Religiously speaking, where did people go [heaven/hell/?] BEFORE jesus's birth [meaning B.C.]?

Question

I'm not religious at all. but please don't just post random bible quotes or stuff like that, i'm looking for a more logical explanation of what the bible or religion would explain this.

from what I know about christian, catholic, etc type of religions don't you have to believe in jesus to be 'accepted' into heaven? if this is right, then where did everyone go when they died before jesus was born and obviously this belief didn't yet exist? thank you

to clarify, I don't believe in god or any of that. that is why I am just wondering what the church believes. i am wondering how they can change their entire beliefs and whatnot. why do you have to believe in jesus NOW to get into heaven. since those people didn't know about it, how do they justify how 'god' judged them or accepted them or whatever.
i am wanting to know how the church can explain things like this for my own curiosity, but again i do not believe there is a god or heaven and hell.

Answer 1

Throughout the Old Testament, God promised to send a Messiah to save His people from their sins. Even before the Messiah came, however, God required His people to serve Him and to follow His commandments.

The just who died before the time of Jesus went to Sheol, sometimes known as Hades. It was "the place of the dead", not "the place of the damned". Jesus, after He died, descended into Sheol to release the souls of the just.

God has promised eternal life to all those who love Him and are faithful to Him in this life. When Jesus came, He revealed God as fully as we are capable of understanding Him. Really, then the rule is the same. The people of the Old Testament loved, served, and obeyed God as they knew Him. The only difference is that we know Him more fully now because we know His Son, Jesus Christ.

Answer 2

The same place they go -after- Jesus came, in the old testament propehsies given to the prophets from God prophesied about a coming Messiah to undo what Adam had done because it had to be a perfect man like Adam was. So they knew before he came he was coming because it was prophesied; but didnt know when. all they knew according to the old testaments where several signs would be to show that only this person or Messiah would do ex. he would be from the linage of David, born in Bethlehem, hated without cause, miracles, lots cast upon him etc. Jesus fit that bill down to the Tee.
now to your question... people go where they have always gone Ecclesiastes 9:10. Sheol or the Grave or Hell is considered the common grave of mankind doesnt matter where ever you died at (some shipwrecked people died at sea that would be their grave) Hell is the common grave of mankind and people will actually come out of hell according to Revaltions 20:13. what you have to worry about is the Lake of Fire not sheol hell or grave which is all the same. If this were not the case there would be no need for the ressurection (Acts 24:15) we can just hope to be righteous and do things while were alive so that God will write our names down in the book of life so that during the resurrection remember those ones in that book (Malachi 3:16). look at Revalations 20:15 for those whose names are not written in the book of life.

Answer 3

Excellent questions. I came to spirituality naturally rather than being brought up in it -- I wish more people had the same opportunity, rather than accepting "truths" because that's what they were taught every Sunday.

Oh, and I should state that I try to follow a lot of Christ's dictates, as well as theosophies from Judaism and Buddhism.

What I've concluded is that religions are truly man-made. They were INSPIRED by God, but since the writers were human their individual opinions and prejudices seeped into what they wrote. [Heavens, just look at what a nutjob Leviticus was -- God wants us to stone to death anyone who wears red? Very odd.]

I think that one's after-life destination IS determined by whether they were benevolent or malevolent in life. So anyone before Christ went to heaven if they were good. As for others, I don't ascribe to Christianities fire & brimstone depiction of hell -- really now, how could a disembodied soul feel heat? I believe in the more logical theory that hell is simply darkness and the knowledge that you're separated from God. [Oh, and it's my conclusion that the fiery version was created to scare people into obedience and subjugation -- the church hierarchy has ALWAYS been power-based. Strange how the Pope doesn't sell some of his FAAAABULOUS frocks and maybe, you know, feed the damned poor.]

Answer 4

Actually, with the exception of the 144, 000 who are/have gone to heaven the rest are all in the same place and that's the common grave of all mankind.

The word “hell” is found in many Bible translations. In the same verses other translations read “the grave,” “the world of the dead,” and so forth. Other Bibles simply transliterate the original-language words that are sometimes rendered “hell”; that is, they express them with the letters of our alphabet but leave the words untranslated. What are those words? The Hebrew she’ohl´ and its Greek equivalent hai´des, which refer, not to an individual burial place, but to the common grave of dead mankind; also the Greek ge´en·na, which is used as a symbol of eternal destruction. However, both in Christendom and in many non-Christian religions it is taught that hell is a place inhabited by demons and where the wicked, after death, are punished.

However the Bible clearly tells us that those who are dead are aware of nothing. Eccl. 9:5: “The living are conscious that they will die; but as for the dead, they are conscious of nothing at all.” There are more verses, but I want to keep this brief for you as you asked us not to use a lot of Scriptures. You will see in the NT several times where Jesus or his apostles refered to those who'd died as "asleep in death". So, they are in the grave, asleep in death (and in God's memory)until the time of the resurrection when they will be 'awoken'.

After the death of his close friend Lazarus, “Jesus gave way to tears.” (John 11:35) Sometimes the grief experienced by God’s servants in connection with death has been intense.—2 Sam. 1:11, 12. John 11:11-14: “‘Lazarus our friend has gone to rest, but I am journeying there to awaken him from sleep.’ . . . Jesus said to them outspokenly: ‘Lazarus has died.’” (Also Psalm 13:3)

But because of the resurrection hope, Christians are told: “We do not want you to be ignorant concerning those who are sleeping in death; that you may not sorrow just as the rest also do who have no hope.”—1 Thess. 4:13.

I hope this helps.

Answer 5

They went to the grave and rotted ....just like it happens now despite the fact Jesus came.
We don't go to heaven.
Think of Lazarus. He was dead 4 days before Jesus came along.
John chapter 11.
He was a good guy. If anyone went to heaven, he would.
Why would Jesus bring him back to life on earth?
Why didn't Lazarus complain to Jesus:
"Hey man! I was in heaven! What are you doing bringing me back here?"

Answer 6

Jesus replaced into born throughout the seventh month of Jewish calendar, Tishri on the 1st day. It replaced into the feast of the trumpet and replaced into 14 days earlier the feast of tabernacles. The Romans had chosen this date for his or her census by using fact it replaced right into a time for kin reunions and probability to count kind the Israelites by ability of tribe. Revelation 12:a million tells us with reference to the astronomical events that handed off for the time of that day. the hot moon is on the ft of Venus and the solar is at Venus. The solar is at Virgo throughout the month of August 22 to September 22. The moon close to the solar ability it replaced right into a clean moon and seventh month. The twelve months would desire to be cut back with the conjunction of Jupiter with Regulus, the brightest celeb in Leo. Jupiter passes to Leo each 12 years and on 3BC, there replaced right into a triple conjunction which ability Jupiter made a retrograde action. The final it did that replaced into on 15BC. Jupiter next retrograde replaced into 69AD. Jupiter made a bypass on Regulus on September 13, 3BC, 2 days after Jesus replaced into born on 9-11, 3BC, Wednesday.

Answer 7

Before Christ there was the Law of Moses, Jesus came to earth, paid for our sins, and replaced the Law of Moses with the higher law, the current Christian gospel (there are lots of verses on this). Before Christ, the Law of Moses needed to be followed. So those who followed the law of moses went to heaven after death, and those who did not went to Hell.
BUT, what about those people who were in nations or places that didn't have knowledge about God, the Law of Moses, or Jesus and the gospel? Are they all damned to hell without a chance for salvation? NO! They will have a chance AFTER death to be taught the gospel and to accept Christ. Baptism is also a requirement for salvation. Today, in the Mormon Church (The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints) we believe that those who died without having a chance to accept Christ are not damned to hell (as many Christian religions believe) but that they have a chance to accept the gospel after death and that we as living followers of Christ can be baptised for them in order for them to have a chance to accept the ordinance of baptism and ultimately be saved.

The Mormon church has temples where members of the church can bring the names of their dead ancestors and be baptised in their names so that they can have this chance of accepting the gospel and receiving salvation!

Feel free to contact me at [e-mail]

Answer 8

Everybody died and that was it. Some believed in reincarnation. The Egyptians believed in a life after death. Others didn't.

Answer 9

People did believe in God before Christ and they obeyed God,the bible say,s the rich man lifted up his eyes in hell when he died,and Lazarus was taken to Abraham's bossom.

Answer 10

To places called Sheol and Ad, the churches knowledge is very limited about that.