D. Michael Battle, B.A., M.A., M.A.

One of the clearest Scriptural accounts of the state of the dead was given by our Lord Jesus Christ. He uses the symbol of non-conscious sleep to explain the first death. Here’s what Jesus said, “Our friend Lazarus sleeps, but I go that I may wake him up” (John 11:11 NKJV). Lazarus had already been dead for four days when Jesus declared, “Lazarus is dead” (John 11:14 NKJV). Christ Jesus is “the resurrection and the life” (John 11:25). The sleep of death is mentioned about 60 times in the Holy Bible. The Word of God says, “For David... fell asleep, was buried with his fathers, and saw corruption (his body decayed)... For David did not ascend into the heavens” (Acts 13:36, 2:34).

Our Risen Lord holds the keys to life, death, and the grave. Our Precious Lord said, ‘Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice, 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” (John 5:28-29). John says, “Blessed and holy are those who have part in the first resurrection...But the rest of the dead (the wicked dead) live not again until the thousand years were finished” (Revelation 20:6, 5). The dead are dead. Dead people have no conscious existence apart from the body after they die. “For the living know that they shall die; But the dead know not any thing... for the memory of them is forgotten. Also their love, and their hatred, and their envy, is now perished” (Eccl 9:5, 6).

We commemorate, honor, and celebrate the life, death, and Resurrection of Christ by the baptism of immersion. It symbolizes a spiritual burial to sin, a transformation of life, and a spiritual regeneration (Romans 6:3-7).

What Happens at Death?

Death is the creation-life process in reverse. What is death? Permanent death is the cessation or absence of life, and the termination of all vital signs and functions including heart stoppage and brain death. A near-death hallucination experience means that the person is not permanently dead. There is no conscious awareness in a person when they are really dead. In the Creation Process “The LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul” (Gen 2:7). Human beings don’t have a soul because they are living souls. In the Bible the word “breath” and “spirit” are used interchangeably. In death the elements of the ground (dust or soil) return to the earth, and the spirit (breath of life) returns to God, and man becomes a non-conscious dead soul (person).

The Light of Truth says, “All the while my breath is in me, and the spirit of God is in my nostrils” (Job 27:3). God breathed life into Adam’s nostrils, but eventually he died just like every mortal being. What happens at death? “You hide your face: they are troubled; you take away their breath, they die” (Ps 104:29). God’s Word tells us what happens to human beings at death. “His spirit (lifebreath) departs, he returns to the earth, in that very day his thoughts perish” (Ps 146:4 NASB). God activated and jump-started Adam by breathing through his nostrils into his lifeless mind and body His lifebreath (spirit), and Adam became a living being. When God withdraws and takes back the breath of life from a person, he dies and expires, and becomes a dead soul. The Bible says, “The Spirit of God hath made me and the breath of the Almighty hath given me life” (Job 33:4). The crystal clear Word of God tells us what happens to mankind at death. “If God were to take back his spirit and withdraw his breath, all life would cease, and humanity would turn again to dust” (Job 34:14-15 NLT).

Mortal Man Seeks Immortality

The Holy Scriptures say that man is mortal, and that only God has immortality (Job 4:17; II Tim 6:15-16). Mortal man seeks immortality (Romans 2:7). Would you seek something that you already possessed? Socrates, Plato, and other Greek philosophers popularized the immortal soul notion, and now mainstream Christians teach this belief as though it is found in the Holy Bible. God’s Word says, “The soul who sins shall die” (Ezekiel 18:4 NKJV). A dead soul is a dead person. When Flight 587 crashed in the Queens borough of New York on Nov 12, 2001, the TV reporter announced that all 260 souls on board had died. In Acts 27:37 the Apostle Paul said that there were 276 souls (living beings) on board the ship that ran aground. The Bible uses the word “soul” 531 times, and it never says that man has an undying, immortal soul.

A little boy was walking in a cemetery with his parents when he read a tombstone that said:

“Stop my friend as you go by
As you are now, so once was I;
As I am now, you soon will be
So prepare yourself to follow me.”

The boy was so perturbed that he took out his magic marker, and wrote this reply:

“To follow you I am not content
Until I know just where you went.”

You should never be satisfied or content until you know what the Inspired Word of God tells us about this teaching.

The Dead Cannot Communicate to Us

My soul desire is to tell you the truth and nothing but the truth. Even our departed righteous dead relatives and friends are not praising God in heaven, singing in the heavenly choir, or communicating with one another according to the infallible Word of God. “For the grave cannot praise you, death cannot sing your praise... The living, the living praise you, as I am doing today” (Isaiah 38:18-19 NIV). The Good Book says, “The dead praise not the Lord, neither any that go down into silence” (Ps 115:17). When you are really dead, you’re permanently dead, and you will rise again in the resurrection. I feel your sorrow and pain when a love-one or friend dies, but there is not a single verse in the Bible that tells us that a person’s flying away, home-going, or homecoming to heaven takes place at death. Please remember this next text! “And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment: So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation” (Heb 9:27-28).

The first resurrection is promised to all those who die believing on and in Christ, and those who live in harmony with Christ. Enoch and Elijah were translated to heaven without experiencing death, and Moses was resurrected and taken to heaven. These are the only two ways that we can get to heaven. ‘If there is no resurrection of the dead than Christ has not been raised from the dead... And if Christ is not risen, the our preaching is in vain, and we are yet in our sins... and our faith and hope is meaningless ...Then they also which are fallen in Christ are perished” (1 Cor 15:13-18). Prophetic Revelations assure us of the victorious resurrection of every faithful Christian. But what kind of body will we have? “And our physical bodies will be changed into spiritual bodies” 1 Cor 15:44 CEV).

Even Christ did not ascend to heaven at His death. After His resurrection on that early Sunday morning He told Mary Magdalene, “Do not hold me; for I have not yet ascended to my Father” (John 20:17 RSV). Christ’s physical body was glorified, but He was not a ghostlike spirit. Eight days later after His glorious resurrection, He appeared unto Thomas. The disciple touched Christ’s hands and put his finger into His side. (John 20:26-28). Christians rest their hope and faith upon the promise of the Resurrection of Life. When do we go to heaven? Paul writes, “For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ all shall be made alive, But each one in his own order: Christ the firstfruits, afterward those who are Christ’s at His coming” (1 Cor 15:22-23 NIV). We will be raised at Christ’s Second Coming. Neo-Sadducees don’t believe in a resurrection, but Yeshua our Lord, and the Apostles emphasized the Gospel teaching of the bodily resurrection. “Lo! I tell you a mystery. We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed. For in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we shall be changed. For this perishable must put on the imperishable, and this mortal nature must put on immortality ... “Death is swallowed up in victory.” “O death, where is thy victory? O death, where is thy sting?” (1 Cor 15:51-55 RSV).

The apostle Paul also declares: “For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord, will not precede those who have fallen asleep. For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain will be caught up (raptured up) together with them in the clouds to meet (and greet) the Lord in the air, and so we shall always be with the Lord...” (1 Thess 4:15-18 NASB).

Angels Are Spirit Beings

God is a Spirit, and angels are invisible spirit beings that can transmogrify themselves. (John 4:24; Ps 104:4). Evil angels can personate our dead relatives and departed friends in order to deceive us. Psychics cannot speak to the dead. Leave spiritualism alone! God says, “And do not let your people practice fortune-telling or sorcery, ... or engage in witchcraft, or cast spells, or function as mediums or psychics, or call forth the spirits of the dead” (Deut 18:10-12). But demonic angels can work miracles!

“And I saw three unclean spirits like frogs come out of the mouth of the dragon, and out of the mouth of the beast, and out of the mouth of the false prophet. For they are the spirits of devils, working miracles” (Rev 16:13-14). The medium of Endor deceived King Saul in believing that he had actually seen the prophet Samuel (1 Sam 28: 7-20). The dead cannot communicate with the living, and the living cannot decipher messages from the dead because “the dead know not any thing” (Eccl 9:5). The dead have no conscious existence or awareness in death. The resurrection (an awesome re-creation) is our only hope. “If a man die, shall he live again? all the days of my appointed time will I wait, till my change come” (Job 14:14). The change comes at Christ’s Second Advent. “But man dies, and is laid low. Yes, man gives up the spirit, and where is he?... so man lies down, and doesn’t rise. Until the heavens are no more, they shall not awake, nor be roused out of their sleep” (Job 14:10-12 NHV). Let us trust and obey Jesus Christ, our Savior, and be holy.

Our precious Messiah said, “If you love me, obey my commandments” (John 14:15 NLT). Christ is the Bread of Life! Father God, Give us more grace to trust in Jesus everyday.

Michael Battle   P.O. Box 50471
Mesa, AZ 85208   (602) 679-9405

Copyright ©2005-2012 Michael Battle (click name to send email)