π‘✞ Where Are The Dead (Two-Part Series): In-Depth Bible Study
π‘✞ Where Are The Dead (Two-Part Series): In-Depth Bible Study π https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C1E3DWX7fVc&list=PLcK3ZkGY_ffoxhNrczeIxZj6lQOWzACbm&index=1
π✨ Where Are the Dead (Part #1)? — Bible Study Summary (Pastor Arnold Murray) ✨π
⏰ [00:00:02] Introduction: “Where Are the Dead?”
π¨π« Pastor Arnold Murray welcomes viewers to the Shepherd’s Chapel Family Bible Study Hour.
❓ Addresses the common question: “Where are my loved ones after death?”
❤️ The study seeks to provide comfort, hope, and understanding through God's Word.
⏰ [00:00:37] Comforting Others with Biblical Truth
π€ Christians have a unique opportunity to comfort those experiencing loss.
π Knowing what Scripture teaches about death allows believers to offer genuine hope.
⚠️ Many traditions and misconceptions have created confusion about the afterlife.
⏰ [00:01:55] God of the Living
✨ God is the God of the living, not the dead.
π Satan, though sentenced to death, remains spiritually alive but spiritually dead.
π Understanding figurative language in Scripture helps clarify the subject of death.
⏰ [00:02:42] Luke 23:43 — Paradise After Death
✝️ Jesus tells the repentant thief: “Today shalt thou be with me in paradise.”
π³ Paradise is described as a heavenly garden.
⏱️ The word “today” emphasizes immediate conscious existence after death.
π Death is not portrayed as unconscious nonexistence.
⏰ [00:04:07] Christ Preaches to the Spirits
π 1 Peter 3:18-20 explains that Christ preached to the spirits in prison.
π₯ These were souls awaiting judgment before Christ's sacrifice.
⚖️ God demonstrated fairness by allowing them to hear the truth.
π This relates to the account of the rich man and Lazarus in Luke 16.
⏰ [00:06:19] Understanding the “Prison”
π The prison was a spiritual realm, not a physical grave.
π Physical death and spiritual death are distinct concepts.
π Even those who lived in Noah’s generation received an opportunity to hear the truth.
⏰ [00:10:52] The Gospel Preached to the Dead
π 1 Peter 4:4-6 teaches that the gospel was preached to the dead.
✨ Many could then live according to God in the spirit.
❤️ God is shown as merciful and just toward every generation.
⏰ [00:14:04] Election and the Two Bodies
π️ God’s election existed before the foundation of the world.
π€ Humanity possesses both a flesh body and a spiritual body.
π The Millennium continues God's plan of teaching, judgment, and salvation.
⏰ [00:15:58] 1 Corinthians 15 — Natural and Spiritual Bodies
❓ Paul asks: “How are the dead raised?”
π± A seed must die before new life emerges.
π Flesh bodies are weak and temporary.
π Spiritual bodies are glorious, powerful, and incorruptible.
πͺ Flesh and blood cannot inherit God's Kingdom.
π Important Greek Terms
| π Term | π¬π· Greek | π‘ Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| πͺ¦ Corruptible | ΟΞΈΞΏΟΞ¬ (phthora) | Perishable, decaying body |
| ✨ Incorruptible | αΌΟΞΈΞ±ΟΟΞ―Ξ± (aphtharsia) | Eternal, imperishable body |
| ⚰️ Mortal | ΞΈΞ½Ξ·ΟΟΟ (thnetos) | Subject to death |
| π Immortality | αΌΞΈΞ±Ξ½Ξ±ΟΞ―Ξ± (athanasia) | Deathlessness, eternal life |
⏰ [00:22:07] Celestial vs. Terrestrial Bodies
π Celestial bodies = heavenly, spiritual, immortal.
π Terrestrial bodies = earthly, fleshly, temporary.
⚔️ Many weaknesses and temptations originate from the flesh nature.
✨ The inner spiritual person reflects God's image.
⏰ [00:24:42] The Resurrection Body
π Resurrection transforms:
πͺ¦ Corruption ➜ ✨ Incorruption
π Dishonor ➜ π Glory
πͺ Weakness ➜ ⚡ Power
♾️ The new body is eternal and free from decay.
⏰ [00:31:31] Adam and Christ
π The first Adam was made from earth and brought sin and death.
✝️ The last Adam, Jesus Christ, is a life-giving Spirit.
π Believers will bear the image of the heavenly Man.
πͺ Entry into God's Kingdom requires spiritual transformation.
⏰ [00:33:50] The Mystery of the Resurrection
π― At the seventh trumpet, all believers will be changed.
⚡ The transformation happens instantly.
✨ The dead are raised incorruptible.
π Death is swallowed up in victory through Christ.
⏰ [00:35:58] Greek Definitions Revisited
πͺ¦ Corruptible (ΟΞΈΞΏΟΞ¬) = perishable.
✨ Incorruptible (αΌΟΞΈΞ±ΟΟΞ―Ξ±) = eternal.
⚰️ Mortal (ΞΈΞ½Ξ·ΟΟΟ) = subject to death.
π Immortality (αΌΞΈΞ±Ξ½Ξ±ΟΞ―Ξ±) = deathlessness.
⏰ [00:39:41] Characteristics of the New Body
π Perfect and incorruptible.
π« No sickness, aging, pain, or decay.
π€ Retains recognizable form in a glorified state.
✨ Suitable for eternal life with God.
⏰ [00:41:38] Victory Over Death
π Once clothed with immortality, death loses all power.
π “O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?”
✝️ Christ's resurrection guarantees ultimate victory.
⏰ [00:43:18] Viewer Questions & Additional Topics
π° Cain's wife and early creation.
π Mark 16:18 and serpent handling.
π©π« Women serving as prophetesses and teachers.
⚖️ Capital punishment in biblical law.
π₯ Clarifications concerning hell, prophecy, and doctrinal questions.
⏰ [00:56:31] Final Encouragement
π Study God's Word daily.
πͺ Scripture provides wisdom, comfort, and strength.
✝️ Jesus Christ (Yeshua) is the Living Word.
π Additional Bible study resources are offered for continued learning.
✨ Key Takeaways
✅ Death is not the end of conscious existence.
✅ Souls continue in a spiritual realm awaiting God's final judgment.
✅ ✝️ Christ preached to the spirits in prison, demonstrating God's fairness and mercy.
✅ π€ Every person has two bodies:
π A temporary flesh body
π An eternal spiritual body
✅ π― At Christ's return, believers receive incorruptible spiritual bodies.
✅ πͺ Flesh and blood cannot inherit God's Kingdom.
✅ π Through Christ, believers gain victory over death and receive immortality.
✅ ❤️ God's plan demonstrates justice, mercy, and opportunity for salvation throughout all ages. ππ✨
π‘✞ Where Are The Dead (Part #1):
**Pastor Arnold Murray:** We're gonna do some specials for a while and one that we have done in the past, "Where are the dead?" I think it's neat that we do it again and maybe tune it up and add some more to it. It's one of the most asked questions: where are my loved ones after they die? And it is made so clear and the word of God is so specific on that subject that I think it's sad that people are not totally familiar with it. Why? Well, for a very good reason. A Christian, one of his most important times to witness is when someone is hurting. If you have the answers whereby you can comfort someone by allowing them to know what kind of Father we have and where their loved ones are, then it's a great comfort and certainly, if we have any compassion at all, we should want to help people: neighbors, friends, loved ones, and so forth. It is a time that you can be of comfort and, after all, that's what God's children are supposed to be to each other. Where are the dead? Are they out here in a hole in the ground?
The answer is no, they're not. Our Father is the God of the living, not the dead. Satan himself has already been sentenced to death but he's not dead. Spiritually dead, yes. So, it is a play on words that many people are confused by not understanding figures of speech. So, we're going to start today and in the next lecture perhaps we will finish on the subject, "Where are the dead?" I'm going to start in Luke chapter 23 and we're going to take verse 43. Bear in mind what's happening here: Christ is on the cross, there are malefactors on each side of him, and one of them has said to the other, "Stop ridiculing him" or something to that effect, "He's done nothing amiss. Why would you ridicule this just man?" In other words, he was convinced that Christ was the Son of God. What did Christ say to him? He says a great deal in one little verse, verse 43 of Luke 23, and it reads: "And Jesus said unto him, Verily," this means truly, you can count on it, "I say unto thee, Today," not tomorrow, not 2,000 years from now, but "Today shalt thou be with me in paradise." What is the word paradise? It's heaven. It means garden, quite frankly. There are many gardens of God but what has Jesus said to this one? "Today." Not tomorrow, not in some hole in the ground. "Today you're going to be with me in paradise." So, Christ, again, He is the Savior of the living, not the dead. Wouldn't we really have some kind of a Christianity if we could say, "Oh yes, you're going to live in the ground like a warthog"? Well, a warthog doesn't live in the ground. "You're gonna live in the ground like a mole. You'll be there and there," you know, isn't that a victory? Well, it's not a victory. It's terrible. The person, and you must make a note: Christ Himself is the Savior of the living, not the dead. All right?
Now, what would Christ do when He said "today"? He would go somewhere. Where would He go? We're gonna go to First Peter and we're gonna find out what He did while He was even in the tomb. What happened to the people that died before Christ paid the price and before they could have repentance like we do today except through the sacrifices of the daily oblations and so forth that prescribe by the law to forgive sin? You couldn't be saved under the law hardly; you would have to be perfect and only Christ Himself was perfect. So, where were those people then? Where were the people that died from the beginning of time? And what did Christ do while He was yet in the tomb? We're gonna go to First Peter, we're gonna pick it up with chapter three and I'm going to begin reading with verse 18. Listen to it carefully with the thought in mind, the question: "Where are the dead?"
Verse 18 reads: "For Christ also hath once suffered for sins," He was crucified one time in His flesh body, "the just for the unjust," He was the only perfect one, "that He might bring us to God," that He might bring us where? To a hole in the ground? To a ditch somewhere? No. "That He might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit." Quickened means to be made alive in the Spirit. What? That transfigured spiritual body. Flesh dies, yes, but man doesn't. Man is a higher creature than flesh alone. Man has a better part to him than flesh.
So, verse 19: "By which also," in other words, by which what? By this same Spirit "also He went and preached unto the spirits in prison." Well, where was this prison? It was in paradise. You might say that part of paradise that was shown in a parable in Luke chapter 16 concerning Lazarus and the rich man. The rich man can see across the gulf, he can see the throne of God. He can see Abraham. He wasn't in a hole in the ground but he couldn't cross to them. Why? He was in prison, held for judgment. He didn't make it. But would it be fair—I wanna pose a question for a moment—would it be fair that God would judge Noah and everyone that has died since then, I'll back up even to Adam, except that they had the same opportunity that you have today: that Christ's blood would pay for your sins if you repented and believed upon Him? The answer: no, that wouldn't be fair at all. It would mean that everyone that died before the crucifixion would be kind of second-class children because they would not have had the blessedness of having a Savior as we do today. So, that's what's happening here. God is allowing Christ Himself, even as He was in the tomb—sometimes I use the clichΓ© that while He was in the tomb, He was already knocking on Satan's door saying, "Let My people go." So, that's who He preached to. Now, you can't be dead, consciously dead, and be able to be taught or preached to. You could be spiritually dead and be preached to but consciously dead, no, so they weren't at the bottom of the river after the flood; they were not in some hole somewhere dug by man or whatever the case might be. There's a very simple reason. It is said you have a flesh body but you still have another body, don't forget it. All right? So, He went to those that were in prison that had not overcome and He preached to them.
Verse 20: "Which sometime were disobedient," we all are, we all fall short, "when once the longsuffering of God waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was a preparing, wherein few, that is, eight souls were saved by water." Well, there were eight Adamic souls, the subject matter of the book of Noah, Genesis six, was those, that is to say, the daughters of Adam. Then, in that sixth chapter, he was told to take two of every soul above the ark, another subject for another time. But Christ went to those who had died all the way back to the beginning; that's what this figure of speech means. And though they were saved by the blessed ark, they had the opportunity to be saved by Jesus Christ, the only begotten of the living God and the God of the living, not the dead, and they had the opportunity in believing upon Him to repent and cross that gulf back onto the side of victory—and I'm drawing from the parable of the rich man and Lazarus in Luke 16. So, you see, we have a very fair God.
Well, is it written, did any of them accept Him? Well, let's continue on into chapter four of this great book of First Peter and let's pick it up at the fourth verse. Let's see if He was successful. Verse 4: "Wherein they think it strange that ye run not with them to the same excess of riot, speaking evil of you." Verse 5: "Who shall give account to Him that is ready to judge the quick," that means the living, "and the dead." Well, now you see right there, "were some of them dead?" No, they're spiritually dead and I'll document that in this lecture. "You, to give account concerning you." Now listen carefully, verse 6: "For for this cause," it was for this reason, "was the gospel preached also," underline *also* in your mind, "to them that are dead, that they might be judged according to men in the flesh, but live according to God in the spirit." In other words, they had an opportunity the same as we do in the flesh today. What were they preaching? The gospel, the good news. Christ died whereby we may repent and by believing upon Him, you can have eternal life. And many of them, I have no doubt, many of them believed upon Him and crossed over that gulf, which is simply to say to pass from one side of paradise to the other. And it really upsets some people because to hear you say, or to hear it explained as Christ did in that 16th chapter of Luke, that Satan and his little children are in heaven but they're in bad shape, they're awaiting judgment. Satan has a few other duties to do as Revelation 12:7 indicates, but the important thing that you know: God, your Father, your heavenly Father, is fair. He gave them opportunity. Though they had passed from the flesh body even into the spiritual body, they had the opportunity to hear the truth and they heard it from who? Directly from the mouth of the Savior while He was yet in the tomb, before His resurrection, giving them the opportunity, the same opportunity that you have today, even while you dwell in the flesh. Why would He do that? I can go one step deeper into fairness if you like. If, as it is written, the elect, God's election, were chosen before the foundation of this earth because they stood against Satan, because they were chosen before the *katabole* (the Greek verb, the overthrow of Satan), why? They were fighting against Satan and, as it is written in Romans chapter eight, they were justified, meaning they were judged there and foreordained to do the work of God in this age whereby God could interfere in their lives to bring these scriptures, quite frankly, to pass. God has servants. But if God—here's the question—if God chose the election while they were in spiritual bodies, before they were born of woman, that is to say chosen before the foundations of this earth, when they had total recall, wouldn't it be a little unfair then to judge someone to death in the flesh? That's a good question to pose, especially when we see that He gave these that only knew what they had acquired in the flesh because they were born innocent, not knowing, the opportunity in a spiritual body to choose right from wrong. I'm sure, I am sure in my mind that many of them chose the right path because, at that time, they were in the spiritual bodies. That's why we have the Millennium, whereby, again, they will be in spiritual bodies and there will be preachings in the Millennium. No second chance. It's just that many people today, they don't have a chance, my friend.
Okay, let's go to Corinthians chapter 15. Let's talk about the two bodies. I think it is important that you understand that we do have two bodies. Each person has two bodies and we're going to talk about that. Paul was asked about it and Paul, he was an excellent teacher, chosen by God for his ability to teach. Therefore, God through him would bring forth a great deal of the New Testament. In First Corinthians chapter 12, concerning death, Paul himself was even taken to the third heaven, in the third person. Well, he would say "I know not" but he was taken to paradise whereby he could see those that were present there and now he tries to explain to you and answers the question. Let's just let him do it. Let's pick it up with verse 35, First Corinthians chapter 15, and it reads: "But some man will say, How are the dead raised up?" Question. "And with what body do they come?" I mean, yeah, you know, you don't have to stick around too long, especially as a pastor, until you see people relocated that were buried and so forth or turned to ashes or dirt and they're in a hole in the ground. There's not much there to raise up, my friend. But yet people will ask it and they are taught it. And it's a fair question but you, as a Christian, should know the answer, all right? Having asked the question.
Verse 36: "Thou fool," or that's a foolish thing, or don't be a foolish one, "that which thou sowest is not quickened," I want you to understand that that which thou sowest is not made alive. In other words, that that you put in the ground is not made alive except it die. Verse 37: "And that which thou sowest," that that you put in the ground, "thou sowest not that body that shall be, but bare grain, or naked grain, it may chance of wheat, or of some other grain." In other words, when you plant, let's say a grain of corn, that grain of corn grew on a cob and it's a beautiful grain but it's dead; it has an embryo within it, the same as you have an inner man within you. But when you plant that grain, it isn't that grain that grows from the ground. It dies to feed the embryo, the nutrients, that it takes to bring it, give it its start. But something far better grows from it. It's a very good analogy but the flesh must die before the spiritual man can step forth.
Now, this is not to say that flesh is not fit or not a good thing—else our Father would not have created man in flesh—but flesh is a testing period to test whether or not you will love God or Satan. So, bear in mind, flesh and blood cannot enter the kingdom of heaven. You have to be in the spiritual body before you can enter the kingdom of heaven. And let me say for those that might say, "Well, if that's the case, let's just jump over the cliff." Well, don't be stupid because God sent us here with a purpose and a destiny: some, God's election, and others, those that would have free will to document that they do love Him enough that they will absorb His word and do as they are led.
Okay, verse 38, same thought: "But God giveth it a body as it hath pleased Him, and to every seed his own body." In other words, everyone is different. If you don't think even in the flesh we're different, we're certainly different in the spiritual bodies. That's how you can be traced by your fingerprints. We are all unique. We are all different. God created us different because it gave Him pleasure. He does not like to be lonely.
Verse 39: "All flesh is not the same flesh: but there is one kind of flesh of men, another flesh of beasts, another of fishes, and another of birds." In other words, there are different flesh that God created upon the earth and yes, the creatures will be in the Millennium for we know that the cow will graze with the bear, that the lamb will lie down with the lion, and the lion will eat the same substance that the other animals do. There will be no carnivores, in other words, why? Because there's no flesh left in the bodies that they will reside in as well. Presumably. In other words, a living lion is not going to eat grass in the body he's in today, let's put it that way. So, what is he saying? If even the animals have different bodies, don't you think you do? Do you think you're not better than an animal?
Verse 40: "There are also celestial," that is to say heavenly, "bodies," you got that? There are heavenly bodies, that's to say of people, "and bodies terrestrial," that is to say earthly bodies, "but the glory of the celestial is one, and the glory of the terrestrial is another." In other words, the flesh does not have the glory that the celestial body has, the heavenly body, your spiritual body. What does your flesh want? Your flesh causes you to do or most of the sin that you perform; it's always nagging at you: "I'm hungry, I'm thirsty, or I want this and I want that, lust and what have you." It's your flesh body that leads you astray most of the time. When you fail to cause the inner man to rise above the occasion to say "Shut up and listen to me, I'm in charge." So, you see, there are two bodies and the flesh body is just a little lower and the heavenly body is superior. You're more in control. It pleases me that our Father saw fit to allow Christ to offer the same salvation to all those that had died before the crucifixion back to day one of man in a flesh body.
Okay, let's go to the next verse, we've got verse 41: "There is one glory or splendor of the sun, and another glory of the moon, and another glory of the stars: for one star differeth from another star in glory." God's children are called the stars, His heavenly stars. Why? Well, I suppose if we were to have known the order of things in the first earth age, we could understand that. They are called stars in the book of Job where he says the sons of God being those stars that laughed and played and were the children of God. It is mentioned again in the book of Revelation in chapter 12 where it stipulates that Satan drew a third of the stars with his tail; it's God's children. We're all different, that's what he's telling you here. God had a purpose for creating each one of us in the way that He did. Why? It pleased Him.
Verse 42: "So also is the resurrection of the dead." Listen carefully: "So also is the resurrection of the dead. It is sown in corruption," that means in the Greek that it is sown in a body that perishes, "it is raised in incorruption." In other words, the spiritual body is not something that will waste away; it is not perishable, all right? The subject is the body, okay? You got two. You got a flesh body that's going to deteriorate but you've got a spiritual body that's not perishable. Flame wouldn't hurt it. Ice wouldn't hurt it. Age wouldn't hurt it.
Verse 43: "It is sown in dishonor," in other words, flesh is always dishonor, that is to say, we all fall short, "it is raised in glory: it is sown in weakness" and man is weak in the flesh, "it is raised in power." Power of God. This body is weak; it is susceptible to any disease that comes along most often if it is not immunized to various things and that that is natural by following God's laws. It's sickly, it's puny, it's weak compared to the power of our Father. It's just the way it is. What we have to look forward to.
Verse 44: "It is sown a natural body," that means flesh, that means as you see yourself, "it is raised" — this is how it is raised, the flesh is not coming out of the ground, okay? — "it is raised a spiritual body. There is a natural body," you do have a flesh body, "and there is a spiritual body," you do have a spiritual body. There are two different bodies. The natural stays behind, why? Why would you want it? It's sickly, it's weak, it's organic in as much as it was made from the soil and the food that sustains this body is the organic minerals, vitamins, and so forth that we derive from eating organic material, and/or organic material that has been eaten by another animal and then eating the flesh of that animal. There are two bodies, you got it?
Verse 45: "And so it is written, The first man Adam" — that's *Ha'adam* — "was made a living soul." Understand, he was made, created, formed, a living soul. "The last Adam," that is to say Christ, "was made a quickening spirit." In other words, through Adam came sin into the world via Satan whereas by Christ, He had a quickening effect. That means to make alive in the Greek—check it out in the Greek yourself in your Strong's so that you have this down right—a quickening spirit is a life-giving spirit. Not death-giving spirit. A life-giving spirit.
Verse 46: "Howbeit that was not first which is spiritual, but that which is natural; and afterward that which is spiritual." Why couldn't it be, he's asking, that God could not have made us spiritual first where you can see it? Well, in a sense, if you're familiar with the first earth age, He did. Well, why were we made natural then? Because of Satan's rebellion and the rebellion of the children that rebelled with him. It is written in Genesis chapter six, verse three—I believe three or four—that it grieved God that He had made man flesh also. Meaning only in the first earth age, only the mammoths, dinosaurs, that sort of thing were flesh, man was not. He was in the spiritual body but it was to prove and to document, born innocent, whether they would love God or Satan. "Who are you going to follow?"
All right, verse 47: "The first man," the first, this word is Adam, "is of the earth, earthy; the second man is the Lord from heaven." Emmanuel, God with us. The first man was formed; the second Adam, Christ, the life-giving one, the anointed one, was from heaven in as much as He was the only begotten of God Himself.
Verse 48: "As is the earthy, such are they also that are earthy." If you're in the flesh, you're gonna be earthy, all right? "And as is the heavenly, such are they also that are heavenly." Kind of—I could write so much into that, not really write it into it but pull it from it because it is there. It's according to which of your men that you listen to: your flesh—there's no gender in that, it applies to all—it's according to which you listen to, the earthly or the heavenly? You consist of both. Which do you listen to? Which one wins?
Verse 49: "And as we have borne the image of the earthy," just as sure as you've lived in the flesh, "we shall"—we maybe? No—"we shall also bear the image of the heavenly." As you were may—as God would say, "Let us make man in our image." He was speaking to the *Elohim*. That is to say, God and the angels, and each soul from that day was placed into that embryo and would part the service, cervix, and be born earthy, innocent, and then Christ would come, giving us salvation whereby we could see and have life rather than death because of the sins that had committed, each committed his image. If you have seen the Son, you have seen the Father because Christ was begotten in the exact image of Almighty God and, quite frankly, you were begat in the same image and why you became a living soul when you entered the earth is because you look just like you did there: "Let us make man in our image" (plural).
Verse 50: "Now this I say," or you can count on this, "brethren, that flesh and blood cannot, cannot inherit the kingdom of God." If that's all you've got going for you, friend, you're in a lot of trouble. There is no way you're going to inherit an eternal seat if you're all in the earth. "Neither doth corruption inherit incorruption." In other words, there is no way that corruption can inherit a perfect body. Won't do it. Flesh is sin, carnal. The inner man is the better part of you.
Verse 51, listen carefully: "Behold, I show you a mystery." Now, do you wanna understand the mystery? "We shall not all sleep," we're not all gonna die, "but we shall all"—now, does that say some of us? Well, just the people of this denomination? No. Those of that denomination? No. *All*. A-L-L, "all be changed." We're all going to be changed into a spiritual body. Why? We've all got one. We all have a spiritual body, we all have a flesh body. How has that happened?
Verse 52: "In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump." What is the last trump? There's seven of them, you figure it out for yourself. The Greek is very specific: the farthest one out, the seventh trump, when Christ returns. "For the trumpet shall sound," not maybe. When it's time, it'll honk, "and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed." The spirit—now listen to me, hang onto this—those that are spiritually dead shall be raised incorruptible and we shall be changed. They're going to go into that spiritual body but there's a little more to it. Listen to this: many would say, "Well I cannot handle that. The judgment hasn't been yet and they're raised in an incorruptible body," you got it, because it's one or the other, friend. You can't go before God in the flesh unless He so decrees specially; flesh and blood cannot enter His presence so you gotta be changed to even go there to be judged. Have you got it? Here will be your answer.
Verse 53: "For this corruptible must put on incorruption." That's to say, this corruptible body, this body that is flesh and ages, it withers, must put on incorruption. "And this mortal"—uh oh, what do we got here? Mortal, this mortal? You're talking about your soul now, not your body. "This mortal soul must put on immortality."
Now, I could trust you to check these out for yourself. The last time I taught this subject, I did—I'm not gonna do it today. It isn't that I don't trust you but it's that not everyone has the ability to have access to a Greek dictionary. So, I'm gonna do it for you. I wanna take the word *corruptible*—let's get what it... in other words, that's where your documentation is. Let's pull up the Greek word, 5349, and you see that it is *phthartos*. It is from another word; it means decayed, implication perishable. It's your flesh, and translated in the King James as corruptible. That's what the flesh is: perishable. It will decay. And if you, unfortunately—and I hope you never have to—but if you've ever been in war or in other places, you find out how quickly a body can decay. All right? Now, speaking of the body, first to identify that corruptible has to do with the body. Your spirit or your soul can never decay. Not actually. If we were to use it as analogy, well, maybe so, speaking in a spiritual sense, but in a natural sense, no way, friend. This body decays, all right?
Let's see what it is that it puts on: the word *incorruption*. It is your Greek word 816, it is *aphtharsia* and it means, in the genitive sense, unending existence, deathlessness in other words. In other words, it's not perishable; it is eternal, immortal, meaning there is no beginning and there is no end to it. It is a body that will last you forever.
So, what have we learned? This corruptible, perishable, sickly, a body that ages with time, will put on the spiritual body—remember what Paul says, "I don't want you to be ignorant of the fact that you have two bodies"—will step out at the moment the flesh dies into that incorruptible, a body without end unless God so decides to end it.
But what's this word *mortal*? I want you to know what it means as well, mortal. And it is the Greek word 2349 and it is *thnΔtos*. It means liable to die. That's all it is. Your soul is liable to die. Why? God's going to sentence it to death at the Great White Throne Judgment. Anytime you're still mortal, it simply means you're liable to die and it's talking about your soul.
Now, what is *immortality*? It's a word, even though it is Greek, that many of you are used to. It's the Greek 110, *athanasia*. It's from a compound as a negative particle, and it means deathlessness. There's no death involved. Deathlessness. Eternal.
So, what did we find out? This flesh, putrid, corruptible body must put on a body that has deathlessness to it, that is to say, a body that will last forever. It won't wear out; the knee joints won't get old, the hip bones or joints won't have to be replaced; the neck and the femur will never wear out. Quite frankly, because there would be no weight on it in the first place, but we are made in that image and don't worry, it will have a femur and there will be a neck to the femur. The body parts will be the same, made in a different—well, I shouldn't say, I wanna be careful there, we don't wanna get into the gender sense—but you understand? Then, yes, everyone will be raised in a spiritual body but those that are spiritually dead here—and I probably should use a different terminology but you're sharp enough to follow me—those that are not in good standing with God still have a mortal soul, meaning a liable-to-die soul. Why? If they don't overcome, they're going to die. So, the mortal soul must put on immortality (*athanasia*) which is to say deathlessness. There you have it. You have the conditions of both the flesh and the spiritual body and you have the soul that is corrupted and you have the soul that has *athanasia* which is to say deathlessness.
Okay, I wanna go two more verses and we'll conclude. Verse 54 in the same chapter: "So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal"—understand two different things: your body and your soul—"when this body has put on incorruption and the soul that is mortal, liable to die, shall have put on *athanasia*, which is to say deathlessness, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory." We have that victory in Him.
One more verse, 55: "O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?" It has no victory because we overcome in Christ. It is so important that you understand you have two bodies or you're never going to understand where the dead are. And it is, secondly, you give yourself a second-class God if He is a God of the dead instead of the living anyway; a God that can't give us a good quality of life eternal, it's not all powerful. He is all powerful and the instant this flesh dies, stepping from it is that spiritual man and it returns to the Father who gave it. In the next lecture, we will document this beyond anyone's shadow of a doubt. It's precious. All right, bless your hearts.
**Questions & Answers with Pastor Arnold Murray**
Donald from Texas: "Where did Cain's wife come from?" That's one of the most asked questions: from the sixth day creation. God created the races on the sixth day and then He rested one day and on the eighth day, new beginnings, He realized He didn't have a man that could till the ground. He had to send others out to fish and to hunt, to take charge of the animals, wild animals, but He didn't have it so He created a different Adam. It's called in the Hebrew *Ha'adam* which simply means "the Adam." And when Cain was driven from him, from that myth—well, that's where he went, was to the six-day creation.
Linda from Tennessee: "Please explain Genesis 4:1, thank you." *Yada*—I'll just say it in the Hebrew: Adam knew his wife, she conceived, naturally, and bare a son and his name was Cain and Eve said, "I've got the man with the help of the Lord." She was innocent, she didn't know what had happened. But verse two gives you your answer to your question: it states that she continued—the word "again" should be translated "continued." In the Hebrew it is, she continued in labor and gave birth to his twin. Not identical twins but twins by separate fathers as a matter of fact.
David C from Virginia: You sure have some good neighbors. They wanted to call to your attention that even though you have been eight years practically an invalid, that while you're down and everything else, that you're witness and teaching your neighbors patience and tolerance, that it's made a great impact on them and they just want you to know that they appreciate you. Now, I wanna tell you people—and Margaret is the one that asked that I mention that, that's why I'm saying—a person that is handicapped carries a powerful witness in his community because many people would say, "Well, why did God do this to me?" You know? Well, if you say, "I don't know why He did it but I stand," even as you have, David C, well, in Virginia, you've made a great impact on your community. God bless you.
Vicki from Tennessee: "Referencing Matthew 24:2, would this mean that the same temple that the disciples were looking at is the same temple that Jesus said there shall not be one stone standing? Does this temple still stand?" No, it doesn't. But the wall does. Part of the city still stands and He said when this happens—not one, I mean, it's gonna be not even pea gravel but sand after Satan's reign there, okay?
Ruth from Florida: "I heard you say something about God being divorced from Israel, please tell me where I can find this and also about the divorce laws." Well, your divorce laws primarily, for the Christian, best is First Corinthians chapter seven. And as far as God being divorced, a divorcee, He is, and it really states it in more places than one but probably Jeremiah chapter three, verse eight.
Chris from Minnesota: "Mark 16:18, 'shall take up serpents and if they drink any deadly drink, nothing shall harm them.' Recently 72 people in one church died from snake bites. What does this scripture mean?" Well, this is a real sad thing to me because it is a figure of speech and what it means is that you can pick up serpents—Satan is the serpent—and it means that you can walk anywhere Satan is and he can't harm you. Why? With Christ in us, we have power over him. But a big ol' rattlesnake hasn't read that scripture. A big ol' rattlesnake doesn't know Mark 16:18 to tell someone that is ignorant of God's scriptures that it's not talking about the snake. And "to drink any poison" is a figure of speech that means your character, your reputation will withstand any test. That's what it means, and all it is is a figure of speech. If you drink poison, it will kill you. If you get bitten too many times with a rattlesnake without help, medical help, you're going to die. It has nothing to do with God's scripture. So, Chris, I know, it's real sad. It happens. What can we do? Continue teaching God's word and educate people as to the true meaning of God's word.
Sam from Minnesota: "If you're already repented and cleaned up your life and you fail again, what hope is there? Is He still there to guide you?" Of course He is, Sam. Christ said, was asked, "How many times?" He said, "490 times, seven times 70." So, that's a lot of times in even one day if you would—you don't need that many repentances because to truly repent—but no, man is always going to fall short. And if you have a habit or something that causes you to continue sinning, then start praying for power to overcome it, all right? Along with the repentance. God understands His children.
"I don't have a name on this: Is a woman supposed to preach? Thank you." Well, it's according to whether—that's up to God. God gives the gifts of preaching and you can always recognize a gifted preacher when you hear one. It is written concerning one Philip that he had four daughters, all of them were virgins, but at the same time, they were all prophetesses. What is to prophesy? It's to teach. It is written in Acts chapter two, which is drawn from the great book of Joel chapter two, that both sons and daughters shall teach and prophesy in the end times. We're in the end times. Anybody that really needs to know how many women were participating—you see, the Greek names many times, the feminine is not brought forth by men. And that's why I did the work *Women of the Bible*; it's a cassette tape, it's on the tape list.
Doug from Florida: "What does the Bible say about capital punishment?" It says to kill them. If somebody takes another's life maliciously, criminally—not accidentally now, but lays in wait, meaning premeditates—he should die and no ifs, no ands, no buts, and it should be done publicly and these things would cease happening among you. That's in Deuteronomy chapter 19 and Christ fortified it by saying, "I don't change that law one iota, for you've heard if a man take another man's life, he's gonna burn." All right? *Phoneus* in the Greek meaning criminal homicide, he shall be judged to death. There are no unsolved mysteries with our Father.
Tim from Tennessee: "You seem to overlook the prophecies in Daniel and Revelation for everyone, not just a specific people. Please comment." All prophecies are for everyone. What do you mean I overlook them? I am a teacher of them but they apply to all people, to the children of God. Who do you think the children of God are? It is as one that is a child of Satan—if they accept Christ, if they love the Lord, then they are a child of God and it applies to them. All right? Do you understand? That is the—your question is the reason that in Matthew chapter one, the genealogy of Christ is given but it is by adoption. It wasn't actually... the blood that ran in Christ's vein had nothing to do with Matthew chapter one because it wasn't Christ's genealogy; it was Joseph's, who was, we'll call him, His step-father. Didn't have anything to do with the birth, all right? It means to think deeper.
Dale from California: "How can you not believe in hell? It's so well documented in the Bible." Well, I believe in hell. It's the lake of fire. But Dale, have you got a Strong's Concordance? Son, look at it, all right? Most of the places that hell is utilized, it's either grave or a garbage pit outside of Jerusalem. But get real, son, get into the word, document with truth, not just an English translation. Go back to the original language. Get cracking with it. Oh, there's a hell, you bet. Don't ever understand me to say there isn't. There is: lake of fire and God is a consuming fire.
Kate from South Carolina: "Regarding the Shekinah glory, how is it spelled? I can't find it in the Concordance. Exactly what is the meaning?" Well, let me help you because it's really two words, all right? Two English words and actually two Hebrew words that make up *Shekinah*. There are two—three, three different spellings if my memory doesn't fail me. And let me help you this way: it is the Hebrew word 7935 in your Hebrew dictionary of the Strong's Concordance. 7935, all right? I'm out of time. It means "God's dwelt here" or "God dwells here, He's present" and that's the glory.
π‘✞ Where Are The Dead (Part-Two Series): In-Depth Bible Study π https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vieQRPf8V8A&list=PLcK3ZkGY_ffoxhNrczeIxZj6lQOWzACbm&index=2
π✨ Where Are the Dead (Part #2)? — Bible Study Summary (Pastor Arnold Murray) ✨π
π― Core Teaching Overview
π¨π« Exposition focuses on explaining the state and location of the dead according to Scripture, challenging common traditions through detailed Bible study. The central theme is:
➡️ Only the flesh dies; the soul continues to live in the spiritual realm.
π Key Scriptural Foundations
| π Scripture | π‘ Explanation | ✨ Key Insight |
|---|---|---|
| π 2 Corinthians 5:7-8 | "To be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord." | π️ Death means leaving the flesh body and being with God spiritually. |
| π 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 | Paul teaches about believers who have "fallen asleep." | ✝️ The dead in Christ are with Him, and believers will join them at His return. |
| π Revelation 6:9-11 | Souls under the altar cry out for justice. | π₯ The dead remain conscious and aware. |
| π Ecclesiastes 9:3-6 | Describes the end of earthly life. | π Flesh returns to dust; earthly activity ceases. |
| π Ecclesiastes 12:3-7 | Describes aging and death. | π️ The spirit returns to God who gave it. |
π Important Concepts & Clarifications
π Flesh vs. Soul
πͺ¦ The flesh body is mortal and returns to dust.
π️ The soul/spirit survives physical death.
✨ Physical death does not end spiritual existence.
πͺ¦ The flesh body is mortal and returns to dust.
π️ The soul/spirit survives physical death.
✨ Physical death does not end spiritual existence.
π΄ "Asleep" in Death
π Scripture often describes death as "sleep."
π This refers to the flesh body.
π️ The soul remains conscious.
π Scripture often describes death as "sleep."
π This refers to the flesh body.
π️ The soul remains conscious.
π― The Resurrection and Christ's Return
π At the Seventh Trumpet, Christ returns.
⚡ Believers are instantly changed into spiritual bodies.
π The resurrection involves transformation into incorruptible bodies.
π At the Seventh Trumpet, Christ returns.
⚡ Believers are instantly changed into spiritual bodies.
π The resurrection involves transformation into incorruptible bodies.
☁️ Clouds as Symbolic Language
☁️ "Caught up in the clouds" is understood as spiritual gathering.
✨ Emphasis is placed on meeting Christ in a spiritual state.
☁️ "Caught up in the clouds" is understood as spiritual gathering.
✨ Emphasis is placed on meeting Christ in a spiritual state.
⚖️ Souls Under the Altar
π Revelation 6 depicts martyrs beneath God's altar.
π₯ They speak, remember, and await judgment.
π They receive white robes as a sign of reward.
π Revelation 6 depicts martyrs beneath God's altar.
π₯ They speak, remember, and await judgment.
π They receive white robes as a sign of reward.
π’ Biblical Numerics
π The number 4 often symbolizes earth and material creation.
π️ References to four spirits relate to earthly affairs and prophecy.
π The number 4 often symbolizes earth and material creation.
π️ References to four spirits relate to earthly affairs and prophecy.
☀️ Ecclesiastes: Life "Under the Sun"
π Ecclesiastes focuses on earthly life.
πͺ¦ It emphasizes the certainty of physical death.
✨ The spirit's destiny extends beyond earthly existence.
π Ecclesiastes focuses on earthly life.
πͺ¦ It emphasizes the certainty of physical death.
✨ The spirit's destiny extends beyond earthly existence.
π The Silver Cord
π Ecclesiastes 12 uses the imagery of a silver cord.
⚡ When the cord is broken, physical life ends.
π️ The spirit returns to God.
π Ecclesiastes 12 uses the imagery of a silver cord.
⚡ When the cord is broken, physical life ends.
π️ The spirit returns to God.
❌ Common Misunderstandings Addressed
| ❓ Misconception | ✅ Biblical Correction |
|---|---|
| ⚰️ Souls remain buried in graves | π️ Souls continue living in the spiritual realm. |
| π§ Physical flesh rises unchanged | ✨ Resurrection involves spiritual transformation. |
| ☁️ Clouds mean literal floating in the sky | π Clouds can symbolize spiritual gathering. |
| π΅ The dead are unconscious | π₯ Revelation shows conscious souls awaiting judgment. |
| π Tradition overrides Scripture | π God's Word remains the final authority. |
π¬ Additional Insights from Q&A
π§ Stability in Faith
π Believers are encouraged to remain grounded in God's Word.
π³ Spiritual maturity produces consistency and discernment.
π Believers are encouraged to remain grounded in God's Word.
π³ Spiritual maturity produces consistency and discernment.
π Earth's Place in God's Plan
π§ Scripture contains symbolic references suggesting the earth's importance in God's purposes.
π§ Scripture contains symbolic references suggesting the earth's importance in God's purposes.
πΌ Sons of God and the Nephilim
π Discussion centers on angelic beings and ancient rebellion.
⚠️ Their actions contributed to corruption before the flood.
π Discussion centers on angelic beings and ancient rebellion.
⚠️ Their actions contributed to corruption before the flood.
⚖️ Justice for the Wicked
π₯ God ultimately judges evil.
π The righteous witness God's justice and victory.
π₯ God ultimately judges evil.
π The righteous witness God's justice and victory.
π The Young Man in Mark
π€ Tradition suggests the young man mentioned in Mark's Gospel may have been Mark himself.
π€ Tradition suggests the young man mentioned in Mark's Gospel may have been Mark himself.
✨ Summary & Key Takeaways
✅ πͺ¦ Death affects the physical body, not the soul.
✅ π️ The spirit returns to God and remains alive.
✅ π― At Christ's return, believers receive glorified spiritual bodies.
✅ π₯ The dead are conscious in the spiritual realm.
✅ ⚡ Resurrection is a transformation from corruption to incorruption.
✅ ☁️ Biblical expressions such as "sleep" and "clouds" often contain symbolic meaning.
✅ π God's Word should be the foundation for understanding death and the afterlife.
✅ ❤️ Comfort comes from knowing faithful loved ones are not lost but continue to exist in God's care.
π Key Message: The hope of the believer is not found in the preservation of the flesh, but in the promise of resurrection, immortality, and eternal life through ✝️ Jesus Christ. π️ππ✨
π‘✞ Where Are The Dead (Part #2):
**Pastor Arnold Murray:** We're ready to get back into our subject, "Where are the Dead?" Again, I want to emphasize there's never a time that a Christian can be more helpful to a non-believer or even a believer that isn't well grounded or founded in God's word, it's at a traumatic time when someone has lost a loved one. To be able to document where they actually are by using our Father's word rather than the traditions of men, it solidifies their mind into what really a loving God we have that He is the God of the living and not the dead.
And what that really means ultimately is this: that only the flesh dies, not the child. Only the flesh dies, not your loved one. To be absent from this body as it is written in the Book of Corinthians—well, 2 Corinthians, chapter five, verse seven and eight—to be absent from this body is to be present with the Lord and that's exactly what it means. We're going today to go into a scripture where many people get the so-called rapture doctrine. We're going to go to 1 Thessalonians, chapter four, and we're going to draw from that word exactly what Paul was talking about. Again, Paul himself, as it is written in 2 Corinthians, was taken to Heaven in the third party while he stated, "I don't know whether I was speaking in the third party whether in the flesh or whether in the spirit." Well, we know it was in the spirit or transfigured, one or the other, that would be a possibility. But he observed what was happening there. So it is very easy to document that our people, our loved one's souls are not in the ground out here like a post sticking in the ground. That when we're through with the flesh, we're through with it. We're gonna document that today and we're gonna come to with a word of wisdom from our Father. Let us draw from this fourth chapter of 1 Thessalonians and let's see what Paul really said there, all right? Actually, the subject rather than rapture is where the dead are. You'll find that out.
Verse 13 of the fourth chapter, 1 Thessalonians, and it reads: "But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep." What is the subject? I don't want you to be ignorant about where the dead are. That is to say, the dead flesh. "That ye sorrow not," that you're not weeping or feel like they're planted in the ground, "even as other which have no hope." That's to say like heathen. God's people are supposed to understand and not be ignorant as to where those are that are dead. The topic of this lecture: where are the dead? He's gonna tell you.
Verse 14: "For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again," if you think that He died and rose and He is the author of our faith, "even so them also which sleep," that is to say our dead, "in Jesus will God bring with him." Why? Because they're already with Him. If you believe that Jesus rose, then surely you believe that they did. You're a believer. He conquered death. "O grave, where is your victory?" You don't have any, as we found in 1 Corinthians. They're already gone as Paul would stipulate—the same Paul in 2 Corinthians 7 and 8—to be absent from this body is present with the Lord. Surely as a Christian, if you believe Christ arose, then surely you know they have also. Even from Christ, again, from His teachings in Luke chapter 16, the parable of Lazarus and the rich man. They were both in paradise but there was a gulf between them. That's exactly how it is. You couldn't have a better picture of what paradise looks like, okay.
What now has Paul stated? He says, I don't want you to be ignorant about where the dead are. That if you're a believer in Christ, you know that He rose from the tomb or you wouldn't be a Christian. It would mean that the Devil got Him. Well, He didn't. And not only did the Devil not conquer Him, He went to the people that the Devil had deceived and freed them if they chose to believe.
Verse 15: "For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord." What is he saying? "We say this to 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." We will not precede them. Why? They're already with Him. That's simple logic and a child should understand it. Verse 16—no, I'm not talking down to anyone—it's obvious if you use common sense.
Verse 16: "For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel." Which archangel? Well, "and with the trump of God"—which archangel blows the trump naturally—"with the trump of God," that's the seventh trump, the last trump, the same trump we read of in 1 Corinthians 15, verse 52. "With the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first." Notice the colon, not a comma. Different thought. Naturally, when the seventh trump sounds—let's pull the subject and the object together here, that's what you do when you read a simple thing—when the seventh trump sounds, when the seventh seal is exposed, when the seventh vial unfolds and is poured out, then Christ Himself shall return to this earth at the seventh trump. And then, in the wink of an eye, in a moment, as Paul said in that 52nd verse of 1 Corinthians 15, that mystery, we will all be changed instantly at that time into the spiritual body. But those that have preceded us are already there. They will rise first. Why? They are already there. This malarkey of people thinking that these old flesh bodies are gonna rise is idiocy. All you have to do is look at the remains after it's been there ten years and I don't know who would want it. When the beautiful body in spirit is already with the Father and returning with Him. It's heathenistic teachings because that's what the heathen believe. So I guess it's kind of your choice whether you wanna be a heathen—or I should say believe as a heathen—or whether you wanna be a Christian, that means a Christ man. Christ lives and He is the Savior of the living and anyone that believes upon Him is certainly not dead, but with Him.
Verse 17: Then, after that seventh trump sounds—take yourself to it and everyone is changed—"then we which are alive and remain," we which are in the flesh, "alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air." This is Greek 109 and it means the breath of life. It means the spiritual body. In other words, in that instant, at that last trump, we are changed into the spiritual body. This word is not "atmosphere." You can't get "sky" out of it. Look at the Greek word *aer* at 109 in your Greek dictionary. "And so shall we ever be with the Lord."
Now, the word "clouds"—many people, they'll take a Strong's Concordance after they hear me make those statements, "Well, I'm gonna see what these clouds are." Well, it's "clouds," he's using it as an analogy, a figure of speech. Paul spoke—Paul was a Hebrew scholar, number one. You do realize that, don't you? In other words, all his studying was done in the language of the Hebrews and the feet of Gamaliel, one of the greatest teachers. But Greek, he spoke colloquial Greek and also as Paul would move to a different area, naturally he would pick up slang and the colloquial expressions utilized by the people that he was speaking to because he was a communicator. You do that. A person that communicates with people today as you move about the country, there are certain people that if you do not speak basically in their dialect of English, they're not going to talk to you. That is to say, you're not going to get anything or learn anything from them because you speak differently than they do and they're shy. So you have to gear it down and get in their dialect. Well, that's what Paul did; he was a communicator. You will find records—listen closely—in Hebrews chapter 12, verse one where Paul says, "We're going together in a cloud at the Olympics," like at the Olympics. And this happened to be Greece, so that was the origin of the Olympics. He said, "We're gonna gather into a cloud and run a foot race." Well now, something doesn't jive, does it? No, because it's colloquial Greek, or I like to call it street Greek. What he was saying—have you never heard the expression, "I saw a cloud of locusts"? Or, "There was a covey of quail that flew up to me that was like a cloud of quail." Or "a cloud of this or the other." We use it even to this day. And yet you got these softies that will say, "Yes, we're going to gather in the clouds and fly around playing the harp in the Millennium. Right up there, just caught right up, I mean sucked out of here like with a vacuum hose and float in the clouds of glory." But now stop and think for a moment: Christ is returning here, at the seventh trump. He's returning here. And He's establishing the Millennial Temple as it is written. Why, if He's coming here, do you wanna go there? I don't quite get that, all right. I mean, we just finished a lecture in the Book of Ezekiel where the last chapters, eight chapters, have to do with the Millennium and what people will be doing in that time, and they're not floating on clouds; they're working here on earth. It is strange that people don't stop, they don't think. Our Father is very natural and He does things in a very natural way. He's supernatural, which means He's more natural than we are. All He's saying here is that at the seventh trump, we're all going to be changed into spiritual bodies and there's gonna be a large group of us with Him. To do what? To do the work of the Millennium, as it is written.
Verse 18: "Wherefore comfort one another with these words." And they are comforting. When someone is in a heap of hurt and suffering because they lost a loved one, they didn't lose a loved one. It is the truth of Christianity that we want to be with our Lord and that's where they went. You didn't lose them; they're very much alive. It's just that they left this flesh body. It is amazing to me that people turn this message of where the dead are from this fourth chapter of Thessalonians into what they have, all right. But be that as it may, as Paul says, I don't want you to be ignorant, but if some choose to be, hey, there's not very much we can do about it nor should we worry about it; it isn't their time. And apparently God doesn't want them yet.
Where are the dead? Can we find other documentation that will document from the word of God where they are? I think so, many, many places. We're only gonna touch, just scratch the surface in this lecture, but it will get you started, okay.
Now, what about the seals? I hope you're familiar with them. Anyone can count from one through seven. The seventh seal and the seventh trump are the same. But what happens back at the fifth seal, that's even before the false messiah appears on earth. What's going on then with those that are dead? Well, let's read about it. Verse nine of chapter six, the great book of the unveiling, which is to say the great Book of Revelation. And it reads: "And when he had opened the fifth seal"—now, listen to me, the fifth seal, not the seventh—"the fifth seal, I saw," visually, "under the altar the souls of them that were slain for the word of God and for the testimony which they held." Now, that's not a complicated sentence. The structure is adequate, the translation is complete, it's not only transliterated. It says there—would it say, as some teach, "I saw the souls in a hole in the ground buried down deep under the planet under the pretty flowers on Memorial Day. Yeah, there they were right there under the tombstone in the grave, I saw 'em." That's not what it says. So why would you teach such nonsense, that they're under the stone in the ground? The souls of those that have been slain, meaning they had walked this earth, were under the altar of God, not in some hole in the ground. Absolutely nailing home the truth, whereby only the ignorant could not see what has transpired.
Verse 10: "And they cried with a loud voice." They're even conscious, they can think. They have wisdom. What are they saying? "Saying, How long, O Lord, holy and true, dost thou not judge and avenge our blood"—that means the blood that ran in the veins of a flesh body that walked the earth—"on them that dwell on the earth?" Being on the earth where the dastardly act took place. They can even communicate with the Father, much as Jesus described in the parable of Lazarus and the rich man concerning Lazarus in the bosom of Abraham. Right there at the throne, you can see it, no great mystery. A child can understand it when you rip away the traditions of churchianity and read the word for what it states. We see that certainly they weren't in some hole in the ground, they weren't asleep. That's simply a play on the word "death." It's better to say the flesh is asleep than dead because the soul that rests within it is not dead.
And then we find in verse 11: "And white robes were given unto every one of them." That means they overcame and that means they all possessed righteous acts because that weaves the linen. "And it was said unto them that they should rest yet a little season until their fellowservants"—people just like them, that's what fellowservants means—"also and their brethren that should be killed as they were should be fulfilled." Well, we're not going to be spiritually killed. We're going to have the victory. We're going to win against Satan. It is written we have the victory. Different subject for a different time.
Now, where are the dead? To me, I have great difficulty understanding how anyone could not understand those few verses we just read in the sixth chapter. I really don't. It would be like you would want to call God a liar if you did not believe what we just read as to where the dead are. But, be that as it may, let's continue looking. While we're here, let's turn to the 19th chapter of this great Book of Revelation. And here John is still being taken and an angelic being appears. What it really is is a fellowservant in a spiritual angelic body. They're one in the same, my friend. We all have one; it's just that in the flesh we can't see it, it's the inner man.
Verse 10: This one appears and old John jumps down and falls at his feet. It would be just like if you could understand how the angelic being felt if you had passed on and one of your own children came up to you and fell down and started babbling in the dirt and praising and everything, how would you feel? You'd tell 'em to get up, right? And to worship God, not you. Well, listen what this 10th verse says: "And I fell at his feet to worship him. And he said unto me, See thou do it not: I am thy fellowservant"—in other words, you're embarrassing me, get up from there—"and of thy brethren." Of thy what? Of thy brethren. A brother is one born of the same womb, and in this particular case, it was born from the womb that God created that souls should be born through on this earth. Brethren, same kind. Fellowservant, same kind. "That have the testimony of Jesus: worship God." Not me, worship God. "For the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy."
You want more? More proof? Well, where the dead are? Well, this one was dead. Flesh-wise, he was a brethren, he walked the earth, but yet he's in an angelic form, spiritual body. What does the word "angel" mean? Messenger. All he's talkin' about is the testimony, the message of Jesus. That's what he is: a bearer of the message. Many of you are today, or at least you want to be.
Let's go to chapter 22, the very last chapter of this great Book of Revelation, and old John again—it seems like he learns a little slow—because again, one of these fellowservants approach him in the spiritual body and what happens? He falls down at his feet again. And this is what the entity stated in verse nine: "Then said he unto me, See thou do it not: for I am thy fellowservant, and of thy brethren the prophets." Which prophet was it? It was one of them. Was it Isaiah? Was it Jeremiah? Was it Daniel, Micah, Amos? I don't know, but it was of them. "Of thy brethren the prophets, and of them which keep the sayings of this book: worship God." In other words, they were not in a hole in the ground. And don't ever let some uneducated, unlearned heathen attitude—ignorance, I'll call it—teach you otherwise, because God's word makes it very clear.
I want us at this time to go to the Book of Ecclesiastes. As we are doing pretty good, I feel, we're making good time. I want you to understand a little bit about the Book of Ecclesiastes. It is a book that was written by the Preacher, and the word *qoheleth* in Hebrew means "the assembler" or "one that gathers." Call him Preacher, all right. But it's written to the man that walks under the sun, which is a Hebrew idiom. An idiom means it's like we would say, "We're gonna raise Cain tonight." Only that doesn't mean we're gonna go out and sow some cane. "Walks under the sun" means a flesh body walking on the earth under the sun, all right. And this book, if you ever wanna know how to keep your flesh body happy and how it should think and react, that's what the entire Book of Ecclesiastes is about. If you need the help of a teacher, then order my tapes on the Book of Ecclesiastes.
But, in as much as it is—now catch the point—in as much as it is written to the man that walks under the sun, meaning flesh body, he's going to tell you what happens to the flesh after death. Listen to it. Chapter nine, the great Book of Ecclesiastes, verse three: "This is an evil among all things"—in other words, there's one thing that's kinda bad—"that are done under the sun." That means to those in the flesh body. "That there is one event unto all." Whether you're a sinner or a saint, whether you're rich or whether you're poor. Doesn't seem hardly right, but this one event happens to all. "Yea, also the heart of the sons of men is full of evil, and madness is in their heart while they live." In other words, flesh kinda gets us in trouble. "And after that they go to the dead." In other words, there's one thing everybody's gonna do and that's that they're gonna die. They're gonna live in this flesh body and you're gonna die, whether you're rich or poor, whether you're a sinner or a saint. Said, that just seems kinda evil that that happens to all regardless of the fact. Well, it isn't really, because death isn't necessarily all that bad. Thank God that He gave us the instinct for survival because we have work to do here, but when we understand what happens to the soul, then we have a clearer understanding of the fact.
Verse four: "For to him that is joined to all the living"—him that is still alive in the flesh and is a part of the human community—"there is hope: for a living dog is better than a dead lion." Now, what is the lion? The lion is king of the jungle. Boy, when he roars, everybody listens. A dog is really not rated as the king. But when the lion dies, his old flesh is—as we learned in the last lecture—gonna decay. Hey, it's gonna rot. It's gonna turn to dust. And the dog still has metabolism going through his system, God creating all things as they are, and that beautiful reproduction that is instilled there in and the senses to be able to enjoy taste and smell and feel and control. How great it is. So in that case, what is he saying? The lion may be king of the jungle, but the dog is a lot better off than he is if he's dead, because he's gonna rot away. But understand, you've got to separate again the two bodies: the spiritual body from the soul body. And some might say, "Well, are you saying the lion has a spiritual body?" Well, I guess so, because you'll find out written in the prophets that he's gonna lay down with the lamb in the eternity without hurting him. So, yeah, I suppose he does. But separate the fact that even the lion's body is gonna rot in the dirt, all right. He's gonna turn back to dust. That is to say, his flesh.
Verse five: "For the living know that they shall die." That's just part of it, friend: one event for all. "But the dead know not anything, neither have they any more a reward; for the memory of them is forgotten." Ooh, man, that sounds tough, doesn't it? Well, you will never find a better proof that the flesh is forgotten. It's not talking about really you, your soul, all right.
Verse six: "Also their love, and their hatred, and their envy, is now perished," it's gone. "Neither have they any more a portion for ever in any thing that is done under the sun." That is to say, here on earth in the flesh—that's the idiom. The flesh, I don't care, while you're on earth, other than having enjoyed the clean living of Biblical truth, you could have been the best soul in the world; your flesh is not gonna be any better off than anyone else's. It's gonna die. It's going to deteriorate, it's not going to be remembered. Why won't it be remembered? It's a handful of dirt. Nothing. But the beautiful spiritual body, where is it? It's with the Father. In good shape, doing good, okay. Remembered? You bet. It's never forgotten in the first place to be remembered. God calls the child home. God loves His children. You will never find a better description. It is really sad that most people do not understand the idiom, the Hebrew idiom, that Ecclesiastes is written to the man that walks under the sun, because you will find happiness in this book if you can understand it. It's the set of instructions specifically that God sent to the flesh that it might find peace of mind while you're still in the flesh body. But know this: when we're through with it, it's gone forever, never to receive a reward. You're going to receive your rewards in your spiritual body, and I think you would praise God for that, because it's the body and soul that is *athanasia*, that is to say, deathlessness. Never to taste death again. The only thing about us that tastes death is the flesh, which is simply a domicile, an abode for us while we are in this earth, okay.
Let's go a little further with this into what actually—we know now what happens to the flesh. Man, if a dead lion is sorrier than a dog, then we know the flesh is not that much to hang onto or worry about. And really it isn't. It's a handful of dirt, that's it. But separate the beautiful spirit and soul of yourself: "Let us make man in our image." All that materials was shaped into the image of your spiritual body, okay.
Chapter 12, verse three, talking about getting old and what happens to the flesh. May sound familiar to some of you: "In the day when the keepers of the house shall tremble," that is to say, when you get so old your old knees kinda begin to tremble and your arms shake, "and the strong men shall bow themselves." In other words, you get kinda stooped with age. "And the grinders cease because they are few." In other words, your teeth are not what they ought to be and kind of losing some of them. "And those that look out of the windows be darkened." In other words, you try to see out and it looks a little darker than it used to; you don't see as well. You're getting old, all right.
Verse four: "And the doors shall be shut in the streets." It means when the teeth are gone. "When the sound of the grinding is low." In other words, when you don't have any, when you're gummin' it, all right. You ain't got no teeth and you don't chew very loud, just kind of a soft grind, and you're old so you lost them all now. "And he shall rise up at the voice of the bird." Used to when you would get up when the roosters crow? Forget it. "And all the daughters of music shall be brought low." In other words, you're deaf. You can't hear the rooster crow and you can't hear somebody sing.
Verse five: "Also when they shall be afraid of that which is high," afraid of falling. "And fears shall be in the way, and the almond tree shall flourish"—this means the gray hair is turning white—"and the grasshopper shall be a burden." Can't hardly hold anything anymore, just so heavy, isn't it? Can't lift much. "And desire shall fail." That is, all your personal desire will kinda cease or slow down. "Because man goeth to his long home." What's my long home? It's my mansion, all right. My spiritual body. "Long"? Why? It's long-lasting, it's guaranteed, it's permanent, it's fantastic. It doesn't get weak, it doesn't shake, it doesn't lose its teeth, it doesn't turn white in the hair. It's something else. "And the mourners go about the streets." I mean, boy, I mean, we lost another one we planted in the soil today.
Verse six: "Or ever the silver cord be loosed." That's the cord of life. "Or the golden bowl be broken." That's all you are is a bunch of dirt and a little piece of pottery there. "Or the pitcher be broken at the fountain," the fountain of life, "or the wheel broken at the cistern." These are all things of clay like we are. We are organic material that is nothing but clay or the things, the off-product of clay. In other words, we've gotten old, the silver cord, she snapped. God called that time. You're dead. What happens? Verse seven answers the question, "Where are the dead?"
Verse seven: "Then shall the dust return to the earth as it was." That's that. How important is the flesh body? Why would it resurrect? Who wants it? You've got a spiritual body. "The dust return to the earth as it was." God likes it that way. It grieved God in Genesis 6:3 that He had made man flesh. "Then shall the dust return to the earth as it was." It's not you anymore. You're not in it. It's dirt, it's dust, all right. "And the spirit shall return unto God who gave it." What is the spirit? The spirit is the intellect of your soul, so naturally it is your soul. Your living soul, not your dead soul. So what happens when the silver cord snaps? You die. The flesh goes back to the dirt from which it came. That's what it is, no more, no less. It can't think. It has senses but it doesn't think. Your spirit is your intellect that does your thinking for you, and it is the intellect of your soul, which I like to translate "self," regardless of whether you're in a flesh body or a spiritual body. Your spirit does your thinking for you. And as we define the various types of bodies—the one that is perishable that does grow old versus the body that never grows old—you know, your documentation for that: every time an angelic being is described in the word of God, such as those that appear to Mary Magdalene at the tomb, they're young. A young man appeared at the tree. Why? Your spirit bodies are young, vivacious, good-feeling spiritual bodies. You will have never felt so good or actually lived. God has blessings for us. God is a God of love. And where are your loved ones? They're with Him. Don't ever let anyone rob you of the comfort of knowing they're in a better place than we are. They're happy. They're our loved ones. But, do you know something? Don't be selfish. Don't be stingy with those that you love, because you see, God had them before you did and He loves them also. And it is His ultimate plan that as He wants you with Him, He wants those with Him also. It's His right. They're His children. They belong to Him. And they are with Him. That is the purpose of Christianity: that we be with Him. So why would anyone in the name of Christianity teach contrary to the word of God or take the subject of where the dead are and turn it into some kind of fly-away doctrine which will force you or lead you to worship the spurious messiah when you have the beautiful truth of God's word to allow it to flow, to flow over the buds of your mind and bring an understanding? Even as metabolism works in your flesh body, allow the wisdom of God to be the metabolism, be a part of the metabolism of your brain, spirit, intellect—I did not say that your flesh brain is your spirit, but that's kinda where it functions at, all right. And I suppose the main thing I'm saying—and maybe I shouldn't be blunt about it, I should show more love—and to say, it would seem that some people don't have very much metabolism in their brain. It kinda gets choked off and they begin to listen to traditions of men and not think for themselves because "Brother So-and-So can do my thinking for me. He is in a better position to decide than I." You have to answer for yourself. What I do not understand is how somebody could be enough of a yo-yo that they would want to depend on an individual without checking them out. It's all right to listen to a man, but hey friend, check him out with what your Father has to say. The handful of dirt returns to the ground from which it came. I do not understand. It isn't a godly or Christian practice to walk out into a field and pick up a handful of dirt and say, "Oh praise God, there I am. Oh God, save it. Oh God, save this dirt. Make something out of this dirt." Well, He kinda already did. It's you. And it's a part that you have to bear and it's not all. And I hope that you gained from what is written there that it wasn't really the best place to be, but a necessary place for those that skipped it—that is to say, the angels that rather than being born of women seduced them. They haven't got a prayer anyway. They're dead. So, where are the dead? They're with our Father. Some of them overcame and some did not, but they're still there to be judged at the Great White Throne of Judgment. I don't believe the beginning of the Millennium is that far away. But what a comfort to know God's word is true and Christ defeated death, for there is no sting when you can comfort people with the words as was illustrated in the 18th verse of the fourth chapter of 1 Thessalonians: Comfort each other with these words about the last trump, and the fact that they are not in the ground but are with Him. That's what the chapter states. Hope you enjoyed it. Be it comfort to all that mourn. Won't you do that? Okay, bless your heart.
**Questions & Answers with Pastor Arnold Murray**
Marty from Michigan: "You mentioned something recently about the four spirits. Would you please explain what you were referring to in detail?" Well, in detail, it's simply the four spirits mentioned in Revelation chapter seven, Daniel chapter seven, and in Ezekiel chapter 37 that have to do with the consummation of the end of this earth age. And four in Biblical numerics is the earth. We have four directions on the compass, we have four seasons. It's the number of earth, and it has to do with the end of the dirt dispensation. That's to say when we're all living in dirty bodies that are dirt—I wouldn't say dirty bodies, but bodies made of dirt. Maybe that'll help you understand your mates better when they do something you're not pleased with, all right. I jest, I shouldn't have said that, that's not really fair. You tell your mates you love them whether they're dirt or not, all right.
From Roberto from Florida: "It says in the Bible that those who always change their mind will not receive anything from God." I didn't know it said that exactly that way, but I'll go along with it, okay. "Does it mean that in making a decision we should not change our mind after we make a decision, or we can change our decision one time but no more than one time?" I don't know who gave you your set of rules, but let's just take it at face value, all right. What did God—my mind runs instantly to John the Baptist when Christ would talk about him. He said, "Hey, what did you go out there to hear, a reed shaking in the wind?" That means somebody that is wishy-washy. They'll listen to this and bend that way, or if somebody comes over and they give a big windy message from this way, they bend that way, and they never quite get around to God's word to be stable, right on. So what God wants you to do is not change your religion listening to men, but anchor your beliefs in Him, in His word. That's what He means, all right. And, hey, I've taken roads in my life that if I hadn't changed my mind and turned around, I woulda been in quicksand clear up over my head, all right. A wise man always makes different decisions on his journeys in life, and it's always common sense as to which is the best way, all right. Nothing wrong with changing your mind in daily life, but when it comes to God's word, that gets a little severe. Okay.
Bill from Illinois: "Recently I watched a particular program which I cannot mention"—okay, "the church"—and I won't mention—"had interpreted the Bible as stating that the earth was physically at the center of our solar system and perhaps even our universe with every other heavenly body rotating around it." Well, there's a little bit of evidence to that scripturally. It is kinda mentioned and mentioned in a place that probably not too many people would think that much about. It's when Christ first appeared to Paul. He said, "Paul, why do you kick against the pricks?" And the word in the Greek—the word "pricks" in the Greek means a compass or a goad. You know what a compass is? You got a short needle point here and a pencil here and you draw a perfect circle. And God uses, concerning the earth and where He placed the planets, He uses this compass many times, this point as the center. As a matter of fact, I have a tape—is it titled *Don't Kick Against the Pricks*? Yeah, that's the title of it. Yeah, it would help you perhaps in that. In other words, when you take a compass and draw a circle, the point is always the center of everything, and He refers to the earth as this.
"Genesis 6:4, what I want to know is not just in that one verse—I've seen it in many—who are the sons of God and what does it mean?" You have an appendix in your Companion Bible on this specific subject. The sons of God are the children of God in angelic bodies, that is to say before they were born of a woman, and then they're sons of men when they're in the flesh. It was the sons of God that came and took the daughters of Adam, and then they became *nephilim* in the Hebrew time, which is from the prime root *naphal*: fallen, fallen angels. Job chapter 38, along about verse seven, somewhere along there, you will hear that back when God is finally getting around after 38 chapters of saying, "Job, Job, are you stupid? Why are you listening to these knuckleheads that can't do anything but ratchet jaw? Why don't you listen to Me, your Father? Where were you when I placed this earth on its pin that holds it where it is? Where were you when the stars and the sons of God laughed with joy?" It's kind of a sobering thought. Old Job said, "Hush my mouth, I'll listen now to my Father's word." It will help you perhaps in determining that. That's Job 38, I think it's along about verse seven.
Doug from North Carolina: "It's hard to watch all the drug dealers drive around in their nice cars and live in nice houses while we get walked on by them. Will the Lord deal with these people while they are on the earth in flesh or after they're dead?" Well, I guarantee you one thing: they don't walk on me. I'm not letting them walk on me. But then I realize that some people live in areas and are not afforded perhaps the training that I have had as a combat Marine to be able to keep somebody from walking on me. I just don't tolerate it. Whether he's a drug pusher or what, probably I'd pop him quicker than anyone else that tried to walk on me. But anyway, a nice pastorly thing to say. But God's word states, yes, very definitely, very definitely, that if you have a Companion Bible, there is an acrostic in the 37th Psalm. In other words, there's a hidden message that God has placed there for those that worry about this particular thing. He says, number one, don't worry about the wicked being blessed on earth, because He says, "I'm going to take them and they're going to be like the fat that drips from the lamb when he's on the spit." You know what that is? We got a fire under it and you turn the fat little lamb up above it, and when the fat drops in the fire it goes *whoosh*, and the smoke and vapor goes upward forever and ever. That's all they are, and that's their spirit bodies. God's gonna fry 'em, all right. He's got the big execution chair and he's gonna pull the lever on 'em and they're gonna go up in smoke forever and ever. That is eternal, ever and ever. But the third part of the acrostic is that you, as a servant of God, are gonna get to see it happen.
Vicky from Missouri: "In Mark chapter 15, verses 51 through 52, who was the young man? I enjoy your teaching very much." Well, thank you. Well, Vicky, the young man in Mark 14 that grabbed his robe and he ran out from under it and kept just streaking as a little teenager was Mark himself. Mark was—that's one of the reasons I enjoy teaching the Book of Mark so much. He's young, he's vivacious, he's to the point. It's one of the shortest gospels. He hid under tables and what have you to be near that he could hear what Peter and others were saying, and he was always there. And that's why when the ruckus occurred there while he was probably the last one to run out of hiding—wasn't supposed to be there maybe in the first place—it was Mark.
Joanna from Maryland: "Where in the Bible is it documented that we do indeed have guardian angels, if anywhere? Would God be our guardian angel because He is with us always?" I'm very uncomfortable with implying that God is an angel. That would be angel worship and we're not supposed to do that. Love them, yeah, but not worship. That's why the angelic beings kept saying, "Hey, get up from there, don't worship Me." God's election—listen to me carefully, Joanna—God's elect have guardian angels. Does anyone else? Well, I don't know, it isn't written. But certainly it is written in Matthew chapter 18, verse 10, that our angels have God's attention—His face, meaning His attention—at any time they choose.
Floe from North Carolina: "I've written three times about questions." Well, honey, you've finally made it, all right. But many people never get a question answered. Here you've only written three times and you got it. "Genesis 22, eight through 13 and 1 Samuel 16:1. I know the ram is a substitute. God said He would provide Himself a lamb for sacrifice, which He did. He also said in Samuel He would provide Himself a king, which He did. I still feel there is more to this." Well, there is. It was Messiah, as you well know. It was as substitute in showing that God would present it. It was the greatest thing that ever happened. There can't be any more than that. In other words, the "more" is the whole word that this King would bring forth. And I'm out of time. Wouldn't it be something that your third question would come up when I'm out of time? I love you all a bunch because you enjoy studying our Father's word more in depth. We're brought to you by your tithes and offerings. If we've helped you, help us keep coming to you. Once you do that, but there's one thing that's most important: stay in His word. Every day in His word is a good day. Do you know why? Jesus, the King, is the living word.
The Mark of the Beast on CD is our free introductory offer to you. What is the Mark of the Beast? Many false teachers would have you believe it would be a tattoo on your forehead or a computer chip implanted under your skin. It is getting late in the game. You need to know what the Mark of the Beast is. As it's written in Revelation, chapter 13, verse 8, many will be deceived. There is no need for you to be deceived. Christ said in Mark 13:23, "Behold, I have foretold you all things." Jesus, indeed, told us how not to be deceived, and Pastor Arnold Murray takes you on a step-by-step study of God's word concerning this critical subject, The Mark of the Beast. The telephone call is free, and the CD is free; we don't even ask for the shipping and handling; it is free as well. All you need to do is call 800-643-4645 to request your one-time, one-per-household copy of The Mark of the Beast. You may also request your free CD by mailing your request to Shepherd's Chapel, Post Office Box 416, Gravette, Arkansas, 72736. Don't be deceived by Satan.
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