Short Short: Going to Heaven Before Jesus– and Hebrews 9
It is amazing to me that it is commonly taught that all of the faithful worthies, Abraham, Isaac, etc., all of the faithful men and women of faith, went directly to heaven when they died. They went to heaven before Christ offered himself as a propitiation for sin. They went to heaven before the Atonement was made! You must catch the power of that claim– most recently made by Sam Frost, former preterist.
Anyway, as a Short Shot, simply consider this from Hebrews 9:10f:
Now when these things had been thus prepared, the priests always went into the first part of the tabernacle, performing the services. 7 But into the second part the high priest went alone once a year, not without blood, which he offered for himself and for the people’s sins committed in ignorance; 8 the Holy Spirit indicating this, that the way into the Holiest of All was not yet made manifest while the first tabernacle was still standing. 9 It was symbolic for the present time in which both gifts and sacrifices are offered which cannot make him who performed the service perfect in regard to the conscience— 10 concerned only with foods and drinks, various [a]washings, and fleshly ordinances imposed until the time of reformation.
Very simply stated:
There was no forgiveness under or by the means of Torah.
As long as Torah stood valid, there was no forgiveness..
As long as there was no forgiveness, man could not enter the Most Holy Place, the presence of God. .
Therefore, as long as Torah stood valid, imposed, man could not enter the Most Holy Place.
So simple, so straightforward, so clear.
Hebrews 9:6-10 utterly falsifies the idea that men — no matter how faithful– went to heaven prior to the work of Christ.
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Source: Don K. Preston