Did the Resurrected Witness to What They Saw?
There are over ten individuals mentioned in the Bible who were resurrected by Jesus and the prophets. But it is note worthy that none of these individuals ever talked about what they saw in heaven or hell. The reason for that is because the dead sleep (Matthew 9:24; John 11:11; Psalm 13:3; Daniel 12:2; etc.) unconsciously (Ecclesiastes 9:6; Job 14:12, 21; Psalm 146:4; etc.). The dead await the Resurrection Day (John 5:29; Luke 20:35, 36; 1 Thessalonians 4:16, 17; 1 Corinthians 15:51–53) according to the Bible which is contrary to popular beliefs.
The Scriptures teach that the soul is a living being. At Creation, two things combine to make a soul, dust and the breath of life. Until these two things combine, a soul does not exist. “And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul” (Genesis 2:7).
Body (Dust) + breath (spirit) = Living being (soul)
At death, these two components separate. The body returns to dust, and the breath returns to God. The soul goes nowhere it simply ceases to exist. “Then shall the dust return to the earth as it was: and the spirit shall return unto God who gave it” (Ecclesiastes 12:7). The spirit that returns to God at death is the breath of life. So, the soul is the conscious life which resulted when God added the breath or spirit to the body.
Body (Dust) – breath (spirit) = death (no soul)
The concept of an undying, immortal soul goes against God’s Word, which teaches that souls are subject to death (Ezekiel 18:20). Man is mortal (Job 4:17). Only God is immortal (1 Timothy 6:15, 16). In the Bible, except in allegorical usage, the soul does not go in and out of the body; neither does it have an independent existence outside of the body.
The dead sleep unconsciously in their graves (John 11:11-14) till the Lord raises them up at the Resurrection Day at the end of time. “For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. 17 Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord” (1 Thessalonians 4:16, 17 also 1 Corinthians 15:51-53).
What about those that have Near Death Experiences?
Scientific Research shows that near death experiences (NDEs) mostly occur when people undergo deprivation of oxygen to the brain or have received certain drugs in emergency situations. For more on this, check: https://bibleask.org/are-near-death-experiences-true/
It is a serious mistake to base our beliefs on the personal experiences of others or on our own experiences. Our faith should be based on the Bible and the Bible alone. For more on the state of the dead, check: https://bibleask.org/bible-answers/112-the-intermediate-state/
In His service,
BibleAsk Team
