CHAPTER IV


THE ABODES OF THE DEPARTED SPIRITS


In the preceding two chapters, according to the testimony of the Holy Scriptures, the following two facts have been established. First, that man has a soul (spiritual nature) and second, that at death the spiritual nature separates or departs from the body.

Inasmuch as we have learned that death is but the separation or departure of the spirit or spiritual nature from the body the next logical question to be asked by every thinking person would be, "WHAT BECOMES OF THE DEPARTED SPIRITS? Are they roaming about in space or do they depart to some definite place? If so, what place?"

First, it can be clearly and emphatically stated that the spirits of the departed DO NOT roam about in space. The Bible makes it clear that there is a definite abode for them.

In order to get a correct understanding of the subject it will be necessary to consider and distinguish between the past, present and future abodes of the dead. We must also get a proper knowledge of the words as they are used in the original Hebrew and Greek texts, and not as the translators have rendered them in the King James Version. It would be impossible to arrive at an accurate understanding of death, heaven, and hell, from the English Translation, without first going direct to the original Hebrew and Greek.

Why? The following Scriptures as rendered in the King James Version, will illustrate the predicament.

Christ said in Luke 16:22-23, "the rich man also died, and was buried; and in hell (hades)."

The original word (hades) is here translated hell.

In Matthew 23:33 Christ said, "Ye serpents, ye generation of vipers, how can ye escape the damnation of hell? (gehenna)." The original word (gehenna) is also translated hell.

In II Peter 2:4, "For if God spared not the angels that sinned but cast them down to hell (tartarus)."

Here the original word (tartarus) is also rendered Hell.

So you see, hades, gehenna, tartarus, are three different words, and are the names of three different places, and are all translated in the King James Version by the one word, hell.

Now then, when reading the English word hell in the New Testament. how can we possibly know to which of the three places the writer was referring? One can readily see why it is necessary to go direct to the original text to arrive at a correct understanding of the subject.

Now let us turn our attention to a similar situation in the Old Testament.

You remember Jacob thought his son Joseph was devoured by a "wild beast" and said:
Genesis 37:35, "I will go down into the grave (sheol) unto my son mourning."
Here the original word is sheol and is rendered grave by the trans lators.

Psalm 16:10. "Thou wilt not leave my soul in Hell (Sheol)." Hen- again is the same original word sheol, but this time it is not translated grave as in Genesis 37:35, but it is rendered hell.

Numbers 16:30. Concerning the wicked that die, it says "They go down quick into the pit (sheol)." Here again, in the original, is the same word sheol but this time it is translated neither grave nor hell, but pit.

Thus it is easily comprehended why it is absolutely necessary to use for our foundation, words from the original Hebrew and Greek texts.

Continuing with the thought, to what place do the spirits of the departed dead go? the Bible makes it clear that the place of the spirits of the departed dead is called sheol in the Old Testament Hebrew, and hades in the New Testament Greek.

The Hebrew word sheol means place of the departed dead. The word is found 65 times in the Old Testament. Thirty-one times it is translated "hell," thirty-one times, "grave," and three times it is translated "the pit"

The Hebrew Old Testament word for the place of the departed dead is sheol, and the Greek New Testament word for the same place i- hades, the abode of the dead the unseen state.

Perhaps some sincere seeker for the truth is saying, "How do you know that the word 'sheol' in the Old Testament Hebrew means the same as 'Hades' in the New Testament Greek?"

The following references will prove the point.

It was prophesied of Jesus that His soul should not remain in "sheol" and that His body should not see corruption.

Psalm 16:10. "For thou wilt not leave my soul in hell (sheol) neither wilt thou suffer thy Holy One to see corruption."

The Hebrew word that appears here is "sheol." This same verse is quoted in the New Testament Greek.

Acts 2:27. "Because thou will not leave my soul in hell (hades) neither will thou suffer thy Holy One to see corruption."

This is positive proof that the Hebrew word "sheol" has identically the same meaning as the Greek word "hades," because this very same verse of Scripture is written both in the Hebrew and Greek, and the word rendered for "sheol" is "hades."

As additional proof on this point, it is well to note that the "Septuagint" version of the Old Testament, translated from Hebrew to Greek by seventy scholars in the year 275 B.C., invariably renders "sheol" by "hades"

Then "sheol" in the Hebrew, or "hades" in the Greek, is the same place, and means the abode of the spirits of the departed dead.

Now then, Judge Rutherford, and all those who adhere to his theory, in attempting to establish the fact that there is no abode for departed spirits, would like to have us believe, that "sheol" or "hades" is not the place of departed spirits, but that it means the grave where the bodies are laid. He tells us that "sheol" means the grave the condition of death, not the abode of spirits.

But again we find that this is not so. Sheol is one place, and the grave is another. They are not the same. The following considerations furnish definite proof of the distinction between sheol, the abode of the departed spirits, and the grave, the resting place of the body.



THE GRAVE FOR THE BODY IS CLEARLY DISTINGUISHED FROM THE ABODE FOR THE SPIRITS

First:The words for "grave" in both the Hebrew and Greek lan- guages, are altogether different from the words "sheol" or "hades." The Hebrew word for "grave" into which only the "bodies" of the dead go, is "queber" and the Greek "mnemeion." These are used many times in the Scriptures.

This is definite proof that "sheol" does not mean "grave" as the grave for the body, but is the abode of the departed spirits.

Second: The word "sheol" is never used in the plural, for it is one place (abode of spirits) but the word for "grave" is used many times in the plural (proving that there can be many "graves" but only one "sheol.")

Third: We never read of a person having a "sheol," but we often read of a person having a "grave." This proves that "sheol" is the abode of spirits and not the grave for the body inasmuch as a person cannot have a "sheol" but he can have a "grave."

Fourth: The body is never said to be in "sheol" and the "spirit" is never to be in the "grave," which again proves that "sheol" is not the grave.

Fifth: No "sheol" was ever dug by man or was ever located on the earth, but this can be said of graves. Therefore we know that "sheol" is the abode of the departed spirits and not the grave the place of bodies.

Other Scriptures clearly distinguish between the abode of the spirits and the resting place for the body which further proves that sheol or hades is not the grave, as Rutherford claims it is.

Sixth: In the final judgment, both the grave and hades will deliver up the dead. Revelation 20:13; "Death (the grave) (the abode of the body) and hell (hades) (abode of the spirit) delivered up the dead which were in them." This distinguishes between the two, and shows that hades is not the grave.

Seventh: Christ has the keys of both. Revelation 1:18, "Behold I am alive forevermore. Amen; and have the keys of hell (hades) (abode of the spirits) and of death (grave) (abode of bodies)." This again shows that hades is not the grave.

Eighth: Christ's soul was not left in hades, neither was his body left in the Tomb, Acts 2:27. Here again the grave is clearly distinguished from "hades" the abode of departed spirits, which shows that "hades" is not the grave.

The following conclusively proves that Rutherford is wrong when he teaches that hades is the grave.

Ninth: When Jacob's sons sold Joseph into Egyptian slavery, they deceived their father Jacob by bringing to him Joseph's blood-stained coat, making him think that a "wild beast" had devoured Joseph. (Genesis 37:35). Jacob's sons and daughters tried to comfort him but he would not be comforted, and said, "I will go down into the 'grave' unto my son mourning."

The original word in the Hebrew where this word is rendered "grave" is "sheol."

Judge Rutherford, in trying to show that "sheol" is the grave or place where bodies are laid, says, "It is easy to be seen that Jacob expected to go to the Tomb.' But we shall prove that this word "sheol" does not mean grave the place of bodies, but that it means place of departed spirits.

From what Jacob thought and said we can see that he did not intend to go into the "grave" or tomb to meet his son Joseph, but into the abode of the departed spirits. As proof of this we know that Jacob did not believe that Joseph was in the grave, for he believed that a "wild beast" had devoured him, (Verse 33). Therefore it would have been impossible for Jacob to go to the grave to meet Joseph if a wild beast had devoured him, but where he really intended to meet him was the abode of the spirits of the departed dead.

This clearly shows the distinction between the grave and the abode of the departed spirits, and proves that "sheol" "hades" is not the grave for the bodies, as Rutherford says it is.

The following account of Jacob's death sets forth this same truth:

Tenth: Jacob is said to have been gathered unto his people at the moment of death. Genesis 49:33, though his body was not buried with the bodies of his ancestors till months afterward.

"And when Jacob had made an end of commanding his sons, he gathered up his feet into the bed, and yielded up the ghost, and was gathered unto his people."

Jacob died in Goshen in Egypt but was buried in the land of Canaan.

They were forty days embalming the body, and the mourning in Egypt continued thirty days longer. Joseph then obtained permission of Pharaoh to go and bury his father, Chapter 50:3-6. How long they were going is not stated, but they mourned seven days more at the threshing floor of Atad, Chapter 50:10, so that at least eighty days elapsed between the gathering unto his people, and the burial of the body in the cave of Machpelah in Canaan.

Jacob was "'gathered unto his people" at the time of his death, by the departure of his soul to the souls of Isaac his father, and grandfather Abraham. It is certain that his body was not then "gathered to his people" at the time he expired, nor till seven weeks later, therefore his gathering to his people was not to their bodies in the graves but to the place where they were in their disembodied state.

Consequently, the place of departed spirits, which is hades in the Greek, sheol in the Hebrew, is not the same as the grave for the body.

These ten considerations conclusively prove that Judge Rutherford and all those who believe in his theory are definitely wrong when they say that hades means the grave, for hades, the abode for the departed spirits has been clearly distinguished from the grave for the body.

Hades or sheol then, is not the grave, the abode for the body, but the place of departed spirits.

In studying its location, we find that in twenty of the sixty-five Old Testament passages that refer to Sheol, it is located downward In Genesis 37:35 Jacob said, "I will go down to sheol." In New Testament references to hades, we also find that it is located downward. Matthew 11:23, "Thou shalt be brought down to hades." Luke 10:15 "Thou shalt be thrust down to hades." Never do we find the Scriptures locating sheol-hades on the earth or above the earth, but always downward.

Thus far in the book it has been established from the Scripture, that man does have a soul (Chapter two), and that at death the soul separates from the body (Chapter three), and that it departs to the place called "sheol" or "hades," which is not the grave, but the abode of the departed spirits of the dead. We are now ready for the next logical question that follows.


What is revealed about the place called sheol?
What kind of a placeis it?

The reader will notice that thus far in the discourse on "sheol" nothing has been said relative to the righteous and the unrighteous. It has been merely stated that the spirits of all the dead, regardless of moral distinction, righteous or unrighteous, departed to "sheol."

When we turn to our Bibles to learn what kind of a place it is, we find that the Old Testament sheds very little light on the subject Nothing is said in regard to the spirits of the righteous and unrighteous The Old Testament merely tells that all the dead departed to "sheol' It makes no distinction between abodes for the saved and the lost Thus, it can be said that in the Old Testament, the light, as to the state of the departed dead, is in the twilight stage.

Perhaps this question comes to the mind of some sincere seeker for the truth. Why is it that the Old Testament is almost silent on the future state? Why does it leave us with so little information? The Bible clearly answers that question. The time for the revealing of the conditions beyond the grave had not yet come in the Old Testament days - . . It was reserved for Christ to "Bring life and immortality to light through the Gospel."

And that is just what Christ did. We know Christ came to save sinners, but II Timothy 1:10 also tells us that His coming "brought life and immortality to light through the Gospel." The Old Testament teaching which is in the twilight stage on immortality and conditions in "sheol," is now made manifest, or revealed by Christ through the Gospel.

Notice the Scripture verse does not say that when Christ came He brought life and immortality into existence, but that He brought it to light He brought it into revelation He revealed it. Life and immortality existed in Old Testament days, but now it is made manifest or revealed by Christ through the Gospel.

Now then, since Christ was the one who has brought immortality to light, we must accept His statements. We should learn what His teaching was regarding the conditions in the abode of the departed dead.


What was Christ's teaching regarding all the dead, both saved and lost, in hades?

His teaching is found in Luke 16:19, 31, in the account of the rich man and Lazarus. This gives us a description of the abode of the departed dead as it was in the Old Testament days and in the days of Christ's earthly ministry.



HADES IN OLD TESTAMENT DAYS AND DAYS OF CHRIST'S EARTHLY MINISTRY

The description is drawn from the account of the rich man and a beggar named Lazarus. Lazarus died and the rich man also died, and his body was buried, but in HELL (HADES) he was suffering torment, (verse 23). The word "torment" is used five times in the account. Notice the rich man was in a "PLACE" not merely a "state" because verse 28 says "this PLACE of torment." From this place he saw in the distance Abraham and also Lazarus, who was being comforted, (verses 23,25). Thus, in hades, according to Christ's teaching, there was a "place of torment" for the unrighteous, and a place of comfort for the righteous. Further description of hades is given. These two places, the place of comfort, or Abraham's bosom as it is called in verse 22, and the place of torment were separated from each other by a GREAT GULF FIXED, so that no one could pass from one PLACE to the other, (verse 26)

Now we have the description of hades as Christ gave it. There were two compartments in hades, one known as Abraham's bosom, a place of comfort for the righteous, which was "afar off" and separated from the "place of torment" for the wicked by a "great gulf fixed."

Notice again Acts 2:27, which speaks of Christ "thou will not leave my soul in hell (hades)." Here it is definitely stated that Christ's soul went to hades after His death on the cross but notice, it does not say to which of the two compartments in hades His soul went. When we associate Christ's statement to the penitent thief on the cross, the meaning is clear. Christ said "Today thou shalt be with me in paradise Luke 23:43. It can be easily understood from this, that when Christ. and the penitent thief went to hades, they did not go to the "place of torment," because Christ said they both were to be in "paradise Therefore this "paradise," must have been the place of comfort, called "Abraham's bosom." This being true, we see that "Abraham's bosom is also called "paradise."

Now it has been shown that Christ's teaching was that hades, the abode for the spirits of the departed dead, was in two sections, the abode of the righteous, known as "Abraham's bosom" or "paradise which was separated from the "place of torment" for the wicked, by a "great gulf fixed."

This is what Christ revealed of hades as it was in the Old Testament- times and in the days of His earthly ministry, but we find a great change took place when Christ ascended.



HADES SINCE CHRIST ASCENDED


The Scripture reveals that since Christ's resurrection and ascension" to the Father in heaven, the section known as "Abraham's bosom or "paradise" in hades, IS NO LONGER THE ABODE for the spirit- of the righteous dead.

Before Christ's resurrection and ascension, hades or sheol, the spirit world, is represented as being below and into it, all the dead, hot.. saved and lost are said to have DESCENDED. Following Christ's resurrection and ascension, hades is never mentioned as the ABODE (): REDEEMED SPIRITS.

After the ascension of Christ, the spirits of the righteous instead of "descending" are spoken of as going up.

(1) In II Corinthians the 12th chapter, Paul relates his experience tie tells of being "caught up to the third heaven" (verse 2). "Caught up into paradise," (verse 4). According to this account of New Testament Scripture "paradise" and the "third heaven" have the same location. This proves that paradise, the abode of the righteous spirits, is "UP" and that it is "in the third heaven."

Now perhaps someone is saying, "If this is really true that paradise, the abode of the righteous, is now "up," and that it is in the third heaven we would expect to find more scripture on the subject. When did this change take place?"



THIS CHANGE TOOK PLACE AT THE ASCENSION


(2) The Scripture says, Ephesians 4:8-10, that before Christ ascended up into heaven, "He descended first into the lower parts of the earth" (verse 9). Now then, when Christ ascended did He go alone? No! He brought a multitude with Him. He took the waiting spirits of the paradise section of hades with Him. The Scripture says, "When He ascended up on high HE LED captivity captive," (verse 8). The marginal reading is "He led a multitude of captives." Mark 16:19, and many other Scriptures tell us that Christ ascended into the heavens to the right hand of God, and this account in Ephesians 4:8-10 tells us that He brought a multitude with Him.

(3) In addition to the two accounts referred to above, here is more evidence which proves that paradise, the abode for the righteous spirits, has been changed, and is no longer below in hades.

We are positive that the righteous dead are no longer in hades, because we know that THEY ARE WITH CHRIST WHERE HE IS.

Paul said, Philippians 1:23, that he desired to "DEPART TO BE WITH CHRIST." Paul was a righteous man, and he knew that to depart in death was "to be WITH CHRIST." And in II Corinthians 5:6-8, Paul uses strong words in expressing his confidence that to be "absent from the body" in death, is to be "present with the Lord." "We are confident (literal translation - we can say with absolute boldness) I repeat, and willing to be ABSENT from the body, and to be PRESENT WITH THE LORD." The righteous dead are "with Christ" - they are "present with the Lord," therefore they must be where Christ is.

Now then where is Christ? Is He in hades? No! We know that the Lord is not in hades, because the Scripture says of Christ, (Acts 2:27) His soul was not left in hades. Where is He then? Dozens of other Scriptures tell us that He has ascended into the heavens and is at the right hand of God. Inasmuch as the departed spirits of the righteous are PRESENT with the Lord, they must be there where He is up in heaven not down in the "section" of hades known as "Abraham's bosom" or "paradise."

These conclusions definitely prove that "paradise" the abode of the righteous is no longer in hades, but that since the ascension of Christ, the abode of the righteous is "paradise" up in "the third heaven" "with the Lord."

Jesus plainly declared that sheol-hades will not prevail against the true church. "And I say also unto thee. That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell (hades) shall not prevail against it," Matthew 16:18. No, sheol-hades will never be the abiding place of any true saint of this age. The reason the Old Testament righteous went to sheol-hades was because their sins were not yet put away. (Hebrews 10:4). But the Scripture says, "But now once in the end of the world (ages) He (Christ) hath appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself." (Hebrews 9:26). Therefore when the sins of the Old Testament righteous were "put away" by Christ's sacrifice on Calvary, they could enter into the very presence of God as do the spirits of the righteous of this age.

The present "paradise" - the present abode of the righteous must not be confused in our thinking with the final heaven, the New Jerusalem, which is still future.



ABODE OF THE UNRIGHTEOUS UNCHANGED


The spirits of the lost, the wicked dead, still go to HADES into "the place of torment." No change in their abode has been revealed in the Scripture. They are still in hades, and all the spirits of the unrighteous who shall die in the future will also go there. This is true because at the "Great White Throne" judgment at which the wicked are to appear, we read in Revelation 20:13, that "HELL (HADES) DELIVERED UP THE DEAD." This proves that hades is still the abode of the unrighteous, and that it will be until the time of the "Great White Throne" judgment - which is future. At that time the spirits of the wicked will be brought up out of hades, not out of some other place. (Chapter eleven, on the "present hell," continues with the Bible teaching regarding the wicked dead).

The spirits of the righteous dead are with Christ and their abode is "paradise" the "third heaven." At this time it would be well to consider what the Bible reveals about the location of "paradise" or "third heaven."



THE PRESENT "THREE" HEAVENS


The word "heaven" is used in the Bible in three distinct, yet closely related senses. In the Scripture we read of three heavens.

First, in Acts 14:17, we read of the heaven of the earth's atmosphere. "God gave you rain from heaven." This is the region of the clouds.

Second, The "high places" or heaven of the stars, where the "principalities and powers" of evil are Satan's kingdom. Ephesians 6:12, "We wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities and powers, against the rulers of darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places."

Third, The heaven of heavens or third heaven - God's throne and dwelling place, Nehemiah 9:6, "Thou has made heaven, the heaven of heavens, with all their host - the throne of the Majesty in the heavens," Hebrews 8:1. It was to this third heaven that Paul was caught up when he was stoned at Lystra, Acts 14:19-20. In II Corinthians 12:1-4 he calls it both the "third heaven" and "paradise," therefore the two must be the same or "paradise" a part of the "third heaven." It is here where it can be said, "There is joy in heaven over one sinner that repenteth." (Luke 15:7).

Be sure not to confound the present "paradise" or "third heaven" with the final heaven, the New Jerusalem.

Let us consider for a moment what the Bible reveals concerning the location of paradise - (heaven), and the throne of God.

Where is heaven? Spiritually speaking, it is just a little way To be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord. Some people are trying to find out just how far away heaven is. Well, there is one thing we know it is near enough that God can hear us when we pray.

The location of the throne of God is a matter of importance. Jesus arose in a body of flesh and bone, and ascended to heaven and is now living in heaven in that body. And the dead in Christ are now absent from the body and present with the Lord. This means that heaven is somewhere in particular, and not just everywhere in general.

We must remember paradise and the throne of God are very closely associated. Many Scriptures testify that Jesus is ascended up into heaven and is seated on the right hand of God. His ascension is told in Luke 24:51, Acts 1:9-11, Mark 16:19. He is now seated "on the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens" (Hebrews 8:1). He is there "to appear in the presence of God for us" (Hebrews 9:24) and He is there forever interceding for us, (Hebrews 7:25).

Stephen, when dying, saw the heavens opened and Christ at the right hand of God, (Acts 7:55-60). There are dozens of scriptures which tell us that Christ is ascended to the right hand of God.

Paradise, the abode of the righteous, must have the same location as the throne of God. It is plain that both are together, because Christ is said to be at the right hand of the throne of God, and the righteous dead are also said to be with Him.

This places the throne of God in the third heaven, because that is where the righteous are in paradise which is the third heaven. This agrees perfectly with what has already been said in preceding paragraphs about the three heavens and the dwelling place of God in the heaven of heavens.

Thus we know that paradise and the throne are in the third heaven somewhere above the other two heavens but the location of the throne of God and of paradise, in the third heaven, can hardly be everywhere in general and nowhere in particular. It must be a place, for Jesus is in His bodily, corporeal presence, and is at the right hand of the throne of God, and is in the presence of the righteous in paradise.

Where in the third heaven is that place?

The following little Bible study seems to result in a very probable and logical answer.

The Scriptures always speak of heaven as "up." But which way is "up"? If we say it is in the direction at right angles with the earth's surface wherever we may happen to be, then it would be in a different direction from every point on the earth. From North America and from China it would be in exactly opposite directions. According to this, "up" would be everywhere in general and nowhere in particular.

The following reference will help us establish some facts. In Isaiah 14:12-14, which speaks of Lucifer (Satan), we read:
"For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High."
Here we have information that heaven is "in the sides of the north" and that it is above the heights of the clouds, and above the stars.

What is the meaning of the words "In the sides of the north?" The Revised Version, which gives the clearer meaning, reads, "In the uttermost parts of the north."

God says in Psalm 75:2-7, "When I shall receive the congregation I will judge uprightly . . . For promotion cometh neither from the east, nor from the west, nor from the south. But God is the judge."

Here it is implied that the throne of God, where He receives the congregation and judges uprightly, is in the north. Since it is not in the east, nor in the west, nor in the south, it must be in the north.

North is in the same direction from every point on our earth's surface, it is the same from China as from America, the same from the Antarctic as from the Arctic.

And north is "up" from everywhere. Who ever heard anyone say "down north" or "up south?"

How significant it is, too, that the geographic and magnetic poles of the earth are always kept pointing north! Who can tell why the magnetic needle in a compass points toward the north star?

When "the glory of Jehovah" visited the prophet Ezekiel it came with a whirlwind which "came out of the north," Ezekiel 1:4-28.

And there is still another point of tremendous interest in connection with this study. In the northern heavens, the telescope camera reveals an apparently empty space where there are no stars, though the region all around is thickly dotted with them. Some astronomers say that this is a "rift in the sky." It may be wondered if the Holy Spirit had any reference to this when He recorded in Job 26:7 "He (God) stretched out the north over the empty place, and hangeth the earth upon nothing."

What is the meaning of these various Scriptures which refer to the north?

Could it be that this empty place in the north is the location of the throne of God and of paradise?

Now let us again consider Judge Rutherford's false theory which teaches that "No man has a soul" and that at death man becomes unconscious and passes entirely out of existence. We have shown that such a teaching is contrary to Scripture, by proving from the Bible that man does have a soul, and that at death the soul separates from the body. It has been shown that the spirits of the righteous depart to a place prepared for them in hades, and that the spirits of the righteous, since the resurrection and ascension of Christ, depart to "paradise," the "third heaven."

Now then, Judge Rutherford uses several Scripture references in trying to disprove the fact that has just been established, namely; that the spirits of the righteous are in the third heaven in the presence of Christ. According to his belief, we are all wrong when we teach that the righteous are up in heaven, because he points out that the Bible says, "No man hath ascended up to heaven, but he that came down from heaven," John 3:13. He also uses Acts 2:34. "David is not ascended into the heavens."

Let us consider First, John 3:13, "No man hath ascended up to heaven, but he that came down from heaven . . . " Christ uttered this statement before His death, resurrection and ascension. And as has already been said, the spirits of the righteous were in hades, not in the third heaven or paradise, prior to the time of Christ's ascension. It was not until His ascension that the righteous were transferred to the third heaven paradise. At the time Christ uttered his statement no man had yet ascended to heaven. Therefore this statement is not contradictory to the fundamental teaching above. It has no bearing on the subject whatever.

Even though this statement had been uttered after the ascension and after the abodes had been changed, it would not contradict the orthodox teaching, for the word "man" .in the light of the context, no doubt refers to the body, and in this sense, no man has ascended to heaven in bodily form, because the resurrection of the body has not yet taken place.

Now, let us consider Acts 2:34. "David is not ascended into the heavens." This passage, like the first, offers no opposition against the orthodox teaching that the righteous are in the third heaven paradise. Unfortunately for Rutherford, the whole drift of the context shows that Peter was speaking of David's "body" and not of his soul.

The subject under discussion here is the resurrection - the resurrection (of the body) of Christ. God raised Jesus up bodily, and He is ascended and exalted by the right hand of God, but this is not true of David. "David (bodily) is not ascended into the heavens."

In this chapter it has been proved from the Scripture, first, since the ascension of Christ, the spirits of the righteous departed to the third heaven - paradise, in the presence of Christ, and second, that the spirits of the unrighteous are still in their abode in hades.