Death and Destiny

The previous books of God (الله/Allah)-Tawraat, Zaboor, Injeel (Holy Bible)-laid out the details of both death and destiny of mankind.

There are two important events that every single person must experience, and both are in the hands of God: birth and death. They represent our entry into and exit from this world, marking the beginning and the end of our probation period. 

For the people of the world, death is taboo. The very thought of it horrifies, mystifies, and freezes them, at least momentarily. Therefore, they prefer not to think about it. Yet, God’s word prods us this way: 

“It is better to go to a house of mourning  
than to go to a house of feasting, 
for death is the destiny of everyone; 
the living should take this to heart.” (Bible – Ecclesiastes.7:2) 

Death is the door to destruction for those who are not reconciled with God. But it is the door to deliverance for those who are reconciled with God through the blood of Jesus Christ. 

Before we look into the meaning of death and the two irrevocable states to which it leads, let us pay attention to the attitude of two great men of God towards death: 

• Dāwūd (David) “Show me, Lord, my life’s end and the number of my days; let me know how fleeting my life is.” (Bible – Psalm.39:4) 

• Būlus (Paul) “For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain. If I am to go on living in the body, this will mean fruitful labour for me. Yet what shall I choose? I do not know! I am torn between the two: I desire to depart and be with Christ, which is better by far; but it is more necessary for you that I remain in the body.” (Bible – Philippians.1:21-24) 

Their anticipation and longing to face death stem from their preparedness. They are ready to meet their Creator without shame or fear; therefore, death is the final deliverance for them because it leads them into the promised and confirmed eternal bliss. 

Definition of Death 

Man is composed of three distinct elements: body, soul, and spirit (Bible – 1Thessalonians.5:23). At death, these three get separate from each other (Bible – Ecclesiastes.12:7; Genesis.37:35; Psalm.16:10). The body turns back to dust, the spirit goes back to God, and the soul goes to the netherworld (Hebrew: Sheol & Greek: Hades) for a time being. In short, death is separation. Sin separated us from a holy God, which is spiritual death. The final separation from God after the judgment is eternal death. 

Two States After Death: Pre Cross of Christ 

At death, the separated soul goes to Sheol/Hades, which is located inside the earth (Bible – Numbers.16:31-33). The righteous and the unrighteous do not stay together but reside in separate chambers. One is called “Abraham’s Bosom,” and the other is called the “Place of Torment.” 

The essence of the teachings of Moses and the prophets focuses on God and one’s neighbour (Bible – Matthew.22:37-40; Micah.6:8). Before Christ as well as after Christ, righteousness comes from faith (Bible – Genesis.15:6; Ephesians.2:8-9) and the righteousness leads to the Abraham’s Bosom and Paradise.   

An Incident that Details the Reality 

Lord Jesus Christ talked about two people who lived and died, explaining what happens at death and what awaits us afterward. 

• The Rich Man: He had no concern for his neighbour, paid no attention to the prophets, and had no regard for God. He lacked no warning, yet he lived without repentance. It was a perfect recipe for disaster. After his death, he began to realize, repent, and regret, but it was too late. Being rich or enjoying good things in this life is not intrinsically bad. However, the way you acquire riches and how you consider others while enjoying those things make all the difference. Jesus advised us, “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also” (Bible – Matthew.6:19-21). In essence, Jesus is saying: if you invest in yourself, you enjoy it only for the time being; if you invest in others, you will enjoy it for eternity. 

• The Poor Man: Arrogance and jealousy are part of fallen human nature, which is why Scripture warns us against both riches and poverty (Prov. 30:8-9). In this account, the poor man entered the chamber reserved for the righteous. We can assume he had become righteous before his death—not because he performed good deeds or lived perfectly according to the precepts of the Mosaic Law, but because of his internal attitude toward his neighbour and God (Bible – Genesis.15:6). We can safely assume that he believed in God, loved Him, and submitted himself to His will. 

Two States After Death: Post Cross of Christ 

At the time of the crucifixion, our Lord Jesus Christ left His body on the cross, committed His spirit to the Father, and went to the “heart of the earth”—that is, Sheol/Hades—for three days and nights (Bible – Matthew.12:40). He went to the chamber of the righteous in Sheol/Hades, delivered them from that condition, and transported them to Paradise in Heaven (Bible – Ephesians.4:8-9). They will accompany the Lord Jesus in His second coming (Bible – 1Thessaloanians.4:14;) and will take part in the resurrection of the righteous at which point they put on glorious bodies (Bible – 1Corinthians.15:51-53; Philippians.3:20-21).  

Because of this, when a believer dies now, he or she does not go to Sheol/Hades, but directly to Paradise in Heaven. Unbelievers, however, still go to the ‘Place of Torment’ in Sheol/Hades after death and stay there until the final judgment, after which they will be cast into Hell.