In 1 Samuel 28:8 it looked like Saul believed a familiar spirit could call up Samuel's ghost from under the ground.
In Isaiah 14:9-11 Isaiah told the King of Babylon that hell under the ground was ready for his death.
In Isaiah 29:4 It says someone is suppose to die.And their voice will come out of the ground.
And in 1 Samuel 28:9-14
.The witch of endor says right out she sees Samuel's ghost come out of the ground.
I think people believed people's spirits were underground when they died.I agree.Do you agree or disagree?
The scriptures you cited support my opinion that the Bible's depiction of the afterlife contradicts itself. For instance, Hebrews 9:27 implies that a person faces judgment immediately after death, and 1 Corinthians 5:8 implies that a Christian who dies is instantly in the presence of the Lord. However, Revelation 20:13 conflicts with Hebrews 9:27 by stating that "the sea gave up the dead that were in it, and death and Hades gave up the dead that were in them," and "each individual was judged according to what they had done."
Furthermore, 1 Thessalonians 4:13-17 conflicts with 1 Corinthians 5:8 because it says, "13 Brothers and sisters, we do not want you to be uninformed about those
who sleep in death, so that you do not grieve like the rest of mankind, who have no hope. 14 For we believe that Jesus died and rose again, and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who
have fallen asleep in him. 15 According to the Lord’s word, we tell you that we who are still alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will certainly not precede
those who have fallen asleep. 16 For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and
the dead in Christ will rise first. 17 After that,
we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever."
Moreover, Matthew 27:51-53 implies soul sleep for believers. It says, "Then, behold, the veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom; and the earth quaked, and the rocks were split,
and the graves were opened;
and many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised; and coming out of the graves after His resurrection, they went into the holy city and appeared to many."
Daniel 12:2 implies soul sleep for both believers and unbelievers, which conflicts with Hebrews 9:27 and 1 Corinthians 5:8. It states, "And many of those who slumber in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to disgrace and everlasting contempt." 2 Chronicles 32:33 also implies soul sleep: "And Hezekiah slept with his fathers; and they buried him in the upper part of the tombs of the sons of David; and all Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem did him honor at his death." And Manasseh, his son, reigned in his place. " There are other similar verses: 2 Chronicles 33:20; 1 Kings 15:8; 1 Kings 16:28; 2 Kings 13:13; and 2 Kings 14:29.
And John 11:11-15 implies soul sleep as well. It states, "After saying these things, he said to them, "
Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep, but I will go to awaken him." The disciples said to him, "Lord, if he has fallen asleep, he will recover."
Now Jesus had spoken of his death, but they thought that he meant to take rest in sleep. Then Jesus told them plainly, "
Lazarus has died, and for your sake I am glad that I was not there, so that you may believe." But let us go to him. " Notice that Jesus did not say that Lazarus' spirit went directly to heaven after death and was in His presence or that Lazarus' spirit faced judgment immediately after death or that his spirit came up from under the ground. He said that Lazarus had fallen asleep and that he would go wake up Lazarus, but Lazarus was dead.
As I've demonstrated with the multiple scriptures I quoted, Frank, the Bible isn't exactly clear on what happens in the afterlife. Do human spirits ascend from the ground, as the verses you cited imply, or do some human spirits ascend from the sea and Hades and then face judgment, or do all human spirits face judgment immediately after death and all believers in Christ are immediately in his presence after death, or do human spirits (believers and unbelievers) fall asleep in the grave to be resurrected later in the end times?
