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Part I: Heaven and hell unveiled - triumph of the resurrection
Dante Alighieri (right) the Roman poet wrote The Divine Comedy
by Joseph Earnest March 31, 2013.
Newscast Media HOUSTON, Texas—As Christians across the world celebrate some of the most important days in the history of mankind, we will take a close look at Good Friday, Holy Saturday, Resurrection Sunday and also the second coming of Christ.
In this series, we will also confront the subject of heaven and hell and discuss whether those places really exist or if they are simply figures of speech.
The topic that theologians refer to as the "rapture" or "snatching away" will not be discussed, since it is a very lengthy and complicated topic that deals more with doctrinal beliefs of an event that merely causes division amongst Christians.
The scriptures say that Good Friday was the day Jesus died, while Resurrection Sunday was the day He arose from the dead. The question we have to answer is, where did Christ go after he died? Before we answer this question, let's look at the three different kinds of death:
(i) Physical death, is where the body is separated from the spirit and is pronounced clinically dead.
(ii) Spiritual death means the spirit is separated from communion with God, even though the person may still be alive physically.
(iii) The second death, is eternal separation of the spirit from God with no chance of redemption, into a permanent state of damnation after the final judgment.
When Christ died on Good Friday, He went to the "lower parts of the earth" also known in Hebrew as Sheol. We refer to it as Hades. Ephesians 4:9 "Now this, “He ascended”—what does it mean but that He also first descended into the lower parts of the earth?"
We also know that He promised the thief on the cross that He would be with the him in paradise that day, which means at the time, paradise and Hades were located beneath the earth and were separated by a gulf. The twenty-third chapter of Luke, beginning with the forty-second to forty-third verse says: "Then he said to Jesus, “Lord, remember me when You come into Your kingdom.” 43 And Jesus said to him, “Assuredly, I say to you, today you will be with Me in Paradise."
We believe, this is the same place formerly known as "Abraham's Bosom" and when Christ ascended to heaven, He took those who had died and believed Him, to heaven. This means that beneath the earth, the only places that remain are Hades (that many refer to as hell) and the lake of fire. So, what happened to paradise thereafter?
According to Paul, paradise was moved up to heaven. 2 Corinthians 12:3-4 " And I knew such a man, (whether in the body, or out of the body, I cannot tell: God knoweth;) 4 How that he was caught up into paradise, and heard unspeakable words, which it is not lawful for a man to utter (KJV).
Hades, that many refer to as hell, is actually a temporary holding place filled with torment, for those who died as unbelievers and are awaiting the final judgment. The final destination (the lake of fire) is still empty, and the first occupants will be the false prophet and the beast, that come during the great tribulation. This is according to Revelation. The beast is the anti-Christ who represents a political leader, while the false prophet represents a religious leader.
Dante Alighieri (1265-1321), gives the readers of his day a mental picture of what hell is like in his Divine Comedy. Dante was a prose writer and moral philosopher, who was born in Florence and eclipsed Virgil (Publius Vergilius Maro, 70-19 B.C.) in stature.
In Dante's inferno, the poet has a dream, and in this dream he is lost in a forest, where the wild animals will not let him descend a hill. He is met by Virgil, the Roman poet, who gives Dante a personal tour guide of hell. In this vision or dream, hell is divided into sections, and the punishment varies according to the sins one has committed. What is most amazing is that the most severe punishment and judgment is reserved for traitors—people who betray the trust of others. The lowest and worst level of hell is the ninth circle. Dante's Inferno reveals the following in part:
"The poets, following the sound of a loud horn, are led by it to the ninth circle, in which there are four rounds, one enclosed within the other and containing as many sorts of traitors...The discourses of the third round, called Ptolomea wherein are those punished who betrayed others under the semblance (pretense) of kindness...In the fourth and last round of the ninth circle, those who betrayed their benefactors... And in their midst is Lucifer..." —Dante Alighieri, The Inferno, Canto XXXI—XXXIV. Continue to Part II - The Second Coming of Jesus Christ>>
Related stories:
Part I: Heaven and hell unveiled - triumph of the resurrection
Part II: Heaven and hell unveiled - triumph of the resurrection
Part III: Heaven and hell unveiled - triumph of the resurrection
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