Where are the dead souls taken to rest before Judgement?
See chart at end of article

The State Of The Dead

Luke 16:19-31

Introduction:

1. "The body without the spirit is dead (James 2:26) but the reverse is not true; the spirit without the body is dead".

a. The body is mortal. 2 Cor 4:16

1. It returns to dust. Genesis 3:19: Eccl. 12:

b. Death is from the Greek work "thanatos" which means a separation.

1. That is separation of the spirit from the body.

c. The Sadducees denied the spirit (Acts 23:8) but Jesus plainly demonstrated that those dead still live. Matthew 22:29-32

2. I must admit to your that there is a great deal that no one knows about death.

a. I know it took my parents, Linda's mother and many of your friends and love ones.

b. It comes to us all. Even Elvis and Howard Hughes.

c. We can understand only what is revealed and don't need to speculate to much.

1. Hope in Christ delivers from bondage to the fear of death. Hebrews 2:15

Discussion:

1. I suppose the best place for us to start our study is

Luke 16:19-31, "The rich man and Lazarus"

A. The body dies and is buried.

B. The spirit is in hades.

1. KJV has this word translated wrong, "HELL",

2. That is the eternal place for the evil after the judging.

3. Hades means the unseen state of the dead, whether in

torment or in comfort.

C. Life continued on earth while the two were in different places.

2. Hades is two different places.

a. One is a place is torment the other is a place of comfort.

1. We see these two in Luke 16.

2. In our text Lazerus is not referred to as being in hell,

the place of eternal torment.

b In Acts 2:27 the ASV translated the word "Hades". Jesus would

not remain in the unseed world.

1. This passage means that the spirit of Jesus and the

physical body of Jesus would be rejoined

3. The spirits are in prison.

a. Luke 16 we see the rich man cannot get out.

b. The Greek language had a term "Tartqarus" to show the place of

the wicked dead.

1. This word is used once in the New T. 2 Peter 2:4

"Chains of darkness".

2. The word "Tartarus" needs to keep the meaning it had to

those people at that time.

3. It meant "The place of punishment of the wicked".

c. We see these two places one of punishment the other of comfort

in Luke 16 our text.

4. Why have "Hades"?

a. Why not let the good go to heaven and the evil go straight to

hell?

1. Rev. 20:13-14 says there must be a day of pronouncement.

2. I Cor. 15:12ff says there needs to be a delay of

resurrection.

3. Crown of righteousness will be given that day. 2 Tim. 4:8

4. We will be changed when He appears. Phil. 3:20-21

5. The dead in the two places will go into their respective eternal

abodes.

a. All will be judged, Matthew 25

b. The righteous will go into heaven. Matt. 25

c. The unrighteous will go away into Gehenna, Matthew 25

d. Then eternity.

Conclusion:

1. This is scary for some, because they are not prepared but for some

it is a thing of joy. We are to shout A-Men.