What about the people that died before Jesus?

[Lamar]

Are they all judged according to the law, or is all judgement held off until Jesus's return and are given the benefit of our Lord Jesus's sacrifice to cover their sins also? Is everyone after Jesus's death only given the chance and grace to put their faith in Jesus and walk in His image to be granted eternal life?

I know some people previous to Jesus are in heaven but I would still like some light shed on this topic if someone can point me to scripture, etc.

Thanks and God Bless you all!

 

[B-A-C]

The whole chapter of Hebrews 11 is a good place to start.
Even before Jesus came, people believed in him. They believed in a Messiah.
The last part of James 2 talks about Abraham and Rahab, and how through demonstrating their faith they were saved.

Of course there was the Jewish Law also, which involved priests and sacrifice, and following the commandments.
There are a few ways to look at this, but it was a provision for the Jews (and Gentiles who followed these practices) until Jesus came.

 

[faithfulservant]

Yes, BAC, good points.

I'd like to add this: The blood of Jesus flows backwards and forwards in time. Abraham was covered by Jesus' blood because he had faith. This is why Jesus said this:

John 8
53 Are you greater than our father Abraham, who died? And the prophets died! Who do you make yourself out to be?"54 Jesus answered, "If I glorify myself, my glory is nothing. It is my Father who glorifies me, of whom you say, 'He is our God.' 55 But you have not known him. I know him. If I were to say that I do not know him, I would be a liar like you, but I do know him and I keep his word.56 Your father Abraham rejoiced that he would see my day. He saw it and was glad."

Literally, Abraham heard, received, and believed the gospel while it was still a mystery:

Galatians 3
7 Know then that it is those of faith who are the sons of Abraham. 8 And the Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, preached the gospel beforehand to Abraham, saying, "In you shall all the nations be blessed."9 So then, those who are of faith are blessed along with Abraham, the man of faith.

 

[Lamar]

This clears up my question thank you both for sharing this info, and providing scripture! God Bless!

 

[brhal]

Romans 2:13-15 (For not the hearers of the law are just before God, but the doers of the law shall be justified. For when the Gentiles, which have not the law, do by nature the things contained in the law, these, having not the law, are a law unto themselves: which show the work of the law written in the hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and their thoughts the mean while accusing or else excusing one another.)

 

[spirit1st]

Before the LORD died for our Sins1 they went to Hell !either the paradise side or the other side ? He went to hell and Preached His gospel as His body lay in the tomb! Setting the captives free1 Those willing to accept what He did and Him as LORD !

1Co_15:17 And if Christ be not raised, your faith is vain; ye are yet in your sins.

Heb 11:39 And these all, having obtained a good report through faith, received not the promise:
Heb 11:40 God having provided some better thing for us, that they without us should not be made perfect.

Heb 9:16 For where a testament is, there must also of necessity be the death of the testator.
Heb 9:17 For a testament is of force after men are dead: otherwise it is of no strength at all while the testator liveth.
Heb 9:20 Saying, This is the blood of the testament which God hath enjoined unto you.

Mat_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.
Eph_4:10 He that descended is the same also that ascended up far above all heavens, that he might fill all things.)
Rom_10:7 Or, Who shall descend into the deep? (that is, to bring up Christ again from the dead.)
1Pe 3:19 By which also he went and preached unto the spirits in prison;
1Pe_4:6 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.

Psa_16:10 For thou wilt not leave my soul in hell; neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption.
Act_2:27 Because thou wilt not leave my soul in hell, neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption.
Act_2:31 He seeing this before spake of the resurrection of Christ, that his soul was not left in hell, neither his flesh did see corruption.
Act_13:36 For David, after he had served his own generation by the will of God, fell on sleep, and was laid unto his fathers, and saw corruption:

Mat_27:52 And the graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints which slept arose,
Mat_27:53 And came out of the graves after his resurrection, and went into the holy city, and appeared unto many.
They had to wait , Til He was first in New Jerusalem ! He had to be first at everything , and then we follow !!!

Col_1:18 And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence.

 

[HisFollower]

The last sentence in (Heb 11:16) gives us to know this: "for He hath prepared for them a city".