What does the bible say on after death?

Answer 1

The Bible doesn't promise "heaven"... speaking of the "third heaven," where the Father's throne is [where many religions think their dead loved ones are].

Jesus tells us that no man has ever ascended there, except for Himself, who came from there in the first place [John 3:13].

The Bible speaks of "death" as "sleeping" [John 11:11-14] -- dormant, dreamless sleep.

"...the dead know not any thing..." (Eccle.9:5).

No one goes to the "third heaven" where Jesus is... He says so. We all go to the "grave" [sometimes translated "hell"].

"...there is no knowledge, nor wisdom, in the grave, whither thou goest." (Eccle.9:10)

The Bible prophesys of two future "resurrections" in which all who have ever lived and died shall "live again."

The first resurrection will occur when Jesus returns to establish His Kingdom on earth. As He approaches earth, He'll gather His elect to Himself, just before He makes His final descent. The Kingdom will be ruled by Himself and His saints [elect] over the mortal nations on earth for a thousand years.

The second resurrection will occur one thousand years later, when "Judgment Day" will offer the vast majority of mankind God's salvation to all those whom Satan blinded and deceived from knowing and understanding God's Truth. [see Rev.20]

The Bible gives us a taste of what Judgment Day will be like. It's called in the Bible, the "Last Great Day" [the last Holy Day feast God commands His people to keep and observe every year to remind them of His plan of salvation]:

"In the Last Day, that Great Day of the Feast [of Tabernacles, that pictures the Millennial Rule of Christ], Jesus stood and CRIED, saying, If any man thirst, LET HIM COME UNTO ME, and drink." (John 7:37)

The Bible does speak of the "spirits" of men "returning to God" when they die.

"Then shall the dust return to the earth as it was: and the spirit shall return unto God who gave it." (Eccle.12:7)

This is quite a different revelation from what modern professing Christianity [and other religions in the world] teach. It doesn't say that "good spirits go to heaven"... and "bad spirits go to hell."

It says that "all of the spirits of men" [as yet, unjudged] return to God. Dormant, sleeping, unconscious spirits... awaiting the time of their resurrection... whichever one it will be.

No dead people are in heaven "seeing" loved ones, talking to loved ones, visiting loved ones, rejoicing with loved ones, laughing, crying, or anything else in heaven, according to the Bible.

The dead are asleep... and awaiting their turn to be resurrected from the dead as prophesied in the Bible.

"...even so in Christ shall all be made alive. But every man in his own order: Christ the Firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ's at His coming." (I Cor.15:22-23)

Even Job knew about the dead and the resurrection -- something about which modern religions are ignorant:

"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!

"If a man die, shall he live again? All the days of my appointed time will I wait, till my change come [see I Cor.15:51]. Thou shalt call, and I will answer thee: thou wilt have a desire to the work of thy hands.

"For now thou numberest my steps: dost thou not watch over my sin? My transgression is sealed up in a bag, and thou sewest up mine iniquity." (Job 14:13-17)

Job isn't in heaven visiting loved ones. He's dead... and awaiting "his order to be resurrected" from the dead... for his "appointed time."

We will see our loved ones again... in the resurrection.

Answer 2

In to this question the following parable may be of assistance:

"There was a rich man, who was clothed in purple and fine linen and who feasted sumptuously every day. And at his gate lay a poor man named Lazarus, full of sores, who desired to be fed with what fell from the rich man's table; moreover the dogs came and licked his sores. The poor man died and was carried by the angels to Abraham's bosom.

The rich man also died and was buried; and in Hades, being in torment, he lifted up his eyes, and saw Abraham far off and Lazarus in his bosom. And he called out, 'Father Abraham, have mercy upon me, and send Lazarus to dip the end of his finger in water and cool my tongue; for I am in anguish in this flame.' But Abraham said, 'Son, remember that you in your lifetime received your good things, and Lazarus in like manner evil things; but now he is comforted here, and you are in anguish. And besides all this, between us and you a great chasm has been fixed, in order that those who would pass from here to you may not be able, and none may cross from there to us.' And he said, 'Then I beg you, father, to send him to my father's house, for I have five brothers, so that he may warn them, lest they also come into this place of torment.' But Abraham said, 'They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them.' And he said, 'No, father Abraham; but if some one goes to them from the dead, they will repent.' He said to him, 'If they do not hear Moses and the prophets, neither will they be convinced if some one should rise from the dead.'" Lk 16:19-31

In short, the Bible says "Don't" quite emphatically; as the traditional King James may be unclear, modern versions here for comparison may be more easily understood :-

Deu 18:9-11 KJV When thou art come into the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee, thou shalt not learn to do after the abominations of those nations. [v. 10] There shall not be found among you any one that maketh his son or his daughter to pass through the fire, or that useth divination, or an observer of times, or an enchanter, or a witch, [v. 11] Or a charmer, or a consulter with familiar spirits, or a wizard, or a necromancer.

Deu 18:9-11 BBE [Bible in Basic English] When you have come into the land which the Lord your God is giving you, do not take as your example the disgusting ways of those nations. [v. 10] Let there not be seen among you anyone who makes his son or his daughter go through the fire, or anyone using secret arts, or a maker of strange sounds, or a reader of signs, or any wonder-worker, [v. 11] Or anyone using secret force on people, or putting questions to a spirit, or having secret knowledge, or going to the dead for directions.

Deu 18:10-11 GNB [Good News Bible] Don't sacrifice your children in the fires on your altars; and don't let your people practice divination or look for omens or use spells [v. 11] or charms, and don't let them consult the spirits of the dead.

Deu 18:10-11 LITV [Literal Translation of Holy Bible by Green] There shall not be found in you one who passes his son or his daughter through the fire, one that uses divination, an observer of clouds, or one divining, or a whisperer of spells, [v. 11] or a magic charmer, or one consulting mediums, or a spirit-knower, or one inquiring of the dead.

Deu 18:10-11 MSG [The Message] Don't you dare sacrifice your son or daughter in the fire. Don't practice divination, sorcery, fortunetelling, witchery, [v. 11] casting spells, holding séances, or channeling with the dead.

1Sa 28:3-25 GNB Now Samuel had died, and all the Israelites had mourned for him and had buried him in his hometown of Ramah. Saul had forced all the fortunetellers and mediums to leave Israel. [v. 4] The Philistine troops assembled ...; Saul gathered the Israelites and camped at Mount Gilboa. [v. 5] When Saul saw the Philistine army, he was terrified, [v. 6] and so he asked the LORD what to do. But the LORD did not him at all... [v. 7] Then Saul ordered his officials, "Find me a woman who is a medium, and I will go and consult her." "There is one in Endor," they ed. [v. 8] So Saul disguised himself; ... and after dark he went with two of his men to see the woman. "Consult the spirits for me and tell me what is going to happen," he said to her. "Call up the spirit of the man I name." [v. 9] The woman ed, "Surely you know what King Saul has done, how he forced the fortunetellers and mediums to leave Israel. Why, then, are you trying to trap me and get me killed?" [v. 10] Then Saul made a sacred vow. "By the living LORD I promise that you will not be punished for doing this," he told her. [v.11] "Whom shall I call up for you?" the woman asked. "Samuel," he ed. [v. 12] When the woman saw Samuel, she screamed and said to Saul, "Why have you tricked me? You are King Saul!" ... [v. 15] Samuel said to Saul, "Why have you disturbed me? Why did you make me come back?" Saul ed, "I am in great trouble! The Philistines are at war with me, and God has abandoned me. He doesn't me any more, either by prophets or by dreams. And so I have called you, for you to tell me what I must do." ... [v. 18] [Samuel said] "You disobeyed the LORD's command ... [v. 19] He will give you and Israel over to the Philistines. Tomorrow you and your sons will join me, and the LORD will also give the army of Israel over to the Philistines." ...[v. 25] She set the food before Saul and his officers, and they ate it. And they left that same night.

1Sa 31:1-6 KJV Now the Philistines fought against Israel: and the men of Israel fled from before the Philistines, and fell down slain in mount Gilboa. [v. 2] And the Philistines followed hard upon Saul and upon his sons; and the Philistines slew Jonathan, and Abinadab, and Malchishua, Saul's sons. [v. 3] And the battle went sore against Saul, and the archers hit him; and he was sore wounded of the archers. ...[v. 5] And when his armourbearer saw that Saul was dead, he fell likewise upon his sword, and died with him. [v. 6] So Saul died, and his three sons, and his armourbearer, and all his men, that same day together.

This contacting of spirits after death was also the death of Saul. Don't copy him.

Answer 3

This is from the book of Hebrews in the New Testament:

Heb 9:27 Everyone must die once, and after that be judged by God.

and from the book of Romans in the New Testament:

Rom 2:11 For God judges everyone by the same standard.

Rom 3:23 everyone has sinned and is far away from God's saving presence.

The Bible says this about how to be saved from judgment and eternal death:

1John 5:11 The testimony is this: God has given us eternal life, and this life has its source in his Son.

1John 5:12 Whoever has the Son has this life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life.

1John 5:13 I am writing this to you so that you may know that you have eternal life---you that believe in the Son of God.