Where Do We Go When We Die?

Name: Joseph
Question: What happens to a human once they die a physical death saved, and not saved? Do they go into a deep death sleep in their respective graves until Jesus comes at the seventh trump, or does their bodies return to the earth and their spirit goes back to the Father? If their spirit goes back to the Father what is their spiritual state? Are they aware of what has happened to them? Where exactly do they go when their spirit goes back to the Father, and what are they doing while they are there? Thank you!

Answer: Joseph, thank you for the question.

Once we pass away, our spirit returns to God in Heaven, and we are most definitely aware of what has occurred. That is true for the saved and the unsaved. Unfortunately, we do not know what transpires on a day-to-day basis in Heaven, that’s simply not written in the Bible.

However, let’s walk through what I explained by detailing it in Scripture.

The first thing I want everyone to understand is we are spiritual beings. We have a spirit that is essentially our soul, and it resides in our body here on earth.

Now, where do we go when we die?

Our Spirit Returns To God

Turn your Bible with me to,

Ecclesiastes 12:7
Then shall the dust return to the earth as it was: and the spirit shall return unto God who gave it.

When you really think about that, it means “death” simply releases our spirit from our body here on earth. We essentially transition into our true body, which is our spiritual body that never gets sick, old, or dies. Once that occurs, we return to God in Heaven.

Even David was aware of this. Once his son passed away he said, “I shall go to him, but he shall not return to me,” (2 Samuel 12:23). David knew his son was alive in Heaven, and that one day, he would see him.

Then, we have 2 Corinthians 5:8 which says,

“…to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord.”

That seals the deal.

Yes, we have two bodies. We have a body of flesh, and we have a body of spirit. “Death” simply releases our spirit, enabling it to transfer back to God. 1 Corinthians 15:35-55 will go into depth and explain the differences to you.

In case you’re wondering, our spiritual body does have weight. Think about the days of Lot, the Angels who visited him were able to eat the food he prepared. Likewise, during the time of Moses, the Israelites consumed “manna” which is Angel’s food, (Gen 19:1-3, Exo 16:15, Ps 78:24-25).

So the two bodies; flesh and spirit are alike in that regard.

Let’s not forget that our Father “is not a God of the dead, but of the living,” (Luke 20:38). He is “the living God,” and He is referred to as such 30 times in the King James Bible. That means He is alive, and so is everyone else.

Jesus explained the same thing when He said,

“Now that the dead are raised, even Moses shewed at the bush, when he calleth the Lord the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.”

Luke 20:37

The dead are raised.

That’s why Moses said, ‘the God of Abraham, Issac, and Jacob.’ Moses knew they were all alive and in Heaven with our Father.

Speaking of Moses, even though he died, Moses actually appeared before Jesus, and some of the Disciples on a mountain, (Matthew 17:3).

How much more proof do we need?

The point is, everyone who has ever lived is alive and back with God in Heaven. In fact, not even Satan or the Fallen Angels are dead yet. Even they are alive, though they are waiting to be cast into the Lake of Fire.

When we really think about death, it has no power over us. It simply transitions us from the flesh to the spirit. We can thank Jesus for that, (1 Corinthians 15:55-57).

Let’s look at a few more examples.

John And The Angel Of Revelation

Now let’s turn to the Book of Revelation.

We are going to learn, John was shown the future by an Angel, but who was this Angel?

Revelation 22:9
Then saith he unto me, See thou do it not: for I am thy fellowservant, and of thy brethren the prophets, and of them which keep the sayings of this book: worship God.

John made a big mistake there, by falling to his knees before the Angel. I’m sure John was simply caught up in the supernatural moment and he did not mean to offend God. However, notice what the Angel said to John.

“I am thy fellowservant, and of thy brethren the prophets.”

The Angel explained, he was one of the prophets from the Bible. He penned some of the words in the Book we read, even to this day! This prophet once walked on earth, died, and then transition from a body of flesh to a body of spirit.

Joseph, you asked, “What are they doing while they are” in Heaven?

Now you know.

This prophet not only worked for God on earth, but he continued working for God in Heaven. So not only does everyone go to Heaven when they die, but some people even have special duties once they arrive in Heaven.

The Souls Under The Altar

Please turn your Bible with me to,

Revelation 6:9
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:

Stay focused for me.

In this verse, we have souls which are spirits, being people who lived on earth that were killed. They are now in Heaven under the altar of God. These souls were killed for the Word of God and for their testimony on earth. This includes everyone who has ever died for our Heavenly Father.

Revelation 6:10
And 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?

What did these souls do?

They cried.

They were alive.

They were talking to our Father, and they want Him to avenge their blood that was spilled where?

On earth.

Revelation 6:11
And 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.

This verse drives home the point.

These souls are some of the Saints who were killed for their testimony throughout the ages. Those killed for their belief in God. Unfortunately, this happens every day in our world. Just know, they return to our Father, after “death” brings about the transition from flesh to spirit.

Jesus Preached To The Spirits In Prison

How can we forget, Jesus went to Heaven after He was crucified…

If you recall, after Christ perished on the cross, He “went and preached unto the spirits in prison,” (1 Peter 3:18-19).

• What spirits?
• What souls?
• What people in prison?

Those on the wrong side of the Gulf in Heaven. Jesus went to preach, to teach the Word so they would have an opportunity at eternal life. No doubt, this preaching will continue for these souls during the Millennium.

Everything we have covered makes it abundantly clear, we go to Heaven when we die. We transition from flesh to spirit, and return to our Creator.