WHERE DO BELIEVERS STAY AFTER DEATH?

 

Where Do Believers Stay After Death?

 

Someone asked in a group on WhatsApp; "What's your view about believers waiting in Hades after death?" and by the grace of God I was led to reply to this question and below is my response. 

I don't believe believers wait in Hades after death. I believe they are with the Lord waiting for the rising of their brethren that is for the rapturing of the saints who are still living physically.  

Remember, in John 11:25  Jesus had said "I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies; and whoever lives and believes in me will never die."

This means, Believers who die physically are living and have nothing to do with Hades because Hades is for the dead and believers are not dead. They are alive!

Colossians 3:1-4, Ephesians 2:6, Romans 6:4 all say, 'we are seated with Christ in heavenly places even now that we are alive physically. This is because we believe in him and we are one with him in his death and resurrection. So if we are already with him in heavenly places, is it when we now die physically that we will go to Hades? No way! Because he said that we who believe in him have crossed over from death to life so we have no place in Hades (John 5:24).

Now one thing we must realize that I think is causing confusion to so many is that when you go through the scriptures they are different views of heaven people had. What I mean by this is that God showed people different locations or segments of heaven. Heaven is a vast spiritual place with different spiritual rooms and buildings. 

Now, in Revelation 4 John was taken into the Throne Room which is in heaven.

In Revelation 6 we are told of an altar in heaven and under that altar is found the souls of all who had been martyred for the word of God and for being faithful in their testimony. They shouted to the Lord and said, “O Sovereign Lord, holy and true, how long before you judge the people who belong to this world and avenge our blood for what they have done to us?” Then a white robe was given to each of them. And they were told to rest a little longer until the full number of their brothers and sisters—their fellow servants of Jesus who were to be martyred—had joined them.

(Revelation 6:9‭-‬11 NLT)

Now, these saints have not fully received their rewards but are in a state of rest. 

They have not received fully their rewards until the other brethren are all together with them. That is when they will receive their final rewards of reigning with Christ over the earth (by this I mean the new earth).

For now, they are just with God enjoying his rest and his presence.

If Jesus was the first to rise from the dead (Revelation 1:5) it means some have risen after him and these are the saints, the believers. We are the ones who are referred to as the kings of the earth and Jesus is our ruler.

God has made us kingdom of Priests for himself (Revelation 6:1) so if we are the kingdom of Priests we don't have a place in Hades because that is not where Priests minister. Priests minister before God in the Holy of holies and that is found in heaven which is where we belong.

Luke 13:28 Jesus mentioned Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob and with all the Prophets in the kingdom of God.

Luke 16:22 talked about Lazarus carried to Abraham's side after his death. So if Lazarus has been taken to Abraham's side and Abraham is in the kingdom of God it means Lazarus is also in the kingdom of God. 

Matthew 17 showed us Moses and Elijah who appeared and were talking with Jesus. later it was said that a bright cloud enveloped them (Moses and Elijah). These definitely are not men of Hades but men of the kingdom of God.

I will conclude my answer by sharing my personal testimony that gives me the confidence and assurance that believers are with God when they die physically - After the physical death of my brother, the Lord confirmed in my heart by telling me that Shadrach is with Him in Zion. I got comforted by his words. 

This is the same comfort I share with you today, that as believers our place is only with our Father and not in Hades. We don't belong there.  An understanding of this knowledge will give us assurance and confidence in our blessed hope. 

Thanks for reading through and I hope you have been blessed by this. Please share with me your response. I would be glad to hear from you.

Communicate with me via WhatsApp at  +2348094292969.

I am Meshach Ojonoma Idoko (TCB)

Servant of the Word.