The Soul, Death and The Resurrection

 

Genesis 2:7 "The Lord God formed man from the dust of the earth, and breathed the breath of life into his nostrils, and man became a living soul."

Genesis reveals that man was created from the dust of the ground, and that God breathed the breath of life into him, and then added blood which is the life thereof Genesis 9:4. Without both blood and breath, man would not be alive, the spirit or soul can not exist without them. Man became a soul when life was breathed into the dust and blood was added.

Job 14:10-12 "Man dies and wastes away, yes, man gives up the ghost, and where is he? As the waters fail from the sea, and the flood turns and dries up, so man lies down and does not get up until the heavens are no more, they will not awake, or be raised out of their sleep."

Psalm 115:17 "The dead do not praise the Lord, neither do any that go down into silence."

Psalm 146:4 "His breath goes forth and returns to the earth, in that very day his thoughts perish."

Ecclesiastes 9:5-6 "The living know that they will die, but the dead know nothing, neither do they have anymore rewards, for the memory of them is forgotten. Also their love, and their hatred, and their envy has perished. Neither do they have a part in anything that is done under the sun."

Ecclesiastes 12:7 "Then will the dust return to the earth, and the spirit will return to God who gave it."

You do not go to heaven in a way that most believe in, yet there is a place prepared to hold all souls until judgment day.

Acts 2:29-34 "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... For David is not ascended into the heavens: but he saith himself, The LORD said unto my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand," 

1 Enoch Chapter 22:1-14 " And thence I went to another place, and he mountain [and] of hard rock. And there was in it four hollow places, deep and wide and very smooth. How smooth are the hollow places and deep and dark to look at. Then Raphael answered, one of the holy angels who was with me, and said unto me: 'These hollow places have been created for this very purpose, that the spirits of the souls of the dead should assemble therein, yea that all the souls of the children of men should assemble here. And these places have been made to receive them till the day of their judgement and till their appointed period [till the period appointed], till the great judgement (comes) upon them.' I saw (the spirit of) a dead man making suit, and his voice went forth to heaven and made suit. And I asked Raphael the angel who was with me, and I said unto him: 'This spirit which maketh suit, whose is it, whose voice goeth forth and maketh suit to heaven ' And he answered me saying: 'This is the spirit which went forth from Abel, whom his brother Cain slew, and he makes his suit against him till his seed is destroyed from the face of the earth, and his seed is annihilated from amongst the seed of men.' The I asked regarding it, and regarding all the hollow places: 'Why is one separated from the other' And he answered me and said unto me: 'These three have been made that the spirits of the dead might be separated. And such a division has been make (for) the spirits of the righteous, in which there is the bright spring of water. And such has been made for sinners when they die and are buried in the earth and judgement has not been executed on them in their lifetime. Here their spirits shall be set apart in this great pain till the great day of judgement and punishment and torment of those who curse for ever and retribution for their spirits. There He shall bind them for ever. And such a division has been made for the spirits of those who make their suit, who make disclosures concerning their destruction, when they were slain in the days of the sinners. Such has been made for the spirits of men who were not righteous but sinners, who were complete in transgression, and of the transgressors they shall be companions: but their spirits shall not be slain in the day of judgement nor shall they be raised from thence.' The I blessed the Lord of glory and said: 'Blessed be my Lord, the Lord of righteousness, who ruleth for ever."

2 Enoch (Slavonic) Chapter 49:4-5 "And I swear to you, yea, yea, that there has been no man in his mother’s womb, but that already before, even to each one there is a place prepared for the repose of that soul, and a measure fixed how much it is intended that a man be tried in this world. Yea, children, deceive not yourselves, for there has been previously prepared a place for every soul of man."

2 Esdras also known as 4 Ezra 7:76-101 "He answered me and said, "I will show you that also, but do not be associated with those who have shown scorn, nor number yourself among those who are tormented. For you have a treasure of works laid up with the Most High; but it will not be shown to you until the last times. Now, concerning death, the teaching is: When the decisive decree has gone forth from the Most High that a man shall die, as the spirit leaves the body to return again to him who gave it, first of all it adores the glory of the Most High. And if it is one of those who have shown scorn and have not kept the way of the Most High, and who have despised his law, and who have hated those who fear God such spirits shall not enter into habitations, but shall immediately wander about in torments, ever grieving and sad, in seven ways. The first way, because they have scorned the law of the Most High. The second way, because they cannot now make a good repentance that they may live. The third way, they shall see the reward laid up for those who have trusted the covenants of the Most High. The fourth way, they shall consider the torment laid up for themselves in the last days. The fifth way, they shall see how the habitations of the others are guarded by angels in profound quiet. The sixth way, they shall see how some of them will pass over into torments. The seventh way, which is worse than all the ways that have been mentioned, because they shall utterly waste away in confusion and be consumed with shame, and shall wither with fear at seeing the glory of the Most High before whom they sinned while they were alive, and before whom they are to be judged in the last times. Now this is the order of those who have kept the ways of the Most High, when they shall be separated from their mortal body. During the time that they lived in it, they laboriously served the Most High, and withstood danger every hour, that they might keep the law of the Lawgiver perfectly. Therefore this is the teaching concerning them: First of all, they shall see with great joy the glory of him who receives them, for they shall have rest in seven orders. The first order, because they have striven with great effort to overcome the evil thought which was formed with them, that it might not lead them astray from life into death. The second order, because they see the perplexity in which the souls of the ungodly wander, and the punishment that awaits them. The third order, they see the witness which he who formed them bears concerning them, that while they were alive they kept the law which was given them in trust. The fourth order, they understand the rest which they now enjoy, being gathered into their chambers and guarded by angels in profound quiet, and the glory which awaits them in the last days. The fifth order, they rejoice that they have now escaped what is corruptible, and shall inherit what is to come; and besides they see the straits and toil from which they have been delivered, and the spacious liberty which they are to receive and enjoy in immortality. The sixth order, when it is shown to them how their face is to shine like the sun, and how they are to be made like the light of the stars, being incorruptible from then on. The seventh order, which is greater than all that have been mentioned, because they shall rejoice with boldness, and shall be confident without confusion, and shall be glad without fear, for they hasten to behold the face of him whom they served in life and from whom they are to receive their reward when glorified. This is the order of the souls of the righteous, as henceforth is announced; and the aforesaid are the ways of torment which those who would not give heed shall suffer hereafter. I answered and said, "Will time therefore be given to the souls, after they have been separated from the bodies, to see what you have described to me? He said to me, "They shall have freedom for seven days, so that during these seven days they may see the things of which you have been told, and afterwards they shall be gathered in their habitations." 

We have been given a soul or spirit to allow us the power of intellect, the power to think a situation through, unlike an animal which reacts on instinct. God is attempting to reproduce his God family in a way that proves a desire to be part of his family. Unlike the original God family that was created, and in which a third rebelled against God, we are shown before hand what it involves, and in which we both prove our desire and freely make our own choice to be part of his family.

Ezekiel 18:4 "Behold, all souls are mine, the soul of the father, and also the soul of the son is mine. The soul that sins will die."

Satan being displaced from the family of God has only a desire to keep us from being members, and one of the ways he accomplishes this is through deceit, getting people to believe that their souls are immortal. Don't fool yourself!

First, Why must we die? Because "the wages of sin is death," Romans 6:23, and, "all have sinned coming short of the glory of God," Romans 3:23.

Ezekiel 37: Read all of it.

Daniel 12:2 "And many that lay in the graves of the earth will awaken, some to ever lasting life, and some to shame and ever lasting death."

Matthew 19:29 & Mark 10:29-30 "And for every one that has given up houses, or brother, or sister, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or land, for my sake, will receive a hundred times more, and will inherit ever lasting life."

Matthew 22:30 "After the resurrection they will neither marry, or are given in marriage, but are as the angels of God."

Mark 9:1 & Luke 9:27 "And he said to them, Indeed I say unto you, that there be some of you that are standing here who will not see death until after they have seen the kingdom of God come."

Mark 12:25 "For when they shall rise from the dead, they neither marry, nor are given in marriage; but are as the angels which are in heaven."

1Corinthians 15:42 "So also is the resurrection of the dead."

Philippians 3:11 "If by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead."

Hebrews 6:2 "Of the doctrine of baptisms, and of laying on of hands, and of resurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgment"

Sibylline Oracles Book 2:265-350 "Arakiel, Ramiel, Uriel, Samiel, And Azael, they that know how many evils Anyone did before, shall from dark gloom Then lead to judgment all the souls of men Before the judgment-seat of the great God Immortal; for imperishable is Michael, Uriel, Raphael, and Gabriel. One only, himself the almighty, One, Who shall be judge of mortals; and to them That dwell beneath will then the heavenly One Give souls and spirit and voice, and also bones Fitted with joints unto all kinds of flesh, And both the flesh and sinews, veins and skin About the body, and hair as before; Divinely fashioned and with breathing moved Shall bodies of those on earth one day be raised. And then shall Uriel, mighty angel, break The bolts of stern and lasting adamant Which, monstrous, bold the brazen gates of Hades, Straight cast them down, and unto judgment lead All forms that have endured much suffering, Chiefly the shapes of Titans born of old, and giants, and all whom the deluge whelmed, And all that perished in the billowy seas, And all that furnished banquet for the beasts And creeping things and fowls, these in a mass Shall (Uriel) summon to the judgment-seat; And also those whom flesh-devouring fire Destroyed in flame, even these shall he collect And place before the judgment-seat of God. And when the high-thundering Lord of Sabaoth Making an end of fate shall raise the dead, Sit on his heavenly throne, and firmly fix The mighty pillar, then amid the clouds Christ, who himself is incorruptible, Shall come unto the Incorruptible In glory with pure angels, and shall sit At the right hand on the great judgment-seat To judge the life of pious and the way Of impious men. And Moses, the great friend Of the Most High, shall come enrobed in flesh Also great Abraham himself shall come, Isaac and Jacob, Joshua, Daniel, Elijah, Habakkuk and Jonah, and Those whom the Hebrews slew. But he'll destroy The Hebrews after Jeremiah, all Who are to be judged at the judgment-seat, That worthy recompense they may receive And pay for all each did in mortal life. And then shall all pass through the burning stream Of flame unquenchable; but all the just Shall be saved; and the godless furthermore Shall to all ages perish, all who did Evils aforetime, and committed murders, And all who are accomplices therein, Liars and thieves, and ruiners of home, Crafty and terrible, and parasites, And marriage-breakers pouring forth vile words, Dread, wanton, lawless, and idolaters; And all who left the great immortal God, Became blasphemers did the pious harm, Destroying faith and killing righteous men And all that with a shamelessness deceitful And double-faced rush in as presbyters And reverend ministers, who knowingly Give unjust judgments, yielding to false words More hurtful than the leopards and the wolves And more vile; and ill that are grossly proud and usurers, who gains on gains amass And damage orphans and widows in each thing; And all that give to widows and to orphans The fruit of unjust deeds, and all that cast Reproach in giving from their own hard toils; And all that left their parents in old age, Not paying them at all, nor offering To parents filial duty, and all who Were disobedient and against their sires Spoke a harsh word; and all that pledges took And then denied them; and the servants all Who were against their masters, and again Those who licentiously defiled the flesh; 345 And all who loosed the girdle of the maid For secret intercourse, and all who caused Abortions, and all who their offspring cast Unlawfully away; and sorcerers And sorceresses with them, and these wrath Of the heavenly and immortal God shall drive Against a pillar where shall all around In a circle flow a restless stream of fire;"

The Bible clearly speaks of two resurrections, one to life everlasting, and one to death eternal. The first resurrection will be for Gods elect. The first fruits of his church, being resurrected to serve Christ as priests and rulers during his one thousand year reign. Those having a part in the first resurrection become members of God's family, with death no longer a concern. For it is a resurrection unto eternal life. But why this first resurrection? To help in restoring the knowledge of God's word, and government, to the earth, and to help the world in understanding the truth. During this thousand year period, there will be a restoration of true worship, no one can claim that they were misled from the truth.

First resurrection

Luke 14:14 "... thou shall be recompensed at the resurrection of the just."

1 Thessalonians 4:16 "For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the sound of the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first."

Revelation 20:4-6 "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. But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection. 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."

The second resurrection is one of judgment. Being resurrected to damnation, which is eternal death. Anyone that dies after Christ's return will be judged according to whether or not they accept God's laws and word, and they will be judged more harshly for they will not be living by faith but by sight, having Christ and his very elect ruling before their very eyes for a thousand years.

Luke 20:34-36 "And Jesus said to them, The people of this world marry, and are given in marriage but they that will be found having abstained from the world at the resurrection from the dead will neither marry, or are given in marriage, or can they die again for they are equal to the angels, and are the children of God, being the children of the resurrection."

John 5:24-29 "Indeed even I say to you, He that hears my word, and believes on him that sent me, has everlasting life, and will not come into criticism but has passed from death to life. Indeed I say to you, The hour is coming, and now is, when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God and they that hear shall live. For as the father has life in himself, so has he given it to the son to have life in himself and has given to him authority to execute judgment, because he is the son of man. Wonder not at this for the hour is coming in which all that are in their graves will hear his voice, and will come out of them. Both they that have done good, being resurrected to life, and they that have done evil, being resurrected to damnation."

And what about those that are alive at Christ's return? Those in his church, which have the spirit of God within them, will be transformed into members of the God family and will actually rise to meet our Lord in the air. Those in the church of God, are at this very time being judged (1 Peter 4:17-19), in order to receive our commission in God's government.

Being a part of the first resurrection requires our giving up the cares of this world, but instead, studying and following the word of God and putting him first in our lives. In doing this we inherit a much larger family of brothers, sisters, mothers, and homes, for this is our Christian family, and our God family.

John 8:51 "Indeed I say to you, if a man keeps my sayings, he will not see the second death."

Acts 24:15 "There will be a resurrection of the dead, both the just and the unjust"

Question, If people are in heaven already, as some teach, why resurrect them later to be judged?

Romans 6:23 "For the wages of sin is death"

I Corinthians 15:22-23 "As in Adam all must die, and just as Christ will, all come to live again. But every man in his own order, first Christ's first fruits, and after that they that are alive at his coming."

1 Thessalonians 4:16-17 "And the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a shout, and with the sound of a trumpet and the dead in Christ will rise first, then we which are alive and remain will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet our Lord in the air, and we will be forever with our Lord."

Hebrews 9:27 "And as it is appointed that men must die once, but after this the judgment."

Revelation 2:11 "He that has an ear let him hear what the spirit says to the churches. He that overcomes will not be hurt by the second death."

Revelation 2-26-27 "And he that overcomes, and keeps my words to the end, to him will I give rule over the nations. And he will rule them with a rod of iron, and as the items of a potter they can be broken to splinters, even as I have received power from my father."

Revelation 5:10 "And has made us for our God kings and priests and we will govern on the earth."

Revelation 20:4-6 "And I saw the souls of them that where beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, or his image, or had received his Mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands, and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years. Blessed and holy is he that is part of the first resurrection, of which the second death has no power. But they will be priests of God and of Christ, and will reign with him a thousand years."

Revelation 20:12-15 "And I saw the dead, small and great standing before God and the books were opened and then another book was opened, which is the book of life. The dead were judged according to the things which were written in the books, according to their works. And the sea gave up the dead which were in it, and the earth delivered up the dead that were in it, and they were judged every man according to their works. And those worthy of death were cast into the lake of fire, this is the second death."

Only Gods people, those keeping Gods commandments, putting God first in their life will be in the first resurrection, resurrected to reign with Christ during the thousand years that Satan is chained up, so that the world can relearn Gods ways.

At the end of the thousand years Satan will be set free, allowing people to choose between Gods ways and Satan's ways. But people will have all those years before Christ's rule to look back and compare against, before they choose.

Those that do revolt against God will meet with certain and eternal death. According to Revelation 20:7-10, a large portion of the inhabitants of the earth will still revolt against Gods rule, even with the truth staring them in the eyes.

Revelation 21:8 "Unbelieving, abominable, murders, whoremongers, sorcers, idolaters, and liars will have their part in the lake of fire, which is the second death."

Keep in mind before reading the next verses that it does not state one remains conscious for an extended time after death, only that a person remains conscious long enough to know the truth and their future fate.

Now you've seen what awaits the wicked after death, but what about those that have striven to keep Gods ways? Not only will they have great joy in their final days and moments before passing away into their final sleep, but to know when they awake they will be free from the constraints of these mortal bodies, and immortality in a life full of joy as the sons of the Most High when awakened. The joy that waits is unthinkable!

2 Esdras 9:9-12 "Those who have abused my ways will be amazed, and those who have rejected them with contempt will dwell in torments. For as many did not acknowledge me in their lifetime, although they received my benefits, and as many as scorned my law while they still had freedom, and did not understand but despised it while an opportunity of repentance was still open to them, these must in torment acknowledge it after death."

Praying for the Dead

2 Esdras also known as 4 Ezra 7:102-105 "I answered and said, "If I have found favor in thy sight, show further to me, thy servant, whether on the day of judgment the righteous will be able to intercede for the ungodly or to entreat the Most High for them, fathers for sons or sons for parents, brothers for brothers, relatives for their kinsmen, or friends for those who are most dear." He answered me and said, "Since you have found favor in my sight, I will show you this also. The day of judgment is decisive and displays to all the seal of truth. Just as now a father does not send his son, or a son his father, or a master his servant, or a friend his dearest friend, to be ill or sleep or eat or be healed in his stead, so no one shall ever pray for another on that day, neither shall any one lay a burden on another; for then every one shall bear his own righteousness and unrighteousness."

The time to think about making a change in your life is now! Before it’s too late.

The Church of God Proclaimed