After-life
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· 3 viewsAlthough the OT generally portrays this as a vague and shadowy existence, often associated with judgment, there are hints of the idea of resurrection to a fuller life which are developed in the NT. The NT points to judgment beyond death and to the believers’ hope in resurrection, to a more complete enjoyment of God’s presence and his blessings and to the promise of a new heaven and earth.
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The after-life in the OT
The after-life in the OT
The grave as a place of silence
The grave as a place of silence
The dead praise not the Lord,
Neither any that go down into silence.
See also Ps 6:5; Ps 30:9; Ps 88:10–11; Is 38:18
The grave as a place of darkness
The grave as a place of darkness
Before I go whence I shall not return,
Even to the land of darkness and the shadow of death;
A land of darkness, as darkness itself;
And of the shadow of death, without any order,
And where the light is as darkness.
See also 1 Sa 2:9; Ps 88:12
The grave as a place of no return
The grave as a place of no return
The eye of him that hath seen me shall see me no more:
Thine eyes are upon me, and I am not.
As the cloud is consumed and vanisheth away:
So he that goeth down to the grave shall come up no more.
He shall return no more to his house,
Neither shall his place know him any more.
See also Job 16:22; Ps 146:4; Pr 2:18–19; Ec 12:7
The grave as a place of judgment
The grave as a place of judgment
Free among the dead,
Like the slain that lie in the grave,
Whom thou rememberest no more:
And they are cut off from thy hand.
See also Ps 31:17; Pr 9:18; Is 14:9–11; Is 26:14; Eze 31:14; Eze 32:17–32
The grave offers peace to the righteous
The grave offers peace to the righteous
Job 3:13; Ec 4:2; Is 57:1–2
The hope of resurrection
The hope of resurrection
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.
See also Job 19:26; Ps 16:10–11; Ps 49:15; Ps 73:24; Is 25:7–8; Is 26:19
The after-life and God’s judgment
The after-life and God’s judgment
Judgment beyond death is certain
Judgment beyond death is certain
And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment:
See also 2 Co 5:10; Re 20:12–13
There will be salvation for believers
There will be salvation for believers
Mt 25:19–23; Heb 9:28; Re 11:18
There will be separation from God for unbelievers
There will be separation from God for unbelievers
Re 20:15; Re 21:27
See also Mt 8:12; Mt 13:42; Mt 22:13; Mt 24:51; Mt 25:30; Lk 12:46; Re 22:15
The believing dead are already with Jesus Christ
The believing dead are already with Jesus Christ
Lk 23:43; 1 Th 4:14–17 Believers, with Jesus Christ in spirit, await their final resurrection which will take place when he returns.
See also Jn 12:26; Jn 14:3; 2 Co 5:8; Php 1:23; Heb 12:23; Re 6:9–11
The after-life and believers’ hope of resurrection
The after-life and believers’ hope of resurrection
The bodily resurrection of Jesus Christ
The bodily resurrection of Jesus Christ
Behold my hands and my feet, that it is I myself: handle me, and see; for a spirit hath not flesh and bones, as ye see me have. And when he had thus spoken, he shewed them his hands and his feet. And while they yet believed not for joy, and wondered, he said unto them, Have ye here any meat? And they gave him a piece of a broiled fish, and of an honeycomb. And he took it, and did eat before them.
See also Jn 20:20; Jn 20:26–27; Ac 1:3; 1 Jn 1:1
Believers share in Christ’s resurrection
Believers share in Christ’s resurrection
But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you.
See also 1 Co 6:14; 1 Co 15:20–23; 2 Co 4:14
The resurrection body of believers
The resurrection body of believers
For our conversation is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ: Who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself.
See also 1 Co 15:23; 1 Co 15:42–55; 2 Co 5:1–4
The future consummation of the believers’ enjoyment of God
The future consummation of the believers’ enjoyment of God
Future glory
Future glory
For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us. For the earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God.
See also 2 Co 4:17–18; 1 Jn 3:2
A new heaven and earth
A new heaven and earth
2 Pe 3:13; Re 21:1
God’s presence with his people
God’s presence with his people
Re 21:2–7 The final consummation will bring God’s promises to and purposes for his people to fulfilment; Re 22:14
See also Ex 25:8; Re 22:1–5
The Holy Spirit as a guarantee
The Holy Spirit as a guarantee
2 Co 1:22; 2 Co 5:5; Eph 1:13–14