Revalations?

Question ? said:

I believe when the saved die they immediately go to heaven and if we are not saved we go to Hades. Is there a simple English book that helps me understand the last days which I want to believe we live in today. "Jesus told the thief he would be in paradise or heaven that day." curious ?

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The bible should be our only source of answers for such questions. There are bibles written in simpler English than the King James (KJV) such as the New King James(NKJV) or the English Standard Version (ESV).
The thief was in paradise that day when he died. Remember, to be absent from the body is to be present with our Lord. (2Corinthians 5:8).
Where some become confused is with the still future resurrection of our BODIES...that hasn't happened yet.
If you still want some outside help you might want to look into someone like Ron Rhodes (lookup on Amazon) or Renald Showers, both good guys.

FaithinOne said:

Those who try figure out what God is saying in the Bible miss out on the knowledge of God that is revealed through our testimonies via the Holy Spirit. They will perish without ever knowing the Truth.

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Do you think the Holy Spirt is incapable of leading the new Christian (who also has the Holy Spirit) into all Truth through His own Word?
His Word is even more surer than our testimonies.

Question ? said:

I believe when the saved die they immediately go to heaven and if we are not saved we go to Hades. Is there a simple English book that helps me understand the last days which I want to believe we live in today. "Jesus told the thief he would be in paradise or heaven that day." curious ?

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I agree with your interpretation of what happens to saved people when their body dies. I think it is probably a good idea to stick with Scripture when it comes to trying to understand the last days (e.g., Matthew 24-25), because people cannot resist proposing ideas that are not present in Scripture. One thing you can do is look at what Paul's perspective was in his last days (2 Timothy), as well as Jesus' in his last days.

Since everything will be destroyed in this way, what kind of people ought you to be? You ought to live holy and godly lives as you look forward to the day of God and speed its coming. That day will bring about the destruction of the heavens by fire, and the elements will melt in the heat. But in keeping with his promise we are looking forward to a new heaven and a new earth, the home of righteousness. (2 Peter 3:11-13, 1984 NIV)

Also, do not forget that the Lord may return before your earthly bodily death.

Question ? said:

I believe when the saved die they immediately go to heaven and if we are not saved we go to Hades. Is there a simple English book that helps me understand the last days which I want to believe we live in today. "Jesus told the thief he would be in paradise or heaven that day." curious ?

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The souls of those who love the Lord will be in His presence in blessedness when they die an earthly death. The souls of those who hate Him ... can expect a measure of torment at their physical deaths.

At the end of the age, all bodies will be resurrected and reunited with all souls, and there will be the final judgement. Those who trust in Christ and love the Lord will be forever blessed and in His Presence. Scripture speaks of a restored earth, which will be our new home, at that time.

While people are fond of making stories and giving all sorts of timelines and explanations and interpretations of things future, and especially the afterlife and the age to come - this is just about all that we know for sure.

What we need to do is to hold fast, resist the devil, trust in Christ, and remain so no matter what until we are safely in His presence.

God be with you, my brother.

Question ? said:

I believe when the saved die they immediately go to heaven and if we are not saved we go to Hades. Is there a simple English book that helps me understand the last days which I want to believe we live in today. "Jesus told the thief he would be in paradise or heaven that day." curious ?

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Well I have a simple question for you. Was Jesus also in paradise on that day? Because the text did say that Jesus said "you will be with me in paradise"

"Paradise" is often understood before the Resurrection as "Abraham's bosom" which was the place in Hades where the righteous went to wait.

Yes, Christ was there with the thief after they both died.

~Anastasia~ said:

"Paradise" is often understood before the Resurrection as "Abraham's bosom" which was the place in Hades where the righteous went to wait.

Yes, Christ was there with the thief after they both died.

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Abraham's Bosom is mentioned only one time in the bible from the parable that was given and if you are going to interpret the parable in a literal sense it means that there are people being tormented in flames even now.

Furthermore, the bible says that Jesus after he died was in the "heart of the earth"
Mat 12:40 For as Jonas was three days and three nights in the whale's belly; so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.

So is the heart of the earth the same paradise the same as "Abraham's Bosom?

Also the bible teaches that both the wicked and the righteous are in the graves until the resurrection.
Joh 5:28 Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice,
Joh 5:29 And shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation.

Dan 12:1 And at that time shall Michael stand up, the great prince which standeth for the children of thy people: and there shall be a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation even to that same time: and at that time thy people shall be delivered, every one that shall be found written in the book.
Dan 12:2 And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt.

Job 14:10 But man dieth, and wasteth away: yea, man giveth up the ghost, and where is he?
Job 14:11 As the waters fail from the sea, and the flood decayeth and drieth up:
Job 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.
Job 14:13 O that thou wouldest hide me in the grave, that thou wouldest keep me secret, until thy wrath be past, that thou wouldest appoint me a set time, and remember me!
Job 14:14 If a man die, shall he live again? all the days of my appointed time will I wait, till my change come.

1Co 15:51 Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed,
1Co 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.
1Co 15:53 For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.
1Co 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.
1Co 15:55 O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?

In light of all these scriptures, lets look at the experience of Lazarus who was dead and resurrected. If indeed Lazarus went to heaven or paradise or Abraham's Bosom then why is there no record of him sharing his amazing post-death experience. Lazarus would have been the only person who was dead for so long and brought back to life. In fact, nobody else who was resurrected by Jesus shared any experience taken anywhere in another dimension, in another form or anything like that.

PROPHECYKID said:

Abraham's Bosom is mentioned only one time in the bible from the parable that was given and if you are going to interpret the parable in a literal sense it means that there are people being tormented in flames even now.

Furthermore, the bible says that Jesus after he died was in the "heart of the earth"
Mat 12:40 For as Jonas was three days and three nights in the whale's belly; so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.

So is the heart of the earth the same paradise the same as "Abraham's Bosom?

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There actually is no contradiction in the ancient understanding of Christianity.

Before Christ, people died of course. They went to a waiting place, generally referred to as Hades. There were different experiences there ... those who were "righteous" as the Scriptures usually say, were in "Abraham's Bosom". The others experienced some degree of torment. It doesn't really matter that the Scriptures don't repeat it often - Christ used the example when making a point, and we trust His direct words most of all, and His listeners apparently accepted and understood what He said.

We need to remember too that the final judgement had not, and has not happened. They were not "in hell". But the experience of the wicked was not pleasant.

When Christ was crucified, He descended into Hades (the place of the dead), and preached to the captives there. He "led captivity captive". We understand that in defeating death, He despoiled the place of the dead.

I hope that makes sense.

Also the bible teaches that both the wicked and the righteous are in the graves until the resurrection.
Joh 5:28 Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice,
Joh 5:29 And shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation.

Dan 12:1 And at that time shall Michael stand up, the great prince which standeth for the children of thy people: and there shall be a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation even to that same time: and at that time thy people shall be delivered, every one that shall be found written in the book.
Dan 12:2 And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt.

Job 14:10 But man dieth, and wasteth away: yea, man giveth up the ghost, and where is he?
Job 14:11 As the waters fail from the sea, and the flood decayeth and drieth up:
Job 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.
Job 14:13 O that thou wouldest hide me in the grave, that thou wouldest keep me secret, until thy wrath be past, that thou wouldest appoint me a set time, and remember me!
Job 14:14 If a man die, shall he live again? all the days of my appointed time will I wait, till my change come.

1Co 15:51 Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed,
1Co 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.
1Co 15:53 For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.
1Co 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.
1Co 15:55 O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?

In light of all these scriptures, lets look at the experience of Lazarus who was dead and resurrected. If indeed Lazarus went to heaven or paradise or Abraham's Bosom then why is there no record of him sharing his amazing post-death experience. Lazarus would have been the only person who was dead for so long and brought back to life. In fact, nobody else who was resurrected by Jesus shared any experience taken anywhere in another dimension, in another form or anything like that.

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The BODIES sleep until the resurrection, at the end of the age, when all will be resurrected. The spirits/souls do not sleep, but are aware, though not in a normal experience.

How could Moses speak with Christ at the Transfiguration if he were asleep? What about the souls of those under the altar in Revelation who were martyred? If you mean to argue that we are unconscious until the Resurrection, this is not the continuous understanding of Christianity from the beginning. Pitting one Scripture against another never makes sense, as they cannot be interpreted to both be literally true.

I hope that helps explain what I am saying.