Did anyone enter heaven before Jesus rose?
Believers before the cross died in faith, consciously kept by God while awaiting something better: Abraham's bosom in Jesus' parable, the heavenly country Hebrews says they longed for. They were saved by the same cross you were, credited ahead of time, and when Christ ascended He led captivity captive. Calvary reaches backward as well as forward.
This question arose from studying What happened to the person I love, the moment they died?.
Begin by reading
Go into the Word
Not a summary of these passages: the passages themselves. Read them, then come back to the study below.
The study
What the Scripture says
Old Testament saints died trusting a promise they never held
Hebrews sums up Abel through the prophets: 'These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them and embraced them from afar'. Their salvation was real but pending completion, so much so that God provided 'some better thing concerning us, so that apart from us they should not be made perfect'. They were with God, awaiting fullness.
These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them and embraced them from afar, and having confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth.These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them, and embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth.
These all, having had testimony given to them through their faith, didn’t receive the promise, God having provided some better thing concerning us, so that apart from us they should not be made perfect.And these all, having obtained a good report through faith, received not the promise: God having provided some better thing for us, that they without us should not be made perfect.
Abraham's bosom: conscious rest within covenant care
Jesus paints the unseen world in colors rather than abstractions: the beggar dies and 'was carried away by the angels to Abraham’s bosom', where he is 'comforted', while the rich man suffers across 'a great gulf fixed'. Whatever else the parable teaches, before the cross the righteous dead were conscious, at rest, and held in Abraham's embrace rather than cast off.
The beggar died, and he was carried away by the angels to Abraham’s bosom. The rich man also died, and was buried. In Hades, he lifted up his eyes, being in torment, and saw Abraham far off, and Lazarus at his bosom. He cried and said, ‘Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water, and cool my tongue! For I am in anguish in this flame.’ “But Abraham said, ‘Son, remember that you, in your lifetime, received your good things, and Lazarus, in the same way, bad things. But now here he is comforted and you are in anguish. Besides all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed, that those who want to pass from here to you are not able, and that no one may cross over from there to us.’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. And he cried and said, Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water, and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame. But Abraham said, Son, remember that thou in thy lifetime receivedst thy good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things: but now he is comforted, and thou art tormented. And beside all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed: so that they which would pass from hence to you cannot; neither can they pass to us, that would come from thence.
They wanted heaven all along
Hebrews insists this rest was no consolation prize: they confessed themselves strangers on earth because 'they desire a better country, that is, a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed of them, to be called their God, for he has prepared a city for them.' The bosom was the waiting room for the city, not the substitute for it.
For those who say such things make it clear that they are seeking a country of their own. If indeed they had been thinking of that country from which they went out, they would have had enough time to return. But now they desire a better country, that is, a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed of them, to be called their God, for he has prepared a city for them.For they that say such things declare plainly that they seek a country. And truly, if they had been mindful of that country from whence they came out, they might have had opportunity to have returned. But now they desire a better country, that is, an heavenly: wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God: for he hath prepared for them a city.
Christ opened the way at His ascension
Paul quotes the triumph: 'When he ascended on high, he led captivity captive, and gave gifts to men.' One long-standing reading takes the captives as the redeemed dead, led out when their Liberator rose; others hear the defeated powers led behind Him in victory. Either way the ascent is a triumphal procession through death's own territory, which is the backdrop to the word Jesus spoke on the cross, 'today you will be with me in Paradise': the door opened at Calvary reaches in both directions of history.
Therefore he says, “When he ascended on high, he led captivity captive, and gave gifts to men.”Wherefore he saith, When he ascended up on high, he led captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men.
Jesus said to him, “Assuredly I tell you, today you will be with me in Paradise.”And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, To day shalt thou be with me in paradise.
As you read, you may wonder…
Scripture raises the next question
Studying the Word naturally opens more of it. Follow what you just read: it leads somewhere.
Continue this trail
Will I actually see them again, or just know they're safe?→“After my skin is destroyed, then in my flesh shall I see God, Whom I, even I, shall see on my side. My eyes shall see, and not as a stranger. “My heart is consumed within me.And though after my skin worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God: Whom I shall see for myself, and mine eyes shall behold, and not another; though my reins be consumed within me.”How do I carry sorrow and hope in the same life?→“It is because of Yahweh’s loving kindnesses that we are not consumed, because his compassion doesn’t fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.It is of the Lord’s mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not. They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness.”What do I say to someone who just lost someone?→“So they sat down with him on the ground seven days and seven nights, and no one spoke a word to him, for they saw that his grief was very great.So they sat down with him upon the ground seven days and seven nights, and none spake a word unto him: for they saw that his grief was very great.”It has been months. Why is my grief not getting easier?→“How long, Yahweh? Will you forget me forever? How long will you hide your face from me?How long wilt thou forget me, O Lord? for ever? how long wilt thou hide thy face from me?”Explore further
Is there a second chance after death?→Our Hope trail“Inasmuch as it is appointed for men to die once, and after this, judgment,And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment:”Hold onto these
Verses to meditate on
These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them and embraced them from afar, and having confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth.These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them, and embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth.
But now they desire a better country, that is, a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed of them, to be called their God, for he has prepared a city for them.But now they desire a better country, that is, an heavenly: wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God: for he hath prepared for them a city.
Therefore he says, “When he ascended on high, he led captivity captive, and gave gifts to men.”Wherefore he saith, When he ascended up on high, he led captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men.
Worth visiting