Q&A: Where Do People Go Immediately After Death?

<body topmargin=0 leftmargin=0 marginheight=0 marginwidth=0> <table cellpadding=0 cellspacing=0 border=0 height="100%"><tr> <td valign="top" width=168 BGCOLOR="#000000" TEXT="#F7F7FF" background="129a11c3.png"> <div> <A HREF="index.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Welcome to the Heart4God Website!"><U><B><IMG SRC="4b55a500.png" border=0 width="90" height="80" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></B></U></A></div> <bR> <div> <A HREF="id2.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="The Writings of Joseph Herrin"><U><B>Writings by Date</B></U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id212.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="The Writings of Joseph Herrin Organized "><U><B>Writings by Topic</B></U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="http://www.heart4god.ws/Audio/index.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://www.heart4god.ws/Audio/index.htm"><U><B>Audio Files</B></U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id690.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Videos"><U><B>Videos</B></U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id323.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Writings of Others"><U><B>Other Authors</B></U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id324.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Links"><U><B>Links</B></U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id339.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Questions and Answers"><U><B>Q&A</B></U></A></div> <bR> <div> <A HREF="id328.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Heart4God Email List"><U><B>Heart4God E-mail List</B></U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="http://www.parablesblog.blogspot.com" TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://www.parablesblog.blogspot.com"><U><B>Parables Blog</B></U></A></div> <bR> <div> <A HREF="id306.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="File Downloads"><U><B><IMG SRC="2b264140.png" border=0 width="100" height="20" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></B></U></A></div> <bR> </td> <td valign="top" BGCOLOR="#000000" TEXT="#F7F7FF"> <bR> <div> <B>Q&A: Where Do People Go Immediately After Death?</B></div> <div> <IMG SRC="c2827160.png" border=0 width="807" height="22" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <bR> <div> Dear M., </div> <bR> <div> You wrote: </div> <div> When a person has died, since Christ's ressurection and before the second coming of the Lord, where do they go? If they are right, do they go to heaven, if they are still in sin (miss the mark), do they go to hell then?</div> <bR> <div> There are numerous understandings on this matter, and I would not be so dogmatic as to make it a point of controversy for it is really not what I consider a crucial doctrine. Whether men sleep until the resurrection and judgment, or whether they go to a place similar to hell (for the wicked), or to a place like heaven (for the righteous) is not a large matter, for whether the judgment and reward of men is instantaneous after death, or whether it is something that must wait until an appointed time, it is still inevitable and inescapable. </div> <bR> <div> There are Scriptures that tend to give contrasting ideas about the state of a person right after their death. The word for sleep is often used to describe a person who has died, and this is a term that evokes an image of one who is unconscious. Yet other Scriptures describe the state of the dead as being very conscious, as in the following passage: </div> <bR> <div> Luke 16:22-28<FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#FFFFCC" FACE="Georgia" > </FONT></div> <div> 22 "Now the poor man died and was carried away by the angels to Abraham's bosom; and the rich man also died and was buried. </div> <div> 23 "In Hades he lifted up his eyes, being in torment, and saw Abraham far away and Lazarus in his bosom. </div> <div> 24 "And he cried out and said, "Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus so that he may dip the tip of his finger in water and cool off my tongue, for I am in agony in this flame.' </div> <div> 25 "But Abraham said, "Child, remember that during your life you received your good things, and likewise Lazarus bad things; but now he is being comforted here, and you are in agony. </div> <div> 26 "And besides all this, between us and you there is a great chasm fixed, so that those who wish to come over from here to you will not be able, and that none may cross over from there to us.' </div> <div> 27 "And he said, "Then I beg you, father, that you send him to my father's house -- </div> <div> 28 for I have five brothers -- in order that he may warn them, so that they will not also come to this place of torment.' </div> <bR> <div> In this story that Christ spoke it is revealed that those who die go to a place that is based upon their life on earth. It is almost like a judgment before the judgment. Those who are wicked go to Hades, a fiery place of torment. Others go to "Abraham's Bosom" (a name derived from this Scripture for it is depicted as a place where Abraham rests) where they are comforted. There are other Scriptures that reveal that those who have died are actually conscious, and not unconscious as in sleep. We see Moses and Elijah appearing with Christ on the mount of transfiguration. We also read in Jude where Christ went and preached to those who died during the flood of Noah. </div> <bR> <div> I Peter 3:18-20<FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#FFFFCC" FACE="Georgia" > </FONT></div> <div> 18 For Christ also died for sins once for all, the just for the unjust, so that He might bring us to God, having been put to death in the flesh, but made alive in the spirit; </div> <div> 19 in which also He went and made proclamation to the spirits now in prison, </div> <div> 20 who once were disobedient, when the patience of God kept waiting in the days of Noah, during the construction of the ark, in which a few, that is, eight persons, were brought safely through the water. </div> <bR> <div> Another Scripture to consider is where Yahshua is dying on the cross and the thief hanging near him makes a confession of faith. Yahshua tells the thief, "Truly I say to you, today you shall be with Me in Paradise" (Luke 23:43). Some people state that the comma is placed in the wrong place in this sentence and that Yahshua is actually saying, "I say to you today, 'You shall be with Me in paradise.'" They argue that Christ was not saying the thief would be with Him in paradise that day, but that Christ was merely assuring him on that day that there would be a time when he would be with Him in paradise. </div> <bR> <div> I actually do not see a problem with saying that the thief would be with Christ in paradise that day. This paradise is not the same as heaven. I would equate it to be the same thing that others call Abraham's Bosom. It is a place where the righteous go to await the resurrection and the judgment. </div> <bR> <div> So to answer your question, my understanding is that those who die go to a place to await the resurrection of the dead, and the place they go is determined by whether they were wicked, or righteous, at the time of their death. Some go to paradise, while some go to Hades, which is also called Hell, Tartarus, Abaddon, and many other names. This Hades is not to be confused with the Lake of Fire. Hades, or Hell, will itself be thrown into the Lake of Fire AFTER the judgment. </div> <bR> <div> Revelation 20:13-15<FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#FFFFCC" FACE="Georgia" > </FONT></div> <div> 13 And the sea gave up the dead which were in it, and death and Hades gave up the dead which were in them; and they were judged, every one of them according to their deeds. </div> <div> 14 Then death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire. </div> <div> 15 And if anyone's name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire. </div> <bR> <div> I am assuming that you have read the book "God's Plan of the Ages" and that you understand the purifying purpose of the Lake of Fire and that it is not eternal. Much is shared in the book about this matter. Let me give you an analogy that might help you grasp this. </div> <bR> <div> Suppose that beginning in 1776 we began rounding up everyone in America on the day of their death, and we told them that in the year 2027 that there would be a court session held for everyone. We told them that both the living and the dead would be judged on that day, and the righteous would receive reward, while the wicked would be sent away for a long correction. We told them that they would have to go to a place to await this judgment. Suppose also that we recognized that everyone who died was either righteous or wicked when they died. We would not necesasrily want to send them to the same place to await the day of judgment. </div> <bR> <div> Consequently, we purchase a beautiful ranch at the foot of the mountains with flowing streams and trees, birds singing, the temperature is always wonderful and cool breezes are blowing all the time. Twice every day a fabulous meal is served, and all is peaceful and blessed at this place which we call Paradise Ranch. This place is not heaven, and the righteous have not received reward, nor have they received their glorified bodies. But this is a place where they go to await the resurrection of the dead and the day of reward. </div> <bR> <div> Now we purchase another place out in the dry wilderness where the sun is hot and the breezes never stir. All is dry and dusty and water is very scarce. Every day for a meal those there get a dry crust of bread and nothing more. Furthermore we take away the freedoms of those sent there, and place upon them great confinement. This place is not pleasant. It is a place of torment, but it is not the Lake of Fire. We call it Hades Acres. All those who die in America who are wicked at their deaths are sent here until the time of the judgment in 2027. </div> <bR> <div> I believe that this somewhat simplified analogy is really a pretty good picture of what the Scriptures reveal to be the fate of those who die. All go to a place to await the resurrection of the dead, but this place is not the same for all. The righteous are comforted, while the wicked endure torment. If you do a study throughout the Bible you will find that there are very many Scriptures that support what I have shared here. This is my understanding. </div> <bR> <div> May you be blessed with peace and understanding in these days, </div> <bR> <div> Joseph</div> <bR> <div> E-mail: </div> <div> website: <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#0000FF" FACE="Georgia" ><A HREF="http://heart4god.ws" TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://heart4god.ws"><U><U>http://heart4god.ws</U></U></A></FONT></div> <bR> <bR> </td> </tr></table></body>