When Death Knocks
In life, we know that death is inevitable. However, when death knocks, what happens? When we face death due to sickness or old age, the body often senses its nearness and begins to signal the organs to shut down. As a result, a person in pain may feel relief, and those who struggle with mental challenges caused by illness may gain clarity just before death, as the spirit and soul prepare to separate from the body. Yet even this does not fully explain what occurs in the moment of death itself.
Paul describes his experience of death in 2 Corinthians 12, when God permitted him to be taken up to Paradise. As human beings, we are composed of three parts: body, soul, and spirit (1 Thessalonians 5:23). At death, we are not left unclothed—that is, disembodied spirits or ghosts (2 Corinthians 5:3–4). We receive a temporary body that enables us to engage with our surrounding environment, whether it is in heaven or Hades. When Paul was stoned to death (Acts 14:19), he experienced what occurs at the moment of death. He indicates that the transition to the temporary body was seamless (2 Corinthians 12:2). Alongside this transformation, he remained fully conscious and aware of his surroundings (2 Corinthians 12:3).
In Luke 16:19–31, Jesus provides insight into life after death through the account of the rich man and Lazarus. This event occurred before the resurrection of Christ; thus, Paradise was located within Hades. At that time, Hades held three chambers: Paradise, the abyss, and the lowest Sheol. The lowest Sheol, where the fire burns, is the dwelling place of the unbelieving humans (Deuteronomy 32:22). The abyss holds many incarcerated fallen angels as they wait for judgment (Luke 8:31). Paradise is where all the saints prior to the Church reside (Luke 23:43). Even in torment, the rich man was aware of his surroundings, as he pleaded with Abraham to send Lazarus to bring him a drop of water (Luke 16:23–24). Lazarus, however, was in Paradise—a place of rest (Luke 16:23). Abraham’s reply reveals that those who have died remain conscious of events on earth, for he knew of the Israelites had Moses and the prophets (Luke 16:29).
After Christ’s resurrection, Paradise was taken to the edge of the third heaven (Ephesians 4:8). When God created the universe, He established three heavens: the firmament, space, and the realm where His throne resides (Genesis 1:1). The firmament emerged when God separated the waters below from the waters above (Genesis 1:8), serving as the domain where birds fly (Genesis 1:20). The second heaven encompasses the expanse where the stars dwell (Hebrews 11:12). The third heaven is the place where angels present themselves before God’s throne (Job 1:6). Since Christ now abides in the third heaven, when a member of the body of Christ dies, he is brought into the Lord’s presence (2 Corinthians 5:10). Thus, the saints of the Church reside in the third heaven as they await Christ’s return and their complete resurrection. They will not be left behind when the Lord returns to gather those on earth who belong to Him. He will bring them with Him, and together we will all be resurrected (1 Thessalonians 4:13–17).
From what Scripture reveals, we understand that when death arrives, we will transition painlessly into our temporary bodies and be escorted by angels to the third heaven, where we will join the assembly of the saints. During this period, we will be granted access to Paradise and allowed to partake of the tree of life, which will sustain our temporary bodies until we receive our resurrected ones (Revelation 2:7). Paul also reveals that we will comprehend mysteries too profound to express in this life (2 Corinthians 12:4). From Luke 16 and Hebrews 12:1, we further learn that after death, we will remain aware of events unfolding on earth.
When Christ returns for the Church, the dead in Christ will rise first, followed by those who are alive, who will be caught up with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air (1 Thessalonians 4:17; 1 Corinthians 15:51). The saints of the Church will then be brought before the Bema seat, where their works will be judged (2 Corinthians 5:10). Works performed through self-effort, lacking righteousness, will be burned up (1 Corinthians 3:14–15). Christ’s death was on behalf of sin; therefore, we are not judged for our sins, which have been washed away. However, our works will be evaluated, and those that fail to meet Christ’s standards will be destroyed. As a result, when Christ presents His bride—the Church—before the Father, she will stand blameless (1 Thessalonians 3:13).
In death, God is gracious toward us. We dwell in a place free from the pain of the body, no longer tempted by sin, and shielded from Satan and his worldly system. It is a place where we remain aware of our surroundings and of the events unfolding on earth, even as we rest from our works.