“Where Are The Old Testament Characters Now?”

September 2023 – Grace & Truth Magazine

QUESTION: Where are the Old Testament characters, such as Abraham, Job, Jacob, Samson and David, now? Did God ever promise them heaven? If He did, how would they get there? Where are Kings Saul and Solomon – in heaven or in hell?

ANSWER: In the Old Testament, God’s revelation was not yet complete. Heaven and hell as destinations for humans are not really mentioned in those books as they are in the New Testament. Godly men referred repeatedly to sheol . This term is variously translated as “the pit” and “the grave.” The New Testament equivalent is hades , a term which the King James Version unfortunately sometimes renders as “hell.”

In the Old Testament, God had not yet revealed that the place the dead initially go to is divided into two parts, one for believers and the other for unbelievers. The Lord Jesus made this plain in the story of the rich man and Lazarus in Luke 16:19-31. Even though this had not yet been revealed, believers living in Old Testament times displayed a confidence in God that is encouraging. Job knew that he would see God after he died (Job 19:25-27). David knew that while he could not bring his dead baby boy back, he would go to him, and in this David was comforted (2 Sam. 12:20-23). He also had every confidence that one day he would see God and be satisfied (Ps. 17:15). Abraham was sure that the God of all the earth would do right (Gen. 18:25). While these men of God did not know the details about the future after death, they had faith in God and thus did not feel a need to worry and fear. They could leave matters in God’s hand!

Someone who is one of God’s people outwardly but without a right personal relationship with Him will never be able to blame God for his fate, for God adequately revealed Himself to all who were serious about Him. The only way anyone – regardless of when he lived, lives or will yet live – will get to heaven is through the work the Lord Jesus has accomplished on the cross of Calvary. Many looked forward to this, even though they were unaware of how it would take place. And, as we read of Abraham, when he believed the LORD, the LORD counted this to him as righteousness (15:6). Faith – taking God at His word – is a most important and basic principle of Scripture, as we see also in Romans 4 and Hebrews 11. In the final analysis, what is important for us is not where a King Saul and a King Solomon are now, but where we personally are going. Each of us must individually accept the Lord Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord of his own life.

The Christian today can know God as his Father and can look forward to a place with the Lord in the Father’s house (Jn. 14:1-6) – a place of far greater intimacy and joy than is expressed by the word “heaven.” Paul looked forward to that much better portion of departing and being “with Christ” (Phil. 1:23), not to dying and going to heaven, as so many would phrase it today. What would heaven be without Christ?

Answered by Eugene P. Vedder, Jr.