What about the people who died before Jesus was born?

After armeggedon, Jesus will fulfill the scripture at John 5:28,29.

Jesus was the light of the world created on day 1 of Creation (John 8&9). How many people died before that ?

They had the promise of the resurrection and that promise is manifest to all of mankind even to this day who seek the Kingdom of God. Jesus taught us how to become a citizen of that forthcoming Kingdom by his teachings and his example. Those like Noah and Abraham had their obedience counted as righteousness toward their being resurrected to life when that day comes.

The Old Testament makes the case that salvation comes through belief in a coming Redeemer. People back then didn't know Him by name, but they did know the Redeemer was promised. Psalm 51:16-17, Isaiah 66:2-4, Micah 6:6-8 and others imply that without belief in a coming redeemer the offering of sacrifices was futile. Salvation in the Old Testament required both obedience to the Law and belief in a coming redeemer, since their sacrifices could only set aside their sins until the redeemer came to pay for them.

The name Jesus is the English translation of a Greek word. The Old Testament was written mostly in Hebrew where the Lord’s name is pronounced Yehsua and means “salvation” or “deliverance”. Various forms of His name appear in over 100 Old Testament passages beginning in Genesis 49:18. In addition the Hebrew word for redeemer appears 18 times in reference to the salvation of the people, and the word for Savior appears another 13 times.

The first reference to a redeemer occurs in Genesis 3:15 where God promised the “seed of the woman” would come to reverse the effects of man’s fall. It refers to a unique virgin birth, since seed always comes from a man, and speaks of Satan’s defeat as His hand. The knowledge of a coming redeemer has been present from man’s earliest days.

In Isaiah 40-53 the subject of the coming Redeemer is mentioned repeatedly. Perhaps one of the clearest times is in Isaiah 49:6, where God promised to not only save Israel but the Gentiles as well. Speaking of the Messiah, He said,

“It is too small a thing for you to be my servant to restore the tribes of Jacob and bring back those of Israel I have kept. I will also make you a light for the Gentiles, that you may bring my salvation to the ends of the earth.”

There are other references as well. The meanings of the names of the 10 Patriarchs in Genesis 5 make a sentence that tells the Gospel Story. “Man (Adam) is appointed (Seth) mortal (Enosh) sorrow (Kenan), but the blessed God (Mahalel) shall come down (Jared) teaching (Enoch) that His death shall bring (Methusaleh) the despairing (Lamech) rest (Noah).”

Then there’s the Mazzaroth, of which the study of astrology is a corruption (punishable by death in ancient Israel). In Hebrew, the 12 signs of the Zodiac tell the story of the Redeemer. Tradition has it that they were named by Adam, Seth, and Enoch to help fathers tell their sons of the coming Messiah while lying under the stars tending their flocks in pre-flood times.

Job proclaimed: I know that my redeemer lives, and that in the end he will stand on the earth (Job 19:25), King David wrote about Jesus in Psalm 110:1 and He is mentioned in Proverbs 8:22-30 and Micah 5:2. All this long before He came to earth as man.

In Old Testament times, the spirits of those who died went to a place they called “the abode of the dead.” It consisted of two compartments; a place of comfort for those who believed in the coming Redeemer and a place of torment for unbelievers. The place of comfort was sometimes called Abraham’s Bosom because it was thought that Abraham met them there to await the resurrection (Luke 16:19-31). The abode of the dead was called Hades in Greek and is often translated Hell in English.

The Greek word translated paradise appears only 3 times in the New Testament and was another name for Abraham’s Bosom. This is where Jesus and the man who died next to Him went (Luke 23:43). Jesus mentioned going into the belly of the Earth for 3 days and three nights after His death (Matt. 12:40) indicating the location of paradise.

As I mentioned earlier, Old Testament sacrifices were not sufficient to cleanse mankind of his sins. They could only set them aside until the Lord’s perfect “once for all time” sacrifice was complete (Hebrews 10:11-14). It was His death that opened the gates of Heaven. After His Resurrection, he took the spirits of the believing dead from Paradise to Heaven to be with Him there (Ephesians 4:8). Some assert that He took paradise itself because the place Paul visited (2 Corinthians 12:4) is sometimes called the 3rd Heaven (indicating the Throne of God) but the Greek word there is the one translated paradise.

They're gone, man! Forget about em! Here, eat some transmogrified Jesus (it tastes delicious!)

Who will be resurrected? Jesus said that “all those in the memorial tombs will hear his [Jesus’] voice and come out.” (John 5:28, 29) Similarly, Revelation 20:13 says: “The sea gave up those dead in it, and death and Hades gave up those dead in them.” “Hades” refers to the common grave of mankind. (See the Appendix, pages 212-13.) This collective grave will be emptied. All those billions who rest there will live again. The apostle Paul said: “There is going to be a resurrection of both the righteous and the unrighteous.” (Acts 24:15) What does that mean?Who will be resurrected? Jesus said that “all those in the memorial tombs will hear his [Jesus’] voice and come out.” (John 5:28, 29) Similarly, Revelation 20:13 says: “The sea gave up those dead in it, and death and Hades gave up those dead in them.” “Hades” refers to the common grave of mankind. This collective grave will be emptied. All those billions who rest there will live again. The apostle Paul said: “There is going to be a resurrection of both the righteous and the unrighteous.” (Acts 24:15) What does that mean?

The righteous” include many of the people we read about in the Bible who lived before Jesus came to the earth. You might think of Noah, Abraham, Sarah, Moses, Ruth, Esther, and many others. Some of these men and women of faith are discussed in the 11th chapter of Hebrews. But “the righteous” also include Jehovah’s servants who die in our time. Thanks to the resurrection hope, we may be freed from any dread of dying.—Hebrews 2:15.

What about all the people who did not serve or obey Jehovah because they never knew about him? These billions of “unrighteous” ones will not be forgotten. They too will be resurrected and given time to learn about the true God and to serve him. During a period of a thousand years, the dead will be resurrected and given an opportunity to join faithful humans on earth in serving Jehovah. It will be a wonderful time. This period is what the Bible refers to as Judgment Day.*

Does this mean that every human who ever lived will be resurrected? No. The Bible says that some of the dead are in “Gehenna.” (Luke 12:5) Gehenna got its name from a garbage dump located outside of ancient Jerusalem. Dead bodies and garbage were burned there. The dead whose bodies were thrown there were considered by the Jews to be unworthy of a burial and a resurrection. So Gehenna is a fitting symbol of everlasting destruction. Although Jesus will have a role in judging the living and the dead, Jehovah is the final Judge. (Acts 10:42) He will never resurrect those whom he judges to be wicked and unwilling to change.

What about the people who died even before god was created.

Heu... about space and time...?

Spacetime Lemonade Stand.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lz_UA8jKqHo

Atheist.

Whoever believe in one and only one God, believe in afterlife and do good deeds, no need to worry. (applied only to anyone not heard any of the prophet)

They could not be 'saved'.