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Alright, we're in Ecclesiastes chapter number 3 and look down at verse number 18, it says I said in my heart concerning the estate of the sons of men that God might manifest them and that they might see that they themselves are beasts. For that which befalleth the sons of men befalleth beasts. Even one thing befalleth them as the one dieth so dieth the other. Yea, they have all one breath so that a man hath no preeminence above a beast for all is vanity. Who knoweth the spirit, excuse me, all go unto one place, all are of the dust and all turn to dust again. Who knoweth the spirit of man that goeth upward and the spirit of the beast that goeth downward to the earth. And the title of this sermon this morning is what happens when I die? What happens when I die? Now I'm not referring to me specifically, okay, although it's going to include me, it's going to include all of us, and I'm not necessarily referring to, you know, making funeral preparations or anything like that, though that's important, we're going to talk about specifically what happens to a person when they die whether they're saved or unsaved. You may say, well I already know what's going to happen, if I'm saved, I'm going to heaven. Or you know, if a person's unsaved, they're going to go to hell. But actually it's a lot deeper than that. And though that is true, we're going to look at the details of someone's death, why they die, how is it that their soul will go to hell, how long are they going to be there? Are they going to remain in hell or is there another place where they're going to be relocated? We're going to look at all that this morning. Now mankind falls into two categories, we obviously understand this, the saved and the unsaved, right? And when we refer to this phrase, this term saved, we're referring to the fact that they're saved from this place called hell. There are also another phrase that a lot of people use, the Bible uses, those who believe and those who don't believe, people who are unbelievers. Now go with me if you would to John chapter three. John chapter three, I'm going to read to you from Mark 16. A lot of this is, you already know this, but it's good to just review it. Mark 16 verse 15 says, and he said unto them, go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved, but he that believeth not shall be damned. So here we see that he's saying that those who believe and are baptized are saved. And there's a lot of false teachers and false cults that will use this to say, see, you got to get baptized in order to get saved. You got to make sure that you do a water baptism in order to have the regeneration to be saved. But they never finished the remainder of the verse that says, but he that believeth not shall be damned. So it doesn't say he that believeth not and is not baptized, it just states he that believeth not. So where is the emphasis placed in this verse in regards to salvation? Believing. Not baptism, believing, okay? Now John chapter three, verse 16 says this, for God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. And that word perish simply means to die, it means to go to hell, that's what it's referring to. For God sent not his son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through him might be saved. He that believeth on him is not condemned, but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten son of God. You see, when we go out and we preach the gospel, we're knocking on doors. You know, sometimes you'll get someone who tells you, oh, you're judging me. You know, stop condemning people, you're condemning me. But in reality, they're already condemned. If they don't know 100% sure that they're gonna go to heaven when they die, the Bible says that they're condemned already. We're just restating it. We're just letting them know, hey, you're condemned already because you have not believed on the only name of the begotten son of God. Now look at, you're in John chapter five, I'm gonna read to you from John chapter three, verse 36, it says, he that believeth on the son hath everlasting life. He that believeth not the son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abideth on him. You say, well, I don't see hell there. Well, hell is the greatest expression of God's wrath. And it says that those who don't believe are under the wrath of God. You say, how is that if they're still alive? Because at any moment when they die, they're gonna split hell wide open. But at any moment when someone dies who does not believe on Jesus Christ, they will go to hell according to the Bible. But who so believes on the son, the Bible says they have everlasting life. Even if they live here on this life, they have everlasting life from here on out, okay? Now look at verse 24 of chapter five, it says, verily, verily, I say unto you, he that heareth my word and believeth on him that sent me hath everlasting life and shall not come into condemnation. They're not gonna come into that damnation, they're not gonna come into that judgment, but is passed from death unto life. Now, we have to obviously understand that this verse is referring to the salvation of the soul. Why? Because we're gonna die physically. Every person is gonna die physically, and if the Bible's telling us here that we've passed from death unto life, it's not referring to your physical death. It's referring to the fact that your spirit is dead, and you've passed from dead unto being alive, okay? You have that everlasting life. Now, this also includes the resurrection of the body. You see, a lot of people don't understand, and they don't think about this, that when we talk about salvation, we're not only referring to the salvation of the soul, that's the most important part, but that salvation of the soul also includes the redemption of our bodies. Now that redemption doesn't come right away, right? You know, it'd be nice if it did. You get saved, you have the redemption of your body, you're not tempted to sin anymore, you're not tempted to do the things that you used to do, et cetera, but it doesn't work that way. We're still waiting to wit the redemption of our bodies, and that comes in the latter days, the Bible tells us. Now go back to Ecclesiastes, and go to chapter 12, if you would. Now in chapter 3, we read about how everyone's gonna die. It talks about the way of the man is of the way of the beast. What is that talking about? It's referring to the fact that just as the animal dies, so the man will die as well. And it talks about how the spirit of man returns unto God, and the spirit of the animal goes into the dirt. You say, well, do animals have spirit? I believe that's just referring to the fact that their consciousness, they just die, they go into the dirt. Whereas the spirit of man, because it's everlasting, will go back into God. Why? Because God is everlasting. Now I believe that's referring to a saved person, okay? And here's the thing is that a lot of people will teach false doctrine from Ecclesiastes in regards to death. They'll teach false doctrine such as soul sleep, or what's called annihilation of the soul. How many of you have ever heard of that before, okay? You say, what is soul sleep? Well, Jehovah's Witnesses, Seventh-day Adventists will teach this false doctrine to say, well, when someone dies, they don't go to hell, you know? They just sleep. Their soul sleeps in their body. So you know, the people say, rest in peace, that's what you're referring to, you know, their soul is asleep. And these are people who just want to avoid the reality of hell. I mean, I can't tell you how many times I've talked to a Jehovah's Witness, and we get to this subject of hell, and what do they say? I just can't believe that a loving God, you know, would send someone to hell. Then you don't understand the God of the Bible. Because hell does exist, and God is a loving God, but he's also a God of perfect righteousness and justice. You understand that there's people out there who have not paid for their crimes. There are people who have lived and died and committed abominable crimes in this world who have never been caught by the earthly system, by the government or by the police or whoever it may be. But guess what? God knows what they've done, and they will pay for their crimes before God. Why? Because God is a God of justice. So you're trying to tell me that Hitler is not paying for his crimes? You're trying to tell me that Jeffrey Dahmer is just, he's just sleeping, you know? And then when the time of the resurrection comes, his soul is just going to be annihilated, he's just going to cease to exist because he was such a wicked person? No, that's foolishness. The Bible tells us that hell does exist. And they'll use verses like this. Look at Ecclesiastes chapter 9 verse 5, for the living know not, excuse me, for the living know that they shall die, but the dead know not anything, neither have they any more a reward for the memory of them as forgotten. For their love and their hatred and their envy is now perished, neither have they any more a portion forever in anything that is done under the sun. And I can't tell you how many times Jehovah's Witness has brought this verse to my attention. It says, hey, the dead know not anything. You know? They're just, have no conscience. They're soul sleeping, you know? They don't know anything. Now it's so foolish to say something like that, simply for the fact that we just read in Ecclesiastes 3 that the Spirit returns to God. But not only that, but in Ecclesiastes 12, 7 it says, then shall the dust return to the earth as it was, and the Spirit shall return unto God who gave it, okay? Now here's the thing, what Ecclesiastes 9 verse 5 is saying is true. You know how you can prove that? Go to the graveyard and go propose a math problem to the graves and the people who are dead there. They don't know anything. They're not gonna give you a response. You can give them the easiest math problem, one plus one, and they will not say two. You can tell them, you can ask them the easiest question in the world, and they're not gonna respond. Why? Because the body is dead. The body is dead, and that's exactly what it's referring to. It's referring to the fact that when someone's dead, they're just, they're dead. The body's no longer capable of answering, hearing, seeing, talking, okay? You say, and they'll say, well, you know, any time you see sleep in the Bible, many times it's in reference to dying. You know, and they'll, they kind of use that to kind of prop up their false doctrine of soul sleep, you know, hey, it says that that person was asleep, and it meant that they were dying. Well, yeah, because when someone is dead, they look like they're asleep, right? You know, obviously there's people who die with their eyes open, but for the most part, people when they die, they just look like they're sound asleep. By the way, I know people who are, who fall asleep with their eyes open. All right, you ever see something like that? My kids do that sometimes. It looks freaky. It's just like, you know, they're, it's like they're, is he looking at me, or is, you're looking weird there, son, you know, you just close the eyes. So this is a, it's a foolish doctrine because of the fact that it just takes common sense to understand that yes, of course, a corpse cannot talk to you, okay? Not only that, we see plenty of examples in the Bible, you see, you have Moses and Elijah at the Mount Transfiguration, who they passed away, who said, well, Elijah didn't pass away. Yeah, but Moses did. And they're talking with Jesus Christ on the Mount of Transfiguration. Go to Revelation chapter six. This is all introduction here. Look at Revelation chapter six and verse number nine. Revelation chapter six is a chapter that is specifically highlighting the tribulation, okay? During the end of the world, what we would refer to as Daniel's 70th week. And look at Revelation chapter six, verse number nine, it says here, and when he had opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of them that were asleep for the word of God. They were slain, right? And for the testimony which they held. And they cried with a loud voice saying, how long, O Lord, holy and true, dost thou not judge and avenge our blood of them that dwell on the earth? That doesn't sound like sleep to me. So these people are dead, it's talking about their souls, they're under the altar, and they're asking God, how long? They want to be avenged of their murders, of their martyrdom. This is proof that when someone dies, they're not asleep. These people are, they're wide awake, okay? Go to Revelation chapter 14, if you will, Revelation chapter 14. Annihilation of the souls is coupled with this where they'll say that a soul, you know, is just completely obliterated basically, it just ceases to exist. You know, God just allows them to just be destroyed so they can never live again, okay? And that's foolishness because every soul is everlasting. Now they may not have everlasting life, they can have everlasting death, everlasting punishment, but they will exist forever. And in fact, look at Revelation 14 verse 9, it says, and the third angel followed them saying with a loud voice, if any man worship the beast in his image and receive his mark on it in his forehead or in his hand, the same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out without mixture into the cup of his indignation, and he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels and in the presence of the lamb. And the smoke of their torment ascendeth up forever and ever, and they have no rest day nor night. Well, hold on, I thought they were sleeping. No, here it says they have no rest, day nor night. Their smoke of their torment ascendeth up forever and ever. So what is the picture that we see here? Well, when something is burned, smoke arises, right? But it ceases to arise once that which is being burnt is just completely consumed. So what does this say if the smoke of their torment is ascending forever and ever? You know, it's like the burning bush that burns and it's just not being consumed. Why is that? Because the soul is everlasting. So therefore it burns forever, okay? This goes to show us that they're not being just completely annihilated, they just cease to exist. No, they actually burn forever and ever and there's no rest day nor night, okay? It says, who worshiped the beast and his image and whosoever received it the mark of his name. Go to Revelation 20 and verse number 10, we're gonna look at this also when it comes to the beast and the false prophet. It says in verse number 10, and the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone where the beast and the false prophet are and shall be tormented day and night forever and ever. This is not annihilation. This is not you cease to exist. When the Bible uses tormented, that's not something you do to something that doesn't exist, okay? Now go to Hebrews chapter number 2. So make no mistake about it, there is an afterlife, there is an after death where every human being will go when they physically die. And to be quite honest with you, whether people want to admit it or not, people are afraid of death. Even safe people are afraid of death sometimes, okay? But more so people who are not saved, and they have a good reason to be afraid. Why? Because they don't know what's gonna happen afterwards. They don't know if they're gonna inherit eternal life, which obviously if they have entrusted Christ they will not. But it's something that they fear. Look at Hebrews 2 verse 15, or 14, excuse me, for as much then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same, that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is the devil, and delivered them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage. So the Bible tells us here that people do fear death. I mean, have you ever seen someone who's not saved lose someone? You know, it's a very difficult thing for them to go through. Because they don't know what happened to their loved ones. They don't even know how to reconcile, how to have closure in their lives when someone dies in their life, and they're not saved. When both parties are not saved, why? Because they don't have the hope of eternal life. They will tell you that they probably went to heaven, but they don't know that. They don't even know if they themselves are going to heaven. So there's a fear of the unknown when it comes to death. Now go to Romans chapter number five. So what happens to an unsafe person? A person who does not believe on Jesus Christ, a person who is not saved, you know, a person who has not trusted Christ for their eternal salvation. What happens to this person? And this is all inclusive to every single human being in the entire world. No one is the exception to the rule, okay? Look at Romans five, verse 14, it says, nevertheless, death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over them that had not sinned after the similitude of Adam's transgression, who is the figure of him that was to come. Now what death is this referring to? Well, it's referring to the Romans 623 death, for the wages of sin is death. Hold your place in Romans five, go to Romans seven. Now this is important to understand because there is a false doctrine that's taught by Catholics. I mean, there's a lot of false doctrine that's taught by Catholics, amen? But one specific one is they'll teach this false doctrine of original sin. And they'll say that when a child is born, an infant is born, they're just, they have this original sin. They're just sinful. I mean, this innocent baby who is just like, doesn't know the Bible, doesn't know any commandments, they're just sinful. You say, no, they don't believe that, well, then tell me why do they baptize them then? The reason they baptize babies in the Catholic institution is to wash away that original sin. Okay? Well, all they're washing away is the dirt on their skin when they baptize them. And even then it's only the dirt on their head because they only do the head, okay? But this is false doctrine, okay? There's no such thing as this original sin. And in fact, when every human being is born, they're born with the living spirit, okay? And I'm gonna prove it to you. Look at Romans seven, verse seven. This is Paul the apostle speaking here. It says, what shall we say then is the law of sin? God forbid. May I had not known sin, but by the law, for I had not known lust, except the law had said, thou shall not covet. So understand that when the Bible talks about the law, you know, it could be referring to the law as far as the meats, drinks, and diverse washings, and carnal ordinances of the Old Testament, that which is done away with, but it can also refer to God's moral law such as thou shall not covet, okay? It says, verse eight, but sin taken occasion by the commandment wrought in me all manner of concupiscence, for without the law, sin was dead. For I was a live one without the law once, but when the commandment came, sin revived and I died. Now, did the apostle Paul physically die? So he's referring to the death of his spirit. So what he's stating here is that before the law, before he understood what God's commandments were, his standard was, he was alive. But once the commandment came, once he realized that he had sinned against God, sin is a transgression of the law, the Bible says here that sin revived and I died. His spirit was dead. Let's continue reading. Verse 10, and the commandment, which is ordained to life, I found to be unto death, for sin taken occasion by the commandment deceived me and by it slew me. This is why when we go out and preach the gospel, we don't just start off by saying believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shall be saved, okay? We have two points prior to that, which is believe that you're a sinner, and we explain to them that they've broken God's commandments and if they struggle to understand that, we use verses such as James 2.10, whosoever keepeth the whole law, yet offendeth one point, he is guilty of all. We're trying to help them to recognize that they're sinners because they've broken God's commandments. And the penalty for that sin is an eternal death, okay? So what are we doing? We're killing them with the law. And in fact, the Bible literally uses that phrase that the letter killeth. The letter's referring to the law. So the law was never meant to save us. What is it meant to do? To kill us. A lot of people out there want to be saved by keeping the law. They want to be saved, but the Bible says this, therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law. That's what the Bible says. Why? Because the law was never meant to save us. No one can keep the entire law. Rather, it's meant to show us that we need a savior. In fact, the Bible even says that the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ. What is a schoolmaster? Something that teaches you. So we see the law, we see we can't keep it, and what do we do? It causes us to see Christ, who kept the whole law. And what happens when we trust Christ? We get his righteousness imputed upon us. Okay? Now, I'm getting ahead of myself, but what the law's supposed to do is supposed to slay us. So at the moment that you realize that you've broken God's commandments, now you're dead. You're dead meat. You're dead. That's what happens. This is what we would refer to as the age of accountability. So a child is innocent until they understand that they're proven guilty. Until they realize, oh, I'm sinning against God. At that point, their spirit is dead. And that's why the Bible tells us in Ephesians chapter two, but ye who were dead in your trespasses and sin had God quickened together, for by grace are you saved. Okay? Go back to Romans chapter five. Verse 15 says, but not as the offense, verse 15 of chapter five, so also was the free gift. For if through the offense of one, many be dead, much more the grace of God and the gift by grace, which is by one man, Jesus Christ, hath abounded unto many. And not as it was by one that sinned, so was the gift. For the judgment was by one to condemnation, but the free gift is of many offenses unto justification. For if by one man's offense death reign by one, much more they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ. Therefore, as by the offense of one, judgment came upon all men to condemnation, even so by the righteousness of one, the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life. Whereas by one man's disobedience, many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous. So what do we see here? We see that because of Adam, we're judged. Because of Adam, we're sinners. Because of Adam, we're dead. Whereas because of Jesus Christ, we're given life. Okay? We're given justification, et cetera. So that is where every person in this world stands unless they get saved. Now what happens to them when they die? Go to Hebrews chapter 9. Now I remember when I first got saved, you know, this is something that I would, when I was learning soul winning, I would use this in my gospel presentation and it was wrong to be quite honest with you. Because I used to say, you know, it is appointed for man once to die, but after this the judgment. And even unsaved people sometimes believe this is that when someone dies, they're automatically they meet God. You know, prepare to meet thy God. People often say it's like, man, I'm gonna meet God, you know, when they die. But that's not necessarily the way it works, okay? When someone dies, they don't meet God. They meet judgment. So what is it? Isn't that the same thing? Well, look what it says here. Hebrews chapter 9 and verse number 24, it's, well just read verse 27, it says, as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment, so Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many, and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin and to salvation. Go to Luke 16. So what happens to a person when they die? Well, according to the Bible, they lift up their eyes in hell. I mean talk about a rude awakening. Talk about the people who think they're saving themselves by their righteous works, by the deeds of their law, by their baptism, by their righteousness, and they're like, about to cash in my salvation. No, the only wages you're getting is death, which is you're gonna wake up in hell is what the Bible teaches. So when someone dies, they don't meet God. They just meet the repercussions of rejecting Jesus Christ, which is hell, okay? Look what it says in verse 19, I'm gonna prove it to you. It says, there was a certain rich man which was clothed in purple and fine linen and fared sumptuously every day, and there was a certain beggar named Lazarus which was laid at his gate full of sores and desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man's table. Moreover, the dogs came and licked the sores, and it came to pass that the beggar died and was carried by the angels into Abraham's bosom. This is referring to heaven, by the way. The rich man also, I know you already knew that, but I just wanna throw that out there. The rich man also died and was buried, but that's not where it ends. And in hell, he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off and Lazarus in his bosom. And he cried and said, Father Abraham, have mercy on me and send Lazarus that he may dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, for I am what? Tormented in this flame. I mean, doesn't that go perfectly with what we saw in Revelation, that they're tormented, there's fire? This is how an unsaved person dies right here. They die and they go straight to the center of the earth, which the Bible says that's where hell is, is at the core of the earth, okay, the heart of the earth as the Bible puts it, and they lift up their eyes in hell, being in torments. Let that sink in for a little bit, okay? Now this is a unique story here because this really, this never happened. I'm not talking about the story, but this never happened again, is what I'm saying. This was a literal story that took place, but it's never happened before or after. And I believe this is unique, simply for the fact that God wants to illustrate the fact that hell is real, right? And the reason we know that this isn't just some parable that is trying to illustrate a truth is because names are being used. And typically when you study parables in the Bible, names are never used, okay? Because they're illustrations, they're not real. Whereas here, we actually have the names of the people, Lazarus, the rich man, et cetera, and then you have Abraham speaking there. So when you die, when an unsaved person dies, their body goes into the ground, or they get cremated or whatever, but the spirit of the soul descends straight into hell, okay? Now go with me if you would to, let's see here, go to Matthew 25. And this goes to show us that, you know, salvation is not based upon how good you are or how well you can keep God's commandments. Because the Bible tells us in Galatians 3, verse 10, for as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse, for it is written, cursed is everyone that continueth not in all things that are written in the book of the law to do them. So the Bible says if you don't continue in the book of the law to do the works that are found in the law, you're cursed. Now why does it say that you're cursed? Look at Matthew 25, verse 41, then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, depart from me ye cursed into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels. Now one thing that's always kind of perplexed me, not necessarily perplexed me, but it just kind of astonished me was the fact that the Bible says that hell is prepared for the devil and his angels. Now you think of the devil and his angels, these are beings, these are supernatural beings that are mighty in power. So hell had to be created with such torment and pain that it would cause an angelic being with such power to suffer. And it's unfortunate, but people are going to experience that same suffering as well. So although hell is prepared for the devil and his angels, people who reject Christ, people who are cursed will go to this place as well. Go to Revelation chapter 20. But here's the thing, that's not where it stops. So it's not like, oh, this person just goes to hell and then that's it. Now we'll say this, you can't pray that person out. There's no such thing as praying a soul out of hell. You can pray as much as you want, it ain't going to do much. Praying doesn't get anybody out of hell. As soon as they go to hell, their fate is sealed. They're there forever. Now I take that back, they're not there forever. They're actually going to be relocated. So it actually gets worse before it gets better. In fact, it never gets better. Look at Revelation 20, verse 7. So in the book of Revelation, you have a series of events that take place in regards to end times or the end of the world. In the end times, you have what's called Daniel's 70th week, which lasts for seven years, three and a half years of tribulation, three and a half years of the wrath of God. Once those years are expired, the Bible tells us that Jesus Christ will set up his millennial reign. Millennial means a thousand years. It's during that time that his people and those who have labored, those who have worked for him, will rule and reign with him for a thousand years. So people who are dead today who are in hell will be in hell even during that time. So they're in hell during Daniel's 70th week, they're in hell during the tribulation period, they're in hell during the wrath of God, and they're in hell throughout the thousand years of his millennial reign. That's a long time. Let a thousand years sink in your brain. That's a long time. You say, well, man, that's terrible. All right, let's move on. Well, it's not done yet, though. Look at Revelation 20, verse 7. And when the thousand years are expired, Satan shall be loosed out of his prison and shall go out to deceive the nations which are in the four quarters of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them together to battle, the number of whom is as the sand of the sea. And they went up on the breadth of the earth and compassed the camp of the saints about in the beloved city, and fire came down from God out of heaven and devoured them. So what's taking place here? Well, during the millennial reign, you have unsafe people in this, you know, utopia, if you want to call it, okay, this millennial reign. There's unsafe people who actually survive the wrath of God, and they make it into this millennial reign. So they're living and dying. There's people that can get saved, but there's also people who die and they still go to hell. But people who make it through those thousand years, even then, with having Jesus Christ there present, will still desire to revolt against God and Jesus Christ. And what God does is he allows Satan, who at this moment is in the lake of fire, or in the bottomless pit, to ascend up and to deceive the nations once again. What is he doing? He's collecting all the people. He's collecting all the trash, as we like to say, right? He's collecting them all together for this battle called the Battle of Gog and Magog. And it's not necessarily like a battle, like who's gonna win? It's just a trash collection. He's just collecting everyone who he's gonna destroy. And the Bible says here that fire comes down from God out of heaven and devours them. Look at verse 10, and the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone where the beast and the false prophet are and they shall be tormented day and night forever and ever. So prior to this, no one's in the lake of fire other than the beast and the false prophet. They get the whole thing to themselves, if you think about that. And they're there from the beginning of the millennial reign up until forever from here on out. There's a mention here when Satan is actually cast into the lake of fire as well. So they're in there, but no one else is in there other than themselves and then Satan joins them afterwards. Look at verse 11, and I saw a great white throne and him that sat on it from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away and there was found no place for them. And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God and the books were opened and another book was opened, which is the book of life, and the dead were judged out of those things which are written in the books according to their works. So what's taking place in verse 11 and 12? Well, it talks about this great white throne. So there is two judgments, okay? As we mentioned, there's the believers and then there's the unbelievers. This judgment is referred to as the white throne judgment. This is designated for people who are not saved. Now this is not a judgment to say, well, let's see if you're good enough to get into heaven. When it talks about the white throne judgment, it means they're there to be judged and be condemned to hell. It's a one-stop shop to basically say, okay, you're coming out of here and you're going to hell, okay? And it's basically confirming why they're worthy of hell. Then you have the other judgment which is the judgment seat of Christ. This judgment is for Christians but it's not whether they can get into heaven or not. This judgment is to determine what rewards they will receive if any, okay? That's what that judgment seat is for. Now I want you to notice in verse 12 it says that I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God and the books were opened and another book was opened which is the book of life. So what do we see here? The dead is referring to unsaved people. And it says small and great. This is not referring to like, you know, fat and skinny though it's included, those people are included as well. This is referring to, you know, the pauper but also the famous person. The government official but also just the person who never even, no one ever even knew his name. This is referring to your neighbor and Michael Jackson, okay, because he's in hell too, amen? You know, this is who this is referring to, small and great, stand before God. And then it says this, and the books were opened and another book was opened. Now what is that referring to? Because there's two segments of books that are being opened here. You have the book of life but then you have the books which is plural. Well I believe when it says the books it's referring to the actual 66 books of the Bible. They're being judged according to the 66 books of the Bible. And to prove that, I'm gonna read to you from John 12 48, Jesus says, he that rejecteth me and receiveth not my words, hath one that judgeth him. The word that I have spoken, the same shall judge him in the last days. That's what it says. So they open up the books, oh you know, I prophesied in thy name, in thy name I've done many wonderful works. It's like I got 66 books here just, they're saying that you did it. You're not righteous, you're not holy, you're not all that and a bag of chips. That's the Bruce version. And then the book of life is opened because where the book of life is, is where every person who is going to heaven is named. Now I'm gonna explain what the book of life is in just a little bit. But I want you also to understand that during this time, I believe also the judgment is to show who's actually gonna receive the greater punishment. Because the Bible says in Matthew 23 14, woe unto you scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites, for ye devour widows' houses and for pretense make long prayer, therefore ye shall receive the greater damnation. So this judgment is to say, oh yeah, you're wicked. You know, oh, Slutar, Andrew Slutar, yeah I know who you are. You know, you're gonna go to the lowest hell. You know, people, obviously unsafe people who just rejected the gospel, they're gonna be cast into the lake of fire as well because they're sinners, they've broken God's commandments. But a guy like Joel Osteen, you know, a guy like Robert Breaker, a guy like Husky, what's his name, Dunglinger, these people actually receive a greater damnation. Because of the fact that it's not like they're just ignorant of salvation, they are propagating a false gospel. So by their hand, by their own agenda, they're actually damning others to hell. Some people are gonna go to hell and they're not taking anyone with them. These guys are. These guys are splitting hell wide open and they're taking people with them as well because they're deceiving the nations. The pope is going to hell. Every single pope that's ever existed, okay, that's dead, they're in hell today and they're gonna receive the greater damnation because of it. Why? Because this institution is made up of millions and billions of people, converts all over the world, okay? These are the people that receive the greater damnation. Now what does that mean? Well, you know, if you were to ask me, I would just say it probably just means that their hell is hotter. They receive a portion of that lake of fire that's a lot hotter than the other, now they're both hot, right? They're both burning but one is just burning more intensely than the other, okay? That's what I believe that's referring to. Now during this white throne judgment, it's not just the soul that's being judged. So when a person dies, their body's in the grave but their soul descends into hell. At the white throne judgment, their body is brought back, okay? So guess what? They get a resurrection too but it's not a resurrection unto life. It's actually a resurrection unto death, okay? Now I'm gonna show you a verse in just a little bit. Go to Revelation 22. You say, how do you know that? Well, verse 13, you don't have to turn there, of what we previously read in Revelation chapter 23, or excuse me, chapter 20. It says, the sea gave up the dead which were in it and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them and they were judged by every man according to their works. So when it says that the sea gave up their dead, that makes perfect sense that it's referring to the actual bodies. You know, the souls are not in the sea, you know? It's their bodies. You think of the millions of people who have died at sea. How about people who get cremated and then they spread their ashes all over the ocean and stuff like that? You know, they can spread it all they want. God's gonna find them still. He said, well, why would he want their bodies as well? Well, we're gonna look at what Jesus says and why, okay? But before we get into that, we often see the phrase being blotted out of the book of life, right? Now, when we are saved, our names are not written in the book of life. It's like it wasn't there before and then you get saved and then God's like, all right, I'm gonna write it down now, okay? Our names are already in the book of life even as unsaved people, okay? And our names are already there and the promise is that he's not gonna blot it out, okay? So every single, this just goes to show you that God is not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance, okay? He doesn't want anybody to die and go to hell. So what does he do? He starts off with everyone being in the book of life because he wants everyone to be saved. So what happens when someone dies? Their name is blotted out. But there's also occasions when their name actually gets blotted out even before they die. That's what we would refer to as a reprobate, okay? Look at Revelation 22 verse 19. It says, if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life and out of the holy city and from the things which are written in this book. Go to Revelation 3. So we see that what will qualify someone from getting their name blotted out of the book of life in this lifetime if you mess with God's word? If you take God's word and you remove verses or you add to it or you create, you know, the NIV, the ESV, these are all products of people who have messed with the word of God. You say, well, they're just a little deceived. No, no, no, no, they're deceiving people and the Bible tells us that whoever messes with the word of God, their names are just, God doesn't even wait for you to die. He says, I'm just taking your name out right now. So it's a severe punishment for tampering with the word of God. He said, what if a saved person does that? A saved person will not do that because the saved person has the Holy Spirit of God living within them. You know, they're not reprobate, they're not wicked people to do such a thing, okay? Look at Revelation 3 verse 5, it says, he that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white raiment and I will not blot out his name out of the book of life, but I will confess his name before my father and before his angels. So we see here that whosoever overcometh, right, and we understand that according to 1 John chapter 5, to overcome is to be born again, is to be saved is what that's referring to, okay? Now, go to Matthew chapter 10, Matthew chapter number 10. So in Revelation chapter 20, you see that the hell gives up their dead. So it just kind of throws up all these souls, these damn souls to be before the judgment, the white throne judgment. But it's also their bodies. And even though their bodies come up, they're not considered living, they're still considered dead. I mean, this would be considered like a real zombie, right? Because they're there, they're conscious, but they're dead according to God. Now look at Matthew 10 verse 28, it says, fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul, but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell. And that's actually referring to the lake of fire. Because we see that everyone who is judged according to the books and whose name is not written in the book of life is cast into the lake of fire. You know, the sea that gave up their dead, all these people, they're reunited with their spirits and their bodies, and they're just both tossed into the lake of fire. You say, what happens to their bodies once they get thrown into, it just burns up. They just feel that pain again, okay? Now, you know, people want to, they want to get like deep on it and say, where is the lake of fire, you know? I can honestly say for sure that hell is in the center of the earth. We can't say for sure where the lake of fire is. If you were to ask me, I would opinionate, and I would not say that this, I can, I'm like 100% sure, I would say it's the sun. I don't think it's far-fetched to say it's the sun. I can't say with assurance that it is the sun, but I think the sun fits the description of being a lake of fire. It's an outer darkness, you know, it's a lake of fire. You see shots and images of the sun, it just looks like a lake of fire, okay? And not only that, but here's the thing, if you just study science, in order for the sun to keep burning, it needs something to keep it burning. Well, what better thing to use to keep something burning than an eternal soul that never extinguishes? So if you cast billions of souls into that sun, it's going to keep burning. And the Bible does not allude to the fact that the sun is going to go away in the new heaven and the new earth. It stays there. And it just, and how is it that the smoke of their torment will arise forever and ever, you know what I mean? That would kind of make sense that that would be it. I can't say that that's exactly what it is. That's what I believe it is. I'm not going to say that 100% that that's what it is, but if you were to ask me, that's what I would tell you. Now go to, let's see here. What happened? What did he say? What did you say? What did he say? Oh, black sun? Is that what you said? Flat sun. Alright, go to 2 Corinthians 5, 2 Corinthians 5. So we won't go through all the verses here, but Revelation 21a talks about whosoever's name was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire. And look, that's why it's not hard to understand the reprobate doctrine. It's pretty simple, because you have the first death, which is referring to the center of the earth, and then you have the second death, which literally the Bible calls the second death as being the lake of fire. And then you have Jude that says that reprobates are twice dead, okay? It's not like he's threatening them twice. Like, you're dead, you're dead, you're twice dead. He's saying that they're twice dead. In other words, they've sealed their fate, is what he's talking about there, okay? Twice dead, plucked up by the roots, raging waves of the sea, foaming out their own shame, wandering stars, to whom is reserved the blackness of darkness forever, okay? So that's what happens to a person if they're not saved. That's the experience they have, and then they stay in the lake of fire forever. Now it's hard to really wrap your mind around forever when it comes to that. The best illustration that I could come up with was a preacher years ago told me, you know, here's something that can help you to kind of basically understand how much forever is. And even what he shared is just not even enough. He said, what if you're in hell and, you know, the whole entire world is filled with bird seed like four feet deep? The entire world, all the oceans, all the lands is just filled with bird seed, you know, four feet deep, okay? You can get out of hell and the only, obviously this is, you know, hypothetical, theoretical is what I'm saying. You know, a bird comes once a year and he takes one seed. You can get out of hell once all the seeds are taken. That's a long time. And that doesn't even compare to what the real lake of fire is. Or that doesn't even compare to what forever really is. But it kind of gives you, like, man, that's forever. Yeah, exactly. Forever. Because even if you, even if that bird finishes all the seeds and it takes billions of years, it's still not even touching the surface. It's not even scratching the surface of what forever is. So that's for an unsaved person. What about for a saved person? Well, the Bible tells us, look at 2 Corinthians 5 verse 6, therefore we are always confident knowing that whilst we are at home in the body, we are absent from the Lord, for we walk by faith, not by sight. We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body and to be present with the Lord. So what is the Bible saying? When you're absent from the body, what does that mean? You're dead. You're present with the Lord. So at the moment of death, you do meet God. Amen? You are present with the Lord. Okay? The Bible says in Philippians 1 21, for to me to live is Christ and to die is gain. It then says, but if I live in the flesh, this is the fruit of my labor, yet what I shall choose, I want not. For I am in a strait betwixt two, having a desire to depart and to be with Christ, which is far better. Nevertheless, to abide in the flesh is more needful for you. Go to John chapter 6, if you would. But it doesn't end there. When you die, you do go home to be with the Lord. Okay? And the Bible tells us that. Now let me just correct something here, is that every single human being in the world is going to die, with the exception of those who are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord. That's the only exception. So there will be people who are alive and they remain, they don't experience death. They see the redemption of their body in real time. Jesus Christ comes and they actually get to see the transformation take place. Okay? Which is pretty awesome. Hopefully we live to see that. But for the most part, everyone is going to die. Now what happens after that? Well, the Bible says that when we die, the second coming of Christ, which is considered, the Bible refers to as, or we would refer to as the rapture, is when Jesus Christ comes back to rapture his people. We come with him. Those who are in heaven, those who have died, come with Christ to be part of that rapture. You say, why are we coming with him? Because at that point, we receive the redemption of our bodies. So the bodies come out of the grave, they shoot out, I mean, you imagine how it is, if you watch enough Hollywood movies, you could probably come up with a cool scenario. You know, they're just blown out of the graves and just, you know, the white suits, you know, however you were buried. You know, they come out to meet their bodies in the air. To meet the spirit in the air, okay? To receive that redemption of their bodies. At that point, you receive your glorified body. So you don't get your glorified body when you die now. You get it at the resurrection, okay? Now look at John 6, verse 39 says, and this is the father's will which hath sent me, that of all which he hath given me, I shall lose nothing, but should raise it up again at the last day. And this is the will of him that sent me, that everyone which seeth the son, and believeth on him, may have everlasting life, and I will raise him up at the last day. That's the promise. And thank God for that. So we obviously have eternal life as far as going to heaven is concerned. We have that to look forward to, but it's not just that. It's also the resurrection of our bodies, okay? The redemption thereof. Go to 1 Corinthians chapter 3. That's what's called the day, excuse me, the day of redemption. The Bible refers to in Ephesians chapter 1, verse 13 and 14, talks about the redemption of our body. Ephesians chapter 4 says, grieve not the Holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption, referring to the redemption of our bodies, okay? Look at 1 Corinthians 3, verse 12. So now where are we at here? So we have your death, you're in heaven, you stay there until the rapture, you receive the redemption of your body at the rapture, then you're in heaven, you stay there for three and a half years. What the Bible says? It's roughly around three and a half years. At the end of those three and a half years, you have what's called the millennial reign. That's when we come back with Christ. That's when Christ comes back on a white horse, okay? And he comes, and what happens? At that point, he begins to designate the authority to the people, to his servants who have worked for him in this world, okay? So if you're a soul winner, you're out preaching the gospel, you're doing great works for God, and you get tired, don't worry, your labor's not in vain. You're gonna be heavily rewarded at the millennial reign. You will receive that authority, those crowns, but let me say this. If you get out of the race, the Bible tells us that you are gonna suffer loss if you get out of the race. See, that's a motivation for us to just stay in the race, no matter what. And look, if you don't feel like doing what you're supposed to do, just do it thinking of the reward that you're gonna receive. We shall reap if we faint not, the Bible says, in due season. So that is the resurrection there, and look what it says in verse 12 of 1 Corinthians 3. It says, Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble, every man's work shall be made manifest, for the day shall declare, because it shall be revealed by fire. And the fire shall try every man's work of what sort it is. If any man's work abide, which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward. If any man's work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss, but he himself shall be saved, yet so as by fire. So if, you know, you just don't do any works for God, okay, well, when you're at the judgment seat of Christ, it's gonna be tried by fire and it's just gonna burn. Now here's the good news. You're still saved. Yet so as by fire, but you're still saved. You shall suffer loss, but you're still saved. So, and thank God for that. That's the best part. But there will be, I'm sure there's gonna be a lot of shame involved in that. The fact that you knew you could have done something for God, you had a lifetime to just buckle down, discipline yourself, work for God, go soul winning, reach people, just give your life to God, amen? Use your time, redeeming the time for the days are evil. Why? Because there's a resurrection to look forward to. It's not a fairy tale. I know it's very far in the future. You know the resurrection, the millennial reign, the resurrection, it's very far in the future, but you know what? It's all in comparison to the fact that it's a reality, you should just buckle down and just work for God. Because here's the thing, it is gonna happen. I mean look, the new heaven, the new earth is like a long time from now. I mean we're not even at the, we're not even at Daniel's 70th week yet. We're not even at the millennial reign, that happens after the millennial reign. It's a long time, but let me say this, it's gonna happen. It's going to happen, okay? And that's how we need to see it, so we see that there. Now go with me if you would to, we're almost done. Go to, go to Revelation 20. That's what the Bible refers to us as kings, kings and priests. It's referring to the fact that we're gonna rule and reign with Christ, but the Bible tells us that if we're to be joint heirs with Christ, then we'll be able to rule and reign with him, okay? So to be saved, you know, to inherit eternal life, we just have to believe on Christ, but to be joint heirs with Christ, okay, to be rewarded, you have to suffer for his name's sake. And when it talks about suffering for his name's sake, it's referring to the fact that you're standing for the word of God. You're sowing, you're living for the Lord, you're taking up your cross daily, you're working for him. That's how you can make sure that you get that reward. Now you know, we can preach an entire sermon on rewards, but at the end of the day, we really don't know what's gonna yield the most fruit, right? That's why I think God makes it vague in such a way so that we just do everything we're told to do. Not just sowing, you know, we live a holy life, we're standing up for the word of God, we're preaching hard, we're raising our family's right, we're reaching people not just in our Jerusalem but also in Judea, Samaria, the utmost parts of the world. We go to Compton, we're in Omani, Watts, amen? We go to Mexico, Aruba, wherever it may be. We try to put our fishing poles in every pond because we don't know what's gonna yield the most fruit, and God makes it vague for a reason, why? So we can just do everything. We just try to cover all our bases, okay? That's why it's like that. Now Revelation 20, verse 4 says, and I saw thrones and they that 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 worshiped the beast, neither his image, neither had received the 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. Now verse 5 is referring to the people who actually get saved during the wrath of God of those three and a half years of the latter portion of Daniel 70th week. Because what do you have during the latter part of Daniel 70th week? You have the 144,000 that are preaching, okay? You have the 144,000, you also have the two witnesses that are preaching the gospel. People are gonna get saved during that time. Now it may not be like masses of people, but there are people who are gonna get saved. So when they die, if they die during that time, during that wrath of God, during the trumpets and all the woes that are taking place, they're not gonna be able to enjoy that millennial reign. They're actually gonna remain dead until after that's accomplished, okay? And you know, that's okay, because you still get to be a part of the new heaven and the new earth, you know? You just won't be able to enjoy that. Look what it says, blessed and holy is he to have part in the first resurrection on which the second death had no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ and shall reign with him a thousand years. Now last portion of scripture, go to 1 Corinthians 15, 1 Corinthians 15. So a Christian dies, he goes to heaven, he comes back with Christ at the rapture, receives the redemption of his body. This redemption, by the way, could vary based also upon the works that you do. Because the Bible tells us that there are certain people who will have a better resurrection. Their glory will shine brighter than others, okay? In fact, look at 1 Corinthians 15, verse 21, it says, for since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive, but every man in his own order, Christ the firstfruits, afterward, they that are Christ at his coming, then cometh the end, when he shall have delivered up the kingdom to God, even the Father, when he shall have put down all rule and all authority and power. For he must reign, so he hath put all enemies under his feet. The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death. And that's when we see that after the millennial reign, both death and hell are cast into the lake of fire. That's why it says that in verse 26 that the last enemy that shall be destroyed is death. So he casts the beast and the false prophet into the lake of fire, then he throws the devil into the lake of fire, then he throws all the people who are in hell into the lake of fire, and the last enemy that is thrown in there is death. So that at that point, in the new heaven and the new earth, there is no more death. Because in the millennial reign, there's still death. In fact, we're still killing animals and eating them. You're still eating meat in the millennial reign. And you know what? God is good, man. Good God. So he's like, you know, obviously in the new heaven and the new earth, we become vegan, we become vegetarian. You know, we're not eating meat anymore, okay? He's like, what in the world, why? Well he's given us a thousand years to just get it out of our system, so you need to just take advantage and just get as much meat in your glorified body as you can, amen? And look, in your glorified body, it probably tastes better, amen, I don't know. But we see here that there's still, we see in the millennial reign that there's still death. Animals are being killed. Hey, the law of Moses, which is the law of God, is still being instituted, you know? So when you have this sodomite, you have men stealers, murderers, you know, we're gonna be the ones putting those people to death according to the law of God. So there's still gonna be death. But at that point in the new heaven and the new earth, death is no more present, okay? And it's gonna be a beautiful day. So what is the sermon today? Simply to show what is the process of death for both saved and unsaved. You may say, well, I already know all that. Well, you know what, we're gonna keep talking about it because that's a vital doctrine. The resurrection, hell, the second death, these are vital doctrines. But not only that, it kinda helps us to put things into perspective again, doesn't it? And say, you know what, I might die tomorrow. You might die today. You don't know when you're gonna die. So that should be an eye-opener to you to say, you know what, I need to start buckling down again if I've strayed a little bit. Or you know, I need to start getting serious again about the things of God. Why? Because I can die at any moment. And guess what? When you die, the spirit returns back into God. And at that point, you can't work anymore. It's not, hey God, can you just send me back just for one more day? I'll do like a whole bunch of sowing. It's not gonna work that way. Once you're dead, it's done. You've had your chance. Amen? You say, well, what should I do? Get to work! Amen? Let's do it! Let's just get to work, let's do what we have to do because we don't know when we're gonna go. Okay? And look, if you're not saved, get saved today. Amen? Mark, he got saved today, amen? And thank God for that. And you know what, that's why we have so many in our church because we want to have people join us, you know, in that resurrection. We want people to join us in that millennial reign, in that new heaven and the new earth. We want them to live forever. Let's go ahead and bow our heads and have a word of prayer. Father, we thank you so much for your word and thank you for the promise of eternal life. Thank you for the resurrection. And it's comforting to know that because if we have lost a loved one who is in the Lord, we know that we'll see them again and that comforts our hearts, Lord. And I pray, God, that you'd help us to continue to look forward to that special day when you come back. And, God, I just pray that you would help us to keep that eternal mindset and stray from a temporal mindset that we may focus on that which is eternal, set our affections on things above, not on the things on this earth, and help us to do so, Lord. We love you so much and we thank you. Pray these things in Jesus' name. Amen.