We have done so many Revelation studies, we set up a site dedicated specifically to that book of the Bible. There are written studies as well as audio /video studies on this site
http://the-bookofrevelation.blogspot.com/
This Commentary is based on 40+ years of daily Bible reading by the editor, comparing English translations with biblical languages, along with the work of respected scholars. Scripture passages often appear in the top portion of each post (most translator supplements are in [brackets]) Scroll down to see commentary in the numbered footnotes. Use the "search this blog" feature located in the side bar (top right) to find commentary on scripture passages or books of the Bible.
Ephesians 4:8-10 The Lower Parts of the Earth: Did Jesus Suffer in Hell?
God promised to send a man, the seed of woman, to strip the serpent of his power over mankind and completely crush him (Genesis 3:15). The phrase, bruise thy head, in Genesis 3:15, means to strip of power or to crush (the head representing rank or authority). But until such time as the serpent would be stripped of his power, the righteous dead were held captive, for their protection, in a place called Abraham’s Bosom located somewhere in the heart of the earth.
This place was beautiful enough to be called paradise, but it was not Heaven (Luke 16:22-25, Ezekiel 31:16, Job 14:13). When Jesus ascended to Heaven after his resurrection he took these “captive” souls with him, but first he had to descend into the “lower parts of the earth” to get them (Ephesians 4:8-10). This is one of the proof scriptures that Jesus never suffered in hell. How could he have suffered in hell for 3 days when he told the thief, who was crucified with him, that they would be together in Paradise on the very day they both died?
According to the words of Christ, the price [for sin] was completely paid while he was still hanging on the cross (John 19:30 When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, he said, It is finished: and he bowed his head, and gave up the ghost). There was no need for him to suffer further in hell.
We see from scripture that Jesus was quite busy during the time his body lay in the tomb, and he didn’t spend any of that time burning in hell fire (Luke 23:43, 1 Peter 3:19-20).
Had Christ failed in his mission and refused to die on the cross during that long ago Passover, possession of those captive souls, in Abraham’s Bosom/Paradise, would have defaulted to Satan and been doomed—forever—along with him. Not only would they have all been without hope, but you and I would be without hope as well. But we are not left without hope. We have a living hope in the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ if we will come to him. Jesus said, “He that heareth my word and believeth on Him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life (John 5:24).
Romans 10:8-13
8: But what saith it? The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy heart: that is, the word of faith, which we preach;
This place was beautiful enough to be called paradise, but it was not Heaven (Luke 16:22-25, Ezekiel 31:16, Job 14:13). When Jesus ascended to Heaven after his resurrection he took these “captive” souls with him, but first he had to descend into the “lower parts of the earth” to get them (Ephesians 4:8-10). This is one of the proof scriptures that Jesus never suffered in hell. How could he have suffered in hell for 3 days when he told the thief, who was crucified with him, that they would be together in Paradise on the very day they both died?
According to the words of Christ, the price [for sin] was completely paid while he was still hanging on the cross (John 19:30 When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, he said, It is finished: and he bowed his head, and gave up the ghost). There was no need for him to suffer further in hell.
We see from scripture that Jesus was quite busy during the time his body lay in the tomb, and he didn’t spend any of that time burning in hell fire (Luke 23:43, 1 Peter 3:19-20).
Had Christ failed in his mission and refused to die on the cross during that long ago Passover, possession of those captive souls, in Abraham’s Bosom/Paradise, would have defaulted to Satan and been doomed—forever—along with him. Not only would they have all been without hope, but you and I would be without hope as well. But we are not left without hope. We have a living hope in the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ if we will come to him. Jesus said, “He that heareth my word and believeth on Him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life (John 5:24).
Romans 10:8-13
8: But what saith it? The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy heart: that is, the word of faith, which we preach;
9: That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.
10: For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.
11: For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed.
12: For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him.
13: For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.
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10: For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.
11: For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed.
12: For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him.
13: For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.
Predestination: Committed to Dishonor—Fitted For Destruction
Does every person have a choice, at some point in their life, to choose Christ and live forever? Or, are all people, from the moment they are born, created for either honor or dishonor, life or destruction?
If the latter is the case, then the scriptures lie, and we are all locked into caste.
If we are all, from birth, predestined to either honor or dishonor, eternal life or eternal destruction, why bother preaching the gospel to anyone or attempt to live lives pleasing to God if our fate is already sealed?
Fortunately, the scriptures do not lie, and the above hypothesis is incorrect.
The God of the Bible is a God of redemption and not of caste.
Romans 9:21, says that God makes some vessels to honor and other vessels are made to dishonor (KJV). Romans 9:22, says God endures with “much long suffering” the vessels fitted to destruction.
Pay close attention to what these verses say. They say that some vessels are made to honor or dishonor, not that they are made for these things.
This is an important distinction.
The vessels in verse 22 are fitted to destruction, and not for destruction.
Remember, every word of scripture is God breathed, even the little words.
The word “makes,” in Romans 9:21, comes from the Greek word, poieo. Poieo, is a root word with a literal meaning of “make” or “do.” But, depending on context, the word has a wide variety of applications, some of which include the meanings of, commit, ordain, raise up, or appoint.
Someone can be committed, ordained, raised up, or appointed to something at any point in their lives. It is not necessary that they be committed to it at birth.
It would not contradict the context of, Romans chapter nine, or the definition of the Greek word, poieo, to translate verse 21 as, “God commits” some vessels to honor, rather than, “God makes [or creates] some vessels to honor...”
The alternate reading gives a different and clearer perspective on the passage.
A case in point is King Saul. God raised up and appointed a righteous young man, Saul, to become his ordained King over Israel (even though it was not God’s perfect will that Israel have a king at all). After coming to power, Saul made some personally destructive choices. Yet, he was also given freedom to make righteous choices. Few will argue that King Saul was given both option and opportunity to do things differently...to become a vessel of honor rather than dishonor.
Pharaoh could have done things differently, as well. Did the apostle really write that Pharaoh was created for dishonor and destruction? That, from the moment of his birth, he was locked into a cosmic caste system from which there was no escape?
Was Pharaoh really created for the sole purpose of condemnation?
If that is true then God's Word is a lie that says it is God's will for all to be saved and come to the knowledge of the truth. Was the prophet, Jeremiah, lying when he wrote that God has a plan and a purpose for all of us, plans to do us good and not evil?
No. He was not. So, we see that the Word of God must be rightly discerned.
Romans 9:22 speaks of vessels of wrath fitted to destruction. The Greek word translated “fitted” (in the King James Bible) is “Katartizo.” Katartizo has a literal translation of “complete thoroughly,” “adjust” or “repair,” which makes perfect sense within the context of Romans 9:22. Deeper study reveals the word, Katartizo, is derived from yet another Greek word, “Katah.”
Katah is a root word, meaning of “down.”
When combined, the meanings of the words, Katartizo and Katah, mean that Romans 9:17-22 [22]) is saying, that vessels are adjusted down to destruction. They are committed to that destruction only after God endures their sinful choices with “much long suffering.”
Taking into account, the definition of the word, Katartizo, as “thoroughly complete,” it becomes clear that God’s plan for Pharaoh, because of Pharaoh’s own choices, was adjusted down. And it was at that point, Pharaoh became committed [or ordained] to dishonor and destruction.
Setting aside English-Translation-Theology (remember, our Bibles were not originally written in English), a careful reading of Romans 9:17-22, makes it clear that Pharaoh was not committed to dishonor and destruction from before he was formed in his mother's womb, but only after God had endured his sinful choices with “much long suffering.”
1 Timothy 2:3-5 states that it is not God’s will that any should perish but that all should come to the knowledge of the truth. If it is not God’s will that any should perish, then he is not going to violate his own will by creating anyone for the specific purpose of deliberately destroying them.
However, in his foreknowledge of all things, God knows who will, and who will not, choose life and godliness [Romans 8:29].
According to 1 Timothy 2:3-5, It is God’s explicit, written, will, that we are all given [at least one] opportunity to choose life. The Word of God also explicitly states that Jesus died for the sins of the world...not just for the sins of the predestined elect.
Romans 8:29 says that predestination is according to foreknowledge. And 2 Corinthians 6:2, states that there is a period of Grace in which the door to salvation remains open. The Bible says today is the accepted time...today is the day of salvation.
But, if any refuse to accept Christ, the Bible says the period of “much long suffering” can pass. And, as with Pharaoh, the opportunity can be withdrawn.
The door can close.
It is at that point, and not one moment before, that God’s perfect plan for a life can be adjusted...down. From that point on, one can be committed to, or ordained to, destruction.
God’s power will be revealed, his purpose will be accomplished, and his name will be declared throughout all the earth, regardless of what individual choices are made by his human creation.
But we must always remember, that God gives us a choice. He is the one who said, “I have set before you blessing and cursing, life and death…Choose life, so that you and your children may live.
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