Prior to JESUS’ death, shedding of HIS blood to wash us clean of our sins, burial and resurrection on the 3^rd day to show we are justified/righteous by what JESUS did, nobody could go to heaven because we since Adam, all are sinners (Rom C3 V10 & 23). Two exceptions exist, Enoch (Gen C5 V24) & Elijah (2 Kings C2 V1 & 11) who did go to heaven. JESUS is not included in this discussion because JESUS is GOD eternal past and took on flesh & blood for our salvation, JESUS did not require/need salvation. GOD will be gracious to whom HE pleases, Ex C33 V19, “And he said, I will make all my goodness pass before thee, and I will proclaim the name of the LORD before thee; and will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will shew mercy on whom I will shew mercy.”. Enoch & Elijah went to heaven due to GOD’S grace/will/purpose.

Since the bible does not record where Noah, Abraham, Moses or any other old testament saint went after death, it is NOT believe they went to heaven, instead they went to paradise which is the good part of sheol and not hades/hell which is the torment side of sheol.  In the old testament, sacrifices were a covering for sins but was not the complete price for mankind’s sins and since the price was not paid you could not go to heaven except by GOD’S grace/mercy.

JESUS after HIS death but before HIS resurrection from the dead, JESUS went to sheol to preach the gospel of the kingdom (gospel of grace from Paul was not revealed by GOD yet – Deut C29 V29). Those who believed JESUS ascended captive to heaven with JESUS sometime after HIS resurrection from the dead.

This is a quick study!

• Matt C12 V38 – 40, “Then certain of the scribes and of the Pharisees answered, saying, Master, we would see a sign from thee. But he answered and said unto them, An evil and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign; and there shall no sign be given to it, but the sign of the prophet Jonas: For as Jonas was three days and three nights in the whale’s belly; so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.” JESUS shall descend to the heart of the earth – not heaven.
• Matt C27 V50, “Jesus, when he had cried again with a loud voice, yielded up the ghost.”
• Mark C15 V37, “And Jesus cried with a loud voice, and gave up the ghost.”
• Luke C23 V46, “And when Jesus had cried with a loud voice, he said, Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit: and having said thus, he gave up the ghost.”
• John C19 V30, “When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, he said, It is finished: and he bowed his head, and gave up the ghost.” The above four verses let us know that JESUS states it is finished, nothing at all to be done ever again for salvation/forgiveness of sins except belief, then JESUS lowed HIS head and then gave up HIS spirit.
• John C20 V10 – 18, especially V17 – “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 Magdalene sees JESUS a short period of time after HIS resurrection on/after the 3^rd day and JESUS states that HE still had to ascend to GOD the FATHER. If JESUS did not ascend into heaven to GOD the FATHER right after HIS death, where did HE go or where was HE for the three days & three nights?

• Acts C2 V25 – 32, “For David speaketh concerning him, I foresaw the Lord always before my face, for he is on my right hand, that I should not be moved: Therefore did my heart rejoice, and my tongue was glad; moreover also my flesh shall rest in hope: Because thou wilt not leave my soul in hell, neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption. Thou hast made known to me the ways of life; thou shalt make me full of joy with thy countenance. Men and brethren, let me freely speak unto you of the patriarch David, that he is both dead and buried, and his sepulchre is with us unto this day. Therefore being a prophet, and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him, that of the fruit of his loins, according to the flesh, he would raise up Christ to sit on his throne; He seeing this before spake of the resurrection of Christ, that his soul was not left in hell, neither his flesh did see corruption. This Jesus hath God raised up, whereof we all are witnesses.” Peter lets us know that David was talking about JESUS when he said, “thou wilt not leave my soul in hell, neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption”. So, JESUS’ soul was NOT left in hell/sheol.
• Psalms C16 V10, “For thou wilt not leave my soul in hell; neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption.”
• Eph C4 V7 – 10, “But unto every one of us is given grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ. 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.)” JESUS descended first into the lower parts of the earth. Then when HE ascended out of the lower parts JESUS led captivity captive or HE led those captives in lower parts of the earth who were righteous (believe GOD that JESUS isthe MESSIAH) to heaven.
• 1 Pet C3 V18 – 20, “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; Which sometime were disobedient, when once the longsuffering of God waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was a preparing, wherein few, that is, eight souls were saved by water.”  JESUS descended first into the lower parts of the earth and preached the gospel of the kingdom, those who believed JESUS was the MESSIAH, JESUS led to heaven.
• Isa C42 V1 – 7, especially V7 – “To open the blind eyes, to bring out the prisoners from the prison, and them that sit in darkness out of the prison house.” JESUS preached the gospel of the kingdom, those who believed JESUS was the MESSIAH, JESUS led to heaven.
• Isa C49 V24 – 26, “Shall the prey be taken from the mighty, or the lawful captive delivered? But thus saith the LORD, Even the captives of the mighty shall be taken away, and the prey of the terrible shall be delivered: for I will contend with him that contendeth with thee, and I will save thy children. And I will feed them that oppress thee with their own flesh; and they shall be drunken with their own blood, as with sweet wine: and all flesh shall know that I the LORD am thy Saviour and thy Redeemer, the mighty One of Jacob.” JESUS shall take away the captive/prey, JESUS will contend with satan & deliver us from satan & sheol
• Isa C61 V1, “The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me; because the LORD hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound;”
• Matt C12 V38 – 40, “Then certain of the scribes and of the Pharisees answered, saying, Master, we would see a sign from thee. But he answered and said unto them, An evil and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign; and there shall no sign be given to it, but the sign of the prophet Jonas: For as Jonas was three days and three nights in the whale’s belly; so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.” JESUS in the heart of the earth for 3 days & 3 nights
• Heb C9 V11 – 12, “But Christ being come an high priest of good things to come, by a greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this building; Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us.” JESUS entered the more perfect tabernacle made without hands, must be in heaven with GOD the FATHER to present HIS blood ONCE for mankind’s salvation. This pairs with John C20 V10 – 18.