WHAT HAPPENS AFTER DEATH? #1
By David J. Riggs
Intro.
A. In this lesson we shall attempt to answer the question, "What
happens after death?"
1. This question has plagued man from the dawn of creation.
2. People of all ages and races have sought its answer.
B. The Old Testament did not provide the answer; it revealed very
little about it.
1. The ancient Greek philosophers had miserably failed in
trying to give a satisfactory answer.
a. This was the reason many of the Gentiles readily accepted
the gospel in the first century.
b. For the first time they had something that truly had the
answers.
C. 2 Tim. 1:10 -- Thus, through Jesus Christ and His gospel we can
answer our question.
I. THE SPIRITS GO INTO HADES.
A. Luke 16:19-31 reveals much about what happens after death.
1. Some say that this is only a parable.
a. I do not agree, but even if it was a parable, it does not
change the facts in the passage.
b. Parables always deal with the realistic--with things that
can and do actually occur.
c. For example, in Luke 8:4-15 Jesus began his lesson by
saying, "A sower went out to sow his seed..." This is a
realistic occurrence.
2. Verse 22 of Luke 16 reveals that a part of man is carried
away at the point of death.
a. What part of man is carried away by the angels at death?
b. It is not the body for the body is buried here on earth.
(1) Eccl. 12:7 -- Thus, our spirits return to God when we
die.
(2) Psalm 90:10 teaches that there is a part of man that
flies away at death.
(3) Gen. 35:18-19 and 1 Kings 17:21-22 reveal that the
soul departs when one dies.
(4) James 2:26
(5) It is plainly revealed, therefore, that after death
our spirits or souls are carried back to God.
3. Verses 23-31 of Luke 16 reveal that after death man is
conscious and rational.
a. Verses 22b-23 -- Thus, the rich man could see after he
had died.
b. Verse 24 -- Therefore, the rich man could speak and feel
after death.
c. Verse 25 -- Thus, after death he could remember. In
verses 27-31, he remembered his five brothers back here
on earth.
d. We must conclude, therefore, that man does not cease
existence after death, but is conscious and rational.
4. Verses 22-26 reveal the places to which the good and the
wicked go when they die.
a. They are much different from back here on earth.
b. Verse 22 -- "Abraham's bosom" is described as a place of
comfort in verse 25.
(1) In Matt. 22:31-32, Jesus showed that Abraham existed
after death.
(2) Jesus was showing the error of the Sadducees who
profess that "there is no resurrection, neither
angel, nor spirit." Acts 23:8
(3) His argument was built on the tense of the verb.
(4) If Abraham had no existence after death, God should
have said, "I was the God of Abraham, Isaac, and
Jacob," but since God said, "I am..." it showed that
Abraham still had conscious existence.
(5) Since Abraham was truly a righteous man, we can
understand why he is connected with the place of
comfort--a place called "Abraham's bosom."
c. The place of comfort is also called "Paradise."
(1) Jesus said to the thief on the cross -- Luke 23:43.
(2) Thus, both Jesus and the thief on that very day would
be a place called "paradise."
(3) Acts 2:27-31 reveals that the place where Jesus went
is also called "hades."
(a) The word for "hell" in verses 27 and 31 in the
original is "hades."
(4) Some become confused on this subject because the
words, "hades," "gehenna," and "tartarus" are all
translated by the single term "hell" in the King
James Version.
(a) These words should be distinguished. "Gehenna"
always refers to the place of eternal punishment,
"hades" to the intermediate state, and "tartarus"
to that part of hades where the wicked are during
the intermediate state.
(5) Jesus did not go into the eternal place of punishment
when He died, but into "paradise," a place of comfort
in hades.
(a) His soul did not stay in that place because it
was reunited with His body.
(b) Furthermore, Jesus did not go into heaven when He
died.
i) After he was raised, He said to Mary
Magdelene, "Touch me not; for I am not yet
ascended to my Father..." John 20:17
ii) This shows that paradise is not heaven, and
the righteous dead do not go directly to
heaven as many believe and teach today.
d. There is also a place of torment in hades. See Luke
16:22-25 once again.
(1) The word for "hell" (vs. 23 KJV) in the original is
not "gehenna" (the eternal place of punishment), but
"hades" (the temporary place where spirits await the
judgment).
e. 2 Pet. 2:4 -- Here the word for hell is "tartarus," the
only place it is found in the N.T.
(1) The American Standard Version renders 2 Pet. 2:9,
"The Lord knoweth how to...keep the unrighteous under
punishment unto the day of judgment..."
(2) Jude, speaking of the wicked angels, said -- Jude 6.
(3) In 1 Pet. 3:19-20, Peter spoke of those who were
disobedient in the days of Noah as their spirits as
being in prison.
(4) Thus, we must conclude that there is not only a place
of comfort in hades, but also a place of torment
where the spirits of the wicked are in prison and are
kept under punishment to await the judgment.
f. Verse 26 of Luke 16 reveals that there is a great gulf
fixed between the two places.
5. In summary to this first portion of our study of "What
happens after death?", we answer:
a. When a righteous person dies, his soul or spirit is
carried by the angels to Abraham's bosom in hades, a
place of comfort, paradise.
b. When a wicked person dies, his spirit is placed in prison
in hades, a place of torment, where he is reserved in
punishment until the day of judgment.
c. There is no passing or moving back and forth from the two
places.
II. THE SECOND COMING OF CHRIST.
A. The spirits which have passed from this life into hades will in
their respective places await the second coming of Christ.
1. The second coming marks the end of all things on this earth.
2 Pet. 3:10
B. At the second coming, Christ will bring the spirits of the
righteous dead with him. 1 Thess. 4:13-14
1. Please notice that Paul said, "...Them also which sleep in
Jesus will God bring with him."
2. This could only refer to the souls of the righteous dead.
a. They will be brought out of the place of comfort in hades
and will return with the Lord.
b. Their bodies which they had previously occupied while
here on earth will be raised.
C. Paul continues -- 1 Thess. 4:15-16.
1. Thus, Paul reveals a definite order of events.
a. The righteous who are living when the Lord comes will not
go before those who have already died, for "the dead in
Christ shall rise first" (vs. 16; 1 Cor. 15:22-23).
2. Paul proceeds to show what will happen after the dead in
Christ have been raised. 1 Thess. 4:17
a. The old humorous adage, "You'll not get out of this world
alive" is not necessarily true.
3. There are several other passages which reveal that the
bodies of the righteous will be changed at the second coming
of Christ. Phil. 3:20-21; 1 Cor. 15:52-53; 1 John 3:2
D. At the second coming, the bodies of the wicked will be raised.
1. Acts 24:15 plainly reveals that there will be a resurrection
of BOTH the just and the unjust.
2. At that time the wicked will receive the resurrection of
damnation. John 5:28-29
E. 2 Thess 1:7-9 shows what will happen to the wicked who are
alive on this earth when the Lord comes.
Concl.
A. What happens after death?
1. When a righteous person dies, he goes into a place of
comfort and awaits the second coming of Christ at which time
he will come back with the Lord and his body will be raised
incorruptible.
a. The righteous who are living when the Lord comes will
then also be changed.
2. When a wicked person dies, he goes into a place of torment
and awaits the second coming of Christ at which time he will
have the resurrection of damnation.
a. The wicked who are living when the Lord comes will also
at that time receive everlasting punishment.
B. In our next lesson, we will continue our study on "What happens
after death?"