Two Important Questions
1.1
What important question is asked regarding death?
Job 14:10. “But man dieth, and wasteth away: yea, man giveth up the ghost, and where is he?”
1.2
What other question is asked regarding death?
Job 14:14. “Job 14:14. “If a man die, shall he live again?”
The Authority to Explain Death
2.1
Where can we find a valid answer regarding death?
2 Timothy 3:16. “All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:”
2.2
Is there anyone with experience in this matter who could explain about death?
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.”
2.3
Will Jesus ever die again?
Romans 6:9. “Knowing that Christ being raised from the dead dieth no more; death hath no more dominion over him.”
2.4
Who has the authority to control life and death?
John 11:25, 26. “25 Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live:
26 And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this?”
The Beginning of Life
3.1
How did life on earth begin?
Genesis 1:27. “So created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.”
3.2
How did Adam and Eve continue living?
Genesis 2:8, 9. “8 And the Lord God planted a garden eastward in Eden; and there he put the man whom he had formed.
9 And out of the ground made the Lord God to grow every tree that is pleasant to the sight, and good for food; the tree of life also in the midst of the garden, and the tree of knowledge of good and evil.”
The Beginning of Death
4.1
What restriction did God place on Adam and Eve?
Genesis 2:17. “But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: . . .”
4.2
What was the penalty for disobedience?
Genesis 2:17. “. . . for in the day that eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.”
4.3
What doubt did Satan place in Eve’s mind?
Genesis 3:1. “Now the serpent was more subtle than any beast of the field which the Lord God had made. And he said unto the woman, Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden?”
4.4
What response did Eve give to Satan?
Genesis 3:2, 3. “2 And the woman said unto the serpent, We may eat of the fruit of the trees of the garden:
3 But of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God hath said, Ye shall not eat of it, neither shall ye touch it, lest ye die.”
4.5
What lie did Satan tell Eve?
Genesis 3:4. “And the serpent said unto the woman, ye shall not surely die:”
4.6
What did Satan say the result would be?
Genesis 3:5. “For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil.”
4.7
After eating the fruit, why were Adam and Eve forced to leave the garden of Eden?
Genesis 3:22-24. “22 And the Lord God said, Behold, the man is become as one of us, to know good and evil: and now, lest he put forth his hand, and take also of the tree of life, and eat, and live for ever
23 Therefore the Lord God sent him forth from the garden of Eden, to till the ground from whence he was taken.
24 So he drove out the man; and he placed at the east of the garden of Eden Cherubims, and a flaming sword which turned every way, to keep the way of the tree of life.”
4.8
Who was the first to die, and disprove the lie of Satan?
Genesis 4:8. “And Cain talked with Abel his brother: and it came to pass, when they were in the field, that Cain rose up against Abel his brother, and slew him.”
4.9
What happened to Adam to disprove the lie of Satan?
Genesis 5:5. “And all the days that Adam lived were nine hundred and thirty years: and he died.”
Death
5.1
What is death the result of?
James 1:14, 15. “14 But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed.
15 Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death.”
5.2
How many of the descendants of Adam and Eve are subject to death?
Romans 5:12. “Wherefore by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin, and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned.”
(See also Romans 3:23).
5.3
What awaits every person that is born?
Psalm 89:48. “What man is he that liveth, and shall not see death? shall he deliver his soul from the grave?”
5.4
What happens to the body at death?
Genesis 3:19. “In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground; for out of it wast thou taken: for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return.”
5.5
What happens to spirit at death?
Ecclesiastes 12:7. “Then shall the dust return to the earth as it was: and the spirit shall return unto God who gave it.”
5.6
How does Job describe this event?
Job 34:14, 15. “14 If he set his heart upon man, if he gather unto himself his spirit and his breath;
15 All flesh shall perish together, and man shall turn again unto dust.”
5.7
What is death, even for the believers, without the resurrection of Jesus?
1 Corinthians 15:17, 18. “17 And if Christ be not raised, your faith is vain; ye are yet in your sins.
18 Then they also which are fallen asleep in Christ are perished.”
Death Similar for All Living Things
6.1
How did the Bible writers describe being alive?
Job 27:3. “All the while my breath is in me, and the spirit of God is in my nostrils;”
6.2
At death do men and animals go to the same place?
Ecclesiastes 3:19-21. “19 For that which befalleth the sons of men befalleth beasts; even one thing befalleth them: as the one dieth, so dieth the other; yea, they have all one breath; so that a man hath no preeminence above a beast: for all is vanity.
20 All go unto one place; all are of the dust, and all turn to dust again.
21 Who knoweth the spirit of man that goeth upward, and the spirit of the beast that goeth downward to the earth?”
6.3
Do animals as well as man have the breath of life?
Genesis 7:15. “And they went in unto Noah into the ark, two and two of all flesh, wherein is the breath of life.”
Genesis 7:21, 22. “21 And all flesh died that moved upon the earth, both of fowl, and of cattle, and of beast, and of every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth, and every man:
22 All in whose nostrils was the breath of life, of all that was in the dry land, died.”
6.4
How is man’s death compared to the animals?
Psalm 49:12. “Nevertheless man being in honour abideth not: he is like the beasts that perish.”
Psalm 49:19, 20. “19 He shall go to the generation of his fathers; they shall never see light.
20 Man that is in honour, and understandeth not, is like the beasts that perish.”
The Soul
7.1
What two elements made man a living soul?
Genesis 2:7. “And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.”
7.2
Can the soul and body both be killed?
Matthew 10:28. “And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.”
7.3
Can the soul die?
Ezekiel 18:4. “Behold, all souls are mine; as the soul of the father, so also the soul of the son is mine: the soul that sinneth, it shall die.”
7.4
Can the soul be lost?
Matthew 16:25, 26. “25 For whosoever will save his life shall lost it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it.
26 For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?”
7.5
Do things living in the ocean have souls?
Revelation 16:3. “And the second angel poured out his vial upon the sea; and it became as the blood of a dead man; and every living soul died in the sea.”
Death a Sleep
8.1
Did Jesus describe death as a sleep?
John 11:11-14. “11 These things said he: and after that he saith unto them, Our friend Lazarus sleepeth; but I go, that I may awake him out of sleep.
12 Then said his disciples, Lord, if he sleep, he shall do well.
13 Howbeit Jesus spake of his death: but they thought that he had spoken of taking of rest in sleep.
14 Then said Jesus unto them plainly, Lazarus is dead.”
8.2
How was Stephen’s death described?
Acts 7:59, 60. “59 And they stoned Stephen, calling upon God, and saying, Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.
60 And he kneeled down, and cried with a loud voice, Lord, lay not this sin to their charge. And when he had said this, he fell asleep.”
8.3
What happens to the body after death?
Acts 13:36. “For David, after he had served his own generation by the will of God, fell on sleep, and was laid unto his fathers, and saw corruption:”
8.4
What happend to some who witnessed the death of Jesus?
1 Corinthians 15:6. “After that, he was seen of above five hundred brethren at once; of whom the greater part remain unto this present, but some are fallen asleep.”
8.5
Did Paul use the term sleep for death?
1 Corinthians 11:30. “For this cause many are weak and sickly among you, and many sleep.”
8.6
How did David describe death?
Psalm 13:3. “Consider and hear me, O Lord my God: lighten mine eyes, lest I sleep the sleep of death;”
8.7
Is life possible after death and before the resurrection?
Job 14:11, 12. “11 As the waters fail from the sea, and the flood decayeth and drieth up:
12 So man lieth down, and riseth not: till the heavens be no more, they shall not awake, nor be raised out of their sleep.”
8.8
Did Job believe in life immediately after death?
Job 7:21. “And why dost thou not pardon my transgression, and take away mine iniquity? for now shall I sleep in the dust; and thou shalt seek me in the morning, but I shall not be.”
8.9
What is the condition of the lost who sleep?
1 Thessalonians 4:13. “But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope.”
Condition in Death
9.1
Do you know anything when you are dead?
Ecclesiastes 9:5. “For the living know that they shall die: but the dead know not any thing, neither have they any more a reward; for the memory of them is forgotten.”
9.2
Are any emotions or feelings still alive?
Ecclesiastes 9:6. “Also their love, and their hatred, and the envy, is now perished; neither have they any more a portion for ever in any thing that is done under the sun.”
9.3
Can anyone do or understand anything when dead?
Ecclesiastes 9:10. “Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might; for there is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom, in the grave, whither thou goest.”
9.4
Do the thoughts continue when dead?
Psalm 146:4. “His breath goeth forth, he returneth to his earth; in that very day his thoughts perish.”
9.5
Are the dead aware of what their relatives are doing?
Job 14:21. “His sons come to honour, and he knoweth it not; and they are brought low, but he perceiveth it not of them.”
9.6
Do the dead give praise to God?
Psalm 115:17. “The dead praise not the Lord, neither any that go down into silence.”
Psalm 88:10-12. “10 Wilt thou show wonders to the dead? shall the dead arise and praise thee? Selah.
11 Shall thy lovingkindness be declared in the grave? or thy faithfulness in destruction?
12 Shall thy wonders be known in the dark? and thy righteousness in the land of forgetfulness?”
9.7
What are the dead unable to do in the grave?
Psalm 6:5. “For in death there is no remembrance of thee: in the grave who shall give thee thanks?.”
9.8
What is the place of death like?
Job 17:13. “If I wait, the grave is mine house: I have made my bed in the darkness.”
9.9
Is there a second chance for salvation after death?
Isaiah 38:18. “For the grave cannot praise thee, death can not celebrate thee: they that go down into the pit cannot hope for thy truth.”
Where are the Dead?
10.1
Where do all the dead go?
Job 3:13-19. “13 For now should I have lain still and been quiet, I should have slept: then had I been at rest,
14 With kings and counsellers of the earth, which built desolate places for themselves;
15 Or with princes that had gold, who filled their houses with silver:
16 Or as an hidden untimely birth I had not been; as infants which never saw light.
17 There the wicked cease from troubling; and there the weary be at rest.
18 There the prisoners rest together; they hear not the voice of the oppressor.
19 The small and great are there; and the servant is free from his master.”
10.2
Would the followers of Jesus go to heaven with Him when He died?
John 13:36. “Simon Peter said unto him, Lord, whither goest thou? Jesus answered him, Whither I go, thou canst not follow me now; but thou shalt follow me afterwards.”
10.3
Would the wicked get to go to heaven with Jesus?
John 7:33, 34. “33 Then said Jesus unto them, Yet a little while am I with you, and then I go unto him that sent me.
34 Ye shall seek me, and shall not find me: and where I am, thither ye cannot come.”
John 8:21. “Then said Jesus again unto them, I go my way, and ye shall seek me, and shall die in your sins: whither I go, ye cannot come.”
10.4
Did David go to heaven when he died?
Acts 2:29. “Men and brethren, let me freely speak unto you of the patriarch David, that he is both dead and buried, and his sepulchre is with us unto this day.”
Acts 2:34. “For David is not ascended into the heavens: . . .”
Immortality
11.1
What attribute does God have regarding life?
1 Timothy 1:17. “Now unto the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only wise God, be honour and glory for ever and ever. Amen.”
11.2
? does God alone have?
1 Timothy 6:15, 16. “15 Which in his times he shall shew, who is the blessed and only Potentate, the King of kings, and Lord of Lords;
16 Who only hath immortality, dwelling in the light which no man can approach unto; whom no man hath seen, nor can see: to whom be honour and power everlasting.”
11.3
Is mankind immortal?
Job 4:17. “Shall mortal man be more just than God? shall a man be more pure than his maker?”
11.4
How is mankind’s physical body described?
2 Corinthians 4:11. “For we which live are alway delivered unto death for Jesus’ sake, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our mortal flesh.”
11.5
Do the inhabitants of earth have immortality yet?
Romans 2:7. “To them who by patient continuance in well doing seek for glory and honour and immortality, eternal life:”
11.6
How is immortality obtained?
2 Timothy 1:10. “But is now made manifest by the appearing of our Saviour Jesus Christ, who hath abolished death, and hath brought life and immortality to light through the gospel:”
11.7
When will mortality change to immortality?
1 Corinthians 15:51-54. “51 Behold, I show you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed,
52 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.
53 For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.
54 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.”
Eternal Life and the Resurrection
12.1
When does God confer eternal life on the saved?
John 6:39, 40. “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.
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.”
12.2
Will both saved and lost come to life again?
John 5:28, 29. “28 Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice,
29 And shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation.”
12.3
Did Daniel connect the resurrection with eternal life?
Daniel 12:1, 2. “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, such as never was since there was a nation even to that same time: 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 shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt.”
12.4
How long did Daniel anticipate waiting?
Daniel 12:13. “But go thou thy way till the end be: for thou shalt rest, and stand in thy lot at the end of the days.”
12.5
When was Job promised he would have eternal life?
Job 19:25-27. “25 For I know that my redeemer liveth, and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth:
26 And though after my skin worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God:
27 Whom I shall see for myself, and mine eyes shall behold, and not another; though my reins be consumed within me.”
12.6
What was Moses’ experience?
Deuteronomy 34:5, 6. “5So Moses the servant of the Lord died there in the land of Moab, according to the word of the Lord.
6And he buried him in a valley in the land of Moab, over against Bethpeor: but no man knoweth of his sepulchre unto this day.”
Jude 1:9. “Yet Michael the archangel, when contending with the devil he disputed about the body of Moses, durst not bring against him a railing accusation, but said, The Lord rebuke thee.”
Matthew 17:1-3. “1 And after six days Jesus taketh Peter, James, and John his brother, and bringeth them up into an high mountain apart,
2 And was transfigured before them: and his face did shine as the sun, and his raiment was white as the light.
3 And, behold, there appeared unto them Moses and Elias talking with him.”
12.7
When did David expect to see God?
Psalm 17:15. “As for me, I will behold thy face in righteousness: I shall be satisfied, when I awake, with thy likeness.”
12.8
When do the saved who have died come to life?
1 Corinthians 15:22, 23. “22 For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive.
23 But every man in his own order: Christ the first fruits; afterward they that are Christ’s at his coming.”
12.9
In what order are the saved made alive?
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.”
Eternal Life Only In Christ
13.1
Where does mankind get eternal life?
Romans 6:23. “For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.”
13.2
What do we have if we have Jesus?
1 John 5:11, 12. “11 And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son.
12 He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life.”
13.3
What did God promise His followers?
1 John 2:25. “And this is the promise that he hath promised us, even eternal life.”
13.4
What will keep the saved alive in the hereafter?
Revelation 22:14. “Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city.”
Second Death
14.1
Are any of the lost alive for 1000 years after Jesus returns?
Revelation 20:5. “But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection.”
14.2
What happens to the earth and every thing in it?
2 Peter 3:7, 10-13. “7 But the heavens and the earth, which are now, by the same word are kept in store, reserved unto fire against the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men. . . .
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, wherein dwelleth righteousness.”
14.3
What happens to Satan when he is destroyed?
Ezekiel 28:19. “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.”
14.4
How much will be left of the wicked?
Malachi 4:1, 3. “1 For, behold, the day commeth, that shall burn as an oven; and all the proud, yea, and all that do wickedly, shall be stubble: and the day that cometh shall burn them up, saith the Lord of hosts, that it shall leave them neither root nor branch. . . .
3 And ye shall tread down the wicked; for they shall be ashes under the soles of your feet in the day that I shall do this, saith the Lord of hosts.”
14.5
What death does the lake of fire cause?
Revelation 20:13-15. “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.”
Decision
15.1
What danger is there in misunderstanding the truth?
Proverbs 14:12. “There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death.”
15.2
What appeal does God make to us today?
Deuteronomy 30:19. “I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live:”
15.3
What happens if we believe in Jesus?
John 5:24. “Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.”
15.4
What are we encouraged to do?
Ezekiel 18:31,32. “31 Cast away from you all your transgressions, whereby ye have transgressed; and make you a new heart and a new spirit: for why will ye die, O house of Israel?
32 For I have no pleasure in the death of him that dieth, saith the Lord God: wherefore turn yourselves, and live ye.”