Where do you go when you die? Some believe that you are wisk off to some heavenly place if youve been good, a bad place if youve been bad. Some folk say there is a third place for the good but not quite good enough. And then there are people that believe that when you die you die. There are some that think they will come back in the form of a cow or maybe a rat. Some think that if they are really, really good, and take out a bunch of people with them, they will wake up with a harem of dancing girls to fulfill their wildest fantasy. Lots of people in this world and almost as many beliefs as to the outcome of their death. Just what does the Bible say about dieing?
King Solomon was a man who lived somewhere around the tenth century B.C. In his time he was considered, and to some still is, the wisest man in the world. During his lifetime he had a real big harem but he believed that when you die you die. In Ecclesiastes, the book Solomon is strongly suggested to have written, he says in chapter 9 verse 5 says "For the living know that they shall die: but the dead know not any thing, neither have they any more a reward; for the memory of them is forgotten". If you back up to chapter 3 and read verse 19-21 you see starting in 19, "For the fate of the sons of men and the fate of beasts is the same. As one dies so dies the other; indeed, they all have the same breath and there is no advantage for man over beast, for all is vanity. 20 All go to the same place. All came from the dust and all return to the dust". Now you say, what about the next verse?" OK, what does it say? 21 Who knows that the breath of man ascends upward and the breath of the beast descends downward to the earth? Well, who knows? Who came back and told you? No need for feed back on that, its pretty clear. Besides, more on that later.
In the Bible we are given a promise. We are told that if we keep Gods laws and commandments, follow His Word, we will be given everlasting life with Him in His Kingdom. He has promised us that. We can take it to the bank. In Hebrews 9 the writer tells us we have been appointed to die once, this is found in verse 27: "And inasmuch as it is appointed for men to die once and after this comes judgment" This is our old friend Paul saying this, not me. When we die its like sleep. Have you ever been dog tired and gone to sleep and not dreamed? Just woke up tired and wondering where the time went. This dreamless type of sleep is referred to many times in the Bible. Jesus used the word sleep Himself. In the book of John, chapter 11, starting in verse 11 we read: This He said, and after that He *said to them, "Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep; but I go, so that I may awaken him out of sleep." 12 The disciples then said to Him, "Lord, if he has fallen asleep, he will recover." 13 Now Jesus had spoken of his death, but they thought that He was speaking of literal sleep. 14 So Jesus then said to them plainly, "Lazarus is dead". If you have a red letter Bible you will see that Jesus said this, its in red. There are other places in the Bible where sleep is used for dead or death. Its interesting to note that nowhere does Lazarus ask if he can go back to heaven. He is right back to manual labor earth. What a bummer compared to heaven! Yep, when you die its just like it was before you were born, just nothin.
Earlier I mentioned a promise. What promise would that be? Glad you ask. In the book of Hebrews, a book whose authorship is disputed amongst scholars, we find several people listed who had died and not received the promise. A few of the names like David, Samuel and Samson you would expect to see in heaven wouldnt you? That is if you believe that when you die you go to heaven. That is if you are in Gods favor at the time of your demise, right? Lets go to Hebrews 11 and start in verse 38 (men of whom the world was not worthy), wandering in deserts and mountains and caves and holes in the ground. 39 And all these, having gained approval through their faith, did not receive what was promised, 40 because God had provided something better for us, so that apart from us they would not be made perfect. Did you see it? They are all dead people who did not receive what was promised. Dont forget this was written after Christs resurrection and they still hadnt received the promise yet. In verse 40 its referenced where they havent been resurrected to eternal life before us! But why not?
In Pauls 1st letter to the Corinthians in chapter 15 verse 20 it says "But now Christ has been raised from the dead, the first fruits of those who are asleep.(theres that word asleep again) 21 For since by a man came death, by a man also came the resurrection of the dead. 22 For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ all will be made alive. Now skipping to verse 51 we see: "Behold, I tell you a mystery; we will not all sleep (again), but we will all be changed, 52 in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet; for the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed. 53 For this perishable must put on the imperishable, and this mortal must put on immortality. 54 But when this perishable will have put on the imperishable, and this mortal will have put on immortality, then will come about the saying that is written, "Death is swallowed up in victory. 55 O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?" Now do you get it?
I wonder what the second death the Bible talks about is? In Revelation 2 verse 11 we are told: He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. He who overcomes will not be hurt by the second death. The second death, what second death? In Revelation 21 verse 8 it says: "But for the cowardly and unbelieving and abominable and murderers and immoral persons and sorcerers and idolaters and all liars, their part will be in the lake that burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death." Here we have it again, the second death. Lets back up to Revelation 20 verse 14 where it says: "Then death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire. 15 And if anyones name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire. Lets do this one at a different time!
Just think of this: your parents, family members and friends are in heaven where there is no sin. They are talking of how wonderful it wil be for the rest of the family to be together at last in heaven. All of them up there lookin down and seeing every little detail of your life? Yes every little thing, good or bad. You hear people everyday say; "well I know so-n-so is up there watching over me". Just like Santa Clause they know if you been nasty or nice. Isnt that a relief? Ol Granny is watching Johnny as he rapes and murders his girlfriend down here on planet earth. Thats heaven aint it? No more pain or suffering up there unless youre ol' granny with a Johnny down here.
No matter how you twist scripture there is no place that says you go to heaven when you die. You will never see the words immortal and soul used together anywhere in the pages of your bible.
"Scripture taken from the NEW AMERICAN STANDARD BIBLE®, Copyright © 1960,1962,1963,1968,1971,1972,1973,1975,1977,1995 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission."
