These are the questions that this page will address.
"...After that He saith unto them, Our friend Lazarus sleeps; but I go, that I may awake him out of sleep. Then said His disciples, Lord, if he sleep, he shall do well. Howbeit Jesus spoke of his death: but they thought that he had spoken of the taking of rest in sleep. Then said Jesus unto them plainly, Lazarus is dead." John 11:11-14.
Jesus clearly teaches that death is like a sleep. This infers that they will be wakened up. When will this happen? "Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear His voice, and shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation." John 5:28-29.
So when will the resurrection of the righteous be?
"For the Lord Himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:" 1 Thess. 4:16.
The Bible clearly teaches that it will be at the second coming of Jesus that the saved dead will rise. What about the wicked dead when will they rise?
"And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years. But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection. Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death has no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years." Revelation 20:2-6.
The Bible says that the dead know not anything; their love, hatred, and envy are now perished. Is that only in this life? Do they have life and knowledge in heaven?" The dead praise not the LORD, neither any that go down into silence." Psalms 115:17. If the dead were in heaven they what certainly be praising the Lord but instead the Bible says that they go down into silence.
What about David, the man after God's own heart, did he go to heaven when he died? "Men and brethren, let me freely speak unto you of the patriarch David, that he is both dead and buried, and his sepulchre is with us unto this day." Acts 2:29. "For David is not ascended into the heavens..." Acts 2:34. The Bible here clearly teaches that David because he has not been ressurected yet is still in the grave and is not yet in heaven. Wait a minute this view is much different than what most of the Christian world teaches today! Did Peter filled with the Holy Spirit know what he was talking about?
" I am He that lives, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive forevermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death." Revelation 1:18. "Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in Me, though he were dead, yet shall he live:" John 11:25.
When does Christ unlock those who are prisoners of the grave? "Behold, I show you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory. O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory? ". 1 Cor. 15:51-55.
"...and there will be no more death..."
Revelation 21:4.