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The American Heritage Dictionary defines bosom as "The heart or center". I
believe that faithful people, prior to Christ's resurrection, were carried off
to Abraham's Bosom. Abraham's Bosom was at the center of the earth across
from hell and separated from it by "a great gulf fixed"(Luke 16:26). The old
testament saints, sins COVERED by the blood of the animal sacrifices, were
waiting in Abraham's Bosom (Paradise). This can be seen when the witch at
Endor brings up Samuel(1 Samuel 28:15). Matthew 12:40 states that Christ must be
three days and three nights in the HEART of the EARTH. Ephesians 4:8-10 also demonstrates that he descended to
the "lower parts of the earth". As Christ said to the
thief on the cross "To day shalt thou be with me in paradise."(Luke 23:43) The
thief would die and go to Abraham's Bosom, since Christ had not yet applied His Blood to the
Mercy Seat to WASH away our sins.
Christ's Soul
would descend to Abraham's Bosom to preach(1 Peter 3:19).
But, He did not stay there(Acts 2:27). After the three days Christ took paradise
and the saints to heaven with him. This is evident in
Matthew 27:52.
After Christ's resurrection paradise is referred to as being above as
mentioned in 2 Corinthians 12:4.
- Luke 16
- 20 And there was a certain beggar named Lazarus, which was laid at his gate,
full of sores,
- 21 And desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man's
table: moreover the dogs came and licked his sores.
- 22 And it came to pass, that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels
into Abraham's bosom: the rich man also died, and was buried;
- 23 And in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar
off, and Lazarus in his bosom.
- 24 And he cried and said, Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus,
that he may dip the tip of his finger in water, and cool my tongue; for I am
tormented in this flame.
- 25 But Abraham said, Son, remember that thou in thy lifetime receivedst thy
good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things: but now he is comforted, and
thou art tormented.
- 26 And beside all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed: so
that they which would pass from hence to you cannot; neither can they pass to
us, that would come from thence.
- 27 Then he said, I pray thee therefore, father, that thou wouldest send him to
my father's house:
- 28 For I have five brethren; that he may testify unto them, lest they also
come into this place of torment.
- 29 Abraham saith unto him, They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them.
- 30 And he said, Nay, father Abraham: but if one went unto them from the dead,
they will repent.
- 31 And he said unto him, If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will
they be persuaded, though one rose from the dead.
- 1 Samuel 28
- 14 And he said unto her, What form is he of? And she said, An old man cometh
up; and he is covered with a mantle. And Saul perceived that it was Samuel,
and he stooped with his face to the ground, and bowed himself.
- 15 And Samuel said to Saul, Why hast thou disquieted me, to bring me up? And
Saul answered, I am sore distressed; for the Philistines make war against
me, and God is departed from me, and answereth me no more, neither by
prophets, nor by dreams: therefore I have called thee, that thou mayest
make known unto me what I shall do.
- Matthew 12
- 40 For as Jonas was three days and three nights in the whale's belly; so shall
the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.
- Ephesians 4
- 8 Wherefore he saith,
When he ascended up on high,
he led captivity captive,
and gave gifts unto men.
9 (Now that he ascended,
what is it but that he also descended first into the lower parts of
the earth?
10 He that descended is the same also that ascended up far above
all heavens,
that he might fill all things.)
- Luke 23
- 43 And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, To day shalt thou be with
me in paradise.
- 1 Peter 3
- 18 For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that
he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by
the Spirit:
- 19 By which also he went and preached unto the spirits in prison;
- Acts 2
- 27 Because thou wilt not leave my soul in hell,
neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption.
- Matthew 27
- 52 And the graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints which slept arose,
- 53 And came out of the graves after his resurrection, and went into the holy
city, and appeared unto many.
- 2 Corinthians 12
- 4 How that he was caught up into paradise, and heard unspeakable words, which
it is not lawful for man to utter.
Scott R. Roffers
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