In the Scofield Reference Bible there is a footnote for Luke 16:23 regarding Hades. This footnote says that before the Lord Jesus ascended, Hades had two parts. One part was the place for the spirits and souls of the unsaved people. This is the place of torment where the rich man was. The second part was the place for the spirits and souls of the saved ones, which the Lord Jesus called Paradise in speaking to the thief on the cross and which was also the place where Lazarus was in the bosom of Abraham. This explanation by Scofield is biblical and correct. There is no problem with this explanation.
According to what we have seen, Hades definitely has two parts. One part is the place of flames where the rich man was, and the other is the place of comfort and joy where Lazarus was in the bosom of Abraham. Luke also calls this place Paradise, the place where the spirits and souls of the saved ones in past generations are resting. This is very much in accordance with the Bible. However, Mr. Scofield clearly emphasizes that after the Lord Jesus’ resurrection and ascension, there was a change related to the Paradise of Hades. He said that when the Lord Jesus ascended, He brought Paradise, along with the spirits and souls of the saved saints in the Old Testament, to heaven. In other words, Mr. Scofield believed that when the Lord ascended, He also transferred the Paradise of Hades with the spirits and souls that were in it to the third heaven. He even uses the Paradise mentioned in 2 Corinthians 12:4 to indicate that Paradise was moved to the third heaven. We have already seen in the previous message that 2 Corinthians 12 does not prove that Paradise is in the third heaven. On the contrary, it shows us that Paradise and the third heaven are two different places. When the Lord Jesus resurrected and ascended, the Paradise of Hades did not move to a different place. Paradise is still in Hades, and the spirits and souls of the Old Testament saints are still in the Paradise of Hades waiting for resurrection.
Acts 2:34 says, “David did not ascend into the heavens.” These words were spoken by Peter on the day of Pentecost after the Lord Jesus had ascended. Mr. Scofield says that when the Lord Jesus ascended to the heavens, He brought with Him the saved souls and spirits of the Old Testament saints. We believe that David is among the saved souls and spirits of the Old Testament saints. Then, according to Mr. Scofield’s view, on the day of Pentecost David should have been in heaven. But on the day of Pentecost, Peter, having been inspired by the Holy Spirit, stood up and said, “David did not ascend into the heavens.” Mr. Scofield says that when the Lord Jesus ascended to the heavens, David also ascended. But on the day of Pentecost, Peter said that David did not ascend into the heavens. David prophesied that when Christ resurrected and ascended to the heavens, He would sit on the right hand of God. According to Acts 2, after the Lord Jesus resurrected and ascended, the souls and spirits of the Old Testament saints did not ascend to the heavens. Only the Lord Jesus Himself resurrected and ascended. This is very clear.
We must always remember Acts 2:34, which says, “David did not ascend into the heavens.” If anyone tells us that the Lord Jesus brought the souls and spirits of the Old Testament saints to the heavens in His ascension, we can read Acts 2:34 to him and tell him, “David did not ascend into the heavens.” Then we can read Hebrews 11:10, which says that Abraham waited for the city with foundations, whose Architect and Builder is God. Verse 16 says, “They long after a better country, that is, a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed of them, to be called their God, for He has prepared a city for them.” Most Bible readers agree that what Abraham waited for was the city God had promised him—the heavenly New Jerusalem.
Abraham still longs for the heavenly city, which is the New Jerusalem. In the previous message we saw that after their death the souls and spirits of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob went to Hades, not to heaven. Therefore, when the Lord was on the earth, He said that no one had ascended into heaven. On the day of Pentecost in Acts 2, Peter also said that David did not ascend to the heavens. If what Mr. Scofield believed is right, then in Hebrews, Abraham should have already been in the holy city, the Jerusalem in the heavens. Mr. Scofield said that when Christ resurrected and ascended, He transferred the spirits and souls of the Old Testament saints to the heavens. Mr. Scofield believed that the Lord brought them into the heavens, into the New Jerusalem. Consequently, Abraham should have already obtained the city that he longs for and that God has promised him. However, Hebrews 11:39 says, “And these all, having obtained a good testimony through their faith, did not obtain the promise.”