Explaining Paradise (Ephesians 4:8-10)

THE TEXTUAL BASIS

Ephesians 4:8-10 says, "Wherefore he saith, When he ascended up on high, he led captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men.(Now that he ascended, what is it but that he also descended first into the lower parts of the earth? He that descended is the same also that ascended up far above all heavens, that he might fill all things.)"

In verse 8, Paul is quoting Psalm 68:18 which says, "Thou hast ascended on high, thou hast led captivity captive: thou hast received gifts for men; yea, for the rebellious also, that the LORD God might dwell among them."

In verses 9-10, Paul gives an explanation of what he has just said in verse 8.

“He led captivity captive”
Man was held in captivity to sin and death.
The Bible says man is captured by si
(2 Timothy 2:26 - "And that they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil, who are taken captive by him at his will.")

This verse also decrees a victory (victory over sin and death by the cross)
1 Corinthians 15:57 says "But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ."

“He descended to the lower parts of the earth”
To descend, naturally means to go down
There is more than one definition for this phrase “lower parts of the earth”

In Psalm 139-13-16, it speaks of a mother’s womb.
"For thou hast possessed my reins: thou hast covered me in my mother's womb. I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvellous are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well. My substance was not hid from thee, when I was made in secret, and curiously wrought in the lowest parts of the earth. Thine eyes did see my substance, yet being unperfect; and in thy book all my members were written, which in continuance were fashioned, when as yet there was none of them."

It is possible then to say this phrase can refer to the incarnation (the birth) of Christ

But also, in Psalm 63:9-10, it refers to the realm of the dead
"But those that seek my soul, to destroy it, shall go into the lower parts of the earth. They shall fall by the sword: they shall be a portion for foxes."

THE EXPLANATION

Please feel free to consult this graphic as you read through the explanation. I'm a visual learner, so I trust it will help my readers also.

When a believer died in the Old Testament times, we believe by Scriptural evidence, that the person DID NOT go to heaven. Why? Because the price for their sin (Christ’s death on the cross) had not yet been paid.

God who is holy and righteous cannot have sin (Isaiah 6:3 - "And one cried unto another, and said, Holy, holy, holy, is the LORD of hosts: the whole earth is full of his glory.") and cannot even look up on sin (Habakkuk 1:13 - "Thou art of purer eyes than to behold evil, and canst not look on iniquity: wherefore lookest thou upon them that deal treacherously, and holdest thy tongue when the wicked devoureth the man that is more righteous than he?") – also remember what happened with Christ on the cross from the 6th to 9th hour. Because God cannot look upon, much less tolerate sin in the presence of a perfect Heaven, those who have not yet been redeemed could not experience the joyful bliss of Heaven’s shore. This is why a “green room” of sorts, or a holding area had to be established and reserved for such saints until Christ’s redemptive work on the cross.

There are 3 different words for “HELL”. One Hebrew word “SHEOL” and two Greek words which are “HADES” and “GEHENNA”. There’s a 4th word in Greek called “TARTARUS” but that is a bit beyond the scope of our lesson tonight, but I can answer a question about it if time permits.

“SHEOL” is used 65 times in the Old Testament. 31 times it’s translated as HELL (the place of torment), 31 other times it’s translated as the grave (when we die), and another three times it’s translated as “pit”

SHEOL refers to not just the burning fires of Hell itself, but the entire realm of the dead. Sheol had compartments. Deuteronomy 32:22 says, “For a fire is kindled in mine anger, and shall burn unto the lowest hell…”). But there was also Abraham’s bosom (Luke 16:22-23 - "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; and in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom.")

Christ also said to the thief dying on the cross in Luke 23:42 – “Today shalt thou be with me in paradise.” The word used in that verse was Hades because it was a Greek work in the New Testament, not SHEOL from the Old Testament. The point to be noted is that both words “HADES” and “SHEOL” can be interchangeably used. They are equivalents of each other in the respective language.

So how does this all relate to what we’re talking about and what Paul says in Ephesians 4:8-10. TO simply explain, when Christ died on the cross, and cried out “It is finished,” He descended then into the lower parts of the earth (sheol, hades) and spent those three days preaching a message, not of evangelism, but of victory to the demonic realm of Hell explaining his now eternal victory over the sting of death and sin. Christ now has the ultimate victory over all this, and death no longer has any power over anyone through Jesus Christ’s redemptive work.

Christ did NOT endure the fires or torments of Hell, otherwise the phrase “it is finished” would have been a lie and would not have meant what it said. In 1 Peter 3:18-19 ("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:by which also he went and preached unto the spirits in prison;") Peter explains my previous mentioning of Christ’s message to the demonic entities in Hell.

SO Christ’s purpose of descending was to lead Captivity “those OT saints waiting for Christ’s redemptive work” to be led captive (now under Christ’s control, not death’s) to return with Him back to Heaven with the Father. The only thing left then in Sheol/Hades are those who leave this world by death having never trusted in the redemptive work of Jesus Christ for their sins.

Lazarus and Abraham knew by hearing what the pains and torments of the burning, fiery hell sounded like quite possibly as they dwelt in paradise. If the rich man was able to call out and cry out to Abraham and Lazarus, could it be possible that they heard the screams and anguish of those who rejected God’s Son? This is speculation, but it is plausible such horrific sounds were echoed in the ears of those dwelling in the bliss of God’s prepared Paradise as they awaited the blood atonement that only Christ could provide.

At the end of verse 10 in Ephesians 4, we see that Christ ascended back up to Heaven. His purpose in that was to lead the OT saints to Glory where they now rightfully belonged, to join God the Father at His right hand. Jesus went to be with the Father so that we can join him when we die, which is why he didn’t stay on earth like some of us may wish He had done. When we die, we don’t leave him (if he had been on earth), but we join him in a mansion of Glory prepared for those of us who have trusted Him as our Lord and Savior.

CONCLUSION

This is what Paradise is all about. It was a temporary establishment that served the need and now has no place or reason for existence. How amazing to think of God’s providential hand in every aspect of His redemptive work, even down to the nitty gritty details of how to deal with OT saints who believed in God (like the patriarchs) until Christ could fulfill redemption’s plan. What an awesome God! What a Savior!

Have you trusted in His divine grace to us? Will you experience the eternal torments of Hell because you have rejected Christ’s free gift of salvation to you? These places may sound like locations in a fairy tale, but let me assure friend, they wouldn’t be in God’s Word (The Bible) if they weren’t literal, God –created places that you and I have the choice to dwell in. Yes, Heaven and Hell is a choice. And it all falls on the decision of what we will do with Jesus Christ.