Death:

[Michael The Disciple]

The great weight of scripture indicates when you die you go to the grave which is called Hades/Sheol. There is only one human being at present who has been made immortal.

13 I command you before God, who gives life to all things, and before Christ Jesus, who before Pontius Pilate testified the good confession, 14 that you keep the commandment without spot, blameless, until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ; 15 which in its own times he will show, who is the blessed and only Ruler, the King of kings, and Lord of lords; 16 who alone has immortality, dwelling in unapproachable light; whom no man has seen, nor can see: to whom be honor and eternal power. Amen. 1 Tim. 6:13-16

This is why the resurrection of Jesus was called "the good news" or gospel. Because there is hope of life after death.

[Jermyn Davidson]

Originally Posted by RandyWayne

Oh! This one is easy!

YES!!!
This is EXACTLY what I believe!
I hope they put a dollar coin underneath both of my eyelids.
I want to make sure that I have enough!

[Michael The Disciple]

Part 1

The Patriarch Job gaves us teaching on what happens at death.

14:10 But man dieth, and wasteth away: yea, man giveth up the ghost, and where is he? Job 14:10

That is the question men want answered. When a man dies where is he?

14:12 So man lieth down, and riseth not: till the heavens be no more, they shall not awake, nor be raised out of their sleep.
14:13 O that thou wouldest hide me in the grave, (Sheol) that thou wouldest keep me secret, until thy wrath be past, that thou wouldest appoint me a set time, and remember me! Job 14:12-13

Job gives the answer of course inspired by the Holy Ghost for our benefit. He says the man that dies lies down and sleeps in Sheol. Job teaches that Sheol is a place where the dead sleep.

If a man die, shall he live again? all the days of my appointed time will I wait, till my change come.
Thou shalt call, and I will answer thee: thou wilt have a desire to the work of thine hands. Job 14:14-15

Note when Job speaks about his death he uses the words "I" and "me". He never thought in terms this was just concerning his body but rather HIMSELF.

He never asks "Where will a mans BODY be". He asks if A MAN die where will HE be.

So we see he says that men lie down and sleep (metaphor for death) until their change comes.

For I know that thou wilt bring me to death, and to the house appointed for all living. Job 30:23

It is appointed for men to die. He knew there was a house waiting there in Sheol for all the dead.

Note the imagery concerning where he believed HE HIMSELF would be going at death.

17:13 If I wait, the grave (Sheol) is mine house: I have made my bed in the darkness.
17:14 I have said to corruption, Thou art my father: to the worm, Thou art my mother, and my sister.
17:15 And where is now my hope? as for my hope, who shall see it?
17:16 They shall go down to the bars of the pit (Sheol), when our rest together is in the dust. Job 17:13-16

Job taught that when a man is in Sheol he makes his bed in darkness. Obviously the bed is not literal but what does a man do with a bed? HE SLEEPS.

Job is instructing us about what happens when a man dies. He sleeps in Sheol, the grave. They go to the bars of the pit which is again also there Sheol. So keep in mind that Jesus said the gates of Sheol/Hades would not prevail against the Church!

[Michael The Disciple]

Part 2

So what we get is a symbolic picture of what happens when a man dies. He goes to Sheol/Hades. This is like what we would consider the common grave of the dead. A place where men are held by spiritual bars or we might say "gates".

This is where we get the phrase "the gates of hades". Once there men sleep the sleep of death symbolized by Job saying his bed was there and he would sleep together with others in THE DUST. So obviously Sheol/Hades is in the ground.

Job expected to be there until his CHANGE came. Any idea when that might be?

He said when a man lies down to sleep there he will rise no more until the Heavens be no more. When might that be?

6:12 And I beheld when he had opened the sixth seal, and, lo, there was a great earthquake; and the sun became black as sackcloth of hair, and the moon became as blood;
6:13 And the stars of heaven fell unto the earth, even as a fig tree casteth her untimely figs, when she is shaken of a mighty wind.
6:14 And the heaven departed as a scroll when it is rolled together; and every mountain and island were moved out of their places.
6:15 And the kings of the earth, and the great men, and the rich men, and the chief captains, and the mighty men, and every bondman, and every free man, hid themselves in the dens and in the rocks of the mountains;
6:16 And said to the mountains and rocks, Fall on us, and hide us from the face of him that sitteth on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb:
6:17 For the great day of his wrath is come; and who shall be able to stand? Rev. 6:12-17

Indeed John saw the Heaven departing away when the day of the Lord finally comes! Then will be the time when men can rise again out of death.

Job said he would be in Sheol until his change came.

19:25 For I know that my redeemer liveth, and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth:
19:26 And though after my skin worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God: Job 19:25-26

So the Holy Ghost was showing through Job that his change would come on the day Jesus returns to the Earth!

What change was Job referring to? Was it not the change from mortal to immortal? From corruption to incorruption? Again Job is pointing us to the time of Jesus coming when he will first things first raise the dead!

[Michael The Disciple]

Part 3

So Job asked:

If a man die, shall he live again? all the days of my appointed time will I wait, till my change come. Job 14:14

We have seen that Job taught his change would come when his redeemer would stand on the Earth at the last day.

Paul adds more detail.

15:50 Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither doth corruption inherit incorruption.
15:51 Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed,15:52 In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.
15:53 For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. 1 Cor. 15:50-53

In his teaching on resurrection of the dead Paul sounds much like Job. This is the event Job had been waiting for. Now he could be set free from the gates of Sheol/Hades!

17:13 If I wait, the grave (Sheol) is mine house: I have made my bed in the darkness.
17:14 I have said to corruption, Thou art my father: to the worm, Thou art my mother, and my sister.
17:15 And where is now my hope? as for my hope, who shall see it?
17:16 They shall go down to the bars of the pit (Sheol), when our rest together is in the dust. Job 17:13-16

What is the hope Job spoke of? Was it not to be raised from the dead? Was it not to be set free from the bars of the pit which was Sheol/Hades?

Job taught that all went to this place at death. They slept there together in the dust until the time of their change. They were being held captive by the gates of Sheol/Hades.

Yet our redeemer who Job prophesied would stand on the Earth on the latter day said:


And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell (Hades/Sheol) shall not prevail against it. Matt:16:18

Paul taught the resurrection was the hope of the believer.

24:14 But this I confess unto thee, that after the way which they call heresy, so worship I the God of my fathers, believing all things which are written in the law and in the prophets:
24:15 And have hope toward God, which they themselves also allow, that there shall be a resurrection of the dead, both of the just and unjust. Acts 24:14-15

Job asked where was his hope? Was it that when he died he would automatically have immortality, eternal life?

No rather Paul explained the believers hope in in the resurrection of the dead being performed by our redeemer Jesus Christ when he stands on the Earth at the latter day just as Job prophesied!

One final thought.

It is commonly taught nowadays that Jesus took all the "souls" out of Sheol/Hades when he went back to Heaven and now whenever one dies his soul goes straight to Heaven.

Note what Paul said though in his resurrection teaching.

15:51 Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed,15:52 In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.
15:53 For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.
15:54 So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory.
15:55 O death, where is thy sting? O grave (Sheol/Hades) , where is thy victory?

If one went straight to Heaven as an immortal soul at death why is Paul saying that AT THE RESURRECTION then will be fulfilled the truth that death is swallowed up in victory?

Why does Paul ONLY THEN ask where is the victory of Sheol/Hades?

Obviously the saints who died were still there! They were still in Sheol/Hades that is THE GRAVE until the resurrection just like Job said was the case.

Then Jesus words will be fulfilled that the "gates of Sheol/Hades will not prevail against his Church"!

They will come forth from corruption to incorruption and from mortal to immortal. They will have life instead of death!

So according to Paul until the resurrection at the last day Sheol/Hades still had the victory against the saints. But on that day Jesus himself Jobs and our reddemer will stand on the Earth and will by his authority as the firstborn of the dead use the keys in his ownership of Sheol/Hades to unlock those bars Job taught us about and set his people free from death!

1:17 And when I saw him, I fell at his feet as dead. And he laid his right hand upon me, saying unto me, Fear not; I am the first and the last:
1:18 I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell (Sheol/Hades) and of death. Rev. 1:17-18

So Jesus has not as of yet used those keys and unlocked those gates. But be patient he is coming!

[KeptByTheWord]

What I have experienced in personal relationship here on earth with the Lord lets me know that whatever waits on the other side of this life will be beyond any beautiful experience I've ever had here on earth, and that alone gives me hope. Whether we sleep, or whether we taken on spiritual heavenly bodies at the time we cross over, makes no difference to me, all I know is that whatever is there... is better than anything I've experienced with the Lord here on earth. And that is enough for me.

[navygoat1998]

Originally Posted by KeptByTheWord

What I have experienced in personal relationship here on earth with the Lord lets me know that whatever waits on the other side of this life will be beyond any beautiful experience I've ever had here on earth, and that alone gives me hope. Whether we sleep, or whether we taken on spiritual heavenly bodies at the time we cross over, makes no difference to me, all I know is that whatever is there... is better than anything I've experienced with the Lord here on earth. And that is enough for me.

[Ron]

Originally Posted by KeptByTheWord

What I have experienced in personal relationship here on earth with the Lord lets me know that whatever waits on the other side of this life will be beyond any beautiful experience I've ever had here on earth, and that alone gives me hope. Whether we sleep, or whether we taken on spiritual heavenly bodies at the time we cross over, makes no difference to me, all I know is that whatever is there... is better than anything I've experienced with the Lord here on earth. And that is enough for me.

Anyone remember this song?

Heaven is better than this, oh my what joy & bliss.
Walk those shiny streets of Gold,
In that land where we'll never grow old.
Heaven is better than this, oh my what joy & bliss.
I like Pentecostal meetings too, but Heaven is better than this!

[AreYouReady?]

I've had people tell me things about the "other side".

Some would say it was beautiful "over there". Some would see dead loved ones.

One man, who was resuscitated, said he was in a horrible place.

I once walked into a hospital room to treat a patient. She told me she was seeing ghosts (she called them "ghostes") all night. I asked her if she knew the people and she said no.

My friend had an angel stay with her in her hospital room just days before her death. The angel told her that she was going to take her home. I felt comforted when I heard that because we had some talks about dying. She said she did not fear death, but she feared what she would have to go through to pass over to the other side. The angel made it easy for her. Angels are sent by God, I believe.

I have several stories that people have told me, some are incredible. I'd rather not post them because the stories they have told me are close to my heart. Some would try to explain them away. I believe that they reported just what they saw.

My own son saw an angel sitting outside his bedroom door watching over him. The angel walked over to him and touched him, rubbing his legs and he went back to sleep.

[bbyrd009]

Hi, AYR! Ones eyes have to change to see those, indeed.

Originally Posted by Michael The Disciple

The great weight of scripture indicates when you die you go to the grave...

...but it should also be noted that our definition of die is not God's def, and Scripture also relates this more relevant def of 'die,' as walking dead.

"The day of a man's death is better than the day of his birth," commentaries aside, might be better understood at face value, however.