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"But a Holy God separated himself from Jesus, withdrew His comforting presence from His Son, because Jesus was polluted with sin, our sins, as He hung on that cross."

---Scripture please.----

1Peter 2:24 (with some lead in from 2:20 that seems pertinent to this thread)

For it is commendable if a man bears up under the pain of unjust suffering because he is conscious of God. But how is it to your credit if you receive a beating for doing wrong and endure it? But if you suffer for doing good and endure it, this is commendable before God. To this you were called, because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in his steps.

He commiteed no sin, and no deceit was found in his mouth.

When they hurled insults at him, he did not retaliate; when he suffered, he made no threats. Instead, he entrusted himself to him who judges justly. He himself BORE OUR SINS IN HIS BODY ON THE TREE, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; by his wounds you have been healed.

---- Christ is often called the lamb - and numerous other references as a sacrifice. I believe the whole idea of sacrifice from the Old Testement is that the sins of the person where dumped on the lamb (or "scape goat") or whatever the person could afford, and offered to God as a purification of sin.

I don't have a handy reference to Jesus "descended into Hell" in my Bible reference. I imagine it comes from the idea that the whole concept of sin is seperation from God. There are references to unrepentent sinful people suffering in hell (even angels - 2Peter, 2:4). So its not a huge step for me to believe that Jesus was seperated from God until he rose from the dead. He told Mary not to touch him as he had not yet ascended to the Father.

Not sure what heaven, Hell, death, etc. are all really about. And although I think the end game is important, I'm still young enough that I think what is important is how I live my life.