What happens when we die?


Read this if you want to:


Not be scared of death


Understand where everyone goes after they die




1. None of us can avoid dying



Hebrews 9:27 ~ And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgement.



Ecclesiastes 8:8 ~ There is no man that hath power over the spirit to retain the spirit; neither hath he power in the day of death …




We can cancel an appointment with a: hairdresser, dentist, garage etc.


But we can’t cancel our appointment with death.


It’s going to happen - whether we like it or not!




Further reading

2 Samuel 14:14

1 Kings 2:2 then 10


1 Chronicles 17:11, 29:15

Job 16:22, 34:20


Psalms 22:29, 39:4-5 & 13, 49:10-12 & 16-20

Psalms 89:48, 103:15-17, 144:4, 146:3-4


Ecclesiastes 1:4, 2:14-16, 3:2 & 19

Isaiah 51:6


James 4:14

1 Peter 1:24




2. We don't know when we're going to die



Genesis 27:2 ~ And he (= Isaac) said, Behold now, I am old, I know not the day of my death.




Illustration

It's like we don’t know when we’re going to have a puncture on our bike / car.


So we should prepare - by having a: spare tyre / repair kit / inner tube, which we may need at any time.


In the same way - we don’t know when we’re going to die.


So we should also prepare for our death - to make sure we won’t be caught out, even if it happens today!




We may actually live longer than we expect - for example:




John Newton (Author of the hymn ‘Amazing Grace’) wrote:


‘The hour is approaching, and at my time of life cannot be very distant, when my heart, my pen and my tongue will no longer be able to move in the service of God.’

 

After writing this - he lived for another thirty-eight years of fruitful service!

 

 


John Wesley

 

Thinking in 1753 that he was about to die, wrote the inscription for his gravestone:


‘Here lies the body of John Wesley … ‘

 

After writing this - he also lived for another thirty-eight years of fruitful service, until 1791!




Further reading

1 Kings 19:1-8

Ecclesiastes 9:12




3. Q - Who controls when we die?

 


A - God

 

Numbers 31:1-2

1And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,


2Avenge the children of Israel of the Midianites: afterward shalt thou be gathered unto thy people (= to your departed people).



Q - Who controlled when Moses died?


A - God




God’s timing is PERFECT:


A. He gave Moses a job to do.


B. After Moses had completed this work - God took him up to heaven.




Further reading

Genesis 15:15

Exodus 23:25-26


Numbers 20:23-28, 27:12-13

Deuteronomy 31:14, 32:39 & 48-50


1 Samuel 2:6, 25 & 34, 25:38

2 Kings 2:1-11, 5:7, 20:1-6


2 Chronicles 18:16 then 27 then 33-34


Job 7:1, 12:9-10, 14:1 then 5, 30:23, 36:5-6


Psalms 90:3,  104:29

Ecclesiastes 5:18, 7:17


Jeremiah 28:15-17


Luke 12:5




4. What happens when our bodies die?



Ecclesiastes 12:7 ~ Then shall the dust return to the earth as it was: and the spirit shall return unto God who gave it.



Our bodies come from dust / inanimate matter - because we mainly eat:



    



When we die:




Acts 7:59 ~ And they stoned Stephen, calling upon God (= Stephen prayed), and saying, Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.




Illustration


When we watch cars on a fast road:







At the end of a car’s life, we:






In the same way:


Our body is just to transport the real us - our spirit - during our time on earth. 




We can't take our imperfect physical body into a perfect heaven:


 1 Corinthians 15:50 ~ Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the Kingdom of God; neither doth corruption inherit incorruption.


So at the end of its life, our body 'goes to the scrapyard’ - it's either buried or cremated.




Look at your hands or other parts of your body - and understand that they’re not permanent.


But the REAL US - OUR SPIRIT - leaves our body and LIVES ON in the Kingdom of God!




Further reading

Genesis 3:19


Job 10:11-12, 33:4 & 6, 34:14-15


Psalm 103:14

Ecclesiastes 3:20-21

Isaiah 42:5


Matthew 27:50 / Mark 15:37 / Luke 23:46 / John 19:30


Luke 8:55

Acts 5:5 & 10


James 2:26

2 Peter 1:14




5. So - as believers - we don't need to fear death



Philippians 1:21-24

21For to me (= Paul) to live is Christ, and to die is gain. 


22But if I live in the flesh, this is the fruit of my labour: yet what I shall choose I wot not (= I don’t know which is best). 


23For I am in a strait betwixt two (= I’m torn between the two), having a desire to depart, and to be with Christ; which is far better: 


24Nevertheless to abide in the flesh is more needful for you.



--> Paul didn’t know which was best:


or




Q - Why wasn’t Paul scared of dying?


A - Because he knew he would go to a better place.

     



Proverbs 14:32b ~ ... the righteous hath hope in his death.


 --> For Christians, death is EXCITING: because it’s our gateway into heaven & eternal life!




Further reading

Psalms 23:4 & 6, 49:15, 116:15

Isaiah 25:8 


Luke 2:25-32 (Simeon), 18:29-30


John 3:14-16 & 36; 5:24, 6:40, 50-51, 58 & 68; 8:51, 10:27-28, 11:24-26, 17:1-3


Romans 2:7, 5;21, 6:22-23


1 Corinthians 15:26 & 53-57

2 Corinthians 4:18 - 5:8


1 Thessalonians 3:13

2 Timothy 1:10, 4:6-8

Titus 1:2


Hebrews 2:9 & 14-15

2 Peter 1:11


1 John 2:17 & 25, 5:11-13 & 20


Jude 21

Revelation 12:11, 14:13




6. Examples of what happens to believers when our bodies die



Example #1 - Moses



Deuteronomy 34:5-6

5So Moses the servant of the LORD died there in the land of Moab, according to the word of the LORD.


6And He buried him in a valley in the land of Moab, over against Bethpeor: but no man knoweth of his sepulchre (= grave) unto this day.



--> Moses’ body was buried in Moab:


Q - Is that where the real Moses went?


A - No:




Matthew 17:1-3

1And after six days Jesus taketh Peter, James, and John his brother, and bringeth them up into an high mountain apart,


2And was transfigured before them: and His face did shine as the sun, and His raiment was white as the light.


3And, behold, there appeared unto them Moses and Elias (= Elijah) talking with Him.





Because when believers die - WE GO STRAIGHT to be with God.




Example #2 - The thief on the cross


Luke 23:42-43

42And he (= the thief) said unto Jesus, Lord, remember me when Thou comest into Thy Kingdom.


43And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, Today shalt thou be with Me in paradise.



--> Jesus said the thief would be in paradise the same day that his body died.




Illustration

When believers die - it’s like leaving our broken-down old car in a grubby basement car park (= our bodies left behind on earth),


... and then being zoomed up in an express lift to a beautiful penthouse apartment with gorgeous views (= our spirits going up to heaven)!




Example #3 - The great cloud of witnesses



Hebrews 12:1 ~ Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with (= surrounded by) so great a cloud of witnesses …



Q - Who are the 'Great cloud of witnesses'?


A - The ‘Heroes of the faith’ in Hebrews chapter 11 - for example:  Abraham, Enoch & Joseph.




--> When these believers’ bodies died - their spirits went straight to be with God:






Further reading

Genesis 49:33 / Matthew 22:31-32 / Mark 12:26-27 / Luke 20:36-38 / Luke 16:22


2 Kings 2:11-12

Job 38:17


Mark 9:4 / Luke 9:30

Revelation 6:9-11




7. Three important lessons about eternity



Luke 16:19-26

19There was a certain rich man, which was clothed in purple and fine linen, and fared sumptuously (= luxuriously) every day: 


20And there was a certain beggar named Lazarus, which was laid at his gate, full of sores,


21And desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man’s table: moreover the dogs came and licked his sores. 




22And it came to pass, that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels into Abraham’s bosom (= reclining next to Abraham, as at a feast): the rich man also died, and was buried;


23And in hell he (= the rich man) lift up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom. 


24And he cried and said, Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water, and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame.




25But Abraham said, Son, remember that thou in thy lifetime receivedst thy good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things: but now he is comforted, and thou art tormented.


26And beside all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed: so that they which would pass from hence (= from here) to you cannot;


neither can they pass to us, that would come from thence (= from there).




Lesson one


We have a choice of two places where we can spend eternity:






Lesson two


There are no transfers between heaven & hell:








Lesson three


How comfortable we are now is unrelated to how comfortable we’ll be in eternity:


 

than





Illustration

It's like the sudden, very different outcomes when we find a fly or a bee inside our home:




In both cases: someone with huge power & ability instantly swoops on them, and is in total control of their fate - there's no escape for the tiny creatures.



Further reading

Psalms 37:9-11, 22, 28-29 & 37-38; 145:20

Proverbs 11:4


Luke 3:17, 13:24-25

John 12:25

1 Corinthians 6:9-11




8. What's the purpose of hell?



2 Peter 2:4 & 9

4For if God spared not the angels that sinned, but cast them down to hell, and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be reserved unto judgement;

…

9The Lord knoweth how … to reserve the unjust unto (= until) the Day of Judgement to be punished.



--> Hell is NOT the final destination for unbelievers:







Further reading

Jude 6




9. What is hell like?



Mark 9:43-48

43And if thy hand offend thee, cut it off: it is better for thee to enter into life maimed, than having two hands to go into hell, into the fire that never shall be quenched:


44Where their worm (= a symbol of the gnawing pain of eternal punishment) dieth not, and the fire is not quenched.



45And if thy foot offend thee, cut it off: it is better for thee to enter halt (= lame) into life, than having two feet to be cast into hell, into the fire that never shall be quenched:


46Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched.



47And if thine eye offend thee, pluck it out: it is better for thee to enter into the Kingdom of God with one eye, than having two eyes to be cast into hell fire:


48Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched.



-->What’s the worst thing you can imagine?





--> So we should FEAR going to hell - MORE THAN ANYTHING in this life.




Further reading

Psalms 11:6, 21:9, 37:20


Matthew 3:10 & 12; 5:22 & 29-30, 8:11-12, 10:28, 13:41-42 & 49-50; 18:6-9, 23:33, 24:44-51, 25:30 & 41


Luke 12:4-5

Hebrews 10:26-27 & 30-31


Jude 12-13

Revelation 14:9-11 & 17-20




10. Q - How can a loving God send people to hell?

 


Some people ask this question, but it's as daft as asking:


'How can a loving football referee send a player off the pitch?'


'How can a loving policeman issue a speeding ticket?'




Unbelievers SEND THEMSELVES to hell:



 

 


John 3:36 ~ He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him.

 


John 12:48 ~ He that rejecteth Me, and receiveth not My words, hath one that judgeth him: the word that I have spoken, the same shall judge him in the last day.




Further reading

1 Chronicles 28:9

Psalms 5:4-6, 9:17, 55:15, 92:7

Ezekiel 9:10


Matthew 10:14-15, 22:1-14

Mark 8:38


Luke 14:16-24

John 3:17-18


Acts 3:20-23, 13:46

2 Thessalonians 1:7-9, 2:10 & 12


1 Timothy 5:11-12 & 15

Hebrews 2:3, 12:25




11. Q - What is heaven like?

  

A - Better than earth!



Hebrews 10:34 ~ For ye had compassion of me in my bonds, and took joyfully the spoiling of your goods, knowing in yourselves that ye have in heaven a better and an enduring substance (= existence / possession).







Further reading about heaven being God's home


2 Samuel 22:14

1 Kings 8:49


2 Chronicles 6:21, 23, 25, 27, 30, 33  & 39, 20:6, 30:27


Ezra 7:12

Nehemiah 1:4-5, 2:4, 9:3


Psalms 11:4, 14:2, 20:6, 33:13, 53:2, 80:14


Psalms 102:19, 103:19, 115:3, 123:1, 136:26


Isaiah 63:15, 66:1

Ezekiel 1:1


Daniel 2:37

Jonah 1:9




Further reading about heaven being somewhere to look forward to


Matthew 13:43, 25:21, 23 & 34

Luke 10:20


1 Corinthians 2:9-10

2 Corinthians 12:2-4 


Ephesians 1:18

Colossians 1:5


1 Peter 1:3-6

2 Peter 3:13-14

1 John 3:2-3




12. Judgement Day - for believers

 


2 Corinthians 5:10 ~ For we must all appear before the judgement seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body,


according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad.








So what judgement will WE FACE?

 


Revelation 22:12 ~ And, behold, I  (= Jesus) come quickly; and My reward is with Me, to give every man according as his work shall be (= as his own work deserves).

 





 

Matthew 18:4 ~ Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the Kingdom of heaven.

 


--> Jesus says there will be ‘greatest’ people in heaven.


--> This should be the main factor in how we live our lives on earth: we should obey & serve God to the best of our ability.




Matthew 16:27 ~ For the Son of Man shall come in the glory of His Father with His angels; and then He shall reward every man according to his works.



(Matthew 25:21 & 23) 





Further reading

Psalm 62:12

Proverbs 24:12, 27:18


Isaiah 40:10


Matthew 11:11

Luke 7:28, 14:12-14


Romans 14:10-12

1 Corinthians 4:4-5

Colossians 3:23-24


1 Peter 1:17

Revelation 2:23, 11:18, 14:13




13. Q - When will Jesus judge everyone?



A - When He returns to earth / at the end of this age:



2 Timothy 4:1 ~ I charge thee therefore before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick (= the living) and the dead at His appearing and His Kingdom.



That’s why God created the two ‘departure lounges’ of heaven & hell - where believers & unbelievers wait between:


A. Their death.


B. The end of this age - when Jesus returns to earth in judgement.




14. Further reading about Judgement Day


1 Chronicles 16:33


Psalms 1:5, 9:7-8, 50:4-6, 51:4, 96:10 & 13, 98:9


Ecclesiastes 3:17, 11:9, 12:14


Isaiah 11:4-5, 13:6-11, 26:21, 30:18


Isaiah 33:22, 61:2 & 8, 66:15-16


Ezekiel 33:20

Daniel 7:10


Obadiah 15

Malachi 3:14-4:3


Matthew  10:15, 11:20-24, 12:36-37

Mark 6:11


Luke 3:7 & 9, 10:12-15, 21:34-36

John 5:22-30


Acts 10:42, 17:30-31

Romans 2:3-10 & 16, 5:9


Colossians 3:5-6

1 Thessalonians 1:10


Hebrews 6:2, 9:27, 12:23


1 Peter 4:5 & 17-18

2 Peter 2:12-13, 3:7


1 John 2:28, 4:15-17

Jude 14-15


Revelation 14:6-7, 15:1 & 7-8, 16:5




15. Revelation chapters 20 & 21 tell us what will happen & when




15.1 We first need to understand what God means when the Bible says: 'a thousand'



Psalm 50:10 ~ For every beast of the forest is Mine, and the cattle upon a thousand hills.



Psalm 105:8 ~ He hath remembered His covenant for ever, the word which He commanded to a thousand generations.



-->  ‘A thousand’ in the Bible does not mean: exactly 1,000


-->  It means: a lot / many / a high number.




It's similar to the way that God often says in the Bible:




... to mean:  'A huge, uncountable number' - rather than an exact figure.




Further reading

Genesis 24:60

Exodus 20:6

Deuteronomy 1:11, 7:9


Joshua 23:10

Judges 15:15-16


1 Samuel 18:13

2 Samuel 18:12


1 Kings 20:29


1 Chronicles 12:14 then 13:1; 16:15, 29:21

2 Chronicles 1:6, 14:9, 30:24


Job 9:3


Psalms 3:6, 84:10, 90:4, 91:7


Song of Solomon 8:11-12

Isaiah 60:22


Daniel 5:1, 7:10

Amos 5:3


Jude 14

Revelation 7:4-8 (and see ‘Numbers in the Bible - 12 ’ message on WholeCounselofGod.com)




15.2 Revelation 20



Verse 4

4And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgement was given unto them ... and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years.



-->  Revelation 20:4 says believers ‘Reign with Christ for a thousand years’:


= The many years between Jesus ascending to heaven & then returning to earth (as we saw in section 15.1 - this does not mean: exactly 1,000 years).


= The period of time when believers - whose earthly bodies have died - reign in heaven with Jesus.




Verse 5a

5But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. 



--> This is the same lengthy period - but unbelievers spend it in hell: after their bodies on earth have died.


--> 'Lived not again' = There's no first resurrection for unbelievers.




Verse 5b - 6

5 (cont.)  This is the first resurrection.


6Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power,


but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with Him a thousand years.



--> When believers die:







Further reading

... about Jesus being the pattern - demonstrating what will happen to believers at our first resurrection:


Matthew 17:9 / Mark 9:9-10 

1 Corinthians 6:14, 15:12-23




Verses 7-9

7And when the thousand years are expired, Satan shall be loosed out of his prison, 


8And shall go out to deceive the nations which are in the four quarters of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them together to battle: the number of whom is as the sand of the sea.


9And they went up on the breadth of the earth, and compassed (= surrounded) the camp of the saints about, and the beloved city:


and fire came down from God out of heaven, and devoured them.




A. At end of this age - Satan will deceive people into attacking:






B. But God will then destroy the ungodly / our enemies with fire - just like He did to Sodom & Gomorrah.

(See Genesis 13:13, 18:20 - 19:29; 2 Peter 2:6-10)




God wrote the Bible - He’s in charge of what happens.


As believers, we go through many battles - but ultimately we’re on the winning side!




Verse 10

10And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever.



--> At the end of this age, God will throw the devil, the beast (probably = demons tempting people to sin) and the false prophet (= the spirit behind false religions) into the lake of fire.




Further reading

Matthew 8:28-32 / Mark 5:1-13 / Luke 8:26-33




Verse 11

11And I saw a great white throne, and Him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them.








Verse 12

12And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the Book of Life:


and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works.






-->  So don’t get upset about injustices, because God will deal with them on Judgement Day (= Justice Day), far better than any human authority could.




Verse 13

13And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works.







Verse 14a

14And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire.  ...



--> There’s no need for the ‘bus stop / airport departure lounge / railway station’ after the final passengers have departed:






Verse 14b - 15

14... This is the second death.  


15And whosoever was not found written in the Book of Life was cast into the lake of fire.



--> God will throw unbelievers into the lake of fire - that's their second death:






Further reading

Exodus 32:33




15.3 Revelation 21



Verse 1

1And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea.







Further reading

Psalm 102:25-28

Isaiah 51:6, 65:17


Daniel 12:9

Nahum 1:5


Matthew 5:18

Matthew 24:35 / Mark 13:31 / Luke 21:33


Mark 10:29-30 / Luke 18:29-30

Luke 20:34-36


1 Corinthians 7:31

Ephesians 1:21, 2:6-7


Hebrews 1:10-12, 6:4-6, 13:14


2 Peter 3:7, 10 & 12-13

1 John 2:17




Verses 2-3

2And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.


3And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them,


and they shall be His people, and God Himself shall be with them, and be their God.




-->  During our life on earth, God’s preparing us to live with Him - for eternity in His Kingdom!




Further reading

Daniel 7:18

James 2:5




Verses 4-7

4And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain:


for the former things are passed away.


5And He that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new. And He said unto me, Write: for these words are true and faithful.



6And He said unto me, It is done. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give unto him that is athirst of the fountain of the water of life freely.


7He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be My son.







Verse 8

8But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable (= vile), and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars,


shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death. 








Further reading

Colossians 3:5-6

Revelation 2:11




16. What's our task on earth?



A. To make sure that we’re going to the right eternal destination.



B. To help others choose the right eternal destination.



 

God's currently assessing:




Based on the decisions we make during our life on this earth.




So let’s make sure we make the right decisions!




Amen