or the hour of Christ’s return at the Rapture. But one day billions of people will suddenly vanish from the face of the earth. Are you ready?
- Dr. David Jeremiah
The Bible does not describe death as the end of something but as a transition into something new. The New Testament is especially filled with passages conveying this positive, transitional perspective on death:
For the Christian, death is but a shadow. No longer is it the true substance of our fear. Look at Jesus’ promise in the Gospel of John.
John 11:25-26
Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live. And whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die. Do you believe this?”
Jesus referred to death as being “carried by the angels to Abraham’s bosom”.
Luke 16:22
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.
Jesus told the repentant thief who died beside Him, “Today you will be with Me in Paradise”.
Luke 23:43
And Jesus said to him, “Assuredly, I say to you, today you will be with Me in Paradise.”
Paul described death as being “absent from the body and . . .present with the Lord” (2 Cor. 5:8).
2 Corinthians 5:8
We are confident, yes, well pleased rather to be absent from the body and to be present with the Lord.
More than a dozen times death is described as “sleep”—the temporary status of the body from which it will be awakened in resurrection at the end of the age. Here are a few examples:
Pastor, author, and Bible teacher, Dr. David Jeremiah answers some of the most frequently asked questions about heaven, including “do dogs go to heaven?”
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John 11:11
These things He said, and after that He said to them, “Our friend Lazarus sleeps, but I go that I may wake him up.”
Acts 7:60
Then he knelt down and cried out with a loud voice, “Lord, do not charge them with this sin.” And when he had said this, he fell asleep.
1 Thessalonians 4:13
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.
Paul said to die is to “gain,” meaning being with Christ, and called death “far better” than being on earth.
Philippians 1:21, 23
For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain…For I am hard-pressed between the two, having a desire to depart and be with Christ, which is far better.
Let the future come. Let the next phase of life present itself in God’s timing, whether through death or the Rapture. No matter which way we take the next step in our eternal journey, we will do so in our Father’s arms.
For more on the Rapture, including answers to many of the most-asked questions check out The Great Disappearance from Dr. David Jeremiah.
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