A prevailing idea in modern times amongst many Christians, including many preachers and pastors, is that immediately upon death, the deceased believer is present in heaven with the Lord. The biblical truth is actually very different from this. The proponents of “He has gone home to be with the Lord in Heaven” should be cautioned that those words are not recorded one time in the scriptures at the death of a saint. This is a statement invented by man, not God. If one wants to be scriptural about the death of a loved one however, it would be appropriate to say, “He fell asleep” or, “He sleeps with his fathers”. A study of Christ’s return and the resurrection will enlighten us as to our whereabouts at death. Only when we put the resurrections back in their rightful place as the means to raise the dead, will the phrase “looking for our blessed hope and the glorious appearing of …Jesus Christ” be put into its proper context, (Titus 2:13). This verse becomes meaningless to those saying “Christians are already in heaven when they die”, because they claim they are already in His presence. Heaven is a Holy Sanctuary devoted to the worship of Almighty God. There is no sin there. The bride of Christ will be there, carried into heaven by the Groom himself. One’s presence there is by invitation and the act of spiritual union. Contrary to popular opinion, we will not straggle in one at a time, but will be gathered there in unison. It is the bride’s duty to ready herself, and be ready at the Groom’s call. A careful look at the following scriptures will put into perspective when the saints go to heaven.
The Return of Christ
Matt. 25:31-34, 46 “When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of glory. And before Him shall be gathered all nations; and he shall separate them one from another…then shall the King say, ‘Come ye blessed of my Father, inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world….and these shall go away into everlasting punishment; but the righteous to life eternal.’”
John 14: 2 “And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you unto myself; that where I am there you may be also.”
Matt. 25:1, 6, 13 1 “Then shall the kingdom of heaven be likened unto ten virgins, which took their lamps and went forth to meet the bridegroom.” (6) “And at midnight there was a cry made, behold the bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet him.” (13) “Watch therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh.”
Matt 25:14,19 14 “For the kingdom of heaven is a man travelling into a far country, who called his own servants, and delivered unto them his goods.” (19)”After a long time the lord of those servants cometh, and reckoneth with them.”
All of these scriptures portray our Master leaving us as we are on earth only to return to us. Jesus says in Matt. 25:31 that he returns with his holy angels, with no mention of his saints. Certainly he would, had they been with him. Verse 32 says we are gathering unto Him at His throne (on earth), judged and then (and only then) punished or enter into eternal life (heaven). Had these saints been in heaven before Christ’s return, they would have already inherited the kingdom with no need to enter the kingdom and/or eternal life at this gathering of the nations. John 14:2 reinforces this truth stating that He (Christ) will come again and receive us to himself (rapture), so that where He is we can be there also. Had we already been in heaven with him, Jesus would never have said this. Matthew 25:1-13 and 14-19 each relate that the master is separated from the virgins and servants (they are not in heaven) and expects them to be alert, anticipating his return. In each case the master returns to earth because he is separated from them. There would be no need to return if believers automatically went to heaven at death. His return, however, is announced with a rapture of the dead and living alike.
The overwhelming conclusion to these scriptures is that we (dead and alive) are on earth and that Christ returns to earth to reign over us. From these scriptures, there is absolutely no doubt that our inheritance does not come until after we are judged at the throne!! Revelation 19:7-21 describes the coming of Christ when Jesus comes riding on a white horse during his triumphal entry into Jerusalem, with KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS written upon himself. This correlates with Jesus’ announcement in Matthew 24:29 that his coming to earth is after the great tribulation and that all the powers of heaven are shaken, including the sun, moon, and stars. This coming reference states he has his armies with him. II Kings 6:16-17 describes what his armies may look like. Again, there is no mention of saints. Revelations 19:9 refers to the event taking place as the “marriage supper of the Lamb” and verses 18-19 states that the fowls that fly in the midst of heaven will gather unto the “supper of the great God” and will eat the flesh of kings, captains and mighty men. The beast and false prophet are taken and thrown into a lake of fire and his followers are slain. This coincides with the first resurrection of the dead found in Rev. 20:4-6.
Paul describes that the believers participate in this coming in 1 Thessalonians 4:13-17. (13) “But I would not have you to be ignorant brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which had 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 who 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.” According to these verses, believers do not come from heaven but are raised from sleep and the grave to meet Christ in the air, only to return with him (1 Thessalonians 4:13-14). Certainly “the dead” would not be meeting Christ in the clouds if they were coming with Christ from heaven. Just as the multitudes met Jesus outside Jerusalem on his Triumphal Entry, believers (after meeting Him in the air) will return with Jesus to begin his earthly reign. This meeting in the air, and return, satisfies both 1 Thess. 4:14 and Jude 14 when reference is made of Christ bringing those who sleep at his return. Revelations 20:4-6 says, “And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years (4). But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection (5). Blessed 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 Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years (6).” These believers reign with Christ for 1000 years on earth, as priests to Jesus, in his earthly reign. They are martyrs who came through the Great Tribulation and are members of the FIRST Resurrection of the dead. At the first resurrection, John specifies those raptured are those who:
- Were beheaded for the witness of Jesus and the WORD of God
- Had not worshipped the beast or his image.
- Had not received his mark upon their foreheads or hands.
The rest of the dead are not raised until after the 1000 year reign of Christ (Rev. 20:5), but before the Great White Throne Judgment. The Bible says it is the First resurrection. There has been no resurrection of Saints prior to this! No one has been resurrected to Heaven. The purpose of the resurrection is to unite martyred believers with Christ, the King of Kings. Unlike the fickle priests who had Christ crucified, these priests love Christ and have purchased their position with their blood. They will reign with Christ 1000 years and then the rest of the dead will be raised.
No description of our joy in heaven until after the 2nd resurrection.
Sometimes you learn more about the details of something from what is not said rather than what is said about it. The Bible teaches nothing about what the saints are doing in heaven after they die, until the Great White Throne Judgment. Jesus would have been quite detailed about what saints will be doing in heaven immediately after we die, if that were the case. He never did!
On the other hand our status in the grave is referenced numerous times throughout the Bible. Job 3:17-18 says, “There the wicked cease from troubling, and the weary be at rest…..they hear not the voice of the oppressor.” Job 14:12-15 says, “So man lieth down, and riseth not…they shall not awake, nor be raised out of their sleep. O that thou wouldest hide me in the grave…that thou wouldest appoint me a set time, and remember me! If a man die, shall he live again? All the days of my appointed time will I wait till my change come (the resurrection). Thou shalt call, and I will answer thee…” Jesus affirms this in John 5:28-29, “…..all in the graves shall hear his voice and shall come forth.” Rather than suggesting that we are in heaven, Jesus affirms we are in the grave and will hear his voice. There is no doubt Job thinks he is asleep (Job 14:12) while in the grave and that he will answer God’s call and live again. David agrees with Job that we are asleep. Psalms 6:5 says, “in death there is no remembrance of thee.” Psalms 71:20, “thou shalt quicken me again, and shalt bring me up again from the depth of the earth.” Psalm 146:4, “When a man returns to the earth, that very day his thoughts perish.” Solomon said in Ecclesiastes 9:10, “There is no work, no device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom in the grave wither thou goest.”
The Rewards of Heaven and the Damnation of Hell do not take place until the Second Resurrection of the Dead
Daniel 12:2a says, “And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt”. Jesus says (John 5:28-29), “the hour is coming which all in the grave shall hear his voice and shall come forth—they that have done good to the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil to the resurrection of damnation”. The “already in heaven group” think they bypass the Great White Throne Judgment. However, the saved and lost alike are judged at this great and terrible event. Matt 25:31-46 says the saved (sheep) are divided from the lost (goats) of this gathering. Revelations 20:12-13 says “and 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. And 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. Then verse 15 says, “And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.” No one goes to heaven before the verdict is given from this judgment day!! All people would fail this judgment except for the grace of God through Jesus Christ. While some say all Christians are raised at the 1st resurrection of Christ, the fact that saved and lost are raised together in the 2nd coming are clearly stated in Daniel and John (see the verses above). Additionally, Martha states in John 11:24 that while speaking to Jesus, she knows Lazarus will be raised the last day. Had it been that Lazarus was in heaven that day, Jesus would have told her so. (Furthermore, if Lazarus had gone to heaven when he died, he would have told somebody, or should we say, he would have talked about nothing else!). The only thing belonging to the saved that is in heaven, up to the “judgment”, is our name in the Book of Life. In Luke 10:20 Jesus says, “Notwithstanding in this rejoice not, that the spirits are subject unto you; but rather rejoice, because your names are written in heaven.” Ephesians 4:30 says, “And grieve not the Holy Spirit of God, whereby you are sealed unto the day of redemption.” That day is a glorious day and no man will slip into heaven without participating in it. The Great White Throne judgment day serves at least two purposes. First, it holds the lost accountable for their sins. Secondly, the fact that the saved should have died for their sins but were only saved by God’s sole provision for their lost condition will be sealed into the believer’s heart. This realization will be burned into the heart and mind of the saved so deeply and thoroughly that they will remember it for all eternity. Revelations 21:2-3 says that the new heaven and earth replace the old and only then is the tabernacle of God with men. It is then that these saints begin dwelling with God. Only then (v.4), does God wipe away all their tears, death ceases, there will be no more sorrow, crying or pain…as the former things are passed away. It is only then that God makes all things new. All of this is after the thousand year reign of Christ on earth and the great White Throne Judgment.
Because Jesus Says We Are!
We are asleep and in the grave because Jesus says we are. Jesus states in John 5:28-29, “the hour is coming in which all in the graves shall hear his voice and come forth. They that have done good until the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil to the resurrection of damnation.” Jesus states the timing of this event in John 6:40, 44 and 54, saying in each verse, “I will raise him up at the last day.” In John 11:11 Jesus says, “Our friend Lazarus sleepeth: but I go, that I may wake him out of sleep.” And in verse 14 he says, “Lazarus is dead.” This echoes Daniel 12:12 which says, “And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt”. Just as the Bible teaches, we are not to live together before marriage on earth, God’s loved ones will not be invited into heaven without a proper ceremony between the Lamb and the Church and the judgment of the lost. All will be present at the judgment and all will enter the Kingdom together. The purpose of the 2nd resurrection is to raise “remaining” believers and the lost to judgment. (Revelations 20:5 says, “But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished.”) That is, believers to everlasting life in heaven and the lost to judgment and damnation.
Those who resist this truth however, reason from Hebrew 12:1, “Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight…” and that all the past prophets mentioned in Hebrew 11 are in fact watching the saints of today. Hebrew 11:13 and 16 contradicts this however, when the verses state (v13) these people died not receiving the promises, but seeing them afar off. Verse 16 states their desire was a heavenly country and that God has prepared them a city (no doubt the New Jerusalem). Hebrews accurately denotes that none of these talked about have received the promise of a heavenly city or country. They did not go to heaven. Verse 35 states, “and others were tortured, not accepting deliverance, that they might obtain a better resurrection”. These people are in no way in heaven, but resting in the grave waiting to be resurrected and to “receive the promises.” Finally, Hebrews(NKJV) 11:39-40 says, (v39) “ And all these, having obtained a good testimony through faith, did not receive the promise, (v40) God having provided something better for us, that they should not be made perfect apart from us.” The writer is clearly stating these people did not receive the promise, and that they will not receive it without us, that is, the believers who come after them. We will receive it together after the resurrection and judgment (Hebrews 9:27).
Many say, “The dead are already in heaven”. Jesus said in John 3:13: “No one has ever gone to heaven except the one who came down from heaven”, and Luke’s statement found in Acts 2:34, “But David is not ascended into the heavens.” Neither of these statements are false statements, no matter what context they are taken from. Are we to completely ignore 1 Corinthians 15:20-23 in which Paul states that Christ is the first to be raised from the dead and the rest of us will be raised at His coming?
The proponents of “the dead are already in heaven” have unwittingly ushered themselves into the kingdom without the Lord’s call, thus taking the rapture and glory and judgment from Him. Jesus said, “I” will raise them the last day. He will, and there will be a proper ceremony/celebration!!!
When Stephen, in Acts 7:56, saw the heavens opened with Jesus at the right hand of God, no mention was made that he was called into that scene. The Bible says he “fell asleep”. We need to accept that the purpose of sleeping souls is to coordinate believers (who died over the span of many years) in order that they may be raised together at the resurrection. It is only after meeting Christ in the air that Paul stated “so shall we ever be with the Lord”, (1 Thess. 4:17). They will not be with him before the resurrection. They are asleep in the grave.
We should join Moses (Genesis 3:19; Deut. 31:16), Job (Job 3:11-20; 14:10-15), David (Psalms 6:5; 13:3; 71:20; 104:29; 115:17; 146:4), Daniel (Daniel 12:2), Solomon (Ecclesiastes 9:5, 10), Isaiah (38:18; 57:1-2), Mark (Mark 12:23-27), John (14:3; Rev. 20:5, 13), Martha (John 11:24), Luke (Acts 2:34; 7:60, 13:36; 24:15), Paul (1 Corinth. 15:6, 17-18, 20-23, 51; 1 Thess. 4:15-17; Heb. 11:13) and, yes, Jesus (John 3:13; 5:28-29; 11:11) and put the resurrections of the dead back in their places.
The Body
It makes little sense that one would travel from many years of bliss in heaven only to retrieve an old worthless body and have it changed into an immortal body. On the other hand, if one’s soul was waiting to be “awakened” from the grave (dust of the earth or from the sea), having left behind the old “corrupted” body, (Acts 13:36) then receiving a new body at one’s resurrection does make sense.
Room for the Debate
Based on the preceding information, there is very strong evidence that believers sleep in the grave. Sleep or some tense of the word is used at least 58 times in the Old and New Testament relating to the death of the believer. The fact that they awaken and can hear Jesus calling from the grave indicates that the soul is present in the grave and will obey Godly commands.
There is another side of the argument however, that proponents of “asleep in the grave” are forced to acknowledge. 2 Kings 2:11 says that Elijah was taken to heaven in a chariot of fire. (This contradicts John 3:13 when Jesus says no man has ascended into heaven,) and what about the vision of Jesus with Moses and Elias (Matthew 17:1-9)? Some wonder how Jesus can be seen with Moses and Elias if they are not risen from the dead. Jesus explains however, in verse 9 that this was only a vision. Paul also tells us in I Corinthians 15:20-23 that Christ is the first to rise from the dead. Since that is the order of the resurrections, then it is only logical the vision was depicting the future and not the present or past.
Many believe because Jesus told the thief on the cross that he would be in paradise with him that day, meant that the thief would be in heaven that day. (Luke 23:43) However, in John 20:17 Jesus tells us three days after his burial that he has not ascended to the Father (which art in Heaven, Matthew 6:9). Jesus was not in Heaven that day by his own testimony in Luke 24:46, “and he said to them, ‘Thus it is written, that the Messiah is to suffer and to rise from the dead on the third day,’”. Here Jesus says he was dead and rose from the dead three days after his death. Additionally, Jesus stated in Matthew 12:40, “For as Jonas was three days and three nights in the whale’s belly; so shall the Son of Man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.” There is no possibility this means he is going to heaven. It can mean he will be in the grave.
1 Cor. 5:6-8 says, “Therefore we are always confident knowing that, whilst we are at home in the body, we are absent from the Lord: (For we walk by faith, not by sight). We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and present with the Lord”. “ In heaven at death” advocates claim this is proof that if we die we immediately go to heaven. However, “ asleep in the grave” advocates believe this is also true. Their claim is, however, that there will have to be a resurrection before being in the Lord’s presence.
Another claimed proof we are in heaven at death is Rev. 6:19-11 where it is stated that the souls of martyrs cry out from under the altar after vengeance on those that killed them during the great tribulation. While some soul sleepers will argue they return to “rest”, it is obvious they were “awake” at some point. Others compare this to Abel’s blood “crying out” from the ground in Genesis 4:10. The drift is that the phrase is a metaphor and not a real vocal crying out, thus comparing it to the praise the fields and floods to God in Psalms 98:8 and Isaiah 55:12.
All in all, while everything cannot be understood or explained in the scriptures, this writer believes the great weight of evidence leads to the belief we are asleep in the grave until the resurrection, just as Daniel and Paul state in Daniel 12:2 and 1 Thess. 4:13-17.
In 1997 Edward T. Welch wrote a book titled When People are Big and God is Small. The dominant reason for its writing was to help people who were fearful or intimidated by others to gain self confidence and learn to depend on God for direction in their life, i.e. to leave the controlling influence of man for the confidence of a God controlled life.
There is another danger, however, that Mr. Welch did not address in his book. It’s when one puts so much esteem into Dr. So & So or some dynamic leader that the truth found in scripture is bent to accommodate the feelings or belief of man. When this happens the influenced person may state, “I know the scripture seems to say such & such but Mr. ___________is smarter and more knowledgeable than I am, so I am going to trust him.” And they do, regardless of what the Bible says. I urge the reader to prayerfully redirect his thinking to what God says and resist the temptation to make people BIG and God small.
There is an attachment to this paper with a discussion of Lazarus and the rich man.
Assembled by H. Young