12. 1. It is a State of "CONSCIOUSNESS."
In the account of the "Rich Man and Lazarus" (Luke 16:19-31) we have a description of their experience in the "Intermediate State." Both had died and their bodies had been buried on the surface of the earth, what happened to them then happened to them in their "disembodied state." While nothing is said of Lazarus but that he was "comforted," we know that the "Rich Man" could see, for he recognized Abraham and Lazarus, and that he could feel, and thirst, and talk, and remember, proving that he had not lost his personality or consciousness. And the same can be said of both Abraham and Lazarus.
The promise of Jesus to the dying thief that he should be with Him that day in Paradise, implied that the thief should not only be in Paradise, but know that he was there, and be conscious of Christ's presence with him, otherwise there would have been no comfort in the promise. Take the words of Paul in 2 Cor. 5:6-9, "Whilst we are at home in the BODY, we are absent from the Lord." And he adds—"We are willing to be ABSENT from the body, and to be PRESENT with the Lord, wherefore we labor, that, whether PRESENT or ABSENT, we may be accepted of him." The words "Present" and "Absent" as relating to the body are full of significance. The Apostle would not have been willing to be "absent from the body," and "present with the Lord," if he did not believe that in the presence of the Lord he would be conscious, for what possible satisfaction could there be in being unconsciously present with the Lord.
THE SOUT'S GUARDIAN AT DEATH
THE INTERMEDIATE STATE
The Apostle expresses the same truth in Phil. 1:21-24, where he says—"For to me to live is CHRIST, and to die is GAIN. . . . For I am in a strait betwixt two, having a desire to depart (die), and to be WITH CHRIST; which is FAR BETTER: nevertheless to abide IN THE FLESH is more needful for you." What did Paul mean when he said it would be "gain," and "far better," to be out of the flesh and WITH CHRIST, if he did not believe that he would be conscious when he got into Christ's presence? Note that the "strait" Paul was in was "betwixt" LIFE and DEATH, and the cause was the desire of Paul to be WITH CHRIST. Why should Paul want to be "with Christ" in the "Intermediate State" if it was not a conscious state?
Death is not a cessation of being. It is simply a cessation of bodily functions that cut off the soul from contact with this present earth. It brings to an end the first "stage" of our existence that we may enter on the second. The cessation of the bodily functions of a man does not include the cessation of his "Soul" functions. The "Soul" does not sleep when the body does, otherwise we would never dream or see visions, or talk in our sleep. It was by dreams and visions of the night that God made known His will to men while they slept. The "Soul," then unfettered, is clearer of vision. Matt. 1:20-25; 2:11-13, 19-23. Acts 27:23-24. The use of the word "sleep," as applied to death, shows that death is not a cessation of existence, for sleep implies an awakening.
FIRST EXPERIENCES AFTER DEATH
Did you ever stop to think of what happens to the Righteous Soul during the first five minutes after death? Before the funeral has been held, and the body laid away in the cemetery, nay, before the undertaker has been sent for, or the neighbors and relatives notified, or the shades drawn, or the silent watchers at the bedside have realized that you are dead you have been FIVE MINUTES out of the body and reached Paradise and know where you are to spend eternity. Now what will be our experiences in those first five minutes? (1). Our first experience will be that death was so easy. That it was like falling asleep and awaking in a beautiful world. That there was no "Valley of Death," with its hobgoblins, satyrs, and demons to traverse, no "dark river" to cross, but that "Ministering Angels" were waiting to convoy us to Paradise as they carried Lazarus. Luke 16:22. Heb. 1:13-14. What a delight it will be to meet our "Guardian Angel," who has watched over us in our "earth life," and who will not desert us in that supreme moment when we shall need a guide to conduct us to our Heavenly Home. (2). Our second experience will be the consciousness that we have left behind our earthly body with all its weaknesses, sufferings, and limitations, and have a body that is absolutely well and fitted in every way for the spiritual realm in which it is to dwell. (3). Our third experience will be that we are being transported swiftly upward through the ethereal space toward a beautiful country whose radiance is brighter than the sun, and as we approach it see coming out to meet us and escort us home, groups of angels who sing—"Blessed are they that do His Commandments, that they may have right to the Tree of Life, and may enter in through the gates of the city." Rev. 22:14. (4). Our fourth experience will be that we are in a new environment whose atmosphere is LOVE. That there is no discord, or lack of harmony in our new home, and that its chief characteristic is HOLINESS. (5). Our fifth experience will be the feeling that we are near Jesus. If we do not actually see Him, we shall have the consciousness of His nearness. (6). Our sixth experience will be that of meeting our loved ones. While the writer does not believe that our loved ones have any direct knowledge of what is going on on this earth, yet he believes that our "Guardian Angel" may communicate with our loved ones and inform them of our coming, and that they will be waiting to receive us. (7). Our seventh experience will be the meeting with the saints who have preceded us to glory, such as the patriarchs, prophets, apostles and Christian leaders of our own day. The experiences named may not all happen in the first five minutes after death, but they doubtless will happen before our funeral service is over and our body laid to rest in the tomb.
THE INTERMEDIATE STATE
2. It is a State of "REST."
"There the wicked cease from troubling, and there the weary be at rest." Job 3:17. In the Book of Revelation, at the breaking of the "Fifth Seal" (Rev. 6:9-11), we have a vision of the "SOULS" of the martyred dead of the "Tribulation Period," and we read that they cried with a loud voice (they were conscious), saying—"How long, O Lord, Holy and True, dost Thou not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth?" And white robes were given unto every one of them (showing that the "Spirits" of the dead have "Soulish BODIES"), and it was said unto them, that they should REST FOR A SEASON, until their fellow servants also and their brethren, that should be killed as they were, should be fulfilled. While these martyred dead are not the Martyrs of the Christian Church, but mainly Jews of the "Tribulation Period," the Church having been caught out before this, nevertheless the state of their existence in that "disembodied state," will be the same as that of the Souls of the Righteous dead today. Therefore we see that the state of the Righteous dead in the "Intermediate State" is that of consciousness, and that their "Soulish Body" is clothed, and that they are resting.
In Rev. 14:13, John says—"I heard a voice from Heaven saying unto me, Write, Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord FROM HENCEFORTH: Yea, saith the Spirit, that they may REST from their labors: and their WORKS do follow them." While this is spoken of those who shall die because they will not worship the "Beast" as commanded in the previous chapter (Rev. 13:15), yet it is blessedly true of all the sainted dead. We see from the above passages that the "state" of the dead in their disembodied condition is that of REST. It will be rest from pain and weariness, from care and worriment, from sorrow and bereavement, and all the ills that flesh is heir to. It will be rest from that "Christian Warfare" so vividly described by the Apostle in Rom. 7:15-25. It will also be rest from LABOR. Jesus said—"I must work the works of Him that sent me, while it is DAY: the NIGHT cometh, when no man can work." John 9:4. In this present life we are alive and active. As believers we are engaged in the Lord's work of Evangelism, Teaching and Preaching the Gospel, Christian Stewardship, etc. For us it is DAY. But the "NIGHT OF DEATH" will come when we can no longer work. In 2 Cor. 5:10, we read—"We must all appear before the 'Judgment Seat of Christ'; that every one may receive the things done IN HIS BODY, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad." The "Judgment Seat of Christ" is for the Judgment of the Righteous only, and is not set up until after the Resurrection of the Righteous. See the chapters on the Resurrections and Judgments. If the Righteous are to be judged at that Judgment for the "things" done IN THE BODY, then the inference is, that they do no WORKS in the "Intermediate State," for if they do, why are not those "Works" judged as well as the works they did in the body? From this we see that the "Intermediate State" is a state of REST. But by rest we must not think that it is a state of idleness, that we shall do nothing but sit and sing. There will be much to occupy our time, and we shall have the sweet society of our loved ones and the saints of all ages.
3. It is a State of "BLISS."
The word "Paradise" suggests that. We are told that, "BLESSED are the dead who die in the Lord." Rev. 14:13. The word "blessed" means "happy," then HAPPY will be the Righteous in Paradise. And as "happiness" is an emotion that demands consciousness to be experienced, the Righteous must be conscious in Paradise. As it was said of Lazarus that in Paradise he was "comforted," we see that there will be no sadness to mar our happiness. The word Paradise means a "garden" or "enclosed place" like a beautiful park. If the earthly Eden was a Garden of "Matchless Delights," then the Heavenly Paradise must be a place of "Ravishing Beauty." Why did God prepare such a place of enchanting beauty for a home for the soul between the death and resurrection of the body, if it is nothing but a vast "Bedroom" with its inhabitants all asleep? No; Paradise
THE INTERMEDIATE STATE is the "Beulah Land" in which the Righteous wait for the adoption, to wit, the REDEMPTION OF THEIR BODIES. Rom. 8:23.
4. It is a State of "INCOMPLETENESS."
The "Intermediate State" is not the "FINAL State" of either the Righteous or the Wicked. While what we have said as to Paradise is true for the Righteous, the reverse is true for the Wicked. The Wicked shall spend the "Intermediate Stage" of their existence in the "HELL Section" of the Underworld. And if Lazarus was "comforted" in Paradise, the Wicked, like the "Rich Man," will be "tormented" in Hell. The picture is not pleasant, but the implication is that the Wicked will be as unhappy in Hell as the Righteous are blissful in Paradise.
The "Intermediate State" is a state of INCOMPLETENESS. Death does not usher us into the "Final State." That is, we do not go immediately to "Heaven" or the "Lake of Fire" when we die. We must first get our Resurrection body and be Judged before we can go to either place. The "Intermediate State" is a state of incompleteness because we have no physical body. In it we are only a "duality," having only "soul" and "spirit." We must get back our body before we can again be a "trinity." This accounts for why we must rest and do no work in the "Intermediate State." We need a physical body in which to work, for without it we can have no communication with this or other worlds. Moses and Elijah could not have appeared on the Mount of Transfiguration if they had not had their Resurrection bodies. This leads to our last thought.
5. It is a State of HOPE.
We speak of the "Church Militant" and the "Church Triumphant," meaning the Church on earth and the Church in Heaven. The Apostle Paul speaks of it as the whole "Family" in HEAVEN AND EARTH. There is but one family of God. The family of the "NEW BORN." John 3:5. Heb. 12:23. Part are in Heaven
(Paradise), and part are on the Earth. They both have the same HOPE, the "BLESSED HOPE." They are both looking for the "Glorious Appearing" of the Great God and our Saviour JESUS CHRIST. Titus 2: 11-14. The Church on earth is looking for His "Glorious Appearing," that they may be "caught up" without dying and having to pass through the "Intermediate State," and may receive their "Glorified Bodies," and be able to mock "Death" by shouting—
"O DEATH, WHERE IS THY STING?
O GRAVE, WHERE IS THY VICTORY?"
1 Cor. 15:55.
The Church in Heaven is waiting for the same event, for until Jesus returns there can be no Resurrection of the dead, and the Saints in Paradise must remain in their state of incompleteness, with its limitations. The "Blessed Hope" then is the "Hope" of both the Saints in Glory and the Saints on the earth.
XIII