Today’s post is in answer to the following question which came in. If you have a question you would like answered, please consider making contact. We would love to hear from you. Here is the question.

• Actually, the answer is already stated in the question.
  • “We know what the Bible says about death”…
• The difficulty comes because of the next word ‘BUT’ in the phrase ‘but some ministers teach…’
  • In order to avoid difficulty, it’s necessary to get the ‘BUT’ out of the way.
• What the Bible says is true.
  • It’s 100 percent true all the time.
  • It’s true, if no agrees it is true.
  • It’s unshakable, if no one thinks so.
  • The multitude is not always right.
  • Popular opinion is a poor yardstick for truth.
  • Go with God’s Word, instead.
• Be bold (Heb. 4:16) and fearless to stand and declare His truth always.
• With that said, let’s look at what God’s Word says about heaven and hell.

The Subject of Death In the Age We Live

• We live in an age of scientific research. We have computers, we have men going into outer space, we have knowledge increasing at a tremendous rate. We look at what the archeologists are finding and how science is validating in detail the accounts of the Bible. But one thing that science or computers will never be able to locate is the place we call heaven. An archeologists working a dig will never accidentally come across the entrance to the regions of hell. And so, we will never have scientific proof of the existence of heaven, hell, or the afterlife.
• The only proof that we have is found in the pages of the book called the Bible.
• This subject is not a popular one because the only way to know for sure is to die.
  • Death is not a popular subject.
• Many of us are sheltered from the pains of death.
  • It used to be that people died at home and children would be exposed to this enemy of man. But now, in America, death is experienced in hospitals, in nursing homes and institutions.
• Remember this, over 2 million people die every week on planet earth and so some of these 2 million people find out every week that there is a place called heaven. The rest of them find out there is a place called hell.

[Tweet “Jesus made the way so that no one has to go to hell. So if you don’t have to go there, don’t go!”]

What Religion Says about Death

• Now many religions put forth their theories about where we go when we die.
  • Adventists say that the dead sleep in the earth.
  • The Hindus say humans are reincarnated into another form.
  • Humanists say man becomes nonexistent.
• The only book that satisfactorily answers the question what happens to us when we die is the Bible.
• The rich man and Lazarus is a case in point.

Luke 16:19–31 (KJV)
¹⁹ There was a certain rich man, which was clothed in purple and fine linen, and fared sumptuously every day: ²⁰ And there was a certain beggar named Lazarus, which was laid at his gate, full of sores, ²¹ And desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man’s table: moreover the dogs came and licked his sores. ²² And it came to pass, that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels into Abraham’s bosom: the rich man also died, and was buried; ²³ And in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom. ²⁴ And 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. ²⁵ But Abraham said, Son, remember that thou in thy lifetime receivedst thy good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things: but now he is comforted, and thou art tormented. ²⁶ And beside all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed: so that they which would pass from hence to you cannot; neither can they pass to us, that would come from thence. ²⁷ Then he said, I pray thee therefore, father, that thou wouldest send him to my father’s house: ²⁸ For I have five brethren; that he may testify unto them, lest they also come into this place of torment. ²⁹ Abraham saith unto him, They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them. ³⁰ And he said, Nay, father Abraham: but if one went unto them from the dead, they will repent. ³¹ And he said unto him, If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded, though one rose from the dead.

This Is a Real Story

• Notice the word ‘certain’ underlined above in versus 19 and 20.
  • The word ‘certain’ means for sure.
  • It implies this is a real story.
  • This Jesus story is not an allegory.
  • It is not a cute little fictional story Jesus told because he had nothing else to say.
• This is not a story about one beggar but two.
• One begging while on earth the other when he lifted up his eyes in hell.

What Is Abraham’s Bosom?

• Notice both of these individuals died.
• The poor man received an escort by the angels into Abraham’s bosom.
• The rich man died and lifted his eyes up in hell.

The Three Heavens

• There are three areas God created which are called heaven.
  • The atmosphere is called heaven (Job 35:5).
  • Outer space is called heaven (Genesis 1:14).
  • The place where God lives is called heaven (Psalm 14:2).
• In the Old Testament, when righteous people died they did not go to heaven, the place where God lives.
• They went to Abraham’s bosom.

[Tweet ” Paul was taken to heaven for a glimpse (2 Cor.12). Do you think God still does this? “]

Abraham’s Bosom was also Called Paradise.

• Initially, Paradise was located in the heart of the earth.
  • It was down in the earth not up where God is.
• Heaven and Paradise are not the same place.
• Paradise was not necessarily the best place to be but it sure beat what was across the gulf.
• The best place is in heaven where the Lord is.
• Paradise was a holding place. People there were described as captives (Ephesians 4:8).
  • It was necessary because the heavens had not been purged by the Blood of Jesus.
• We know these facts from this story about the rich man and Lazarus.
  • When the rich man died he went to hell.
  • In hell, he lifted up his eyes and looked across the gulf.
  • He saw Lazarus in Abraham’s bosom.
• So Abraham, the Father of faith and its righteous example, did not go to heaven when he died way back in Genesis.
  • He went to Paradise.
• If he died and went to Paradise, he must have had good company.
  • Moses was there.
  • Elijah and all the prophets were there.
  • David and all the righteous kings of Judea were there.
• One other significant person had not arrived yet at the time Jesus told this story.

Jesus and the Thief in Paradise

Luke 23:39–43 (KJV)
39 And one of the malefactors which were hanged railed on him, saying, If thou be Christ, save thyself and us. 40 But the other answering rebuked him, saying, Dost not thou fear God, seeing thou art in the same condemnation? 41 And we indeed justly; for we receive the due reward of our deeds: but this man hath done nothing amiss. 42 And he said unto Jesus, Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom. 43 And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, To day shalt thou be with me in paradise.

• The second thief, when he died, went to Paradise.

What Happens When a Believer in Jesus Dies?

• Today, Paradise stands empty.
• It was shut down and its inhabitants relocated.

2 Corinthians 12:1–4 (KJV)
¹ It is not expedient for me doubtless to glory. I will come to visions and revelations of the Lord. ² I knew a man in Christ above fourteen years ago, (whether in the body, I cannot tell; or whether out of the body, I cannot tell: God knoweth;) such an one caught up to the third heaven. ³ And I knew such a man, (whether in the body, or out of the body, I cannot tell: God knoweth;) ⁴ How that he was caught up into paradise, and heard unspeakable words, which it is not lawful for a man to utter.

• Notice the language. Paul was caught UP into Paradise.
• Paradise is no longer down in the earth.
• It was moved to heaven where Jesus is.
• Ephesians 4:8 details the moving of Paradise.

 Ephesians 4:8 (KJV)
⁸ Wherefore he saith, When he ascended up on high, he led captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men.

• Jesus, when he ascended the first time to heaven, led a multitude of captives.
  • He ascended multiple times.
  • The Acts 1:11 account is different than John 20:17.
• The saints referred to as captives were the Old Testament saints who were located down in the earth.
• Lazarus, David, Abraham, and the thief have now been with the Lord approximately two thousand years.

What the Bible Says about Hell

• In the Bible, there are multiple words for hell.
• Sometimes confusion arises over these words.
• In the account of the Rich Man and Lazarus, the word hell is the word ‘Hades’.
• We know Hades is located downward because of Luke 10:15.

 Luke 10:15 (KJV)
¹⁵ And thou, Capernaum, which art exalted to heaven, shalt be thrust down to hell.

• The other place we think of as hell is found in Revelation 20:12-15

Revelation 20:12–15 (KJV)
¹² And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works. ¹³ And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works. ¹⁴ And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. ¹⁵ And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.

• This ‘hell’ is a different place than Hades.
• It is also known as the Lake of Fire.
• When an individual dies apart from Jesus, they go to hell or Hades first.
  • That’s where the rich man was.
• Paradise was moved but not Hades. It remains as a prison for the unrighteous.
• Hades is not a lost person’s final destination.
• The Lake of Fire is (Revelation 20:13-14).
• In the heart of the earth, there is a second location. A place called the Lake of Fire.

Hell is a Place of Consciousness

• In hell, the rich man lifted up his eyes in torment (Luke 16:23).
• He was conscious even though they had buried his body.
• Your body is not the real you.
• It’s not the real part of you.
• It’s not the conscious part of you.
• The scripture says, ‘He lifted up his eyes’ which means…
  • The rich man could see.
    • He still had eyes even though they had buried his natural eyes.
  • The rich man felt pain.
    • He still felt pain and discomfort even though the physical body (the part we would associate with pain) was buried.
    • You hear people say, “What a pain in the neck.” Or if you ask someone how they feel, they catalog their particular pains for you in order to garner sympathy.
    • But, have you ever heard anyone say, “I have a pain in my spirit?”
  • The rich man was thirsty.
    • Your body is what needs water. Dehydration sets in without it. The rich mans body was buried. Yet, he still feels the need for water.
  • The rich man was hot.
    • This implies that all of these sensations, seeing, being hot, being thirsty, having discomfort, etc., are also spirit sensations.
  • The rich man had memories.
    • He could remember (Luke 16:25), even though they had buried his brain in a grave.
    • Your memories are part of your inner man.
    • This is good news.
    • If any of you are forgetful and your brain seems to not work like it used to, take note of this scripture.
    • If a dead man in hell can remember, you certainly can.
• What is messing with your memory then?
  • It is the words you are saying.
  • You believe what you say out of your mouth more than what’s in the Bible.
  • That’s why you say, “Well I guess I’m getting old because I cannot remember stuff anymore Ha Ha.”
• What you should be saying is Proverbs 10:7.

Proverbs 10:7 (KJV)
⁷ The memory of the just is blessed: But the name of the wicked shall rot.

• Your spirit knows what your head knows and even more because the Holy Ghost is in your spirit.

ILLUSTRATION: I Couldn’t Remember My Password
I couldn’t remember the code word to a computer program for the life of me. I had racked my brain and I couldn’t come up with it. I thought about so hard, my head hurt. I looked to the Holy Spirit in my Spirit. A little while later, the code came floating up in my spirit. But here is the funny part. It took two hours for my mind to believe and accept the fact of what happened. It was weird. My head didn’t want to accept it even though it worked and the program was unlocked.

The Saddest Part of Consciousness

• The rich man was conscious of his family.
• This is one of the saddest pictures of all to know that a family member is in heaven and you are left alone.
• Hell is full of evangelists. They become evangelists when they arrive there.
• Don’t wait until then to start preaching. Come to Jesus now.
• Jesus made the way so that no one has to go to hell.
• So if you don’t have to go there, don’t go!

Call to Action:

It’s always best to stay with the Bible. The nations will continue to roar and utter vain things, but the Word of God will always stand. Determine to go with God because there is a heaven to gain and a hell to shun.

Question: There are people who have been taken to heaven for a glimpse and returned to tell us what they saw. The Apostle Paul was one of these people (2 Corinthians 12). Do you think God still does this? Please leave your comments in the comments section below.