That He Died

Ephesians 4:9-10 KJV

(Now that he ascended, what is it but that he also descended first into the lower parts of the earth?

He that descended is the same also that ascended up far above all heavens, that he might fill all things.)

That Christ descended has at least three implications:

• That He left heaven to come as a man to earth
• That He died as a man while on this earth
• That having died, he descended to lower parts of the earth

where He preached to the subjects in hell and released the souls of those in paradise to rise to heaven where they now await the resurrection of their bodies.

I focus today on the fact that He died.

The gospel message centers around 

• The death
• The burial and 
• The resurrection of Jesus Christ

It is no small wonder then that the apostle stops here to refresh this gospel truth into the hearts of his readers. 

Jesus Christ did ascend into heaven in the presence of many witnesses. But prior to that He resurrected from the grave and proved Himself alive by many infallible proofs. 

• He came from heaven
• He descended to the earth
• He descended from the earth through death to the lowest parts of the earth
• He ascended from the lowest parts to the living through resurrection
• He ascended then the His Fathers house where He now lives making intercession for us