“Then Abraham breathed his last, dying at a ripe old age, an old man full of years; and he was gathered to his people.”
-Genesis 25:8
So Abraham dies.
Both Isaac and Ishmael tended to the burial of their father in the same Cave of Machpelah.
This cave would also become the same burial spot for Isaac and later Jacob.
Depending on the translation, the Scripture says Abraham was “gathered to his people” or “gathered to his ancestors”.
In all of the Old Testament, there is zero mention of the concept of going to heaven after death.
In the New Testament, we will receive some new revelations but what happens after death as related in the Old Testament is a very fuzzy concept.
In ancient times, it was believed that one’s “life essence” lived on through their son.
Therefore, it was of utmost importance to have a son to carry on the family line.
At death, the best people could hope for was in some way being reunited with their loved ones.
However, this concept was still undefined and not very clear.
In the Old Testament, the Hebrew word for where the soul descended after death is “Sheol“.
This word appears 65 times in our Bibles.
Other words used are “grave” and “pit“.
The Scriptures teach that there are two chambers in Sheol.
One chamber is called “Abraham’s Bosom“.
Another chamber is called “Hades (or hell)“, in Hebrew “Gehinom“.
A question often asked is…
“Where did people in Old Testament times go when they died?”
The answer is that those who “trusted” God to eventually save them through Messiah went to Abraham’s bosom.
Those who rejected God’s promise of the coming of Messiah went to Hades.
However, there are no longer any souls in Abraham’s Bosom today because Yeshua emptied it prior to his ascension.
When a faithful believer in the God of Israel dies today, he immediately ascends into the presence of Messiah Yeshua.
CONNECTING THIS TEACHING TO THE NEW TESTAMENT
“And behold, the veil of the Temple was torn in two from top to the bottom, the earth shook, and many of the bodies of the saints which slept arose; they came out of the graves after His resurrection, and went into the Holy City (Jerusalem), and appeared to many.” –Matthew 27:51-53 (NOTE: The “bodies of the saints” refers to those who were in Abraham’s Bosom.)
“Behold I show you a mystery; we shall not all sleep (die) but we all shall be changed. In a moment, in a twinkling of the eye, at the last trump; for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we (those who are still alive) shall be changed.” -1 Corinthians15:51-52
“For since we believe that Yeshua died and rose again, even so they also which sleep in Yeshua will God bring with Him. For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not precede them which are asleep. For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of G-d: and the dead in Messiah shall rise first. Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we forever be with the Lord.“ -1 Thessalonians 4:14-17 (NOTE: I’m not so sure the “Lord Himself” here refers to Yeshua. Is this not referring to YHVH?)
Yeshua said, “I AM the Resurrection and the Life!
Whoever puts his trust in me will live, even if he dies;
and everyone living and trusting in me will never die.
Do you believe this?”
-John 11:25-27
You may want to consider these scriptures regarding the spirit/soul while drawing your own conclusion on this matter.
And the dust returneth to the earth as it was, And the spirit returneth unto God who gave it.
Ecclesiastes 12:7 JPS
Crying out with a loud voice, Yeshua said, “Father! Into your hands I commit my spirit.” With these words he gave up his spirit.
Luke 23:46 CJB
After Yeshua had taken the wine, he said, “It is accomplished!” And, letting his head droop, he delivered up his spirit.
John 19:30 CJB
When the Lamb broke the fifth seal, I saw underneath the altar the souls of those who had been put to death for proclaiming the Word of God, that is, for bearing witness. Revelations 6:9 CJB
Then I saw thrones, and those seated on them received authority to judge. And I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for testifying about Yeshua and proclaiming the Word of God, also those who had not worshiped the beast or its image and had not received the mark on their foreheads and on their hands. They came to life and ruled with the Messiah for a thousand years.
Revelations 20:4 CJB
And it came to pass, as her soul was in departing—for she died—that she called his name Ben-oni; but his father called him Benjamin.
Genesis 35:18 JPS
I did a follow-up to this post that you can read by clicking here.
However, there are no longer any souls in Abraham’s Bosom today because Yeshua emptied it prior to his ascension.
Where is the scripture proving this quite? It doesn’t exist. Please show or reveal it to me, The Old Testament Saints still reside in Sheol, the paradise side as far as I can tell
Hi Stephan,
Please check the follow up to my post by clicking on the link below:
https://messianic-revolution.com/25-6-does-the-soul-really-depart-from-the-body-at-death/
Cheers,
Rich