The Only Way in Christ

Timeless Unawares or 'Unconscious' Soul Sleep

Let us prove the altar in the 5th seal is not in Heaven to prove the point. The altar here must be the altar of sacrifices—for the following reasons.

(1) According to Old Testament typology, no one should go up to the altar with his nakedness uncovered (Ex. 20.26). This signifies that no naked body can meet God. Anyone who does not have a resurrection body is considered naked, and therefore he cannot appear before God. For this reason, 2 Corinthians 5.4 speaks about being “clothed upon” with a new body. (After a person is dead, his soul does not go to God right away.) Without resurrection, no one can stand beside the golden altar of incense.

"Neither shalt thou go up by steps unto mine altar, that thy nakedness be not discovered thereon" (Ex. 20.26) - You can't go before the High Priest naked.

(2) When the Bible speaks of altar, it always refers to the altar of sacrifice. Special descriptive words such as “golden”, “incense”, and so forth are used to refer to the golden altar of incense so as to distinguish it from the altar standing in the outer court.

(3) The blood of all the sacrifices flows down underneath the altar (Ex. 29.12; Lev. 4.7, 5.9).

(4) There is life in the blood, and this word “life” in the original Hebrew is the word “soul” (Lev. 17.11 mg., 17.14). “Underneath the altar” means underneath the earth. The altar typifies the cross; beneath the cross is the earth. Hence underneath the altar here refers to Paradise in the heart of the earth (Matt. 12.40). We notice the following clause in Acts 2.27: “because thou wilt not leave my soul unto Hades”; moreover, in Numbers 16.32 it is stated that “the earth opened its mouth, and swallowed them up, and their households, and all the men that appertained unto Korah, and all their goods” (Not only may no man appear before God without a body, neither may he enter the lake of fire without a body.).

"For as Jonas was three days and three nights in the whale's belly; so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth" (Matt. 12.40). How can men spend less time in Hades than Jesus did?

How can Jesus judge you at His return if you go to Heaven the moment you die? Judgment-Seat comes before you enter Heaven. When your spirit is give back to God when you die, it is a saving of your heavenly record with God while you are in soul sleep awaiting that day of resurrection. Your character and works in the books is kept. When you awake you won't know a day had passed.

"We groan, earnestly desiring to be clothed upon with our house which is from heaven" (2 Cor. 5.2). "For we will not be spirits without bodies, but we will put on new heavenly bodies" (v.3 NLT). Therefore, we must be in 'soul sleep' so we are not found naked before the High Priest. "For we that are in this tabernacle do groan, being burdened: not for that we would be unclothed, but clothed upon, that mortality might be swallowed up of life" (v.4). Those who talk about being unclothed in Heaven when they die can find no solid verse for their claim. We can not come before the High Priest naked in the sacrifices of the Temple which produces a strange offering. One must be fully clothed presented at Judgment-Seat, "before the throne" (Rev. 7.9), in outer darkness (for non-overcomers), and returning with Christ (overcomers returning with Christ to reign). Therefore, this intermediate state before resurrection must be a place of soul sleep in Abraham's bosom-paradise below-or Hades ('Sheol' v.23). The Jews believed there existed a paradise below in contrast to Paradise above. The opening of the story of Lazarus and the Rich Man ("There was a rich man" HCSB, NIV, RSV) indicates that it is a parable (Luke 16.1 "Jesus told this story to his disciples" NLT). Since it is a parable and parables are not perfect, we can be told this story without having to think people are awake in Hades right now or in Heaven without bodies. The story of Lazarus and the Rich Man is anthropomorphised, in this case, "to ascribe human form or attributes to the state of the dead as a foretaste of Heaven or Hell."

Soul sleep has nothing to do with purgatory of paying and praying for the dead to shorten their time there. The Roman Church teaches purgatory, which is not in Hades, but after resurrection presumably. The Eastern Orthodox Church believes in soul sleep but not purgatory. I believe in soul sleep and then after we are resurrected together, many lose the reward of returning (Jude 14,15) and reigning with Christ during the 1000 years, so they are sent to 'outer darkness' (mentioned three times in Scripture) which has no fire or furnace about it which is outside the light of reward of reigning with Christ the 1000 years and do not get to return with Christ. Then they will be made ready for the New City on the New Earth which is Heaven and Earth come together (on another planet, e.g. Mars) since the New City is physical (see proof). Constantly we are called to overcometh in the Bible indicating many do not, for which there are consequences Who can say all believers fit into the 3 groups described in Revelation 20.4? I don't like the word purgatory because it has with it the connotation of indulges and praying for the dead. Our prayers can not affect the dead nor paying money to the Roman Church. Outer Darkness, a good title for a movie, in reality is simply outside the light of rewards of reigning with Christ during the 1000 years after we resurrected together. Don't confuse outer darkness with soul sleep. They are two different things. There is no consciousness in soul sleep, but there is regret ('gnashing of teeth') and sorrow in outer darkness.

"And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, To day shalt thou be with me in paradise" (Luke 23.43). Jesus didn't say, You will see me this day in paradise, but you will be with me. Jesus when He died went not to Paradise above but paradise below in Abraham's bosom or 'Abraham's side' Luke 16.22 HCSB). When Jesus says "I assure you" or "Verily I say unto thee" it is to testify to the certainty of it and importance of His words. We shall be resurrected together from soul sleep (1 Thess. 4.18) so comfort one another and yourselves with these words. We "shall in no wise precede (or, prevent) them that are fallen asleep" (1 Thess. 4.15). "The dead in Christ shall rise first" (v.16). We "which are alive and left shall be caught up together with them in the clouds" (v.17). "Wherefore comfort one another with these words" (v.18).

"Thou hidest thy face, they are troubled: thou takest away their breath, they die, and return to their dust" (Ps. 104.29). It says they return to their dust, not to heaven.

"And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul" (Gen. 2.7).

"So David slept with his fathers, and was buried in the city of David" (1 Kings 2.10).

"And Solomon slept with his fathers, and was buried in the city of David his father: and Rehoboam his son reigned in his stead" (1 Kings 11.43).

"And Rehoboam slept with his fathers, and was buried with his fathers in the city of David. And his mother's name was Naamah an Ammonitess. And Abijam his son reigned in his stead" (1 Kings 14.31).

"And Abijam slept with his fathers; and they buried him in the city of David: and Asa his son reigned in his stead" (1 Kings 15.8).

Did the Messiah ever liken death to sleep?

Jesus said, "These things said he: and after that he saith unto them, Our friend Lazarus sleepeth; but I go, that I may awake him out of sleep" (John 11.11).

"Then said his disciples, Lord, if he sleep, he shall do well" (John 11.12). The disciples thought Jesus was saying Lazarus was just sleeping, not that he had died. "Howbeit Jesus spake of his death: but they thought that he had spoken of taking of rest in sleep" (John 11.13). "Then said Jesus unto them plainly, Lazarus is dead" (John 11.14). Clearly the Messiah likens death to sleep only! Jesus did not say let me bring Lazarus down from heaven and awaken him in his sleep.

Are the dead conscience?

"His breath goeth forth, he returneth to his earth; in that very day his thoughts perish" (Ps. 146.4).

"For the living know that they shall die: but the dead know not any thing, neither have they any more a reward; for the memory of them is forgotten" (Eccl. 9.5). in the grave there is no thinking and no reward.

"For in death there is no remembrance of thee: in the grave who shall give thee thanks?" (Ps. 6.5) In the grace people are not remembering you or thanking you.

"The dead praise not the LORD, neither any that go down into silence" (Ps. 115.17).

When are the 'sleeping' dead to be raised?

"So man lieth down, and riseth not: till the heavens be no more, they shall not awake, nor be raised out of their sleep" (Job 14.12).

"But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the HEAVENS SHALL PASS AWAY with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up" (2 Pet. 3.10).

"Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice" (John 5.28). They did not hear his voice while they were asleep. "And shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation" (John 5.29).

"And, behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be" (Rev. 22.12). This reward comes when you are awakened.

The Bible likens death to to unconscious sleep. The soul who sleeps in the earth will rise up from their graves when they hear the voice of the Messiah.

" He which testifieth these things saith, Surely I come quickly. Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus" (Rev. 22.20).

"Consider and hear me, O LORD my God: lighten mine eyes, lest I sleep the sleep of death" (Ps. 13.3).



"Jesus answered and said unto him, Art thou a master of ______, and knowest not these things?" (John 3.10) "Verily, verily, I say unto thee, We speak that we do know, and testify that we have seen; and ye receive not our witness" (v.11). "If I have told you earthly things, and ye believe not, how shall ye believe, if I tell you of heavenly things?" (v.12). "And no man hath ascended up to heaven, but he that came down from heaven, even the Son of man which is in heaven" (v.13). "That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life" (v.15). The question is: if you are claiming there are people in heaven already, are you worshiping the true Jesus?