Acts 2:25-28 ‘25 For David says concerning him,

“‘I saw the Lord always before me,

    for he is at my right hand that I may not be shaken;

26 therefore my heart was glad, and my tongue rejoiced;

    my flesh also will dwell in hope.

27 For you will not abandon my soul to Hades,

    or let your Holy One see corruption.

28 You have made known to me the paths of life;

    you will make me full of gladness with your presence.’’

Peter quoted from Psalm 16:8-11 and pointed out that David was referring to Jesus. David had a keen awareness of the Lord’s presence and this gave him confidence to face his challenges. Because the Lord revealed to David that the Messiah would not see corruption but be resurrected, he understood that he too would not be left in Hades. 

The Old Testament saints went to the place of the dead, Hades, which had a compartment for the righteous and the wicked. This is consistent with the story Christ told of Lazarus and the rich man (Luke 16:19-31), where there was a chasm that separated these two places in Hades. It’s possible that between the time that Christ died and was resurrected, He went to Hades to preach the gospel to these Old Testament saints (1 Peter 4:6) declaring to them that the seed form of their faith had fully sprouted through His life and substitutionary death for their sins. When He was resurrected, He ascended from Hades and  these Old Testament saints were also resurrected (Matthew 27:52). These are the captives that were in the lower regions of the earth that He led out and took with Him as He ascended from Hades (Ephesians 4:8-10). Now, after Jesus’ resurrection, all those who die in the Lord immediately go into the presence of God (2 Corinthians 5:6-8).

Knowing that our eternal destiny is with the Lord, we can live with hope and courage to face every challenge life throws at us because we know the end of the story. Like David, we can find joy in the presence of the Lord, both now through the indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit, and in the future when we will be with Him in heaven.

Reflection: Take some time today to enjoy God’s presence and renew your hope for your future.