Acts 2:29 Men and brethren, let me freely speak unto you of the patriarch David, that he is both dead and buried, and his sepulchre is with us unto this day. 30 Therefore being a prophet, and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him, that of the fruit of his loins, according to the flesh, he would raise up Christ to sit on his throne; 31 He seeing this before spake of the resurrection of Christ, that his soul was not left in hell, neither his flesh did see corruption. 32 This Jesus hath God raised up, whereof we all are witnesses.
Answer Request:
All Old Testament believers, when they died, their bodies were left in the grave, but their souls went to hell, to Abraham's bosom. When Christ led captivity captive, He cleared all out from Abraham's bosom taking them to Paradise, the third heaven. That's where the souls of David and Abraham are now. From this passage above, can we assume that although David's body is corrupted in the grave, and his soul was left in hell initially, that he is now transferred to heaven?
This verse regarding Christ leading captivity captive is greatly misunderstood in Christian circles. However, we must all come to our own interpretation of it. In other words, I cannot force you to interpret it the way I understand it, but this is where you must seek out truth and allow the Holy Spirit to convict you of it for yourself.
I appreciate you asking these questions which proves that you are seeking to understand scripture. I'm in the same boat as you and I simply share what I am convicted of as truth from my perspective. The more you ask questions, the more you provide opportunity for the Holy Spirit to correct you and lead you into more truth.
With that said, let me give you my interpretation and you can see if it changes your views.
The interpretation I hold is that the phrase "led captivity captive" is not referring to all the souls held in the paradise part of hell (Abraham's bosom), but it is in reference to the individual people that come to salvation to escape the wrath of God, ie: those held captive in the chains of sin and death. The fact that Jesus descended into hell and was raised back to life is the action of freeing us from that fate and leading us (who are captive to that fate) to freedom, where we are now willing captives to Christ Himself.
Remember that what Jesus experienced in His death is a substitute for what we deserved. The purpose of Jesus going to hell is part of the punishment and judgement that we were to receive under God's wrath. Jesus wasn't going there to free captive souls and take them to heaven. Besides, those souls were not yet ready for heaven. They only receive forgiveness when they are resurrected under the New Covenant,
Jer. 31:33 But this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel; After those days, saith the Lord, I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be my people. 34 And they shall teach no more every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the Lord: for they shall all know me, from the least of them unto the greatest of them, saith the Lord: for I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more.
God only forgives them and puts His spirit within them after those days (which is the tribulation). After the tribulation they are resurrected.
Other scriptures I can use to prove my point that only Jesus ascended to heaven and no one else at that point is,
1 Corinthians 15:20 But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits of them that slept. 21 For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead. 22 For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive. 23 But every man in his own order: Christ the firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ's at his coming.
There is an order to bodily resurrection and glorification. Until this order comes where they are awakened, men are asleep. Their bodies decay in the ground and their souls are asleep. An interesting thing to note is that you and I (part of the Body of Christ) are the only ones currently to be in heaven at death. Why? Because we (as His body) are part of the firstfruits resurrection of Christ. We are of His body. We died when He died. We were raised when He resurrected. Unlike other saints outside the salvation of the grace gospel, we are already forgiven because of His blood (Eph.1:7; Col.2:13). We are "in Christ" and are seated in heavenly places already. All other souls have not yet been forgiven and neither been resurrected until their time comes in the specific order of the end times procession of events.
Regarding you comment:
Vs. 31 He seeing this before spake of the resurrection of Christ, that his soul was not left in hell,
From this we can infer that: David's soul was left in hell initially, then transferred to heaven. His body is corrupted in the grave.
If you read a few more verses on in that passage it says,
Acts 2:33 Therefore being by the right hand of God exalted, and having received of the Father the promise of the Holy Ghost, he hath shed forth this, which ye now see and hear. 34 For David is not ascended into the heavens: but he saith himself, The Lord said unto my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand, 35 Until I make thy foes thy footstool.
David is not ascended into the heavens. This will happen at his resurrection at the end of the Great Tribulation and just before the inauguration of the Millennial Kingdom.
Another proof is the quote of Jesus to Mary,
John 20:17 Jesus saith unto her, Touch me not; for I am not yet ascended to my Father: but go to my brethren, and say unto them, I ascend unto my Father, and your Father; and to my God, and your God.
After Jesus rose and was seen by Mary and others, Jesus says that he had not yet ascended to the Father. So Jesus had not yet gone to heaven and therefore could not have led souls from hell into heaven.
Lastly, I recall also this quote of Jesus,
John 8:21 Then said Jesus again unto them, I go my way, and ye shall seek me, and shall die in your sins: whither I go, ye cannot come.
While souls were still dead in sin, they cannot go to heaven. Forgiveness under the new covenant is only received at resurrection.
This is my interpretation. Hope it clarifies why I interpret your question differently.
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