text: did everyone before jesus' time go to hell? seeing as christianity didn't exist. no. those who had passed away went to a place called sheol, " a place for the dead" or "grave."  hell is a generic term used to describe a place where souls would end up after a person passed away.  the hell that you are probably referring to was created for satan and his demons.  the people who had put their hope into the messiah, and who died before christ conquered death and hell, did not go to this place.  they went into "abraham's bosom" where they awaited the coming messiah.  christ went and released these old testament saints from this place and granted them entrance into the kingdom of god.    trust in god