Where Are The Dead? (2)

by J. Miller | Category: Voices From The Past - Extracted From Jottings | Feb 1980

Neither Greeks nor Jews believed that all men shared the same portion at death. The Greeks spoke of Hades, meaning the underworld, never the place of burial (see the Revisers' Preface to the Old Testament, which says that, "Sheol ... signifies the abode of the departed spirits". Departed "souls" is the correct word to use, confirmed as it is by Psalm 16:10). "The grave" is a misleading meaning given to the Greek word Hades. The Greeks also spoke of Tartarus, a place beneath, or in association with, Hades, and this was always associated with the punishment of the wicked. The"' Hebrews also spoke of Sheol, meaning the place of the departed (never the grave), and with it are associated ideas both of bliss (see Luke 23:43 and Acts 2:25-32) and of torment (Isaiah 14:9-15).

It is pleasant to contemplate the righteous dead of the past dispensations, dead to those they left behind here, but alive on the other side to their people who went before.

In 2 Corinthians 5 Paul discusses the question of being "at home in the body" as against being "at home with the Lord". The Greek word here for "to be at home" is endemeo (from en, "in" or "among", and demos, "people"), literally meaning "among one's own people", and there is no special reference to place at all. The word shows the Old Testament idea of being gathered to one's own people at death. If we are at home in the body, we are "among our own people" here, and if we leave the body we are "among our own people" with the Lord. If we are absent from the Lord then ekdemeo applies, that is to be absent from one's own people, such as are with the Lord. And if we are absent from the body, we are absent from our own people who are in the body.

While we contemplate the glorious company of the blessed dead, we must not overlook the words which qualify the blessed state that is theirs: "with the Lord", "with Christ". (This does not mean, in Hades. Note the force of Acts 2:25-36. The Lord is in heaven at the right hand of God, and the redeemed dead are with Him). To be with Him is very far better than the best of earthly states. Many of God's beloved ones whom we have known are there, and multitudes of the excellent of the earth whom we have not known, but, wonder of wonders! we shall be with them in either case, whether our feet should have to cross death's chill waters or whether our Lord shall come and we be clothed upon with our house from heaven on the glad day of His presence.

J. Miller | Feb 1980
Voices From The Past - Extracted From Jottings