26-Questions about Death - NAS

1. What Does Paul Mean by the Expression "Absent From the Body and Present with the Lord?".

2 Corinthians 5:6 Therefore, being always of good _courage_, and _knowing_ that while we are at home in the body we are absent from the Lord -

2 Corinthians 5:8 We are of good _courage_, I say, and prefer rather to be _absent_ from the body and to be at home with the Lord.

2 Corinthians 5:4 For indeed while we are in this tent, we groan, being burdened, because we do not want to be _unclothed_ but to be clothed, so that what is mortal will be _swallowed_ up by life.

In these verses Paul contrasts the earthly perishable body subject to sickness, disease, and death, with the glorious, eternal, immortal body which God has prepared for us when we are taken to heaven.

The expression "absent from the body" means absent from the mortal body with its earthly infirmities. The expression "present with the Lord" means present in the glorious immortal body received at Jesus Second Coming.

2. Paul Is Saying the Same Thing in 1 Corinthians 15.

1 Corinthians 15:51-54 Behold, I tell you a _mystery_; we will not all sleep, but we will all be changed, [52] 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 will be changed. [53] For this perishable must put on the imperishable, and this mortal must put on immortality. [54] But when this perishable will have put on the imperishable, and this mortal will have put on immortality, then will come about the _saying_ that is _written_, "DEATH IS _SWALLOWED_ UP in _victory_.

In 1 Corinthians 15 as well as 2 Corinthians 5, Paul longs for Jesus Second Coming.

3. Notice Paul's Sentiments in His Second Letter to Timothy.

2 Timothy 4:6-8 For I am already being poured out as a drink offering, and the time of my _departure_ has come. [7] I have fought the good fight, I have _finished_ the course, I have kept the faith; [8] in the _future_ there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day; and not only to me, but also to all who have loved His _appearing_.

4. If the Dead Are Asleep, How Could the Witch of Endor Bring the Prophet Samuel Back From the Dead to Speak to King Saul?

1 Samuel 28:15 Then Samuel said to Saul, "Why have you _disturbed_ me by bringing me up?" And Saul answered, "I am greatly _distressed_; for the _Philistines_ are waging war against me, and God has departed from me and no longer answers me, either through prophets or by dreams; _therefore_ I have called you, that you may make known to me what I should do."

5. There Are Three Important Facts to Observe About This Story:

First, God's Clear Command Through the Entire Old Testament Period Was That Spiritualists Be Driven Out of the Land of Israel.

Any found in the land were to be put to death. The word of God unmasks all spiritualism as the work of satanic forces (see Deuteronomy 18:10-15; Isaiah 47:13, 14).

6. Second, Saul Had Already Rejected the Prophet Samuel's Council. He Had Inquired of God and Had Received No Answer.

1 Samuel 28:6 When Saul _inquired_ of the LORD, the LORD did not answer him, either by dreams or by Urim or by _prophets_.

7. Saul Went to the Witch of Endor Because He Had Received No Answer From the Lord. What Saul Saw Was Not Samuel.

Notice What the Witch Says She Sees and What Saul Perceives.

1 Samuel 28:13-14 The king said to her, "Do not be afraid; but what do you see?" And the woman said to Saul, "I see a divine being coming up out of the earth." [14] He said to her, "What is his form?" And she said, "An old man is coming up, and he is _wrapped_ with a robe." And Saul knew that it was _Samuel_, and he bowed with his face to the _ground_ and did _homage_.

8. Since the Dead Know Nothing, It Has to Be Satan Masquerading As the Form of the Dead Imitating Their Form and Voices.

Revelation 16:14 For they are spirits of demons, _performing_ signs, which go out to the kings of the whole world, to gather them together for the war of the great day of God, the _Almighty_.

9. Third, the Ultimate Result of Saul's Visit to the Witch of Endor Was Not Repentance and Confession of Sin, But Rather Despair, Discouragement, and Death.

He went to the battle field without any hope.

10. Doesn't Paul Imply That a Person Goes Directly to Heaven by Stating That He Wanted to Depart to Be with Christ and That Death Is Gain?

Philippians 1:21 For to me, to live is _Christ_ and to die is _gain_.

Philippians 1:23 But I am hard-pressed from both _directions_, having the desire to depart and be with Christ, for that is very much _better_;

The Bible does not contradict itself. Paul doesn't say one thing in one place and something different in another place.

11. Paul Says That at the Second Coming of Jesus, the Righteous Dead Are Resurrected to Receive Their Eternal Reward.

1 Thessalonians 4:16-17 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. [17] Then we who are alive and remain will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we shall _always_ be with the Lord.

12. Paul Says That Our Citizenship Is in Heaven From Where Jesus Will Take Us After Giving Us Bodies Like His Own.

Philippians 3:20-21 For our _citizenship_ is in heaven, from which also we eagerly wait for a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ; [21] who will _transform_ the body of our humble state into _conformity_ with the body of His glory, by the exertion of the power that He has even to subject all things to Himself.

13. From Prison Paul Writes to Timothy Saying That He Is Ready to Die and Looks Forward to the Day When Jesus Comes Back for All Those Who Love His Appearing.

2 Timothy 4:7-8 I have fought the good fight, I have _finished_ the course, I have kept the faith; [8] in the _future_ there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day; and not only to me, but also to all who have loved His _appearing_.

Paul longed for the Return of Jesus when he would see his Lord's face and be ushered into eternity. In this case, it is easy to see why Paul would say death is gain. For him it would mean freedom from pain, deliverance from bondage in a Roman prison, and security from the temptations of Satan.

To Paul, death was a sleep with no conscious passage of time. The next event for him after closing his eyes in the sleep of death was to depart this earth and be with the Lord.

Since there is no conscious passing of time from death to Christ's Second Coming, for Paul, death meant closing his eyes in sleep and waking up to be with the Lord.

14. In the Parable of the Rich Man and Lazarus, the Rich Man Goes Immediately to Hell and Lazarus to Heaven. Why Did Jesus Use This Parable If the Dead Are Sleeping?

Luke 16:19-31 "Now there was a rich man, and he _habitually_ _dressed_ in purple and fine linen, _joyously_ living in _splendor_ every day. [20] "And a poor man named Lazarus was laid at his gate, covered with sores, [21] and _longing_ to be fed with the crumbs which were _falling_ from the rich man's table; besides, even the dogs were coming and _licking_ his sores. [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. [23] "In Hades he lifted up his eyes, being in torment, and saw Abraham far away and Lazarus in his bosom. [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.' [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. [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.' [27] "And he said, 'Then I beg you, father, that you send him to my _father's_ house - [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.' [29] "But Abraham said, 'They have Moses and the Prophets; let them hear them.' [30] "But he said, 'No, father Abraham, but if someone goes to them from the dead, they will _repent_!' [31] "But he said to him, 'If they do not _listen_ to Moses and the Prophets, they will not be _persuaded_ even if someone rises from the dead.' "

It is important to notice that this is a parable. It is the fifth of a series of parables (the lost sheep, the lost coin, the lost boy (luke 15), and the unjust steward (luke 16:1-11). Parables are designed to teach great moral principles. Each feature of the parable is not taken literally. We do not have the features of the sheep, or the properties of the coin.

The question to ask while studying each parable is what are the great moral lessons? It becomes a problem when we take each aspect of a parable literally rather than seeking the lesson Jesus is teaching.

Let's assume that the parable of the rich man and Lazarus is a literal story. Do people actually have conversations between heaven and hell? Can those in heaven see people burning in hell? Can they hear their screams? Do souls actually have fingers and tongues as described in the parable? Abraham must have a large bosom to contain all the individuals who go there.

To take the parable literally is to create huge problems. Heaven would be a terrible place if we beheld the constant, ever present suffering of our friends.

Why did Jesus tell this story? What lessons was He trying to teach?

The Jews had a common story describing death as passing through a valley of darkness picturing salvation as fleeing to the security of Abraham's bosom and the eternally lost going to destruction.

Jesus used this story to teach three lessons.

The Jews believed that riches were a sign of God's favor and poverty a sign of His displeasure. In the story, the rich man who the Jews thought was blessed of God ends up in hell and the poor man in heaven. Jesus reverses the expected outcome.

Lesson #1 Riches gained by greed, dishonesty, or oppressing the poor are never a sign of God's favor.

Lesson #2 The parable describes a great gulf that is fixed. There is no second chance or opportunity for growing into God's favor once a person is lost. The decisions made in this life determine our eternal destiny.

Lesson #3 Jesus points out that since the Pharisees had rejected the clear teachings of God's Word regarding salvation, they would also reject a supernatural miracle such as someone rising from the dead.

15. The Jews Were Always Asking Jesus for a Sign. He Gave Them the Greatest Sign. A Short While Later, He Raised Lazarus From the Dead.

John 11:11-14 This He said, and after that He said to them, "Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep; but I go, so that I may awaken him out of sleep." [12] The _disciples_ then said to Him, "Lord, if he has fallen asleep, he will recover." [13] Now Jesus had spoken of his death, but they thought that He was _speaking_ of _literal_ sleep. [14] So Jesus then said to them _plainly_, "Lazarus is dead,

John 11:43-44 When He had said these things, He cried out with a loud voice, "_Lazarus_, come forth." [44] The man who had died came forth, bound hand and foot with _wrappings_, and his face was _wrapped_ around with a cloth. Jesus said to them, "Unbind him, and let him go."

16. As a Result of This Mighty Miracle, the Jewish Leaders Became Threatened and Decided to Kill Lazarus.

John 12:9-11 The large crowd of the Jews then learned that He was there; and they came, not for Jesus' sake only, but that they might also see Lazarus, whom He raised from the dead. [10] But the chief priests _planned_ to put Lazarus to death also; [11] _because_ on _account_ of him many of the Jews were going away and were _believing_ in Jesus.

17. They Became So Angry at Jesus-They Were So Deceived That They Plotted to Destroy Jesus As Well. They Had Read the Bible with a Veil Over Their Eyes. They Had Failed to Understand That "All Scriptures" Testify of Jesus.

John 5:39 "You search the _Scriptures_ because you think that in them you have eternal life; it is these that _testify_ about Me;

18. When Jesus Raised Lazarus From the Dead, They Did Not Believe. His Words in Luke 16 Were Prophetic.

Luke 16:31 "But he said to him, 'If they do not listen to Moses and the _Prophets_, they will not be _persuaded_ even if someone rises from the dead.' "

In the parable of the rich man and Lazarus, Jesus was using a popular story to make a powerful lesson.

19. What Does It Mean in Revelation 6 Where It Describes the Souls Under the Alter Crying with a Loud Voice.

Revelation 6:9-11 When the Lamb broke the fifth seal, I saw _underneath_ the altar the souls of those who had been slain because of the word of God, and because of the _testimony_ which they had _maintained_; [10] and they cried out with a loud voice, saying, "How long, O Lord, holy and true, will You refrain from judging and _avenging_ our blood on those who dwell on the earth?" [11] And there was given to each of them a white robe; and they were told that they should rest for a little while longer, until the number of their fellow _servants_ and their _brethren_ who were to be killed even as they had been, would be _completed_ also.

Next Bible Study: 27-Millennium - 1000 Years of Peace

c:\a-\bibsty\_redo_st\updatefi\k_26_na.htm