Before the resurrection of Jesus, any BELIEVER, (from the time of Adam to the moment Jesus descended into Paradise after He died on the cross) who died, his/her body went to the grave and the spirit and soul went to Paradise in Sheol (Hades in Greek). Any UNBELIEVER that died, his/her body went to the grave and the spirit and soul went to HELL in Sheol (Hades in Greek).

Looking at the picture above you can see that the place where the dead went ,before the resurrection of Jesus, was divided into three parts.

The physical body went into the grave where it would undergo decay and return to dust and the spirit and soul went HELL if you were an UNBELIEVER, or to PARADISE if you were a BELIEVER.

You can read as an example the story of the Rich Man and Lazarus in Luke 16:19-31 “Now there was a rich man, and he habitually dressed in purple and fine linen, joyously living in splendor every day. And a poor man named Lazarus was laid at his gate, covered with sores, and longing to be fed with the crumbs which were falling from the rich man’s table; besides, even the dogs were coming and licking his sores. Now the poor man died and was carried away by the angels to ABRAHAM’S BOSOM; and the rich man also died and was buried. In Hades he lifted up his eyes, being in torment, and *saw Abraham far away and Lazarus in his bosom. And he cried out and said, ‘Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus so that he may dip the tip of his finger in water and cool off my tongue, for I am in agony in this flame.’ But Abraham said, ‘Child, remember that during your life you received your good things, and likewise Lazarus bad things; but now he is being comforted here, and you are in agony. ‘And besides all this, between us and you there is a GREAT CHASM FIXED, so that those who wish to come over from here to you will NOT be able, and THAT NONE MAY CROSS OVER from there to us.’ “And he said, ‘Then I beg you, father, that you send him to my father’s house— for I have five brothers—in order that he may warn them, so that they will not also come to this place of torment.’ “But Abraham *said, ‘They have Moses and the Prophets; let them hear them.’ “But he said, ‘No, father Abraham, but if someone goes to them from the dead, they will repent!’ “But he said to him, ‘If they DO NOT listen to MOSES and the PROPHETS, they will NOT be persuaded even if someone rises from the dead.’”

Remember, that is NOT a parable but a story as they never used proper names in a parable.

As a quick summary while we at this story, we can learn a good number of points here.

1. Larazus was carried by angels to Paradise (Abraham’s Bosom).
2. The Rich Man found himself in Hell (part of Hades reserved for UNBELIEVERS).
3. Lazarus was comforted.
4. The Rich Man was in agony.
5. Nobody could cross over from Hell to Paradise or vice-versa, as there was a great CHASM dividing Hell from Paradise.
6. Nobody would be send from Paradise to the earth to warn other UNBELIEVERS, because they had the Scriptures.
7. PARADISE was in Sheol at that time.   
8. DON’T ever listen to anybody who say they have been caught up to heaven and Jesus spoke to them and gave them a message to tell mankind, or Jesus gave them a job to do or they have gone to hell just for God to show them what is was like so they could go back to earth to warn others. The above story told by Jesus Himself clearly says that NOBODY will go to Paradise and then comes back to earth. The ONLY person that did so was Paul and he was NOT allowed to repeat any words he had heard.

2 Corinthians 12:2-4 “I know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago—whether in the body I do not know, or out of the body I do not know, God knows—such a man was caught up to the THIRD HEAVEN. And I know how such a man—whether in the body or apart from the body I do not know, God knows— was caught up into PARADISE and heard inexpressible words, which a man is NOT PERMITTED TO SPEAK.”