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Bible Basics
For Smart People
Who Do Not Want To Be Dummies
About God and the Bible
(Parts I, II, III)
By J. George Cover
Lesson 12 - What About Death? Part I (Text Version)
Related Subjects (Cont'd.)
Romans 8:20-23: "For the creature (body) was made subject to vanity (suffering, humiliation) not willingly, but by reason of him who hath subjected the same in hope,
"Because the creature itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God."
"For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now,
"And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body" (still future). We have the hope of the return of Christ, the resurrection, and a glorified body, not subject to sickness nor death."
Where Are the Dead?
The Old Testament, Hebrew word meaning the abode of the dead is Sheol, translated hell. It is sometimes translated grave in the King James Version. However, the body is never spoken of as being put into that place. Another Hebrew word for the place where the body is put is qeburah (qebar). The soul does not go there.
The New Testament, Greek for the place of the dead is Hades, translated hell.
In Luke 16:19-31, Jesus gives us an insight to this place in the story of Lazarus and the rich man. He did not give this as a parable. Jesus said "There was a certain rich man" and "There was a certain beggar named Lazarus." Jesus said that "the beggar died and was carried by the angels into Abraham's bosom (the name for the Paradise side of the place of the dead). He also said, "The rich man also died, and was buried, And in hell he lift up his eyes in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom." When the rich man asked that Lazarus be sent "that he may dip the tip of his finger in water, and cool my tongue, for I am tormented in this flame," he was told that "between us and you there is a great gulf fixed: so that they which would pass from hence to you cannot; neither can they pass to us, that would come from thence. Sheol, Hades, thus had two parts with a great impassable gulf between.
Where Is Sheol, Hades?
The Scriptures seem to indicated that Hell is beneath, in the heart of the earth. Note these references: Deuteronomy 32:22 and Psalm 86:13 - "the lowest hell"; Job 11:8 - deeper than hell"; Psalm 55:15 - down quick into hell"; Proverbs 9:18 - the depths of hell"; Proverbs 15:24 - "hell beneath"; Isaiah 14:9 - "hell from beneath"; Isaiah 15:15 thou shalt be brought down to hell"; Ezekiel 31:16 - "cast him down to hell"; Ezekiel 32:27 "are gone down to hell"; Amos 9:2 though they dig into hell"; Ephesians 4:9 - "lower parts of the earth."
Are There People Now In Both Parts Of Sheol, Hades?
After Jesus arose from the dead, godly people are never spoken of as going there. Paul said (Philippians 1:23), "having a desire to depart (this life) and be with Christ: which is far better." He also said in 2 Corinthians 5:6, 8. "While we are at home in the body, we are absent from the Lord; ... We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord. " Paul also wrote in 2 Corinthians 5:1-4: "For we know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building (body) of God, an house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. For in this we groan, earnestly desiring to be clothed upon with our house which is from heaven: If so be that being clothed we shall not be found naked For we that are in the tabernacle (body) do groan, being burdened: not that we would be unclothed, but clothed upon, that mortality might be swallowed up of life. "
In Ephesians 4:8-10, "When he ascended upon high, he led captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men. (Now that he ascended, what is it but that he also descended first into the lower parts of the earth? He that descended is the same also that ascended up far above all heavens, that he might fill all things.)
We therefore conclude that the paradise part of Hades has been empty since the resurrection of Jesus and that all who die saved or in Christ go to heaven to be with Christ. Their souls will wait there until the "resurrection of the just" when the Lord returns and the "The Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord" (1 Thessalonians 4:16-17).
"Please tell me more."
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