Where Are The Dead? Chuck Northrop

Transcription

1 Where Are The Dead? was born in Pratt, Kansas, and raised in Towanda, Kansas. He married the former Jody Casebolt of Wichita, Kansas. Together, they raised four children Shane, Jeremy, Michelle Nelson, and Lisa. They also have four grandchildren. Chuck graduated from the Preston Road School of Preaching in Dallas, under the direction of Eldred Stevens. He has labored in local work with churches in Texas, Kansas, Missouri, Oklahoma and Arkansas. He has preached in 19 states and three foreign countries. He also served as an instructor of the Midwest School of Biblical Studies in Independence, Missouri, the Oklahoma School of Biblical Studies in Chandler, Oklahoma, and the Kiev School of Preaching in Kiev, Ukraine where he also served as director of the school. He currently labors with the West End church of Christ in Conway, Arkansas. Besides numerous bulletin articles, he writes regularly for several brotherhood publications. He has also authored three books: "We Can Rest Assured," a study of assurance in 1 John; "Biblically Speaking about the Church," 88 short articles on the church of the Bible; and "So Great a Cloud of Witnesses," a study of the great faith chapter, Hebrews 11. INTRODUCTION And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment (Hebrews 9:27). Life is made up of appointments. Appointments with the doctor. Appointments with the dentist. Appointments with an employer. Appointments. Appointments. Appointments. And, don t forget the appointments with the preacher. Life is made up of appointments. Most appointments we keep, but for various reasons, there are those appointments we fail to keep. However, there is one appointment in life that every person will keep. It is a Divine appointment for all persons, great or small, rich or poor, influential or uninfluential. It is not based upon gender, race, economic status, culture, or nationality. There is no escaping this Divine appointment no matter how we try. It is our appointment with death. Often, death is viewed as the end of life, and as we come to life s end, we are amazed at how short life is. David wrote in Psalm 90:10, The days of our years are threescore years and ten; and if by reason of strength they be fourscore years, yet is their strength labour and sorrow; for it is soon cut off, and we fly away. Job told his companions, Man that is born of a woman is of few days, and full of trouble. He cometh forth like a flower, and is cut down: he fleeth also as a shadow, and continueth not (Job 14:1-2). And in the New Testament, James wrote that life is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away (James 4:14). In Ecclesiastes 7:2,4, Solomon, the wise man of old, said, It is better to go to the house of mourning, than to go to the house of feasting: for that is the end of all men; and the living will lay it to his heart. 4 The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning; but the heart of fools is in the house of mirth. Then Cometh The End 21 st Annual Mid-West Lectures Page 1

2 No doubt, there are great lessons to be learned as we contemplate death. With death comes lessons about life which feasting cannot teach. Lessons such as: Death is the great soberer for it causes each of us to consider the sober realities of life. Death is the great equalizer for we bring nothing into this world, and it is certain we will take nothing out. Death is the great separator for it separates friends, loved ones, and families. Since all of us face death, then there are naturally some questions about it. What happens to a person when he or she dies? Is there life after death? Where does a person go after death? As we study these questions and others, keep in mind it is not humanly possible for man to discover or learn by experience what happens after death. Just as it is not humanly possible for man to know his beginning without revelation, it is not humanly possible for man to know his demise without revelation. God s word reveals the answer of human beginning, purpose, and end! Thus, our task is to examine the Scriptures regarding death. WHAT IS DEATH? PHYSICAL DEATH: Within Scripture, there are four types of death. Usually when we think of death, we think of the first type which is physical death. Physical death is the separation of body and spirit. James wrote For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also (James 2:26). At the point of physical death, our animate existence on earth ends. In a very poetic way, Solomon described physical death in Ecclesiastes 12:5-6. He wrote, Also when they shall be afraid of that which is high, and fears shall be in the way, and the almond tree shall flourish, and the grasshopper shall be a burden, and desire shall fail: because man goeth to his long home, and the mourners go about the streets: 6 Or ever the silver cord be loosed, or the golden bowl be broken, or the pitcher be broken at the fountain, or the wheel broken at the cistern. Also at the point of physical death, the body returns to the dust from which it came. In Genesis 3:19, Moses recorded God speaking to Adam. He said, In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground; for out of it wast thou taken: for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return. David also spoke of this in Psalm 104:29: Thou hidest thy face, they are troubled: thou takest away their breath, they die, and return to their dust. Wise Solomon wrote, All go unto one place; all are of the dust, and all turn to dust again (Ecclesiastes 3:20; see also Ecclesiastes 12:7). Then Cometh The End 21 st Annual Mid-West Lectures Page 2

3 This is the corruption of the flesh (Acts 13:36; 1 Corinthians 15:42,50). Interestingly, the Psalmist predicted that Christ would not see corruption (Psalm 16:10), and because of His resurrection, He did not have to undergo the normal corruption of the flesh (Acts 2:27,31; 13:34-37). SPIRITUAL DEATH: The second type of death is spiritual death which is separation from God caused by sin. When a person becomes accountable for his or her sins, he or she dies spiritually and is separated from God. Isaiah wrote: But your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid his face from you, that he will not hear (Isaiah 59:2). Notice, man s sins have caused the separation. Man s sins have created a great gulf between man and God. However, when a person becomes a Christian by obedience to God s plan of redemption, God makes him or her alive. To the Christians in Ephesus, Paul wrote, And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins (Ephesians 2:1). While in sin, they were dead, but in Christ, they were made alive. Interestingly, a person can be dead while living. That is, he or she can be dead spiritually while alive physically. This was the case with some widows that Paul addressed while writing to Timothy. In 1 Timothy 5:6, he wrote, But she that liveth in pleasure is dead while she liveth. Also, this is one of the points Jesus made when He told one of His disciple to follow Him. You remember the disciple made an excuse for not following Jesus. He rationalized, but let me first go and bury my father (Luke 9:59). At first glance, this seems like a fair request. But, Jesus said unto him, Let the dead bury their dead: but go thou and preach the kingdom of God (Luke 9:60). In other words, let the spiritually dead bury their physically dead. There are some things more important in life than burying people, and burying the physically dead should never take precedence over following Jesus. DEATH UNTO SIN: In our study, death unto sin is the third type of death. It is dying to sin or separating oneself from sin. On several occasions, Paul wrote of this death to the Romans. In chapter six, he asked, What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? In verse 2, he answered his question. He said, God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein? (Romans 6:1-2). When a person is baptized into Christ, he or she dies to sin. Sin is no longer to have dominion over his or her life. Rather than living unto sin, as Christians, we are to be alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord (Romans 6:11). Later in Romans, Paul wrote, For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live (Romans 8:13). Notice the play on words. If we live after the flesh, (that is, in sin), we will die spiritually; but, if we put to death the deeds of the flesh (sin), we shall live. Therefore, we are to mortify or put to death the members of our physical body which are used for sin such as fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry (Colossians 3:5). ETERNAL DEATH: The fourth and final type of death is eternal death which is eternal separation from God. In the book of Revelation, this is called the second death. To the church in Smyrna, Jesus warned, He that overcometh shall not be hurt of the second death (Revelation 2:11). In the fifth of the seven beatitudes of Revelation, John recorded, Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Then Cometh The End 21 st Annual Mid-West Lectures Page 3

4 Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years (Revelation 20:6). Obviously, this is very figurative, but in my judgment, the first resurrection is baptism in which a person is raised in newness of life (Romans 6:4). Also, John 5:25-29 is a good parallel passage with verse 6. Later in this chapter, in verses 14 and 15, we learn that the lake of fire is associated with the second death, and those whose names are not written in the book of life will be cast into it. Finally in Revelation 21:8, John writes, the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death. Outside of the book of Revelation, eternal death is probably the subject of Romans 6:23. Paul wrote, For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. Notice the contrast between death and eternal life. Because of this contrast, eternal death is probably the meaning. Notice each type of death entails separation. Physical death is the separation of body and spirit. Spiritual death is the separation from God caused by sin. Death unto sin is the separation of ourselves from sin. Eternal death is eternal separation from God. As humans, we must prepare for death while we live. We prepare for physical death while we live by putting our life in order and by preparing a will. In this life, we should also prepare for eternity and the eternal abode of our soul. For this reason, wise Solomon said, For to him that is joined to all the living there is hope: for a living dog is better than a dead lion (Ecclesiastes 9:4). A living, detestable, scavenger (dog) is better than a dead noble lion because where there is life, there is hope. WHAT HAPPENS AFTER DEATH? In order to understand death, we must start with the beginning. In a relative sense, shortly after a person is born into this world, lust is conceived and gives birth to sin (James 1:15). For this reason, Job wrote, Man that is born of a woman is of few days, and full of trouble (Job 14:1). If a person dies before accountability, he or she goes into the hadean realm. The rest of us die spiritually. We separate ourselves from God by our sins and are in need of a Savior. At this crossroads of life, we can choose life or death. We choose life by obedience to the gospel plan of salvation and are added to the kingdom of God. We choose death by doing nothing or by rejecting the gospel plan of salvation and having part in the kingdom of Satan. If we choose life, we can backslide into apostasy by going back to the world, by becoming a hypocrite, or by the rejection of gospel teaching. Then Cometh The End 21 st Annual Mid-West Lectures Page 4

5 When our physical life is over, we must face physical death (Hebrews 9:27). It is at this point that our bodies return to the dust, and our spirits return to God. After physical death, we pass into the hadean or sheol realm (the realm of the unseen world) and await judgment. Those who chose life and remained faithful to God go into paradise as did the penitent thief on the cross. You remember Jesus told the penitent thief, Verily I say unto thee, To day shalt thou be with me in paradise (Luke 23:43). This paradise was part of the hadean world. In contrast, those who chose death or do not remain faithful to God go into torments as did the rich man. In the account of the rich man and Lazarus, the rich man lift up his eyes, being in torments and asked for Lazarus to cool his tongue with a drop of water from his finger because he was tormented in this flame (Luke 16:23-25). Also notice in this account, there is a great gulf between paradise and torments that no one can cross from either direction (Luke 16:26). In both of these places, paradise and torments, mankind is waiting for the end of the world and the judgment of God. This is much like a criminal waiting in jail for the verdict of the jury and sentencing of the judge. At the end of the world, all men will either be changed or be raised and will appear before the judgment seat of Christ. Those who are living at that time will ascend and be changed. Paul writing to the church in Thessalonica and Corinth wrote, Then Cometh The End 21 st Annual Mid-West Lectures Page 5

6 For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep. 16 For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: 17 Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord (1 Thessalonians 4:15-17). Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, 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. 53 For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. 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 (1 Corinthians 15:51-54). Those who are in the grave will come forth or be raised. In John 5:28-29, Jesus said, Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice, 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. After the resurrection and change, all men will stand before Christ in judgment. Notice the following passages: 2 Corinthians 5:10 For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad. Matthew 25:31-34, 41 When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory: 32 And before him shall be gathered all nations: and he shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats: 33 And he shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left. 34 Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: 41 Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels. Romans 2:6-10 Who will render to every man according to his deeds: 7 To them who by patient continuance in well doing seek for glory and honour and immortality, eternal life: 8 But unto them that are contentious, and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, indignation and wrath, 9 Tribulation and anguish, upon every soul of man that doeth evil, of the Jew first, and also of the Gentile; 10 But glory, honour, and peace, to every man that worketh good, to the Jew first, and also to the Gentile. Then Cometh The End 21 st Annual Mid-West Lectures Page 6

7 After the judgment, man will go to either eternal life or eternal punishment. In the judgment scene of Matthew 25:46, Jesus said, And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal. Please note that the words everlasting and eternal are the same in the original text, the Koine Greek. What describes one, describes the other. If you take away eternal punishment, you also take away eternal life. Normally, we call eternal life heaven. It is the place of God where fellowship with Him will be enjoyed (Revelation 21:3). It is also a place of rest (2 Thessalonians 1:7; Hebrews 4:9; Revelation 14:13). Within heaven, there will be no tears, death, sorrow, pain, and nothing that defileth, worketh abomination, or maketh a lie (Revelation 21:3,4,27). Often we call eternal punishment hell. It is a prepared place of punishment for the Devil, his angels (Matthew 25:41), and those who know not God and obey not the gospel (2 Thessalonians 1:8,9). It is a place of fiery destruction, the wailing and gnashing of teeth (Matthew 13:42), and where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched (Mark 9:44,46,48). Jesus described it as Gehenna, the trash dump of Jerusalem that burned continually and was full of abominations including the sacrifice of children to pagan deities. MISCONCEPTIONS ABOUT DEATH Soul-sleep is the idea that man rests in the tomb until the resurrection morning. Jesus, however, said, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live: 26 And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this? (John 11:25-26). Notice again, He said His faithful followers shall never die. Obviously within scripture, death is sometimes described as a sleep (Luke 8:52; John 11:11-14; Acts 7:60; 1 Corinthians 15:6, 51; 1 Thessalonians 4:13-15). However, it is the body that sleeps, not the soul. Though it is described as a sleep, the dead are conscious. The rich man and Lazarus were conscious after death (Luke 16:19-31). Also, remember Jesus told the penitent thief, To day shalt thou be with me in paradise (Luke 23:43). Jesus said, today, not tomorrow, and not until after the resurrection. Paradise implies a place of joy and delight. If the penitent thief was going to be unconscious until the resurrection, then how could paradise be enjoyed? Furthermore, in Revelation 6:9-11, John wrote, And when he had opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of them that were slain for the word of God, and for the testimony which they held: 10 And they cried with a loud voice, saying, How long, O Lord, holy and true, dost thou not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth? 11 And white robes were given unto every one of them; and it was said unto them, that they should rest yet for a little season, until their fellowservants also and their brethren, that should be killed as they were, should be fulfilled. Notice, these souls praised God, desired their blood to be avenged, had memory, were capable of being blessed, and received admonition. Doesn t sound like unconsciousness, does it? These souls were dead physically but were alive, conscious souls in the presence of God. Then Cometh The End 21 st Annual Mid-West Lectures Page 7

8 A second misconception about death is that the dead have knowledge of what is happening on earth. Though the dead will be conscious, they will not be conscious of what is happening in the physical/material realm on earth. In Ecclesiastes 9:5-6, wise Solomon wrote, 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. 6 Also their love, and their hatred, and their envy, is now perished; neither have they any more a portion for ever in any thing that is done under the sun. Under the sun is a common phrase used by Solomon in Ecclesiastes to refer to the physical/material realm of this world. Notice the dead will nevermore share in anything done in this world. Though it may be comforting to some people to think about their loved ones in heaven looking down upon the earth, the thought is simply foreign to the scriptures. Another misconception about death is what is called Celestial Marriages. This is the idea that marriage is not for this age only but also for eternity. This is easily answered by one account in the life of Jesus. The Samaritans asked Jesus about a women, who had been married seven times, whose wife she would be in the resurrection. Jesus response answers both the Samaritans question as well as the issue of celestial marriage. Jesus answered and said unto them, Ye do err, not knowing the scriptures, nor the power of God. 30 For in the resurrection they neither marry, nor are given in marriage, but are as the angels of God in heaven (Matthew 22:29-30). Purgatory is another misconception about death. Allegedly, it is the place where some people will dwell after death, and where souls are supposedly purged of sin before going to heaven. From Hebrews 9:27, we know that only judgment awaits man after death not another opportunity for obedience. Remember also, there is a great gulf separating those in torment and those in paradise, and it cannot be crossed (Luke 16:26). No person in torments will ever cross over into paradise. This life is given for preparation for eternity. Now is the time for salvation (2 Corinthians 6:2). There is no plan of redemption for those who have left this life of preparation. A final misconception about death is the confusion of the fear of dying with the fear of death. Dying is the process of going from life to the state of death. Of course, we are speaking from a physical standpoint. In the state of physical death, souls are living in the hadean realm. Death is the state of being dead (that is, living in the hadean realm). Those who are faithful Christians do not have to fear death for our loving Father has revealed the mystery of death unto us, and we should view it as a victory as did Paul. In 1 Corinthians 15:54-57, he wrote, 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. 55 O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory? 56 The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law. 57 But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Dying, on the other hand, may bring fear because there are some painful and fearful ways of dying. Then Cometh The End 21 st Annual Mid-West Lectures Page 8

9 CONCLUSION Where are the dead? They are in the hadean realm awaiting judgment. Those who were faithful to God in this life are in paradise. And, those who know not God and have never obeyed the gospel are in torments. All mankind will be in one or the other of these two places after death. What about you? Where will you go when you die? Is your life right, and are you prepared for death? Then Cometh The End 21 st Annual Mid-West Lectures Page 9