So many people believe that they will go to heaven when they die. You go to a funeral, and the relatives that come up to speak, or the preacher, will say that the person is in heaven now. I suppose it is easy to hear and comforting in a sense to believe that your loved ones are in heaven, but it's not the truth according to the Bible. And we should be men and women of truth. I believe the 10 commandments teach us this in the 9th commandment. Yet most people believe the Bible teaches that we go to heaven when we die. Even when reading the parable of the rich man and lazarus, it does not suggest that we go to heaven when we die as some assume. When we die, we are dead, and we rest there awaiting the resurrection. There is a first and second resurrection according to the Bible. The first resurrection is for when Yahshua our Savior returns and with it will be resurrected those who have died in the Messiah, or died in the faith (
Revelation 20:6). The second resurrection is for after the 1,000 year Kingdom on this earth has ended and all the rest will be brought before the great, white throne judgment to be judged. At that time, there will be gnashing of teeth as the wicked is severed from the righteous and destroyed in Gehenna Fire.
Yahshua was different. He was not of this world, he was originally a heavenly being pre-existing with the Father. We are earthly beings. We were born on this earth and the scriptures tell us the meek shall inherit the earth, not heaven (Matthew 5:5).
Chr-stianity has really done a great deal of damage to the Bible by trying to comfort the masses. One can find comfort in the Bible. One does not need to invent ideas to make the message more palatable. If we die, we will rest in our lot and be resurrected. Those that are blessed to receive the first resurrection will rule in Yahweh's Kingdom on earth as kings and priests. The new Jerusalem will come forth out of heaven to this earth prepared for the people of Yahweh as we read in Revelation 21. You can also read 1 Corinthians 15 for some more information about the first resurrection.
Do you believe you will go to heaven when you die?