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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)
Are There People Now in Both of Sheol, Hades? (Cont'd.)
"For we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep (the body) in Jesus will God bring with him" (the souls) (1 Thessalonians 4:14). Then the souls of those in Christ will be united with their resurrected, glorified, bodies.
What About The People In Sheol, Hades, The Place Of Torments?
We must, logically, assume that the situation is still the same as in Jesus time on earth when the rich man went there. Those who were there must still be suffering there as well as all those who have gone there since that time.
Just before the final great judgment as recorded in Revelation 20, the people in hell will be resurrected and stand judgment, and then "death and hell (those whose bodies are dead and their souls in hell) was cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire" (Revelation 20:14-15).
What Happens When a Person Dies?
That depends on whether a person dies in their sins or in Christ--whether they die saved or lost--whether they die with Christ or without Him.
The righteous - "to be absent from the body is to be present with Christ...which if far better." Here they will await the "first resurrection," "the judgment seat of Christ," and their rewards and destiny and their place in God's future plans.
The lost -- They cannot go to be with Christ because He is not their Savior, Lord, and Master. There is no other place but hell to go to, to await their resurrection and judgment.
Heaven:
John 14:1-3: "Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. Igo to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto my self; that where I am, there ye maybe also."
Death is not the coming again of our Lord but our going to be with Him. If Christ is coming again to receive the saints to himself, how can we say that they go to be with Him at death?
To depart at death to be with Christ is not to be with Him in our resurrected, glorified body, but in a spiritual body until the resurrection of the physical body. Upon death the Christian does not go to his eternal reward! Jesus said, "Behold, I come quickly and My reward is with me to give every man according as his work shall be" (Revelation 22:12). This being true, what the saints who have died are now enjoying is not all the same as it will be after Jesus comes and the resurrected body and the soul are reunited. We can be sure, however, that they are nonetheless "with the Lord" in a heavenly paradise above! We do not have all clear explanations but some day it will become more clear.
Read Revelation 21 and 22 for a description of the new heaven and the new earth, as well as the New Jerusalem that will come down from God out of Heaven.
HELL (THE LAKE OF FIRE AND TORMENT) Both body and soul are cast into this hell, after judgment day.
Jesus said, (Mark 9:43-48) "And if thy hand offend thee, cut it off: it is better for thee to enter into life maimed, than having two hands to go into hell, into the fire that never shall be quenched: Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched. And if thy foot offend thee, cut it off: it is better for thee to enter halt into life, than having two feet to be cast into hell, into the fire that never shall be quenched: Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched And if thine eye offend thee pluck it out: it is better for thee to enter into the kingdom of God with one eye, than having two eyes to be cast into hell fire: "Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched."
In Luke 12:4-5, we have the words of Jesus, "And I say unto you my friends, Be not afraid of them that kill the body, and after that have no more that they can do. But I will forewarn you whom ye shall fear; Fear him, which after he hath killed hath power to cast into hell, yea, I say unto you, Fear him."
Hell is not the invention of somebody's mind. Denying it or reasoning it away will never do away with its reality. Praying to the dead or for the dead will avail nothing. It is not Scriptural to say so.
"Please tell me more."
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