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Here is how I understand it...

Absolutely the spirit ascends now to be with the LORD. Paul said to die is gain and it is to be with Him. David spoke of his dead son that he would go to be with him, so what was the point of weeping? But the difference between David and Paul is Jesus death and resurrection.
David is before the resurrection and Paul is after.

Before Jesus was resurrected, the sacrifices were in place and were necessary to foretell, be a shadow of Jesus, but were never good enough to cancel out sins. After Jesus died on the cross, God was completely satisfied legally concerning the sins of the world. Just like the Israelites had to bring the bull, slit its throat and burn it on the altar which was an admission of sins and was acceptance of admitting responsibility of sins which was supposed to bring them into alignment with the LORD God Almighty. None of that was good enough to cancel out the literal sins.

Enter Jesus: The perfect Lamb who knowingly and willingly laid down His life for us. That sacrifice was perfect and acceptable to God for the canceling out of all sins: past, present and future. It satisfied the legal issue.

Then and only then were the OT saints covered by the blood of Jesus and justified by His blood and sanctified by His loving action.

This is what made it possible for all the OT saints to enter into heaven after Jesus rose from the dead. Am I repeating myself?? Sorry.

I know I won't change anyone's mind, so I guess I'll quit trying. I really just wanted to say that when the all the pieces fit together then there are no holes in an interpretation. The only way for there to be no holes in this one is for there to be a definite distinction between how God handled the dead before Jesus died on the cross and after He died on the cross.

There is only one story that Jesus told where he used two names: Abraham and Lazarus. Plus he tells this story more like an eye witness account rather than a teaching example. That is why I don't think the story in Luke 16 is a parable, but a real life event.

We each have an identity which is written in the Book of Life. When we die, we do not lose our identity and we are not given new names until Jesus gives it to us after the 1000 years. Just because we cannot see the spiritual world unless God reveals it to us, does not mean that the souls of men are not "recognizable entities" to each other, angels and to God.

Are you with me so far?

Jesus is more than a Door, but we’ve got to discuss that door.

It is tempting to say, “If you don't move away from the door, other people can't get in!” But, here that isn't the case because the Cross is not the door. Jesus is the door.

John 10:7 Then Jesus again said to them, Truly, truly, I say to you that I am the door of the sheep. 8 All who came before Me are thieves and plunderers, but the sheep did not hear them. 9 I am the door. If anyone enters through Me, he will be saved, and will go in, and will go out, and will find pasture.

The key here is that Jesus was not the door before He rose from the dead. Matthew href="https://pro.studylight.org/study-desk.html?t=amp&s=0&sr=1&q=Matthew+27%3A51">Matthew 27:51 And, behold! The veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. And the earth quaked, and the rocks were sheared, 52 and the tombs were opened, and many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep arose, 53 and coming out of the tomb after His resurrection they went into the holy city and appeared to many. Romans 4:25 God gave Jesus to die for our sins, and he raised him to life, so that we would be made acceptable to God. The point is that Jesus is the perfect sacrifice, and that was to satisfy the Law. When God raised Jesus from the dead, that is when we moved from the Law (which had no strength to change a person’ s character or heart) to Grace (which is a higher standard of living).

Do not confuse entrance into God's physical presence with relationship. Jesus became the Door into the Father's presence when He rose from the dead. When Jesus died on the cross, the first part of God's plan was fulfilled. Payment. When Jesus rose from the dead, the second part of God's plan was fulfilled. The sting of sin AND death were plucked and was no longer a threat to the believers in Jesus and what He did.

1Corinthians href="https://pro.studylight.org/study-desk.html?t=amp&s=0&sr=1&q=1%20Corinthians+15%3A">1 Corinthians 15 Through Jesus, the OT saints were escorted into the Throne Room of Heaven. Before Jesus rose from the dead, there were no human souls in the Father's presence. They were in Paradise, to be sure. They were with Abraham and all other OT saints. Luke href="https://pro.studylight.org/study-desk.html?t=amp&s=0&sr=1&q=Luke+16%3A">Luke 16 When Jesus rose from the dead, He lead Captivity Captive, opened the Door to Heaven and sat down at the right hand of the Father. Those who's graves were opened and walked the earth after Jesus's resurrection, went with Him to Heaven into the Presence of God. He was the Door, He is the Door and He will be our Door. He is the great I AM.

They were not free to go into God's presence the second Jesus died on the cross. The Father did not invite them to come into Heaven before Jesus got there. Jesus brought them into the Father's presence. No one could go into His presence until they had been changed as Jesus was changed into His glorified body. He was the first fruits of the resurrection. No one was changed until He was. No one ever had a glorified body before Jesus did. 1 Corinthians 15:50 And I say this, brothers, that flesh and blood is not able to inherit the kingdom of God, nor does corruption inherit incorruption. 51Behold, I speak a mystery to you: we shall not all fall asleep, but we shall all be changed. There is still a mystery surrounding that.

Oh, not what the glorified body can do. We'll eat and drink and think and be there. No beaming up, Scotty, but we'll be instantly transported. And we won't look the same as we do here. No one recognized Jesus until He spoke or told them who He was. It is an exciting thing to look forward to, eh? Paul goes on to say, 1 Corinthians 15:53 For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. How exciting that is! Our eternal souls will finally have an eternal temple that will eternally bring glory to God. Selah.

1 Corinthians 15:54 But when this corruptible shall put on incorruption, and this mortal shall put on immortality, then will take place the Word that has been written, "Death was swallowed up in victory." That is found in Isaiah 25:7-8 And He will destroy in this mountain the face of the covering which covers all people, and the veil that is woven over all nations. 8 He will swallow up death in victory! And the Lord Jehovah will wipe away tears from all faces. And He shall reprove the reproach of His people from all the earth; for Jehovah has spoken. Yes, the veil was rent in twain, but death still held reign until Jesus rose from the dead.

That is the second part of the whole plan. Jesus had to be raised. The same power that raised Jesus, saved us from God's wrath. That same power is, thanks be to God, from God who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ! Amen and Amen. If Jesus had never been raised from the dead, our sins would have been paid for, but we would still be constricted and restricted by the Law. The power of the law is weak and it doesn't change hearts as Jesus does. Only Jesus' resurrection brought victory over sin AND death. See?

The ripping of the veil is not the invitation from God into Heaven. The ripping of the veil was physical. It was a Spiritual symbol in a physical manifestation, a physical sign to humans that we have direct access to God. But more directly, it was a destruction of the previous worship and ceremonial practices, signifying that we have absolute direct access to God.

"Inspiration For You" from Randy Mitchell

Honoring A Father