“And when the day of Pentecost was fully come . . . Peter . . . lifted up his voice, and said . . . Ye men of Israel, hear these words; Jesus of Nazareth, a man approved of God among you . . . being delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God [‘He was delivered for our offenses’], ye have taken and by wicked hands have crucified and slain: Whom God hath raised up, having loosed the pains [or bands] of death: because it was not possible that he should be holden of it [for the Word of Jehovah had previously declared his resurrection]. For David speaketh concerning him [personating or speaking for him], ‘I [Christ] foresaw the Lord [Jehovah] always before my face, for he is on my right hand, that I should not be moved: Therefore did my heart rejoice, and my tongue was glad; moreover also my flesh shall rest in hope: Because thou wilt not leave my soul in hell [hades, the tomb, the state of death], neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption. Thou [Jehovah] hast made known to me [Christ] the ways of life.'”

Here our Lord, as personified by the prophet David, expresses his faith in Jehovah’s promise of a resurrection and in the full and glorious accomplishment of Jehovah’s plan through him, and rejoices in the prospect. Peter then proceeds, saying:

“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 [so that this prophecy could not have referred to himself personally; for David’s soul was left in “hell” — [hades, the tomb, the state of death — and his flesh did see corruption]. 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; He seeing this before [prophetically] spake of the resurrection of Christ [out of “hell” — hades, the tomb — to which he must go for our offenses], that his soul was not left in hell [hades — the death state], neither his flesh did see corruption.”

Thus Peter presents a strong, logical argument, based on the words of the prophet David — showing first, that Christ, who was delivered by God for our offenses, went to “hell,” the grave, the condition of death, destruction (Psalms 16:10); and, second, that according to promise he had been delivered from hell, the grave, death, destruction by a resurrection — a raising up to life; being created again, the same identical being, yet more glorious and exalted even to “the express image of his [the Father’s] person.” (Heb. 1:3) And now “that same Jesus” (Acts 2:36), in his subsequent revelation to the Church, declares:

“I am he that liveth and was dead; and, behold, I am alive forevermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell [hades, the grave] and of death.” — Rev. 1:18.

Amen! Amen! our hearts respond; for in his resurrection we see the glorious outcome of the whole plan of Jehovah to be accomplished through the power of the Resurrected One who now holds the keys of the tomb and of death and in due time will release all the  prisoners  who  are,  therefore,  called  the  “prisoners  of  hope.” (Zech. 9:12; Luke 4:18) No craft or cunning can by any possible device wrest these scriptures entire and pervert them to the support of that monstrous and blasphemous Papal tradition of eternal torment. Had that been our penalty, Christ, to be our vicarious sacrifice, must still, and to all eternity, endure such torment, which no one will claim. But death was our penalty, and “Christ died for our sins,” and “also for the sins of the whole world.” — 1 Cor. 15:3; 1 John 2:2.

Revelation 20:13,14. — “And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell [the grave] delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works. And death and hell [the grave] were cast into the lake of fire. This is the Second death.” The lake of fire is the symbol of final and everlasting destruction. Death and hell [the grave] both go into it. There shall be no more death; “the last enemy that shall be destroyed is death.” — 1 Cor. 15:26; Rev. 21:4.