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The Hadean Realm: A Difficult Subject

There are many differences held by various bible scholars as to the state and location of the dead. Various verses in the bible seem to infer things that would mean one thing or another. I think that no one can say dogmatically that either of them is the correct one. All of my following comments will contain what I believe the bible to mean and some of them may seem radical but they are based upon my best evaluation of all verses concerning this subject.

One view is that when death occurs, those who have followed God’s word to the best of their ability, will go to a place of rest, referred to as paradise, or “Abraham’s bosom”. They use as their proof text, the story of the rich man and Lazarus in Luke 16:19-31. They feel this is a literal event which occurred. Several highly regarded and qualified scholars of the past, and present, believe this is still the state man enters at death. I do not. I believe it to be a parable showing the differences in reward and punishment in eternity and how desperately one would feel if they had another chance to be obedient.

Another similar view is that this was the scenario as happened before Jesus gave His life on the cross but at that point, all went to their permanent home in heaven or hell and subsequently all who die now go directly to their eternal home. This reasoning is based upon such verses as Jude 1:14 and 1 Thessalonians 3:13, yet these scriptures do not explain clearly that they will come from heaven with him, and the one in Jude specifies 10,000 of His saints.
Would that be all there is? Or a select group? These scriptures contain just enough ambiguity to question our interpretations of them. Plus there are other quite plain scriptures concerning His return which makes no mention of saints coming with Him.

There are numerous scriptures which are often accepted as references to Jesus return which in reality are referring  to the coming destruction of Jerusalem which did come to pass in AD 70. He did not literally return but came in the form of the Roman Army to end the Jewish religion and their generations of His chosen people, because they had rejected Him.

If, when one dies, he goes directly to Heaven or Hell, or to a temporary paradise or lake of fire, there is no doubt in any minds whether or not they are saved or lost. Why then, at His coming, would there be need for a “Judgment day”?

What then, is the scenario in which I base my own ideas of that final day? There are certain scriptures which I feel are meant literally, and many which are symbolic or figurative.  Hear this:

At one point the Christians of the young church in Thessalonica were worried about their loved ones who had died, thinking that the Lord’s return was imminent, fearing that they would miss His coming and not be taken to heaven. The inspired apostle Paul explained it thusly:

For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, (Emphasis Mine: jhh) that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep. For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:  Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. (1 Thessalonians 4:15-17)

Those who believe the previous scenarios listed above, contend that the spirits are in heaven and they come back to be reunited with their human body. Friends, that just will not cut it. We are not going to be reunited with our fleshly bodies. In fact, the first thing which will occur will be that we are disembodied from this fleshly matter we call our bodies and will become a spiritual being. Those who are asleep will rise in a new spiritual body. Incorruptible, otherwise we could not enter into heaven.

So also is the resurrection of the dead. It is sown in corruption; it is raised in incorruption:  (1 Corinthians 15:42)

Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither doth corruption inherit incorruption. (1 Corinthians 15:50)

Also, we have this from the apostle John: 

Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is. (1 John 3:2)

Finally then, what do I believe the final scenario will be and where do I think man goes at the time of death. I must add again, I am not able to prove beyond doubt that my conclusions are accurate, but I believe when the soul departs from this physical body, it enters a realm where time is not a factor, that the first consciousness will be that of the judgment day, there will be nothing physical then in existence and all spirits will be sent to their final reward whether it be good or bad. Now I’ll give you a few scriptures on which I base this stand.

The wise king Solomon, writing under inspiration makes a somewhat passing remark...but the dead know not any thing...in Ecclesiastes 9:5:

And I believe one scripture has more literal meaning than most of these others which is found in the apostle Peter’s second epistle:

But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up. Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness, Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat? (2 Peter 3:10-12)

This, I believe to be a literal description of the end of this world and all that is in it. At this point, this great noise will be an explosion so large, so powerful and so hot as to dissolve the entire universe and all matter. This is the point that all the then living people will be disembodied, leaving only their spirit in “the twinkling of an eye” as written by the apostle Paul:

Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory. O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory? The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. (1 Corinthians 15:52-57)

I repeat, that I cannot be positive of my analysis of these scriptures, but the interpretation I have given them answers a lot of questions, left unanswered by the other views. Regardless, we all need to live our daily lives as nearly perfect in accord with God’s word as we can and be ready for that day whenever, and however it comes.
 

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» left by Denny Smith (2 years 292 days ago.)

Get a copy of Perry B. Cotham's book entitled, "Beyond the Sunset" copyrighted in 2008. Perry is 97 years old now and one of the few men to have preached the gospel for over 80 years. The book is hard to come by but Amazon has 4 available as I comment here. It is a massive 400 page paperback and one of the best books I have ever read period. His scholarship is such it will leave no doubts in one's mind. You will have to type in the name "Perry B. Cotham" in the search engine at Amazon to find the book.

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