Soul Sleeping? What does scripture say happens to us when we die.

[massorite]

Looking what scripture says on the transfiguration, the disciple seem to know what Moses and Elijah look liked for he knew who they where, of coarse the disciple wasn’t around when those two was alive in the flesh but back in that day there probably was some information on what they looked liked writings maybe or art long gone

Maybe so.

 

[know1]

To start off with I want to say that "THERE IS NOT ONE SINGLE PLACE/SCRIPTURE IN THE WORD OF GOD THAT TELLS US OR GUARANTEES US THAT WE GO STRIEGHT TO HEAVEN AS SOON AS WE DIE.
The word sleep and rest are used many times in scripture and Christ used the word sleep to describe a dead persons state of being.
Joh 11:11 These things said he: and after that he saith unto them, Our friend Lazarus sleepeth; but I go, that I may awake him out of sleep.
At this point we know that Lazarus was already dead and in the grave.
Joh 11:39 Jesus said, Take ye away the stone. Martha, the sister of him that was dead, saith unto him, Lord, by this time he stinketh: for he hath been dead four days.
Now we all know that Lazarus was in fact supposed to be dead. But Christ stated that Lazarus was sleeping. So the question is, Why would Jesus describe Lazarus as being in a state of sleep and not in a state of death?? The answer is that the body was in fact dead and beginning to rot but the soul of Lazarus was not dead. It was resting just as the Bible says Lazarus was doing after he died.
Luk 16:22 And it came to pass, that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels into Abraham's bosom: the rich man also died, and was buried;
Notice how this verse says that Lazarus was "carried by the angels into Abraham's bosom" after he died. But the rich man was not carried by angels after he died. Luke 16:22 simply says that the rich man was buried. Lazarus was also buried but the difference is what happened to the soul after the body died. The soul of Lazarus who had embraced the Gospel and was saved, was carried away by angels to Abraham's bosom where scripture says he was "comforted". But the soul of the rich man didn't go to the Bosom of Abraham, he went to a place of torment which is called Gehenna.
Luk 16:25 But Abraham said, Son, remember that thou in thy lifetime receivedst thy good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things: but now he is comforted, and thou art tormented.
Notice how Lazarus doesn't speak a single word throughout the conversation between the rich man and Abraham. That is because Lazarus was sleeping just as John 11:11 says he was. In fact Jesus stated that it was time for Him to awaken Lazarus out of sleep.
Joh 11:11 These things said he: and after that he saith unto them, Our friend Lazarus sleepeth; but I go, that I may awake him out of sleep.
Here is another time when Christ describes a person who had died as being in a state of sleep and Jesus actually declares that the Damsel is not dead but is actually asleep.
Mar 5:39 And when he was come in, he saith unto them, Why make ye this ado, and weep? the damsel is not dead, but sleepeth.
Act 13:36 For David, after he had served his own generation by the will of God, fell on sleep, and was laid unto his fathers, and saw corruption:
In the book of Daniel scripture state that those Who sleep in the dust shall awaken.
Dan 12:2 And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt.
In 1 Samuel King Saul new that the soul of Samuel was not dead but was only asleep when he asked the witch of Endor bring Samual UP.
1Sa 28:8 And Saul disguised himself, and put on other raiment, and he went, and two men with him, and they came to the woman by night: and he said, I pray thee, divine unto me by the familiar spirit, and bring me him UP, whom I shall name unto thee.
1Sa 28:11 Then said the woman, Whom shall I bring up unto thee? And he said, Bring me up Samuel. Even the witch knew that the soul of Samual could be BROUGHT UP from the dead.
And when Samuel was awakened and brought up he was upset because he had been disturbed.
1Sa 28:15 And Samuel said to Saul, Why hast thou disquieted me, to bring me up? And Saul answered, I am sore distressed; for the Philistines make war against me, and God is departed from me, and answereth me no more, neither by prophets, nor by dreams: therefore I have called thee, that thou mayest make known unto me what I shall do. In this verse the word "disquieted" means "disturbed". Which tells us that the soul of Samual was in a place of great comfort but his body was in the grave rotting.
In the book of Daniel God tells Daniel to go his way and rest. God dosn't tell Daniel to go his way and die, God tells Daniel to go and rest.
Dan 12:13 But go thou thy way till the end be: for thou shalt rest, and stand in thy lot at the end of the days. In this verse the word"rest" translated from the Hebrew means "sleep".
As we can see from this verse, Daniel is right know "resting" and is not dead though his body has rotted in the Grave. We can also see from what this verse says that Daniel will stand in his lot at the end of days. In other words Daniel will return and Prophecy once more during the end of days. I believe that Daniel is one of the two witnesses.
When Jesus was no the cross He told the thief that he would be with Jesus in Paradise.
Luk 23:43 And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, To day shalt thou be with me in paradise.
So the question is "Where is Paradise located?" According to Paul Christ first descended down into the lower parts of the earth.
Eph 4:9 (Now that he ascended, what is it but that he also descended first into the lower parts of the earth?
So this verse is telling us that the location of Paradise is in the lower parts of the earth.
We need to remember that when the NT was written it focused Jewish customs and beliefs. The Jewish belief was that Paradise was that part of Hades was the abode of the souls of the pious until Resurrection day. This means that the Jewish people believed that when we are saved and we die we do not go to heaven but actually stay in Paradise until Christ returns to raise us from the grave.
Hence the parable about the rich man and Lazarus. Lazarus who was saved and who embraced the Gospel died and was carried away by angels to the Bosom of Abraham which is also known as Paradise.
Here is a question I like to ask folks, If when we die our body goes back to the dust from which it came from.
Ecc 12:7 Then shall the dust return to the earth as it was: and the spirit shall return unto God who gave it.
What is the rich man doing roasting in hell with eyeballs and a tongue???
Luk 16:22 And it came to pass, that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels into Abraham's bosom: the rich man also died, and was buried;
Luk 16:23 And in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom.
Luk 16:24 And he cried and said, Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water, and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame. The body of the rich man stayed in the grave where it turned back into the dust from which it came, but the soul of the rich man could feel all of the pain and torments just as though he still had a body of flesh
If when we die our body turns back to the dust, how could the rich man have had eyeballs and a tongue and how could he feel heat and torments???
The answer is that if when we die we are in Christ we do not go to heaven. We go to Pardise/The Bosom of Abraham just like Lazarus, the thief and Christ did before He was raised from the grave by God. And we sleep in Paradise until the Resurrection DAY. If we are unrepentant like the rich man was we go immediatly to Gehenna which was where the rich man was placed after his death. Our bodies die and rot but our souls live on to suffer pain and torments or we are comforted just as Lazrus was.

I'm sure others have already mentioned the fact that Jesus emptied paradise and hell has enlarged itself.
The bible also mentions, to be absent from the body, is to be present with the lord.
Aside from all that, we are made up of more than just soul and physical body.
The bible says,

1Th 5:23 And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.

How are you going to preserve the physical body till Jesus returns?
It is not talking about our physical body but another body.
Paul already said,

Rom 7:18 For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not.

So if no good thing dwells in the flesh, then it cannot be preserved blameless, and besides that, the bible tell us we have another body.

1Co 15:44 It is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body. There is a natural body, and there is a spiritual body.

Also note, the soul is separate from the body and spirit, and likewise the body and spirit, are separated from each other and from the soul.
The bible also says we are made after God's likeness, meaning, we are made like Him, having 3 beings or persons in one.

 

[JaumeJ]

I'm sure others have already mentioned the fact that Jesus emptied paradise and hell has enlarged itself.
The bible also mentions, to be absent from the body, is to be present with the lord.
Aside from all that, we are made up of more than just soul and physical body.
The bible says,

1Th 5:23 And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.

How are you going to preserve the physical body till Jesus returns?
It is not talking about our physical body but another body.
Paul already said,

Rom 7:18 For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not.

So if no good thing dwells in the flesh, then it cannot be preserved blameless, and besides that, the bible tell us we have another body.

1Co 15:44 It is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body. There is a natural body, and there is a spiritual body.

Also note, the soul is separate from the body and spirit, and likewise the body and spirit, are separated from each other and from the soul.
The bible also says we are made after God's likeness, meaning, we are made like Him, having 3 beings or persons in one.

In all my days I have never heard this unusual interpretation of what is taught in the Word.

 

[massorite]

I'm sure others have already mentioned the fact that Jesus emptied paradise and hell has enlarged itself.
The bible also mentions, to be absent from the body, is to be present with the lord.
Aside from all that, we are made up of more than just soul and physical body.
The bible says,

1Th 5:23 And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.

How are you going to preserve the physical body till Jesus returns?
It is not talking about our physical body but another body.
Paul already said,

Rom 7:18 For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not.

So if no good thing dwells in the flesh, then it cannot be preserved blameless, and besides that, the bible tell us we have another body.

1Co 15:44 It is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body. There is a natural body, and there is a spiritual body.

Also note, the soul is separate from the body and spirit, and likewise the body and spirit, are separated from each other and from the soul.
The bible also says we are made after God's likeness, meaning, we are made like Him, having 3 beings or persons in one.

No Jesus didn't empty Paradise and there is no scripture to proof that Christ empied Paradise at all. Many believers who think that Christ emptied Paradise believe it simply because someone else told them and never do any research to see if the idea of empting Paradise is true or false, and it is a false doctrinal belief. The believers of this false belief always point to Eph. 4:8 as proof.
Eph 4:8 Wherefore he saith, When he ascended up on high, he led captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men.
But assuming anything about scripture is not a good idea because it leads to bad judgements.
Doing a little bit of research would reveal that the word "Captivity" in Eph. 4:8 is not talking about any kind of physical act or condition at all. The word "Captivity" is talking about a mental state of mind. Not some kind of mass bus ride to heaven.
Before Christ we were captive to our sinful nature and it was impossible for us to do anything about it. No amount of sacrifices was going to help us. But after Christ came to us He brought with Him a gift that would give us a way to be free of our inability to get away from our sinful nature, and He left that gift among other gifts with us when He ascended,
Our mental/spiritual captivity to our sinful nature is why God saw fit to send His son to us to shed his blood to wash away our sin.
Eph. 4:8 is talking about how Jesus took our captivity to sin captive to Him and away from us.
Not one word in this verse can be researched used to prove that Christ emptied out Paradise. Men always come up with false assumptions when they run across something in scripture they don't understand and never take the time to research the words in the 2Co 5:8 We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord. verses they are making assumptions about.
"The bible also mentions, to be absent from the body, is to be present with the lord."
This is another false assumption about a verse because this is only half of the verse and a manipulation of the verse to say what we want it to say verses what the verse actually says.
The entire verse should always be considered when trying to make a point.
2Co 5:8 We are confident, I say, and WILLING RATHER to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord. verses they are making assumptions about.
Leaving out the words "willing rather" changes the context of this verse and destorts the the Word of God. Another example of men manipulating scripture to fit what they want to believe verses what is.

How are you going to preserve the physical body till Jesus returns?
It is not talking about our physical body but another body.
Paul already said,
Scripture is clear about this our bodies, they are never preserved once we die.

Rom 7:18 For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not.
According to my research the word "flesh" is not talking about the "flesh and blood of Paul" it is talking about the "Old Nature" of Paul before Christ knocked him off of his horse.
Because with in our bodies God gave us the "Spirit of the Breath of life". When we are born the first thing we do is take/breath in our first breath of life and when we die we breath out that same breath of life. The spirit of the breath of life is what God gave us to animate our bodies and without this breath our bodies will die.
My point is that nothing about God is bad.
Ecc 12:7 Then shall the dust return to the earth as it was: and the spirit shall return unto God who gave it.
This verse is proof that there is that which dwells in our bodies that will go back to God where it came from. The word "spirit" in this verse means "breath".

 

[know1]

In all my days I have never heard this unusual interpretation of what is taught in the Word.

I'm going to assume you are referring to the part about the how we are made and having 3 beings in us?
Is that what you are referring to?
If it is, then you are not alone.
I never heard if from anyone either, which means, no man taught it to me.
That is something God both told and showed me.
I just followed along and did what He told me to do.
Most of what He taught me is about the heart of man, the second person, or what the world knows as the subconscious.
The only thing with the second person, aside from having all the physical features we have, such as him or her being able to hear, see, and talk, is that he/she has their own flesh body that looks exactly like you, or rather, you look exactly like it does.
Whatever happens to the heart, affects the physical body as well.
All these things and much more, I can easily backup with many scriptures.
I did not dream these things up, I was told about it, from a voice I would hear, and I believe that voice what that of the Lord.

 

[know1]

No Jesus didn't empty Paradise and there is no scripture to proof that Christ empied Paradise at all. Many believers who think that Christ emptied Paradise believe it simply because someone else told them and never do any research to see if the idea of empting Paradise is true or false, and it is a false doctrinal belief. The believers of this false belief always point to Eph. 4:8 as proof.
Eph 4:8 Wherefore he saith, When he ascended up on high, he led captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men.
But assuming anything about scripture is not a good idea because it leads to bad judgements.
Doing a little bit of research would reveal that the word "Captivity" in Eph. 4:8 is not talking about any kind of physical act or condition at all. The word "Captivity" is talking about a mental state of mind. Not some kind of mass bus ride to heaven.
Before Christ we were captive to our sinful nature and it was impossible for us to do anything about it. No amount of sacrifices was going to help us. But after Christ came to us He brought with Him a gift that would give us a way to be free of our inability to get away from our sinful nature, and He left that gift among other gifts with us when He ascended,
Our mental/spiritual captivity to our sinful nature is why God saw fit to send His son to us to shed his blood to wash away our sin.
Eph. 4:8 is talking about how Jesus took our captivity to sin captive to Him and away from us.
Not one word in this verse can be researched used to prove that Christ emptied out Paradise. Men always come up with false assumptions when they run across something in scripture they don't understand and never take the time to research the words in the 2Co 5:8 We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord. verses they are making assumptions about.
"The bible also mentions, to be absent from the body, is to be present with the lord."
This is another false assumption about a verse because this is only half of the verse and a manipulation of the verse to say what we want it to say verses what the verse actually says.
The entire verse should always be considered when trying to make a point.
2Co 5:8 We are confident, I say, and WILLING RATHER to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord. verses they are making assumptions about.
Leaving out the words "willing rather" changes the context of this verse and destorts the the Word of God. Another example of men manipulating scripture to fit what they want to believe verses what is.

How are you going to preserve the physical body till Jesus returns?
It is not talking about our physical body but another body.
Paul already said,
Scripture is clear about this our bodies, they are never preserved once we die.

Rom 7:18 For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not.
According to my research the word "flesh" is not talking about the "flesh and blood of Paul" it is talking about the "Old Nature" of Paul before Christ knocked him off of his horse.
Because with in our bodies God gave us the "Spirit of the Breath of life". When we are born the first thing we do is take/breath in our first breath of life and when we die we breath out that same breath of life. The spirit of the breath of life is what God gave us to animate our bodies and without this breath our bodies will die.
My point is that nothing about God is bad.
Ecc 12:7 Then shall the dust return to the earth as it was: and the spirit shall return unto God who gave it.
This verse is proof that there is that which dwells in our bodies that will go back to God where it came from. The word "spirit" in this verse means "breath".

I don't have the time to properly reply, but as for the middle earth theory, I got that from a book I got years ago from a guy, who I think his name is Larkin, who wrote a book called, "the dispensational truth".
That is not something I know, other than what he taught with 25 years of study.
The part I want to reply to later is about how we are made up. That part, I know you got wrong, and that is what I will address in more detail.

 

[massorite]

I don't have the time to properly reply, but as for the middle earth theory, I got that from a book I got years ago from a guy, who I think his name is Larkin, who wrote a book called, "the dispensational truth".
That is not something I know, other than what he taught with 25 years of study.
The part I want to reply to later is about how we are made up. That part, I know you got wrong, and that is what I will address in more detail.

His name was Clarence Larkin and he wrote several books including "The Greatest Book On Dispensational Truth. He was a brilliant man and much of his biblical conclusions about what scripture says is true but I don't agree with everything he taught and the subject of this discussion is one of those I disagree with. Because scripture says something different. Men are always coming up with adjustments to smooth over what appears to be a contradiction in scripture because they don't understand it. However in depth and good research habits will always give us the answers we are looking for with 90 percent of the Word of God. The rest we are not ment to understand until we are rid of our suitcase of flesh.
And something you said shows your vulnerability when it come biblical doctrine. You Said I got that from a book I got years ago from a guy, who I think his name is Larkin, who wrote a book called, "the dispensational truth".
My point here is that you got your doctrinal belief from Clarence Larkin and not from the Word of God. The lesson here is that no matter how brilliant Mr. Larkin or any other man on earth was they don't always get it right according to what scripture says and because of that we should always do our own research to make sure we are getting it right. Because in the eyes of God, He could care less if you got what you believe from Clarence Larkin. God only cares if you got what you believe from the Word that God that He gave us to believe in.
Which is why I insist that there is not one single scripture that clearly tells us that Paradise was emptied out when Christ ascended to heaven.

 

[massorite]

I'm going to assume you are referring to the part about the how we are made and having 3 beings in us?
Is that what you are referring to?
If it is, then you are not alone.
I never heard if from anyone either, which means, no man taught it to me.
That is something God both told and showed me.
I just followed along and did what He told me to do.
Most of what He taught me is about the heart of man, the second person, or what the world knows as the subconscious.
The only thing with the second person, aside from having all the physical features we have, such as him or her being able to hear, see, and talk, is that he/she has their own flesh body that looks exactly like you, or rather, you look exactly like it does.
Whatever happens to the heart, affects the physical body as well.
All these things and much more, I can easily backup with many scriptures.
I did not dream these things up, I was told about it, from a voice I would hear, and I believe that voice what that of the Lord.

I am in agreement with you. We do have three separate entities just like God does. We have the body, mind and soul but our bodies are made of flesh while we are alive on earth but after death our bodies turn from corruptable to incorruptable, mortal to immortal and scripture tells us that we will have eye balls, a tongue, we will be recognized by othe people who's bodies are in the same condition as we are after death, But the flesh that holds our mind, body and soul in this life will rot in the grave a go back to the dust where our flesh came from.

 

[know1]

His name was Clarence Larkin and he wrote several books including "The Greatest Book On Dispensational Truth. He was a brilliant man and much of his biblical conclusions about what scripture says is true but I don't agree with everything he taught and the subject of this discussion is one of those I disagree with. Because scripture says something different. Men are always coming up with adjustments to smooth over what appears to be a contradiction in scripture because they don't understand it. However in depth and good research habits will always give us the answers we are looking for with 90 percent of the Word of God. The rest we are not ment to understand until we are rid of our suitcase of flesh.
And something you said shows your vulnerability when it come biblical doctrine. You Said I got that from a book I got years ago from a guy, who I think his name is Larkin, who wrote a book called, "the dispensational truth".
My point here is that you got your doctrinal belief from Clarence Larkin and not from the Word of God. The lesson here is that no matter how brilliant Mr. Larkin or any other man on earth was they don't always get it right according to what scripture says and because of that we should always do our own research to make sure we are getting it right. Because in the eyes of God, He could care less if you got what you believe from Clarence Larkin. God only cares if you got what you believe from the Word that God that He gave us to believe in.
Which is why I insist that there is not one single scripture that clearly tells us that Paradise was emptied out when Christ ascended to heaven.

With subjects, such as the one you started here with this thread, I am open to any ideas presented, as I have not receive any revelation concerning the place called, paradise.
I hate to admit it, but I have little interest in the subject, so I have not sought God on it.
And neither would I bother arguing a point I know little about.
My interest, and the real reason for replying was about how we are made, but more particular, the heart of man.

 

[massorite]

With subjects, such as the one you started here with this thread, I am open to any ideas presented, as I have not receive any revelation concerning the place called, paradise.
I hate to admit it, but I have little interest in the subject, so I have not sought God on it.
And neither would I bother arguing a point I know little about.
My interest, and the real reason for replying was about how we are made, but more particular, the heart of man.

Well what we believe with regards to Paradise isn't eternally significant anyways.

 

[know1]

I am in agreement with you. We do have three separate entities just like God does. We have the body, mind and soul but our bodies are made of flesh while we are alive on earth but after death our bodies turn from corruptable to incorruptable, mortal to immortal and scripture tells us that we will have eye balls, a tongue, we will be recognized by othe people who's bodies are in the same condition as we are after death, But the flesh that holds our mind, body and soul in this life will rot in the grave a go back to the dust where our flesh came from.

Are you referring to the body as the physical flesh body or the spiritual body?
I would like to present to you a different view concerning what the bible refers to as the flesh or body.
Yes, we have a physical body, but without a person's soul in it, it would of course die, but it would also just be a thing, NOT a person.
Long story short, and without any scriptural references, the bible refers to this body/flesh/mind/spirit as, "the hidden man", or "the heart".
If you went through the bible and both looked up and read, all 897 times the heart was written in the kjb, you would start to see something interesting.
The thing starts to sound and look more and more like a real person that not only thinks, has intentions and emotions of its own, like you, but it also talks to you, sees and hears what you do, looks like you, never sleeps, can never EVER die, but is eternal, and it has a flesh body like your physical flesh body. Only it is not visible to the naked eye.
And one of the big takeaways about the heart is, whoever or what ever controls the heart, controls the person.
What I was getting at is, the physical body is not one of the triune beings that make us who we are.
We have three unseen beings or persons in us, each having a function of its own, just like God.
And one thing I found interesting about the soul of a person, it didn't matter where the person was, it experience what the body was experiencing. Whether on earth or in the pit, it felt what the body was experiencing.
As far as I can tell, the soul of man, does not have a form, but is a spirit of some kind, and it does have intelligence, and it is you.

 

[know1]

Well what we believe with regards to Paradise isn't eternally significant anyways.

Agreed, but the idea is still interesting, since you brought it up.
The thing that interests me the most is the sleeping part.
I don't know what that is yet, as I have yet to seek God on it.
At the same time, I think you still got it wrong. I don't know for certain right now, but I believe you are incorrect as to what part of us is sleeping or at rest.

 

[massorite]

Agreed, but the idea is still interesting, since you brought it up.
The thing that interests me the most is the sleeping part.
I don't know what that is yet, as I have yet to seek God on it.
At the same time, I think you still got it wrong. I don't know for certain right now, but I believe you are incorrect as to what part of us is sleeping or at rest.

If you will go back and look at my original/first post on this subject you will find a lot of quoted scripture about this issue.
Honestly all I know and understand is what scripture and the research of it has revealed to me with the help of the Holy Spirit.

 

[SoulWeaver]

@massorite
I wish @Magenta would join in, she's been studying this extensively for a while, and thanks to her and after some time going through the Scriptures back and forth I am now also a believer that this is likely and this state is called the Paradise of God...
The main thing is that this "sleep" is different state of being than we normally imagine sleep to be.
Most often brought up objection is the saints from Revelation crying to God to avenge them. But if blood of Abel can cry out to God from the ground, why couldn't someone who is asleep? God's perception of things isn't the same as ours.

 

[EleventhHour]

@massorite
I wish @Magenta would join in, she's been studying this extensively for a while, and thanks to her and after some time going through the Scriptures back and forth I am now also a believer that this is likely and this state is called the Paradise of God...
The main thing is that this "sleep" is different state of being than we normally imagine sleep to be.
Most often brought up objection is the saints from Revelation crying to God to avenge them. But if blood of Abel can cry out to God from the ground, why couldn't someone who is asleep? God's perception of things isn't the same as ours.

I think one must bear in mind that the word sleep also meant death... it is quite simple.

In my first language "sleep" is used often metaphorically to mean death.

 

[EleventhHour]

To start off with I want to say that "THERE IS NOT ONE SINGLE PLACE/SCRIPTURE IN THE WORD OF GOD THAT TELLS US OR GUARANTEES US THAT WE GO STRIEGHT TO HEAVEN AS SOON AS WE DIE.
The word sleep and rest are used many times in scripture and Christ used the word sleep to describe a dead persons state of being.
Joh 11:11 These things said he: and after that he saith unto them, Our friend Lazarus sleepeth; but I go, that I may awake him out of sleep.
At this point we know that Lazarus was already dead and in the grave.
Joh 11:39 Jesus said, Take ye away the stone. Martha, the sister of him that was dead, saith unto him, Lord, by this time he stinketh: for he hath been dead four days.
Now we all know that Lazarus was in fact supposed to be dead. But Christ stated that Lazarus was sleeping. So the question is, Why would Jesus describe Lazarus as being in a state of sleep and not in a state of death?? The answer is that the body was in fact dead and beginning to rot but the soul of Lazarus was not dead. It was resting just as the Bible says Lazarus was doing after he died.
Luk 16:22 And it came to pass, that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels into Abraham's bosom: the rich man also died, and was buried;
Notice how this verse says that Lazarus was "carried by the angels into Abraham's bosom" after he died. But the rich man was not carried by angels after he died. Luke 16:22 simply says that the rich man was buried. Lazarus was also buried but the difference is what happened to the soul after the body died. The soul of Lazarus who had embraced the Gospel and was saved, was carried away by angels to Abraham's bosom where scripture says he was "comforted". But the soul of the rich man didn't go to the Bosom of Abraham, he went to a place of torment which is called Gehenna.
Luk 16:25 But Abraham said, Son, remember that thou in thy lifetime receivedst thy good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things: but now he is comforted, and thou art tormented.
Notice how Lazarus doesn't speak a single word throughout the conversation between the rich man and Abraham. That is because Lazarus was sleeping just as John 11:11 says he was. In fact Jesus stated that it was time for Him to awaken Lazarus out of sleep.
Joh 11:11 These things said he: and after that he saith unto them, Our friend Lazarus sleepeth; but I go, that I may awake him out of sleep.
Here is another time when Christ describes a person who had died as being in a state of sleep and Jesus actually declares that the Damsel is not dead but is actually asleep.
Mar 5:39 And when he was come in, he saith unto them, Why make ye this ado, and weep? the damsel is not dead, but sleepeth.
Act 13:36 For David, after he had served his own generation by the will of God, fell on sleep, and was laid unto his fathers, and saw corruption:
In the book of Daniel scripture state that those Who sleep in the dust shall awaken.
Dan 12:2 And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt.
In 1 Samuel King Saul new that the soul of Samuel was not dead but was only asleep when he asked the witch of Endor bring Samual UP.
1Sa 28:8 And Saul disguised himself, and put on other raiment, and he went, and two men with him, and they came to the woman by night: and he said, I pray thee, divine unto me by the familiar spirit, and bring me him UP, whom I shall name unto thee.
1Sa 28:11 Then said the woman, Whom shall I bring up unto thee? And he said, Bring me up Samuel. Even the witch knew that the soul of Samual could be BROUGHT UP from the dead.
And when Samuel was awakened and brought up he was upset because he had been disturbed.
1Sa 28:15 And Samuel said to Saul, Why hast thou disquieted me, to bring me up? And Saul answered, I am sore distressed; for the Philistines make war against me, and God is departed from me, and answereth me no more, neither by prophets, nor by dreams: therefore I have called thee, that thou mayest make known unto me what I shall do. In this verse the word "disquieted" means "disturbed". Which tells us that the soul of Samual was in a place of great comfort but his body was in the grave rotting.
In the book of Daniel God tells Daniel to go his way and rest. God dosn't tell Daniel to go his way and die, God tells Daniel to go and rest.
Dan 12:13 But go thou thy way till the end be: for thou shalt rest, and stand in thy lot at the end of the days. In this verse the word"rest" translated from the Hebrew means "sleep".
As we can see from this verse, Daniel is right know "resting" and is not dead though his body has rotted in the Grave. We can also see from what this verse says that Daniel will stand in his lot at the end of days. In other words Daniel will return and Prophecy once more during the end of days. I believe that Daniel is one of the two witnesses.
When Jesus was no the cross He told the thief that he would be with Jesus in Paradise.
Luk 23:43 And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, To day shalt thou be with me in paradise.
So the question is "Where is Paradise located?" According to Paul Christ first descended down into the lower parts of the earth.
Eph 4:9 (Now that he ascended, what is it but that he also descended first into the lower parts of the earth?
So this verse is telling us that the location of Paradise is in the lower parts of the earth.
We need to remember that when the NT was written it focused Jewish customs and beliefs. The Jewish belief was that Paradise was that part of Hades was the abode of the souls of the pious until Resurrection day. This means that the Jewish people believed that when we are saved and we die we do not go to heaven but actually stay in Paradise until Christ returns to raise us from the grave.
Hence the parable about the rich man and Lazarus. Lazarus who was saved and who embraced the Gospel died and was carried away by angels to the Bosom of Abraham which is also known as Paradise.
Here is a question I like to ask folks, If when we die our body goes back to the dust from which it came from.
Ecc 12:7 Then shall the dust return to the earth as it was: and the spirit shall return unto God who gave it.
What is the rich man doing roasting in hell with eyeballs and a tongue???
Luk 16:22 And it came to pass, that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels into Abraham's bosom: the rich man also died, and was buried;
Luk 16:23 And in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom.
Luk 16:24 And he cried and said, Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water, and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame. The body of the rich man stayed in the grave where it turned back into the dust from which it came, but the soul of the rich man could feel all of the pain and torments just as though he still had a body of flesh
If when we die our body turns back to the dust, how could the rich man have had eyeballs and a tongue and how could he feel heat and torments???
The answer is that if when we die we are in Christ we do not go to heaven. We go to Pardise/The Bosom of Abraham just like Lazarus, the thief and Christ did before He was raised from the grave by God. And we sleep in Paradise until the Resurrection DAY. If we are unrepentant like the rich man was we go immediatly to Gehenna which was where the rich man was placed after his death. Our bodies die and rot but our souls live on to suffer pain and torments or we are comforted just as Lazrus was.

I really think it is so important to understand the expressive style of other languages this would certainly avoid the construction of this erroneous doctrine of soul sleep.

 

[SoulWeaver]

I think one must bear in mind that the word sleep also meant death... it is quite simple.

In my first language "sleep" is used often metaphorically to mean death.

That's what I was thinking initially (that it was a poetic way of saying someone died and refering to body only), but I changed my mind gradually. That being said I don't think it's a vegetative state. But more like a restful state of bliss. I don't believe there will be a reinhabitation of the physical body and "awakening" in that sense, it is said terrestrial body (sown) is one glory and celestial (reaped) another. More like, no mind state just the unity of Spirit, that's it, no more switching.

 

[EleventhHour]

That's what I was thinking initially (that it was a poetic way of saying someone died and refering to body only), but I changed my mind gradually. That being said I don't think it's a vegetative state. But more like a restful state of bliss. I don't believe there will be a reinhabitation of the physical body and "awakening" in that sense, it is said terrestrial body (sown) is one glory and celestial (reaped) another.

To be absent from the body is to present with the Lord

 

[SoulWeaver]

To be absent from the body is to present with the Lord

Yep, agreed. I think the word sleep is used because we don't have any better reference or comparison for that state of mind. Actually, for state that should rather be called "no mind" because mind of God takes over. Like in deep sleep, you simply exist in peace yet you aren't dead, which is maybe the closest thing to describe God's mode of being, and that's why I think the word sleep is used (because we have no better reference).

 

[EleventhHour]

Yep, agreed. I think the word sleep is used because we don't have any better reference or comparison for that state of mind. Actually, for state that should rather be called "no mind" because mind of God takes over. Like in deep sleep, you simply exist in peace yet you aren't dead, which is maybe the closest thing to describe God's mode of being, and that's why I think the word sleep is used (because we have no better reference).

All I can state is when we die as believers we are in the presence of God... and that is an ecstatic state of being not even comparable to sleep.

The stoning of Stephen makes it clear that the soul does not enter a sleep state.