As I have contemplated what I would want my loved ones to know in the event of my death, I thought, I would want them to know truth. Truth about death and heaven and hell, not the internet version, but what does the BIBLE say. I just want to look at some Biblical references and we will begin with the subject of death. What is a soul? To answer that question we must begin at the beginning. The Bible says in Genesis 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." https://www.bible.com/bible/1/GEN.2.KJV So dust plus the breath of God equals a "soul". Ezekiel 18:4 "Behold, all souls are mine; as the soul of the father, so also the soul of the son is mine: the soul that sinneth, it shall die.20 The soul that sinneth, it shall die. The son shall not bear the iniquity of the father, neither shall the father bear the iniquity of the son: the righteousness of the righteous shall be upon him, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon him." https://www.bible.com/bible/1/EZK.18.KJV Ecclesiastes 12:7 "Then shall the dust return to the earth as it was: and the spirit shall return unto God who gave it." https://www.bible.com/bible/1/ECC.12.KJV James 2:26 "For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also." https://www.bible.com/bible/1/JAS.2.KJV This brings us to the question what is the spirit which "returns to God"? Job 27:3 "All the while my breath is in me, And the spirit of God is in my nostrils;" https://www.bible.com/bible/1/JOB.27.KJV Job 33:4 "The Spirit of God hath made me, And the breath of the Almighty hath given me life." https://www.bible.com/bible/1/JOB.33.KJV Thus far we have Genesis, which told us that a living soul is the dust of the ground and the breath of God. And Job confirms that the "spirit" hangs out in his nostrils. This "spirit" is nothing but the breath that God has given to each person. When you go to bed each night, if you sleep soundly, the next thing that you know, it's morning. You were not aware of the passage of time. However many hours went by, it seemed like a blink of an eye; one minute your head hits the pillow, and the next minute your alarm clock is going off. That is what death is like. The dust goes back wherever it gets put and the breath to God. Let's look at a few more passages to confirm. Ecclesiastes 9:5 "For the living know that they shall die: but the dead know not any thing, neither have they any more a reward; for the memory of them is forgotten. 6 Also their love, and their hatred, and their envy, is now perished; neither have they any more a portion for ever in any thing that is done under the sun." https://www.bible.com/bible/1/ECC.9.KJV John 11:11 "These things said he: and after that he saith unto them, Our friend Lazarus sleepeth; but I go, that I may awake him out of sleep. 12 Then said his disciples, Lord, if he sleep, he shall do well. 13 Howbeit Jesus spake of his death: but they thought that he had spoken of taking of rest in sleep. 14 Then said Jesus unto them plainly, Lazarus is dead. 23 Jesus saith unto her, Thy brother shall rise again. 24 Martha saith unto him, I know that he shall rise again in the resurrection at the last day. 25 Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live:" https://www.bible.com/bible/1/JHN.11.KJV Jesus compared death to sleep, in fact, this begs the question, what is the resurrection for if people go to heaven or hell when they die? Consider these verses in Psalms 6:5 "For in death there is no remembrance of thee: In the grave who shall give thee thanks?" https://www.bible.com/bible/1/PSA.6.KJV and Psalm 115:17 "The dead praise not the LORD, Neither any that go down into silence." https://www.bible.com/bible/1/PSA.115.KJV If the dead aren't praising the Lord, then they are definitely not in heaven. So what about the text where Paul says to be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord? 2 Corinthians 5:6 "Therefore we are always confident, knowing that, whilst we are at home in the body, we are absent from the Lord: 7 (for we walk by faith, not by sight:) 8 we are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord. 9 Wherefore we labour, that, whether present or absent, we may be accepted of him. 10 For we must all appear before the judgment 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." https://www.bible.com/bible/1/2CO.5.KJV Let's use the Bible to help answer this question. These are also Paul's words in 1 Corinthians 15:18 "Then they also which are fallen asleep in Christ are perished. 51 Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, 52 in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. 53 For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. 54 So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory. 55 O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?" https://www.bible.com/bible/1/1CO.15.KJV Notice Paul uses the word "sleep" to refer to death. Paul also says some other controversial things in the previous verses in 1 Corinthians 15:42 "So also is the resurrection of the dead. It is sown in corruption; it is raised in incorruption: 43 it is sown in dishonour; it is raised in glory: it is sown in weakness; it is raised in power: 44 it is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body. There is a natural body, and there is a spiritual body. 45 And so it is written, The first man Adam was made a living soul; the last Adam was made a quickening spirit. 46 Howbeit that was not first which is spiritual, but that which is natural; and afterward that which is spiritual. 47 The first man is of the earth, earthy: the second man is the Lord from heaven. 48 As is the earthy, such are they also that are earthy: and as is the heavenly, such are they also that are heavenly. 49 And as we have borne the image of the earthy, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly. 50 Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither doth corruption inherit incorruption."(same link as above) This passage is difficult at best. The only thing I can say is that Luke 24 gives a description of Jesus after His resurrection this way: verse 36 "And as they thus spake, Jesus himself stood in the midst of them, and saith unto them, Peace be unto you. 37 But they were terrified and affrighted, and supposed that they had seen a spirit. 38 And he said unto them, Why are ye troubled? and why do thoughts arise in your hearts? 39 Behold my hands and my feet, that it is I myself: handle me, and see; for a spirit hath not flesh and bones, as ye see me have. 40 And when he had thus spoken, he shewed them his hands and his feet." https://www.bible.com/bible/1/LUK.24.KJV Paul also says this in Philippians 3:20 "For our conversation is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ: 21 who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself." https://www.bible.com/bible/1/PHP.3.KJV In 1 Corinthians 13, Paul says this:12 "For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known." https://www.bible.com/bible/1/1CO.13.KJV What we do know is that we will not be disembodied spirits, we will have a recognizable body. I will know any of my family, friends, or acquaintances that I have already known and I will make all kinds of new acquaintances in heaven.
Which brings me to my favorite part-Heaven and the earth made new. My favorite verses in the Bible describe the resurrection and heaven. 1 Thessalonians 4:13 “But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope. 14 For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him. 15 For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep. 16 For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: 17 then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. 18 Wherefore comfort one another with these words.” https://www.bible.com/bible/1/1TH.4.KJV Jesus himself comes and wakes up the righteous dead and all the saved meet together in the clouds. What will we be doing in heaven for all eternity; just sitting around on clouds, playing a harp, and saying, Praise God over and over again? How boring would that be? The Bible says, in Isaiah 65:17 “For, behold, I create new heavens and a new earth: and the former shall not be remembered, nor come into mind. 21 And they shall build houses, and inhabit them; and they shall plant vineyards, and eat the fruit of them. 22 They shall not build, and another inhabit; they shall not plant, and another eat: for as the days of a tree are the days of my people, and mine elect shall long enjoy the work of their hands. 23 They shall not labour in vain, nor bring forth for trouble; for they are the seed of the blessed of the LORD, and their offspring with them. 24 And it shall come to pass, that before they call, I will answer; and while they are yet speaking, I will hear. 25 The wolf and the lamb shall feed together, and the lion shall eat straw like the bullock: and dust shall be the serpent's meat. They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain, saith the LORD.” https://www.bible.com/bible/1/ISA.65.KJV While I do not pretend to know exactly what it means to b building a house in the earth made new, I do know that we won’t be in any pain or even break a sweat trying to nail in 2x4’s. Revelation 21:1” And 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. 2 And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. 3 And 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. 4 And 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. 10 And he carried me away in the spirit to a great and high mountain, and shewed me that great city, the holy Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God, 23 And the city had no need of the sun, neither of the moon, to shine in it: for the glory of God did lighten it, and the Lamb is the light thereof. 27 And there shall in no wise enter into it any thing that defileth, neither whatsoever worketh abomination, or maketh a lie: but they which are written in the Lamb's book of life.” https://www.bible.com/bible/1/REV.21.KJV No more sadness, pain, sickness or death, no more sin will ever be in the new earth. Psalm 16:11 “Thou wilt shew me the path of life: In thy presence is fulness of joy; At thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore.” For all of eternity we will have “pleasures for evermore”. I can’t wait for the day when we will be able to see those who have died, who loved the Lord, resurrected and be together in heaven forever. John 14:1 "Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. 2 In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also." https://www.bible.com/bible/1/JHN.14.KJV For information on being saved click here: https://iodtiger.blogspot.com/2025/06/what-bible-says-about-how-to-be-saved.html and here: https://iodtiger.blogspot.com/2024/03/sabbath-vs-sunday.html
That brings us to the last subject, what happens in hell and when is it? We have already learned in Revelation 21:4 & 27 that nothing which defiles, no death, or pain will ever be in heaven. What happens to those who don't want to go to heaven, and all evil? Revelation 20:7 "And when the thousand years are expired, Satan shall be loosed out of his prison, 8 and 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. 9 And they went up on the breadth of the earth, and compassed the camp of the saints about, and the beloved city: and fire came down from God out of heaven, and devoured them. 10 And 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." https://www.bible.com/bible/1/REV.20.KJV Many people think that this means that hell will be burning throughout all eternity. I could not believe in a God who would keep people alive and torture them in an eternally burning hell. Malachi 4:1 "For, behold, the day cometh, that shall burn as an oven; and all the proud, yea, and all that do wickedly, shall be stubble: and the day that cometh shall burn them up, saith the LORD of hosts, that it shall leave them neither root nor branch. 2 But unto you that fear my name shall the Sun of righteousness arise with healing in his wings; and ye shall go forth, and grow up as calves of the stall. 3 And ye shall tread down the wicked; for they shall be ashes under the soles of your feet in the day that I shall do this, saith the LORD of hosts." https://www.bible.com/bible/1/MAL.4.KJV Consider also the following verses about the word "forever". 1 Samuel 1:22 "But Hannah went not up; for she said unto her husband, I will not go up until the child be weaned, and then I will bring him, that he may appear before the LORD, and there abide for ever. 28 therefore also I have lent him to the LORD; as long as he liveth he shall be lent to the LORD. And he worshipped the LORD there." https://www.bible.com/bible/1/1SA.1.KJV Forever in this verse means as long as Samuel was alive. Jonah 1:17 "Now the LORD had prepared a great fish to swallow up Jonah. And Jonah was in the belly of the fish three days and three nights. Compare that to Jonah's prayer in chapter 2:6 "I went down to the bottoms of the mountains; The earth with her bars was about me for ever: Yet hast thou brought up my life from corruption, O LORD my God." https://www.bible.com/bible/1/JON.1.KJV https://www.bible.com/bible/1/JON.2.KJV Yes, I bet that three days and nights SEEMED like FOREVER in the belly of a whale. Revelation 21:8 "But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, 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." https://www.bible.com/bible/1/REV.21.KJV Fire requires fuel. When there is only ashes left, the fire goes out. The Bible is clear, after 1000 years in heaven, the new Jerusalem comes down from heaven and then evil will finally be destroyed, and then the earth will be recreated.
My prayer is that everyone listening to this or reading this will be found on the sea of glass and not in the lake of fire. It will be one or the other. Which one will you choose?
