Where do we go upon death?

Where do we go upon death?

After a person dies the Bible says that their spirit returns to Yahweh for keeping and their thoughts perish in the grave. The standard teaching of going to heaven after death is false. This common misconception is nowhere found within the Bible.

In Psalm 103:14-16 King David said that we return to the substance that we originated from: "For he knows how we are formed, he remembers that we are dust. As for man, his days are like grass, he flourishes like a flower of the field; the wind blows over it and it is gone, and its place remembers it no more" (NIV).

We read that when a person dies that he or she starts the process of returning to the earth, and all their thoughts perish. Psalms 146:4 reads: "When their spirit departs, they return to the ground; on that very day their plans come to nothing" (NIV).

In one other passage we find a similar statement made by King Solomon. "And the dust returns to the ground it came from, and the spirit returns to Yahweh who gave it" (Ecclesiastes 12:7, NIV).

The Old Testament obviously verifies ones destination after death. Clearly we see that when a person dies their physical body returns to dust, and all their thoughts perish in that very day. After the spirit (life source) has left it returns to Yahweh. Yahweh therefore safeguards the spirit till it is time for that person’s resurrection.

Yahshua the Messiah voiced some very significant words in Acts 2:29, 34: "Brothers, I can tell you confidently that the patriarch David died and was buried, and his tomb is here to this day…For David did not ascend to heaven, and yet he said, "‘Yahweh said to my Sovereign: "Sit at my right hand"’"" (NIV).

Yahshua confirms that people do not journey to heaven after their deaths. As we saw in the Old Testament, they return to the earth and their thoughts perish. Yahshua taught directly from the Old Testament. The only man that has ever ascended into heaven is Yahshua Himself. "No one has ever gone into heaven except the one who came from heaven-- the Son of Man" (John 3:13, NIV).

In John 19:30 Yahshua gave up His spirit after He was tortured beyond imagination. The Scriptures say that He then stayed in the tomb for 3 days and three nights. This indicates that neither He nor the murderer that Yahshua forgave on the stake entered into heaven the day of Yahshua’s impalement. Both entered the grave, without a single thought.

In 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17 we find one of the greatest events that man has yet to experience: "For Yahshua himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of Yahweh, and the dead in Messiah will rise first. After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet Yahshua in the air. And so we will be with Yahshua forever" (NIV).

This passage does not indicate a rapture, but describes the Second Coming of Yahshua the Messiah. At Yahshua’s return to this earth He will resurrect all those that were faithful to Him: first the ones that died and awaited Him in the grave, and second, those that were still alive. After those that died meet those who are alive and join Yahshua in the air, they will then return to this earth to establish Yahweh’s Kingdom.

Thus, we are not heaven bound as the song goes, but we are bound for the grave till the return of Yahshua the Messiah. Neither the patriarchs nor today’s faithful will travel to heaven, but we all await the glorious return of Yahshua the Messiah.