The Sleep of Death in Sheol, the Two Resurrections, and the Lake of Fire Judgment

cgaviria · Oct 15, 2016

To be dead is like to be asleep, hence why the dead are said to be sleeping,

He said, “Leave; for the girl has not died, but is asleep.” And they began laughing at Him. (Matthew 9:24 [NIV])

After that, he appeared to more than five hundred of the brothers and sisters at the same time, most of whom are still living, though some have fallen asleep. (1 Corinthians 15:6 [NIV])

Consider and answer me, O LORD my God; light up my eyes, lest I sleep the sleep of death, (Psalm 13:3 [ESV])

And just as the passing of time is quick from the moment of sleep to the moment of waking up, so in likewise manner it is from the moment of death to the moment of resurrection. This is why Sheol is said to be a place of no thought, no knowledge, no work,

Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with your might, for there is no work or thought or knowledge or wisdom in Sheol, to which you are going. (Ecclesiastes 9:10 [ESV])

Because the dead do not have thoughts, since the dead are not conscious. And as such, it is the soul of a man that goes to Sheol at death,

For you will not abandon my soul to Sheol, or let your holy one see corruption. (Psalm 16:10 [ESV])

Whereas the spirit of man returns to God who gave it,

and the dust returns to the ground it came from, and the spirit returns to God who gave it. (Ecclesiastes 12:7 [NIV])

As the spirit belongs to God who gave it,

And the LORD said, My spirit shall not always strive with man, for that he also is flesh: yet his days shall be an hundred and twenty years. (Genesis 6:3 [KJV])

And this spirit of man is the breath of man, which is why the Greek and Hebrew word for spirit is the same word for breath or wind, in which case, even animals, have this same spirit that man has,

And they went in unto Noah into the ark, two by two of all flesh in which is the spirit of life. (Genesis 7:15 [JB2000])

And so, this spirit was the breath that gave life to man,

And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul. (Genesis 2:7 [KJV])

And just as the soul becomes living when the breath of life is given, so does the soul become dead when the breath of life goes back to God who gave it. And although the body decays and returns to the dust when the breath of life is taken away,

and the dust returns to the earth as it was, and the life’s breath returns to God who gave it. (Ecclesiastes 12:7 [NETBIBLE])

By the sweat of your brow you will eat your food until you return to the ground, since from it you were taken; for dust you are and to dust you will return." (Genesis 3:19 [NIV])

The soul sleeps and is kept hidden in Sheol, so that it may one day awaken to be judged at the resurrection of all the dead, hence why the dead are prophesied to come out of Sheol, which is where the souls of the dead are, at the final great white throne judgment, which is mentioned in this prophecy concerning the dead coming out of Hades, which is the Greek word for Sheol,

The sea gave up the dead that were in it, and death and Hades gave up the dead that were in them, and each person was judged according to what they had done. (Revelation 20:13 [NIV])

And as such, whoever is not found written in the book of life, will be cast into the lake of fire,

Anyone whose name was not found written in the book of life was thrown into the lake of fire. (Revelation 20:15 [NIV])

And this fire not only destroys the body, but also the soul,

And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather fear him who can destroy both soul and body in hell. (Matthew 10:28 [ESV])

Which is why this judgment of fire is also called the second death,

Then death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. The lake of fire is the second death. (Revelation 20:14 [NIV])

Because it will be a second death to those who died before, and then die again when thrown into the lake of fire. This is why there will be dead bodies in the lake of fire,

"And they will go out and look on the dead bodies of those who rebelled against me; the worms that eat them will not die, the fire that burns them will not be quenched, and they will be loathsome to all mankind." (Isaiah 66:24 [NIV])

Because whoever is thrown into the lake of fire dies, and this same place described in this prophecy in Isaiah where the worm does not die nor the fire is quenched is the same place described by Jesus as the place where the worm does not die nor is the fire quenched,

And if your eye causes you to stumble, pluck it out. It is better for you to enter the kingdom of God with one eye than to have two eyes and be thrown into hell, where "'the worms that eat them do not die, and the fire is not quenched.' (Mark 9:47-48 [NIV])

And as such, not only will body and soul be destroyed, but whoever is thrown into the lake of fire will cease to exist,

You defiled your sanctuaries with your many sins and your dishonest trade. So I brought fire out from within you, and it consumed you. I reduced you to ashes on the ground in the sight of all who were watching. All who knew you are appalled at your fate. You have come to a terrible end, and you will exist no more.(Ezekiel 28:18-19 [NLT])

And all the wicked will be reduced to mere ashes,

Then you will trample on the wicked; they will be ashes under the soles of your feet on the day when I act," says the LORD Almighty. (Malachi 4:3 [NIV])

This is why it is said that the anger of God, although severe, is but for a moment,

For his anger lasts only a moment, but his favor lasts a lifetime; weeping may stay for the night, but rejoicing comes in the morning. (Psalm 30:5 [NIV])

Whereas those who have died and belong to Jesus Christ will be resurrected at his second coming,

"Then will appear the sign of the Son of Man in heaven. And then all the peoples of the earth will mourn when they see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven, with power and great glory. (Matthew 24:30 [NIV])

For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. (1 Thessalonians 4:16 [NIV])

And will be gathered together by angels to be taken to meet the Lord in the air, along with those who were already alive and also belong to Jesus Christ,

And he will send his angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather his elect from the four winds, from one end of the heavens to the other. (Matthew 24:31 [NIV])

Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord. (1 Thessalonians 4:17 [ESV])

This is the first resurrection spoken of in this prophecy,

Blessed and holy are those who share in the first resurrection.The second death has no power over them, but they will be priests of God and of Christ and will reign with him for a thousand years. (Revelation 20:6 [NIV])

In which case, whoever partakes in the first resurrection, will not only rule with Jesus Christ for a thousand years on this earth, but will also live onwards into the eons of the eons beginning in a new heaven and new earth, since those who are resurrected in this first resurrection will never die again, which is why it is said that the "second death has no power over them",

in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed. For the perishable must clothe itself with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality.
(1 Cortinthians 15:52-53 [NIV])

Then I saw "a new heaven and a new earth," for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea. (Revelation 21:1 [NIV])

And whoever lives into the new heaven and new earth will also never die, since death itself will be also be no more,

He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death' or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away." (Revelation 21:4 [NIV])

John Hyperspace · Oct 15, 2016

I can't say I disagree with your words, and citations; naturally I agree with what the bible says, and it does say "destruction" and "death" of those who do not "overcome" or are found "sinful" outside of the keeping of the covenant of grace through Christ.

But I'm just looking at the bible and saying, I'm seeing more; I'm seeing "destruction" as giving rise to a "new creature". We Christians (for the part) have experienced this already. Our "old man" has been destroyed; the unbeliever that repents is "reduced to ashes" by the "everlasting fire" of the Word of God, which destroys the sinner, transforming him into the saint in Christ.

I'm not saying, you're wrong; I'm just saying, I'm seeing more. I'm seeing birth from death, creation from destruction, a new creature being born from the passing away of the old. The difference between the two at judgment is found in passages such as Revelation 2:26. The saints who "overcome" rule with Christ, over the "nations" i.e. those that did not overcome, and were "forcibly" transformed by fire. We by the grace of God, are transformed through faith, without having seen; yet they will be transformed through immediate and sudden revelation of the truth that cannot be resisted.

God promises "I create all things new" Revelation 21:5 but that only those that overcome will "inherit all things" Revelation 21:7 (including the nations and the earth itself) to rule over them in mercy and truth, and instruct them into the kingdom without anyone being able to hinder or deceive the nations: Revelation 20:3, Ezekiel 44:23

Again, I agree with your words, but I see more; I see birth out of death; creation out of destruction.

Also, even though my stance is based in the bible, I also just, out of love, would hate to lose even a single person of this world. Most of them have never had a chance to really understand, and have been tossed around and manipulated and deceived by so many things, left in darkness and suffering. It's heartbreaking beyond words to think that this life is all that God will ever give to them. Not only do I see a happier ending for everyone in the scripture itself, but my own heart convincts me that it must be this way. Surely my love isn't greater than the love of God, and then, how could God suffer the loss of even one of His creations?

I even see the repentence of "Satan" in the final end, as foreshadowed by Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, that one who builded up Great Babylon, and was driven from the presence of the Lord, whos final words in scripture are these: Daniel 4:1-3, Daniel 4:37

cgaviria · Oct 15, 2016

John Hyperspace said:
I can't say I disagree with your words, and citations; naturally I agree with what the bible says, and it does say "destruction" and "death" of those who do not "overcome" or are found "sinful" outside of the keeping of the covenant of grace through Christ.

But I'm just looking at the bible and saying, I'm seeing more; I'm seeing "destruction" as giving rise to a "new creature". We Christians (for the part) have experienced this already. Our "old man" has been destroyed; the unbeliever that repents is "reduced to ashes" by the "everlasting fire" of the Word of God, which destroys the sinner, transforming him into the saint in Christ.

I'm not saying, you're wrong; I'm just saying, I'm seeing more. I'm seeing birth from death, creation from destruction, a new creature being born from the passing away of the old. The difference between the two at judgment is found in passages such as Revelation 2:26. The saints who "overcome" rule with Christ, over the "nations" i.e. those that did not overcome, and were "forcibly" transformed by fire. We by the grace of God, are transformed through faith, without having seen; yet they will be transformed through immediate and sudden revelation of the truth that cannot be resisted.

God promises "I create all things new" Revelation 21:5 but that only those that overcome will "inherit all things" Revelation 21:7 (including the nations and the earth itself) to rule over them in mercy and truth, and instruct them into the kingdom without anyone being able to hinder or deceive the nations: Revelation 20:3, Ezekiel 44:23

Again, I agree with your words, but I see more; I see birth out of death; creation out of destruction.

Also, even though my stance is based in the bible, I also just, out of love, would hate to lose even a single person of this world. Most of them have never had a chance to really understand, and have been tossed around and manipulated and deceived by so many things, left in darkness and suffering. It's heartbreaking beyond words to think that this life is all that God will ever give to them. Not only do I see a happier ending for everyone in the scripture itself, but my own heart convincts me that it must be this way. Surely my love isn't greater than the love of God, and then, how could God suffer the loss of even one of His creations?

I even see the repentence of "Satan" in the final end, as foreshadowed by Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, that one who builded up Great Babylon, and was driven from the presence of the Lord, whos final words in scripture are these: Daniel 4:1-3, Daniel 4:37

This is not so. The reward of the righteous is not the same as the reward of the wicked, otherwise there would be no purpose in becoming righteous if the wicked receive life just as the righteous. If indeed all were saved, there would be no purpose to give up everything, and even suffer, and even by martyred, if the wicked receive the same reward as the righteous, as even Paul says concerning those who said there was no resurrection of the dead,

If in Christ we have hope in this life only, we are of all people most to be pitied. (1 Corinthians 15:19 [ESV])

And this saying would also certainly apply if indeed the wicked receive the same reward as those who labor tirelessly for the Lord. The reward of the wicked is indeed death and destruction, just as it is written, whereas the reward of the righteous, is eonial life.

John Hyperspace · Oct 16, 2016

cgaviria said:
This is not so.

It may not be. I can only understand according to that which is given to me. So all I can really say is, this is how I'm being lead to understand these things.

cgaviria said:
The reward of the righteous is not the same as the reward of the wicked, otherwise there would be no purpose in becoming righteous if the wicked receive life just as the righteous.

But, we were all wicked, at one time, true? Otherwise, there would be no need for Christ if we weren't at one time, wicked. And, we received life, did we not? Through Christ. So when we say "the wicked do not receive life" I would have to ask, then how did Christians receive life? The wicked, have received life, and as such, this shows to me that they do receive life by the grace of God, according to the will of God, which He dispenses by measure according to His own appointed time.

Then the purpose of being "righteous" is to draw others to this same life, as we were also drawn, to the destruction of the old, sinful man outside of Christ, and into the creation of the new, righteous man inside of Christ. The purpose of the righteous is to glorify God in his own sufferings at the hand of the wicked.

cgaviria said:
If indeed all were saved

Note that I'm not saying everyone is saved. When we're talking saved and lost, I do believe we are talking about the people within the covenant of Christ. Within the churches. Within Israel (not the earthly nation of Israel, but the spiritual nation of Israel; the body of Christ). Basically anyone who has said "I will" just as when the Lord made a covenant with Israel in the wilderness and said "These are the words of the covenant; will you enter the covenant, or not?" and the people all replied "We will do all of the words" Exodus 19:5-7, Exodus 19:8

The situation with words is creating a communication breakdown. I don't understand the bible as saying, everyone is saved. To be, saved, means to be in union with Christ, and part of the body of Christ. We might liken being, saved, to being a member of the chosen priesthood. Or, as to being a citizen of Jerusalem. Being lost, is being, not in the priesthood, not a son of God. The lost do not inherit all things, they do not inherit God. Those that "offend" in the kingdom of God, are "rooted out" and "cast thence"

I believe those who are not in covenant can receieve of neither the blessings nor the curses of the covenant; just as the nations round about Israel could receive of neither, since they were not of the "seed of faithful Abraham"; and so when we see them that overcome being given "power over the nations" this is meaning that, at the second coming, those who are approved, and remain in the kingdom of God will have full authority in the Word of God given to them in order to then teach the nations the truth without the deception and confusion being caused by false teachers within the churches. These false teachers in the churches, having been "carried out thence" from among the body of Christ (weeping and gnashing of teeth, as they are shamefully expelled in the "sight of many women")

I'm going on a little long, but you get the point. So, I do not believe "allowed to exist" is what the bible means by "saved"; neither "eradicated, destroyed with no further creation - simply ever gone in all respects" is what is meant by "lost" but these things are all spiritual allegories talking about the body of Christ. In fact, it seems to me that the Revelation is all about the 7 churches which are facing the judgment of the Lord.

cgaviria said:
there would be no purpose to give up everything, and even suffer, and even by martyred, if the wicked receive the same reward as the righteous

They don't inherit God; they're not of the body of Christ. The purpose of doing everything you're mentioning is to gloify God before others that through you, others may receive. Though I will say that I do believe in universal reconciliation at the end of the entire process, and God being "all in all": 1 Corinthians 15:23-28

cgaviria said:
as even Paul says concerning those who said there was no resurrection of the dead

I'm always going to agree with the words in the bible, our disgreement is going to be in regards to how we're understanding those words: according to what nature, or, use of the words. "Resurrection of the dead" I understand to be, union with Christ. Jesus said, the resurrection to come, and which now is John 5:25; and "life from the dead" will not happen to those outside of the covenant until the reign of Christ with He elect is finished, and all things are made new through them. This is why at Revelation 20:5-6 we see a "first resurrection" which means there must be another one afterward, at least a "second resurrection", and it is in this first resurrection that the approved are manifested to the nations, ending all confusion as regarding, to whom is given the work of teaching and handling the Word of God according to the priestly order of Melchizedek Romans 8:19

cgaviria said:
And this saying would also certainly apply if indeed the wicked receive the same reward as those who labor tirelessly for the Lord.

Consider this, the 7 promises of the 7 churches in the Revelation as the received reward of them that overcome. Only them that overcome receive these promises; the "wicked" do not receive them, and are rejected from the priesthood altogether, and cast out to be with the nations, of whom the elect rule in the age to come. So the rewards are not the same.

cgaviria said:
The reward of the wicked is indeed death and destruction, just as it is written, whereas the reward of the righteous, is eonial life.

I do agree with the words, the wicked receive death and destruction. Just like we received when we were in our first state of wickedness without Christ. But out of that destruction of the old man, I see the birth of the new.

And again, not only am I speaking through what the bible is causing me to understand with my mind, but I am especially convicted in my heart. I cannot imagine a scenario in which I stand before God, and ask "What about that girl, on the message board, the one who broke my heart with her poor words; where is she?" and I'm told "She didn't make it. She was destroyed out of existence, never to be reborn into joy. She knew only a life of sorrow, and this is all she will have ever known. She is gone." I could only stand in a stunned daze with tears streaming down. "Welcome to heaven" would mean the same as "Welcome to hell." If this is my love for the "lost"; how could God's be any less? Do I have too much love? Because in my heart, something is seriously wrong with that scenario.

cgaviria · Oct 16, 2016

John Hyperspace said:
It may not be. I can only understand according to that which is given to me. So all I can really say is, this is how I'm being lead to understand these things.

But, we were all wicked, at one time, true? Otherwise, there would be no need for Christ if we weren't at one time, wicked. And, we received life, did we not? Through Christ. So when we say "the wicked do not receive life" I would have to ask, then how did Christians receive life? The wicked, have received life, and as such, this shows to me that they do receive life by the grace of God, according to the will of God, which He dispenses by measure according to His own appointed time.

Then the purpose of being "righteous" is to draw others to this same life, as we were also drawn, to the destruction of the old, sinful man outside of Christ, and into the creation of the new, righteous man inside of Christ. The purpose of the righteous is to glorify God in his own sufferings at the hand of the wicked.

Note that I'm not saying everyone is saved. When we're talking saved and lost, I do believe we are talking about the people within the covenant of Christ. Within the churches. Within Israel (not the earthly nation of Israel, but the spiritual nation of Israel; the body of Christ). Basically anyone who has said "I will" just as when the Lord made a covenant with Israel in the wilderness and said "These are the words of the covenant; will you enter the covenant, or not?" and the people all replied "We will do all of the words" Exodus 19:5-7, Exodus 19:8

The situation with words is creating a communication breakdown. I don't understand the bible as saying, everyone is saved. To be, saved, means to be in union with Christ, and part of the body of Christ. We might liken being, saved, to being a member of the chosen priesthood. Or, as to being a citizen of Jerusalem. Being lost, is being, not in the priesthood, not a son of God. The lost do not inherit all things, they do not inherit God. Those that "offend" in the kingdom of God, are "rooted out" and "cast thence"

I believe those who are not in covenant can receieve of neither the blessings nor the curses of the covenant; just as the nations round about Israel could receive of neither, since they were not of the "seed of faithful Abraham"; and so when we see them that overcome being given "power over the nations" this is meaning that, at the second coming, those who are approved, and remain in the kingdom of God will have full authority in the Word of God given to them in order to then teach the nations the truth without the deception and confusion being caused by false teachers within the churches. These false teachers in the churches, having been "carried out thence" from among the body of Christ (weeping and gnashing of teeth, as they are shamefully expelled in the "sight of many women")

I'm going on a little long, but you get the point. So, I do not believe "allowed to exist" is what the bible means by "saved"; neither "eradicated, destroyed with no further creation - simply ever gone in all respects" is what is meant by "lost" but these things are all spiritual allegories talking about the body of Christ. In fact, it seems to me that the Revelation is all about the 7 churches which are facing the judgment of the Lord.

They don't inherit God; they're not of the body of Christ. The purpose of doing everything you're mentioning is to gloify God before others that through you, others may receive. Though I will say that I do believe in universal reconciliation at the end of the entire process, and God being "all in all": 1 Corinthians 15:23-28

I'm always going to agree with the words in the bible, our disgreement is going to be in regards to how we're understanding those words: according to what nature, or, use of the words. "Resurrection of the dead" I understand to be, union with Christ. Jesus said, the resurrection to come, and which now is John 5:25; and "life from the dead" will not happen to those outside of the covenant until the reign of Christ with He elect is finished, and all things are made new through them. This is why at Revelation 20:5-6 we see a "first resurrection" which means there must be another one afterward, at least a "second resurrection", and it is in this first resurrection that the approved are manifested to the nations, ending all confusion as regarding, to whom is given the work of teaching and handling the Word of God according to the priestly order of Melchizedek Romans 8:19

Consider this, the 7 promises of the 7 churches in the Revelation as the received reward of them that overcome. Only them that overcome receive these promises; the "wicked" do not receive them, and are rejected from the priesthood altogether, and cast out to be with the nations, of whom the elect rule in the age to come. So the rewards are not the same.

I do agree with the words, the wicked receive death and destruction. Just like we received when we were in our first state of wickedness without Christ. But out of that destruction of the old man, I see the birth of the new.

And again, not only am I speaking through what the bible is causing me to understand with my mind, but I am especially convicted in my heart. I cannot imagine a scenario in which I stand before God, and ask "What about that girl, on the message board, the one who broke my heart with her poor words; where is she?" and I'm told "She didn't make it. She was destroyed out of existence, never to be reborn into joy. She knew only a life of sorrow, and this is all she will have ever known. She is gone." I could only stand in a stunned daze with tears streaming down. "Welcome to heaven" would mean the same as "Welcome to hell." If this is my love for the "lost"; how could God's be any less? Do I have too much love? Because in my heart, something is seriously wrong with that scenario.

This is why it is said,

Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. (Proverbs 3:5 [ESV])

The word of God is a light,

Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path. (Psalm 119:105 [ESV])

As such, let scriptures teach you and do not rely on your own understanding that is contrary to scripture. And from scripture we come to know what God has appointed as the reward of the righteous and the reward of the wicked. Do not be deceived, the reward of the wicked is death,

Truly the righteous attain life, but whoever pursues evil finds death. (Proverbs 11:19 [NIV])

John Hyperspace · Oct 16, 2016

cgaviria said:
This is why it is said,

The word of God is a light,

As such, let scriptures teach you and do not rely on your own understanding that is contrary to scripture. And from scripture we come to know what God has appointed as the reward of the righteous and the reward of the wicked. Do not be deceived, the reward of the wicked is death,

Again, I do agree. The reward of the wicked is death. I know this firsthand through experience. Romans 7:9

He who I was, is dead. Now, I am who I am, and will be who I am becoming.

cgaviria · Oct 16, 2016

John Hyperspace said:
Again, I do agree. The reward of the wicked is death. I know this firsthand through experience. Romans 7:9

He who I was, is dead. Now, I am who I am, and will be who I am becoming.

I perceive much confusion in your own understanding.

BukiRob · Oct 16, 2016

Spot on!

Ernst van der Westhuizen · Oct 17, 2016

I think what John refers to, there are many scriptures in the Bible that states that we have already died and have been risen by Christ already...

Gal 2:20 - I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.

Rom 6:8 - Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with Him,

Col 3:3 - For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God.

Col 3:1 - If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God.

Eph 2:1 - And you He made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins

Eph 2:6 - and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus

According to me, we have died an have already been resurrected spiritually as it appears from the above that it already happened.

2 Cor 5:14-17 - For the love of Christ compels us, because we judge thus: that if One died for all, then all died; and He died for all, that those who live should live no longer for themselves, but for Him who died for them and rose again.
Therefore, from now on, we regard no one according to the flesh. Even though we have known Christ according to the flesh, yet now we know Him thus no longer. Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.

Hence, John refers to a second resurrection as the first appears to happen the moment you die with Christ
...

Butch5 · Oct 20, 2016

cgaviria said:
To be dead is like to be asleep, hence why the dead are said to be sleeping,

And just as the passing of time is quick from the moment of sleep to the moment of waking up, so in likewise manner it is from the moment of death to the moment of resurrection. This is why Sheol is said to be a place of no thought, no knowledge, no work,

Because the dead do not have thoughts, since the dead are not conscious. And as such, it is the soul of a man that goes to Sheol at death,

Whereas the spirit of man returns to God who gave it,

As the spirit belongs to God who gave it,

And this spirit of man is the breath of man, which is why the Greek and Hebrew word for spirit is the same word for breath or wind, in which case, even animals, have this same spirit that man has,

And so, this spirit was the breath that gave life to man,

And just as the soul becomes living when the breath of life is given, so does the soul become dead when the breath of life goes back to God who gave it. And although the body decays and returns to the dust when the breath of life is taken away,

The soul sleeps and is kept hidden in Sheol, so that it may one day awaken to be judged at the resurrection of all the dead, hence why the dead are prophesied to come out of Sheol, which is where the souls of the dead are, at the final great white throne judgment, which is mentioned in this prophecy concerning the dead coming out of Hades, which is the Greek word for Sheol,

And as such, whoever is not found written in the book of life, will be cast into the lake of fire,

And this fire not only destroys the body, but also the soul,

Which is why this judgment of fire is also called the second death,

Because it will be a second death to those who died before, and then die again when thrown into the lake of fire. This is why there will be dead bodies in the lake of fire,

Because whoever is thrown into the lake of fire dies, and this same place described in this prophecy in Isaiah where the worm does not die nor the fire is quenched is the same place described by Jesus as the place where the worm does not die nor is the fire quenched,

And as such, not only will body and soul be destroyed, but whoever is thrown into the lake of fire will cease to exist,

And all the wicked will be reduced to mere ashes,

This is why it is said that the anger of God, although severe, is but for a moment,

Whereas those who have died and belong to Jesus Christ will be resurrected at his second coming,

And will be gathered together by angels to be taken to meet the Lord in the air, along with those who were already alive and also belong to Jesus Christ,

This is the first resurrection spoken of in this prophecy,

In which case, whoever partakes in the first resurrection, will not only rule with Jesus Christ for a thousand years on this earth, but will also live onwards into the eons of the eons beginning in a new heaven and new earth, since those who are resurrected in this first resurrection will never die again, which is why it is said that the "second death has no power over them",

And whoever lives into the new heaven and new earth will also never die, since death itself will be also be no more,

I think you're real close here. I would differ with you on one point. It is not the soul that goes into Hades, it is the body. In Gen 2:7 Moses describes how a man is made. God created the man from the dust and breathed into him the breath of life and the man became a living soul. From this we can see that a soul consists of a man and the breath of life. As you pointed out, when a man dies the breath returns to God. We know from Scripture that the body returns to dust. When a man dies the breath returns to God, therefore the soul ceases to exist as the breath is gone. If either part of the soul is gone there is no soul. The word soul is often translated life in our Bibles. If you take away the breath of a man his life (soul) ceases to exist.

When we find in the Scriptures statements about the soul being asleep, it is a metaphor. The soul doesn't actually sleep it simply ceases to exist. The Metaphor is that the man who died will be resurrected. It will be as though he has awakened from sleep.

alex2165 · Oct 20, 2016

Assuming death as sleep is the one of some other twisted doctrines of the 7day Adventists.

“Sleep” is the metaphor, or as we saying, figure of speech, which describes the death at the point of its resurrection. Another word, death is temporary condition as sleep, from which our physical bodies will be resurrected by the power of GOD at a certain Day.

Dead bodies do not sleep they are DEAD and disintegrate, and seize to exist. The souls on the other hand, immortal, souls do not die by physical death, they can die only by second spiritual death in Hell.

When souls departure from the physical bodies they returned back to GOD Who gave them.

The physical body without soul returns back to dust from which it was made.

Ecclesiastes 12.7

7.then the dust will return to the earth as it was, (Genesis 3.19) (Job 4.19) (Psalm 103.14) (Ecclesiast 3.20, 12.7) and the spirit will return to GOD Who gave it.

Words of Jesus completely dismiss such nonsense as sleep = death or death = sleep. These things have nothing uncommon and used as a metaphor for one another.

John 11.11-15

11.After saying this He told them, “Our friend Lazarus had fallen asleep, but I am going there to awaken him.”

12.The disciples said to Him, “Lord, if he has fallen asleep he will be all right.”

13.Jesus however had been speaking about his death, but they though that He was referring merely to sleep.

14.Then Jesus told them plainly, “Lazarus is dead.

“Lazarus is dead” means reality of things, “Lazarus had fallen asleep” is the metaphor.

Souls of dead people do not sleep, they are active like any other soul-spirit in Heaven, called as angels.

Hosea 6.2

2.He will revive us after two days, He will raise us up on the third day that we may live before Him.

Luke 23.43

43.And He said to him, "Truly I say to you, today you shall be with Me in Paradise." (Luke 23.43) (2Corinthians 12.2-4) (Revelation 2.7)

John 5.24

24.Very truly I tell you, anyone who hears My Word and believes Him Who sent Me, has Eternal Life, and does not come under judgment, but has passed from death to Life."

Acts 7.59-60

Execution of Stephen and his Prayer.

59.While they were stoning Stephen, he prayed, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.”

Revelation of John 20.4-6
4.Then I saw thrones, and those seated on them were given authority to judge, I also saw the souls of those who had been beheaded (Revelation 6.9) for their testimony to Jesus and for the word of GOD. They had not worshiped the beast or its image and had not received its mark on their foreheads or their hands. They came to life and reigned with Christ a thousand years. (they came to life in physical bodies)

5.The rest of the dead did not come to life (in physical bodies)until the thousand years were ended. This is the first resurrection (of physical bodies).

1Thessalonians 4.13-14.16-17

13.But we do not want you to be uniformed brothers and sisters about those who have died, so that you may not grieve as others do, who have no hope.

14.Since we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so though Jesus GOD will bring with Him those who have died.

16.The Lord Himself with a cry of command, with the archangel’s call and with the sound of GOD’S trumpet will descend from Heaven and the dead in Christ will rise first.

17.Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up in the clouds together with them to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will be with the Lord forever.

Luke 20.34-38

34.Jesus said to them, “Those who belong to this age marry and are given in marriage,

35.but those who are considered worthy of a place in that age and in the resurrection from the dead neither marry nor are given in marriage.

36.Indeed they cannot die anymore because they are like angels, and are children of GOD being children of the resurrection.

37.And the fact that the dead are raised, Moses himself showed in the story about the bush, where he speaks of the Lord as the GOD of Abraham, the GOD of Isaac, and the GOD of Jacob. (Exodus 3.5-6.15-16) (in this case the GOD is not the GOD of sleepy physical bodies but of living immortal souls)

38.Now, He is GOD not of the dead but of the living, to Him all of them are alive.”

Same passages also recorded in: Mark 12.18-27 and Matthew 22.23-33

From the Holy Scripture we know for certain that no dead physical body or soul sleeps. Sleep used as a metaphor for resurrection of dead physical body to life, but the death itself is the final and permanent condition without possibility of any recovery, unless GOD provided.

Samuel did not slept when he was called by Saul through the medium woman. And Elijah and Moses did not slept when they appeared before Christ in the garden during His prayer.

And the souls who have been slaughtered for the name of Christ are not been in a sleep state but active and alive. Revelation of John 6.9-11

And two prophets who have been killed by the beast but resurrected from the dead did not sleep for three day, but have been with the Lord, and when resurrected in physical bodies after their death they went back to Heaven to their GOD. Revelation of John 11.3-13.18

All these verses above talk about resurrection of the physical body from its complete physical disintegration into a new immortal physical body that Adam and Eve had at the beginning.

Because we have been created in the beginning in immortal physical bodies, and after resurrection of our physical dead bodies or whatever is left from it, we become physically immortal, just like our souls, and the history of physical immortality will make its complete circle.

Souls on the other hand do not need any resurrection because all souls are part of immortal Soul of GOD, and our souls are His property, and our souls return back to Him immediately after death of our physical body.

It is not our physical body that makes us alive, it is our soul that makes us alive, and all our intelligence and mind are located in our soul. Our body is just a shell which contain our soul and has not much importance in the eyes of the Lord, because only about our soul GOD is truly worries about.

I cannot present here all the passages and verses of the Bible on this issue, because are too many of them, but I want only to make clear one thing, that our soul is the most important thing we have, because life of every living creature is in its soul.

Soul can live without body, but physical body cannot live without soul, as verses above indicated.

But 7day Adventist think that it is our body is our soul, and they foolishly emphasized importance of the body and do not believe in soul? Is it not the Sadducees had the same delusional perception of reality?

The tug of war between GOD and Satan is not about our bodies, it is about our souls. The resurrection and restoration of our physical bodies is just reconstruction of our original state in which we have been created by GOD at the beginning.

But if a soul perishes in Hell, which is Second Spiritual Death (first death is the physical death), it perishes forever without any chance of recovery.

So you have to separate soul from the body in order to understand the Biblical passages on this issue.

gord44 · Oct 20, 2016

I read once that soul sleep is dangerous to believe. angels and such have a hard time waking these fools up.

'what were they believing on the other side to make them sleep here?"

Commander Xenophon · Oct 21, 2016

cgaviria said:
This is not so. The reward of the righteous is not the same as the reward of the wicked, otherwise there would be no purpose in becoming righteous if the wicked receive life just as the righteous. If indeed all were saved, there would be no purpose to give up everything, and even suffer, and even by martyred, if the wicked receive the same reward as the righteous, as even Paul says concerning those who said there was no resurrection of the dead,

And this saying would also certainly apply if indeed the wicked receive the same reward as those who labor tirelessly for the Lord. The reward of the wicked is indeed death and destruction, just as it is written, whereas the reward of the righteous, is eonial life.

However, we are all wicked. There are no sinless men; only our Lord Jesus Christ, who was God incarnate, amd his mother, were sinless.

Thus the Pelagian soteriology your fire-and-brimstone eschatology rests on collapses entirely. Also, the mere phrase "and their worm dieth not" implies eternal torment.

But God, that is to say, the Holy Trinity of YHWH, God the Father, Som and Holy Ghost, is infinitely merciful.

So your attempt to use St. Paul as a rejection of the hope of a universal salvation fails; now, we cannot say that all will be saved, because the one thing God cannot do is force us to love him, but we can legitimately hope that all may be saved (see Metropolitan Kallistos Ware, The Orthodox Way).

Commander Xenophon · Oct 21, 2016

cgaviria said:
This is why it is said,

The word of God is a light,

As such, let scriptures teach you and do not rely on your own understanding that is contrary to scripture. And from scripture we come to know what God has appointed as the reward of the righteous and the reward of the wicked. Do not be deceived, the reward of the wicked is death,

Which God?

You deny Jesus is God, you deny YHWH is God, so this question really becomes very presssing.

The Sleep of Death in Sheol, the Two Resurrections, and the Lake of Fire Judgment

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