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Articles
After Death What Then?
Have you ever wondered what happens to your soul once you take your last breath? The after life is a deep subject, but I would like to take a few minutes to share some thoughts about it from the biblical standpoint.
We read in Luke 16:19-31 about the story of the rich man and Lazarus. These scriptures describe a place that they are to reside in until judgment. This place is called Hades or the Haden realm. Most people when they see the word Hades think of a place of torment and fire. But Hades as described in Luke 16 in the Greek context -A place for The Dead or place where souls reside after death. It is depicted as a temporary holding place for the deceased. The Haden realm is not just a place of wicked but also for the righteous. Hades is made up of two dwelling places, which are separated by a great gulf (chasm) that no one can pass over to the other side, as we read in Luke 16:26 And besides all this, between us and you a great chasm has been fixed, in order that those who would pass from here to you may not be able, and none may cross from there to us.’ We need to take this as a warning about the importance of one’s choices and actions during their earthly life, emphasizing the significance of faith and righteousness.
Also in this Haden realm is a place called Paradise. This is where Lazarus was after his death. A place for the Righteous. It was called Abraham's bosom in Luke 16:22. It will be a place of Comfort as we see in (VS 25) he is comforted here. It is the dwelling place for the thief on the cross after he died there with our Dear Lord and Savior Jesus Christ in, Luke 23:43 And Jesus said unto him (the thief), Verily I say unto thee, today shalt thou be with me in Paradise. Those in Paradise are awaiting their home in Heaven.
There is also a dwelling place for the unrighteous and sinners or those who do not believe in God or follow his commandments, until the judgment day. Luke 16:23-25, 28 describes it as Fire, Torment. The rich man asks Abraham to dip the end of his finger in water and cool my tongue, for I am in anguish in this flame.’ It is also called Tartarus -a dungeon of torment and suffering for the wicked. 2 Peter 2:4,tells us that God spared not the angels that sinned, but cast them down to hell, and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be reservedunto judgment. Again in Jude 1:6 And the angels which kept not their first estate, but left their own habitation, he hath reserved in everlasting chains under darkness unto the judgment of the great day. I want you to notice from these scriptures, it tells us that this place is a reservation until judgment.
So why then have a Judgment Day? Those who are still on Earth, who haven’t died, need to be given a destination. Secondly, judgment isn’t God deciding where we will spend eternity, instead, it is a proclamation, or revealing, as to why we are going to be in Heaven or Hell. Luke 12:2 says, for there is nothing covered, that shall not be revealed; neither hid, that shall not be known. There is no secret that will not be revealed on that day. We will know not only know where our eternal destination lies but will know WHY we are being sent there.
Robby Cable
Providence Church of Christ
