This question "what happens after a person dies?" is both theological and apologetic.
But what happens when a person dies; is there medical research to shed light on this? Philosophy perhaps has a word to say? Science - physics, examination of energies and matter - do they have something to enlighten the matter?
Why is death and its aftermath of and in itself not a major research question?
What does the Bible say about it ?
Eccl 12:
6 Remember Him before the silver cord is broken and the golden bowl is crushed, the pitcher by the well is shattered and the wheel at the cistern is crushed; 7 then the dust will return to the earth as it was, and the spirit will return to God who gave it.
Eccl 9
4 For whoever is joined with all the living, there is hope; surely a live dog is better than a dead lion. 5 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. 6 Indeed their love, their hate and their zeal have already perished, and they will no longer have a share in all that is done under the sun.
Matt 10:28 "do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul, fear Him who can destroy BOTH body and soul in fiery hell"
John 11:
10 But if anyone walks in the night, he stumbles, because the light is not in him.” 11 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.
1 Thess 4:13-18
13 But we do not want you to be uninformed, brethren, about those who are asleep, so that you will not grieve as do the rest who have no hope. 14 For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him those who have fallen asleep in Jesus. 15 For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord, will not precede those who have fallen asleep. 16 For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. 17 Then we who are alive and remain will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we shall always be with the Lord. 18 Therefore comfort one another with these words.
If the internal clock stops and then starts up at the resurrection -- the person passing through that veil realizes no passing of time at all -- no break in the timeline.
Matt 22 Christ says "God is not the God of the dead" - as proof of the future resurrection -- because that future resurrection fact - is the only way that God could say "I am the God of Abraham" when speaking to Moses - according to Christ in Matt 22.
Hint: If the only way you can explain Christ's irrefutable proof of the future resurrection in Matt 22 as He gave it to the Sadducees --- is to totally destroy his entire case for the future resurrection not only for the Sadducees but also for us today -- then you know for dead sure "
you have it wrong".
Heb 9 "
it is appointed unto man - once to die - and then comes the judgment"
1 Pet 1:13 Therefore, prepare your minds for action, keep sober
in spirit,
set your hope completely on the grace to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ.
