Read the two following passages:
"So we are always confident, knowing that while we are at home in the body we are absent from the Lord. For we walk by faith, not by sight. We are confident, yes, well pleased rather to be absent from the body and to be present with the Lord." (2 Corinthians 5:6‑8)
and
"I am torn between the two: I desire
to depart and be with Christ, which is better by far; (Philippians 1:23)
But
man dies and is laid away;
Indeed,
he breathes his last
And
where is he?
As
water disappears from the seas
And
a river becomes parched and dries up,
So
man lies down and does not rise.
Till
the heavens are no more,
They
will not awake
Nor
be roused from their sleep.
"Oh,
that You would hide me in the grave,
That
You would conceal me until Your wrath is past,
That
You would appoint me a set time, and remember me!
If
a man dies, shall he live again?
All
the days of my hard service I will wait,
Till
my change comes.
You
shall call, and I will answer You;
You
shall desire the work of Your hands.
(Job 14:10‑15)
Job, the writer of the second passage, was lamenting his life and basically wishing that God would let him die. Job knew that in death he would be unconscious and would not feel any of the pain he was feeling in his present life. This passage is interesting because it doesn't say anything about Job going to heaven or to the hell.
Job, through the inspiration of God, was talking about what happens when a person dies. In fact, the passage tells us that Job knew
about a future resurrection. Job clearly says that a
". . . man dies and is laid away . . . he breathes his last . . . As the
water disappears from the sea, And the river becomes parched and dries up, so
man lies down and does not rise."
Job goes on to tell us that it will be at the resurrection when he, along
with others ". . . would be roused from their sleep." Job asks God to ". . . hide [him] in the
grave, That You would conceal me until Your wrath is past . . .". Job wanted God to hide him in the grave or,
"sheol" as the ancient Hebrews called it. Job is simply asking God to let him die and
that God ". . . would appoint . . . [him] . . . a set time . . ."
when Job would be resurrected from his grave.
". . . You shall call, and I will answer you . . .".
Job knew that his resurrection would be sometime in the future. Job knew that when he died, "As the cloud disappears and vanishes away, so he who goes down to the grave does not come up." [Job 7:9]. He likens his death to a cloud that ". . . disappears and vanishes away . . .", just as man does when he dies and goes to the grave, he is no more. When man dies he is not off someplace else, he very simply just ". . .. disappears and vanishes away. . .".
Job likens death to sleep. He says “. . . man dies and is laid away . . . (t)hey will not awake(n) or be roused from their sleep.” When a person is asleep they are not aware of anything around them.
Job knew that his resurrection would be sometime in the future. Job knew that when he died, "As the cloud disappears and vanishes away, so he who goes down to the grave does not come up." [Job 7:9]. He likens his death to a cloud that ". . . disappears and vanishes away . . .", just as man does when he dies and goes to the grave, he is no more. When man dies he is not off someplace else, he very simply just ". . .. disappears and vanishes away. . .".
Job likens death to sleep. He says “. . . man dies and is laid away . . . (t)hey will not awake(n) or be roused from their sleep.” When a person is asleep they are not aware of anything around them.
This passage is an indication of man’s state of being after he dies.
