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<...Go back

After death, what then?


Introduction. In order to biblically answer our good question, we need to first define what death is. As the Holy Spirit through James writes, "For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also." (Jas. 2: 26)

Hades, the intermediate place of the soul. Two words in the scriptures designate the temporary destiny of the souls of all men.The Hebrew word "sheol" is used 65 times in the Old Testament and is translated in the King James translation "hell" (31 times), "grave" (31), and "pit" (3). Sheol was used to denote more than just the grave (Gen. 37: 35). In the New Testament, the Greek equivalent of sheol, "hades", is found ten times. The King James translation unfortunately translated both sheol and hades sometimes as "hell", the place of eternal punishment. For example, Jesus did not go to "hell," but to "hades" in Acts 2: 27. Both hades and sheol refer to "the common receptacle of the disembodied spirits" (Thayer's Greek-English Lexicon, pg. 11).

An analysis of Luke 16: 19-31. It matters not if Luke 16: 19-31 is or is not a parable. If it is a parable, it contains teaching as to what, in detail, can happen. If it is not a parable, it contains teaching of what, in detail, did happen. There are many features of Luke 16: 19-31 that argue for it not being a parable, including the naming specific individuals. Lazarus went to "Abraham's bosom" while the rich man went to "torments" (vss. 22-23). These two compartments making up hades are separated by a great fixed gulf or chasm (vs. 26). Those in Abraham's bosom (corresponding to "paradise," where Jesus' spirit went in Luke 23: 43 are comforted in contrast to those in torments (vs. 25).

After Hades. Existence of the soul/sprint in hades is temporary.  From passages like 1 Cor. 15:50-52; 1 Thes. 4:15-17; 2 Pet. 3:8-13; and Rev. 20:11-15 we understand all those in hades will be resurrected into an immortal body and appear before God for final judgment and sentencing. For the righteous saved and the wicked lost, heaven and hell (Greek "gehenna", Mk. 9: 43 ff.) respectively will be the final and eternal destiny of everyone (Matt. 25: 31-46, 1 Pet. 1: 4).
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