The real question here is – did Old Testament saints achieve salvation, and go to heaven by keeping the Law? The answer to that is a resounding NO!
There has always been, and always will be, only one Gospel, only one means of Salvation. The same from the Garden of Eden till today.
Jesus Christ.
Only two people are named in the entire O.T. as being taken to heaven – Enoch and Elijah. Even David, a “man after God’s own heart,” did not go to heaven when he died. Where did the Old Testament saints go?
1 Kings 2:10So David slept with his fathers, and was buried in the city of David.
1 Kings 11:43 And Solomon slept with his fathers, and was buried in the city of David his father:
1 Kings 14:20 And the days which Jeroboam reigned were two and twenty years: and he slept with his fathers,
1 Kings 14:31 And Rehoboam slept with his fathers, and was buried with his fathers in the city of David.
It goes on and on. No where, at any point, does it say that these people went to a heavenly reward. The Law never saved anyone. No one. The Law is a picture of Christ, Something so perfect that only He could keep it.
Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in His sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin.
By the law is the “knowledge” of sin – not “deliverance” from sin!
So, where did Shem, and Moses, and Samuel, etc. go? Abraham’s Bosom, or Paradise. . .
19 There was a certain rich man, which was clothed in purple and fine linen, and fared sumptuously every day:
20 And there was a certain beggar named Lazarus, which was laid at his gate, full of sores,
21 And desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man’s table: moreover the dogs came and licked his sores.
22 And it came to pass, that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels into Abraham’s bosom: the rich man also died, and was buried;
23 And in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom.
24 And he cried and said, Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water, and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame.
25 But Abraham said, Son, remember that thou in thy lifetime receivedst thy good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things: but now he is comforted, and thou art tormented.
26 And beside all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed: so that they which would pass from hence to you cannot; neither can they pass to us, that would come from thence. Luke 16: 19-26
Only the Blood of the Lamb of God can save anyone – even Abraham – God’s friend. The two divisions of hell described in this passage are Torments and Paradise. One for the righteous dead, and one for the unrighteous dead.
How did the righteous dead get saved then – if there was no one to witness to them in Paradise? Jesus Christ Himself descended into hell to witness and proclaim victory to His own! (those that died in hope of the Savior.)
Ephesians 4:9-10
9 (Now that He ascended, what is it but that He also descended first into the lower parts of the earth?
10 He that descended is the same also that ascended up far above all heavens, that He might fill all things.)
1 Peter 3:19-20
19 By which also He went and preached unto the spirits in prison;
20 Which sometime were disobedient, when once the longsuffering of God waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was a preparing, wherein few, that is, eight souls were saved by water.
This was followed by His bodily resurrection. Some sleeping saints rise with Christ.
Matthew 28:6
6 He is not here: for He is risen, as He said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay.
1 Corinthians 15:3-8
3 For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures;
4 And that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures:
5 And that He was seen of Cephas, then of the twelve:
6 After that, He was seen of above five hundred brethren at once; of whom the greater part remain unto this present, but some are fallen asleep.
7 After that, He was seen of James; then of all the apostles.
8 And last of all He was seen of me also, as of one born out of due time.
Matthew 27:51-53
51 And, behold, the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom; and the earth did quake, and the rocks rent;
52 And the graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints which slept arose,
53 And came out of the graves after His resurrection, and went into the holy city, and appeared unto many.
Christ ascends into heaven. The remaining righteous dead are swept up.
Luke 24:51
51 And it came to pass, while He blessed them, He was parted from them, and carried up into heaven.
Acts 1:9-11
9 And when He had spoken these things, while they beheld, He was taken up; and a cloud received Him out of their sight.
10 And while they looked stedfastly toward heaven as He went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel;
11 Which also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen Him go into heaven.
Ephesians 4:8-10
8 Wherefore He saith, When He ascended up on high, He led captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men.
Matthew 8:11
11 And I say unto you, That many shall come from the east and west, and shall sit down with Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, in the kingdom of heaven.
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The Vine Vigil 