What The Bible Says. Fortnightly bible study. Episode 102 - 05/06/26 Led by Tim Clark In this second part of What the Bible Says About Life After Death, we continue exploring what Scripture teaches about death, resurrection, judgement, and eternity. This study focuses especially on the different “locations” the Bible speaks about in relation to what happens after we die. We begin with the body: from dust we came, and to dust we return. Genesis, Ecclesiastes, the Psalms, and Daniel all help us see that the physical body goes to the grave, the tomb, the dust, or the place of burial. But the Bible also teaches that death is not the end of the person. From there, we look at Sheol in the Old Testament and Hades in the New Testament — the realm of the dead. We consider how Scripture speaks of consciousness after death, communication, waiting, torment, comfort, and the great divide seen in Jesus’ account of the rich man and Lazarus in Luke 16. We then consider Abraham’s bosom, Paradise, and what happened before the resurrection of Christ. The faithful dead were gathered to their people and kept in a place of comfort and rest, while the wicked were held in torment. Jesus’ words to the thief on the cross — “Today you shall be with Me in Paradise” — become especially important in understanding this. The study then turns to what changed through the death, resurrection, and ascension of Jesus. We look at passages such as Ephesians 4 and 1 Peter 3–4, considering Christ’s descent, His proclamation to the spirits in prison, and His leading of captives in His train. We also ask whether Abraham’s bosom is now empty, and where believers go when they die today. We also explore the Christian hope of resurrection. Passages such as 2 Corinthians 5, 1 Thessalonians 4, 1 Corinthians 15, and Revelation 6 show that believers who die are present with the Lord, awaiting the resurrection body. Death is not victory over the believer; in Christ, death has been swallowed up in victory. Finally, we look ahead to the final judgement, the lake of fire, the second death, and the New Jerusalem. The Bible ends not with vague ideas of clouds and harps, but with resurrection, renewed creation, perfect bodies, the dwelling place of God with His people, and eternal life with the Lord Jesus Christ.
