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The State Of The Dead
(Click to go to part two of this study)
See also: (Three) Follow-up Questions on
the, "The State Of The Dead", Bible Study

     As to where the dead are, we need not guess; for, Scripture is clear―that at the moment that we die―we go back to God the Father, and our flesh body goes back into the dust whence it came:

Ecclesiastes 12:7
7 Then [at death] shall the dust [flesh] return to the earth as it was: and the spirit [the part of us that lives on] shall return unto God who gave it.  KJV

     Paul knew that upon death we go back to the Lord.  But, as you see, our flesh body does not travel with us; it remains here to rot in the grave.  But we are not in that grave with our rotting flesh―God forbid―rather, we are in Heaven with the Lord (Heaven is wherever God is; it is His abode):

2 Corinthians 5:6-8
6 Therefore we are always confident, knowing that, whilst we are at home in the body, we are absent from the Lord:
7(For we walk by faith, not by sight:)
8 We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord.  KJV

     In the above, Paul is giving an either/or.  In other words, you are in only one of two places; you are either here in the flesh (living on the Earth in your flesh body), or you are with God (in your spiritual body) after your flesh deceases.  There is no third place.  You are either here or there, and that goes for the wicked and for the good―we ALL go back to God the Father after we die down here.  But as we shall see, we are not all in the same "locale"―we are not all in the same "place."  For, as Jesus enlightened us, "In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you." (John 14:2).  Indeed, there are many places in Heaven, but not all are good to be in.  In the above, Jesus was preparing that good place for His faithful.  But is not satan even incarcerated there in Heaven, along with his evil angels (Rev 12:7-10)?  Surely he is in another mansion. 

     This below Scripture is future; it HAS NOT yet been fulfilled.  It is simply written in the past tense because John was taken to the future to see it, and then come back and teach us of it.  And he wrote it in a book which had other words from God.  We are studying that book today―the Bible.  I supply the below Scripture to illustrate two things, (1) that satan and his evil angels are in Heaven (incarcerated―jailed), and (2) that they are very conscious (no so-called "soul-sleep"):

Revelation 12:7-10
7 And there was war in heaven: Michael and his angels fought against the dragon; and the dragon fought and his angels,
8 And prevailed not; neither was their place found any more in heaven.
9 And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him.
10 And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of his Christ: for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night.  KJV

     The above is speaking about the second part of the Tribulation.  This part God has shortened; however, there are forty-two months of Tribulation before the antichrist (satan) and the locust army (satan's evil angels) arrive here at the second part of the Tribulation.

Now, understanding that: 42 months = 3½ years = 1260 days, we will look at the below Tribulation times.

     That first forty-two months constitutes the first half (Dan 9:27 "in the midst of the week"― Rev 12:6) of Daniel's original seven years of the Tribulation.  And we see that God helps His people then: "And the woman fled into the wilderness, where she hath a place prepared of God, that they should feed her there a thousand two hundred and threescore days [1260] ." (Rev 12:6).

     The second part of the Tribulation, which has been shortened, is referred to as the Time, Times, and a Half Time, (Dan 7:25 ― Rev 12:14) which was termed like that so that God could later change it without conflicting with the Old Testament Scriptures. It never states Time, Times, and a Half Time OF WHAT DIVISION OF TIME.  So, five months is the Time, Times, and a Half Time of what, I do not know; but of something.  And we see that God also helps His people during this second part of the Tribulation:  "And to the woman were given two wings of a great eagle, that she might fly into the wilderness, into her place, where she is nourished for a time, and times, and half a time, from the face of the serpent." (Rev 12:14).

Revelation 13:14-15
14 And deceiveth them that dwell on the earth by the means of those miracles which he had power to do in the sight of the beast; saying to them that dwell on the earth, that they should make an image to the beast, which had the wound by a sword, and did live.
15 And he had power to give life unto the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak, and cause that as many as would not worship the image of the beast should be killed.  KJV

Matthew 24:15-24
15 When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place, (whoso readeth, let him understand:)
16 Then let them which be in Judaea flee into the mountains:
17 Let him which is on the housetop not come down to take any thing out of his house:
18 Neither let him which is in the field return back to take his clothes.
19 And woe unto them that are with child, and to them that give suck in those days!
20 But pray ye that your flight be not in the winter, neither on the sabbath day:
21 For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be.
22 And except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved: but for the elect's sake those days shall be shortened.
23 Then if any man shall say unto you, Lo, here is Christ, or there; believe it not.
24 For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect.  KJV

Below are the Tribulation times reflecting the above shortening:

First Part Of The Tribulation: 42 Months

Revelation 13:1-5
13:1 And I stood upon the sand of the sea, and saw a beast rise up out of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns, and upon his horns ten crowns, and upon his heads the name of blasphemy.
2 And the beast which I saw was like unto a leopard, and his feet were as the feet of a bear, and his mouth as the mouth of a lion: and the dragon gave him his power, and his seat, and great authority.
3 And I saw one of his heads as it were wounded to death; and his deadly wound was healed: and all the world wondered after the beast.
4 And they worshipped the dragon which gave power unto the beast: and they worshipped the beast, saying, Who is like unto the beast? who is able to make war with him?
5 And there was given unto him a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies; and power was given unto him to continue forty and two months.  KJV
 

Second Part Of The Tribulation: Shortened To 5 Months

Revelation 13:11-12
11 And I beheld another beast coming up out of the earth; and he had two horns like a lamb, and he spake as a dragon.
12 And he exerciseth all the power of the first beast before him, and causeth the earth and them which dwell therein to worship the first beast, whose deadly wound was healed.  KJV

Seen here in More Detail:

Revelation 9:1-12
9:1 And the fifth angel sounded, and I saw a star fall from heaven unto the earth: and to him was given the key of the bottomless pit.
2 And he opened the bottomless pit; and there arose a smoke out of the pit, as the smoke of a great furnace; and the sun and the air were darkened by reason of the smoke of the pit.
3 And there came out of the smoke locusts [locust army-satan's evil angels] upon the earth: and unto them was given power, as the scorpions of the earth have power.
4 And it was commanded them that they should not hurt the grass of the earth, neither any green thing, neither any tree; but only those men which have not the seal of God in their foreheads.
5 And to them it was given that they should not kill them, but that they should be tormented five months: and their torment was as the torment of a scorpion, when he striketh a man.
6 And in those days shall men seek death, and shall not find it; and shall desire to die, and death shall flee from them.
7 And the shapes of the locusts were like unto horses prepared unto battle; and on their heads were as it were crowns like gold, and their faces were as the faces of men.
8 And they had hair as the hair of women, and their teeth were as the teeth of lions.
9 And they had breastplates, as it were breastplates of iron; and the sound of their wings was as the sound of chariots of many horses running to battle.
10 And they had tails like unto scorpions, and there were stings in their tails: and their power was to hurt men five months.
11 And they had a king [antichrist/satan] over them, which is the angel of the bottomless pit, whose name in the Hebrew tongue is Abaddon, but in the Greek tongue hath his name Apollyon.
12 One woe is past; and, behold, there come two woes more hereafter.KJV

Abaddon: Greek  word #3 Abaddon (ab-ad-dohn'); of Hebrew origin [OT:11]; a destroying angel:  KJV - Abaddon.

Hebrew word #11:  'abaddown (ab-ad-done'); intensive from OT:6; abstract, a perishing; concrete, Hades: KJV - destruction.

Apollyon: Greek  word #623  Apolluon (ap-ol-loo'-ohn); active participle of NT:622; a destroyer (i.e. Satan):  KJV - Apollyon.

Greek word #622  apollumi (ap-ol'-loo-mee); from NT:575 and the base of NT:3639; to destroy fully (reflexively, to perish, or lose), literally or figuratively:  KJV - destroy, die, lose, mar, perish.
 

     We shall not go further with this line of thought here, as it should be clear from the above Scriptures that to be present with the Lord is to be absent from the flesh; for, did not the Scripture even say: "...flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God...." (1 Cor 15:50b)?  What that means is that to enter the realm of God, one must be changed to that spiritual body that resides in all of us, and put off the flesh; for, in Heaven, in God's abode (realm), all is spirit―there is no flesh; for, "God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth" (John 4:24), and we must be in His realm, in a spiritual body, not made of flesh, to be with Him in His place:     

1 John 3:1-2
1 Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not.
2 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.  KJV

     John informs us that after we die, when we shall be with Him (The Father), we shall see Him.  But Scripture declares that no man has seen God at any time (even Moses, who came the closest to seeing Him, only was show His back parts (Ex 33:17-23 below), and that was even by special permission).  Therefore, a transformation has had to occur; so that, we are no longer men (or women), but after our decease, we all become (once again) the sons of God (no gender implied).

John 1:18
18 No man hath seen God at any time; the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him.  KJV

Exodus 33:17-23
17 And the LORD said unto Moses, I will do this thing also that thou hast spoken: for thou hast found grace in my sight, and I know thee by name.
18 And he said, I beseech thee, shew me thy glory.
19 And he said, I will make all my goodness pass before thee, and I will proclaim the name of the LORD before thee; and will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will shew mercy on whom I will shew mercy.
20 And he said, Thou canst not see my face: for there shall no man see me, and live.
21 And the LORD said, Behold, there is a place by me, and thou shalt stand upon a rock:
22 And it shall come to pass, while my glory passeth by, that I will put thee in a clift of the rock, and will cover thee with my hand while I pass by:
23 And I will take away mine hand, and thou shalt see my back parts: but my face shall not be seen.  KJV

     So, John writes under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit that "for we shall see him as he is" (1 John 3:2b), and God speaks Himself that: "Thou canst not see my face: for there shall no man see me, and live" (Ex 33:20); so there has had to have been a transformation occur once we die.  For Scripture cannot contradict itself, it is Divinely inspired.  And that after we die, while we still do go on, we are not men (flesh), but rather "we shall be like him" (spirit, not flesh) (1 John 3:2b), as our Lord Jesus Christ also declared in the below Scripture.  Now, in the below Scripture, they are speaking of a custom, actually a command of God, from the Old Testament times; wherein, if a man married a woman, and then he died before she could bear any of his children; then the brother of that deceased man was to take the widow and go in unto her, impregnating her, so that the child which was born would carry on the house and name of the deceased man.  This child would be considered in Heaven and Earth as the rightful inheritor of the deceased man's name and house.

     The brother who did the job of "raising up seed [child]" was allowed to marry her only if his brother, the woman's husband, was dead.

Side Note to females (and to males), but females most:  Notice also, all you gals out there; that in the Bible, having sexual intercourse is synonymous (equals) with being married.  In other words, you have, in effect, become married by God's Law, to any and every man that you have given yourself sexually to (specifically sexual intercourse).  And yes, when a man and woman have sexual intercourse, it is she giving herself to him; more than most woman today can know.  "For in the resurrection they neither marry [male], nor are given in marriage [female], but are as the angels of God in heaven." (Mat 22:30).

You must repent of these "failed marriages" (old boyfriends that you've had intercourse with).  Or else, every man thereafter the one before him―constitutes an act of adultery―a Capital Offense in the Bible!  And no, God does not change the rules because we as a society have corrupted ourselves.  We will stand Judgement Day based upon the Scriptures, which Scriptures I might add, that Jesus said the He wouldn't change one little bit:  "Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil.  For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled." (Mat 5:17-18).

What to do?

Repentance to God in Christ's name is more than sufficient.  Then move on with your life―freed in Christ―free to find your real husband. 

Pre-Martial Sex

The Bible never speaks of "pre-marital sex" because when you have sexual intercourse, you have, by that act, actually become married to that man in God's eyes.  Something to think about, huh?  So it isn't the sex before "marriage" that is the sin, per se, it is if you then leave that man and go with another man, that's when the sin arises.  And that sin is adultery.  Now, really, women, how many of us [so-called nice] guys would you trust to stay with you forever after we have had sex with you?  Some?  Sure.  But many?  I'm not so sure of that.  But you do stand a better chance with a Christian man, though we all fall short.  Choose wisely, your chastity is very important to God; for,

Mark 10:4-9
4 And they said, Moses suffered to write a bill of divorcement, and to put her away.
5 And Jesus answered and said unto them, For the hardness of your heart he wrote you this precept.
6 But from the beginning of the creation God made them male and female.
7 For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and cleave to his wife;
8 And they twain shall be one flesh: so then they are no more twain, but one flesh.
9 What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder.  KJV

Now, they don't become "one" as in "a partnership," as so many closeted Feminist-minded women suppose today; but rather, the Scriptures state that they shall become one FLESH even:

Mark 10:8-9
8 And they twain shall be one flesh [Gr. #4561 sarx]: so then they are no more twain, but one flesh [sarx].
9 What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder.  KJV

"Flesh" means flesh.  below, we see this same Greek word (sarx) used in a context that makes it clear what "flesh" means, by contrasting it with that other part of us (spirit):

John 3:6
6 That which is born of the flesh [sarx] is flesh [sarx] ; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.  KJV

flesh:  Greek word #4561 sarx (sarx); probably from the base of NT:4563; flesh (as stripped of the skin), i.e. (strictly) the meat of an animal (as food), or (by extension) the body (as opposed to the soul [or spirit], or as the symbol of what is external, or as the means of kindred), or (by implication) human nature (with its frailties [physically or morally] and passions), or (specifically) a human being (as such):  KJV - carnal (-ly, -ly minded), flesh ([-ly]).

And no, this is not speaking of children.  For, many were wives before they had children:

Judges 13:2
2 And there was a certain man of Zorah, of the family of the Danites, whose name was Manoah; and his wife was barren, and bare not. KJV

Rebekah was Isaac's wife before she bore child:

Genesis 25:21
21 And Isaac intreated the LORD for his wife, because she was barren : and the LORD was intreated of him, and Rebekah his wife conceived.  KJV

As was Adam and Eve;

Genesis 2:24-25
24 Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh.
25 And they were both naked, the man and his wife, and were not ashamed.  KJV

When man and woman marry (engage in intercourse) they are changed; well, one of them is changed at Intercourse.  I could go deeper into this, but for time's sake will not now do so (the answer lies in DNA―specifically in DNA-Transference [not a well known or accepted theory, admittedly]  But I have proved it with the Bible's Old Testament to my satisfaction.  Once again, we'll just have to wait for science to catch up with the Bible).

Suffice it for not to say that It is not the man that loses a part of himself into the woman, but rather, it is the woman who is changed.  But she doesn't lose something, she gains something.  A when when she lays with another man, it is confusion.  Enough about that.  Repentance washes away all sin.

The Male's Complicity

All these things above are not so with men.  Adultery is SOLELY and SPECIFICALLY predicated on the marital status of the female participant.  I know that that sounds unfair, but take it up with the One who inspired the Scriptures.  And search those Scriptures, every adultery in the Bible involves a married woman.  And really, can you actually say to God "how come he gets to do this or that, and I don't?"  And no, men are not supposed to cheat on their wives.  It is a sin because they betrayed the contact made under the laws of their government (Romans 13:1-7).  And It is a hurting of the one they love, whom they were responsible to care for under God.  But if she didn't care, which does not happen nowadays as it once did, then it would not be an adultery. It would be a fornication, and a chambering and wantonness spoken of by Paul in Romans 13:1-7 (see specifically verse 5!), but it would not technically be an adultery.  Not to mention that he "helps" the woman, that he is with, to offend God!  He is not innocent because of that.  (Give money to your woman for an abortion, you men?  Or give your consent to it, men?  Did you try to stop her, did you give her a reason not to do it?  Well, guess what, men; you have put that sin on your own soul as well.  You too must repent, even though it was her laying in the stirrups.)  Adultery is a capital Offence in the Bible, those other above mentioned sexual indiscretions on the man's part are not death-worthy sins, but they aren't good, either.  But ALL unrighteousness is sin.  We men need to stop this infidelity!  It leads only to ruin, both our own and they ones that we are with.  If I may be blunt here; men, you know this:  Sex with the woman that you love is better than sex with twenty porn-stars.  Stay with the one that our Lord has blessed you with, and do not hurt her for lust's sake.  For, that would be a sin.

1 John 5:17
17 All unrighteousness is sin: and there is a sin not unto death.  KJV

Any man that thinks that he can go out and cheat on his wife, and it NOT be unrighteousness, has a dead conscience, and is fooling only himself!  Now, they can't fool me; for, I am a man myself: and I know that every cheating man knows and feels inside that he is doing something wrong, definitely something unrighteous.  That is his God-given conscience speaking to him.  Many do not listen.  But always know that repentance in Christ's name cleanses all sins of the woman (and men, of course), but I speak specifically of the pitfalls that endanger mostly women, namely these: Adultery and Abortion.  Repent and be made free through Christ Jesus' work on that cross.  And you will be free indeed, as He has promised us.  Yes, you can start over, like a virgin; yes, you can start fresh―no matter how many adulteries, whoredoms, or abortions that you have had.  Bring it to the cross, and leave it there when you return.  You aren't worthy, I am not worthy, But Jesus Christ was worthy to pay those sins off forever.  Back to our subject: 

     The edict of "raising up seed to thy brother" was only for a case where the man died.  Any other such (sexual) use of thy brother's wife; i.e., whilst the man still lived, was a grave sin:

Leviticus 18:15-16
15 Thou shalt not uncover the nakedness [have sexual intercourse] of thy daughter in law: she is thy son's wife; thou shalt not uncover her nakedness.
16 Thou shalt not uncover the nakedness of thy brother's wife: it is thy brother's nakedness [she is his].  KJV

     I included verse fifteen in the above to touch upon Judah and his deceased son's wife Tamar in Genesis 38:6-26.  (And I know that I am drifting off topic here, but I shall return in a moment.)   Notice there that the sons who refused to "raise up seed" to their deceased brother where slain by the Lord God for not obeying the precept, and for leaving their deceased brother without a name in Israel.  It was for this cause, and only this cause, that the father (Judah) of the deceased was moved to impregnate his daughter in law (Tamar), the wife of his dead son.  Normally this was not done, it was to be the brother who would "raise up seed". 

     Incidentally, this Tamar, and this Judah, were to be long-distant ancestors to our Lord Jesus Christ on His flesh side of the blessed (Luke 1:48) Mother Mary.  I included this off-topic visit to thwart the wicked people who would try to take occasion and say that our Lord Jesus Christ was the descendant of an illicit affair.  Shame on their blasphemy if they say this, not understanding the Scriptures, and surly not fearful of the wrath of God!  And incidentally, after Judah raised up seed to his deceased son, Er; he never had sex with his deceased son's wife Tamar again, for it is written: "And he knew her again no more" (Genesis 38:26b).  And Tamar, while pretending to be a whore, to fulfill the will of God―and to continue the Holy Seedline of Christ Jesus―did no wrong in the matter; for, as Judah declared by the Holy Spirit: "And Judah acknowledged them, and said, She [Tamar] hath been more righteous than I; because that I gave her not to Shelah my [only remaining, and last hope for Tamar and Er] son. And he knew her again no more." (Genesis 38:26)  In other words, this was all done for a specific purpose, and was in accord with the will of God.

     Anyway, back on topic:  Below is Christ's teaching on the nature of the dead, and how that once they leave this flesh, they never come back to it.  They are changed:

Matthew 22:23-33
23 The same day came to him the Sadducees, which say that there is no resurrection, and asked him,
24 Saying, Master, Moses said, If a man die, having no children, his brother shall marry his wife, and raise up seed unto his brother.
25 Now there were with us seven brethren: and the first, when he had married a wife, deceased, and, having no issue, left his wife unto his brother:
26 Likewise the second also, and the third, unto the seventh.
27 And last of all the woman died also.
28 Therefore in the resurrection whose wife shall she be of the seven? for they all had her.
29 Jesus answered and said unto them, Ye do err, not knowing the scriptures, nor the power of God.
30 For in the resurrection they neither marry [male, groom], nor are given in marriage [female, bride], but are as the angels of God in heaven.
31 But as touching the resurrection of the dead, have ye not read that which was spoken unto you by God, saying,
32 I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob? God is not the God of the dead, but of the living.
33 And when the multitude heard this, they were astonished at his doctrine.  KJV

     Therefore when we are in that spiritual body (at death), we are in God's realm (in a spiritual body―but so much less than He, I hasten to add!) we are able to stand in His presence and see Him as He is; for, we shall be "as the angels of God in heaven" (Matthew 22:30b).

Also, notice in the above of Christ's words:

Matthew 22:23-33
31 But as touching the resurrection of the dead, have ye not read that which was spoken unto you by God, saying,
32 I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob? God is not the God of the dead, but of the living.  KJV

     In other words, we are NOT dead after we die here on Earth (only our flesh is dead), but we live on (in a different form).  We shall study this "form" herein.

     Now, I must add that the term "in the resurrection" was used by Christ in the above, and not that "when ye die".  This shall be explained more perfectly further down in this study when we cover the TWO resurrections that are contained in Revelation chapter twenty.  But suffice for now to say that there is a different body in the resurrection than there is when we leave this flesh body at death and return to the Father in a different form (the use of the word "body" here at this point would not be entirely accurate, technically speaking).  For, when we die, and we are changed, and we ascend back to God who gave (made & sent) our soul; but, we are not yet at that time "resurrected", even though we have ascended.  But the above words of Christ also apply as to the change that occurs at the moment of death, and the leaving of the flesh for ever.  More on this later.

     Our focus in this present study is to answer as to what form we are in when we leave this flesh body and ascend back to the Father (the Lord God) who gave us (created our souls).  As well as several other things regarding the two resurrections and the two deaths spoke of in the Scriptures.  Nevertheless, for those who would like a little further exposition on just exactly "where the dead are now;" we have covered it in a deeper manner in a Q & A elsewhere on the Website; see: Where Are The Dead Now?

     An intermission, if I may.  And it might be helpful to those who are still unclear as to where the dead go at the moment that they die, to click over to the above study, read-up on that, and settle it in your mind; and then return as this study continues below.  A convenient link back to this very spot is provided at the top of this study, right under the main title.  So if you have things to do, this is a good place to take a break, as it will be easy to find your spot here again.

 

Part Two
The State Of The Dead

     Ok, back to our study: We will now go into what is to be the form of us when we die and return to the Father.  And what we are doing, and where we are at; and also, what transformation occurs at our individual resurrections (for there are two resurrections, but we each only participate in only one of them.  And the one (first resurrection) happens 1000 years before the other (the second [last] resurrection).  And this resurrection does not necessarily mean that you have been resurrected into eternal life in heaven; for, as wise (see Dan 1:17) Daniel said:

Daniel 12:1-2
12:1 And at that time shall Michael stand up, the great prince which standeth for the children of thy people: and there shall be a time of trouble [the Great Tribulation], such as never was since there was a nation even to that same time [as Christ said; see below Scripture] : and at that time thy people shall be delivered, every one that shall be found written in the book.
2 And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth [die] shall awake [resurrect], some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt.  KJV

Matthew 24:21-22
21 For then shall be great tribulation , such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be.
22 And except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved: but for the elect's sake those days shall be shortened.  KJV [That's "shortened," not "removed."  Christians shall go through the Great Tribulation!]

     Now I know that Daniel used the metaphor "sleep in the dust of the earth", and "awaken," and that this has caused some to say that we just sleep after we die, and then wake up for Judgement Day.  This is not so.  Daniel was using a metaphor.  We no more "sleep" until the end, than we sleep in the dust of the earth.  Daniel was speaking about the resurrection to come, and how that all will be resurrected, but that some will be resurrected and sent to the Lake of Fire after Judgement Day, and that some of the resurrected will be sent to Heaven after Judgement Day.  But all shall resurrect.  The resurrection is not the prize, the prize is to be resurrected into glory―to be accepted at Judgement Day and to pass on into the eternity with God.

     All shall stand be resurrected and stand on Judgement Day, both the good and the bad, both those destined to perdition and those destined to Heaven.

Judgement Day for Both The Overcomer And The Wicked

Revelation 20:11-15
11 And I saw a great white throne, and him that 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, 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.  KJV

Are the Dead Sleeping?

     Some say that the dead just sleep after they die, and then are resurrected for the final part of Rev 20 and Judgement Day.  They call this theory, Soul Sleep.  But are they really sleeping?  There are a few places in Scripture where we see that the dead are clearly not sleeping, and they are quite aware.  One of those places, and one that is Cleary not a parable is below:

Revelation 6:9-11
9 And when he had opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of them that were slain for the word of God, and for the testimony which they held:
10 And they cried with a loud voice, saying, How long, O Lord, holy and true, dost thou not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth?
11 And white robes were given unto every one of them; and it was said unto them, that they should rest yet for a little season, until their fellowservants also and their brethren, that should be killed as they were, should be fulfilled.  KJV

     These were Cleary people who had died, and they certainly were not unconscious nor sleeping; for, they were speaking to God, pray to Him, if you would.  And they were answered with a direct and informative sentence.  Another place that we find the dead conscious is in Luke chapter 16.  Yes, this is a parable, but a parable must always have as its base, a truth.  A parable can not be an untruth, though it is modified so that we, reading one thing, can understand another.  I will post that parable below, highlighting certain things to bring your attention to them.  Now, I know that a spiritual being feels no pain from thirst and flame―that part is a parable to illustrate the suffering of those certain souls as they see that they have done wrong and that it is too late for them to change it.  We cannot now understand how this despair is felt in a spiritual being, such as those on the bad side of the "great gulf" in Heaven; that is why Jesus used a parable that we could grasp in our flesh and limited minds.

     The fact remains, those on the other side of the gulf, IN HEAVEN, I might add, do suffer and feel great despair, and they are quite conscious and also realize that there is no hope for them.  For the man in the below never once prays for himself to be saved himself, only to be relieved of the torment.  He never asks for a second chance for himself; but rather, that one might be sent to warn his brothers of the fate that he has brought upon himself, so that they can avoid the fires that come to all the ungodly, his own fate that he no doubt saw off in the distance.  This soul certainly was not sleeping, nor did he find any rest night and day, as other Scriptures declare of this place called "Hell":

Luke 16:19-31
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.  KJV
 

   And one has been sent to them from the dead, and as Abraham declared, many are not persuaded by the risen Jesus Christ.

     Was the above a parable?  Sure.  But was it a true rendition of the state of the dead who have died outside of salvation.  Yes.  And also the happiness of the dead that died in a saved state such as Lazarus?  Yes.  These two were not "soul sleeping," lest Jesus made the whole thing up―God forbid!  Jesus, as "God with us", (Mat 1:23-25) cannot lie:

Titus 1:2
2 In hope of eternal life, which God, that cannot lie, promised before the world began;  KJV

We shall now cover the life, death, resurrection, and final destination of all men.  We shall cover:

• The Two Births

• The Two Resurrections

• The Two Deaths

The Two Births:

     Note:  I know how a certain good pastor in Arkansas teaches the below Scripture; but I must respectfully say that he is just dead wrong on this one.  And I fully respect this pastor's ability; it was he that taught me how to study Bible; and I am forever indebted to him for that.  Before I found his Bible study ministry, I was lost miserable wretch indeed, and didn't perhaps even know it.  (But God does the calling of us all; and all glory ultimately belongs to God.)  But that good pastor himself will tell you (and does tell you) that no man is perfect.  You must look at the Scripture yourself, and with the Holy Spirit helping you, you must decide what it's message is.  I shall present my case, then you must decide.

     A careful read of the entire chapter, particularly the exchanges between Jesus Christ and Nicodemus, will reveal that the "born again" (or "born from above", in the Greek) that Christ spoke of, was not some coming down of angels, but rather, the belief upon Jesus Christ which makes possible the indwelling of the Holy Spirit within the believer (Christian).  For if had Christ meant that born again was when we left Heaven and came into the womb, then Nicodemus would have already fulfilled both births, and Jesus needn't have told Nicodemus that he needs to be born again (from above).  The coming down from above of the Holy Spirit into the faithful Christian is this second birth.  The first birth being your flesh birth (water from your mother's belly), the second birth being your spiritual birth unto eternal life "born of [by] the Spirit" (of God)―the Holy Spirit.  This is that conversion experience that occurs within the new Christian―he/she is literally born into eternal life by the Holy Spirit of God through faith in Jesus Christ.

John 3:3-13
3 Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.
4 Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into his mother's womb, and be born?
5 Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit,  he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.
6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. [notice the capitalization of this first occurrence of the word Spirit in this verse; it has the definite article and means the Spirit of God―the Holy Spirit.  Compare to the second occurrence of the word "spirit", which has no article and is not capitalized.  This is speaking of two different "Spirits", God's and yours]
7 Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again.
8 The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit.
9 Nicodemus answered and said unto him, How can these things be?
10 Jesus answered and said unto him, Art thou a master of Israel, and knowest not these things?
11 Verily, verily, I say unto thee, We speak that we do know, and testify that we have seen; and ye receive not our witness.
12 If I have told you earthly things, and ye believe not, how shall ye believe, if I tell you of heavenly things?
13 And no man hath ascended up to heaven, but he that came down from heaven, even the Son of man which is in heaven.  KJV

   That is the two births, the first by flesh, the second by the Holy Spirit.  The second birth is the birth from above, the birth into eternal life by the Holy Spirit of God through belief upon Jesus Christ.  And if we carry the above Scripture on down three more verses, we shall see the whole subject of the above exchange between Jesus Christ and Nicodemus.  That being, salvation―the second birth, the birth that comes only from above.  We were all born here below, through the water (amniotic fluid) of our mother's womb; but, there is another birth that a person must be born of―to live eternal.  Continuing the above Scripture:

John 3:13-18
13 And no man hath ascended up to heaven, but he that came down from heaven, even the Son of man which is in heaven.
14 And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up:
15 That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life.
16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
17 For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.
18 He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.  KJV

     If you are not a Christian, please do learn of the Lord Jesus Christ before it is too late for you.  Don't be "one day too late," my friend.  Any of us could be run over by a truck tomorrow.  Don't be one day too late.  Ask any Christian for help.  Or, my E-mail address is on every page of this Website―if you have questions―ask them.  But most of all, pray to God to lead you to the truth of Jesus Christ.  For only in Christ can a person find eternal life.
 

The Two Resurrections & The Two Deaths

     To answer of these above two groups (the two resurrections and the two deaths), we shall visit the entire Revelation chapter twenty, verse by verse; where we see the two resurrections and the two deaths spoken of.  But we also pick it up in the previous chapter, starting at the actual Second Advent of the Messiah Jesus Christ, where all flesh is killed or removed.  And we will enter into the following chapter where we see the new Heaven and New Earth descending.  That should just about cover all the elements.

And that shall complete our study.

Revelation 19:11―21:8

Revelation 19:11-21
11 And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war.

This is the Second Advent of Jesus Christ.  We are now at the very end of the Great Tribulation.

12 His eyes were as a flame of fire, and on his head were many crowns; and he had a name written, that no man knew, but he himself.
13 And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and his name is called The Word of God.
14 And the armies which were in heaven followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean.
15 And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron: and he treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God.
16 And he hath on his vesture and on his thigh a name written, KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS.
17 And I saw an angel standing in the sun; and he cried with a loud voice, saying to all the fowls that fly in the midst of heaven, Come and gather yourselves together unto the supper of the great God;
18 That ye may eat the flesh of kings, and the flesh of captains, and the flesh of mighty men, and the flesh of horses, and of them that sit on them, and the flesh of all men, both free and bond, both small and great.

All flesh men shall now be killed off of the Earth, EXCEPT for the faithful Christians.  The Christians shall be changed at the Second Advent into their spiritual bodies WITHOUT tasting of physical death.  Paul spoke of this time:

1 Thessalonians 4:14-18
14 For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him.
15 For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep.
16 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:
17 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.
18 Wherefore comfort one another with these words.  KJV

19 And I saw the beast, and the kings of the earth, and their armies, gathered together to make war against him that sat on the horse, and against his army.

The end begins.

20 And the beast was taken, and with him the false prophet that wrought miracles before him, with which he deceived them that had received the mark of the beast, and them that worshipped his image. These both were cast alive into a lake of fire burning with brimstone.

21 And the remnant were slain with the sword of him that sat upon the horse, which sword proceeded out of his mouth: and all the fowls were filled with their flesh.  KJV ― End of Revelation chapter 19.

All flesh man is at this time killed (or in the case of the Christians, changed, leaving their flesh bodies here).  But they do not end there.  As we shall see below, they shall resurrect.  But to what? 

Revelation 20

Revelation 20:1-15
20:1 And I saw an angel come down from heaven, having the key of the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand.

All flesh man is now gone from the Earth.  What happens from here on out is in a spiritual realm.

2 And he laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent, which is the Devil, and Satan, and bound him a thousand years,

We see that satan was the serpent of old, the serpent in the Garden of Eden.  And he is the devil; he has so many names.

3 And cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal upon him, that he should deceive the nations no more, till the thousand years should be fulfilled: and after that he must be loosed a little season.

We see that he shall again be released for his final onslaught.  But not for a thousand years.

4 And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years.

These are the martyrs, those who died for Christ and God.  These are those who died refusing to take the mark of the beast during the Tribulation.  These are among those those spoken of:

Revelation 6:11
11 And white robes were given unto every one of them; and it was said unto them, that they should rest yet for a little season, until their fellowservants also and their brethren, that should be killed as they were, should be fulfilled.  KJV
 

This is their reward: they are resurrected at the beginning of the thousand years.  All others must wait till the end of the thousand years to be resurrected.  But not all who must wait are "damned."  They just don't participate in the 1000 years of glory on Earth with the Lord Jesus Christ.  But some who must wait are damned, these are the evil ones.

However, among this group of first resurrected shall also be all those Christians who did not die, but that also did not take the mark of the beast.  For, as we see: "and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years." (Rev 20:4b).  Remember, many Christians do not die in the Tribulation, they are alive at Christ's coming, as Paul stated. so they do not go to the place of the dead, for they never died; they just were changed.

5 But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection.

Now this resurrected body is not your old flesh body, it is your eternal heavenly body.  You are once again an angel, a son of God.  There is no two-separate genders in these bodies.  All are the same.  But we are different individually.  But we don't marry or anything like that.  There is no births in these bodies, which is the reason why when God sent us through this flesh world, He made half of us women, so that through the woman the child may be born.  Into that child God placed the soul of an angel, the soul of a son of God.

6 Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years.

Those in this first resurrection are guaranteed to not be condemned at Judgement day.  Their sins have all been forgiven because they remained faithful until death, and did not follow the antichrist and his system in the Tribulation.  Now, not all Christians were killed in the Tribulation; for, as we saw Paul state: many were alive at Christ's Second Coming, the Second Advent. 

7 And when the thousand years are expired, Satan shall be loosed out of his prison,

Now begins satan's final gasp.

8 And shall go out to deceive the nations which are in the four quarters of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them together to battle: the number of whom is as the sand of the sea.

This is the second resurrection.  These are all who have ever lived.  Satan has one more shot with them.

They, the evil ones, confederate with satan and devise to attack God's faithful people who have also been resurrected.  Perhaps these evil ones know what their fate shall be, shortly, when the Judgement Day begins. Perhaps among them is the rich man from the earlier parable of Lazarus and the rich man.  But for whatever reason, they hate the saved people.  This is on the Earth, but in spiritual bodies.  Everything happens on the Earth, even Heaven shall descend to the Earth in the eternity, as we shall see in the next chapter. 

9 And they went up on the breadth of the earth, and compassed the camp of the saints about, and the beloved city: and fire came down from God out of heaven, and devoured them.

God Himself protects His children, and devours the wicked.  But the wicked are not yet done.

10 And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever.

Satan's final punishment.  He is entirely destroyed.  Later we shall see that this Lake of Fire is gone.  It is no more.  But not yet, it has more souls to consume first.  Satan did not even get to stand being judged on Judgement Day; for, as we saw in the Old Testament, he has already been condemned to this fate.  "...therefore will I [God] bring forth a fire from the midst of thee [king of Tyrus/i.e., satan] , it shall devour thee . . . . All they that know thee among the people shall be astonished at thee: thou shalt be a terror, and never shalt thou be any more." " (Ezek 28:18 -19). Now maybe you can understand why satan hates us so much.  He, knowing of this ultimate fate of his, desires to destroy anything that God loves.

11 And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them.

This is Judgement Day.  Remember, all souls have been resurrected by now.  This is the final reckoning of God with His Creation.  This will be a day of unspeakable horrors and sorrows for many.  And a day of glad rewards for others.  But even us of the saved shall not be happy on this day; for, many of our loved ones we shall see perish this day in great travail and torment.  I think that that is why God removes the Lake of Fire once it has consumed those who were cast into it.  I think that He did it for us who remain, because that we would be sad having a remembrance of all those who were lost; wives, husbands, parents, grandparents, children, friends, boyfriends/girlfriends, etc.  A sad day indeed.  And we may well wonder if we had done enough to help them while we could.  God knows.  God is in control.

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.

Both the saved and the lost are judged here.  Judgement doesn't necessarily mean punishment.  You are only punished if you are judged to be guilty.  Many shall be judged to be innocent by merit of Jesus Christ's blood.

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.

All are delivered up to be judged.

14 And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.

We see that hell is not the final destination of the damned.  There is a greater fate―the second death―the death of a soul.

15 And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.  KJV

The second death is the death of the soul.  When you were born of your mother, you were man or woman.  When you were born again from above by the Holy Spirit through faith in Jesus Christ, you were a saved Christian man or woman.  When you died in your flesh, you were a dead person who was then in a spiritual body awaiting the time of your resurrection.  You were back with God.  When you were resurrected, you were either granted that second birth promise of eternal life, or you died the second death, the death of a soul, in the Lake of Fire.  And yes, it is eternal.  They are never to be anymore, for ever.

― End of Revelation chapter 20. 

Revelation 21:1-8

Revelation 21:1-8
1 And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea.

This the new world; this what we call Heaven.  The wicked are all gone.  The Lake of Fire is gone.  The old world, and all that perished in it has now passed away forever.

2 And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.

This is the final eternity.  All overcomers are here now.  All the wicked are gone for ever.  Notice that heaven is on the Earth at the final time for the eternity.  That is why I say that Heaven is not a place, but rather a time―an eternal time right back here on a rejuvenated Earth.  But we are not flesh, we are "as the angels", as Christ said.  We are the sons of God (no gender implied).

3 And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God.

We are the sons of God.  He shall dwell with us as He did before the overthrow of satan in the first age.  Our lives here today on Earth are the second age.  This Heaven in Revelation chapter 21 is the third and last age (see 2 Peter 3:6-13 below for the three separate Earth ages).  It was to here that Paul was taken to.  But he could not tell us anything about the wonderful glories:

2 Corinthians 12:1-4
12:1 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.  KJV

The Tree Earth Ages:

2 Peter 3:6-13
6 Whereby the world that then was, being overflowed with water, perished: [1st Earth age]
7 But the heavens and the earth, which are now [2nd Earth age], by the same word are kept in store, reserved unto fire against the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men.
8 But, beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.
9 The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.
10 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.
11 Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness,
12 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?
13 Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth [3rd Earth age], wherein dwelleth righteousness.  KJV
 

4 And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.

Never again shall we pain.  All those things are done away with.  Unspeakable is the greatness of the happiness that we shall enjoy―forever.  I know that the Lake of Fire is gone now because we could not be happy knowing that the ones that we once loved, were over yonder screaming in agony forever.  God said that all tears shall be removed, all sorrows.  This could not be, if some of His children were in torment and pain.

5 And he that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new. And he said unto me, Write: for these words are true and faithful.

God declares all this Scripture, His word, to be true.

6 And he said unto me, It is done. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give unto him that is athirst of the fountain of the water of life freely.

Once again we see a moniker of Jesus Christ used by God of Himself.  Jesus was God in the flesh when He came to this Earth through one Mother Mary.  Blessed Mary.  Jesus Christ, the "God with us" who in Revelation chapter one called Himself the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end:

Revelation 1:8
8 I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, saith the Lord, which is, and which was, and which is to come, the Almighty.  KJV

Revelation 1:17-18
17 And when I saw him, I fell at his feet as dead. And he laid his right hand upon me, saying unto me, Fear not; I am the first and the last:
18 I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death.  KJV
 

and who in John chapter four stated that He (Jesus) would give us "living water" (but in the next verse in Revelation 21:7 here, it is God who is speaking about giving us this water); ergo, Jesus was/is God:

John 4:10-14
10 Jesus answered and said unto her, If thou knewest the gift of God, and who it is that saith to thee, Give me to drink; thou wouldest have asked of him, and he would have given thee living water.
11 The woman saith unto him, Sir, thou hast nothing to draw with, and the well is deep: from whence then hast thou that living water?
12 Art thou greater than our father Jacob, which gave us the well, and drank thereof himself, and his children, and his cattle?
13 Jesus answered and said unto her, Whosoever drinketh of this water shall thirst again:
14 But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life.  KJV

states below that He shall be our God, and we shall His sons.  The sons of God.

7 He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son.

No more proof of Jesus being God is necessary after this direct statement from God.  And now perhaps, even though we cannot fully understand it with our limited flesh minds, we can believe that:

John 10:30
30 I and my Father are one.  KJV

Even "doubting" Thomas believed it, because he had seen it:

John 20:28-29
28 And Thomas answered and said unto him, My Lord and my God.
29 Jesus saith unto him, Thomas, because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed: blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed.  KJV

8 But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.  KJV      ― The Bible continues on to Revelation 22:21.  But for this study, we shall stop here.

I pray that none of you reading this shall have a part in this Lake of Fire.  Belief in Jesus Christ is the only way for you today to avoid this.

So, in the end, we see the perfect completion of:
 

Our life in Heaven as an angel, the sons of God from our creation

The Two Births

The Two Resurrections

The Two Deaths

THE ETERNAL LIFE of the overcomer: the sons of God forevermore

OR,

Eternally perishing in the Lake of Fire for those who do not overcome at Judgement Day.

Or, in order as to how they are experienced:

• All souls as angels in Heaven before being birthed on Earth―the sons of God

• First Birth (all)

• Second birth (Christians only)

• First death (all but those Christians alive at 2nd Advent)

• First resurrection (martyrs & those Christians alive at 2nd Advent)

• "Second" resurrection (all others)

• Second death (those who are judged to lake of Fire at Judgement Day)

• Eternity in Heaven as an angels once again―the sons of God (those who are judged to life eternal at Judgement Day)

     In closing:  In regards to the three different "bodies" (or forms, better stated, for we are not always in a "body") that we pass through:  we have flesh bodies; and within those flesh bodies is our spirit, our soul.  It is this soul spirit (for want of a better term) that returns to the Father at our flesh death.  Then, in the resurrection, we receive our angelic bodies, our eternal bodies.  We stand Judgement Day exactly the same as when God created us.  Some of these sons of God perish in the Lake of Fire, the only thing that can extinguish a soul.  Others, we become the sons of God who live eternally with God our Heavenly Father.  We are His children forevermore.  Just exactly what these bodies look like, or what they are constituted of, we cannot now know.  But from Scripture, every angel seen by man looked like a human man.  So, other than gender, we may well look in our spiritual angelic bodies much like we looked in our prime today.  After all, we were created in the image of God; would it not be logical that God made us here in this flesh world to resemble ourselves in the Heavenly world?  Surely we look similar to God in Heaven; after all, He is our Heavenly Father.

     Nevertheless, it was these bodies no doubt, among other great wonders, that Paul saw, being taken up in a vision to the third Heaven age; but which it was unlawful for him to speak of:

2 Corinthians 12:1-4
12:1 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.  KJV

     But one thing is for sure, in the Eternity, we shall all, both males and females of today, be as the angels, as the sons of God.  For our Lord Jesus Christ has told us:

Matthew 22:29-32
29 Jesus answered and said unto them, Ye do err, not knowing the scriptures, nor the power of God.
30 For in the resurrection they neither marry, nor are given in marriage, but are as the angels of God in heaven.
31 But as touching the resurrection of the dead, have ye not read that which was spoken unto you by God, saying,
32 I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob? God is not the God of the dead, but of the living.  KJV

Peace to you in Christ Jesus.

Nick Goggin; WBSG.

PS:  See also: (Three) Follow-up Questions on the, "The State Of The Dead", Bible Study

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              Nick Goggin 
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