HIS SOUL WAS NOT LEFT IN HELL

Acts 2:31

Morning Meditation 4/28/2013

"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 is a sentence taken from Peter's sermon on Pentecost. The motivation of this sermon came when the unsaved began to say that the believers had gone over the edge. The event of Pentecost rocked those who did not know the Lord's saving grace to their foundation. They had no means of natural explanation. Then they came to the conclusion that these people had gotten drunk. And they were seeing this unfold before their eyes.

Peter stood up and defended the brethren as is described in Acts 2:14, "But Peter, standing up with the eleven, lifted up his voice, and said unto them, Ye men of Judaea, and all ye that dwell at Jerusalem, be this known unto you, and hearken to my words:"

Peter is making an appeal to the unbelievers to open their eyes and acknowledge that what is happening is according to Divine providence. It is the fulfillment of scripture. There are some things from this passage that are interesting:

THE RESURRECTION OF CHRIST

The resurrection of Christ represents the resurrection of all the Saints. Jesus had a predetermined plan that HE was working out in behalf of fallen sinners. This plan would save them, secure them, give them a SON'S privilege with access to the Father's throne.

Hebrews 1:2-3 says, "Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds; Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high;"

It is very interesting to observe the multitudes who reject the idea of "Jesus paying the full price of man's redemption." Man had to get involved in the salvation process and they say in fact that Jesus just came to make up for what man could not do. So this leaves us with a "works for salvation" model.

If this is true, we need to get rid of those songs we sing that say, "Jesus paid it all; all to Him in owe. Sin had left a crimson stain but He washed it white as snow."

Hebrews 1:3 is where I am and where I plan to stay. Hebrews 1:3 says, "Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high;"

The verse says, "when he had by himself purged our sins." The cross was a lonely place. On and about His arrest and trial and the sacrifice of Himself on the cross, we are told all the disciples forsook Him and fled. Later we find some standing around the cross. But the fact is, none of them could help Him. He had to tread this long path alone. He had to suffer the unseen forces of evil. Colossians 2:14 says, "Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross;"

The whole event of His crucifixion and resurrection are put on display with all the eye-witnesses that would clear Him from any false accusations. But Jesus "didn't open His mouth to defend Himself. He was not there for Himself, so He must needs be silent, for it is His silence, that acknowledged our guilt. His silent plea of guilt, standing in our stead, was the point into which He entered into our suffering and our guilt to pay for the sins of the world.

When they came to get Him in the Garden of Gethsemane one of the gospel writers describes the strange phenomena where when they came to get Him and take Him for trial and death, all fell back as dead men. He made it abundantly clear that these men had no power to take Him. He went with them voluntarily. Matthew 28:4 says, "And for fear of him the keepers did shake, and became as dead men."

HIS SOUL WAS NOT LEFT IN HELL

Some people believe that Jesus had to go to hell to finish His sufferings for mankind. There is absolutely no proof that Jesus did that. The word "hell" in Acts 2:26-27, "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." There are two things here:

1. That the grave was temporary. The Father would not leave Him there.

2. God held back the natural corruption that a dead body would experience beginning after, and even before they put Him in the tomb.

His body did not suffer corruption while it was in the grave and He was subjected to no further punishment for our sins.

Our Lord stands ready to save the repentant sinner and take him out of the kingdom of darkness and translate Him into the kingdom of His dear son.

May the Lord bless these words to our hearts.

In Christ

Bro. White