RE: Compartments, Sheep and Sin Oh My!

 

John and Doves,

 

My understanding is that during O.T. times, and the time up until Jesus died (Matthew, Mark, Luke, John), the old covenant was still in effect (Jesus was still teaching the Law when He was alive), and those who followed God would go to Abraham’s bosom.  This was one of the compartments in the belly of the earth.  The other compartments were Sheol (the lowest pit) and Tartarus (where the most evil fallen angels are held, which I believe to be the Sons of God that went unto the daughters of men, never to be released and kept in chains) and Hades (hell). 

 

I liked Perry Stone’s perspective when he spoke about the two thieves on the either side of Jesus during His crucifixion.  One thief mocked Jesus and I’m pretty sure he went to hell.  In Luke 23:42, the other thief said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.”  In Luke 23:43, Jesus answered him, “I tell you the truth, today you will be with me in paradise.”   Jesus says in Matthew 12:40 “For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of a huge fish, so the Son of Man will be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.”  Perry Stone had mentioned a perspective I never heard before, when he said that Jesus went into the belly of the earth with the thief to help him steal the keys to death and Hades ( I doubt Jesus needed help, but it sounded like a fun idea).  Jesus confirms in Revelation 1:18 “I am the Living One; I was dead, and behold I am alive for ever and ever! And I hold the keys of death and Hades.”

 

I believe that the O.T. and Old Covenant saints went to Abraham’s bosom and that Jesus preached to them (Perry says this too).  Since they did not have the Holy Spirit within them at that time, they were not able to go to Heaven yet.  In John 10:15-17 it mentions, “just as the Father knows me and I know the Father—and I lay down my life for the sheep. I have other sheep that are not of this sheep pen. I must bring them also. They too will listen to my voice, and there shall be one flock and one shepherd. The reason my Father loves me is that I lay down my life—only to take it up again.”  These other sheep were the O.T./Old Covenant saints that He was bringing with Him to Heaven. 

Another thing that Perry Stone mentions is that when Jesus’ tomb was empty, Mary Magdalene had found it that way and was upset.  It says in John 20:15-17 “Jesus saith unto her, Woman, why weepest thou? whom seekest thou? She, supposing him to be the gardener, saith unto him, Sir, if thou have borne him hence, tell me where thou hast laid him, and I will take him away. “

“Jesus saith unto her, Mary. She turned herself, and saith unto him, Rabboni; which is to say, Master.”

 ^“Jesus saith unto her, Touch me not; for I am not yet ascended to my Father: but go to my brethren, and say unto them, I ascend unto my Father, and your Father; and to my God, and your God.”
 
Mary didn’t recognize him, thinking he was the gardener.  He also had clothes on, which I am assuming must have been priestly garments AND He had His glorified body, which I feel is the main reason why Mary didn’t recognize Him.  If He was buried, He would’ve risen from the dead, naked or at least in His old loincloth.  Where did He get His priestly garments from?  Could it be that He received them from one of the two angels that were guarding His body in the tomb?  He tells Mary, “Touch me NOT, for I am not yet ascended to my Father (in Heaven).  He had a job to do, which was to cleanse with His blood, the Temple in Heaven and the Mercy Seat, of the sin that Satan and his fallen angels contaminated Heaven with.  Once Heaven was permanently cleansed by the blood of Jesus, His job as High priest was done, thus He is sitting at the right hand of the Father.  Down here on earth, the priest’s job was never done, so therefore he could never sit and rest.  Through the cleansing of the Temple of Heaven, we are able to go to Heaven once we become absent from the body, present with the Lord.
 
Next time Jesus appears again (I believe 7 or 8 days later), He appears to the disciples in a room where doubting Thomas is and says in Luke 24:39 “Look at my hands and my feet. It is I myself! Touch me and see; a ghost does not have flesh and bones, as you see I have."
 
What bothers me is that (I’m presuming because of the RC church) the church says sin originated in the Garden of Eden with man, which I believe to be incorrect.  Sin originally happened in Heaven, before man and woman was created, when Lucifer said his 5 “I wills” as stated in Isaiah 14:12-15 and Lucifer/Satan introduced sin, shown in Ezekiel 28: 15-19, “You were blameless in your ways from the day you were created till wickedness was found in you.  Through your widespread trade you were filled with violence, and you sinned. So I drove you in disgrace from the mount of God, and I expelled you, O guardian cherub, from among the fiery stones. Your heart became proud on account of your beauty, and you corrupted your wisdom because of your splendor. So I threw you to the earth; I made a spectacle of you before kings. By your many sins and dishonest trade you have desecrated your sanctuaries. So I made a fire come out from you, and it consumed you, and I reduced you to ashes on the ground in the sight of all who were watching. All the nations who knew you are appalled at you; you have come to a horrible end and will be no more."
 
I’ve been watching Perry Stone (and others) over the past couple of years and his grasp of understanding the scriptures from a Hebraic cultural perspective blows me away.  I am fortunate to have a pastor who is Jewish, but IS a believer and teaches from the Hebraic cultural perspective as well, who considers himself a Christian.  I never understood scripture and thought it dry like biter biscuits back in my baby Christian days (and I haven’t been a believer long).  I’ve been eating the meat of the gospel for over several years, and loving it, because it makes complete sense.  From the Hebraic cultural perspective it really comes alive for me.  
 
I am not saying I know everything, because I don’t, but what I do know about God’s Word and what I understand, I am excited about and I love to share.  I am always looking for more opportunities to learn from others and this site is wonderful because it allows many people from all walks of life, ages, and perspectives to come together to share what they know, to encourage others and also be a witness to one another.
 
God bless you John and all the Doves for sharing and allowing me to share.
Shalom and Maranatha,
Merianne