Death, Then What?

Acts 17.11

Now these were more noble-minded than those in Thessalonica, for they received the word with great eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily to see whether these things were so.

Death, Then What?

The Options

The Berean Challenge

1. Heaven (beholding God, become a star, become an angel, watching over relatives)

What Jesus Says

2. Hell (tortured in a fire forever)

4. Ghosts (live on earth among us without a body, able to interact or possess)

3. Purgatory (tortured in a fire until sins are purged)

5. Reincarnation (at death one’s memory is wiped and they are reborn)

6. Gone (their thoughts, feelings, experiences, etc. are gone forever)

7. Sleep (unconscious but able to be resurrected)

Luke 16.19-31

Matthew 25.46

Revelation 14.11

Revelation 20.10

Matthew 14.29

Luke 24.37

1 Samuel 28.3-25

Acts 12.15

Luke 16.19-31

1 Corinthians 15.29

1 Peter 3.19-20

1 Peter 4.6

2 Maccabees 12.44

Luke 16.19-31

Luke 23.43

John 14.1-3

Philippians 1.23

2 Corinthians 5.8

Revelation 6.9-11

Ecclesiastes 9.5

Ecclesiastes 9.10

Job 7.21

Psalm 146.4

John 11.11-27, 43-44

Job 1.20-21

Ecclesiastes 1.9

Jeremiah 1.4-5

Malachi 4.5

Matthew 11.13-14

John 9.1-3

Romans 9.11-13

John 5.26-29

The dead are in their tombs asleep. However, when they hear his voice, they will awaken. This is resurrection.

When Jesus spoke of Lazarus’ death, he said he was asleep and that he was going to awaken him, and yet he was really talking about death and resurrection. Did Jesus tear Lazarus away from bliss in heaven to return to this old earth? No, he brought him back to life—woke him up!

John 6.38-44, 54

Four times over Jesus clearly teaches that he will raise the dead on the last day not the day of their death.

John 20.11-18

Mary looked for Jesus, not merely his body. Jesus clearly says he had not gone to the Father in death. If Jesus did not go to heaven at death, then why should we think we will?

Deuteronomy 31.16

2 Samuel 7.12

1 Kings 1.21

1 Kings 2.10

1 Kings 11.21

1 Kings 11.43

1 Kings 14.20

1 Kings 14.31

1 Kings 15.8

1 Kings 15.24

1 Kings 16.6

1 Kings 16.28

1 Kings 22.40

1 Kings 22.50

2 Kings 8.24

2 Kings 10.35

2 Kings 13.9

2 Kings 13.13

2 Kings 14.16

2 Kings 14.22

2 Kings 14.29

2 Kings 15.7

2 Kings 15.22

2 Kings 15.38

2 Kings 16.20

2 Kings 20.21

2 Kings 21.18

2 Kings 22.20

2 Kings 24.6

2 Chronicles 9.31

2 Chronicles 12.16

2 Chronicles 14.1

2 Chronicles 16.13

2 Chronicles 21.1

2 Chronicles 26.2

2 Chronicles 26.23

2 Chronicles 27.9

2 Chronicles 28.27

2 Chronicles 32.33

2 Chronicles 33.20

Job 3.11-13

Job 7.21

Job 14.12-15

Ecc. 3.19-20

Ecclesiastes 9.5-6

Ecclesiastes 9.10

Psalm 6.4-5

Psalm 13.3

Psalm 30.9

Psalm 31.17

Psalm 49.12

Psalm 88.10-13

Psalm 115.17

Psalm 146.4

Isaiah 26.19

Isaiah 38.17-19

Daniel 12.2

Matthew 27.52

John 5.28-29

John 6.39-54

John 11.11-14

Acts 2.34

Acts 7.60

Acts 13.36

1 Cor. 11.29-30

1 Corinthians 15.6

1 Cor. 15.17-23

1 Cor. 15.51-55

Ephesians 5.14

1 Thes. 4.13-17

1 Thes. 5.9-10

2 Pet 3.3-4

Revelation 20.4-6