There are many misconceptions about death that make it one of the most shunned topics of study. No matter how much we try to ignore it, death is one thing that we can be certain of and all the wishful thinking in the world will not change this. Because of this, death should be a subject of great interest. We are less likely to fear something when we know what to expect and we are more likely to be prepared for a trip when we know what our destination is. Again, this being a Christian website, we will be only interested in what God has to say about death.

Physical death

First of all we need to establish a biblical definition of death. It is true that the dictionary will say that death is the “end or destruction” of something. But that is not the case with God. God's idea of death is the “permanent separation” of something. This is a slight distinction but a distinction nevertheless.

Before we look at biblical proof that death does indeed mean separation, let's look at some everyday terms.

When two friends or family members dispute to the point that they never want to speak to each other again, one of them may say, “From now on, you are dead to me!” The expression “you are dead to me” does not mean that someone is in the grave, only that there is a separation in the relationship.

It is understood that divorce is the separation of a marriage. The two people who were supposed to be one flesh are again split in two. Neither person is dead or annihilated but the marriage is.

In American Football, when one team surrenders the football because they have fumbled it or failed to convert a fourth down, the drive is said to be “dead”. The offense is separated from the football and it is given to the other team.

So then, if death means to be separated from something. What are we being separated from when we die? What is Physical Death? Physical death is the separation of the body and soul. It is the physical body going to the grave (ashes to ashes) and the soul being released to one of two destinations.

Biblical evidence that separation is indeed God's view of death are plenteous.

First of all, the Bible calls death sleeping

Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, 1 Corinthians 15:51

For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him. 15For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep. 1 Thessalonians 4:14,15

And when he was come in, he saith unto them, Why make ye this ado, and weep? the damsel is not dead, but sleepeth. Mark 5:39

In Mark, we have Jesus being told that the ruler of the synagogue's daughter is already deceased. Jesus ignored the report, told the ruler to believe, and went to her anyway. Once there, Jesus told the people who were crying not to morn because the girl was only sleeping. They laughed at Him before he preformed the miracle of raising the young girl from the dead. Jesus considers the dead girl (or any Christian) asleep because He knows that their bodies will be reunited with their souls. The separation is not permanent, only temporary. In the case of the little girl, her soul was joined to her old body, in the case of the Christian, our souls will be joined to a glorified one.

Why not destruction or annihilation?

And the LORD said, I will destroy man whom I have created from the face of the earth; both man, and beast, and the creeping thing, and the fowls of the air; for it repenteth me that I have made them.

The word destroy in the above scripture is the Hebrew word “machah.”

machah [Strong’s Hebrew 4229] Definition: wipe out, blot out, exterminate

Here we see that man will be wiped from, blotted from, exterminated from the face of the earth. He will die (be separated) from the face of the earth. Some might argue that this is indeed saying that man will be annihilated or destroyed from existence instead of simply being “wiped away.” This indeed seems like a valid interpetation until God repeats His plan of destruction by using another word; “shachath.”

And God said unto Noah, The end of all flesh is come before me; for the earth is filled with violence through them; and, behold, I will destroy them with the earth. Genesis 6:13

shachath [Strong's Hebrew 7843] Definition: destroy

Just for good measure, here are two more uses of the word shacath in the same narrative of Noah.

And I will establish my covenant with you; neither shall all flesh be cut off any more by the waters of a flood; neither shall there any more be a flood to destroy the earth. Genesis 9:11

And I will remember my covenant, which is between me and you and every living creature of all flesh; and the waters shall no more become a flood to destroy all flesh. Genesis 9:15

Notice that the same Hebrew word for destroy is used for man, flesh and earth. Whatever God has in mind to do to man He will also do to the earth. We can plainly see that man was not vaporized or turned to nothingness but only drowned. Man may have indeed lost his life, (dead bodies everywhere) but his soul is still alive waiting judgment. This is death (separation) not annihilation. You have probably noticed that we still live on planet earth. God didn't destroy the earth by blowing it up, He destroyed the evil off the face of it. God caused catastrophic conditions to happen to it. After the flood ended, the earth still remained it was just in a different condition than it was a first. It was wrecked, destroyed.

Neither death nor destruction is necessarily annihilation. Death means separation and to destroy means to put in disorder, to ruin. This is no different than a bunch of children playing in a room and you open the door to see that it is “destroyed.” The room is still there, it is just in a state of disorder. We see that cars are totaled, wrecked, destroyed, yet this does not mean that the car does not exist, it means that it is no longer operational. Wine on a silk shirt would ruin it, yet the shirt is still there. In regular everyday language this is easy to see, what makes this so difficult for some when it comes to the Bible?

Furthermore, the Old Testament commonly uses the Hebrew word “shachath” for our translation of destroy. Just a little trip through the scriptures make it cleat that “shachath” does not always refer to total annihilation. The word actually means “to ruin or waste.”

Spiritual Death

And when he had opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of them that were slain for the word of God, and for the testimony which they held: 10And they cried with a loud voice, saying, How long, O Lord, holy and true, dost thou not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth? 11And white robes were given unto every one of them; and it was said unto them, that they should rest yet for a little season, until their fellowservants also and their brethren, that should be killed as they were, should be fulfilled. Revelation 6:9-11

It is obvious that if the soul is separated from the body then the soul has to be living somewhere. This interchange shows that “absent from the body” is indeed “present with the Lord.” We can clearly see that the souls who were killed for their worship of God are alive and alert. The separated souls still await their glorified and incorruptible bodies. They both talk and think. They are clothed. They are clearly not annihilated although the bodies that use to house them may be.

Since we know that death is separation and these souls are already separated from their bodies, what is spiritual death?

Spiritual death is the separation from the knowledge, fellowship and favor of God. Again we have sufficient biblical evidence that there is a such thing as spiritual death.

Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;)
Sin equates to death (spiritually) but Christ equates to grace and grace to salvation.

God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?
Christians who are dead to sin (separated from sinful lifestyle) are alive in Christ.

What is life anyway? Since death equals separation from something, life means being joined to something else. Spiritual life in the spiritual world would be a soul that is joined to Christ. Spiritual life in this world is being a Christian. It is a person that is joined to Christ. A person who is part of His body.

Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.
John 14:6

Quite simply, Jesus is life. Jesus is the bridge that joins God and man. He is the answer to our separation. Being joined to God is eternal life because God is life. Rejection of Jesus is rejecting life and thereby choosing death.

But is now made manifest by the appearing of our Saviour Jesus Christ, who hath abolished death, and hath brought life and immortality to light through the gospel: 2 Timothy 1:10

Jesus is our victory over death. Because of the sacrifice of Christ, Christians never have to worry about being separated from their glorified bodies. Christ won the victory over death (separation ) and abolished it. Knowing the Lord Jesus Christ makes us spiritually alive.

Problems turned into Proof

There are those who lack an understanding of biblical death who criticize the word of God. They suppose the Bible is in error simply because they do not understand the Bible's stance on it. When we take a biblical perspective on death however, these perceived inconsistencies quickly melt away.

Problem with the Garden of Eden

And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat: 17But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die. Genesis 2:16,17

Critics of the Bible are quick to point out that the scriptures say, “the day that thou eatest thereof thou shall surely die.” The problem with this is that Adam didn't (physically) die that day, he lived to be nine hundred and thirty years old. I've seen many Christians squirm trying to answer them on this matter. They normally answer it by saying that “this started the process of death and the day Adam disobeyed, he started to die.” This is very true. Man was suppose to live forever as a friend to God and as the master of the garden. When sin was introduced in man, this all changed.

However, my answer to the critics is two fold. Although I agree that sin started the process of death, I see another death that is exactly on the day that the critics say it should. Adam and Eve did die that very day. I believe that God immediately kicked them out to keep them from eating off the tree of life. If they had done this then they would be forever trapped in a sinful state and separated from God.

All this proves is that God is a God of mercy. Notice that death means separation and Adam and Eve were separated from God's presence. They no longer walked with Him through the garden. Sin separated them. Life as they knew it was destroyed and so was their previous relationship with the All Mighty Creator. This is a description of spiritual death.

The problem with Enoch and Elijah

And Enoch walked with God: and he was not; for God took him. Genesis 5:24

What could be wrong with the fact that God had such a good friend in Enoch that instead of letting him ever see the grave, God just took him?

And it came to pass, as they still went on, and talked, that, behold, there appeared a chariot of fire, and horses of fire, and parted them both asunder; and Elijah went up by a whirlwind into heaven. 2 Kings 2:11
What's the problem with God taking Elijah, one of His greatest prophets to heaven in a whirlwind?

The problem is this: “And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment:” Hebrews 9:27

Man is guaranteed to die once and then face judgment. If this is indeed the case, why didn't Enoch or Elijah die? The answer is that it is appointed unto man to be (permanently separated) from his body, once. Neither Elijah nor Enoch literally stopped breathing (died) and then were taken by God. They were raptured. They were translated. They were snatched out of their physical bodies and taken straight to paradise.

By faith Enoch was translated that he should not see death; and was not found, because God had translated him: for before his translation he had this testimony, that he pleased God. Hebrews 11:15

Being snatched from your physical body is to be separated from it and this is the Bible's definition of death. What they did not see is a natural death (heart stops beating, man stops breathing) that is common to man. The Bible teaches that in the last days Jesus will come to rapture his church. Rapture means to snatch away. These two men will not be the only ones to be taken this way, they are only the first and second. The Bible teaches that there is “nothing new under the sun.” The stories of Elisha and Enoch are not the problem scriptures critics think they are. These scriptures only prove that what God has done once, He will surely do again and that is to rapture the righteous.

Other critics may say that although it is true that God took them, it doesn't say anywhere in these scriptures that they were snatched out of their bodies. Where is the evidence for this assumption? While it is true that the scriptures here do not exactly say that “they were snatched from their bodies,” they do say this:

Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither doth corruption inherit incorruption. 1 Corinthians 15:50

So then, this assumption is based squarely on the plain teaching of scripture. In addition to this, the teaching on the rapture goes on to say:

Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, 52In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. 53For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. 1 Corinthians 15:51-53

So then not only can God snatch our souls out of our bodies, He can do it instantaneously.

The problem with those who were raised from the dead.

Now we have another problem, we see several people in the Bible who were raised from the dead. If the defense for Elijah and Enoch is that they were separated from their bodies and this still qualifies as death, and the scriptures say that men must die “once,” what about the people that were raised from the dead? The Bible records people who died twice.

This includes Lazarus-

And when he thus had spoken, he cried with a loud voice, Lazarus, come forth. 44And he that was dead came forth, bound hand and foot with graveclothes: and his face was bound about with a napkin. Jesus saith unto them, Loose him, and let him go. John 11:43,44

and the ruler of the synagogue's daughter-

And all wept, and bewailed her: but he said, Weep not; she is not dead, but sleepeth. 53And they laughed him to scorn, knowing that she was dead. 54And he put them all out, and took her by the hand, and called, saying, Maid, arise. 55And her spirit came again, and she arose straightway: and he commanded to give her meat.

These are not problems, this is the same principle as above. Man's definition and God's definition of death is different. Although both people experienced a separation of the body and soul, neither one experienced a permanent separation of body and soul. Death in the biblical vernacular is a permanent separation of body and soul. When it is temporary like this, God considers it sleeping. Scripture has just demonstrated this in the raising of the girl, “ she is not dead, but sleepeth” and in the example of the rapture, “We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed.” So then, what man sees as death, God sees as sleep. All this proves is that omnipotent God knows that He can “wake” the dead.

In addition to this, even if this was God's definition of death, the scripture never says that it is appointed that men die only once. It says that man must die once and after that the judgment. We must die at least once. Some people will die twice. In the judgment, some people will die again.

For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. Romans 6:23

What is the Second Death?

And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. Rev. 20:14

The Bible speaks about a second death that is different from the first. If man has already been permanently separated from his physical body, is this second death total annihilation of the soul? What exactly is the second death?

If the first death is separation of the body and soul, then the second death is separation of the soul with God. This is totally in line with scripture because the Bible teaches that the righteous will forever be with the Lord.

Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. 1 Thessalonians 4:17

Even more telling than this is the fact that only the wicked experience the second death. Knowing Jesus is life everlasting not knowing Him is eternal damnation.

He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; He that overcometh shall not be hurt of the second death. Rev 2:11

Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years. Rev 20:6

But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death. Revelation 21:8

We will all die and face judgment. Those who have accepted Christ will spend eternal life with God. Those who have rejected Christ will spend eternal death in punishment. The eternal death they will face will be a separation from the holiness, love, and glory of God. They will be destroyed from His presence.

In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ: 9Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power; 2 Thessalonians 1:8,9

Not only will God put an end to His enemies, He will put an end to separation itself. All that will be left is the united family of God.

The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death. 1 Corinthians 15:26

What does the Glory of God look like?

Is not being is God's presence really a big deal? Is the pain we feel in punishment the fact that we are hidden away from God's presence? So what is it like to be in God's presence? Moses was one of the few people who got a chance to experience a glimpse of what it is like to be in the presence of God.

In his first encounter, God revealed Himself in a burning bush.

And the angel of the LORD appeared unto him in a flame of fire out of the midst of a bush: and he looked, and, behold, the bush burned with fire, and the bush was not consumed.

Some may dispute that “the angel of the LORD” is God. But “the angel of the LORD” is commonly used in reference to the second person of the Trinity, the Lord Jesus Christ. Angel simply means messenger and it is Christ that is sent to be a mediator with man. However, if that is not enough, scripture clarifies itself:

3And Moses said, I will now turn aside, and see this great sight, why the bush is not burnt. 4And when the LORD saw that he turned aside to see, God called unto him out of the midst of the bush, and said, Moses, Moses. And he said, Here am I. Exodus 3:2-4

Next, the bible records that after spending forty days in the presence of God, Moses face shined.

And it came to pass, when Moses came down from mount Sinai with the two tables of testimony in Moses' hand, when he came down from the mount, that Moses wist not that the skin of his face shone while he talked with him. 30And when Aaron and all the children of Israel saw Moses, behold, the skin of his face shone; and they were afraid to come nigh him. Exodus 34:29,30

Not only did it shine but it was so bright that it had to be covered.

And the children of Israel saw the face of Moses, that the skin of Moses' face shone: and Moses put the vail upon his face again, until he went in to speak with him. Exodus 34:35

God lead them out of Egypt as a pillar of fire.

And the LORD went before them by day in a pillar of a cloud, to lead them the way; and by night in a pillar of fire, to give them light; to go by day and night: Exodus 13:21

So what does the Glory of God look like? It's very bright! The scriptures of the Old Testament agree with the assessment of the new which say:

This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all. 1 John 1:5

Can you imagine going to a place where there is no light only eternal darkness? Can you imagine not being able to see anyone only hear wails of agony. Can you imagine not being able to feel love by anyone? Yes, God is love and you will be removed from love. Now we see why the scriptures about the fate of the righteous and wicked make sense. The wicked are said to go to a place of eternal darkness. First, the Angels who rebelled against God.

For if God spared not the angels that sinned, but cast them down to hell, and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be reserved unto judgment; 2 Peter 2:4

And then the false teachers who are compared to storms.

Raging waves of the sea, foaming out their own shame; wandering stars, to whom is reserved the blackness of darkness for ever. Jude 1:13

The righteous, however, to a place of light.

And there shall be no night there; and they need no candle, neither light of the sun; for the Lord God giveth them light: and they shall reign for ever and ever. Revelation 22:5

And the city had no need of the sun, neither of the moon, to shine in it: for the glory of God did lighten it, and the Lamb is the light thereof. Revelation 21:23