A few years ago, I had an unfortunate season where my grandmother, my Mom and my Dad had passed away within a few years of each other, and I unfortunately had to think about death more than I\u2019ve wanted to. In doing some study about death, especially for the believer, I continue to understand more and more what Paul was thinking when he wrote to the Philippians that \u2018For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.\u2019 Paul goes on in chapter 1 by stating that, when choosing between living and continuing his ministry and going home to Christ, \u2018My desire is to depart and be with Christ, for that is far better.\u2019 Here\u2019s a little of what I\u2019m learning about what happens to us as believers when we die:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
1. Angels usher your soul to Heaven<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It\u2019s hard for those of us still alive to think about what it will be like when we close our eyes one last time, not to able to open them ever again as we pass away. In Luke 16, we get an idea of what happens at that very moment. Jesus is telling a story about two men: one rich and one poor. The poor man, who he names Lazarus, dies \u2018and was carried by\u00a0the angels\u00a0to Abraham\u2019s side.\u2019 It\u2019s notable to notice what happens to Lazarus\u2026 he was not alone in his death. At that very moment, God sent His angels to come and user him into Heaven.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
2. You Immediately enter Christ\u2019s presence<\/p>\n\n\n\n
As angels are ushering you immediately into Heaven, the believer then will be taken into the presence of Christ. I think this is something that is hard for us to imagine, but clearly both through Jesus\u2019 admonition to the thief on the cross, \u2018\u201cTruly, I say to you, today you will be with me in paradise,\u201d[1]<\/a> to Paul\u2019s repeated conviction that he was going to be with Christ upon His death, both in Philippians 1, \u2018But I am hard-pressed from both directions, having the desire to depart and be with Christ<\/em>, for that is very much better; yet to remain on in the flesh is more necessary for your sake,\u2019 to his writing to the Corinthians that he would \u2018prefer rather to be absent from the body and to be at home with the Lord<\/em>.\u2019[2]<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n 3. You are conscious, in command of your thinking, feeling speech, and memories<\/p>\n\n\n\n This has been the most interesting part of this study, especially a particular passage in Luke 16. Jesus continues his story about the poor man (Lazarus) and a rich man, the rich man is begging for some relief from the heat of hell and has a conversation with Abraham, who is in heaven, asking him if he would warn his brothers about hell and implore them about Jesus. It seems clear that we\u2019re going to be able to remember relatives, make reasonable thoughts and feel emotion! We also see Jesus talking with the Sadducees and tells them that God is the \u2018God of the dead, but of the living.\u2019[3]<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n 4. You are aware to some degree of activities and events on earth (Revelation 6:9-10)<\/p>\n\n\n\n Isn\u2019t that interesting? While the Bible doesn\u2019t tell us everything about Heaven, we see in the book of Hebrews this picture of life as a grand arena, with those who have gone before us (the great cloud of witnesses) cheering us on in our daily spiritual struggles.[4]<\/a> In the 6th<\/sup> chapter of the book of Revelation, Jesus is opening each of the seven seal and as the fifth seal is opened, in verse 9 John states \u2018I saw under the altar the souls of those who had been slain for the word of God and for the witness they had borne.They cried out with a loud voice, \u201cO Sovereign Lord, holy and true, how long before you will judge and avenge our blood on those who dwell on the earth?\u201d Clearly, these people knew who had killed them and that they had not yet found justice for killing the martyrs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n 5. Finally, I\u2019ve saved the best for last! We will participate in magnificent worship in Heaven<\/p>\n\n\n\n This one could be (and probably will be!) it\u2019s own blog post at some point, but imagine the most thrilling worship, with multitudes of God\u2019s people, from every nation, tribe, people and language, all gathered together, singing praise to God for His greatness, grace, power, wisdom and mighty work of redemption.[5]<\/a> How wonderful that will be!<\/p>\n\n\n\n