Judgement
My question concerns judgement.
When will we be judged?
Is it right when we die or do we wait somewhere until Christ returns?
When are the people who have died in the past judged?
The Bible tells us that when we are dead we know absolutely nothing.
Here are some Scriptures to support this belief: (all from the NIV)
Ecclesiastes 9:10
"Whatever you hand finds to do, do it with all your might, for in the grave, where you are going, there is neither working nor planning nor knowledge nor wisdom."
Ecclesiastes 9:5
"For the living know that they will die, but the dead know nothing; they have no further reward, and even the memory of them is forgotten."
Psalm 6:5
"No one remembers you when he is dead. Who praises you from the grave?"
Isaiah 38:18,19
"For the grave cannot praise you, death cannot sing your praise; those that go down to the pit cannot hope for your faithfulness. The living, the living - they praise you, as I am doing today."
Psalm 88:5
"I am set apart with the dead, like the slain who lie in the grave, whom you remember no more, who are cut off from your care."
Psalm 28:1
"To you I call, O Lord my Rock; do not turn a deaf ear to me. For if you remain silent, I will be like those who have gone down to the pit." (grave)
The state of the dead is just nothing. Time stands still for someone who is dead, and it will make no difference to them if they have been dead 2 days or 2 thousand years, it will just be like waking from a night's sleep. When Jesus went to Martha and Mary, he described their dead brother Lazarus as being 'asleep'. (John 11:11-14)
The first thing anyone who has died will know, is being resurrected to stand before the Judgement seat of Jesus Christ.
"Multitudes that sleep in the dust of the earth will awake; some to everlasting life, and some to everlasting contempt." Daniel 12:2
"....Christ Jesus, who will judge the living and the dead at his appearing and his kingdom," 2 Timothy 4:1 That is when people will receive eternal life or eternal death .
Being with Jesus 'spiritually awake' is nothing more than an idea and has no Scriptural basis. A lot of confusion has arisen on the point in question, really because of a misunderstanding of what the word 'soul' really means. The original word in the Hebrew means 'a breathing creature' and comes from the root word which means 'to breathe' or 'breath'. The 'soul' or 'spirit' does not continue to have a personality or to know anything, it is just the power of life which is best described as the difference between a living person and their dead body, nothing more.
"The Lord God formed the man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being" Genesis 2:7.
This 'breath of life' is nothing more than the power from God which makes the difference between us being alive or dead.
It is exactly the same 'breath of life' which is given to the animals etc.
"But man, despite his riches, does not endure; he is like the beasts that perish.....Like sheep they are destined for the grave.." Psalm 49:12,14
People who are dead when Jesus Christ returns to the earth will be resurrected with their bodies, and then have to stand before the judgement seat to then be told if they are to receive everlasting life or everlasting death. Those who receive everlasting or immortal life, will be part of the wonderful Kingdom of God to be set up on this earth.
"Many peoples will come and say, 'Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob. He will teach us his ways, so that we may walk in his paths.' The law will go out from Zion, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem. He will judge between the nations and will settle disputes for many peoples." Isaiah 2:3,4.
The world is going to be a beautiful and peaceful place, and we should now be making sure that God will find us fit to be part of it.
Try reading Isaiah chapter 35.
And in Psalm 37:
10 A little while, and the wicked will be no more; though you look for them, they will not be found.
11 But the meek will inherit the land and enjoy great peace. and,
22 those the LORD blesses will inherit the land, but those he curses will be cut off.
You will probably realise from what I have written that people from the past all just lie in the grave until Christ returns. The only ones who won't die and be in the grave are those who happen to be alive when Jesus returns.