Previous Questions and Answers
Heaven? Where and When?
When
was Abraham's bosom created? Where did Adam
and Eve go after death?
Luke
16:19-31 says, “19 There was a certain
rich man, which was clothed in purple and fine linen, and fared sumptuously every day: 20 And there was a certain beggar named Lazarus,
which was laid at his gate, full of sores, 21
And desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man's table: moreover the
dogs came and licked his sores. 22 And it came
to pass, that the
beggar died, and was carried by the angels into Abraham's bosom:
the rich man also died, and was buried; 23 And
in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in
his bosom. 24 And he cried and said, Father
Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in
water, and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame.
25 But Abraham said, Son, remember that thou in thy lifetime receivedst thy
good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things: but now
he is comforted,
and thou art tormented. 26 And beside all
this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed: so that they which would pass from
hence to you cannot; neither can they pass to us, that would come from thence. 27 Then he said, I pray thee therefore, father,
that thou wouldest send him to my father's house: 28
For I have five brethren; that he may testify unto them, lest they also come into this
place of torment. 29 Abraham saith unto him,
They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them.
30 And he said, Nay, father Abraham: but if one went unto them from the
dead, they will repent. 31 And he said unto
him, If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded, though one
rose from the dead.”
“Abraham’s
bosom” is a reference to the comfort which the poor man immediately received when he
went to heaven. Just like when a child is hurt
and crying, and is picked up and laid in his mother’s bosom for comfort, even so
Lazarus is carried by the angels from his painful and lonely life, and laid to rest in
Abraham’s bosom in heaven. Abraham makes
a distinction where they are, compared with where the rich man is. The Bible gives a name where the rich man is. “The rich man also died, and was buried; And in
hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off,
and Lazarus in his bosom.”
All
people who are saved are immediately with the Lord when they die — from Adam and Eve,
to the last saved person that dies.. The
Seventh Day Adventists teach “soul sleep” awaiting the resurrection day, and
some other cults teach similar things, but that is false doctrine. Luke 20:27-40 says, “27 Then came to him
certain of the Sadducees, which deny that there is any resurrection; and they asked him, 28 Saying, Master, Moses wrote unto us, If any
man's brother die, having a wife, and he die without children, that his brother should
take his wife, and raise up seed unto his brother. 29
There were therefore seven brethren: and the first took a wife, and died without children. 30 And the second took her to wife, and he died
childless. 31 And the third took her; and in
like manner the seven also: and they left no children, and died. 32 Last
of all the woman died also. 33 Therefore in
the resurrection whose wife of them is she? for seven had her to wife. 34 And Jesus answering said unto them, The children
of this world marry, and are given in marriage: 35
But they which shall be accounted worthy to obtain that world, and the resurrection from
the dead, neither marry, nor are given in marriage: 36
Neither can they die any more: for they are equal unto the angels; and are the children of
God, being the children of the resurrection. 37
Now
that the dead are raised, even Moses shewed at the bush, when he calleth the Lord the God
of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob. 38 For
he is not a God of the dead, but of the living: for all live unto him. 39 Then certain of the scribes answering said,
Master, thou hast well said. 40 And after that
they durst not ask him any question at all.”
In
that above passage, Jesus not only refutes their false doctrine of no resurrection, but
also refutes the notion of “soul sleep,” because when Moses called God the God
of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, Jesus told us that means in the present tense — they
are all alive with Him right now. “For
he is not a God of
2 Corinthians 5:8 says, “We
are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent
from the body,
and to be present
with the Lord.”
Luke
23:39-43 says, “39 And one of the malefactors which were hanged railed on him,
saying, If thou be Christ, save thyself and us. 40
But the other answering rebuked him, saying, Dost not thou fear God, seeing thou art in
the same condemnation? 41 And we indeed
justly; for we receive the due reward of our deeds: but this man hath done nothing amiss. 42 And he said unto Jesus, Lord, remember me when
thou comest into thy kingdom. 43 And Jesus
said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, To day shalt thou be with me in paradise.”
“Paradise”
is another word given to the third heaven, which is the dwelling place of God. This passage uses the two words interchangeably. 2 Corinthians 12:2-4 says, “2 I knew a man in
Christ above fourteen years ago, (whether in the body, I cannot tell; or whether out of
the body, I cannot tell: God knoweth;) such an one caught
up to the third heaven. 3 And I knew such a man, (whether in the body, or
out of the body, I cannot tell: God knoweth;) 4
How that he was caught
up into paradise,
and heard unspeakable words, which it is not lawful for a man to utter.”
