QUESTION: WHAT HAPPENS WHEN A “LIVING SOUL” DIES?
They return to the dust of the earth from which they came, and it is as if they “sleep” (lying down) in the grave, until their respective resurrection.
[A.] Ecc 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.
Ecc 9:6 Also their love, and their hatred, and their envy, is now perished; neither have they any more a portion for ever in any thing that is done under the sun.
[B.] Ecc 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.
[C.] Ecc_12:7 Then shall the dust return to the earth as it was: and the spirit (“breath of life (of God)”)shall return unto God who gave it.
[D.] Psa 90:3 Thou turnest man to destruction (H1793; crushed to dust); and sayest, Return, ye children of men.
[E.] Psa 146:4 His breath goeth forth, he returneth to his earth; in that very day his thoughts perish.
[F.] Psa 104:29 Thou hidest thy face, they are troubled: thou takest away their breath, they die, and return to their dust.
Psa 104:30 Thou sendest forth thy spirit, they are created: and thou renewest the face of the earth.
[G.] 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.
[H.] Job 14:5 Seeing his days are determined, the number of his months are with thee, thou hast appointed his bounds that he cannot pass;
Job 14:6 Turn from him, that he may rest, till he shall accomplish, as an hireling, his day.
Job 14:7 For there is hope of a tree, if it be cut down, that it will sprout again, and that the tender branch thereof will not cease.
Job 14:8 Though the root thereof wax old in the earth, and the stock thereof die in the ground;
Job 14:9 Yet through the scent of water it will bud, and bring forth boughs like a plant.
Job 14:10 But man dieth, and wasteth away: yea, man giveth up the ghost, and where is he?
Job 14:11 As the waters fail from the sea, and the flood decayeth and drieth up:
Job 14:12 So man lieth down, and riseth not: till the heavens be no more, they shall not awake, nor be raised out of their sleep. (see “heaven”: Matthew 24:35; Mark 13:31; Luke 21:33; 2 Peter 3:10; Isaiah 34:4; Revelation 6:14.)
Job 14:13 O that thou wouldest hide me in the grave, that thou wouldest keep me secret, until thy wrath be past, that thou wouldest appoint me a set time, and remember me! (see “wrath” = 7 last plagues; Revelation 15:1, 16:1,19)
Job 14:14 If a man die, shall he live again? all the days of my appointed time will I wait, till my change come. (see 1 Corinthians 15:50-58; Luke 14:14)
Job 14:15 Thou shalt call, and I will answer thee: thou wilt have a desire to the work of thine hands. (see “call”: 1 Thessalonians 4:16; Psalms 50:4; Isaiah 25:8-9)
[I.] 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.
[J.] Job 17:13 If I wait, the grave is mine house: I have made my bed in the darkness.
Job 17:14 I have said to corruption, Thou art my father: to the worm, Thou art my mother, and my sister.
Job 17:15 And where is now my hope? as for my hope, who shall see it?
Job 17:16 They shall go down to the bars of the pit, when our rest together is in the dust.
QUESTION: IS IT ONLY THE “BODY” THAT GOES TO THE GRAVE, OR IS IT THE WHOLE PERSON, THE DEAD SOUL?
[A.] Job 20:11 His bones are full of the sin of his youth, which shall lie down with him in the dust.
[B.] Job 34:14 If he set his heart upon man, if he gather unto himself his spirit and his breath;
Job 34:15 All flesh shall perish together, and man shall turn again unto dust.
[C.] Joh 5:28 Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice,
Joh 5:29 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.
QUESTION: DON’T WE GET TO KEEP THE “SPIRIT” IN DEATH?
Ecc_8:8 There is no man that hath power over the spirit to retain the spirit; neither hath he power in the day of death: and there is no discharge in that war; neither shall wickedness deliver those that are given to it.
QUESTION: DO THE DECEASED PRAY, PRAISE, SING, REJOICE OR MAKE ANY NOISE?
[A.] Psa 115:17 The dead praise not the LORD, neither any that go down into silence.
[B.] Isa 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.
[C.] Isa 8:19 And when they shall say unto you, Seek unto them that have familiar spirits, and unto wizards that peep, and that mutter: should not a people seek unto their God? for the living to the dead?
QUESTION: ARE THE PATRIARCH’S, PROPHETS, APOSTLES & DISCIPLES WHO DIED “IN THE LORD” IN HEAVEN NOW?
[A.] Joh_8:53 Art thou greater than our father Abraham, which is dead? and the prophets are dead: whom makest thou thyself?
[B.] Heb 11:35 Women received their dead raised to life again: and others were tortured, not accepting deliverance; that they might obtain a better resurrection:
Heb 11:39 And these all, having obtained a good report through faith, received not the promise:
Heb 11:40 God having provided some better thing for us, that they without us should not be made perfect.
[C.] Act 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.
Act 2:34 For David is not ascended into the heavens: but he saith himself, The LORD said unto my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand,
Act_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:
[D.] Act 7:59 And they stoned Stephen, calling upon God, and saying, Lord Jesus, receive my spirit. (“spirit” is Stephen’s last breath, his prayer)
Act 7:60 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.
Act 8:2 And devout men carried Stephen to his burial, and made great lamentation over him.
QUESTION: WHAT DID PEOPLE DO TO JESUS WHEN HE TAUGHT THIS DOCTRINE OF THE ‘SLEEPING’ SOUL?
Mat_9:24 He said unto them, Give place: for the maid is not dead, but sleepeth. And they laughed him to scorn. (see also Mark 5:40; Luke 8:53)
QUESTION: DID THE DISCIPLES & APOSTLES CONTINUE IN THIS DOCTRINE?
Act_2:42 And they continued stedfastly in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers.