What happens to your spirit and soul at death?

SPIRIT, SOUL, AND BODY

The Bible clearly tells us that every human being is comprised of three parts: spirit, soul, and body. The apostle Paul is writing to Christians, and he says, “Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you completely; and may your whole spirit, soul, and body be preserved blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ” (I Thessalonians 5:23). The spirit and soul are the immaterial or invisible part of human beings and the body, of course, is the physical part of us. God wants to “sanctify” or transform our spirit, soul, and body into the image of Christ (Romans 8:29; 2 Corinthians 3:17-18). But this transformation starts with our “spirit,” not our soul or body. Our spirit is the inner most part of us.

THE DISTINCTION BETWEEN SPIRIT AND SOUL

The Bible makes a distinction between the spirit and soul. “For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit…” (Hebrew 4:12). What is the difference between our spirit and soul? Our spirit is the inner most part of our being. This is why the spirit is mentioned first in I Thessalonians 5:23. Our spirit connects with God Who is Spirit (John 4:23-24; cf. Romans 1:9; I Corinthians 6:17, 20; 14:14-15; Galatians 6:18; Ephesians 4:23; 2 Timothy 4:22; Philemon 1:25). God, who is Spirit, transforms our spirit. Our spirit is what animates our physical body. “For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also” (James 2:26). When our spirit leaves our physical body, our body dies (cf. Matthew 27:50; Luke 23:45; John 19:30; Acts 7:59-60). Our soul also departs from our body at death (cf. Genesis 35:18; I Kings 17:21-22).

According to I Thessalonians 5:23, our spirit has been implanted in our soul, and our soul has been implanted in our physical body. The Greek word for “soul” in the New Testament is psychḗ which is where we get our English words “psyche” or “psychology.” It has to do with a person’s distinct identity or life. The soul is actually one’s self. Your soul is conscious of self. As God’s Spirit communicates with our spirit, our spirit then communicates what God’s Spirit said to our soul or self. Then our soul communicates this to our body. Then our body communicates this to our environment and the people who are aound us.

WHERE DO OUR SPIRIT AND SOUL GO AFTER DEATH?

When physical death occurs, the spirit and soul are separated from the physical body. According to the Old Testament the spirit of believers returns to the Lord at death. “Then the dust will return to the earth as it was, and the spirit will return to God who gave it” (Ecclesiastes 12:7). The physical body is buried in the ground (“the dust will return to the earth”), but the spirit of the believer “returns to God who gave it.” When Rachel died, the Bible says, “And so it was, as her soul was departing (for she died), that she called his name Ben-Oni” (Genesis 35:18). Based on other verses in the Bible, the departing of Rachel’s soul implies her soul (and spirit) departed to go be with the Lord in Abraham’s bosom or Paradise (Luke 16:22; 23:43).

Just before Jesus died on the cross, He cried out with a loud voice, “Father, into Your hands I commit My spirit.” Then “He breathed His last’ (Luke 23:46). John writes, “bowing His head, He gave up His spirit” (John 19:30). Jesus’ spirit went to His Father in heaven when He died, and so does a believer’s spirit after the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. For example, while he was being stoned in Acts 7, Stephen prayed, “ ‘Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.’Then he knelt down and cried out with a loud voice, ‘Lord, do not charge them with this sin.’ And when he had said this, he fell asleep. Now Saul was consenting to his death.” (Acts 7:59-8:1). It is clear that when Stephen died, he understood that his spirit would go to be with the Lord.

When the Bible says Stephen “fell asleep” (Acts 7:60), it is referring to Stephen’s “death” (Acts 8:1). The words “asleep” or “sleep” are common metaphors for death of the physical body in distinction from the spirit or soul (Acts 7:60; cf. John 11:11-13; I Thess. 4:14-16). John 11:11-13 makes this very clear. Jesus tells His disciples, “ ‘Our friend Lazarus sleeps, but I go that I may wake him up.’ Then His disciples said, ‘Lord, if he sleeps he will get well.’ However, Jesus spoke of his death, but they thought that He was speaking about taking rest in sleep.” John 11:11-13. Death is not a state of unconsciousness as some teach. A dead body appears to look like a person who is sleeping.

Similarly, in I Thessalonians 4:13-17, the apostle Paul writes about the sudden removal of the church from the earth called the Rapture which could take place at any moment. 13 But I do not want you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning those who have fallen asleep, lest you sorrow as others who have no hope. 14 For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him those who sleep in Jesus. 15 For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord will by no means precede those who are asleep. 16 For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. 17 Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air.” (I Thessalonians 4:13-17). When Paul speaks of “those who have fallen asleep” he is referring to Christians who have died. Their physical bodies are asleep in the grave (cf. John 11:11-14), but their spirit and soul have gone to be with the Lord Jesus in heaven (2 Corinthians 5:8; Philippians 1:21-24; Revelation 6:9; 20:4; cf. Matthew 27:50; Luke 23:46; John 19:30).  

This is why Paul writes, 6 So we are always confident, knowing that while we are at home in the body we are absent from the Lord. 7 For we walk by faith, not by sight. 8 We are confident, yes, well pleased rather to be absent from the body and to be present with the Lord.” 2 Corinthians 5:6-8. Paul refers to death as his spirit and soul being “absent from the body” and “present with the Lord” in heaven (5:8). There is no intermediate existence. We are either “at home in the body” (5:6) or “present with the Lord” (5:8). There is no mention of some other kind of existence in between being at home in the body or present with the Lord.

In Philippians 1:21-24, Paul writes, 21 For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain. 22 But if I live on in the flesh, this will mean fruit from my labor; yet what I shall choose I cannot tell. 23 For I am hard-pressed between the two, having a desire to depart and be with Christ, which is far better. 24 Nevertheless to remain in the flesh is more needful for you.” For Paul, death “is gain” because he (his spirit/soul) will “depart and be with Christ, which is far better” than living “on in the flesh.” Where is Christ right now? He is in heaven at the right hand of God the Father (Acts 5:31; 7:55-56; Romans 8:34; Ephesians 1:20; Colossians 3:1; Hebrew 1:3, 13; 8:1; 10:12; 12:2; I Peter 3:22).

We also see that the souls of believers also go to heaven. “When He opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of those who had been slain for the word of God and for the testimony which they held.” Revelation 6:9. When Jesus opened the fifth seal judgment, the apostle John says he saw under the altar in heaven the “souls” of believers who were martyred during the Tribulation on earth.

At the beginning of the Millennium, the thousand year reign of Christ on earth, the apostle John writes, “And I saw thrones, and they sat on them, and judgment was committed to them. Then I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for their witness to Jesus and for the word of God, who had not worshiped the beast or his image, and had not received his mark on their foreheads or on their hands. And they lived and reigned with Christ for a thousand years.” Revelation 20:4. The “souls” of martyred believers from the Tribulation are seen reigning with Christ during His Millennial Kingdom on earth.

A DETAILED ACCOUNT OF WHAT HAPPENS AFTER DEATH IN LUKE 16:19-31

We are going to look at a factual account that Jesus shared in Luke 16:19-31 to discover more details about what happens when we die. Some people believe this is a parable – (a made up story to illustrate spiritual truth) because they do not like what it teaches about the afterlife. But here are some compelling reasons why Luke 16:19-31 is not a parable:

1. It would be the only parable in the Bible that describes certain things that are outside of the realm of human experience. All the other parables talk about things that we are familiar with such as birds, seed, fields, pearls, wheat, barns, leaven, fish, etc. (see Matthew 13, etc.). This passage is different because it talks about what happens to two men after death, and this is a realm where none of us have had any personal experience. A parable is an earthly story with a heavenly or spiritual significance, but Luke 16 transcends the realm of the earthly.

2. It would be the only parable in the Bible that uses a proper name (“Lazarus”).

3. It would be the only parable in the Bible that makes mention repeatedly of an historical person – “Abraham.” Moreover, this historical person actually carries on a dialogue with the rich man! Indeed, mention is also made in this parable of “Moses,” another historical character.  What other parable speaks of real, historical persons? 

4. It would be the only parable in the Bible that describes the places where the dead go (“Torments in Hades,” and “Abraham’s bosom”).

5. It would be the only parable in the Bible that makes mention of angels. Compare Matthew 13 verses 24-30, 36-43, 47-49 where angels are mentioned in the explanation of the parable but not in the parable itself.

6. If Hades is not really a place of torment then this would be the only parable in the Bible where the Lord Jesus taught error instead of truth. This is not possible because Jesus is “the truth” (John 14:6). This passage is factual, not fictional.

Before we go any further, I want to clarify one more thing. This passage is not talking about the final destination of people. The place of unbelievers we will consider in Luke 16 is not the Lake of Fire (Revelation 14:10; 20:10-15) or the everlasting fire of Hell (Matthew 10:28; 23:33; 25:41, 46b; Mark 9:42-48; Luke 12:5; Revelation 14:10; 20:10, 15). The Lake of Fire or Hell is where people who don’t believe in Jesus will go for eternity after the Great White Throne Judgment (Revelation 20:10-15). The place in Luke 16:22b-26 is “Torments in Hades” where lost people go when they die. It is a temporary holding area of torment and suffering for the Old and New Testament unbeliever. But it is not purgatory.

Before Jesus died on the cross, believers in Jesus went to a place called “Paradise” or “Abraham’s bosom” (Luke 16:22; 23:43) and unbelievers went to a place called “Torments” in Hades (Luke 16:23). When Jesus died on the cross, He released the souls and spirits of believers in Abraham’s bosom (Ephesians 4:8-10) to go to God’s home in the third heaven (2 Corinthians 12:2-4; cf. John 14:2).

Prior to Jesus’ death on the cross, Old Testament believers could not go to the third heaven because Jesus’ blood had not removed all their sins yet. The Old Testament sacrifices had only covered their sins, not removed their sins (cf. Hebrews 9:9-10; 10:1-4, 11). Only the blood of the Lamb of God could take away their sins forever (John 1:29; Ephesians 1:7; 2:13-18; Hebrews 9:11-15; 10:10-22). After Christ’s death and resurrection, when a believer in Jesus dies, his spirit and soul go to the third heaven to be with Jesus while his physical body sleeps in the grave (cf. John 11:11-13; I Thessalonians 4:14, 16). 

But when an unbeliever dies, his or her spirit and soul go straight to Torments in Hades where they stay until they are called out to face God at the Great White Throne Judgment where they are judged according to their works to determine their degree of punishment in the Lake of Fire (Revelation 20:11-14). Then they will be confined to the Lake of Fire or Hell forever with Satan and his fallen angels (Matthew 25:41; Revelation 20:10, 15)!

Back to Luke 16. There are two main characters in Jesus’ factual account. The “rich man” (Luke 16:19) who represents unbelievers and a poor man named “Lazarus” (Luke 16:20) who represents believers. Let’s look at what happened to them when they died.

How was Lazarus greeted at death? Even though Lazarus had been alone much of his life, he “was carried by the angels to Abraham’s bosom” or “Paradise” (Luke 16:22a; cf. Luke 23:43) where he would enjoy fellowship with Old Testament believers such as “Abraham” who were there. So God’s angels received Lazarus and took him to dwell in Paradise with the Lord. Lazarus did not die alone. He died in the presence of God. Lazarus’ spirit and soul did not linger on earth for a period of days or weeks. His spirit and soul were taken immediately to Paradise to be with the Lord. There was no unconscious sleep as some religious groups teach.

Lazarus’ experience after death was the opposite of his experience on earth. In Abraham’s bosom or Paradise, Lazarus experienced intimate fellowship with Abraham – “Lazarus” was “in his bosom” or close to him (Luke 16:23). But on earth Lazarus was all alone (Luke 16:20-21). On earth he received “evil things,” but in Paradise he was “comforted” (Luke 16:25b).

How was the rich man greeted at death? “The rich man also died and was buried. And being in torments in Hades, he lifted up his eyes and saw Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom” (Luke 16:22b-23). The rich man was alone at death – no family or friends. When he died, his spirit and soul went immediately to “torments in Hades.” Let’s look at his experiences there after death.

1. He experiences sensation. “And being in torments in Hades, he lifted up his eyes and saw Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom” (Luke 16:23). The rich man is not unconscious. He  can see (“he lifted up his eyes and saw…”), he can hear as shown in his conversation with Abraham, he can speak (“he cried and said…” – Luke 16:24a), he can feel (“I am tormented in this flame” – Luke 16:24b). The rich man still has desires, he still has needs, and he still has the ability to think and express himself. He was able to see into Paradise and realize what he was missing out on. Did he feel pain? “Then 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’” (Luke 16:24). Yes, he begged for relief from the torment of the flames. People will not party in torments, they will cry out for relief from their pain. Even though his body is in the grave in which it was buried, this man has some sort of a spiritual form that allows him to continue to live in this place called torments in Hades.

2. He experiences separation. We also notice that the rich man found himself separated from Lazarus and Abraham by a great gulf. Abraham said to the rich man, “between us and you there is a great gulf fixed, so that those who want to pass from here to you cannot, nor can those from there pass to us” (Luke 16:26). The Bible says that this gulf is “fixed.” That is, it will never be taken away. This separation from God and unbelievers is eternal! The rich man found himself separated from everything that Lazarus enjoyed. Could he cross over this gulf or could anyone come visit him? No. Once you go to torments, no one can get you out. There is no second chance after death. The Bible makes this clear. “Everyone must die once, and after that be judged by God.” Hebrews 9:27 [GNT]. So there is no halfway house between heaven and torments. There is no intermediate state. There is no limbo. There is no purgatory. Purgatory is a theory that was created during the Middle Ages. It is not found in the Bible.

In torments you will be all alone without family, friends, and worst of all – you will be without  God. Torments or Hell is total separation from God. If you go through all of life saying, “I don’t want God in my life” He will give you that wish forever in torments and the Lake of Fire. Second Thessalonians 1:9 says, “These shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of His power.” Torments and the Lake of Fire are the exact opposite of everything God is.

Since “God is love” (I John 4:8b), without God, Hell is a terrifying and lonely place. You are all alone! So there’s no love there. The Bible says, “There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves torment” (I John 4:18). The opposite of love is fear. You know what it means to live without love in your life? It means you are scared to death all the time. That is hell. It means you are lonely all the time. That is hell. One of the big myths about hell is that in hell it is just going to be a big party for all the people who like to party. Friends, no one will see anybody else in hell. It is total separation from God and everybody else. There are no relationships in hell. There are no friends in hell. It is total aloneness.

Since God is light (I John 1:5), hell is complete darkness (2 Peter 2:17; Jude 1:13). Since God is good (Psalm 34:8), there will be absolutely nothing good in hell. Since God is eternal life (John 1:1, 4, 14; 14:6; I John 5:20), that means hell will be eternal death. Since God is gracious (Psalm 145:8), that means there is no place for grace in Hell.

3. He experiences intense suffering. The noun torments (basanos) means to be tested or examined by means of torture (Luke 16:23). The rich man is in a place of extreme pain and torture. The verb tormented” (odynáō) is in the present tense (Luke 16:24) and means to cause intense pain. This teaches us that the intense pain and suffering in this dreadful place do not cease. People do not simply burn up and no longer exist as some false religions teach, but they endure this intense pain and torture forever. The rich man wants to die or at least lose consciousness, but he cannot.

Of all the agonies of torments, perhaps the worst one of all is described in verse 25. “But Abraham said, ‘Son, remember that in your lifetime you received your good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things; but now he is comforted and you are tormented’ ” (Luke 16:25).  The word “remember” tells us that people in torments have the capacity to remember the events of this life and that they are forced to deal with those memories eternally. They will remember every gospel message they heard and rejected. They will remember how God manifested Himself in thousands of ways to draw them to Himself. They will remember and they will know that they have no one to blame for their situation but themselves!

If you have never trusted in Jesus as your Savior to give you everlasting life, I wonder what you will remember when you arrive in torments? Will you remember this message? Will you remember all the Christians who witnessed to you and prayed for you? Will you remember how you wasted your life on temporary things and condemned your own spirit and soul to the torment and torture of hell forever? Will you remember how good and gracious God was to you and how you rejected His great love for you?

The rich man said to Abraham, I beg you therefore, father, that you would send him to my father’s house, for I have five brothers, that he may testify to them, lest they also come to this place of torment (Luke 16:27-28). The rich man wanted Lazarus to be sent back to his family to warn them of the terrible suffering of torments. Nobody in torments wants their family and friends to join them there because the suffering and pain is so great. In fact, those in torments want to do all they can to warn those they care about not to join them there. Yet there is nothing they can do about it! This, too, is a form of suffering in torments.

4. He experiences stubbornness. Amazingly torments is filled with stubborn people. Abraham said to the rich man regarding his family, 29 They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them.’ 30 And he said, ‘No, father Abraham; but if one goes to them from the dead, they will repent.’ 31 But he said to him, ‘If they do not hear Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded though one rise from the dead.’ ” (Luke 16:29-31).  Jesus us is teaching us that people have all the truth they need in the Bible (“Moses and the prophets”) to avoid going to hell, so sending someone back from the dead would be useless. Even in torments, the rich man still hasn’t figured out what it takes to keep a man from that awful place. He stubbornly begs for the salvation of his family, and won’t hear the truth that they must hear God’s word and “repent” which means to change their mind about whatever is keeping them from trusting in Christ, and then trust in Him to take them to heaven. Even in torments, the rich man is totally unchanged. There is still no willingness to do things necessary to leave – the rich man does not even ask to get out. These verses tell us that even when people find themselves in the pain and suffering of hell, they are still lost and they still have no room for God in their lives.

SPIRIT AND SOUL REUNITED WITH THE BODY AT THE RESURRECTION

Old and New Testament unbelievers’ souls and spirits will re-enter their resurrected bodies at the end of the thousand years reign of Christ on earth to stand before the Great White Throne Judgment. 11 Then I saw a great white throne and Him who sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away. And there was found no place for them. 12 And I saw the dead, small and great, standing before God, and books were opened. And another book was opened, which is the Book of Life. And the dead were judged according to their works, by the things which were written in the books. 13 The sea gave up the dead who were in it, and Death and Hades delivered up the dead who were in them. And they were judged, each one according to his works. 14 Then Death and Hades were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. 15 And anyone not found written in the Book of Life was cast into the lake of fire.” Revelation 20:11-15. 

The apostle John “saw the [unbelieving] dead [of all ages], small and great, standing before God [in their resurrection bodies which are eternal], and the books [containing all their works] were opened” so they could be “judged according to their works” to determined their degree of punishment in the lake of fire (Revelation 20:12; cf. Matt. 11:20-24; 23:14; Mark 12:40; Luke 20:47). Those like the Devil, the Beast of Revelation, the False Prophet, and other false teachers will no doubt experience greater punishment for misleading people away from God (Revelation 20:10; cf. Matthew 11:20-24; 23:14; Mark 12:40; Luke 20:47; 2 Peter 2:1-17; Jude 1:2-13).

“The sea … Death and Hades [temporary holding place of the spirits and souls of dead unbelievers until the great white throne judgment] delivered up [resurrected] from the dead [unbelievers] who were in them. And they were judged, each one according to his works” before the great white throne (20:13). Notice that whether their bodies are decomposed in the sea or in the ground or cremated or vaporized, God will raise up their bodies to stand before His Great White Throne.

As a result of this Great White Throne judgment, all the unsaved dead [“Death”] and “Hades” will be “cast into the lake of fire” which “is the second death” (20:14). Everyone who dies without believing in Christ alone for everlasting life is “not found written in the Book of Life” and will “be cast into the lake of fire” where they will be tormented forever along with Satan and all his fallen angels (Revelation 20:15; cf. 20:10; Matthew 25:41).

The resurrection of Old and New Testament believers in Jesus Christ will take place at different times. The first time, will be at the Rapture or sudden removal of the church at any moment when the spirits and souls of Christians who have died will return with Jesus from heaven in the air to re-enter their resurrected bodies permanently. The apostle Paul writes, 14 For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him those who sleep in Jesus. 15 For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord will by no means precede those who are asleep. 16 For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first.” I Thessalonians 4:14-16.

Christians who are alive at the time of the Rapture will receive their glorified bodies as the are reunited in the air with Jesus. “Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord.” I Thessalonians 4:17. Paul alludes to this in I Corinthians 15. In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.” I Corinthians 15:52-53. The phrase “we will be changed” refers to living Christians at the time of the Rapture who will receive their glorified bodies.

The next time when believers’ spirits and souls are reunited with their resurrection bodies will be at the beginning of the Millennium, the thousand year reign of Christ on the earth after the Tribulation period (Revelation 20:4-6). At the beginning of Christ’s Millennial Kingdom, all who possess eternal life through faith in Christ are all resurrected by this time including Old Testament believers (Daniel 11:45-12:2) and Tribulation believers who died (Revelation 20:4). In Matthew 25:31-46 we are told that when Christ returns to earth at the end of the Tribulation period, He will judge the Gentile nations. In this judgment, those believers who survived the Tribulation, will enter the Christ’s Millennial Kingdom in their mortal bodies (Matthew 25:34-40, 46b).

Conclusion:

Where will you live after you die? The Bible tells us that all people will live forever after death in one of two places: either in Heaven with Jesus Christ (John 14:2-3) or in the Lake of Fire (Hell) separated from Jesus forever (Matthew 25:41; Revelation 20:15). Do you want to live forever in Heaven with Jesus? If so, you need to realize the Bible says you have a problem called sin (Romans 3:23). The penalty for sin is death or separation from God forever in a terrible place of agonizing suffering called the Lake of Fire or Hell (Matthew 10:28; 23:33; 25:41, 46b; Mark 9:42-48; Luke 12:5; Revelation 14:10; 20:10, 15).

Please understand that God loves you and He does not want you to suffer forever in Hell (John 3:16; I Timothy 2:3-4; 2 Peter 3:9). This is why He sent His only perfect Son, Jesus Christ, to die in your place on a cross and rise from the dead, proving that He is God (Romans 1:3-4; I Corinthians 15:3-8). Jesus is alive today and He offers you everlasting life as a free gift (Romans 6:23b). Christ invites you to “believe in Him” to “have everlasting life” both now and forever (John 3:16; 6:40, 47; 11:25-26).

Jesus promises that the moment you “hear” and “believe” His promise of everlasting life, you now have “everlasting life” and “shall not come into judgement” for your sins because you have “passed from death into life” (John 5:24). Christ also guarantees that when you die, your soul and spirit will go immediately to heaven to live with Him forever (John 14:2-3; 2 Corinthians 5:8; Philippians 1:21, 23) and eventually be reunited with your resurrection body when Jesus returns for His Church (I Corinthians 15:35-57; I Thessalonians 4:14-17).

The person who never believes in Jesus “is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God” (John 3:18). God’s wrath abides on him now and forever. “He who does not believe the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him” (John 3:36). When the unbeliever dies, his soul and spirit go to torments in Hades (Luke 16:23) until he is resurrected to stand before the Great White Throne Judgment where he will be judged according to his works to determine the degree of his punishment in the Lake of Fire (Revelation 20:11-15). And then he (spirit, soul, and body) will be confined to the Lake of Fire where he will be tormented forever (Matthew 10:28; 23:33; 25:41, 46b; Mark 9:42-48; Luke 12:5; Revelation 14:10; 20:10, 15).

Clearing up the Confusion about the Millennial Kingdom

There is a lot of fuzzy thinking about heaven today. Ask the average Christian and you’ll get a variety of answers. Yet the Bible clears up a lot of this fuzziness when we take the time to study it. For example, did you know that the Bible says believers will experience heaven in three stages? 

1. With Christ in heaven after the rapture (I Thessalonians 4:13-5:11). At any moment the Lord Jesus could come for His church to snatch it off the earth to be with Him in heaven. Following the removal of the church, there will be seven years of terrible tribulation on the earth (Daniel 9:27; Revelation 6-19). At the end of the Tribulation period…

2. The Earthly Kingdom of Christ will be established when we will return with Christ and be on the earth for a thousand years (Revelation 20:1-6).  At the end of that thousand years there will be a…

3. New Heaven and New Earth where you will be with Christ for eternity if you have put your trust in Him for eternal life (Revelation 21-22).

By far, the most is said in the Bible about the second stage, the earthly kingdom – that earthly reign of Christ that precedes the New Heaven and New Earth. We call this earthly reign of Christ the Millennial Kingdom. In this article, we are going to answer four basic questions about the Millennial Kingdom – What is the Millennial Kingdom? Why must there be a Millennial Kingdom before the New Heaven and New Earth. Why study about the Millennial Kingdom? What will the Millennial Kingdom be like in general? 

WHAT IS THE MILLENNIAL KINGDOM? The Millennial Kingdom is the thousand-year reign of Christ on earth. The Millennial Kingdom is a real, earthly kingdom.  Remember Nebuchadnezzar’s dream of a statue in Daniel 2 ?

God told Daniel that the Statue represented six kingdoms. The head of gold represented the Kingdom of Nebuchadnezzar or Babylon. The chest of silver represented the inferior kingdom to follow called Medo-Persia. The belly and thighs bronze represented the third kingdom to rule called Greece. The legs of iron represented the fourth kingdom that crushes and eventually is divided known as ancient Rome. The feet of iron mixed with clay represented the fifth kingdom mixed with strength and weakness known as the Revived Roman Empire. The Stone that grows into a mountain and crushes the kingdom of iron and clay represents the sixth kingdom that is established by God and shall replace all human kingdoms. This is the Millennial Kingdom of Christ. 

The first four of these kingdoms were literal and are now historical. The fifth kingdom is described in Revelation as literal and in the future. Why would the sixth kingdom not be literal and historical? Daniel 2:44 says, “And in the days of these kings the God of heaven will set up a kingdom which shall never be destroyed; and the kingdom shall not be left to other people; it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand forever.” 

WHY MUST THERE BE A MILLENNIAL KINGDOM BEFORE THE NEW HEAVEN AND EARTH? Why not have Christ return to earth, judge all people, begin eternity future, and be done with it all? Why is the thousand-year kingdom on earth necessary? To answer this, let’s first look at God’s Plan in History: 

It begins with Creation (Genesis 1-2)…Sin and Death (Genesis 3)…All Men Destroyed (through a global flood), but One Family Saved (Genesis 4-9)… All Nations Dispersed (at Tower of Babel) (Genesis 10-11)…One Family Chosen (the nation of Israel) (Genesis 12-50)… One Nation Adopted (Exodus – Malachi). God spent most of the Old Testament era of history dealing directly with the nation of Israel in preparation for the giving of God’s Son, Jesus – One Son Given (Matthew – John). After Christ’s First Coming and the calling out of a special group of people – One Body of People Saved (called the church) (Acts – Revelation 3). God will once again deal directly and openly with the nations of the world. After the Rapture of the church (Revelation 4-5), God will intervene in world affairs to redeem His people Israel – One Nation Redeemed (Revelation 6-19) during the Tribulation period. At the Second Coming of Christ, God will rescue the repentant nation of Israel, conquer the armies of the world at Armageddon, bind Satan and remove his influence, and set up a perfect government on earth so that All Nations are Blessed (Genesis 12:3; Revelation 20:1-10)…At the end of the Millennial Kingdom, God will crush a worldwide rebellion led by Satan, proving that apart from God’s transforming grace people are rebels at heart to the very end, even after a thousand years of living under a perfect government and a perfect King. Then Sin and Death will be No More (Revelation 20:1-6)…and there will be a New Creation (Revelation 21-22) to enjoy with Christ for eternity.

WHY MUST THERE BE A MILLENNIAL KINGDOM BEFORE THE NEW HEAVEN AND EARTH? 

1. To allow God to gradually reverse, restore and redeem everything that was lost or defeated in past history. When you look at God’s plan in history, you can see how He does this step by step. Just as He narrowed His dealings from all men to all nations to one nation to Christ, so as history winds up, God broadens His dealings from one nation to all nations to all men. According to I Corinthians 15:24-28, Christ must rule until every enemy is put down, including death. This thousand-year reign of Christ on earth is the capstone of God’s dealing in human history where God will finally reverse the effects of sin and death forever. What the Bible says about the future is how God sets out to straighten out the mess His creation caused by sin. This is not an overnight “fixit job,” but a grand plan and program that God has been at work on for thousands of years. To send Christ back to earth, merely to raise the dead and judge them and begin eternity is insufficient in God’s plan to take care of all the problems. God has too much invested in His people, Israel, and in the nations for such a blithe scenario. 

2. To reveal and demonstrate God’s character and righteousness in human form to all mankind.

3. To enable God to fulfill His promises to Israel, including the fulfillment of their destiny as a light to the nations, especially those nations to which Israel has been subject for thousands of years. 

4. To bless all nations and nature itself while the human heart is still fallen and in need of a Savior. God’s desire has always been the salvation of as many millions of people as possible – the Millennial Kingdom, with its population explosion and universal opportunity, will be the greatest time of soul winning the world has ever seen.

WHY STUDY ABOUT THE MILLENNIAL KINGDOM? In His famous Sermon on the Mount the Lord Jesus said, “But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you” (Matthew 6:33).In the context of the Sermon on the Mount, the kingdom to which Jesus is referring is the Millennial Kingdom. 17Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill. 18For assuredly, I say to you, till heaven and earth pass away, one jot or one tittle will by no means pass from the law till all is fulfilled” (Matthew 5:17-18). When does heaven and earth pass away? At the end of the Millennial Kingdom when the new heaven and new earth are ushered in. 

Also in Matthew 6, in the famous Lord’s Prayer, Jesus taught us to pray, “Your kingdom come. Your will be done on earth as it isin heaven” (Matthew 6:10). God’s will being done on earth is fulfilled when God’s kingdom comes to the earth. So in Matthew 6, we are not only told to seek His kingdom, we are also told to pray for His Millennial Kingdom. If we are to seek and pray for this Millennial Kingdom, then we also know we are to live for this Millennial Kingdom. Since we are to seek, pray and live for this Millennial Kingdom, then we need to know something about it. What we believe about the future influences how we think, feel, and live in the present. 

WHAT WILL THE MILLENNIAL KINGDOM BE LIKE in general? Under this I want to ask four questions. 1. When will it be? 2. Who will be there? 3. What will it be like? 4. How can I prepare for it?

1. When will the Millennial Kingdom be? In Revelation 20:6, we read, “Blessed and holy is he who has part in the first resurrection. Over such the second death has no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with Him a thousand years.” Revelation is a chronological development of God’s plan for the ages. See chart below.

Revelation 1-3 describes the church age from the time Revelation was written until the Rapture described in Revelation 4-5 which pictures the church as the twenty-four elders raptured and rewarded. Sometime after Rapture will be the 7-year Tribulation described in Revelation 6-19. When we come to the end of Revelation 19 we read of the Second Coming of Christ to earth with His church. Then when we come to Revelation 20 we see the Millennial Kingdom. After the Millennial Kingdom is the Great White Throne Judgment (Revelation 20:11-15). The Great White Throne Judgment is the judgment of all unbelievers. It will be demonstrated to the unsaved that they have not trusted in Christ as their only hope of heaven and their works will be revealed to determine the degree of punishment they will receive in the Lake of Fire. Then all the unsaved will be cast into the Lake of Fire. The final event of God’s plan is seen in Revelation 21:1: “Now I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away. Also there was no more sea.” This is the New Heaven and New Earth where believers in Jesus will live for eternity with King Jesus. So the Millennial Kingdom takes place after the return of Christ to earth with His church at the end of the sever-year Tribulation period.

2. Who will be there?

A. Those who live in resurrection bodies.

a. Jesus Christ (Revelation 20:4c).

b. Church saints(I Thessalonians 4:17). When Christ returns to takes us in the Rapture we will be with Him forever. And then at the end of the Tribulation, Christ will return to earth with His Church (Revelation 19:7-21). Jesus said in John 14:3: “Where I am, there you may be also.” This includes the thousand years on earth. 

c. Tribulation saints (Revelation 20:4). During the seven-years Tribulation, the beast (Antichrist) will demand people take his mark or be beheaded. Believers who do not bow down to Antichrist will lose their lives. It says in Revelation 20:4 they will be resurrected and reign with Christ a thousand years. 

d. Old Testament saints. “And many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life” (Daniel 12:2). At the Second Coming of Christ, Old Testament saints will be resurrected and be with Christ for a thousand years.

A second category of people who will live in the Millennial Kingdom are

B. Those with mortal bodies. Where do those with mortal bodies come from? In Matthew 25:31-46 we are told that when Christ returns to earth He will judge the Gentile nations. In this judgment, 

a. Those believers who survived the Tribulation, will enter the Millennial Kingdom in their mortal bodies. However, those who did not trust Christ during the Tribulation will be cast off the earth into the everlasting fire. 

b. Offspring of believers who survived the Tribulation. Isaiah 65:23 speaks of these: “They shall not labor in vain, nor bring forth children for trouble; for they shall be the descendants of the blessed of the LORD, and their offspring with them.”  

C. What will the Millennial Kingdom be like? 

1. Satan will be bound so he won’t be able to deceive the nations (Revelation 20:1-3). Will there still be sin? Yes, because there will be people in mortal bodies who have the conscious choice to sin just like Adam and Eve did before they sinned. James 1:13-14 tell us we are tempted and carried away by our own lust. We don’t need Satan’s temptation to sin.  

2. We will be in resurrected bodies. “20For our citizenship is in heaven, from which we also eagerly wait for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, 21who will transform our lowly body that it may be conformed to His glorious body, according to the working by which He is able even to subdue all things to Himself” (Philippians 3:20-21). Our bodies will be like the resurrected body of Jesus Christ. Christ’s resurrection body was… 

a. Recognizable– our risen Lord was recognized by His voice and appearance. 

b. Real– Jesus’ resurrected body could be felt – flesh and blood of a different kind – resurrected and eternal. Not subject to aging or decay. Christ’s body could appear and disappear instantaneously and go through walls, etc. 

c. Resistant to sin– we will no longer sin in our resurrected bodies. We won’t even be tempted.     

3. There will be universal peace. “3Many people shall come and say, ‘Come, and let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, to the house of the God of Jacob; He will teach us His ways, and we shall walk in His paths.’ For out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem. 4He shall judge between the nations, and rebuke many people; they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks; nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war anymore”(Isaiah 2:3-4). Differences between nations and people will be resolved by King Jesus.  

4. There will be changes to the animal kingdom. The Bible says,6The wolf also shall dwell with the lamb, the leopard shall lie down with the young goat, the calf and the young lion and the fatling together; and a little child shall lead them. 7The cow and the bear shall graze; their young ones shall lie down together; and the lion shall eat straw like the ox. 8The nursing child shall play by the cobra’s hole, and the weaned child shall put his hand in the viper’s den. 9They shall not hurt nor destroy in all My holy mountain, for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the LORD as the waters cover the sea” (Isaiah11:6-9). Man will be at peace with the animal kingdom. Imagine having a tame lion in your house?! Animals will be vegetarians. Even snakes will be harmless to people. 

5. There will be topological changes to the earth. Jerusalem will be changed with new mountains and valleys. A river will flow from Jerusalem to both the Mediterranean and Dead Sea (Zech. 14:3-9). Deserts will be transformed into gardens; the territory of Israel will be transformed into a place of remarkable beauty reflecting God’s glory (Isaiah 35:1-7). 

6. Longevity of life will return as in the early years on the earth. Scripture tell us, “No more shall an infant from there live but a fewdays, nor an old man who has not fulfilled his days; for the child shall die one hundred years old”(Isaiah 65:20). People will live longer. When a man dies at one hundred years of age, he will be considered just a child. People may live to be a thousand years old like people before the Flood lived close to that age. 

7. There will be industry and development. The Bible says, 21They shall build houses and inhabit them; they shall plant vineyards and eat their fruit. 22They shall not build and another inhabit; they shall not plant and another eat; for as the days of a tree, so shall be the days of My people, and My elect shall long enjoy the work of their hands” (Isaiah 65:21-22).   After the terrible tribulation and Armageddon, much rebuilding will need to be done. There will be time to do things you have wanted to do: other careers, exploring, developing relationships. A renewed earth will more than adequately provide for the population.

8. There will be profound worship. A new millennial temple will be built (Ezkiel 40-46). People will come from all nations to Jerusalem to worship King Jesus. Animal sacrifices will remind everyone of the sacrifice of the Lamb of God upon the cross. Everyone will have a knowledge of the Lord.

9. There will be perfect government and swift justice.

a. King Jesus will rule all the nations from His throne in Jerusalem. God the Father says6“Yet I have set My King on My holy hill of Zion. [Where is Zion? Jerusalem.]7I will declare the decree: The LORD has said to Me, ‘You areMy Son, today I have begotten You. 8Ask of Me, and I will give You The nations for Your inheritance, and the ends of the earth forYour possession. [Christ will rule the nations] 9You shall break them with a rod of iron; You shall dash them to pieces like a potter’s vessel’ ”  (Psalm 2:6-9). Sin will be dealt with swiftly as Christ rules with a rod of iron. 

b. David shall rule over the Jewish branch of government as the prince (Ezkiel 37:23-24). King David will be resurrected and serve as the prince over the Jews who yields to the Kingship of Jesus. For example, just as a governor of a state is under the authority of Presdent Trump, so Christ will be the King over all nations, whereas David will be the ruler over Israel. 

c. The Twelve Apostles shall rule over the twelve tribes of Israel (Matthew 19:27-28).

d. There will be a king over each Gentile nation (Psalm 72:10-11). King Jesus will reign over all nations, but each Gentile nation will have their own king who reports to Jesus. 

e. Faithful Christians shall rule with Christ (2 Timothy 2:12; Rev. 2:25-27). The apostle Paul writes, “If we endure, we shall also reign with Him. If we deny Him, He also will deny us” (2 Timothy 2:12). If believers endure in their profession of faith, what reward will they receive? Ruling with Christ. If believers deny Christ their endurance, what will He deny them? The reward of ruling with Him. 

In the Millennial Kingdom there will be many opportunities to rule with Christ. Some will hold positions of authority like Presidents, Governors, Mayors, City Council Members, Judges, Senators, Representatives, and the like. There may also be transportation companies, publishers, developers, utilities, entertainment, and sports companies, and so on. All of these businesses will need people in various levels of management. We can have one of those positions of authority if we live faithfully for the Lord until we go to be with Him. 

The Christian life is like a long, grueling race (cf. Hebrews 12:1-2). You may be running that race now…But what about 10 or 20 years from now? Will you keep living for the Lord even when life gets really tough? Will you finish strong for Him? Knowing what God has in store for us in the Millennial Kingdom, should motivate us to live for Him until we go to heaven. Together with Christ we can finish strong if our trust remains in Him.