It is a terrible thought to see life can be painful, cruel, merciless, for suffering to be so much at times, that a person does not want to live, in a world that has the devil as its god, has many people serving that god, serving themselves, and happily on their way to heaven in their mind, or hell if it turned out that way.( Job 21:13-15. 2 Corinthians 4:4.)
1. There is no wisdom in the grave, ( Ecclesiastes 9:10.) where everybody goes who is not wise in this life, to know that the way of life is above to the wise. ( not the grave/death, but to depart from hell beneath.)
Proverbs 15:24 The way of life is above to the wise, that he may depart from
hell beneath.
2. Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the fish, Jonah cried in his affliction and the Lord heard him, out of the belly of hell Jonah cried.
Jesus answered the men of Israel, ( Gods chosen people, who saw all the mighty works God did rescuing them from Egypt.) they will be given no sign, but that of the prophet Jonah.
The sign is that as Jonah was three days and three nights in the whales belly, so would the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.
Jonah 1:17 Now the Lord had prepared a great fish to swallow up
Jonah. And
Jonah was in the belly of the fish
three days and
three nights.
Jonah 2:2 And said, I cried by reason of mine affliction unto the Lord, and he heard me; out of the belly of
hell cried I, and thou heardest my voice.
Matthew 12:39 But he answered and said unto them, An evil and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign; and there shall no sign be given to it, but the sign of the prophet
Jonas:
Matthew 12:40 For as Jonas was three days and three nights in the whale's belly; so shall the
Son of
man be three days and three nights in the
heart of the
earth.
3. God cast angels down to hell, spared not the old world, brought in the flood upon the world of the ungodly, condemned the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah with an overthrow, made them all as ensample unto those who after, should live ungodly.
( Remembering that Jesus would give no sign to the men of Israel, but that of Jonah in the belly of hell.) We are put in remembrance how the Lord once saved those men out of Egypt, the Hebrews, and afterwards destroyed those same men who believed not, and the angels who sinned, were left in everlasting chains, the same as Sodom and Gomorrah are set forth for an example, suffering the vengeance of eternal fire. ( hell.)
2 Peter 2:4 For if God spared not the angels that sinned, but cast them down to hell, and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be reserved unto judgment;
5 And spared not the old world, but saved Noah the eighth person, a preacher of righteousness, bringing in the flood upon the world of the ungodly;
6 And turning the cities of Sodom and Gomorrha into ashes condemned them with an overthrow, making them an ensample unto those that after should live ungodly;
Jude 1:5 I will therefore put you in remembrance, though ye once knew this, how that the Lord, having saved the people out of the land of Egypt, afterward destroyed them that believed not.
6 And the angels which kept not their first estate, but left their own habitation, he hath reserved in everlasting chains under darkness unto the judgment of the great day.
7 Even as Sodom and Gomorrha, and the cities about them in like manner, giving themselves over to fornication, and going after strange flesh, are set forth for an example, suffering the vengeance of eternal fire.
4. ( Remembering that the way of life is above to the wise. We are made aware of all of these testimonies, and examples that were given on the same earth we live on, and have the fulfilment of Jesus not remaining in hell, and king David testifying how his soul was not left in hell, because of the resurrection of Jesus Christ. (Act 2:31.) Jesus preached to the dead, which is all of us, as it is also testified, all were dead. ( 2 Corinthians 5:14. 1 Peter 4:6.)
Now, those who are risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, ( the way of life is above to the wise, to depart from hell beneath.) and our affections are set on things above, ( with Christ.) not on the things of the earth. ( without Christ.)
Colossians 3:1 If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God.
2 Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.