Correspondence: Heb. 4:3; 1 Pet. 3:19

From: Young Christian: Volume 6, 1916

• 2 min. read • grade level: 5

Question 157: What works were finished from the foundation of the world? (Heb. 4:3³For we which have believed do enter into rest, as he said, As I have sworn in my wrath, if they shall enter into my rest: although the works were finished from the foundation of the world. (Hebrews 4:3)). What is the rest which remains to the people of God? (Heb. 4:9⁹There remaineth therefore a rest to the people of God. (Hebrews 4:9)). R. B.

Answer: God had wrought in creation and then rested from His works when He had finished them, but man did not enter into it. Neither did Joshua nor David give God’s people rest; so that the rest of God is still future, and believers will enter into it. We are to take care not to appear like coming short of it. It is laboring now as Christians; it will be resting when God’s rest comes.

All taint of sin shall be removed,

All evil done away:

And we shall dwell with God’s Beloved,

Through God’s eternal day.

Question 158: Did the wicked who were drowned at thy flood, go into everlasting punishment in Sheol, or did they have another chance when Christ preached to the spirits in prison? (1 Peter 3:19¹⁹By which also he went and preached unto the spirits in prison; (1 Peter 3:19)). M. S. P.

Answer: All the wicked that died before, at, or after the flood, will be raised to stand before the great white throne (Rev. 20:11-15¹¹And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them. ¹²And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works. ¹³And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works. ¹⁴And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. ¹⁵And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire. (Revelation 20:11‑15)). This is the resurrection of judgment (John 5:29²⁹And shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation. (John 5:29)).

When an unsaved man dies, his soul is in prison, awaiting the judgment (2 Peter 2:4, 9⁴For if God spared not the angels that sinned, but cast them down to hell, and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be reserved unto judgment; (2 Peter 2:4)
⁹The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptations, and to reserve the unjust unto the day of judgment to be punished: (2 Peter 2:9)); he is also in torment. See Luke 16:23²³And in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom. (Luke 16:23), where the rich man’s soul is “in torment,” while men give his body a funeral. It is everlasting punishment; justice cannot be defeated when Christ is the judge. The wrath of God abideth on the sinner (John 3:36³⁶He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him. (John 3:36)).

There is no preaching or offer of salvation to a man after death. There was no preaching in the prison. The Spirit of Christ preached through Noah to the people who lived at his time, then they were drowned, and their souls are in prison for their disobedience to the preaching.

When Christ died, His spirit went to the Father. “Father, into Thy hands I commend My spirit” (Luke 23:46⁴⁶And 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. (Luke 23:46)). His body was put in the grave. Then He arose, and after forty days He ascended up on high. He is now the man at God’s right hand. It is a man – spirit, soul and body – that ascends. He had been in death, but could not be holden of it. That was “the lower parts of the earth”. When He ascended up on high, He led captivity captive. Satan is vanquished, and we are set free, sharing His triumphs now over sin, death and Satan’s power. This is our blessing now, as brought to Himself to share His place before and with His God and Father.

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