davidbu@loowit.wr.tek.com (David E. Buxton) (03/14/91)
One of my dumb jokes - "The problem with a good night sleep is that you
don't get to stay up and enjoy it." That is what Jesus said death is like.
You don't even get to wander around looking down on your loved ones.
Death, described as a sleep, has no conscious soul experience. The dead
know not anything, is what my Bible tells me. When you die your next
conscious thought is at one of two resurrections - the resurrection of the
saved or the final resurrection of the wicked. The same amount of conscious
time will pass for you as it will for Adam - that time passes in the
twinkling of an eye.
The Bible tells us that Death is like going to sleep. Death is equated to
sleep at least 66 times in the Bible. Here are just a few of these texts:
For now shall I sleep in the dust. (Job 7:21)
Lighten mine eyes, lest I sleep the sleep of death. (Ps. 13:3)
I shall be satisfied, when I awake, with thy likeness. (Ps. 17:15)
They have slept their sleep. Sleep is perpetual. (Psalm 76:5,6)
Defeated Babylonians will sleep a perpetual sleep. (Jer 51:39, 57)
"Many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to
everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt". (Dan.
12:2)
The graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints which slept
arose. (Matt. 27:52)
The maid is not dead, but sleepeth. (Matt. 9:24)
Your daughter has died so don't trouble the Master. Lots of weeping
and wailing. Jesus said the damsel is not dead, but sleepeth. And
they laughed him to scorn. And he entered in and said unto her . . .
and she stood up and walked. At this they were completely astonished.
(Mark 5:35-42)
Read especially what Jesus had to say about Lazarus:
JESUS said - Our friend Lazarus sleepeth. I go to wake Him. If He
sleeps he will get better. "So then He told them plainly, 'Lazarus is
dead'" . . . (John 11:11-14)
Here Jesus very clearly and pointedly equates death to be like sleep. There
is nothing at all ambiguous about this story and Jesus objective to make
clear what death is all about.
Lazarus was clearly dead as it had been four days. (John 11:17) And there
is significance in the four days. If Lazarus had seen heaven I am sure that
he would have told his friends about it. Such a story is sure to have been
told. After four days he would have had some fantastic stories to tell. It
seems inconceivable that such stories would have been lost to history if
they had been told. Why was it that Jesus waited until after four days? We
know that the Pharisees had accepted many of the Greek theories of the
after life. Also a theory that the soul stays close at hand for three days
before true death sets in and the soul departs. Many Jews today will tell
you that. The Saducees, on the other hand, totally rejected all such
notions, even of the possibility of a resurrection. Jesus destroyed both
sets of theories by raising Lazarus after four days in the tomb. (John
11:17)
Perhaps you insist that the sleep of the dead is a semi-conscious sleep.
The Old Testament is especially clear about the unconscious sleep of the
dead. The New Testament is also clear:
"His spirit departs, he returns to his earth; In that very day his
thoughts perish." (Psa 146:4)
When a wicked man dies, his hopes and expectations will perish. (Prov
11:7)
The living know that they will die; but the dead know nothing. (Eccl
9:5)
No knowledge or wisdom in the grave where you are going. (Eccl 9:10)
When he died Stephen 'fell asleep'. (Acts 7:60)
For this cause many . . . . sleep. (1 Cor. 11:30)
But some are fallen asleep. (1 Cor 15:6)
Which are fallen asleep in Christ (1 Cor 15:18)
The first fruits of them that slept. (1 Cor 15:20)
We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed at the last trump.
(1 Cor. 15:51)
But I would not have you to be ignorant . . . concerning them which are
asleep. The dead in Christ will rise first. (1 Thess. 4:13-17)
Since the fathers fell asleep. (2 Peter 3:4)
A pastor tells the story of a family with twelve children:
"There were twelve children in that family, and it was a happy home. I
loved to visit them every time I went to their city. But one day the
mother got sick and died. What a sad funeral! Twelve little children
with their father gathered around a grave.
"The next time I visited the family, the father was trying to play the
role of both father and mother to those twelve children. There was so
much sorrow and heartache as those little children kept asking, 'When
is mother coming back? We want our mother."
Can you imagine that mother looking down from heaven and seeing her children
in their sorrow? Would she enjoy the bliss of heaven knowing that her fam-
ily needed her? I'm afraid she would cry, 'Let me go down to my family.
They need me. This isn't heaven to me when I know my family is suffering.'
What happens if her husband ends up in hell and can now plead to her from
hell?
For the living know that they shall die: but the dead know not anything
(Ecc 9:5,6)
Why not take comfort that the next conscious thoughts of our loved ones will
on the resurrection day after time has passed in the twinkling of an eye.
He who sleeps naturally knows nothing of that which happens in his
neighbor's house or his own house.
"Behold, I tell you a mystery: We shall not all sleep, but we shall all
be changed; in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trum-
pet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorrup-
tible, and we shall be changed. For this corruptible must put on
incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. So when this
corruptible has put on incorruption, and this mortal has put on immor-
tality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written:
"Death is swallowed up in victory." "O Death, where is your sting? O
Hades{grave}, where is your victory?"" -- 1 Cor 15:51-55 (NKJ) But
thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus
Christ. (vs 57)
How can your soul be conscious after death if this text says we are mortal,
waiting for immortality to come at Jesus 2nd Coming. Jesus Christ will give
us the victory over death on that Great Resurrection Day. The time in
between will be gone in a breathless instant. And then we will see Jesus
face to face.
Also, why be tempted to pray to Mary or any of the other 'saints' who are
not in heaven but waiting for the great resurrection day or our Lord's
return. Depend on Jesus and not the saints. Call on the name of the Lord
who alone can save.
Dave (David E. Buxton)
From the Silicon RainForest of the Northwest