soon as I leave you, the Spirit of the Lord WILL CARRY YOU AWAY TO WHO KNOWS WHERE. When Ahab comes and cannot find you, he will kill me. Yet I have been a true servant of the LORD all my life.
Like Moses, when a prophet of God is nearing the end of their lives, God usually takes them away to an undisclosed location.
In Elijah’s case, he was also carried away into heaven- this means “into the immediate atmosphere”, like where clouds are and the planes fly. This is the first heaven. The second heaven would be “outer space”. And the third heaven- is where Paul says paradise is! See: 2 Corinthians 12:1-4.
Here is the record of Elijah being carried away:
2 Kings 2:11 As they were walking along and talking, suddenly a chariot of fire appeared, drawn by horses of fire. It drove between the two men, separating them, and Elijah was CARRIED by a whirlwind into heaven.
So the heaven that Elijah was taken up into- was the immediate atmosphere, while he was being translated or carried away by God to an undisclosed location. This WAS NOT to the heaven where God dwells!
The bible is clear- NO MAN has EVER gone there!
John 3:13 And NO ONE HAS EVER gone up to heaven but he who came down from heaven, the Son of man who is in heaven.
Besides, the evidence clearly suggests that Elijah was still here on the earth and sending out letters about seven years AFTER that particular incident:
2 Chronicles 21:12 Then Elijah the prophet wrote Jehoram this letter: “This is what the LORD, the God of your ancestor David, says: You have not followed the good example of your father, Jehoshaphat, or your grandfather King Asa of Judah.
I’m certain no one is going to suggest that it’s possible to send letters to earth from heaven!
And as far as Elisha- he, like Elijah, also died and is dead and buried:
2 Kings 13:20 And death came to Elisha and they put his body into the earth.
Again, thanks for posting.