“SLEEPING IN THE DUST” VERSES “DEATH”
Updated - 6/19/09
This
study examines what is probably one of the most important issues concerning the
eternity of the unsaved.
In
order to understand this study, it helps to understand the material presented
in the study of the Biblical definition of “life” and “death” for mankind.
Please see the study OF THE
BIBLICAL DEFINITION OF “LIFE” AND “DEATH” FOR MANKIND
To
describe the departing of man from this world, the Bible uses two terms:
1.
“death” - Many times the Bible talks about the “death” of people who leave this
world. This is a very common term in the Bible and in our daily speech.
2.
“Sleeping in the dust” - from time to time the Bible speaks of someone
departing from this world as “sleeping in the dust” or that he “slept with his
fathers”. This term specifically speaks about the failing of the body, the loss
of consciousness in the body, and its return to the dust.
Let’s
look at a few verses where God talks about the body sleeping in the dust.
In
Genesis 3:19, God introduces the concept of man’s body returning to the dust,
or sleeping in the dust. We read there:
In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till
thou return unto the ground; for out of it wast thou taken: for dust thou art,
and unto dust shalt thou return.
This
is describing the failing of Adam’s body at 930 years of age. In this verse God
simply says that Adam’s body would return to the dust.
As
we go on in the Bible, God gives more information and says that man’s body
“sleeps” in the dust.
Here
are some verses that talk about the body of a believer falling asleep. These
verses refer to the fact that man’s body returns to the dust.
Daniel
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.
Deuteronomy
31:16 And the LORD said unto Moses,
Behold, thou shalt sleep with thy fathers; and this people will rise up, and go
a whoring after the gods of the strangers of the land, whither they go to be
among them, and will forsake me, and break my covenant which I have made with
them.
2
Samuel 7:12 And when thy days be fulfilled,
and thou shalt sleep with thy fathers, I will set up thy seed after thee, which
shall proceed out of thy bowels, and I will establish his kingdom.
1
Kings 1:21 Otherwise it shall come to
pass, when my lord the king shall sleep with his fathers, that I and my son
Solomon shall be counted offenders.
1
Kings 2:10 So David slept with his
fathers, and was buried in the city of
1
Kings 11:21 And when Hadad heard in
Egypt that David slept with his fathers, and that Joab the captain of the host
was dead, Hadad said to Pharaoh, Let me depart, that I may go to mine own
country.
1
Corinthians 15:20 But now is Christ
risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits of them that slept.
1
Corinthians 15:51 Behold, I shew you a
mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed,
1
Thessalonians 4:14 For if we believe
that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God
bring with him.
Here
are some verses that talk about the body of an unbeliever sleeping in the dust:
1
Kings 14:20 And the days which Jeroboam
reigned were two and twenty years: and he slept with his fathers, and
Nadab his son reigned in his stead.
1
Kings 16:6 So Baasha slept with his
fathers, and was buried in Tirzah: and Elah his son reigned in his stead.
1
Kings 16:28 So Omri slept with his
fathers, and was buried in
1
Kings 22:40 So Ahab slept with his
fathers; and Ahaziah his son reigned in his stead.
2
Kings 10:35 And Jehu slept with his
fathers: and they buried him in
2
Kings 13:9 And Jehoahaz slept with his
fathers; and they buried him in
2
Kings 13:13 And Joash slept with his fathers;
and Jeroboam sat upon his throne: and Joash was buried in
2
Kings 14:16 And Jehoash slept with his
fathers, and was buried in
2
Kings 14:29 And Jeroboam slept with his
fathers, even with the kings of
2
Kings 15:22 And Menahem slept with his
fathers; and Pekahiah his son reigned in his stead.
Daniel
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.
From
the above verses, we can see that there are many verses that speak of the
failing of the bodies of both the saved and the unsaved as “sleeping” or
“sleeping in the dust” or that he “slept with his fathers”.
For
both the unsaved and the unsaved, most of the above verses talk about them
“sleeping with their fathers”. This means that their bodies have failed and are
now returning to the dust. There is no consciousness in their bodies. Daniel
12:2 helps us to understand that these verses are speaking of the bodies of
people because it declares that they sleep “in the dust”. The body of
man is made of the “dust” of the earth.
We
get further help in understanding what it means that the verses say that the
person “slept with his fathers” because many of the verses include the
fact they the person was “buried”.
God
uses the phrases “slept with his fathers” and “sleep in the dust” to refer to
the failure of the body, the loss of consciousness in it and it’s return to the
dust.
Daniel
12:2 talks about the bodies of both the saved and the unsaved.
God
talks about the fact that man experiences “death” and God also talks about
man’s body “sleeping” or “sleeping in the dust”
Many
people consider “death” and a body “sleeping in the dust” to be synonyms,
that the two terms are describing the same thing.
However,
if we study the Bible carefully and remove our preconceived notions, we find
that the terms, “death” and a body “sleeping in the dust” are describing two
different things that occur simultaneously when man departs from this world.
If
we study the Bible carefully, we find that:
1.
Death for mankind is separation from God, who is life (John 11:25-26, 14:6).
In
order to keep this study short, we will show a few of the proofs for this truth
in this study. For more proofs, please see the study of the Biblical definition
of “life” and “death” for mankind for many verses that teach this truth.
2.
A body sleeping in the dust refers to a corpse which is a body that has failed,
is returning to the dust and in which there is no consciousness.
There
are many verses that show these truths. The main problem is that the Biblical
definition of “life” and “death” for mankind is alien to our normal way of
thinking, what we have been erroneously taught to believe. It is hard for us to
discard our traditional thinking and follow the Bible’s definitions.
For
more information on the Biblical definition of “life” and “death” for mankind
we encourage you to examine this study.
Please see the study OF THE
BIBLICAL DEFINITION OF “LIFE” AND “DEATH” FOR MANKIND
In
our present study we are going to examine the opening chapters of Genesis to
study, with the help of other verses, two important questions:
1.
What is the Biblical definition of “death” for mankind?
2.
What does the Bible mean by phrases like “slept with his fathers” or “sleep
in the dust”?
The
points made here are in brief. For more detail please see the study on the
Biblical definition of “life” and “death” for mankind.
We
will start our study by examining what happened to man when he sinned.
We
read in Genesis 2:17:
But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil,
thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt
surely die.
God
tells Adam that in the day that he sinned he would “surely die”.
The
phrase “surely die” contains the Hebrew word translated “die” two times.
God is making a point that Adam really did die the day he sinned. When God
doubles up a word or statement, God is insisting that it is true (Genesis
41:32).
In
our minds we think of “death” as an unconscious corpse. Therefore, we think
that Adam did not really die the day he sinned. Rather, we focus upon death for
Adam when he was 930 years old.
However,
God insists that Adam did die by doubling up the word with the expression “surely
die”.
One
way we minimize the statement of Genesis 2:17 is that we say that Adam “died
spiritually”. God never uses the term “spiritually dead”. God says that
Adam “died” the day he sinned and that unsaved man is already “dead”.
We
read verses in the Bible that confirm that Adam did die and that unsaved man is
already dead.
For
example:
Proverbs
21:16 The man that wandereth out of the
way of understanding shall remain in the congregation of the dead.
Matthew
8:22 But Jesus said unto him, Follow me;
and let the dead bury their dead.
Luke
9:60 Jesus said unto him, Let the dead
bury their dead: but go thou and preach the
Ephesians
2:1 And you hath he quickened,
who were dead in trespasses and sins;
Ephesians
2:5 Even when we were dead in sins, hath
quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;)
Colossians
2:13 And you, being dead in your sins
and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him,
having forgiven you all trespasses;
1
Peter 4:6 For for this cause was the
gospel preached also to them that are dead, that they might be judged according
to men in the flesh, but live according to God in the spirit.
1
Timothy 5:6 But she that liveth in
pleasure is dead while she liveth.
These
and other verses show us that Adam really did die the day he sinned and that
unsaved man is already dead.
However,
because we have not seen the distinction between “death” and a body “sleeping
in the dust”, we change these verses in our minds to say that unsaved man
is “spiritually dead”.
The
Bible never says that unsaved man is “spiritually dead”. Rather, the
Bible says that unsaved man is “dead”.
The
Bible teaches that unsaved man is dead, both in body and soul.
We
read:
Romans
8:10 And if Christ be in you, the
body is dead because of sin; but the Spirit is life because of
righteousness.
1
Corinthians 15:29 Else what shall they
do which are baptized for the dead, if the dead rise not at all? why are they
then baptized for the dead?
Romans
8:10 tells us clearly that the believer’s body is already “dead”. If the
believer’s body is “dead”, then certainly also, the unbeliever’s body is
“dead”.
However,
for mankind in this world, his body is not yet “sleeping in the dust”. Rather,
it is separated from God, who is life (John 11:25-26, 14:6). God is not yet
indwelling the believer’s body as indicated in Romans 7:18.
We
read there:
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.
God
is the “good thing” or “good” that does not indwell the
believer’s body until the Rapture.
In
1 Corinthians 15:29 God is talking about the believer’s body. Three times God
calls the believer’s body “dead” in this verse.
According
to the Bible, unsaved man is already dead, both in body and soul. He is
separated from God, who is life. However, his body is not yet “sleeping in the
dust”. God makes a distinction between “death” and “sleeping in the dust”.
According
to the Bible, unsaved man is dead, both in body and spirit (or soul). Yet, he
still has a spirit and a body. Unsaved man has not ceased to exist in anyway.
The
word “spiritually” has to do with the “spirit” and the word “physically” has to
do with the “body.”
Therefore,
since unsaved man is already dead, both in body and spirit, it is Biblical to
say that unsaved man is already spiritually and physically dead.
The
Bible says that unsaved man is “dead”, but people change “dead” to “spiritually
dead”. There is no Biblical validation for making this change.
Some
argue that the spirit essence of unsaved man has ceased to exist. However, the
Bible gives many verses that show that unsaved man still has a spirit-essence,
even though his spirit is “dead”.
For
example, we read in 1 Peter 3:19:
By which also he went and preached unto
the spirits in prison;
In
1 Peter 3:19 we read that the unsaved are “spirits in prison”. Unsaved
man is in bondage to sin in both body and spirit. That is why God talks about
unsaved man being “in prison”.
However,
it is very significant that God calls the unsaved “spirits in prison”.
The reference to “spirits in prison” shows that unsaved man still has a
spirit. Unsaved man has a “spirit” which is in the “prison” of
bondage to sin.
Also,
we read in Daniel 2:1 that the “spirit” of king Nebuchadnezzar was
troubled by his dream. From Daniel 3 we know that king Nebuchadnezzar was
certainly unsaved during the events recorded in Daniel 2. Yet, he still had a
spirit.
Also,
in Psalm 78:8 God talks about the spirits of the unsaved people of
We
read in Psalm 78:8:
And might not be as their fathers, a
stubborn and rebellious generation; a generation that set not their
heart aright, and whose spirit was not stedfast with God.
God
is talking about the unsaved children of
We
read that God says that their “spirit was not
stedfast with God”.
Psalm
78:8 teaches that those unsaved people of
There
are many verses that show that unsaved man still has a spirit-essence. Unsaved
man exists, both in body and spirit, but as the Bible teaches, he is dead, both
in body and spirit.
This
is further confirmation that death for mankind is not a cessation of existence.
Rather, separation from God, who is life Himself, fits perfectly as the
definition for the death of mankind.
Now,
we will continue our study.
Let’s
return to Genesis to continue to examine the Biblical definitions of “death”
for mankind and a body “sleeping in the dust”.
We
read in Genesis 2:17 that Adam died in the day that he sinned. From the rest of
the Bible we know that he died, both in body and soul. He became separated from
God, who is “life”. He was not indwelt by God as the believer is indwelt by God
(Romans 8:9). He was not energized by God (Philippians 2:12-13).
Then,
in Genesis 3:19 God declares that Adam’s body would return to the dust.
We
read there:
In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till
thou return unto the ground; for out of it wast thou taken: for dust thou art,
and unto dust shalt thou return.
In
Genesis 3:19 God introduces the principle that man’s body would return to the
dust. Later, God gives more information by saying that man’s body sleeps in the
dust.
Notice
there is a distinction between “death” for mankind and a body “sleeping in the
dust”.
From
Genesis 2:17 and other verses, we learn that Adam had already died, both in
body and soul, in the day that he sinned. Yet, his body has not yet slept in
the dust. His body would not sleep in the dust until Adam is 930 years old.
Then,
we get to Genesis 5:5 and we read that Adam died.
We
read there:
And all the days that Adam lived were nine hundred and
thirty years: and he died.
We
notice something interesting in these verses.
We
read that Adam died twice. We read in Genesis 2:17 that Adam died the day he
sinned. Then, we read in Genesis 5:5 that Adam died at 930 years.
We
also read in Genesis 3:19 that finally Adam’s body would return to the dust and
that occurred at 930 years of age, when he died the second time.
Because
we read that Adam died twice and the second time he died was the same time that
his body slept in the dust, we have drawn the following wrong conclusions:
1.
The first time Adam died, he died spiritually (his spirit died).
2.
The second time Adam died, he died physically (his body died).
3.
A body “sleeping in the dust” is the same as a dead body.
The
above statements are how we think about “death” for mankind. They fit with what
we see, namely the unconscious corpse. However, they do not agree with the
Bible.
The
study on the Biblical definition of “life” and “death” for mankind gives many
verses that show that the above 3 statements do not agree with the Bible.
Please see that study for more information.
So
far in this study, we have seen the following truths from the Bible that do not
agree with the 3 conclusions above.
1.
Adam died, both in body and soul, the day he sinned. Unsaved man is
already dead, both in body and soul.
2.
Even though unsaved man is already dead, both in body and soul, he still has a
spirit-essence as well as a body. Unsaved man has not ceased to exist in either
aspect of his personality, neither in body nor in spirit. This shows that death
for mankind is not a cessation of existence.
3.
The Bible makes a distinction between death of the body, and a body sleeping in
the dust. Adam’s body died the day he sinned, yet his body did not sleep in the
dust until he was 930 years old.
From
Romans 8:10 & 1 Corinthians 15:29, we learn that Adam’s body also died the
day he sinned. In addition, we learn that unsaved man’s body is already “dead”.
Yet,
Adam’s body did not sleep in the dust until Adam was 930 years old. Likewise,
the bodies of unsaved man in this world are not yet sleeping in the dust.
However,
we have to address an important question:
According
to Genesis 2:17, Adam died the day he sinned. Yet Genesis 5:5 says he died at
930 years of age. How could Adam die twice?
We
learn from the study of Biblical definition of “life” and “death” for mankind
that death is separation from God, who is “life”.
This
definition of death for mankind matches with what happened to Adam the day that
he sinned and died. He was no longer indwelt by God as is the true believer (Romans
8:9). He was no longer energized by God as is the true believer (Philippians
2:12-13).
Adam
became separated from God, who is life. Adam died the day he sinned.
However,
was Adam or is unsaved man completely separated from God?
No.
Adam was not nor is unsaved man completely separated from God.
We
read in Acts 17:27-28:
27 That they should seek the Lord, if haply they
might feel after him, and find him, though he be not far from every one of us:
28 For in him we live, and move, and have our
being; as certain also of your own poets have said, For we are also his
offspring.
This
passage is speaking about unsaved man as well as saved man.
Since
our question is about “life” for the unsaved, we will look at how this passage
applies to the unsaved.
We
read in verse 28 that all mankind, including the unsaved, are “in Him” or “in
God”. Unsaved man “moves in God” and has his being in God.
In
Acts 17:28, God ties 3 important truths together that also apply to unsaved
man:
1.
Unsaved man has his being in God, or literally in the Greek, unsaved man “is in
God”.
2.
Unsaved man “moves” in God.
3.
Unsaved man “lives” in that sense, because God is the “life” in which unsaved
man resides.
In
Acts 17:28 God ties the 3 above statements together.
According
to Acts 17:28, unsaved man is in God and moves in God and in that sense unsaved
man “lives”. This is so because unsaved man is still in God. God Himself is
“life” (John 11:25, 14:6).
While
unsaved man’s body functions, he “moves” in God and he is in God. As the Bible
indicates, he “lives”, because God is the “life” in which unsaved man resides.
Then,
finally, man’s body fails. His body sleeps in the dust.
That
happened to Adam at 930 years of age. God told him in Genesis 3:19 that finally
his body would return to the dust.
When
Adam reached 930 years of age, then his body failed. When his body failed, Adam
was no longer “moving in God”, according to Acts 17:28. A corpse does
not “move”.
Acts
17:28 ties the fact that man “moves in God” to the truth that man is “in
God”. This is true for all mankind, both the saved and the unsaved.
When
man’s body fails and sleeps in the dust, he is no longer “moving in God”.
Unconscious corpses do not move.
Therefore,
according to Acts 17:28, he is no longer “in God”. He is separated again
or completely separated from God, who is “life”. Therefore, unsaved man dies a
second time. He is separated from God a second time.
For
mankind “death” and a body “sleeping in the dust” are two different things that
occur simultaneously when man’s body fails.
The
body “sleeping in the dust” is the unconscious corpse.
The
“death” is the separation from God, who is “life”.
The
problem is that we see the corpse and in our minds we identify that as “death”.
This identification does not agree with the Bible and has led to a lot of wrong
understanding.
In
this world, unsaved man is not completely separated from God and His blessings.
We read two important verses that show God’s blessings to all mankind,
including the unsaved:
Matthew
5:45 That ye may be the children of your
Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the
good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust.
Acts
14:17 Nevertheless he left not himself
without witness, in that he did good, and gave us rain from heaven, and
fruitful seasons, filling our hearts with food and gladness.
These
verses illustrate God’s goodness to all men, including the unsaved.
While
unsaved man is in this world, Acts 17:28 indicates that he is “in God” and he
“moves in God”. He “lives” in the sense that he is in God and under God’s
blessings. God Himself is “life”.
While
unsaved man is in this world, he is in God and under His blessings. However,
when his body fails, it sleeps in the dust. A corpse does not “move”.
Therefore, when man’s body sleeps in the dust, he is no longer “moving in God”.
Acts 17:28 ties “moving in God” to man being “in God” and man “living”
Therefore,
when unsaved man’s body fails, he is no longer “moving in God”, nor is he “in
God” and unsaved man no longer “lives” in that sense.
At
that time, unsaved man is completely separated from God, who is “life”. He dies
a second time, both in body and soul. He is separated from God a second time.
That
is why we read that unsaved man dies, both in body and soul, two times. He is
separated from God, who is life, two times.
This
agrees with what we read in the opening chapters of Genesis.
1.
Genesis 2:17 – Adam died both in body and soul the day that he sinned (1 Peter
4:6, Romans 8:10, 1 Corinthians 15:29). He became separated from God, who is
life. But, he is not yet completely separated from God.
2.
Genesis 3:19 – God declares that eventually Adam’s body would return to the
dust or sleep in the dust, meaning his body would fail. That happened when Adam
was 930 years of age.
However,
before Adam’s body failed, he was still in God, he moved in God and therefore
he lived in that sense, because God is “life”.
Then,
at 930 years of age, Adam’s body failed and Adam slept in the dust, as God
promised.
3.
Genesis 5:5 - When Adam slept in the dust at 930 years of age, he was no longer
moving in God. He was no longer in God. He no longer lived. He was separated
from God a second time. Therefore, we read in Genesis 5:5 that Adam died.
At
930 years of age, two things happened to Adam
1.
His body failed and slept in the dust.
2.
He was separated from God a second time. He died a second time.
Why
is it important to have the correct distinction between “death” for mankind and
a body “sleeping in the dust”?
This
is necessary to correctly understand the verses that talk about the
resurrection of the last day.
Let’s
now apply this understanding to verses that talk about the resurrection of the
last day.
We
read in John 5:28-29:
28 Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming,
in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice,
29
And shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life;
and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation.
We
read about “life” in connection with the resurrection of the saved, but we
don’t read about it in connection with the resurrection of the unsaved.
The
problem is that we read about “death” in the Bible and we see an unconscious
corpse and we conclude “death = unconscious corpse”.
We
also conclude that “life = existence”.
Then,
we read John 5:28-29 and see the word “life” applied to the saved, but we do
not read “life” applied to the unsaved. So with the definition of “life =
existence”, we conclude that the unsaved do not awake to consciousness.
This
is an error and the problem stems back to not seeing the distinction between
“death” for mankind and a body “sleeping in the dust”.
However,
when we understand the Biblical definition of “life” and “death” for mankind,
then we can properly understand John 5:28-29 and another related verse, Daniel
12:2.
The
Biblical definition is that “life” for mankind has to do with his relationship
with God, who is “life”. We will now consider John 5:28-29 with the Biblical
definition of “life” for mankind in mind:
While
the believer is in this world, his body is still “dead”, separated from God,
who is “life”. We saw this truth in Romans 8:10 and 1 Corinthians 15:29:
Romans
8:10 And if Christ be in you, the
body is dead because of sin; but the Spirit is life because of
righteousness.
1
Corinthians 15:29 Else what shall they
do which are baptized for the dead, if the dead rise not at all? why are they
then baptized for the dead?
While
he is in this world, the true believer still has a “dead” body. His body is
separated from God, who is “life”. His body is not indwelt by God (Romans
7:18).
However,
John 5:28-29 is promising that the believer will receive a new body with
“life”. That is, with God, who is “life”, indwelling.
That
is a promise of the John 5:28-29 for the true believer.
The
body of the unsaved will be resurrected also, but his body will remain “dead”,
separated from God, like it was in this world.
Does
John 5:28-29 offer any proof that the unsaved will be resurrected in a
conscious body?
Yes.
It does.
We
read in John 5:28-29 that both the saved and the unsaved “shall hear his
voice, And shall come forth”
The
unsaved will “hear” the voice of God.
Some
people say that the unconscious bones or corpse of an unsaved can “hear”.
We
must ask the question: Does the Bible teach that an unconscious corpse can
“hear”?
God
answers this question in 2 Kings 4:31.
2
Kings 4:31 teaches that an unconscious corpse cannot hear.
We
read there:
And Gehazi passed on before them, and laid the staff
upon the face of the child; but there was neither voice, nor hearing.
Wherefore he went again to meet him, and told him, saying, The child is not
awaked.
God
is speaking through the servant of Elisha named Gehazi. Gehazi is talking about
the unconscious corpse of this child and says that “there was neither
voice, nor hearing”.
This
is important language because God has put it in the Bible.
Later
on, this child will be resurrected: He will awake to consciousness.
God
is using this incident to teach that an unconscious corpse cannot speak (no
voice), cannot hear and is not awaked.
In
2 Kings 4:31, God is teaching that an unconscious corpse does not hear.
Therefore, when God says that the unsaved also shall hear the voice of Christ,
God is teaching that the unsaved cannot remain as unconscious corpses. God will
cause the unsaved to awake to consciousness. They will consciously hear the
voice of God and will come out of their graves.
For
more information about the conscious awaking of the unsaved at Judgment Day,
please see the study on the conscious resurrection of the unsaved.
Please see the study on
the conscious resurrection of the unsaved
Some
people argue that Ezekiel 37:4 teaches that unconscious dry bones can “hear”
and that the unsaved will “awake” as unconscious dry bones.
We
read in Ezekiel 37:4:
Again he said unto me, Prophesy upon these bones, and
say unto them, O ye dry bones, hear the word of the LORD.
Based
upon this verse, some people reason that the unsaved will “awake” as
unconscious dry bones and that these bones will be able to hear without any
consciousness.
The
Bible has more to say about these dry bones. We read in Ezekiel 37:11:
Then he said unto me, Son of man, these bones are the
whole house of
In
Ezekiel 37:11, we learn more information about these bones. These bones can
also talk. They say, “Our bones are dried, and our hope is lost: we are cut
off for our parts.”
These
bones can also experience affliction. Notice that they are complaining about
their bad condition.
Therefore,
the dry bones of Ezekiel 37 can hear, talk and experience affliction. That is,
these bones are unsaved people with consciousness.
If
someone wants to insist that the unsaved will be resurrected as dry bones that
can hear, then we have to follow everything that Ezekiel 37 says about those
dry bones. The unsaved, as dry bones, will not only be able to hear, but they
will be able to speak and experience the afflictions of the lake of fire.
John
5:28-29 does teach a conscious resurrection of the unsaved because they will
“hear” the voice of God. 2 Kings 4:31 teaches that an unconscious corpse cannot
“hear”. Therefore, John 5:28-29 is teaching that God will awake the unsaved to
consciousness to hear God’s voice and come out of their graves.
The
reason we have trouble understanding John 5:28-29 is because we have an
unbiblical definition for the word “life” for mankind. Normally, we think of
“life = existence”. However, the Bible declares that “life” for mankind has to
do with his relationship with God, who is “life”.
When
the unsaved awake to consciousness on the last day, they will be completely
separated from God and His blessings. God is “life” for mankind (John 11:25-26,
14:6).
God
gives another proof of the conscious resurrection of the unsaved.
We
read in Daniel 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.
Again
we see the word “life” associated with the “awaking” of the saved but we do not
see it associated with the awaking of the unsaved.
When
we use the unbiblical definition that “life = existence”, we again conclude
that the unsaved “awake” without consciousness.
However,
when we understand the Biblical definition that life for mankind has to do with
his relationship with God, then we can understand Daniel 12:2 correctly.
The
term “everlasting life” or “eternal life” is actually another name for the Lord
Jesus.
We
read the following verses in which the Lord Jesus is called “eternal life”:
1
John 1:2 (For the life was manifested,
and we have seen it, and bear witness, and shew unto you that eternal
life, which was with the Father, and was manifested unto us;)
1
John 5:20 And we know that the Son of
God is come, and hath given us an understanding, that we may know him that is
true, and we are in him that is true, even in his Son Jesus Christ. This
is the true God, and eternal life.
The
word “life” is a name for the Lord Jesus (John 11:25-26, 14:6, 1 John 1:2).
However,
God also uses the name “eternal life” for the Lord Jesus, to emphasize that
when we become saved, we eternally have “life”, which is God, indwelling us.
In
Daniel 12:2 we read that the bodies of the true believers will awake to
“everlasting life” or “eternal life”.
In
this world, the saved, as well as the unsaved, have dead bodies (Romans 8:10, 1
Corinthians 15:29). Their bodies are separated from God, who is “life” (Romans
7:18).
At
the end of the world, the true believers whose bodies are sleeping in the dust
will awake to consciousness in their bodies and those bodies will be new
glorified spiritual bodies with Christ, who is “life”, indwelling.
At
the end of the world, the unsaved will also “awake” to consciousness in their
bodies.
The
reason God uses the word “awake” instead of “life” is because the Biblical
definition of “life” for mankind has to do with his relationship with God, who
is “life”. The word “awake” has to do with consciousness.
While
the unsaved are in this world, they are in God, they move in God and God says
they “live”. We read those 3 items put together in Acts 17:28.
We
read there:
For in him we live, and move, and have our being; as
certain also of your own poets have said, For we are also his offspring.
In
this world, the unsaved are “in God” and are blessed by God (Matthew 5:45, Acts
14:17).
When
the unsaved awake to consciousness at the last day, they will be completely
separated from God, who is “life”. That is why God does not use the word “life”
in describing the resurrection, or awaking, of the unsaved.
We
can only understand this when we understand the Biblical definition of “life”
and “death” for mankind.
Let’s
consider Daniel 12:2. We read there:
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.
Daniel
12:2 declares that the unsaved, as well as the saved, will “awake” at Judgment
Day.
We
must ask an important question:
Does
God give proof in the Bible that when the unsaved “awake”, as indicated in
Daniel 12:2, that they will “awake” to consciousness?
Yes.
The Bible does provide proof. God provides it in 2 Kings 4:31.
Again,
we read 2 Kings 4:31:
And Gehazi passed on before them, and laid the staff
upon the face of the child; but there was neither voice, nor hearing.
Wherefore he went again to meet him, and told him, saying, The child is not
awaked.
2
Kings 4 describes the account of the boy born to this aging couple. He died and
then later he is resurrected.
In
verse 31 he has not yet been resurrected. His body is still sleeping in the
dust.
Under
the inspiration of the Holy Spirit Gehazi makes an important statement, “The
child is not awaked”.
This
is a very important statement.
In
2 Kings 4:31 the body of the boy was an unconscious corpse. God is declaring
that an unconscious corpse is “not awake” using the same Hebrew word found in
Daniel 12:2.
God
is saying that an unconscious corpse is not “awake”. Therefore, Daniel 12:2 is
saying that when the unsaved “awake”, it will not be as an unconscious corpse.
They will awake to consciousness.
If
the corpse that we see is a body “sleeping in the dust” then why does the Bible
talk so much about “death”?
Many
times we read about “death” in the Bible. Much less frequently do we read about
a body “sleeping in the dust”.
Also,
what we see with our eyes is the corpse.
Therefore,
we make the conclusion that “death = a corpse”. However, as we have seen from
the verses examined in this study, that conclusion is not Biblical.
Then,
why does God talk so much about “death” as compared to a body sleeping in the
dust?
One
answer is that the Bible focuses upon the most important issues. Yet, man
focuses upon what he can see with his eyes.
The
fact that when unsaved man departs from this world, he is completely and
eternally separated from God, who is life, is the most important and most awful
truth possible.
As
God talks about “death” many times in the Bible, God is warning man over and
over again that because of his sins he will be completely and eternally
separated from God.
And,
to some extent, this warning has penetrated the heart of man. That is why man
is very concerned about death and why death factors into his religion. Even
when someone has been suffering greatly in this world, there is still a great
sadness over that person’s death. Deep down, man knows that death for mankind
is an awful thing.
God
focuses upon the most important issue; unsaved man’s eternal separation from
God, who is life.
However,
the problem is that man focuses upon what he sees with his eyes, which is the
unconscious corpse. On the contrary, the Bible focuses upon what is most
important, which is the complete and eternal separation from God that will come
upon man unless he becomes saved.
Another
possible answer is that God has not written the Bible to be easily understood.
Regarding
the teaching of many critical doctrines, God has written the Bible in a way
that it is difficult to understand. This requires the true believers to wait
upon God’s timing for Him to reveal truth.
Some
example doctrines with this problem are:
1.
Do we contribute any work or action to get ourselves saved?
2.
Can the believers know the time of Christ’s return?
3.
The command that the believers must leave the church during the Great
Tribulation.
4.
The time line of history.
On
all of these subjects, it has been difficult to understand the teachings of the
Bible. Likewise, what is “death” for mankind has also been difficult to understand.
Therefore,
it is very important to understand the distinction between “death” for mankind
and a body “sleeping in the dust”.
The
Bible defines “death” for mankind as separation from God and a corpse is a body
“sleeping in the dust”. These are two distinct things that occur simultaneously
when man’s body fails.
With
this Biblical understanding, we can know that on the last day the unsaved will
consciously awake and will consciously hear the voice of God and come out of
their graves.