No wonder then that the Apostles Creed states that Jesus descended into hell as part of their Creed. They are bound with “e verlasting chains for judgment on the great Day” (Jude 6) and this proclamation “ to the spirits now in prison” was where Jesus apparently was for at least part of the time between the day of His crucifixion and death and His resurrection. More support for this is found in 2 Peter 2:4-5, “ For if God did not spare angels when they sinned, but sent them to hell, putting them in chains of darkness to be held for judgment if he did not spare the ancient world when he brought the flood on its ungodly people, but protected Noah, a preacher of righteousness, and seven others.” In both Jude 6-7 and 2 Peter 2:4-5, these fallen angels are in a prison, a kind of holding tank, until the day that they will be cast into the lake of fire ( Rev 20:10).
They serve as an example of those who suffer the punishment of eternal fire.” In a similar way, Sodom and Gomorrah and the surrounding towns gave themselves up to sexual immorality and perversion. This seems to fit Jude 6-7 which says, “ And the angels who did not keep their positions of authority but abandoned their proper dwelling-these he has kept in darkness, bound with everlasting chains for judgment on the great Day. This is what John MacArthur’s Study Bible (ESV) has in their study notes (p 1894). Jesus was said to have made a proclamation “ to the spirits now in prison.” Nowhere in the Bible are humans referred to as “spirits” so this seems to refer to demon spirits that are bound in the abyss and these demons are the fallen angels who were permanently bound because of heinous wickedness. We remember that Jesus said to the Thief on the Cross that “ Today you will be with me in Paradise (Luke 23:43)” and Jesus didn’t say “Today you will be with me in heaven.” Are Paradise and heaven the same place? What is Peter talking about in these verses? It does not appear that the Old Testament saints needed to hear a proclamation from Jesus since there are all mentioned as being secure in God’s redemptive plan in the so called Hall of Faith in Hebrews 11. Still others feel that Jesus went to those old saints of the Old Testament who were in Paradise but not yet in heaven because Jesus had not made atonement for them yet. Were these who perished in the flood the ones that Peter referred to as the ones being “in prison?” It does not seem to fit in these verses or in the context of biblical doctrine. Those who died in the flood had the judgment of God on them through the flood, however this is inconsistent with many Scriptures in the Bible like Hebrews 9:27 which says, “And just as it is appointed for man to die once, and after that comes judgment.” It does not say after death they will have another chance.
Some believe that Jesus preached (proclaimed) the gospel to those who died in the flood and had never heard the gospel and those killed in the flood could now here it since Jesus had not yet died to save them. Was this the proclamation of the gospel? Did Jesus proclaim the gospel to those who had perished in the flood or to those of Noah’s family who were saved but awaiting Jesus’ redemptive work at Calvary? Did Jesus do this while His body was in the grave? There are many complexities in these verses. The interesting thing here is that Peter writes that Christ made a proclamation to the imprisoned spirits.
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