UPON Death



It could be said that the greatest mystery we face as human beings is death. It is of course, one that cannot be satisfactorily answered for each individual. The reasoning is really quite simple. Some people believe that there is life after death, while others believe the is nothing at all to follow the cessation of life.

It would be good then, to gain some knowledge of what constitutes life. As a human being, we use terms such as body, mind and spirit. That is to say we have a physical part (a body), a mental part (a brain), and a life force (the thing that makes everything else function).
The origins of humankind are greatly varied, but more simply, can be divided into two groups. Those groups are the "religious" and the "scientific." Our concern here will center on the religious. To do so, we will use the Christian Holy Bible as a proof text. Please see below:

Ge 2:7 And 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. KJV

Please note, that according to this passage, the entire physical, mental and spiritual being is also taught as being a "soul." You will note later, how important it is to understand this.

From this point on then, we can understand that upon conception, a process of growth and maturing over a period of time, an individual human being is what will come to be a human male or female life. This is God's designated plan, and only human interference can alter that. In other words - that human must be nurtured and raised to become a viable, contributing person,to other persons. We can now see the extension of two people who upon the birth of children, will become a family.

Can there be exceptions? Yes, for at any time from conception on, something, such as accident or sickness, can take the normal growth and/or life of that soul. It can come from prebirth, to any age that follows. It can come also through an act of war, or even murder or suicide. This should also be considered very carefully. God's plan, is that a soul (person) should/could live a long life. See below:

Ge 15:15 And thou shalt go to thy fathers in peace; thou shalt be buried in a good old age. KJV

Ge 15:15 As for you, you will go to your fathers in peace; at the end of a long life you will be put in your last resting place. BBE

For the sake of simplicity and clarity the,let us progress to the ending of life,which is death.

Heb 9:27 And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment: KJV

Heb 9:27 and as it is laid up to men once to die, and after this—judgment, BBE

As you can see, there is not a complete end to that person's life. Allow me to explain. In death, the body does indeed,cease to function, but that does not mean there is nothing left for that individual. To delve more deeply into this, one must consider that only the physical part (the body) comes to and end. The mental and spiritual will continue on. How it does so is somewhat of a mystery. There are some terms that must now be considered. The key term according to the Bible is "Sleep." Once again, see below:

Ps 13:3 Consider and hear me, O LORD my God: lighten mine eyes, lest I sleep the sleep of death; KJV

Ps 13:3 Let my voice come before you, and give me an answer, O Lord my God; let your light be shining on me, so that the sleep of death may not overtake me; BBE

Here we can see that death is referred to as a sleep period. (I do not like the BBE text since it adds content that is not in the original KJV scripture.) Death then, can be seen a period of time that will one day be eliminated, for in Rev. we see when it will end, along with Hades (Hell).

Re 20:14 And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. KJV

Re 20:14 And death and Hell were put into the sea of fire. This is the second death, even the sea of fire. BBE

Only one account, found in Luke Chapter 16 - 25 can give an in site into both the good and the evil people who have met death, and await the days of God's final judgements. In other words, this would indicate that not everyone will immediately live with Jesus. However, knowing that the future of a Christian is to be with him, is a great consolation. You should also notice that:

Re 6:9 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:KJV

Re 6:9 ¶ And when the fifth stamp was undone, I saw under the altar the souls of those who had been put to death for the word of God, and for the witness which they kept.BBE

These are of course, the people who are slain during the Great Tribulation times, and probably other who have also died as martyrs before then. To be clearly remembered is that as Jesus said:

Joh 18:9 That the saying might be fulfilled, which he spake, Of them which thou gavest me have I lost none. KJV

Joh 18:9 (He said this so that his words might come true, I have kept safe all those whom you gave to me.) BBE

So what are we to make of all this scripture? It seems to me it goes like this. When a person's (soul's) life comes to an end, the soul comes to a judgement which will place it into either death or hades (hell). Wether or not that soul has already been housed into a resurrection body is not know, but it could well be so. Then , at God's appointed time, the final resurrections will take place, and the resurrected souls will take their places in either the New Earth or the Lake of Fire.