What Happens When We Die

What happens to the man at the time of his death? Are the many differing beliefs of men true about it?

1. What happens to us when we die?

2. Do we have consciousness of what is happening when we are dead?

3. Is there a soul that goes somewhere?

4. Is it reversible?

What Happens In The Hour Of Death?

Many people say that when a man dies, something leaves his physical body, and that it goes somewhere, with consciousness and feelings. Is this true?

Let us examine this.

What does God say about death?

15 Then the Lord God placed the man in the Garden of Eden to cultivate it and guard it. 16 He told him, "You may eat the fruit of any tree in the garden, 17 except the tree that gives knowledge of what is good and what is bad. You must not eat the fruit of that tree; if you do, you will die the same day."- Genesis 2:15-17

2 "We may eat the fruit of any tree in the garden," the woman answered, 3 "except the tree in the middle of it. God told us not to eat the fruit of that tree or even touch it; if we do, we will die."- Genesis 3:2,3

34 The Lord commanded us to do what we have done today, in order to take away your sin. 35 You must stay at the entrance of the Tent day and night for seven days, doing what the Lord has commanded. If you don't, you will die. This is what the Lord has commanded me."- Leviticus 8:34-35

In these three example verses, we can see that whenever God use the word "die", it is warning the person/s from it. This teaches us that:

1. It is the result of disobedience to God

2. It is something to avoid

3. It is a form of punishment

Do you agree? Have you ever read in God's word that death is something positive or something to want?

If you are in total agreement of what death is, we can move to the next point. What really happens to man when he dies that God is asking man to avoid it?

In fact, God tell us what is the condition of those who are dead.

5 Yes, the living know they are going to die, but the dead know nothing. They have no further reward; they are completely forgotten. 6 Their loves, their hates, their passions, all died with them. They will never again take part in anything that happens in this world.- Ecclesiastes 9:5,6

God informs us with the above verses that those who have died has no more consciousness, all their feelings and emotions are gone. The dead have no more part on the affairs of the living except the memories. To what does God's word compare those who are dead?

2 Many of those who have already died will live again: some will enjoy eternal life, and some will suffer eternal disgrace. - Daniel 12:2 GNT

Let us see how other translation show this:

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. - Daniel 12:2 KJV

It means that the dead is compared to the condition of someone sleeping.

In fact, the word sleep/sleeping was used at least 50 times in the Bible to refer to those who are dead. The most notable usage was when the close friend of Christ, named Lazarus died.

10 But if they walk during the night they stumble, because they have no light." 11 Jesus said this and then added, "Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep, but I will go and wake him up." 12 The disciples answered, "If he is asleep, Lord, he will get well." 13 Jesus meant that Lazarus had died, but they thought he meant natural sleep. 14 So Jesus told them plainly, "Lazarus is dead, 15 but for your sake I am glad that I was not with him, so that you will believe. Let us go to him."- John 11:10-15

Christ said that Lazarus has fallen asleep, and when his disciples got confused, Christ clearly explained that Lazarus is dead. So why did Christ called Lazarus' condition as being "asleep"? The reason is that, both the dead and the people who are sleeping, share some things in common:

1. They do not know what is going on while in that condition and

2. they can be awakened.

In short, death is the reverse of life. The book of Ecclesiastes further admonish us:

7 Go ahead - eat your food and be happy; drink your wine and be cheerful. It's all right with God. 8 Always look happy and cheerful. 9 Enjoy life with the one you love, as long as you live the useless life that God has given you in this world. Enjoy every useless day of it, because that is all you will get for all your trouble. 10 Work hard at whatever you do, because there will be no action, no thought, no knowledge, no wisdom in the world of the dead - and that is where you are going.- Ecclesiastes 9:7-10

The word of God describes death as having NO DEEDS and NO THOUGHTS condition, something a living man should avoid.

That is the reason why God warned the first man and woman to avoid getting that punishment. God did not say that death is an improvement of their living existence, instead God said that if they disobey Him, death is the resulting punishment.

This condition that Ecclesiastes clearly describes is also the reason why those who are dead will be removed from death and promised of a resurrection, when once again they will live.

Because dying is a punishment and life is a reward.

"Don't be afraid of anything you are about to suffer. Listen! The Devil will put you to the test by having some of you thrown into prison, and your troubles will last ten days. Be faithful to me, even if it means death, and I will give you life as your prize of victory." - Revelations 2:10

In fact, death is the maximum penalty of sin. Many of God's laws require the death of its transgressor.

But cowards, traitors, perverts, murderers, the immoral, those who practice magic, those who worship idols, and all liars - the place for them is the lake burning with fire and sulfur, which is the second death." - Revelations 21:8

Indeed death is a punishment to those who are living. Because death is the removal of life.

How About The Soul?

Many religious teachers teach that a person have a conscious soul that goes somewhere in the moment of death, is this true?

To find the truth about this issue, let us review how God created man.

7 Then the Lord God took some soil from the ground and formed a man out of it; he breathed life-giving breath into his nostrils and the man began to live.- Genesis 2:7 GNT

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. - Genesis 2:7 KJV

The above are the translations of Genesis 2:7 from Good News Translation and King James Version of the Bible. You can try and see other versions too. I would like you to notice how man was created.

SOIL + BREATH OF GOD = LIVING MAN according to Good News Translation.

while,

DUST OF GROUND + BREATH OF LIFE = MAN, A LIVING SOUL according to King James Version.

A living man has only two parts put into him, a physical body which is made from dust and the breath of life that came from God. That is why a dead man's body can be seen, it eventually turns back to soil because it is made from that, but before decomposition, at the point of man's death when his body is so fresh, what is absent that no one can revive? Why are we forced to leave him and put the dead man's body to rest? What has gone out? Inspite of the sadness and the unwillingness of the loved ones of the dead to let go, why are they forced to lay the body to rest? What is it, that is not present anymore so that we all know, the body will soon smell and decompose? Yes, the only thing missing is life. The breath of life that God put in the first man, which is passed on to his sons and daughters, until the time of death.

Using the original formula of God to create a living man, we can understand that a dead man will have the following formula.

LIVING MAN minus BREATH of LIFE of GOD = SOIL (DECOMPOSING BODY OF THE DEAD)

or as King James Version puts it:

LIVING SOUL minus BREATH OF LIFE = DUST of GROUND (DEAD BODY)

It means that the soul is also gone at the time of death. The physical body goes back to soil and the breath of life goes back to God who gave it in the first place. Is this correct? Is this all there is at the time of death? Yes, it is.

5 You will be afraid of high places, and walking will be dangerous. Your hair will turn white; you will hardly be able to drag yourself along, and all desire will be gone. We are going to our final resting place, and then there will be mourning in the streets. 6 The silver chain will snap, and the golden lamp will fall and break; the rope at the well will break, and the water jar will be shattered. 7 Our bodies will return to the dust of the earth, and the breath of life will go back to God, who gave it to us. - Ecclesiastes 12:5-7

Simple and clear. Soul is the combination of physical body and the breath of life from God. Take one of these two away and the soul ceases to exist.

This can be likened to the dough. The combination can be as simple as:

FLOUR + WATER = DOUGH

While neither flour nor water alone cannot be called dough, it's the same with the living soul.

Is Death Reversible?

Now that we have learned what God's word teach us of the truth about the condition of the dead, we are now free from a lot of dis-information and the superstitions that go along with them.

Yet the most important question that we could ask is, can death be reversed?

When our loved one dies can they live again?

If we, ourselves die, can we return and live again?

The short answer is; Yes! We can.

In fact, that is one of the most wonderful promises of God to those who will choose to obey Him. Out of the whole world of disobedient men, those who will choose to obey God and exercise faith on His Son- the Christ - will be raised back to everlasting life. A life without limit, a life that can extend indefinitely into the future.

Why do I emphasize the "indefinitely into the future" ? Because in God's word all the "dead" will be raised to life.

See Christ's words here:

27 And he has given the Son the right to judge, because he is the Son of Man. 28 Do not be surprised at this; the time is coming when all the dead will hear his voice 29 and come out of their graves: those who have done good will rise and live, and those who have done evil will rise and be condemned.- John 5:27-29

Did you get that? ALL THE DEAD will rise again to life.

We can also find that from the book of Daniel:

2 Many of those who have already died will live again: some will enjoy eternal life, and some will suffer eternal disgrace. - Daniel 12:2

That is why it is so clear that everyone, bad and good alike, will rise again as promised in God's word.

That is the reason why, the dead is compared to those who are sleeping, because He can wake them up again in His chosen time.

Now, you may wonder what would it benefit us to suffer the pain of being Godly. Why suffer the hardship of trying to obey God's commandments in this evil world, when all of us will rise again someday anyway?

Well, you may have missed the other part of that promise about the resurrection, those who have done "good" (as God define the good) will live, and those who have done evil will be condemned. That time of resurrection will prove to everyone the righteousness of God and the benefit of being obedient to Him. It will show everyone how powerful God is by destroying those who opposed Him in the past when He allowed their existence.

I hope that you appreciate God's truth about death, this is the only way we can appreciate God's promise of the resurrection too. God bless us all.