While watching a Faith Life Church service, Pastor Keith Moore, said something that though I thought I already knew, I really didn’t understand the depth of it until today. He said that when Jesus went to hell, it was to ensure that justice was served. So, let’s think about that for a moment. The Lord went to hell to ensure that justice was served for everyone. Everybody in the past. Everybody alive today, and every child that will be born in the future. Jesus ensured that justice was served for every sin for everybody for all time.
He did so because the law required that everybody die and that everyone be sentenced to hell for their sin. He was crucified and sentenced to three days for everybody's sin. Let that sink in.
That means Jesus died for everybody. Went to hell for every sin and served everybody’s sentence…in 3 days.
Let me put it a different way.
Jesus went to hell for 3 days. Yet the enemy of our souls would have us to believe that we have to endure spiritual, physical, mental, and/or financial hardships for extended periods of time. Not only that, but he would have us to think that after we come out of those hardships, that we have to go through them again, and again, and again when clearly Jesus took those hardships and spent time in hell so that we don’t have to continuously live a hellish life on earth nor go to hell after we leave this life. He did all that in 3 days!
Then I got to thinking, what if hell time is different than earth time? Meaning, what if time in hell is likened to that mentioned in 2 Peter 3:8 which says,
‘…with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.’
That would mean that hell time is longer than earth time which I thought meant that He probably was supposed to have stayer there longer. Then the Lord quickly reminded of Mary Magdalene.
In Mark 16 the Bible records that she went to Jesus' tomb, ‘…on the first day of the week’. Then she, ‘…turned around and saw Jesus standing there, and did not know that it was Jesus…[then] Jesus said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you seeking?” She, supposing Him to be the gardener, said to Him, “Sir, if You have carried Him away, tell me where You have laid Him, and I will take Him away.” Jesus said to her, “Mary!...Do not cling to Me, for I have not yet ascended to My Father; but go to My brethren and say to them, ‘I am ascending to My Father and your Father, and to My God and your God.’ ” – John 20:14-17
Notice the scripture says, the first day of the week. The first day of the week would have been within 3 EARTH days of the Lord’s crucifixion which lets us know earth time is THE SAME as hell time. Therefore, everybody’s sin required a 72-hour stint in hell. Not making light of what the Lord endured during those 3 days at all. But it helps us better understand that our lives don’t have to be in a constant state of chaos, depression, sickness, and lack. The fact that Jesus only served 3 days in hell for all mankind’s sin is outrageously remarkable and is something we should be both thankful for and apply to our lives, daily.
With that being said, look at your life. What hardships or chronic health issues have you been dealing with? What problem have you been struggling with? What long term addiction have you not been able to kick? What toxic relationship can you not seem to get out of? Whatever or whoever they are, know that God’s not requiring you to spend one more second with that person or in that place. Jesus took that situation to hell and spent the time required to remove it and them out of your life, permanently. All you have to do is believe. So...
Pray this with me: Heavenly Father, I have been dealing with _______________ for _______ years. It seems to be never-ending and I don’t know what to do or how to make it stop. But God, if You only required Jesus to spend 3 days in hell for everybody’s sin, then surely, I don’t have to spend the rest of my life like this. So, I ask that You help me get away from it and/or them. And thank You so very much that Your Son has already dealt with and endured what the enemy is trying to keep me in. In Jesus’ name.
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