Luke 20:37-38,“But as for the fact that the dead are raised, even Moses revealed this in the passage about the burning bush, where he calls the Lord the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob. Now He is not the God of the dead, but of the living; for all live to Him (NASB)”. We are not dealing with a God of dead people. Everyone continues to be alive in God. Death does not end or intercept life, life continues, as Francois du Toit (Mirror Bible) describes this in vs 38. “This does not mean that we will not finish in the death of our conscious existence, but in this we have a beginning. To be incarnated into another dimension. Not to be confused with the reincarnation into this realm in any format, like another person or animal, to be perfected so we can reach the desired ultimate goal of perfection. Some people might think we will be transformed into a ghostlike existence or become like an angel sitting on a cloud playing the harp.
No, there is no ‘sell by date’ to the union we have with the Godhead! This is not a ‘flash in the pan’, ‘hit-and-run’ thing. This gospel measures a friendship to be enjoyed with an unhindered, unlimited, uninterrupted future. When we step out of this earth suit one day; we do not step into redefined time, we’re stepping into eternity Himself; the Author of the ages, who already dwells within us!” (Francois du Toit, Divine Embrace, pg 100). If our hope in Christ was restricted to only benefit us in this life then imagine the severity of our disappointment if it all comes to an abrupt end when we died. However, this very moment the risen Christ represents everyone who has ever died; exactly like the first fruit would represent the complete harvest. Based on 1 Corinthians 15:52- 54 Mirror: “Therefore when the final trumpet sounds the dead shall be awoken out of their sleep and we who are still alive shall be instantly changed into a different kind of body. We are then clothed with incorruptibility and immortality, as Christ is. Finally realised even in our physical death: “Death is swallowed up in victory” ( Is. 25:8)”
From this, and other scripture references, we are told that ‘we sleep’, yet there are references to a ‘first’ and a ‘second’ death, and in Revelation 6:9-10 we see and hear the martyrs under the throne. So we can surmise that for those souls that have not awoken to their true identity in this life, they will sleep until the ‘last trumpet’ sounds to awaken them. Whereas, those who believe and have awoken to their oneness in God in this existence remain awake.
