Abraham's Bosom - when Old Testament saints died, they went to a place in the center of the earth which is called 'sheol' in Hebrew. The ungodly dead also went to 'sheol' but there was a great gulf fixed between the two. And those in torment (hell) envied those who were enjoying the blessings of the Lord in the part of 'sheol' that was called Abraham's bosom or Paradise. These Old Testament saints were not able to enter into the presence of the Lord because the atonement of Christ had not been completed. When Jesus died, He descended into 'sheol' and took them to heaven, into the very presence of God and vacated that part of 'sheol.' Now, all that's left in 'sheol' is hell

'And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, To day shalt thou be with me in paradise.' - Luke 23:43

The paradise that Jesus spoke of must have been the same place that Jesus called 'Abraham's bosom,' when He told the story of the rich man and Lazarus.

Jesus descended into the lower parts of the earth after His death.

And John 20:17 shows that it was some time after His resurrection before Jesus ascended back to His Father. 

Therefore, this paradise was 'Abraham's bosom' located in 'sheol' in the lower parts of the earth.

The phrase 'led captivity captive' from Ephesians 4:8, refers to Jesus liberating the Old Testament saints.

When Old Testament saints died, they went to a place in the center of the earth which is called 'sheol' in Hebrew.

It is the Hebrew word 'sheol' that is translated 'hell' in Psalm 16:10, which prophesies Jesus saying,

'For thou wilt not leave my soul in hell; neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption' - (Acts 2:27-30).

The ungodly dead also went to 'sheol' but the teaching of Jesus in Luke 16:19-31 shows that there was a great gulf fixed between the two. 

And those in torment (hell) envied those who were enjoying the blessings of the Lord in the part of 'sheol' that was called Abraham's bosom or Paradise.

Even though these Old Testament saints were blessed, they were not able to enter into the presence of the Lord because the atonement of Christ had not been completed. 

So, in that sense, they were captives. 

When Jesus died, He descended into 'sheol' and took the captives captive. 

He took them to heaven, into the very presence of God and vacated that part of 'sheol.' 

Now, all that's left in 'sheol' is hell.

In the New Testament, the Greek word that is used to refer to this area is 'hades' and it is only applied to the place of torment.

Andrew Wommack Ministries 

Jamie and I are so thankful that our paths have crossed with yours. In fact, we believe it was a divine appointment. Over fifty years ago, an encounter with God changed our lives forever, and we believe that He’ll do the same for you. We consider it a privilege to have the opportunity to share the truth of His life-changing power and grace with you.

God called us to teach the truth of the gospel to the body of Christ with special emphasis on His unconditional love and the balance between grace and faith. We are doing our best to fulfill that call by teaching at conferences, in churches, on television, through podcasts, by training others at Charis Bible College, and by developing ministry materials to help you in your relationship with the Lord. We were once on the radio, but we have moved on to further-reaching mediums such as podcasts.

awmi.net

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Paradise - the word paradise is usually used as a synonym for “heaven.” Paradise is a place of blessing where the righteous go after death. When Jesus was dying on the cross and one of the thieves being crucified with Him asked Him for mercy, Jesus replied, “I tell you the truth, today you will be with me in paradise.” Jesus knew that His death was imminent and that He would soon be in heaven with His Father. Jesus used “paradise” as a synonym for “heaven.” There are cases in which paradise can refer to the Garden of Eden. The context of the word will determine whether it refers to heaven or Eden

Streams in my desert: Tartarus - those who lead God's children astray will end up in Tartarus. The word Tartarus can be defined as “the deepest abyss of Hades - it seems that Tartarus was what the demons feared

Streams in my desert: The Three Days Between Jesus' Death and Resurrection - the Bible does not specify what took place with Jesus during this time period, what is made clear points to Jesus being in "paradise" after his death and prior to His resurrection in His physical body on the third day

Streams in my desert: Soul Sleep - when the Bible describes a person “sleeping” in relation to death it does not mean literal sleep. Sleeping is just a way to describe death because a dead body appears to be asleep. The moment we die, we face the judgment of God. At the resurrection, this body is “awakened” and transformed into the everlasting body a person will possess for eternity, whether in heaven or hell

Streams in my desert: Purgatory - there is no purgatory or middle holding ground for souls where they have a second chance to gain forgiveness for their sins

Streams in my desert: The Lake Of Fire - billions of people believe in false religions. Many are "good" people. Nevertheless, they are all lost and bound for hell. Most fail to act on whatever light they may have and God says they are "without excuse." God has made our salvation possible and easily available through the incarnation, substitutionary sacrifice for our sins, and glorious victory over death in the bodily resurrection of Jesus Christ. What we could never earn by good works, He has provided as a free gift

Streams in my desert: After Death What - man's final destination is based entirely on whether he belongs by faith to Jesus Christ. The Bible clearly describes what happens after death and the two possible eternal destinations everyone faces. For believers, death is to be "away from the body and at home with the Lord." Those for whom Christ died will spend eternity with Him in heaven. For those who do not receive Jesus Christ as Savior, death means everlasting punishment in hell

Streams in my desert: Sheol, Hades, Hell, the lake of fire, Paradise, and Abraham’s bosom - by faith in Christ and His blood shed on the cross for our sins, we are destined to live eternally in the presence of God