What is death like?
Question:
Hi!
I would like to know is when you die, is it like you are still living, but the only thing is that you can't do anything like you did when you were alive? How does it feel when you die? Would you see things below, such as other people, while you are above?
Answer:
We only know a few things about life after death based on a few clues given to us in the Bible. We know that death is sometimes described as "sleeping." "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. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him those who sleep in Jesus. 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. 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. 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 4:13-17). Not that it necessarily feels like sleeping or that you are unconscious while dead, but we know that someone who sleeps will wake up again. In that sense, we know that those who die will rise again -- both the good and the wicked. "Do not marvel at this; for the hour is coming in which all who are in the graves will hear His voice and come forth--those who have done good, to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil, to the resurrection of condemnation" (John 5:28-29).
Jesus also told us that those who have died are in a place called Hades, which has two divisions: paradise and torments. "So it was that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels to Abraham's bosom. 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. 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.' 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. And besides all this, 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 16:22-26). From this we learn that we remain aware after death. The rich man also remembered his former life and was concerned about his brothers. "Then he said, '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).
However, those who have died are no longer involved in the activities on earth. "For the living know that they will die; but the dead know nothing, and they have no more reward, for the memory of them is forgotten. Also their love, their hatred, and their envy have now perished; nevermore will they have a share In anything done under the sun" (Ecclesiastes 9:5-6). The implication is that the dead do not know what happens on earth after their death.
