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My mother died, about midnight. I was holding her hand – praying for her, urging her to “hang on,” as she grew weaker. But one moment she was alive – and the next, dead. What happened at death? What happens next? Did my mother die – or only a part of her? Is she still conscious? Are the dead yet able to see the sorrows and tears of loved ones?

      Death is the enemy of man – and we all hate it. We hate it most of all when death strikes very close loved ones – taking them away from us; out of our lives; away from our daily routines – just gone. And most do not understand death.

      Why is it that, with all our advancements in science and industry – our accumulation of knowledge, that we still do not know the answers to the biggest and most puzzling questions of all – What are we, and Where are we going?

      Millions believe in some kind of life, after death. But no one seems able to prove such an assumption. Some believe we never die – but go on living, in one place or another, or in one form or another, for all eternity. Others believe we have always lived. They think life is a strange succession of different existences – each in a different form, in a different place. But no one seems to know for sure!

Just How Important Is It?

When public-opinion pollsters ask Mr. and Mrs. Average Citizen their opinions about life, death, and the hereafter – they find most simply unconcerned. They just don’t like to think about it – especially happening to them.

But when death strikes – suddenly everything is changed! Suddenly, we must pause, in our swiftly moving lives, to face death. And we are compelled to ask, “Just what is death?” And, for that matter, What is life?

Can anything, after all, be more singularly important than the answers to these questions? You’re here. You live. But why?

Unsolved Dilemma of Centuries

Man faithfully trusts the false god of science to lengthen his life span – transplant his kidneys when they fail, help him reduce or put on weight, change his very personality, and perhaps allow him to choose the sex of his progeny.

The modern world looks to its mechanical god – science – to save it from all its troubles. People look to medical science to save them from sickness – to the physical sciences to produce the continual flow of goods and services to make their life one of physical ease and pleasure. They look to the “life” sciences to explain to them what they are, and where they’re going, and the meaning of life.

But, somehow, death stops it all! At death, science stops its mouth. A doctor, quietly sympathizing with grieved members of the family may say, in a kindly voice, “I’m sorry, there is nothing further medical science can do for him.”

Today, the world exalts knowledge. It holds aloft the great institutions of “higher” learning. The leaders of mankind are the products of these same educational institutions – the “educated” men of the world.

But can anyone claim to be truly educated who does not know what HE is? Is “educated” the correct description for one who does not know why he is alive – or where he’s going, or what is death, and what happens at death??

These men CAN know. They could have understood, long ago – had they not rejected the very foundation of all knowledge, the revealed Word of Yahweh!

But Yahweh has said of them, “And even as they did not like to retain Elohim in their knowledge (in their education – their institutions of higher learning) Yahweh gave them over to a reprobate mind…” (Romans 1:28).

Death is a fearful, unknown, blank to the great minds of this world. They simply do not know what it is!

But you can know – if you’re willing to know! Yahshua thanked His Father that He had “hidden these things from the ‘wise and prudent’ and revealed them unto babes!” (Mat 11:25).

What Is Your Life?

Always, Yahweh Almighty stresses the uncertainty of life. He says, “For you are dust, and to dust you shall return.” (Genesis 3:19).

You are a physical, temporal creature – entirely dependent upon a metabolic process of muscles, nerves, sinews and bone – upon blood and air – upon food and water. You are a living organism – a terribly fragile, temporary creature.

You’re made of the elements of the ground. Perhaps, in our modern societies, of food nicely served on “man-made plates of fine china – we don’t like to think of the fact our food is literally composed of so much “dirt” – and that we are, very literally, “dirt.” But we are!

Your bible reveals the life of man is a purely chemical, physical existence – that our metabolic process is the same as that of animals! (Eccl 3:19.) Nowhere does your Bible say man has an immortal soul, or that there is a “soul” in man. Rather, the Bible shows man is a soul. That is, each soul (nephesh, in the Hebrew) is a person, and can die.

Read Ezekiel 18:4 and 18:20 where Yahweh says, “the soul that sins, IT (the soul) shall die. (If you have not yet read our free Bible Lesson 18 entitled “Do You Have an Immortal Soul?” to see this completely proved, in your own Bible, then write for it immediately.)

It is true there is a “spirit” in man (Job 32:8) but that spirit is not the man – and is not conscious apart from the man. Job, in the same book said, “But man dies and is cut off, and man expires [original – implying exhalation, or expiration of air] and where is he?” (Job 14:10).

In this same passage, Yahweh inspired Job to say, “Who will grant that You would hide me in Sheol; You would conceal me until Your anger turns back; that You would set a limit for me and remember me? If a man dies, shall he revive? All the days of my warfare I will wait, until my change comes. You shall call, and I will answer You; You shall long to do the work of Your hands.” (Job 14:13-15).

Job spoke of being kept in the grave – and waiting for a change to take place – not of being alive during death!

The Certainty of Death

You know several people who have died. Probably, some were very close to you – and you cherish the memory of them – remembering the way they were, the things they said and did – their personality and character. Yet, they’re dead.

Remember again – there is no “dead” person to whom you can talk. Science can’t give you the answer. Philosophers say they do not know what death is; except that it is not life. There is only ONE source to which you can go to get the true answer, and that source is the inspired Word of your Creator!

The Bible is, in a sense, the obituary of the leading men that Elohim used throughout history. The greatest men of the Bible all died!

Perhaps we haven’t thought about that. But it brings out a tremendous principle – and should give all of us comfort through life!

David was a man after Yahweh’s own heart. When David prayed, Yahweh heard. The Psalms are, in many cases, actual prayers David prayed. One of these Psalms bears directly on the subject of death!

David Died

David was afflicted – in what exact way we don’t know. But he apparently was very near death!

He cried out in Psalm 102:1-5: “Hear my prayer, O Yahweh, and let my cry come to You. Do not hide Your face from me in the day of my trouble; bow down Your ear to me in the day I call; answer me quickly. For my days are finished in smoke, and my bones are burned like a hearth. My heart is stricken and dried like grass, so that I forget to eat my bread. Because of the voice of my sighing, my bones cleave to my flesh.”

Finally, he cried out in verse 24, “I said, O my Elohim, do not take me up in the half of my days…” David cried out to Elohim to lengthen his life – to save him from death! And Yahweh Almighty answered that prayer!

David didn’t’ die as a young man. He ruled Israel for forty years. David lived his full “three score and ten” and died at the age of 70.

But the point is that David did die! In 1st Chronicles 29:28, we read this of David, “And he died in a good old age, satisfied with days, riches and honor. And his son Solomon reigned in his place.”

The apostle Peter was inspired to write: “Men, brothers, let me speak boldly with you to say to you as to the patriarch David, that he both died and was buried, and his tomb is among us until this day…for David did not ascend into the heavens” (Acts 2:29-34).

David lived a full life; Elohim answered his prayers; he did have the mind of Elohim (Acts 13:22). But David died – and he is still dead. David is not in heaven. That’s what your Bible says.

But why? Why did David die? Why hasn’t he received his reward? Will David ever be conscious again?

The Apostle Peter Died

Peter was one of the leading apostles in the New Testament Congregation! He was one of the original twelve disciples – handpicked by Messiah.

Peter knew he was going to die! He said in 2nd Peter 1:13-15: “But I deem it right, so long as I am in this tabernacle, to stir you up by a reminder, knowing that shortly I must depart this life, as indeed our Master Yahshua Messiah made clear to me. And I will also be diligent to cause you always to have memory of these things after my departure.”

So Peter died. Yet he wrote the book on hope. Peter hoped for the resurrection and the Kingdom of Yahweh. But he certainly didn’t expect to receive it then. Peter himself said that the disciples would not find the praise and honor they sought until the appearing of Yahshua Messiah! He clearly stated in Acts, as we saw, that David was not in heaven – but dead and buried.

Yet, Elohim allowed Peter – one of the most important men in Yahweh’s Congregation to die!

The Apostle Paul Died

The apostle Paul wrote 14 books of the Bible. He was the apostle to the Gentiles, held a very important spiritual office, had worked diligently and hard for many years, and appears to have been one of the most truly spiritual men who ever lived.

He was stoned, shipwrecked, put in prison. Paul was certainly tried in every conceivable way. But he died.

He said: “For I am ready to be sacrificed, and the time of my departure is at hand. I have fought the good fight. I have finished the course. I have kept the faith. For the rest, the crown of righteousness is laid up for me, which our Master, the righteous Judge, will give to me in that Day” (2nd Timothy 4:6-8).

The apostle Paul isn’t in “heaven.” He said he won’t get his reward until that day – the Day Messiah returns! Yahshua said, in Revelation 22:12, “My reward is with Me!”

But Yahshua isn’t here yet. The apostle Paul is still dead and buried.

And did you notice? The apostle Peter and Paul viewed death rather objectively. Although it was a sobering experience, the apostle Paul almost welcomed it! He said in Philippians 1:21, “For Messiah is my life, and to die is gain!”

When Stephen was martyred, he simply said, “Do not cause this sin to stand against them!” (Acts 7:60.) Why?

Why in the face of death were these men calm? What is it that they knew about death that didn’t frighten them?

People of Yahweh Allowed to Die

Jacob and John were murdered. Elohim allowed it! Elisha, who raised the dead to life, and was the greatest servant of Elohim in his day became sick and died!

You can read it in 2nd Kings 13:14, “And Elisha had become sick with his illness in which he died.” But, “maybe Elisha lost faith” – you say? Not at all!

Elohim inspired that! He wanted to get across a great principle! That is, Yahweh’s servants – the greatest of them – do die! But Yahweh wanted to be sure no one reasoned that perhaps Elisha had lost faith. So He inspired this account to occur after Elisha’s death.

Here was proof that Elisha had not lost faith; Yahweh had not forsaken him.

It merely came time for Elisha to die. He had served his purpose on this earth. Elisha became sick and Yahweh simply allowed him to die. Yahweh took him from the evil to come.

My mother was in her seventy-sixth year. She had lived a full life. Right now, she’s in a better condition than any of the living. She’ll never have to shed one more tear. She won’t feel cold or heat. She won’t ever again go hungry.

She’s safe. She can’t fall away. She’ll never again have to struggle to overcome this or that problem. She’s safe!

Elohim says, “Precious in the eyes of Yahweh is the death of His saints.” (Psalm 116:15). My mother’s death was precious in Elohim’s sight. She had lived a life of great service to Yahweh’s Work; had overcome her human nature; had qualified to have a place in the Kingdom of Yahweh.

My mother is sleeping in the grave now. She is waiting for the second coming of Messiah; waiting for the resurrection from the dead, just as are Elisha, and David, and Peter, and Paul. She is not in heaven and she has no consciousness, but is simply sleeping in her grave until the resurrection. Eccl 9:5a “For the living know that they shall die; but the dead do not know anything;”

Any Life After Death?

Remember what Job was inspired to say? “Who will grant that You would hide me in Sheol; You would conceal me until Your anger turns back; that You would set a limit for me and remember me? If a man dies, shall he revive? All the days of my warfare I will wait, until my change comes” (Job 14:13, 14).

Job knew about the resurrection of the dead. And so does anyone who knows the promises of Yahweh! Your Bible speaks in both Old and New Testaments of a resurrection of the dead – a re- creation of life!

Daniel was inspired to write, “And many of those sleeping in the earth’s dust shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to reproaches and to everlasting loathing” (Daniel 12:2). Death in Scripture is compared to sleep.

Later, Yahshua quoted these same words. Read John 5:21 through verse 29! Yahshua said: “For even as the Father raises the dead…so also the Son gives life to whomever He wills…Truly, truly, I say to you that an hour is coming, and now is, when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of YAHWEH, and the ones hearing will live…Do not marvel at this, for an hour is coming in which all those in the tombs will hear His voice. And they will come out, the ones having done good into a resurrection of life; and the ones having practiced evil into a resurrection of judgment.

Messiah spoke of more than one resurrection! Notice the proof. Turn to Revelation, chapter 20. Now read verses 4 and 5. “And I saw thrones, and they sat on them. And judgment was given to them, and the souls [Greek word: “Psuche” – meaning same as “Nephesh” in the Hebrew] of the ones having been beheaded because of the witness of Yahshua, and because of the Word of YAHWEH, and who had not worshiped the beast nor its image, and had not received the mark on their forehead and on their hand. And they lived and reigned with Messiah a thousand years”!

And the “souls” John saw in this vision were dead! Notice the proof. “But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished!” (Revelation 20:5).

John saw a vision concerning the resurrection of the just! Messiah promises rulership with Him to those who overcome (Rev 2:26; 3:21) which He will give at His return (1st Cor 15:23; Phil 3:20,21).

The resurrection of the dead was the whole hope – the heart and center of the message of the early Congregation! Notice how it completely dominates the sermons of Peter and Paul in early Congregation history. Read all of the following verses in context in your own Bible! “…have crucified and slain: Whom Elohim hath raised up…” (Acts 2:23, 24). “This Yahshua, Yahweh raised up, of which we are all witnesses…For David did not ascend into Heaven, but he says, “Yahweh said to my Adonai, sit at My right hand until I place those who are enemies to You as a footstool for Your feet” (Acts 2:32-35).

Peter continually emphasized Messiah’s resurrection as proof of the future resurrection of all mankind! “And the Author of Life you killed, whom Yahweh raised up from the dead…” (Acts 3:15). “Having raised up His child Yahshua, Yahweh sent Him first to you…” (Acts 3:26). “…and the Sadducees stood near them, while they were being furious at them, because they taught the people concerning the resurrection by the Messiah, that is from the dead!” (Acts 4:1-2).

Notice! Peter preached the resurrection! He said nothing about the completely pagan doctrine of any supposed “immortal soul” or going to “hell” or “heaven” when one dies!

Rather, he emphasized how even David, a man after Yahweh’s own heart, was dead and buried (Acts 2:29) and showed the believers that David had not gone to heaven (Acts 2:34), but was waiting in his grave, just as the Bible says, until a resurrection of the just!

Meaning of Life

Paul was inspired to write one whole chapter on the subject of the resurrection! You need to study the whole 15^th chapter of 1st Corinthians!

Notice how Paul was directed of Yahweh’s Holy Spirit to answer the “let’s suppose” and “what if?” kind of questions people would ask!

“But someone will say, How are the dead raised? And with what body do they come?” (1st Cor 15:35).

And true to that prediction – people ask: “Yes, but what about those ‘vaporized’ at Hiroshima and Nagasaki?” People want to know about men buried at sea, eaten of sharks. And what about those cremated?

All right – what about them? Is it “difficult” for Yahweh because the same body no longer remains? Ridiculous! And that’s exactly what Messiah inspired Paul to write about such questions. “Foolish one! What you sow is not made alive unless it dies…So also the resurrection of the dead. It is sown in corruption, it is raised in incorruption…It is sown a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body!…” (1st Cor 15:36-44).

Just as Job said, there is a complete change at the resurrection. A spirit being is given life – not an old, disease-ridden, maimed or mangled, shot or burnt, hideously deformed or wasted human, physical, body!

“We shall all be changed!” said Paul! (1st Cor 15:52). Can you see? Your Creator says death is death – just as you know it is – and that a resurrection from the dead is the whole hope of a Believer! That’s why Paul asks, “Else what shall they do which are baptized for [Greek: “Huper” meaning for the hope of] the dead, if the dead rise not at all? Why are they then baptized for the hope of [margin] the dead? And why stand we in jeopardy every hour?” (1st Cor 15:29-30).

The hope of the dead is a resurrection from the dead! Baptism symbolized that resurrection!

“Therefore, we were buried (by being immersed completely in water – symbolizing burial) with Him through baptism into death that as Messiah was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, so also we should walk in newness of life. For if we have been planted together with Him in the likeness of His death, so also shall we be in the resurrection!” (Romans 6:4-5).

Your Elohim shows you that those who have truly been converted, who have utterly surrendered to Him – who have given up their carnal arguments, their resentment and hostility toward Yahweh and His Word, and who have begun to really live by Yahweh’s Word, will be in the resurrection of the just!

Paul said this was the driving ambition of his life! “…and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Messiah Yahshua…that I may know Him, and the power of His resurrection…if by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead!” (Phil 3:8-11).

But what about those who have not been converted? What if someone dies who never really knew the truth? What about the millions upon millions of Asians, Africans, and members of all races right down through history who never even heard the name of Messiah, let alone had an opportunity to hear and study His Word? What becomes of them?

The Rest of the Dead

Messiah spoke of a resurrection to life, and a resurrection to “judgment” (John 5:29). The word rendered “damnation” in the Authorized Version is more correctly translated “judgment” from the original. Notice how the Bible interprets the Bible on this important point!

John was inspired to say “But the rest of the dead (those not included in the resurrection to eternal life at Messiah’s coming!) lived not again until the thousand years were finished!” (Rev 20:5).

But the rest of the dead “lived not again until the thousand years were finished!”

Notice verses 11 through 15! “And I saw a great white throne, and Him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them. And I saw the dead, small and great stand before Elohim; and the books were opened, and another book was opened which is the book of life, and the dead were judged (not sentenced, or “condemned”, but judged) out of those things which were written in the books according to their works…”

Your Creator says that the dead will finally be judged out of things written in the “books”, and that they will be judged by their works!

And what are those books? The original Greek word is “Biblos”. And “Biblos” is translated correctly into English as “Bible”. Of course!

That is exactly how you will be judged. Yahweh says “I change not!” (Mal 3:6). Yahshua Messiah is the same yesterday, today, and forever (Heb 13:8). Yahweh will judge those people in the future just as He judges today!

And how does He judge His people? “Because the time has come that judgment must begin with the house of Yahweh; and if it first begins with us, what will be the end of the ones disobeying the good news of Elohim?” (1st Peter 4:17).

Judgment is a “discerning” Those who are members of Yahweh’s true Congregation, members of the very body of Messiah (1st Cor 12:13) are being judged now! (1st Peter 4:17).

And how are they being judged Messiah said, “…Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of Yahweh” (Mat 4:4). “Thy word is truth,” (John 17:17) said Yahshua Messiah. The books or “Biblos” which are the laws by which you and I are judged are the books of your own Bible! Each believer is judged, according to his works, based upon the Word of Yahweh.

Your Elohim is fair. Yahweh does not judge you by one “method”, and then judge multiple millions, or even billions of other human beings by a totally different standard. The only difference is that you don’t judge a 1^st grader the same way that you would judge a college student.

However, there is greater accountability to believers because they understand the Torah to a greater degree. To the unbeliever, even though he will be judged by the same Torah, Yahweh can look at his heart on the matter since he never read it or knew it and reward or punish in this judgment.

Rom 2:13 For not the hearers of the Torah are righteous with YAHWEH, but the doers of the Torah shall be justified.

Rom 2:14 For when pagans not having the Torah do by nature the things contained in the Torah, they not having the Torah are a law unto themselves,

Rom 2:15 who show the work of the Torah written in their hearts, their conscience witnessing with them, and their thoughts either accusing or even excusing one another

Rom 2:16 in a day when YAHWEH judges the hidden actions of men, as my good news teaches, through Yahshua Messiah.

Verse 16 is speaking of the white throne judgment.

Death is death – the complete absence of life and consciousness. Remember, your Bible reveals the “dead know not anything.” There is no consciousness of the passing of time. In the parable of Lazarus and the rich man, the rich man “lift up his eyes” in a resurrection – unaware that thousands of years had passed between the time when he died and his yet future resurrection.

Notice what Yahweh says about His own specially chosen people, Israel. “What then? What Israel seeks, this it did not obtain, but the election obtained it, and the rest were hardened; even as it has been written ‘Yahweh gave to them a spirit of slumber, eyes not seeing and ears not hearing’ until this day” (Rom 11:7-8).

Are Yahweh’s own elect (Isaiah 44:1; 45:4) lost forever because Yahweh Himself has caused them to be blinded to His truth?

No! Notice the proof! “For I do not want you to be ignorant of this mystery, brothers, so that you may not be wise within yourselves, that hardness in part has happened to Israel until the fullness of the nations comes in” (Rom 11:25).

Yahweh has a time schedule He is working out. He will finally give all those ancient Israelites – whose hearts were hardened, who did not know the way to salvation – their chance!

Notice it. “And at that time, Michael shall stand up, the great ruler who stands for the sons of your people. And at that time, your people shall be delivered, everyone that shall be found written in the Book. And many of those sleeping in the earth’s dust shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to reproaches and to everlasting loathing.” (Dan 12:1-2). “And so all the tribes of Israel will be saved”. (Rom 11:26). Not every person but representatives of all 12 tribes.

Is There a Hellfire?

Remember, there are three classes of people with whom Yahweh is dealing. Those who have repented, and, whether living or dead, will rise to meet Messiah in the air (1st Thess 4:15-18), coming down on that day with Him to the Mount of Olives (Zech 14:4) to rule with Him for 1,000 years (Rev 2:26; 3:21; 5:10; 20:4). Then there are the millions of those who have never understood – the “rest” of the dead (Rev 20:5).

And then there are those who will not choose to repent – who are finally to lose out on salvation.

Notice the Bible proof! After the millennium of Messiah’s rule on earth; even after the picture of the Great White Throne resurrection to Judgment (Rev 20:11-12), Yahweh says, “And death and the grave were thrown into the Lake of Fire. This is the second death.” (Rev 20:14).

A grave is only a grave when it contains a body. This scripture speaks of a resurrection to physical life, for the incorrigible evil, and a “gehenna” fire destroying them!

Read what Yahweh inspired the prophet Malachi to write: “For, behold, the day is coming, burning like a fire pot; and all the proud and every doer of wickedness shall be chaff. And the coming day will set them ablaze…and you shall tread under the wicked, for they shall be ashes under the soles of your feet…” (Mal 4:1-3).

The Gehenna fire of your Bible is much hotter than the pagan myth of an “ever-burning” fire. This fire really burns – it destroys!

Peter said, “But the day of Yahweh will come as a thief in the night, in which the heavens will pass away with rushing sound, and the elements shall separate as they burn, and earth and the works in it will be burned up!” (2nd Pet 3:10).

There is the real truth about death – from your own Bible! Death is death – without consciousness. A resurrection is the hope of the dead – not living for all eternity in some fanciful “limbo” or compartment of “heaven” or “hell”.

The stories you’ve heard all your life about the boiling pots or the “pearly gates” are sheer myth! But the plain truth of your Bible is clear! What a great blessing it is to know the truth about death! And how especially comforting is this knowledge when you must literally see death come to a loved one!

Yahweh’s great and merciful purpose in our lives is achieved because Messiah conquered death! He will soon release those who are “waiting” for their change to come – and that day is much nearer, now, than you may think!

Please also see lesson 6 from the bible correspondence course online at www.coyhwh.com in the study section.