WHAT IS DEATH

 

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What does the Bible say about death?

“I do not want to leave you, brethren, in ignorance of the dead, so that you do not grieve like others without hope” (1 Thess 4.13, see also 1 Cor 15.18,20 and John 11.11-14).

Note. During healthy sleep, a person is in an unconscious state, time comes unnoticed for him, and moderate activity is temporarily suspended. The Apostle Paul speaks of the future resurrection of the dead, and those who have no hope are atheists.

 

 

Where does Daniel speak of the dead as sleeping?

“And many of those sleeping in the dust of the earth will awaken” (Dan 12.2, see Eccl 3.20, 9.10).

 

 

What does a person in this state know about his family?

“Whether his children are honored, he does not know; whether they are humiliated, he does not notice” (Job 14.21).

 

 

What happens to the mind of a person at the time of death?

“His spirit goes out, and he returns to his own land; in that day all his thoughts perish” (Ps 146.4).

 

 

Do the dead "know" anything?

“The living know that they will die, but the dead know nothing” (Eccl 9.5).

 

 

Do they have any earthly sensations?

“And their love and their hatred and their jealousy have already disappeared, and they have no more part for ever in anything that is done under the sun” (v.6).

Note. If a person were conscious after death, then he would know about the honor or dishonor of his sons; but at the time of death he loses the ability to think, love, hate, envy, etc. Thus, it becomes clear that his thoughts disappear and that he no longer has anything in this world. But if, as some teach, a person retains the ability to think after death, then he lives, and if he lives, then he must be somewhere? Where? in heaven or hell? If after death he goes to some place, then what is the future judgment or resurrection, or the Second Coming of Christ for? If people receive their reward after death, before judgment takes place, then their reward precedes their retribution.

 

 

Does a person think about God after death?

“For in death there is no remembrance of You” (Ps 6.6).

Note. It is easy to see that the Bible speaks of the dead as sleeping, who do not remember God. If they were in heaven or hell, how could Jesus say: "Lazarus our friend has fallen asleep" (John 11.11)? If Lazarus were in heaven, then by calling him to life, Jesus would deprive him of heavenly bliss, which would rightfully belong to him. The parable of the rich man and Lazarus (Luke 16) teaches not that the dead have consciousness, but that wealth will not help in judgment and poverty will not deprive a person of heaven.

 

 

Where are the dead? Do not the dead righteous dwell in heaven, glorifying God?

”For David did not ascend into heaven” (Acts 2.34).

“The dead will not praise the Lord, nor all who go down into the grave” (Ps 114.25).

 

 

Where did Job say he would expect his final change?

“When a man dies, will he live again? On all the days of the time appointed for me, I would have waited until a change would come to me” (Job 14.14).

“If I were to wait, then hell is my house; I will make my bed in darkness” (Job 17.13).

Note. The word translated "hell" in this text is "sheol" in the Hebrew text. This word, among others, has such Russian equivalents as "darkness", "emptiness", "place under the ground", which are used only to indicate the place where the dead are, who have not yet received their reward or punishment (Young's Analytical Concordance). The same word is translated 3 times as "hell" (Num 16.30,33; Job 17.16) and 31 times as "hell" (Old Testament of King James). 31 times the word "sheol" is translated as "grave", which emphasizes the inconsistency of the modern English word "hell" with the concept of "sheol", especially in references to Jacob (Gen 37.35, 42.38), Job (Job 14.13), the psalmist (Ps 30.4) and even on Christ (Ps 15.10, compare with Acts 2.27,31). The American Revised Bible avoids favoring "hell" or "grave" by leaving the word "Sheol" untranslated, as well as its corresponding Greek word "Hades" in the New Testament. It should be remembered that the word "hell" in the New Testament always means "sheol" - the dwelling place of the dead, a place where darkness and silence reign, but NOT where sinners are tormented in fire.