What happens after death? | Part A

The King James Version (KJV) is mostly used in these lessons. Click here to access the KJV online.

A woman wrote an advice columnist in the United States. Her mother-in-law had died recently, and her husband was floundering. He had been taught that good people go to Heaven when they die and keep watch over their loved ones on earth.

It sounds comforting, but it wasn’t. Her husband hated the thought of his mother constantly there, silently observing … everything. Believing his mother was always present, he refused to be intimate with his wife and their marriage was suffering.

This is typical of error. It appears good at first glance. It seems to promise comfort. But ultimately the promise turns to ash, and the comfort is cold.

The truth of what happens at death reveals, once again, the depths of Yahuwah’s love.

Death is a sleep

When Lazarus of Bethany got sick, his sisters sent word to Yahushua, simply stating:

“Lord, behold, he whom You love is sick.”

When Yahushua heard that, He said, “This sickness is not unto death, but for the glory of Yahuwah, that the son of Yah may be glorified through it.” (See John 11:3-4.)

The obvious interpretation is: Lazarus is not going to die. And yet … he did! Yahushua waited and after a couple of days, he left for Bethany. The disciples were confused. Why go to Judea now when the Jews had just been trying to kill him? Seeing their confusion, Yahushua explained:

“Our friend Lazarus sleeps, but I go that I may wake him up.”

Then his disciples said, “Lord, if he sleeps he will get well.” However, Yahushua spoke of his death, but they thought that he was speaking about taking rest in sleep.

Then Yahushua said to them plainly, “Lazarus is dead.” (See John 11:11-14.)

Death is like being asleep! There is no suffering, no remorse, no sadness. Certainly, there is no spying on loved ones still living. There is simply a complete and total lack of awareness.

There is no awareness in death!

Anyone who has suffered extreme physical pain as well as intense emotional or psychological distress will tell you that mental and emotional agony are far worse than any physical pain can be. A total lack of consciousness in death is one of Yahuwah’s most loving gifts!

Many Christians believe a person goes either to Heaven or hell at death. Muslims believe that martyrs go directly to the Garden of Eden but for the millions who die natural or accidental deaths, it’s different. Muslims teach that angels transform the grave into a luxurious space for those who have sound faith and a sinless record. But for those whose faith is imperfect or who have sinned, the grave is a place of intermittent torture.

Satan invented these warped beliefs. He delights in torturing those left behind with thoughts of the suffering of their lost loved one. No god of love would ever impose such a fate on even his worst enemies, and “Yah is love.” (See 1 John 4:8.) He allows those who have passed, both good and evil, to sleep in the grave until the resurrection.

For the living know that they shall die: but the dead know not any thing, neither have they any more a reward; for the memory of them is forgotten. Also their love, and their hatred, and their envy, is now perished; neither have they any more a portion for ever in any thing that is done under the sun. (Ecclesiastes 9:5-6, KJV)