Three Days in Prison

When Jesus was treated unjustly and was crucified, the plan of the ages unfolded. He, the just and righteous one, died for us, the unjust and unrighteous ones (1Pet 3:18).

But what about the unjust and unrighteous folks who lived and died before Christ came? For instance, in Noah’s day, the whole earth was filled with unrighteous people, who God decided to wipe off the face of the map all at once by a flood. Did Jesus die for those unjust people too?

I’m used to hearing that if those people would have gotten in that ark with Noah, they would have been spared. But I don’t think Noah was out encouraging them to get in the ark. Their unrepentant lives were solidly wicked, and their judgment was set.

Fast forward to Christ’s death. It was then that God enacted another part of His plan that we know very little of. Remember that Jesus was “dead” for three days. But it’s not as though he laid there still and lifeless for those three days.

He went deep into the earth, where there is a sort of prison, where dead souls are bound, and he preached to them. Wouldn’t you love to know what He said and how they responded. After all, these people were dead and experiencing anguish. Don’t you think everyone would have believed and accepted him? That, we don’t know. But we know He did preach to the under-earth prisoners:

1Pe 3:19-22  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.  (21)  The like figure whereunto even baptism doth also now save us (not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God,) by the resurrection of Jesus Christ:  (22)  Who is gone into heaven, and is on the right hand of God; angels and authorities and powers being made subject unto him.

Though we don’t know Jesus’ exact words, we do know His purpose for going and preaching to them. Read these verses, and see if some don’t make a lot more sense now.

For for this cause was the gospel preached also to them that are dead, that they might be judged according to men in the flesh, but live according to God in the spirit. (1Pet. 4:6 )

To open the blind eyes, to bring out the prisoners from the prison, and them that sit in darkness out of the prison house. (Isa 42:7) 

The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me; because the LORD hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound. (Isa 61:1)