WHAT HAPPENS AFTER WE DIE?
For Christians, we are told in Scripture in 2Cr 5:8 that to be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord. For those who turn away from God, we are told that they are eternally separated from God and go to a place called Hell. Rev 14:11 says that the smoke of their torment ascended up for ever and ever.
The question that everyone ponders is: What really happens after we die? Do we just lay dormant until the Lord takes us to be with him or until judgement is handed out at the Great White Throne as called out in Rev. 20:11? Are we conscious? Do we feel, touch, think, recognize loved ones, know what is happening around us? All questions that we have to ask ourselves, no doubt, at some time in our life.
My own personal review of the Scriptures has led me to believe that after we die, even though our body may be dead and buried, our Spirit is alive and fully conscious. Chuck Missler likens this state of consciousness to the software that runs the Computer; once the hardware goes, the software remains intact and available for further applications.
There are two illustrations in the Bible that make it clear as to what happens after death, when we're in the spirit.
The first one is illustrated in the Luke account of Lazarus and the rich man in Chapter 16. After death, Lazarus, a man of God, is escorted into Abraham’s Bosom, a holding compartment in Hell for the Believers prior to the Cross. The non-believing rich man was "buried" and went into a separate compartment in Hell (Hades), apart from Abraham’s Bosom, where he was in Torment according to Scripture. Both were in a Spirit state; yet by the account, they could see each other and speak to each other.
The second account is in Revelation, where John is taken (in the Spirit) to Heaven to see those things that shall come to pass prior to the return of Jesus Christ to the Earth, or Second Coming (not the Rapture).
We may conclude from the study, based on the following Scripture, that all of the senses we have here on earth will be with us throughout eternity, even unto death.
· The ability to look/see - Luke 16:23;rev. 1:12;4:1,4; 5:1,2; 6:1,2,8,9; 7:1,2; 8:2; 9:1,17; 10:1,5; 13:1,2,3;14:1,6; 15:1,2; 16:13; 17:3,6; 18:1; 19:11,17,19; 20:1,4,11,12; 21:1,2,22; 22:8
· The ability to hear - rev. 1:10; 4:1; 5:11; 6:1,3,5,6,7; 7:4; 9:13,16; 10:4,8; 12:10; 14:2,13; 16:1,5,7; 18:4; 19:1,6; 21: 3; 22:8
· The ability to behold ( to obtain knowledge of: understand: perceive) - rev. 5:6,11; 6:5,8,12; 7:9; 8:13; 13:11 · The ability to reason - Luke 16:30 · The ability to cry (even though there will be no more crying in heaven) - rev. 5:4,5; Luke 16:24 · The ability to speak - rev. 5:13; 10:9; 21:6,15; Luke 16:24, 29,30,31 · The ability to feel/touch - Luke 16:23, 24,25 · The ability to remember - Luke 16:25 · The ability to wonder - Revelation 17:6 · The ability to write - Revelation 1:11; 10:4; 19:9 · The ability to question - Revelation 7:13 · The ability to take (the book/rod) - rev. 10:8,9,10 · The ability to fall (on knees) - Revelation 19:10; 22:8 · The ability to stand - Revelation 13:1 · The ability to worship - Revelation 19:10; 22:8 · The ability to perform tasks - Revelation 11:1 God has promised in 1 Thess 4:16 and 1 Cor. 15:52,53 that one day, we shall be reunited with Him in body and will be transformed and conformed to Him - in the twinkling of an eye. We are also told in Scripture that we shall see Him face to face- see the Lamb that was slain for you and me. We know by His Word, that we will Praise Him, Worship Him and Rule with Him. One thing in the study that we find extremely fascinating is the difference in treatment between Lazarus and the non-believing rich man. Scripture says that Lazarus was escorted to Heaven by an Angel, but there is no indication in Scripture about how the rich man arrived at Hell. Could it be that God had a specific purpose why He chose not to tell us in Scripture? Finally, knowing that others may have varying interpretations of these Scriptures, you are urged to review the Scriptures yourselves to determine what you find as the truth according to God’s Word.
· The ability to behold ( to obtain knowledge of: understand: perceive) - rev. 5:6,11; 6:5,8,12; 7:9; 8:13; 13:11 · The ability to reason - Luke 16:30 · The ability to cry (even though there will be no more crying in heaven) - rev. 5:4,5; Luke 16:24 · The ability to speak - rev. 5:13; 10:9; 21:6,15; Luke 16:24, 29,30,31 · The ability to feel/touch - Luke 16:23, 24,25 · The ability to remember - Luke 16:25 · The ability to wonder - Revelation 17:6 · The ability to write - Revelation 1:11; 10:4; 19:9 · The ability to question - Revelation 7:13 · The ability to take (the book/rod) - rev. 10:8,9,10 · The ability to fall (on knees) - Revelation 19:10; 22:8 · The ability to stand - Revelation 13:1 · The ability to worship - Revelation 19:10; 22:8 · The ability to perform tasks - Revelation 11:1 God has promised in 1 Thess 4:16 and 1 Cor. 15:52,53 that one day, we shall be reunited with Him in body and will be transformed and conformed to Him - in the twinkling of an eye. We are also told in Scripture that we shall see Him face to face- see the Lamb that was slain for you and me. We know by His Word, that we will Praise Him, Worship Him and Rule with Him. One thing in the study that we find extremely fascinating is the difference in treatment between Lazarus and the non-believing rich man. Scripture says that Lazarus was escorted to Heaven by an Angel, but there is no indication in Scripture about how the rich man arrived at Hell. Could it be that God had a specific purpose why He chose not to tell us in Scripture? Finally, knowing that others may have varying interpretations of these Scriptures, you are urged to review the Scriptures yourselves to determine what you find as the truth according to God’s Word.