Events of the past year and a half have caused me to consider life and all it means.  Because of the “silence of COVID,” no one knows when it will come and visit “their” house.  Our niece contracted it first, then my friend’s son, our son, daughter-in-law, and granddaughter.  Unfortunately, six relatives have passed away.  In the midst of all of this James, (my husband) suffered four strokes.  I know many would say, “This is too much; it’s too overwhelming.” Yet through it all, I found the promised rest of Matthew 11:28: Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.

During this period of resting, I still see the world grappling with so much sickness, death, and unrest.  The question of “what’s going to happen after we die?” came to the forefront of my mind.  I am not satisfied with what I have heard all of my life:  if we are good, we will die and go to heaven.  But that’s where it ends.  No one knows or has explained what will happen next.

I discovered the Bible has a lot to say about what will happen, and it’s not what we think.  Many will be surprised at the resurrection.  I mentioned the event that triggered my desire to write in my opening blog.  Below is the original post from Facebook, dated October 9, 2021.

In June, my husband’s childhood friend died.  While viewing the body, I said to James, “he doesn’t have a clue of what the next moment will be like when he wakes up.”  I pondered that thought for several weeks and wanted to write a post, and time seemed to slip away, and I never got around to writing it.

Yesterday, a dear sister in the Lord called me in much distress.  One of her closest friends had died, and she didn’t know how to process it.  She knows he was a believer but wanted to know where he is now.  Another friend had told her that he was “sleeping” and waiting for the resurrection according to the Bible.  I confirmed with her that what her friend said was true.

Her question brought my husband’s friend back to my mind.  Why don’t we as believers know what the Bible says happens to us when we die?  Why do ministers say that people are in heaven looking down on us at so many funerals?  Where is the Bible verse that backs that statement up?  More than that, why don’t we know what will happen after we are resurrected?  If anyone should know, it should be the believers.  (I’m not discussing what happens to the spirit, soul, but the condition of “death”)

1 Corinthians 15:6

⁶ After that He was seen by over five hundred brethren at once, of whom the greater part remain to the present, but some have fallen asleep…

Ecclesiastes 9:5

⁵ For the living know that they will die; but the dead know nothing, and they have no more reward…

Hebrews 9:27

And as it is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment,

1 Peter 4:17

For the time has come for judgment to begin at the house of God; and if it begins with us first, what will be the end of those who do not obey the gospel of God?

Romans 14:10(b)-12

…For we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ. ¹¹ For it is written: “As I live, says the Lord, every knee shall bow to Me, and every tongue shall confess to God.” ¹² So then each of us shall give account of himself to God.

2 Corinthians 5:10

¹⁰ For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive the things done in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad.

Brothers and sisters, let’s not be caught off guard.  Judgment is coming.  Based on our works today, this judgment will determine where we will spend the Millennium (thousand years).  As the Body of Christ, we must know the plan of God.

Ecclesiastes 9:5

…but the dead know nothing, and they have no more reward…

Revelations 20:4(b)-6

…And they lived and reigned with Christ for a thousand years. ⁵ But the rest of the dead did not live again until the thousand years were finished.  This is the first resurrection. ⁶ Blessed and holy is he who has part in the first resurrection.  Over such the second death has no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with Him a thousand years.

Those who have not believed in the Lord Jesus Christ will have their day of judgment at the end of the thousand years.

Revelations 20:11-15

¹¹ Then I saw a great white throne and Him who sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away. And there was found no place for them. ¹² And I saw the dead, small and great, standing before God, and books were opened.  And another book was opened, which is the Book of Life.  And the dead were judged according to their works, by the things which were written in the books. ¹³ The sea gave up the dead who were in it, and Death and Hades delivered up the dead who were in them. And they were judged, each one according to his works. ¹⁴ Then Death and Hades were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. ¹⁵ And anyone not found written in the Book of Life was cast into the lake of fire.

We, too, must be like the Bereans:

Acts 17:11 

And these were more noble than those in Thessalonica, receiving the word with all readiness of mind, daily searching the scriptures if these things were so.

We will continue to discuss such topics as:

Why were we created?   What is God’s Plan for man?  Can I lose my salvation? Why do we need to be saved?

What should we be doing while we wait for His return?   What’s the difference between the Kingdom and Eternity?

Lord, open our understanding regarding Your plan of salvation for us.

In Him,

Marion