What Happens When You Die?
As a minister, I have been with many people when they took their last breath.
Breathing is required to intake oxygen and to exhale CO2; this cycle of breathing continues until the heart stops, causing the body to die. At that moment, breathing is not necessary, so oxygen is no longer needed, and the human body begins to return to the dust from which God created it.
Although we use the phrase “the person has died,” we must never forget that human beings are spirits, possessing a soul, and living in a physical body (1 Thessalonians 5:23). The body is merely the container we live in, and when that container is destroyed, we depart to one of two places. According to the Bible, in this current dispensation of grace, we are escorted by angels (Luke 16:22) to Paradise in heaven (2 Corinthians 12:2-4), or we are sent to Hades (Revelation 20:13), which is sometimes referred to as hell.
Hades is the temporary holding place for the unrighteous dead where they will remain until the great white throne judgment, which will take place at the end of the millennial reign of Christ (Revelation 20:11-15). Regardless of which place you are taken to your spirit body will have certain attributes.
You must know that during the time of the Old Covenant, and until Jesus ascended after His resurrection, there were two compartments in the heart of the earth: the bosom of Abraham (Paradise) and Hades. Jesus prophesied to His disciples that He would spend three days and three nights in the heart of the earth (Matthew 12:40); this was accomplished during the three days after His crucifixion.
Spirit Bodies
In Luke 16, Jesus tells a story that explains that riches—or lack of riches—do not determine our final destination. This event describes two actual people who lived and died on the earth. While the main purpose of the story was to show that earthly riches do not determine our entrance into the Kingdom of God, there are several subtle nuggets of truth that describe many attributes of a spirit body and what happens after the physical body dies. Remember, this account occurred under the Old Covenant, when the bosom of Abraham (Paradise) was in the heart of the earth. Under the New Covenant, we find Paradise in heaven.
“There was a certain rich man who was clothed in purple and fine linen and fared sumptuously every day. But there was a certain beggar named Lazarus, full of sores, who was laid at his gate, desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man’s table. Moreover, the dogs came and licked his sores. So it was that the beggar died and was carried by the angels to Abraham’s bosom. The rich man also died and was buried. And being in torment in Hades, he lifted up his eyes and saw Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom.
“Then he cried and said, ‘Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus that he may dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, for I am tormented in this flame.’ But Abraham said, ‘Son, remember that in your lifetime you received your good things, and likewise, Lazarus evil things; but now he is comforted and you are tormented. And besides all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed, so that those who want to pass from here to you cannot, nor can those from there pass to us.’
“Then he said, ‘I beg you therefore, father, that you would send him to my father’s house, for I have five brothers, that he may testify to them, lest they also come to this place of torment.’ Abraham said to him, ‘They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them.’ And he said, ‘No, Father Abraham; but if one goes to them from the dead, they will repent.’ But he said to him, ‘If they do not hear Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded though one rises from the dead’” (Luke 16:19-31).
This passage reveals a great number of things about Hades and the bosom of Abraham (Paradise), but let’s focus on details of the bodies these two individuals had after the death of their physical being. Even though they did not have flesh and blood, nervous systems, and digestive systems, they still had attributes similar to earthly human beings. Although they ended up in two different places in the heart of the earth, their spirits were still human spirits that possessed a type of spirit body.
These bodies were contained in such a way that they only inhabited certain places. They did not become omnipresent but were restricted to certain areas. Lazarus was escorted to a place of peace while the rich man was sent to Hades. Remember, Jesus was telling of this account before His resurrection, with Hades and the bosom of Abraham both being in the heart of the earth at that time, and there was a great gulf between them. The rich man could not leave Hades, and Lazarus could not leave the bosom of Abraham.
Even without a physical body, there was the ability to suffer pain and torment. We know that sight can be experienced in a spirit body because the rich man could see Lazarus off in the distance. In their spirit bodies they could see, hear, and speak. They could carry on a conversation, even across the gulf between them. There was regret and desire in Hades and peace and comfort in the bosom of Abraham. There was a lack of water in Hades but an abundance in the bosom of Abraham. While this may not have been H2O as we know it, it was a liquid substance that gave refreshing, and the unrighteous man couldn’t get it. The unrighteous man even had the ability to bargain with Abraham, but he was told that the time of bargaining had passed.
We can see from this story that even without the physical body, our spirit man is very much alive and active with full sensory perceptions, desires, and abilities.
During this current dispensation of time (before the rapture of the Church), when a Christian dies, their physical flesh-and-blood body stays on the earth while their spirit is escorted by angels to Paradise in the third heaven. There they have full use of their faculties, completely experiencing the overwhelming joy of knowing they are with the Lord for eternity. However, their spirit body won’t be complete until it is reunited with their former body that will be changed from a flesh-and-blood body (that can experience death) to a glorified body (that will never die). This change takes place at the rapture of the Church.
It is interesting that not every Christian will experience having a spirit body like those who depart before the rapture. Why? Because those who remain and are alive when Jesus returns will completely bypass the process of being escorted into Paradise by angels. They will experience their transformation into a glorified body in the air when the Lord returns. To some, this may seem complicated, but it is actually quite simple. A Christian who dies before the rapture departs to Paradise in a spirit body waiting for the rapture to receive a glorified body.
The Christians who have not died, but remain on the earth until the time of the rapture, will skip the temporary process of waiting in Paradise in a spirit body. Instead, they will be caught up into the air after the dead bodies of those in Paradise are resurrected. Then, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, they along with the previously departed saints (1 Corinthians 15:52), will become glorified, having a body like Jesus had on earth after His resurrection and glorification (1 John 3:2).
A Different Type of Sorrow
Paul wrote to the Thessalonian church:
“But I do not want you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning those who have fallen asleep, lest you sorrow as others who have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him those who sleep in Jesus. For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord will by no means precede those who are asleep. For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. 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 thus, we shall always be with the Lord. Therefore comfort one another with these words” (1 Thessalonians 4:13-18).
But as the years passed, some Christians asked, “What about the Christians who die before Jesus returns? Are they included in the glorious life to come in heaven for those who believe?” These were valid questions which Paul addressed completely in his letter. In this opening statement, he reveals two strong messages. Firstly, that they should not be ignorant concerning the death of a saint. Secondly, Paul said knowing the truth about the believers would not eliminate sorrow, but that it would be a different type of sorrow than the world has.
As Christians, we don’t sorrow like the world sorrows. The world has no hope. Without Jesus, death brings finality and a forever separation from God. Without Jesus, death eliminates all hope of a future reconciliation with loved ones. Without Jesus, there is no hope. But Paul said we are not like the world who has no hope. Yes, we have a type of sorrow because the person who passed away will be missed, and yes, there can be an emptiness in our life that this person once filled. But as a believer, Paul said our sorrow is tempered with joy because our relationship with the person who has passed is not over—only put on hold.
I’m sure almost everyone reading this has had a close friend or family member who has moved to heaven. These departed saints were loved, but as Christians, we have the knowledge and understanding that even though they have passed, they are still functioning and experiencing the joys of their new life. We also have comfort in knowing that they know they will see us again soon.
Although Paul’s letter to the Thessalonians continues with more detail about the coming of the Lord, this portion of his letter closes with one of the most powerful, prophetic statements in the New Testament. He said that after the rapture of the Church, we will always be with the Lord, and knowing that would bring great comfort (1 Thessalonians 4:17-18). In this one statement, he answers so many questions that are asked when a loved one dies. In this one statement, he reveals our eternal destiny. So, where will we be in a thousand, million, billion, or trillion years? That question can be answered with this one statement: We will always be with the Lord. Throughout the tribulation, the millennium, and eternity we will be forever near our Lord.
A few years ago, my wife visited a close girlfriend that had moved to Australia. Needless to say, my wife experienced a wonderful time with her friend. However, her trip was extended, and she stayed almost a month.
While she was gone, she was greatly missed. But as each day passed, I knew it was one day closer to her return. As time went by, the sorrow of her being gone was replaced by the joy of knowing she would return. I will never forget the day I picked her up at the airport. Although I had balloons and flowers for her, the moment was eclipsed by the reality that we were together again.
As Christians, we can experience the same joy when someone we love departs to Paradise. Although we miss them, knowing that we will see them again softens the pain of the separation and brings great comfort and joy. When the last breath is taken, when the last heartbeat is complete, when the eyes see their last image in the physical realm, the spiritual eyes are opened, and the beautiful existence of God’s kingdom is realized. As we drop off this earthly clothing, angels are standing by in their magnificence to escort us into the place the Lord has created for us.
