In the last moments of the horrific ordeal of Crucifixion Jesus uttered His final words with a loud cry. (The word loud in Greek is megas and it suggests great intensity of force in voice.)
Jesus cried out, “It is finished. Father into Your hands I commit My spirit.”
Finished is a grand word meaning ended, concluded, completed, accomplished, achieved, realized, finalized, fulfilled, done…I could go on but you get the point!
So what part of “It is finished”, are some preachers ignoring when they suggest that Jesus still had to visit hell for three days to engage in a war with Satan and his minions? The Apostles’ Creed, not written by the Apostles, is also confusing as it states that Jesus was dead and buried and He descended to hell.
First of all Satan and his demons are not in hell…yet! They are busy roaming the earth seeking someone to devour (1 Peter 5:8). And hell, that place of eternal punishment, that lake of fire and brimstone will not be occupied until the very end times. The beast and the false prophet from the Great Tribulation will be the first to establish residency there. (Rev. 19:29). Then Satan will occupy the Abyss for 1000 years, will be released for a short time, and then join the beast and the false prophet in the Lake of Fire (hell) forever and ever. (Rev. 20:10). The Great White Throne judgement for unbelievers awaiting now in Hades will determine more occupants.
Sheol, the grave, the place of the dead existed before and during Jesus’ time. Luke 16:9-32 describes the two areas within Sheol. Abraham’s Bosom (Paradise) was the place for believers, and Hades the place of torment was, and still is the place for unbelievers. There was a great chasm between that none could go over. Hades is still the place for those who reject The Lord and will be their abode until they are called to final judgment after the Tribulation. (Rev. 20:11-15)
Abraham’s Bosom, (Paradise) is now Empty. Jesus secured all those believers right after His death And took them to Heaven, the new Paradise location. They needed that robe of Righteousness covering that Jesus death provided to stand before a Holy God. All believers who have died since then go straight to Heaven.
The death of Christ was redemption, a ransom paid to a Holy God, an offering for our sins that we could never pay. Jesus died for our sins, our guilt upon Him. “And He Himself bore our sins in His body on the cross”. (1Peter 2:24) (see my blog post “And We WereThere”)
The believers in Christ are assured that the price has been paid in full, we are redeemed, set free from punishment. In the Great Exchange, our sins were replaced with Christ’s righteousness. His incredible suffering purchased the incredible gift of eternal salvation for us.
When Jesus told the thief on the cross, “Today you will be with Me in Paradise” I’m pretty sure He meant TODAY! Not, maybe after three days.
When Christ cried out “It is Finished!” I don’t think He meant that there was still more to do warring with the enemy He had already defeated.
When Jesus said, “Father, into Your hands I commit My spirit” I believe that is precisely where His Spirit arrived. The long awaited and beautiful reunion of Father and Son, must have been a most joyous celebration of a magnificent victory! A victory that you and I must celebrate with great gratitude to our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ knowing that because of His enormous sacrifice the debt of our sin was cancelled, paid in full…FINISHED!
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