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Christ in Hell Part 8 of 9
By Bro. Cheek | November 8, 2007
Table of contents for Christ in Hell
Christ in Hell
Part Eight
How Long was Christ in Hell?
By Pastor Robert L. Cheek Jr.
Victory Baptist Church
In our last lesson, we determined that Christ went to hell some time between His death and His resurrection. We also determined that Christ went to hell first, then to Abraham’s bosom. Let us now consider the question, “How long was Christ in hell?”
Let me start by saying there is not a single verse in the Bible that is going to tell us the exact amount of time Christ spent in hell. We considered the idea that paradise and the garden of Eden are one and the same place. There is no verse that dogmatically states that either. But when we examine the Bible, we tend to arrive at certain conclusions about the matter. I believe we can examine some Scriptures that will draw us to a reasonable conclusion about how long Christ could have been in hell. I will try not to be too dogmatic about this. I believe my assumption is as reasonable as any other, but I won’t press my opinion much beyond these pages. The following therefore is speculation based upon my study of the subject. Take it for what it may be worth.
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.
Christ’s decent into the heart of the earth began the moment He bowed His head on the cross and gave up the ghost.
Luke 23:46 And when Jesus had cried with a loud voice, he said, Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit: and having said thus, he gave up the ghost.
We have seen already that His Spirit went up to God, His body went over to the tomb, and His soul went down to hell. We know that the total time He was in the heart of the earth was 72 hours. We believe He went to hell first, then to paradise. This is based on His reason for going to hell. He had to be the burnt offering for sin. It would make no sense that He would go to paradise first, then to hell, then back to paradise to get the O.T. saints. Laying these facts down as a foundation to build upon, let’s consider what Christ said just before He died.
Luke 23:42 And he said unto Jesus, Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom.
Luke 23:43 And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, To day shalt thou be with me in paradise.
Luke 23:44 And it was about the sixth hour, and there was a darkness over all the earth until the ninth hour.
Luke 23:45 And the sun was darkened, and the veil of the temple was rent in the midst.
Luke 23:46 And when Jesus had cried with a loud voice, he said, Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit: and having said thus, he gave up the ghost.
Notice what the Lord told the saved thief on the cross. He told him that he would be with the Lord Jesus in paradise on that very day.
We can take what the Lord said two ways. First, we could say that Christ meant both He and the thief would be in paradise on that day. Second, we could say that the Lord meant that the thief would be with Him (in the heart of the earth), only the thief would be in paradise while Christ was in hell. He said, “To day shalt thou be with me” (that is, in the heart of the earth), “in paradise” (but you will be in paradise).
The second option stretches the text and requires us to assume something that Christ didn’t actually say. He did not say that He would be in hell and the thief would be in paradise with Him in the heart of the earth. I tend to think that the Lord said He would be with the thief in paradise on that day (the first choice). That conclusion would be taking the verses literally at face value. There is no reason not to assume otherwise. As someone has stated, “If the plain sense makes sense, seek no other sense.” That is a good rule of Scripture interpretation. We shall follow it here.
Now then, what time did Christ die? Our text in Luke tells us that there was darkness from the sixth hour (12:00 noon) until the ninth hour (3:00 p.m.). Remember that the Jewish day begins at 6:00 p.m.. Therefore the sixth hour of daylight (which starts at 6:00 a.m.) would actually be noon. We know that Christ was taken from the cross and hurriedly placed in the tomb before 6:00 p.m.. This was necessary because Abib 15th was a special Sabbath (the beginning of the feast of unleavened bread). Therefore, they could not be out and about after 6:00 p.m., which would literally be the start of Abib 15th, the next day.
Luke 23:53 And he took it down, and wrapped it in linen, and laid it in a sepulchre that was hewn in stone, wherein never man before was laid.
Luke 23:54 And that day was the preparation, and the sabbath drew on.
So then, Christ died some time between 3:00 p.m. and 6:00 p.m. Jesus told the thief that he would be with Him in paradise on that day. If we take the Lord literally, we can assume that Christ entered paradise before 6:00 p.m. That would place the Lord in paradise on that day. Any time between 3:00 p.m. and 6:00 p.m. would still be considered that day (Abib 14th) because the new day began at 6:00 p.m..
If Christ went to hell first and then to paradise, we can naturally assume that Jesus Christ spent less than 3 hours in hell. Now then, here is where I will begin to speculate. Permit me to have some fun for a moment with Bible numerics. The number 70 in Scripture is the number used to represent captivity. The children of Israel went into captivity to Babylon for 70 years.
Jeremiah 29:10 For thus saith the LORD, That after seventy years be accomplished at Babylon I will visit you, and perform my good word toward you, in causing you to return to this place.
Daniel 9:2 In the first year of his reign I Daniel understood by books the number of the years, whereof the word of the LORD came to Jeremiah the prophet, that he would accomplish seventy years in the desolations of Jerusalem.
So then, 70 is the number for captivity. Watch this carefully.
Ephesians 4:8 Wherefore he saith, When he ascended up on high, he led captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men.
Ephesians 4:9 (Now that he ascended, what is it but that he also descended first into the lower parts [hell and paradise] of the earth?
Ephesians 4:10 He that descended is the same also that ascended up far above all heavens, that he might fill all things.)
Remember, I am speculating. Like I said at the beginning of this lesson, there are no verses that dogmatically nail down for us how long Christ was in hell. But it would not be improbable to speculate that Christ spent 70 hours (the number of captivity) with those O.T. saints who were held in captivity in Abraham’s bosom. Since Christ spent 72 total hours in the heart of the earth, that would lend to the conclusion that He spent 2 hours in hell and 70 hours in paradise. That’s my guess, and it’s just a guess, but I think that it is a good guess or I would not introduce it to you. Permit me to build on it just a little further. Don’t forget, I am merely speculating. Christ went to hell to fulfill the burnt offering typology of the O.T.. Christ was literally the Passover lamb of which all the O.T. Passover lambs were a type.
1 Corinthians 5:7 Purge out therefore the old leaven, that ye may be a new lump, as ye are unleavened. For even Christ our passover is sacrificed for us:
Let’s notice some things about the Passover lamb from the very first Passover.
Exodus 12:6 And ye shall keep it up until the fourteenth day of the same month: and the whole assembly of the congregation of Israel shall kill it in the evening.
Exodus 12:7 And they shall take of the blood, and strike it on the two side posts and on the upper door post of the houses, wherein they shall eat it.
Exodus 12:8 And they shall eat the flesh in that night, roast with fire, and unleavened bread; and with bitter herbs they shall eat it.
Exodus 12:9 Eat not of it raw, nor sodden at all with water, but roast with fire; his head with his legs, and with the purtenance thereof.
Exodus 12:10 And ye shall let nothing of it remain until the morning; and that which remaineth of it until the morning ye shall burn with fire.
Exodus 12:11 And thus shall ye eat it; with your loins girded, your shoes on your feet, and your staff in your hand; and ye shall eat it in haste: it is the LORD’S passover.
I want you to notice something here. First, notice that the lamb was to be roast with fire. They were not to eat it raw. They were not to eat it sodden (boiled) with water. They were to let none of it remain until the morning. If it did remain until the morning, it was to be burnt up with fire. In other words, by the next morning, nothing of the lamb was to remain.
Now I have never attempted to roast a lamb over a fire, but I would imagine it would not take too long to roast a lamb over an open flame, especially a hot fire. Perhaps this could be done in just a few hours? Perhaps it could be done in two hours? In any case, they had to have it roasted fully in a short time so that they could eat the Passover, “in that night” (Exodus 12:8). My point in all this is simple. Since Christ had to fulfill the “roast with fire” typology by descending to hell and becoming the burnt offering for sin, He would only have to remain there a short time (say two hours) in order to meet this typology.
Isaiah 53:10 Yet it pleased the LORD to bruise him; he hath put him to grief: when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin, he shall see his seed, he shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of the LORD shall prosper in his hand.
Isaiah 53:11 He shall see of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied: by his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many; for he shall bear their iniquities.
God the Father saw His Son in hell being the burnt offering sacrifice. When He saw this He was satisfied. His Son was roast with fire just as the Passover lamb was roast with fire. Then, when the Father was satisfied, Christ left hell and went to paradise (possibly 70 hours with those in captivity). After a total of 72 hours He was resurrected.
We have had some fun considering numbers: 72 hours in the heart of the earth with 2 hours in hell and 70 hours in captivity with those in captivity. That is enough speculation. These numbers may be incorrect. We have no way of knowing for sure. But they are as logical and reasonable as any other speculation one would have, if one would dare speculate at all. It is somewhat dangerous to speculate on any Bible subject. All heresies are derived from speculation. I have tried to be careful, though. Forgive me if you think I have taken it too far. The facts, however, are these:
1. Christ went to hell. (Isaiah 53:10-11; Matthew 12:40; Acts 2:27-31).
2. Christ went to paradise. (Luke 23:43; Matthew 12:40; Ephesians 4:8).
3. Christ spent a total of 72 hours in both places. (Matthew 12:40).
Topics: Studies |