Jesus in the Realm of the Dead

What happened to Jesus after His death but before His resurrection? 1 Peter 3:18-19 tells us that He went to the realm of the dead to proclaim the good news to the souls imprisoned there. This connects to Isaiah’s prophecy that prisoners would be visited after many days (see Isaiah 24:22).

In Jewish tradition, the realm of the dead was seen as a temporary place divided into two areas: a place of comfort—Abraham’s bosom—and a place of torment (see Luke 16:22-26). Jesus entered the realm of the dead as the great Deliverer and opened the way to eternal life.

Many Christians have never consciously thought about this. We know that Jesus died on the cross and rose three days later, but what happened in between? This is a mysterious and fascinating reality. Jesus was not passive after His death. On the contrary—He actively entered the realm of the dead to proclaim His victory.

This shows that no place, no matter how dark, is beyond Jesus’ reach. His light shines even in the deepest darkness. Maybe you sometimes feel trapped in situations where you see no way out. Know this: Jesus is there. He goes to the places where no one else can come.

What does that mean for your life? Where do you need Jesus’ victory?

What does it mean to you that Jesus was active—even in death—to save?