Jewish afterlife

bibleblevr said:

What exactly does the scripture say about what happens to Jews when they die (before Jesus came). was any part of there afterlife contingent on the messiah coming? any answers would be awesome! thanks

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Can you clarify your question a little?
Are you asking what Jews believe, or what Messianics believe?
And by scripture, are you including both Torah and NT?

bibleblevr said:

What exactly does the scripture say about what happens to Jews when they die (before Jesus came). was any part of there afterlife contingent on the messiah coming? any answers would be awesome! thanks

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As Yeshua said about Lazarus.. he sleeps... knowing he is dead.

Scripture has all the kings sleeping with their fathers... aka they were all buried in the same graveyard.

1 Kings 2:10
So David slept with his fathers, and was buried in the city of David.

1 Kings 11:21
And when Hadad heard in Egypt that David slept with his fathers, and that Joab the captain of the host was dead, Hadad said to Pharaoh, Let me depart, that I may go to mine own country.

1 Kings 11:43
And Solomon slept with his fathers, and was buried in the city of David his father: and Rehoboam his son reigned in his stead.

1 Kings 14:20
And the days which Jeroboam reigned were two and twenty years: and he slept with his fathers, and Nadab his son reigned in his stead.

1 Kings 14:31
And Rehoboam slept with his fathers, and was buried with his fathers in the city of David. And his mother's name was Naamah an Ammonitess. And Abijam his son reigned in his stead.

1 Kings 15:8
And Abijam slept with his fathers; and they buried him in the city of David: and Asa his son reigned in his stead.

1 Kings 15:24
And Asa slept with his fathers, and was buried with his fathers in the city of David his father: and Jehoshaphat his son reigned in his stead.

1 Kings 16:6
So Baasha slept with his fathers, and was buried in Tirzah: and Elah his son reigned in his stead.

1 Kings 16:28
So Omri slept with his fathers, and was buried in Samaria: and Ahab his son reigned in his stead.

1 Kings 22:40
So Ahab slept with his fathers; and Ahaziah his son reigned in his stead.

Just to mention a few...

bibleblevr said:

To clarify, what did the old testament Jews believe in terms of afterlife. did they have a concept of heaven and hell? did they believe that those who slept, slept forever? what was their heaven or hell like? finally, did the messiah have anything to do with it? for example, did the messiah come and wake the sleeping dead and bring them to heaven.

I hope I clarified my question enough, it is a vague question by nature

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In regards to the resurrection of the elect. The first resurrection does not take place until the second coming. Most all Judaeo and Messianics, and all Orthodox Jews do not believe in hell. Hell is of the pagan religion. About hell: http://www.christianforums.com/t7323024/

http://www.christianforums.com/t5964742/?highlight=hell

http://www.christianforums.com/t5651381/?highlight=hell

http://www.christianforums.com/t1529924/?highlight=hell

all these threads talked about the subject ... you might find some interesting comments in there that just might answer your question.

The ET does not teach much, if anything, about the afterlife. There were concerns in the period 200 bce and 200ce about this. The Rabbis and sages set about answering these deep theological questions about "what should happen if I die the day before Masheach comes?" which was resolved by the belief that they will be rewarded in G-d's heavenly realm for their good deeds here on earth. But more was needed for those who had died already, and so the sages responded; When Masheach comes, everyone who has ever lived will be physically resurrected and will return to Yerushalayim in triumph and celebration. See Talmud BT San 91a about a glass being broken and restored. Sounds very 'Christian' doesn't it? Yeshua taught the ET and Biblical Judaism... so now you know where this doctrine comes from, even though they did not recognise Him. It was not absolute dogma for the Jews, but became so for the Church, except the bit about salvation by works!

So there were/ are two distinct ways to look at this - good works and / or physical resurrection. Both are in keeping with the sense of the morning prayer and amidah and both became a part of general Jewish understanding of life and the hereafter.

I don't think the OT says much about any afterlife either heaven or hell. Growing up in Reform Judaism I never heard anything about any life after death. It seems that Judaism is focused on living a good life because that is what God wants you to do - not because of any reward or punishment after death. To the Jews, when you die, you are dead and as was quoted, it is compared to sleeping - nothing happens any more.
It is Christians who are worried about the whole what happens after you die business. Jews are not worried about that and while some Jews and some groups of Jews do have some sort of afterlife concepts they are not from the Bible and the concept of afterlife is not one of major importance to the Jews nor is there a generally accepted belief that is taught regarding it.

CM3 History shows my facts are true - maybe not for RJ, but certainly for other branches. I don't recall saying all this was from the Bible - that is your take on my words, I actually referred to the Talmud, a part of which you seem not to know about.

Given the fact that the OT is virtually silent on the topic, the bigger question for me is 'How do we account for the transition between silence in the OT and major emphasis on it in the NT?'

It is odd, that Jews in captivity in Egypt for a couple hundred years came out of there with no theology of the afterlife. Egypt was full of it.

But during the Roman era it appears.

This has made me think about things that seem like a life time ago...

christianmomof3 said:

I don't think the OT says much about any afterlife either heaven or hell. Growing up in Reform Judaism I never heard anything about any life after death. It seems that Judaism is focused on living a good life because that is what God wants you to do - not because of any reward or punishment after death. To the Jews, when you die, you are dead and as was quoted, it is compared to sleeping - nothing happens any more.
It is Christians who are worried about the whole what happens after you die business. Jews are not worried about that and while some Jews and some groups of Jews do have some sort of afterlife concepts they are not from the Bible and the concept of afterlife is not one of major importance to the Jews nor is there a generally accepted belief that is taught regarding it.

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Judaism does believe in heaven and hell, however, the emphasis, as you said, is on the "here and now". If one does good in this life then one does not need to worry about what is to come, if anything. Jewish law has always maintained that the wicked will be punished and the good rewarded. The term Sheol, or the "grave" or "hell", is the place for the dead but the meaning of it is disputed as to wheather evil people go there or everyone. We Jews do believe in an afterlife but what that truly entails is up for debate.

Here's a good article on Judaism101. Physical resurrection is 13 on Rambam's Principals of faith. Other good stuff too.

Judaism 101: Olam Ha-Ba: The Afterlife

Bamram

Moshe b' amram

Exodus 6:20
20 And Amram took him Jochebed his father’s sister to wife; and she bare him Aaron and Moses: and the years of the life of Amram were an hundred and thirty and seven years.