Before the cross, the temporary shelter was full.

The Old Testament believers—Abraham, David, Sarah—could not enter heaven because the blood of Jesus had not yet been shed. They waited in a place of comfort. The text calls this place (Pardes) פרדס — "paradise." It was a secure area, separated from Hades by a massive, fixed gap.

When Jesus died, He told the thief on the cross that they would meet in Paradise that exact day. But a massive shift happened three days later.

"And the graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised; and coming out of the graves after His resurrection, they went into the holy city and appeared to many."Matthew 27:52-53 (NKJV)

When Jesus resurrected, He emptied the temporary shelter. He led those captives out of Paradise and took them to heaven.

Today, that specific area is empty. The transfer area is closed. When a believer passes away now, they bypass the former shelter and go directly to the presence of the Lord in heaven.

The debt is fully paid, so the doors are fully open.