PROPHECIES CONCERNING THE INTERMEDIATE STATE OF THE DEAD

The highest state—the final heaven for which the redeemed are destined, is a place where nothing is imperfect, unglorified. All its inhabitants will be fully redeemed— spirit, soul, body.

Christians at death do not enter this final state for they are not fully redeemed prior to the resurrection. (Rom. 8:22-23). This perfecting for entrance into the heaven of heavens will take place for all at the same time. (l Thess. 4:16-17).

No saint has yet entered the final state. No sinner is yet in the final hell. Neither saint nor sinner has yet been tried as to his works.

THE INTERMEDIATE STATE OF THE DEPARTED

But there is an intermediate state of the departed. There are religious cults which deny this and teach that the individual at death goes into a land of oblivion or unconsciousness until the resurrection. They apply the word “sleep,” used in Scripture with reference to the death of the body, to the whole man. Some deny the existence of the “spirit” as a living personality, saying that the word for “spirit” simply means “breath.” The use of the word in Scripture may easily settle this issue. (See 1 Thess. 5:23; Acts 7:59-60; Lk. 8:55).

The spirit is the real personality which dwells in the body as its house. The spirit is separated from the body and the result is death. (Jas. 2:26). A man may be in his body or out of his body. (2 Cor. 12: 3-4).

“SHEOL” AND “HADES”

In showing that there is an intermediate conscious existence prior to the resurrection, it is necessary to notice some things said of the places of their abode.

In the Old Testament we have the word “Sheol” and in the New Testament the word “Hades”—both meaning the abode of departed spirits. Unfortunately the translators erroneously rendered these words as “grave, hell, pit,” etc.

Scripture clearly distinguishes between the abode of the spirit and that of the dead body. In the last judgment both the grave and hades will deliver up their dead. (Rev. 20:13). Christ holds the keys of both. (Rev. 1:18). The soul of Christ was not left in hades, nor His body in the grave. (Acts 2:27, 31). While Christ's body lay asleep in Joseph's tomb, we are informed of the activity of His spirit in the spirit world. (1 Pet. 3:18-20; Mt. 12:40).

Serious errors have been built on mistranslations of the words “sheol” and “hades”. Both Hebrew and Greek languages have separate words for “grave” used many times. The word “sheol” is never used in the plural, for it is one place, but the word for “grave” is used many times in the plural.

There is no individual's “sheol” but we often read of an individual's grave. The body is never said to be in sheol and the spirit or soul is never said to be in a grave. No sheol was dug by man and a sheol is never located on the earth. But graves were dug and located, according to several references. These considerations furnish absolute proof of Scripture distinction between the abode of the departed spirit and the resting place of the sleeping body.

CHANGES IN THE ABODE OF THE DEPARTED

Prior to Christ's resurrection the spirit world is represented as being below and into it both saved and lost “descended.” It was divided into two parts, widely separated (See Lk. 16:26), one—the Paradise section being for the redeemed—the other the waiting place of the lost. Clearly understand that sheol or hades is NOT HELL.

It is significant that following Christ's resurrection, hades fades out of sight as the abode of redeemed spirits. Henceforth instead of “descending”, they are spoken of as going up. (2 Cor. 12:1, 4). The change, we believe, is explained in Eph. 4: 8-9). The spirits of the lost still go to hades until, at the last judgment, hades gives up the spirits abiding therein.

CONSCIOUS EXISTENCE BEYOND BODILY DEATH

As proof of the conscious existence of the spirits of the redeemed in Paradise above, we mention several considerations.

Death has no effect upon the living powers of the child of God. There can be no break in eternal life. (Jn. 11:25).

In 2 Cor. 5:6-8 Paul uses strong words in expressing his confidence that to be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord. “We are always confident” (lit. “we can say with absolute boldness”) In v. 8, he says: “We are confident, I repeat.” What does it mean to be “present with the Lord?” (Psa. 16:11; Jn. 17:24).

To depart in death, if in Christ, is to enter a condition “far better” than what we have known in this world. (Phil. 1:21–23). The word “depart” used here means an exodus from one land to another. No child of God could say oblivion was preferable to living in this world. Yet here is a state into which Paul longed to go because he would be “with Christ” (Christ is not in a grave).

“Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of His saints.” (Psa. 1 16:15). Surely the Lord would find no delight in sending His saints to a hole in the ground. The death of His child is precious to Him because it means a more perfect communion with Himself; because it is the occasion of joyful and never-ending reunion; because it means freedom from mortal limitations; because it means deliverance from the realm of Satan and sin.

PASSAGES ERRONEOUSLY USED

There are those who use certain passages in the Old Testament to build up an interpretation that there is no conscious existence until the resurrection. “The dead praise not the Lord, neither any that go down into silence.” (Psa. l 15:17). The previous statement is referring to God's cause on earth: “The earth has been given to the children of men.” It is our workshop and place of testimony. The following statement is: “We (the living) will bless the Lord.” The Psalmist is not dealing with the question of the future state, but simply showing that the dead are no longer in a position to bear testimony. What we do in this way must be done today, for our voice may be silenced tomorrow. “Shall the dust praise thee? Shall it declare thy truth? (Psa. 30:9).

To the same effect, Psa. 146:4, shows that all our plans and purposes, so far as this world are concerned, are cut off in the day of death. The writer is not speaking doubtfully of the state of the departed.

 “The dead know not anything . . . the memory of them is forgotten . . . neither have they any more a portion forever in anything that is done under the sun.” (Eccl. 9: 5-6). Here also the writer is simply showing that from the standpoint of mundane affairs death causes us to be soon forgotten on earth and our labor for good or evil ceases “under the sun.” V. 9 states clearly that the reference is to our “portion in this life.” While we live, we are to work with our might for without the physical body, we cannot serve here. There is no work nor device in the grave. (v. 10).

Such statements have no bearing on the home of the spirit. This very writer says that when the body returns to dust, the spirit returns to God, (Eccl. 12:7) and that no man, when the hour of dissolution comes, has power “to retain the spirit.” (8:8).

COMMUNICATION WITH DEPARTED IMPOSSIBLE

In conclusion, let it be said emphatically that there is no Scripture basis for the idea that departed spirits roam at large at the beck and call of those on earth. Efforts to contact spirits is denounced, not only because these spirits are beyond our reach, but because demons, emissaries of Satan, seek to work upon human nature and impersonate the spirits of the departed. (Deut. 18:10-11; Lev. 19:31; Lev. 20:6; Isa. 8:19-20).

Our Lord, prior to His resurrection, lifted the veil of the spirit world (Lk. 16:19–31) in order to show (1) conscious existence of saved and lost after death. (2) That the spirits of the redeemed cannot return to earth to minister to the living. (3) That if one could return his only concern would be to warn the unsaved of their need of Christ.