I had not realized that a faction of Christians do NOT believe the OT saints were all taken to "Abraham's bosom" when they physically died, and had to wait there until they could be made "perfect" after Christ had died to provide the means to be made perfect.
Sheol is a Hebrew word, found about 65 times in the Old Testament, to the abode of the dead, physically a hollowed out place in the earth, tomb or grace, and spiritually the "neither world" where the human spirits of those who died under the Old Covenant were taken. And here, scripture also points to two places, a place for believers and a place for unbelievers. Thus scripture presents, according to my understanding, a tripartite Sheol.
However there are many other views offered in the literature. Let us consider these views:
First we can dispense with disputing that "Sheol" is used as a place where the physical remains undergo corruption. I am not aware of anyone denying that usage. So let us turn to the spiritual "netherworld."
Not too many deny that Sheol is used in scripture to refer to where the human spirits of unbelievers are taken, a place of discomfort and punishment. There are several verses that indicate unbelievers go there, and additional verses that indicate believers will NOT go there.
Psalm 49:15 NET
But God will rescue my life from the power of Sheol; certainly he will pull me to safety. (Selah)
Here we see that when a believer physically dies, his or her soul is not abandoned to the place of discomfort, but is taken somewhere else. I see this other place as being Abraham's bosom.
To further muddy the waters, some claim Abraham's bosom is a dark dank place since it is within spiritual eye-shot of the dark and dank place in Hades. We know that Abraham was promised to go "to your fathers in peace." Not necessarily heaven but a gathering place for the OT saints. Genesis 15:15. Again, in Genesis 47:30 Jacob expected to go to "the fathers" again referring to a gathering place. A dark and dank place does not fit with a "place of comfort."
Finally, there is a persistent false claim Abraham's bosom refers to "Paradise." But no verse says or suggests any such thing. The thief was taken to "Paradise" on the day Christ died, providing the means of being made perfect and thus allowed entry into Heaven, the abode of God. To read back into the verse, that is where those who physically died before Christ provided the means of reconciliation is unsound.
Paradise and "the third heaven" the abode of God are used interchangeable in scripture.
Sheol is a Hebrew word, found about 65 times in the Old Testament, to the abode of the dead, physically a hollowed out place in the earth, tomb or grace, and spiritually the "neither world" where the human spirits of those who died under the Old Covenant were taken. And here, scripture also points to two places, a place for believers and a place for unbelievers. Thus scripture presents, according to my understanding, a tripartite Sheol.
However there are many other views offered in the literature. Let us consider these views:
First we can dispense with disputing that "Sheol" is used as a place where the physical remains undergo corruption. I am not aware of anyone denying that usage. So let us turn to the spiritual "netherworld."
Not too many deny that Sheol is used in scripture to refer to where the human spirits of unbelievers are taken, a place of discomfort and punishment. There are several verses that indicate unbelievers go there, and additional verses that indicate believers will NOT go there.
Psalm 49:15 NET
But God will rescue my life from the power of Sheol; certainly he will pull me to safety. (Selah)
Here we see that when a believer physically dies, his or her soul is not abandoned to the place of discomfort, but is taken somewhere else. I see this other place as being Abraham's bosom.
To further muddy the waters, some claim Abraham's bosom is a dark dank place since it is within spiritual eye-shot of the dark and dank place in Hades. We know that Abraham was promised to go "to your fathers in peace." Not necessarily heaven but a gathering place for the OT saints. Genesis 15:15. Again, in Genesis 47:30 Jacob expected to go to "the fathers" again referring to a gathering place. A dark and dank place does not fit with a "place of comfort."
Finally, there is a persistent false claim Abraham's bosom refers to "Paradise." But no verse says or suggests any such thing. The thief was taken to "Paradise" on the day Christ died, providing the means of being made perfect and thus allowed entry into Heaven, the abode of God. To read back into the verse, that is where those who physically died before Christ provided the means of reconciliation is unsound.
Paradise and "the third heaven" the abode of God are used interchangeable in scripture.
