What happens to dead people? Part 1
Acts 2:29 34 “Brothers, I may say to you with confidence about the patriarch David that he both died and was buried, and his tomb is with us to this day. For David did not ascend into heavens, but he himself says, “The Lord said to my Lord, “Sit at my right hand, until I make your enemies your footstool.”’ ESV Bible Extra Reading: Acts 2:14-41
I was asked this question by my teenage niece after the burial of my late brother, Ishmael. ‘What happens to dead people? Do you perhaps have the answer you may help us with? The source of the answer we are looking for is the Bible. It is only an idiot who will not take time to consider this serious matter. Actually, it is thoughtless to do so. I mean people concern themselves about food, finances, future, politics, fashion, etc., which are but for a short time, how much more concern should we have in respect to the eternal future of ourselves, close family members and neighbours? I believe this is one of the most important questions that we should consider scripturally to help those who ignore looking into it now. Bishop Hooper once said this about death: “Life is sweet, and death bitter, but eternal life is more sweet and eternal death more bitter.” He was very right. I thought this time all people in the world are better informed about the subject of death that there would be nothing new to say and nobody curious to hear. One unbeliever approached me after I have preached at a funeral of one old lady in our church in Ga-Rankuwa and told me, ‘Pastor, I think when a man dies, he does not die but merely changes his form.” I asked him what form and he could not give me a clear answer. Millions of people wallow in ignorance out there. Too many people thrive on speculation. One ignorant person also told me. “Pastor, when people die they really become more alive than ever. When they cross a certain river they go to the realms of either the blessed or the ever doomed, and that there are steps or degrees of punishment and reward.” I just laughed off this silly statement. It is far from what the Word of says about the fate of the dead. I wondered further and asked myself, “Where did this fellow receive these views?”
Maybe some ‘learned men” handed down these “truths” to people and people accepted them without questioning them or applying their minds to what they heard. Heathenism’s answer to the question of life after death shall never be satisfactory to our heads and hearts. We must probe the Scriptures further for answers. We must not trust speculation. We must look for Divine Revelation; the message from Him with whom we have to do –our Creator. God did not originally create human beings to be subject to death, but “sin came into the world through one man, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men because all sinned” (Romans 5:12). This refers to the sin of Adam recorded in Genesis 3. God had previously instructed Adam, “of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die” (Genesis 2:17).
Prayer: Father God, help us to understand this serious matter of death. In Jesus’ name we pray, Amen!
