Heaven (Part 6) - People Who Died Before Jesus Came, What Happens at Death?

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Heaven (Part 6) 5. Did people who died before Jesus came go to heaven? (Wayne) A. Yes, the elect who died before Jesus came went to heaven when they died (Ecc 3:21; Ecc 12:7). B. They went to heaven because God had faith in Christ to come and die on the cross and make propitiation for their sins, and because of that God considered their sins remitted and therefore He forbore to judge them for them (Rom 3:25). C. God considered their sins forgiven even before Christ died for them because He knew with absolute certainty that Christ would die for them (Rom 4:17). 6. What happens at death? A. Man is comprised of body, soul, and spirit (1Th 5:23). i. The spirit and soul reside in the body (Job 10:11). ii. The body, soul, and spirit bear the identity of a person: they are each "us" (Job 14:22). iii. That identity remains and does not cease at death (Luk 16:22-23). B. When a man dies his soul (Gen 35:18; 1Ki 17:21-22) and spirit departs the body (Ecc 3:21; Ecc 8:8). C. When the spirit and soul depart, the body is dead (Jam 2:26). D. The dead body goes into the ground were it turns to dust (Gen 3:19; Ecc 12:7) and becomes worm-food (Job 19:26; Job 24:20) and awaits the resurrection at the last day (Joh 5:28-29; Job 14:12). E. At death the soul and spirit of the wicked go immediately to hell (Luk 16:22-23; Jud 1:7). F. The spirit of an elect man goes up to God (Ecc 12:7; Job 34:14-15). G. The angels carry him up to heaven (Luk 16:22). i. Angels are ministering spirits sent to minister to us (Heb 1:14). ii. Angels are assigned to protect us during our lives (Mat 18:10; Act 12:15; Psa 91:11-12). iii. Their last mission is to transport us safely to heaven. iv. Since heaven is outside of the universe, I assume that we will have a scenic trip through the galaxies to get there. H. When we depart this body we go to be with Christ in heaven (Php 1:23-24). I. When the spirit is absent from the body it immediately goes to be present with the Lord (2Co 5:8). J. They then rest (Isa 57:1-2) and wait (Rev 6:11) until the final judgment at the second coming of Christ when they will be rewarded or reproved for their behavior in this life (see question #10: Will we be judged immediately after death or at the final judgment at the resurrection?). 7. Is it correct, when one of God's own dies, for us to say they have entered the new heaven and the new earth? (Judy) A. No, when a child of God dies he enters the present heaven to be with the LORD (2Co 5:8; Php 1:23; Ecc 12:7). B. Those in the present heaven, like us, are waiting for our ultimate destination in the heavenly country and city of the new earth (Heb 11:16). C. The new heavens and the new earth will not be created until the old heavens and earth have been destroyed at the second coming of Christ (2Pe 3:10-13). D. Once the new earth is created the new Jerusalem, which is the dwelling place of the church, will be brought down to the new earth and will be inherited by the saints (Rev 21:1-3, 9-10).