Humans are comprised of three parts: Body, Soul, and Spirit. Our current body is mortal and temporary, it will return to the earth. Our soul is the person we are and will exist eternally. Our spirit is the life within our soul. When we die, it is only our mortal body that ceases to be alive. Soul and spirit remain. So what happens to us after our mortal body breathe’s its last?
Gen 3:19 "By the sweat of your brow you will eat your bread, until you return to the ground, because out of it were you taken; for dust you are, and to dust you shall return."
Your mortal body returns to dust.
For those who do not receive Jesus Christ as Savior, death means everlasting punishment. However, unbelievers go to a temporary holding place to await their final resurrection, judgment, and eternal destiny. Luke 16:22–23 describes a rich man being tormented immediately after death. Revelation 20:11–15 describes all the unbelieving dead being resurrected, judged at the great white throne, and cast into the lake of fire. Unbelievers, then, are not sent to the final “hell” (the lake of fire) immediately after death; rather, they are sent to a temporary realm of fiery judgment and anguish (hell/hades).
“There was a rich man who was clothed in purple and fine linen and who feasted sumptuously every day. And at his gate was laid a poor man named Lazarus, covered with sores, who desired to be fed with what fell from the rich man’s table. Moreover, even the dogs came and licked his sores. The poor man died and was carried by the angels to Abraham’s side. The rich man also died and was buried, and in Hades, being in torment, he lifted up his eyes and saw Abraham far off and Lazarus at his side. And he called out, ‘Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus to dip the end of his finger in water and cool my tongue, for I am in anguish in this flame.’ But Abraham said, ‘Child, remember that you in your lifetime received your good things, and Lazarus in like manner bad things; but now he is comforted here, and you are in anguish (Luke 16:19-25 ESV).
For the believer in Jesus Christ, the Bible tells us that after death believers’ souls/spirits are taken to heaven, because their sins were forgiven when they received Christ as Savior (John 3:16, 18, 36). For believers, death means being “away from the body and at home with the Lord” (2 Corinthians 5:6–8; Philippians 1:23). However, passages such as 1 Corinthians 15:50–54 and 1 Thessalonians 4:13–17 describe believers being resurrected and given glorified bodies. If believers go to be with Christ immediately after death, what is the purpose of this resurrection? While the souls/spirits of believers go to be with Christ immediately at death, the physical body remains in the grave “sleeping.” At the resurrection of believers, the physical body is resurrected, glorified, and reunited with the soul/spirit. This reunited and glorified body-soul-spirit will be the state of existence for believers for eternity in the new heavens and new earth (Revelation 21—22).
While people in the Old Testament were saved by the grace of God when they trusted in Him (saving faith), their sins were not yet washed away by the blood of Jesus. Their system of atoning for sins was through animal blood — a sacrificial system given to Moses after God delivered His people from Egypt.
Lev 17:11 For the life of the flesh is in the blood: and I have given it to you upon the altar to make an atonement for your souls: for it is the blood that makes an atonement for the soul.
Animal sacrifice was not to pay for sins. The blood of an animal could never fully atone for the sins of a man. And the works of men, including sacrificial works, could never fully satisfy God. Therefore, a human, with perfect and sinless works and pure blood, was needed to pay the penalty of sin.
So God gave His Son (John 3:16) in His perfect time to be incarnated as a man (Gal 4:4-5), to live a pure and sinless life (Heb 4:15, 1 John 3:5b), and to die (Rom 5:8), shedding His blood as the perfect Lamb of God to take away the sins of the world (John 1:29). Only Jesus could be that sacrifice. And praise God, Jesus laid down His life for us (Isa 53:5, 1 Pet 2:24) in submission to His Father’s will (Mat 26:39, Luke 22:42, Acts 2:23), and His blood was acceptable in God’s sight (1 Pet 1:18-19).
So, where did Old Testament saints go before Jesus’ finished work?
We know that Jesus is “the way, the truth, and the life” and that “no man cometh unto the Father, but by Jesus.” (John 14:6) Prior to Jesus’ atonement, the way to the Father was closed. Old Testament saints could not go to Heaven at death. But God provided a resting place until the Door to Heaven was opened. It is described in Luke 16 when Jesus told of two distinctly different places where man’s soul went at death:
1. The place of comfort called Abraham’s Bosom for those who died in faith in God.
2. The place of torment that we call Hell for those who died without faith in God.
Abraham’s Bosom was located in the depths of the earth. Jesus referred to it as the “heart of the earth” in Matthew 12:40, and it was the abode of the righteous dead before Jesus’ resurrection and ascension. Jesus also referred to this place as “paradise” when He promised the thief on the cross that he would be with Him that same day in paradise. (Luke 23:43)
What was Abraham’s Bosom?
Abraham’s Bosom was a place of comfort and a place of waiting. The sins of Old Testament saints were remitted by the Levitical system of atonement using the blood of animals. Since this was insufficient to atone for their sins, those who died in faith went to Abraham’s Bosom and waited until their sins would be paid for completely. They waited for the promised Seed, the Rescuer, the One who was promised in the Garden (Genesis 3:15, Galatians 4:4), the One promised to their father Abraham (Genesis 22:17-18, Galatians 3:16), and promised again to their most exalted earthly King, King David (2 Samuel 7:12-16, Acts 13:21-23).
When Jesus offered Himself in payment for the penalty of man’s sins, His shed blood made the complete and final atonement for sins. And, when Jesus ascended into Heaven, 40 days after His resurrection from the grave, He led the Old Testament saints from Abraham’s Bosom to their new dwelling place with Him in the Heaven of heavens (Ephesians 4:8).
Since the time of Jesus’ ascension, Abraham’s Bosom remains empty. At death, the souls of Christians go directly to Heaven through the Door (Jesus). There now only remains the place of torment as an abode of the dead in the earth. We call this place “hell,” which is an English translation of the Greek word “hades’ and the Hebrew word “sheol.” “Sheol” and “hades” mean “the world of the dead, the grave, or the pit,” Remember, prior to Jesus’ ascension into Heaven, all who died went into the earth, the grave, the pit — into sheol/hades — either to Abraham’s Bosom or to the place of torment. But since Jesus’ ascension, only the place of torment, Hell, remains populated. So, when we refer to Hell, we only refer to the place of torment.
The place of torment is similar to Abraham’s Bosom in one aspect. It is a temporary abode, just as Abraham’s Bosom was temporary. However, the final destinations differ. The righteous were received into God’s Heaven when fully redeemed. But in the place of torment, the unrighteous await a final judgment yet to come, which is the Great White Throne Judgment described in Revelation 20:11-15.
At that time, all the souls in hell/hades will be bodily raised, judged, and sent to their eternal destination, the Lake of Fire (Revelations 20:15).
In Abraham’s Bosom (Luke 16:22), the Old Testament saints were comforted by Father Abraham. But now they are in the comfort and rest of God the Father in Heaven, and in the presence of their Messiah and Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ.
Gen 3:19 "By the sweat of your brow you will eat your bread, until you return to the ground, because out of it were you taken; for dust you are, and to dust you shall return."
Your mortal body returns to dust.
For those who do not receive Jesus Christ as Savior, death means everlasting punishment. However, unbelievers go to a temporary holding place to await their final resurrection, judgment, and eternal destiny. Luke 16:22–23 describes a rich man being tormented immediately after death. Revelation 20:11–15 describes all the unbelieving dead being resurrected, judged at the great white throne, and cast into the lake of fire. Unbelievers, then, are not sent to the final “hell” (the lake of fire) immediately after death; rather, they are sent to a temporary realm of fiery judgment and anguish (hell/hades).
“There was a rich man who was clothed in purple and fine linen and who feasted sumptuously every day. And at his gate was laid a poor man named Lazarus, covered with sores, who desired to be fed with what fell from the rich man’s table. Moreover, even the dogs came and licked his sores. The poor man died and was carried by the angels to Abraham’s side. The rich man also died and was buried, and in Hades, being in torment, he lifted up his eyes and saw Abraham far off and Lazarus at his side. And he called out, ‘Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus to dip the end of his finger in water and cool my tongue, for I am in anguish in this flame.’ But Abraham said, ‘Child, remember that you in your lifetime received your good things, and Lazarus in like manner bad things; but now he is comforted here, and you are in anguish (Luke 16:19-25 ESV).
For the believer in Jesus Christ, the Bible tells us that after death believers’ souls/spirits are taken to heaven, because their sins were forgiven when they received Christ as Savior (John 3:16, 18, 36). For believers, death means being “away from the body and at home with the Lord” (2 Corinthians 5:6–8; Philippians 1:23). However, passages such as 1 Corinthians 15:50–54 and 1 Thessalonians 4:13–17 describe believers being resurrected and given glorified bodies. If believers go to be with Christ immediately after death, what is the purpose of this resurrection? While the souls/spirits of believers go to be with Christ immediately at death, the physical body remains in the grave “sleeping.” At the resurrection of believers, the physical body is resurrected, glorified, and reunited with the soul/spirit. This reunited and glorified body-soul-spirit will be the state of existence for believers for eternity in the new heavens and new earth (Revelation 21—22).
While people in the Old Testament were saved by the grace of God when they trusted in Him (saving faith), their sins were not yet washed away by the blood of Jesus. Their system of atoning for sins was through animal blood — a sacrificial system given to Moses after God delivered His people from Egypt.
Lev 17:11 For the life of the flesh is in the blood: and I have given it to you upon the altar to make an atonement for your souls: for it is the blood that makes an atonement for the soul.
Animal sacrifice was not to pay for sins. The blood of an animal could never fully atone for the sins of a man. And the works of men, including sacrificial works, could never fully satisfy God. Therefore, a human, with perfect and sinless works and pure blood, was needed to pay the penalty of sin.
So God gave His Son (John 3:16) in His perfect time to be incarnated as a man (Gal 4:4-5), to live a pure and sinless life (Heb 4:15, 1 John 3:5b), and to die (Rom 5:8), shedding His blood as the perfect Lamb of God to take away the sins of the world (John 1:29). Only Jesus could be that sacrifice. And praise God, Jesus laid down His life for us (Isa 53:5, 1 Pet 2:24) in submission to His Father’s will (Mat 26:39, Luke 22:42, Acts 2:23), and His blood was acceptable in God’s sight (1 Pet 1:18-19).
So, where did Old Testament saints go before Jesus’ finished work?
We know that Jesus is “the way, the truth, and the life” and that “no man cometh unto the Father, but by Jesus.” (John 14:6) Prior to Jesus’ atonement, the way to the Father was closed. Old Testament saints could not go to Heaven at death. But God provided a resting place until the Door to Heaven was opened. It is described in Luke 16 when Jesus told of two distinctly different places where man’s soul went at death:
1. The place of comfort called Abraham’s Bosom for those who died in faith in God.
2. The place of torment that we call Hell for those who died without faith in God.
Abraham’s Bosom was located in the depths of the earth. Jesus referred to it as the “heart of the earth” in Matthew 12:40, and it was the abode of the righteous dead before Jesus’ resurrection and ascension. Jesus also referred to this place as “paradise” when He promised the thief on the cross that he would be with Him that same day in paradise. (Luke 23:43)
What was Abraham’s Bosom?
Abraham’s Bosom was a place of comfort and a place of waiting. The sins of Old Testament saints were remitted by the Levitical system of atonement using the blood of animals. Since this was insufficient to atone for their sins, those who died in faith went to Abraham’s Bosom and waited until their sins would be paid for completely. They waited for the promised Seed, the Rescuer, the One who was promised in the Garden (Genesis 3:15, Galatians 4:4), the One promised to their father Abraham (Genesis 22:17-18, Galatians 3:16), and promised again to their most exalted earthly King, King David (2 Samuel 7:12-16, Acts 13:21-23).
When Jesus offered Himself in payment for the penalty of man’s sins, His shed blood made the complete and final atonement for sins. And, when Jesus ascended into Heaven, 40 days after His resurrection from the grave, He led the Old Testament saints from Abraham’s Bosom to their new dwelling place with Him in the Heaven of heavens (Ephesians 4:8).
Since the time of Jesus’ ascension, Abraham’s Bosom remains empty. At death, the souls of Christians go directly to Heaven through the Door (Jesus). There now only remains the place of torment as an abode of the dead in the earth. We call this place “hell,” which is an English translation of the Greek word “hades’ and the Hebrew word “sheol.” “Sheol” and “hades” mean “the world of the dead, the grave, or the pit,” Remember, prior to Jesus’ ascension into Heaven, all who died went into the earth, the grave, the pit — into sheol/hades — either to Abraham’s Bosom or to the place of torment. But since Jesus’ ascension, only the place of torment, Hell, remains populated. So, when we refer to Hell, we only refer to the place of torment.
The place of torment is similar to Abraham’s Bosom in one aspect. It is a temporary abode, just as Abraham’s Bosom was temporary. However, the final destinations differ. The righteous were received into God’s Heaven when fully redeemed. But in the place of torment, the unrighteous await a final judgment yet to come, which is the Great White Throne Judgment described in Revelation 20:11-15.
At that time, all the souls in hell/hades will be bodily raised, judged, and sent to their eternal destination, the Lake of Fire (Revelations 20:15).
In Abraham’s Bosom (Luke 16:22), the Old Testament saints were comforted by Father Abraham. But now they are in the comfort and rest of God the Father in Heaven, and in the presence of their Messiah and Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ.
