It has been a wonder to me, amid many variations and speculations as to where the soul goes after the death of a person. To either Hell or to Heaven?? Can somebody clear this up for me, and NOT speculate please! I have searched the Bible regarding this, (maybe the capacity of my understaing this failed me), and I have not seemed to find any specific answer to this, except deducing from what is said somewhere in the Book of Revelation about the souls that were under the Alter of God, who were told to wait a little while longer until the number of those who would be killed like they had been should be fulfilled. Somebody suggests that this talks about the martyers for Christ, and not just about anybody.

What brings this question to mind is what is always said in the Old Testament that "so and so has rested with his forefathers" when they died. And the expression is referred to both the good and the evil. But what puzzles me mostly is the instance where the spirit of Samuel (who was righteous) said to Sail ( who was evil) that, "Tomorrow you and your sons will be with me". So my deduction from this utterance is that all souls, be they good or evil go to one place where they wait for the end of time Judgment. So this place may not necessarily be Heaven or Hell. I am subject to correction. In the case of Lazarus and the Rich King, we are told that Lazarus died and was taken by the angels to the "Bosom of Abraham", ummm - is this Heaven or some Spiritual realm in the heavenlies, where perhaps human souls of the Righteous wait until the Great Day of the Lord? Secondly, the Rich King also died and he went to Hell, where he was in great torment. I do not question this statement, I fully accept it because it is from the mouth of the Lord!!! However, there are also suggestions by certain teachers of the Word that the souls of the sinners are imprisoned and chained somewhere in some chambers of a cerain realm, where they are not necessarily in torment, but waiting for their damnation during the Day of Judgment.

Am I off the mark if I say that the souls of the Righteous DO NOT GO TO HAEVEN when they depart from the body, BUT THEY GO TO WAIT IN A CERTAIN REALM, call it PARADISE if you will, where they wait for that Great Day of Judgment at the end of time???

Why am I saying this? We are told of Rapture which will occur prior to that Great Day of Judgment, right - and 1st Thes. 04:16 says, "For the Lord shall Himself descend from Heaven, and with a shout, with the voice from the Archangel, and a trump of God; and the DEAD IN CHRIST shall rise first... So if the Righteous Dead shall be raised from their graves on the this day and hour, and yet there is this popular saying that the Righteous go to be with the Lord in Heaven when they die; WHAT SENSE DOES IT MAKE THEN TO RAISE THEM FROM THEIR GRAVES IF THEIR SOULS ARE ALREADY IN HEAVEN???

Can somebody really open my eyes about this question, as to where exactly do the souls (both righteous and evil) go after they have departed from the body??? For I am tempted to believe that those people who experience NDE (Near Death Experience) and claim to have been shown either Hell or Heaven or even both, are shown that which is in the future, and not the present, but that is presented to them as something happening currently.

Yearning to know the truth,

Bongani Pityi
Bisho, Eastern Cape
South Africa

PS. We tend to confuse Heb. 09:27 which says, "For it is appointed for man to live once and then judgment..." My understanding of this is: Yes we are judged immediately after death, BUT this does not necessarily mean that one is thrown there and then into the fires of hell. You are judged according to your conduct with your life, and if found unworthy, you either locked up and chained/imprisoned in a chamber where you have to wait for that Great and Terrible Day of the Lord. The Righteous however are placed in some realm or Paradise where they wait also for their reward on that Great and Terrible Day of the Lord (End of Time). Educate me please on this!!!

Dearest Bongani,

I will answer according to the Word. It should be simple and understandable.

An unrepentant sinner who dies will go to hell, and hell is a temporary holding place for sinners.

After the great white throne judgement (this judgement is for sinners only), they (including hell) will be cast into the lake of fire. This is the true judgment. As of now, the judgement has not yet taken place and will only happen after the final battle against satan (which will take place after the 1000 year reign of Christ).

Rev 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.


However, for all who has died with faith in the true God BEFORE the resurrection of Christ- they were congregated in a place called Abraham's bosom.

It seems that AFTER the death of Christ, all believers were brought to a place called Paradise.

LK 23:43 And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, To day shalt thou be with me in paradise.

Notice too that paradise is located in the 3rd heavens as written by Paul.

2 Cor 12:1-4
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.

The Lord Jesus also has enabled us TO SIT TOGETHER in HEAVENLY PLACES.

EPH 2:6 And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus:

During the rapture, it is necessary that the souls of all who had died in their faith be resurrected. This is so in order that they may received the new HEAVENLY BODY. As of now they are only souls.

1 Cor 15

42 So also is the resurrection of the dead. It is sown in corruption; it is raised in incorruption:
43 It is sown in dishonour; it is raised in glory: it is sown in weakness; it is raised in power:
44 It is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body. There is a natural body, and there is a spiritual body.

49 And as we have borne the image of the earthy, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly.
50 Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither doth corruption inherit incorruption.

During rapture, the dead in Christ shall be resurrected first to receive this new heavenly body. After that, all who are alive in Christ shall also receive this new body.

As of now, no man has this new heavenly body, except our Lord Jesus Christ, who was resurrected and are now in the heavenlies.

Why should the dead in Christ receive this new body? Because this is the will of the Father...

JN 6:39 And this is the Father's will which hath sent me, that of all which he hath given me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up again at the last day.
JN 6:40 And this is the will of him that sent me, that every one which seeth the Son, and believeth on him, may have everlasting life: and I will raise him up at the last day.

God bless!

Bongani,

one more thing. Verse 39 speaks of those who believed in God BEFORE the time of Jesus and verse 40 speaks of those who WERE WITH JESUS and all the believers onward. Notice the word AGAIN in verse 39.

Notice too that verse 40 speaks of those who SEES the Son. And this includes present day believers.

JN 6:39 And this is the Father's will which hath sent me, that of all which he hath given me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up again at the last day.

JN 6:40 And this is the will of him that sent me, that every one which seeth the Son, and believeth on him, may have everlasting life: and I will raise him up at the last day.