What Happened To People Who Died Before Jesus Came?

Answer:

But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, to an innumerable company of angels, to the general assembly and church of the firstborn who are registered in heaven, to God the Judge of all, to the spirits of just men made perfect. (Hebrews 12:22–23)

Hebrews 11:1-12:23, 13

Luke 16:19-25

Well Adam, Jesus is and has always been the central point of history. In the Old Testament, we read about the law that was given to the Israelites, and all the sacrifices they were commanded by God to carry out, all the festivals they were to keep, and all the feasts they were to conduct. The reason for all of these is that they pointed to Jesus. You see, since the Fall, when sin entered the world, everyone on earth through faith (either in Jesus who was to come or Jesus who has now come) has opportunity for salvation through faith.

This is why the Jews had so many laws, festivals, and sacrifices, which now have all been fulfilled in Christ, the Messiah they were looking towards. It would have been impossible for a Jew to do something without it having reference to the Messiah yet to come. Praise God, the Messiah has now come. We all need to make sure we have put our faith and trust in Him.

So the point, Adam, is that people before Christ were saved by faith, and thus went to heaven when they died, and those who did not have faith were separated from God forever.