Grave
A
burial place
Hades
The
underground abode
of
the dead in Greek mythology
Sheol
The
abode of the dead
in
early Hebrew thought
Hell
(Gehenna)
Destruction
outside of Jerusalem
Thinking
that the people of God goes to heaven upon death, pulls the rug right
out from under the Bible. The Scriptures must be our standard for
truth. Besides, why is there a resurrection of the dead when in fact,
no one is really dead?
It
is in the resurrected body (in the flesh) that a saint will be able
to live again,
“For
I know that my redeemer lives, and that he shall stand at the latter
day on the Earth. And though worms destroy my body, yet in my flesh I
shall see God” (Job 19:25-26).
All
living things go to the same place,
“Man’s
fate is like that of the animals; the same fate awaits them
both...all have the same breath ... all go to the same place; all
came from dust, and to dust all return” (Ecclesiastes 3:19-20).
What
happens
when
a saint
dies?
When
a saint dies, he is not alive somewhere else. He is dead. He does not
ascend to Heaven or descend to Hell. Instead he remains in the ground
“Resting In Peace” until such a time as he is awakened by
resurrection. In this brochure we have included several verses taken
straight out of the Bible to explain this belief. Please consider
them as we have put a lot of time into this.
In
the grave there is silence, just like sleep,
“Let
me not be put to shame, O LORD, for I call upon you: let the wicked
be put to shame, let them be silent in Sheol” (Psalm 31:17).
Jesus
used sleep and death interchangeably
“After
that he said to them, ´Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep but I go
so that I may awaken him out of sleep´ … Now Jesus had spoken of
his death, but they thought that he was speaking of literal sleep. So
Jesus then said to them plainly, ´Lazarus is dead´” (John
11:11-14).
Dead
saints are asleep in the dust of the earth
“Many
of those who sleep in the dust of the ground will awake, some to
everlasting life, but others to disgrace and everlasting contempt”
(Dan. 12:2).
The
resurrection is when the dead saints come to life
“The
rest of the dead did not come to life until the thousand years were
completed. That is the first resurrection” (Rev 20:4).
The
grave is the resting place of the dead. In Hebrew, the word used is
Sheol. In Greek that word is Hades. The common Greek mythological
understanding of Hades has corrupted contemporary understanding about
death. Think about it, when was the last time you read a verse that
made it seem like dead people were living in some disembodied state?
Awaking
from sleep is rising from the dead
“[Jesus]
said to them, 'Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep; but I go, so
that I may awaken him out of sleep.' ... Now Jesus had spoken of his
death, but they thought that He was speaking of literal sleep. So
Jesus then said to them plainly, 'Lazarus is dead ...' (John
11:11-14).
Dead
people do not know anything
“For
the living know they will die: but the dead do not know anything, nor
have they any longer a reward, for their memory is forgotten”
(Ecclesiastes 9:5).
Sheol
is a place where nothing happens
“Whatever
your hand finds to do, do it with all your might; for there is no
activity or planning or knowledge or wisdom in Sheol where you are
going” (Ecclesiastes 9:10).
The
dead have no ability to think, act, or communicate (with God or other
humans).
They
are in a state of dreamless sleep, until the return of the Messiah,
when they are raised first, before the living are changed (1 Thes
4:15-17).
Since
there is no consciousness in death, there is no perception of time.
From the perspective of the dead person, no time passes at all. One
moment they are alive, the next they are at the resurrection.
However, from the perspective of the living, the one who has died may
have waited thousands of years.
The
resurrection is in the centre of the Christian hope. This is why Paul
says that without the resurrection “we [Christians] are of all men
most miserable” (1 Cor. 15:19).
The
resurrection is connected with the return of the Christ,
“But
now Christ has been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those
who are asleep. For since by a man came death, by a man came the
resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ
all will be made alive. But each in his own turn: Christ, the
firstfruits; then, when he comes, those who belong to him” (1
Cor 15:20-23)
The voice of Jesus commences the resurrection,
“Do not marvel at this; for an hour is coming, in which all who are in the tombs will hear his voice, and will come forth; those who did the good deeds to the resurrection of life” (John 5:28-29).
Original by Living Hope International Ministries
This has been very informative, moving and reassuring. Thank-you for your ministry.
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