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The Devilish Doctrine of Soul Sleep

1st Timothy 4:1 Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils;

   The two words, soul and sleep do not occur next to each other in the Bible. The two words do however appear in the same verse one time in the bible: 

Proverbs 19:15  Slothfulness casteth into a deep sleep; and an idle soul shall suffer hunger.

   Notice that there is nothing here that even hints at the man-made doctrine of devils known as soul sleep. The souls mentioned here are hungry because they are too lazy to work.

   The words "soul" and "die" are used in a couple of verses in the bible, but those seducing spirits who teach those doctrines of devils do not want to teach "Soul Death" for some reason.

Ezekiel 18:4 Behold, all souls are mine; as the soul of the father, so also the soul of the son is mine: the soul that sinneth, it shall die.

Ezekiel 18:20 The soul that sinneth, it shall die.

   The reason they do is because they want you to trust their scholarly wisdom by teaching a much more popular idea to the lost, that when you die there is no punishment, just sleep, and many of these deceived teachers then begin to start teaching the annihilation of the soul for the lost.

 Some take it even farther and claim the "Universal Reconciliation" of all the lost, including even the Devil and his angels. Once you start down this path, a slippery slope awaits you into apostacy.

   The words "soul and sleep" both appear in the Bible for the first time in the book of Genesis chapter two. The book of Genesis is the book of beginnings, and interestingly enough the word "die" is also mentioned in the same story where sleep in first mentioned:

Genesis 2:7 And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul. 

   No explanation is offered here because the story is about creation, and for God to stop and explain every doctrine associated with creation as it was happening you would miss the main story itself. 

   God's word is laid out so that precept is upon precept, precept upon precept, line upon line, line upon line,  here a little, and there a little so you will have to study to find these things out. See Isaiah 28:10.

   The secret is to find them out with the right heart, not one looking for loopholes in the word of God.  For a study on the doctrine of the soul please see our study on this subject in the link just above this one.

Genesis 2:21 And the LORD God caused a deep sleep to fall upon Adam, and he slept:

   In this verse we have the story of Adam being put to sleep by God for the purpose of removing one of his ribs to make Eve, but four verses earlier we have God telling Adam not to eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil or else he will die:

Genesis 2:17 But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die. 

   When God put Adam to sleep he did not kill him, but rather scripture records in the same verse where sleep is first mentioned that it was a deep sleep.

   As we look at the first references of these two words we notice that sleep meant sleep, it did not mean to die, meaning Adam's life did not cease to be.

   Adam was still alive and breathing when God put him to sleep and performed the first surgery on a man.

   We should however notice something that is very interesting about what God said to Adam that would happen to him if he ate of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. It does not say that Adam would die, it says that he would "surely die." 

    Something else is said earlier that most people ignore, and that is that it says that "in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die."

   He does not say "on the day" but rather "in the day," so what is the difference?

   On the day that Adam ate the fruit from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, Adam did not die physically, Did Adam die however, in the day that he ate of the fruit? Yes!

2nd Peter 3:8 But, beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.

    If one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years is as one day, then Adam did die physically in the day (in God's eyes) that he ate of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, because Adam never made it to the second day (in God's eyes), and neither  did anyone else.

  Many men lived to be over 900 years old, Adam himself died at 950 years of age while Methuselah lived to be 969. The actual word for death in Hebrew just so happens to be the first part of his name, Meth.

   Everyone died "in the first day" of their life as God measures days according to 2nd Peter. 

   No one believes Adam physically died on the day that he ate the fruit, but everyone recognizes that many things happened on the day that Adam ate of the forbidden fruit.

   Their eyes were opened, and they knew they were naked, the ground was cursed. The first excuse happened when Adam threw Eve under the bus, so to speak, blaming her and God for his eating of the fruit.

   He basically said, "You gave me Eve God, and she gave me the fruit, so I ate it." He implied that it was both God's fault, and Eve's instead of his.  

   The earth was cursed on that day, because of Adam's disobedience, and death would result because everyone who would ever be born would be born with a sin nature, and the wages of sin is death. Romans 6:23

   God had made mankind to live forever and now mankind had been separated from God because of sin. God who is holy cannot allow sin into his presence. God has to offer a sacrifice for Adam and Eve and he made them coats as a covering for their nakedness. The blood of innocent animals were sacrificed for guilty mankind.

   Another proof that God was talking about Adam dying "in" the day that he ate of the fruit was because he even said they would go back to the dust where they came from in the third chapter:

Genesis 3:19 In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground; for out of it wast thou taken: for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return. 

   Physical death was a result of Adam's disobedience, and he died physically "in" the day that he ate of the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. He also died spiritually on that day and was separated from God for that reason.

   So it is beyond my scope of understanding as to why someone who has used the doctrine of "first mention" so many times in his writings as did EWB, that he abandones it on this important subject. There must be a reason.

   Mrs. White, the founder of the SDA (Seventh Day Adventist) hated the doctrine of eternal punishment. E. W. Bullinger also taught for a while that there was no eternal place of torment for the unbeliever.

  The Reverend E. W. Bullinger (EWB) of the Church of England believed and taught the doctrine of "Soul Sleep" and unfortunately many people have followed him in this terrible error.

   The Jehovah's Witnesses (JW's) and Seventh Day Adventist's (SDA's) also believe and teach this doctrine. I find it very interesting and non-coincidental that this doctrine became popular in the late 1800's when these two groups where forming.

   EWB was influenced by the popularization of this teaching throughout America and England by these two groups.

   Both of these groups had certain dispensational truths in their respective camps but they would each adopt different positions of many different subjects because of the failure to rightly divide the word of truth by both of them.

   Both groups thought they were spiritual Jews (the Israel of God) and neither group to this day understands the distinctive ministry of the Apostle Paul (See Romans 11:13).

   The Bible is very clear on the subject of death, whereas EWB and the JW's and SDA's would all use obscure verses to teach their new fashionable doctrine of soul sleep.

   We will first take a look at numerous scriptures that refute that when a person dies his soul just sleeps awaiting the resurrection, which is to happen at the onset of the kingdom.

   The events that happen in Revelation 6:9-11 happen just prior to the kingdom, while Israel is going through the seven year tribulation period.

   I want you to notice the state of the dead that have died during the tribulation period. The scriptures are very clear as to their state:

Revelation 6:9 And when he had opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of them that were slain for the word of God, and for the testimony which they held: 10 And they cried with a loud voice, saying, How long, O Lord, holy and true, dost thou not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth? 11 And white robes were given unto every one of them; and it was said unto them, that they should rest yet for a little season, until their fellowservants also and their brethren, that should be killed as they were, should be fulfilled. 

   What do we notice about the believers who have died during the tribulation period at the hands of the Anti-Christ? They are identified as souls firstly, and these souls are consciencous of their existence and they engage in a conversation with the Lord. Not only that, but their souls are given clothing (white robes) to wear. 

   Some when you point out the consciencousness of the soul here scramble and panic and fallback and say yes, but notice it says they are to rest a short season, and they claim that means in a state of soul sleep.

   Since these people love to go to the Greek when the english doesn't give them what they want, you can tell them that the word used for "rest" in the Greek here is "anapauo" and it is found only 12 times in the bible, and each time it means a rest in relaxing (taking a break), never is it translated as sleep. 

The story of Lazarus the rich man

Luke 16:19 There was a certain rich man, which was clothed in purple and fine linen, and fared sumptuously every day: 20 And there was a certain beggar named Lazarus, which was laid at his gate, full of sores, 21 And desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man's table: moreover the dogs came and licked his sores. 22 And it came to pass, that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels into Abraham's bosom: the rich man also died, and was buried; 23 And in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom.

   Here we have clear biblical evidence that Lazarus was carried to Abraham's bosom (where Abraham was) by the angels, and the richman died and found himself in hell being in torment.

   The JW's, SDA's and EWB all have to make this a parable first, then run to the Greek a couple of times in an effort to try to convince people that there is no place of torment.

   Those who believe this outright attack on the truthfulness of God's word do it for one reason, and one reason only, They don't want it to be true so they grasp for anything they can get their hands on. 

   Hell is real, and it's real hot, and it is a place of torment that people go to for eternity. Some will argue with me on this and say, No Brother Jim, the Bible says that they are in the Lake of fire for ever and ever.

   We are both correct. Hell with all it's inhabitants is cast into the Lake of Fire, its all a matter of semantics. They are in Hell first, then while in Hell, Hell is cast into the Lake of fire. They are still in Hell, but Hell just so happens to be in the Lake of fire.

   Why is Hell cast into the Lake of Fire. Hell is in the center of this old earth. The same earth that is going to be burnt up after the Millennial Kingdom. A new place had to be created in eternity future that could house those in Hell (the torment side) forever.

24 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 tormented in this flame. 25 But Abraham said, Son, remember that thou in thy lifetime receivedst thy good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things: but now he is comforted, and thou art tormented.

   Lazarus is comforted, something that is dead can't experience comfort. Remembere a body disintegrates in the ground and the worms eat it. It cannot be tormented after it is consummed.

   Something else that further makes up a man must be able to withstand the worms, and the decay of death, and that something else must also be able to enjoy being comforted, or endure being tormented in the eternal fire and not end up being consumed, and that something is the soul.

26 And beside all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed: so that they which would pass from hence to you cannot; neither can they pass to us, that would come from thence. 27 Then he said, I pray thee therefore, father, that thou wouldest send him to my father's house: 28 For I have five brethren; that he may testify unto them, lest they also come into this place of torment. 29 Abraham saith unto him, They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them. 30 And he said, Nay, father Abraham: but if one went unto them from the dead, they will repent. 31 And he said unto him, If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded, though one rose from the dead. 

   My prayer is that every JW, SDA or Bullingerite who believes this decietful doctrine would reject it wholeheartedly and believe God's word on this subject and come out of their groups and rest in the finished work of Christ. 

The other Lazarus

   Another favourite portion of scripture used by those who teach the "Soul Sleep" doctrine is found in John chapter eleven, because Jesus uses the two words, sleep and death interchangeably.  

   Let us take a look at these important scriptures to see what they actually teach.

John 11:1 Now a certain man was sick, named Lazarus, of Bethany, the town of Mary and her sister Martha. 2 (It was that Mary which anointed the Lord with ointment, and wiped his feet with her hair, whose brother Lazarus was sick.) 3 Therefore his sisters sent unto him, saying, Lord, behold, he whom thou lovest is sick. 4 When Jesus heard that, he said, This sickness is not unto death, but for the glory of God, that the Son of God might be glorified thereby.

This sickness is not unto death

   What did Jesus mean about Lazarus' sickness being not unto death, since Lazarus did die? Did Jesus make a mistake? Absolutely not! 

   Jesus was saying that the final result of Lazarus' sickness would not end with death, but its end would be with with the Son of God being glorified by his resurrecting of Lazarus from the dead.

5 Now Jesus loved Martha, and her sister, and Lazarus. 6 When he had heard therefore that he was sick, he abode two days still in the same place where he was. 7 Then after that saith he to his disciples, Let us go into Judaea again. 8 His disciples say unto him, Master, the Jews of late sought to stone thee; and goest thou thither again? 9 Jesus answered, Are there not twelve hours in the day? If any man walk in the day, he stumbleth not, because he seeth the light of this world. 10 But if a man walk in the night, he stumbleth, because there is no light in him. 11 These things said he: and after that he saith unto them, Our friend Lazarus sleepeth; but I go, that I may awake him out of sleep.

Our friend Lazarus sleepeth

   We know from reading the whole story that Lazarus had died, and that Jesus said that he was going to awaken Lazarus out of sleep. Do other scriptures in the bible use the words sleep interchangeably? Yes, many times, but that is not the problem. The problem is

12 Then said his disciples, Lord, if he sleep, he shall do well. 13  Howbeit Jesus spake of his death: but they thought that he had spoken of taking of rest in sleep. 14 Then said Jesus unto them plainly, Lazarus is dead. 15 And I am glad for your sakes that I was not there, to the intent ye may believe; nevertheless let us go unto him. 16 Then said Thomas, which is called Didymus, unto his fellowdisciples, Let us also go, that we may die with him.

Lazarus is dead

  Jesus first says Lazarus sleepeth, and that he is going to wake him up out of sleep, Since we know he was dead, we know that death is related to sleep in some way, shape, form or fashion.

   As we have already seen in this study we know that Lazarus would have been in Abraham's bosom comforted and consciencous. So he was not just a corpse laying there in his tomb rotting and stinking 

   That was his body, his body is not his soul. His soul was being comforted in Paradise (Abraham's Bosom) while his body was decaying back to the dust the first man was made from.

   When Jesus told his disciples that Lazarus was sleeping, he being God in the flesh knew that his soul had departed from his body, we will look at that teaching in just a moment.

I am the resurrection, and the life

17 Then when Jesus came, he found that he had lain in the grave four days already. 18 Now Bethany was nigh unto Jerusalem, about fifteen furlongs off: 19 And many of the Jews came to Martha and Mary, to comfort them concerning their brother. 20  Then Martha, as soon as she heard that Jesus was coming, went and met him: but Mary sat still in the house. 21  Then said Martha unto Jesus, Lord, if thou hadst been here, my brother had not died. 22 But I know, that even now, whatsoever thou wilt ask of God, God will give it thee. 23 Jesus saith unto her, Thy brother shall rise again. 24 Martha saith unto him, I know that he shall rise again in the resurrection at the last day. 25  Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live: 26  And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this? 27 She saith unto him, Yea, Lord: I believe that thou art the Christ, the Son of God, which should come into the world. 28 And when she had so said, she went her way, and called Mary her sister secretly, saying, The Master is come, and calleth for thee. 29 As soon as she heard that, she arose quickly, and came unto him. 30 Now Jesus was not yet come into the town, but was in that place where Martha met him. 31 The Jews then which were with her in the house, and comforted her, when they saw Mary, that she rose up hastily and went out, followed her, saying, She goeth unto the grave to weep there. 32 Then when Mary was come where Jesus was, and saw him, she fell down at his feet, saying unto him, Lord, if thou hadst been here, my brother had not died. 33 When Jesus therefore saw her weeping, and the Jews also weeping which came with her, he groaned in the spirit, and was troubled, 34 And said, Where have ye laid him? They said unto him, Lord, come and see. 35 Jesus wept. 36 Then said the Jews, Behold how he loved him! 37 And some of them said, Could not this man, which opened the eyes of the blind, have caused that even this man should not have died? 38 Jesus therefore again groaning in himself cometh to the grave. It was a cave, and a stone lay upon it. 39 Jesus said, Take ye away the stone. Martha, the sister of him that was dead, saith unto him, Lord, by this time he stinketh: for he hath been dead four days. 40 Jesus saith unto her, Said I not unto thee, that, if thou wouldest believe, thou shouldest see the glory of God?

The glory of God

   This is now the second time that Jesus mentioned that Lazarus sickness and now death was for the glory of God. The first time he said that his sickness was so that the Son of man would be glorified, because people would see he was the resurrection that would fulfill all of Israel's hope to one day be resurrected into their long awaited kingdom.

41 Then they took away the stone from the place where the dead was laid. And Jesus lifted up his eyes, and said, Father, I thank thee that thou hast heard me. 42 And I knew that thou hearest me always: but because of the people which stand by I said it, that they may believe that thou hast sent me. 43 And when he thus had spoken, he cried with a loud voice, Lazarus, come forth.

Lazarus, come forth

   The dead man Lazarus heard the Creator of the universe all the way down in Abraham's bosom because he was conscous of his existence (And so did everyone else down there probably). 

    If Jesus had not specifically called for just Lazarus to come forth, and he just cried with a loud voice, "Come forth" then a major prophecy would have been fulfilled at that very moment and all of the righteous dead would have risen with him:

John 5:21 For as the Father raiseth up the dead, and quickeneth them; even so the Son quickeneth whom he will. 22 For the Father judgeth no man, but hath committed all judgment unto the Son: 23 That all men should honour the Son, even as they honour the Father. He that honoureth not the Son honoureth not the Father which hath sent him. 24 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; but is passed from death unto life. 25 Verily, verily, I say unto you, The hour is coming, and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God: and they that hear shall live. 26 For as the Father hath life in himself; so hath he given to the Son to have life in himself; 27 And hath given him authority to execute judgment also, because he is the Son of man. 28 Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice, 29 And shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation.

   Lazarus death and resurrection was to show Israel that Jesus was the Son of God and to have Israel to believe on him so that they too would rise one day at the resurrection of the dead.

44 And he that was dead came forth, bound hand and foot with graveclothes: and his face was bound about with a napkin. Jesus saith unto them, Loose him, and let him go. 

   Lazarus heard Jesus because he was conscious from the moment he died and his soul departed from his body to go to Paradise. I'll bet everyone in Paradise wondered "Are we next?" They probably had lot's of questions for him when he died again and returned to Paradise.

    Lazarus, your back? How was it? Where did you go? ,,,,,

The Soul's departing:

Genesis 35:16 And they journeyed from Bethel; and there was but a little way to come to Ephrath: and Rachel travailed, and she had hard labour. 17 And it came to pass, when she was in hard labour, that the midwife said unto her, Fear not; thou shalt have this son also. 18 And it came to pass, as her soul was in departing, (for she died) that she called his name Benoni: but his father called him Benjamin. 19 And Rachel died, and was buried in the way to Ephrath, which is Bethlehem. 20 And Jacob set a pillar upon her grave: that is the pillar of Rachel's grave unto this day. 

   As Rachel's soul was in departing she was conscious and was able to give her new born son a name, Benoni (My son of sorrow).Her soul was departing, which means leaving where it was at and going somewhere else, It does not imply sleeping.

Slept with his fathers?

  The body sleeps in the grave, or the dust of the earth.until the resurrection. In three books of the bible the phrase "slept with his fathers" is recorded thirty-six times when a king would die and be buried. Those books are 1st and 2nd Kings and 2nd Chronicles. 

The witch brings up Samuel

1st Samuel 28:8 And Saul disguised himself, and put on other raiment, and he went, and two men with him, and they came to the woman by night: and he said, I pray thee, divine unto me by the familiar spirit, and bring me him up, whom I shall name unto thee. 9 And the woman said unto him, Behold, thou knowest what Saul hath done, how he hath cut off those that have familiar spirits, and the wizards, out of the land: wherefore then layest thou a snare for my life, to cause me to die? 10 And Saul sware to her by the LORD, saying, As the LORD liveth, there shall no punishment happen to thee for this thing. 11 Then said the woman, Whom shall I bring up unto thee? And he said, Bring me up Samuel. 12 And when the woman saw Samuel, she cried with a loud voice: and the woman spake to Saul, saying, Why hast thou deceived me? for thou art Saul. 13 And the king said unto her, Be not afraid: for what sawest thou? And the woman said unto Saul, I saw gods ascending out of the earth.

   She saw god's (fallen angels) ascending out of the earth. What purpose would a fallen angel have with a bunch of sleeping souls in the earth?

  None, but the dead were not asleep in the earth, but they were all conscious of their existance immediately after their death. See Genesis 3.

14 And he said unto her, What form is he of? And she said, An old man cometh up; and he is covered with a mantle. And Saul perceived that it was Samuel, and he stooped with his face to the ground, and bowed himself. 

   Samuel was described by the witch to Saul, because a soul has a form that looks like the deceased and God even gives them clothing. See Revelation 6 where the souls under the altar were given white robes.

   Here Samuel has his mantle that he was known by. He was most likely brought up to the place where we read earlier about gods (fallen angels) ascending.

15 And Samuel said to Saul, Why hast thou disquieted me, to bring me up?

   The words "bring me up" in hebrew means to lift or ascend. Saul was in Abraham's bosom and was brought up through divination to talk to this witch who had a familiar spirit (a devil). Samuel did not ask why Saul woke him up, but why did he bring him up.

And Saul answered, I am sore distressed; for the Philistines make war against me, and God is departed from me, and answereth me no more, neither by prophets, nor by dreams: therefore I have called thee, that thou mayest make known unto me what I shall do. 16 Then said Samuel, Wherefore then dost thou ask of me, seeing the LORD is departed from thee, and is become thine enemy? 17 And the LORD hath done to him, as he spake by me: for the LORD hath rent the kingdom out of thine hand, and given it to thy neighbour, even to David: 18 Because thou obeyedst not the voice of the LORD, nor executedst his fierce wrath upon Amalek, therefore hath the LORD done this thing unto thee this day. 19 Moreover the LORD will also deliver Israel with thee into the hand of the Philistines: and to morrow shalt thou and thy sons be with me: the LORD also shall deliver the host of Israel into the hand of the Philistines. 20 Then Saul fell straightway all along on the earth, and was sore afraid, because of the words of Samuel: and there was no strength in him; for he had eaten no bread all the day, nor all the night.

    Samuel told Saul that, "To morrow shalt thou and thy sons be with me:" That sounds a lot like what Jesus said to the thief on the cross. Saul would be with all the dead, in the abode of the dead, and he would be on one side or the other, conscious of his existence, and either comforted, or tormented.

Stephen fell asleep

Act 7:60  And he kneeled down, and cried with a loud voice, Lord, lay not this sin to their charge. And when he had said this, he fell asleep. 

   EWB, the SDA, and the JW's all like to mention Stephen falling asleep as EWB does in his tract on this subject, but for some reason he doesn't want you to see the preceeding verse to allow you to have any context to your study, why is that? 

Act 7:59  And they stoned Stephen, calling upon God, and saying, Lord Jesus, receive my spirit. 

Gave up the Ghost and died:

Genesis 25:8 Then Abraham gave up the ghost, and died in a good old age, an old man, and full of years; and was gathered to his people.

   We know exactly what happened when Abraham dies and gave up the ghost, because Jesus tells of an instance in Luke 16 with the richman and Lazarus.

  The richman in torment plead with father Abraham to send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and dip it on his tongue for he was tormented in the flames. 

   But EWB, the SDA's, and JW's all attack this as a parable, because they don't believe in a hell. Ellen G. White in her own writings feared the preaching she heard on hell, and thoroughly embraced these doctrines of devils so as to alleviate her fears.

Genesis 25:17 And these are the years of the life of Ishmael, an hundred and thirty and seven years: and he gave up the ghost and died; and was gathered unto his people.

Genesis 35:29 And Isaac gave up the ghost, and died, and was gathered unto his people, being old and full of days: and his sons Esau and Jacob buried him.

   This is also said of Jesus at his death in Mark 13:37-39, Luke 23:46, and John 19:30. A dying person would give up the ghost at the moment of death and then their body would sleep in the dust or the grave. 

Paul's departing

Philippians 1:20 According to my earnest expectation and my hope, that in nothing I shall be ashamed, but that with all boldness, as always, so now also Christ shall be magnified in my body, whether it be by life, or by death. 21 For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain. 22 But if I live in the flesh, this is the fruit of my labour: yet what I shall choose I wot not. 23 For I am in a strait betwixt two, having a desire to depart, and to be with Christ; which is far better: 24 Nevertheless to abide in the flesh is more needful for you. 25 And having this confidence, I know that I shall abide and continue with you all for your furtherance and joy of faith; 26 That your rejoicing may be more abundant in Jesus Christ for me by my coming to you again. 

   Paul was not saying he had a desire to depart and get a nice long nap before being resurrected, he was saying he wanted to depart to be with the Lord. 

2nd Corinthians 5:6 Therefore we are always confident, knowing that, whilst we are at home in the body, we are absent from the Lord: 7 (For we walk by faith, not by sight:)

   According to verse six, it clearly says, that while we are at home in the body, we are absent from the Lord. It can't get any clearer than that.

8 We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord. 9 Wherefore we labour, that, whether present or absent, we may be accepted of him. 10 For 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. 

   According to verse eight that Paul would rather be absent from the body, to be present with the Lord, not to be enjoying a long nap in the dust of the earth waiting to be resurrected.

   It is interesting to note that the two groups who think they are Israel, the JW's and the SDA's, totally ignore Paul's teaching on this, and even more crazy than that, EWB, who knew he was not Israel, but a member of the body of Christ, still believed this doctrine of the devil.

   What seducing spirit caused this very intelligent man to come to this conclusion we will probably never know this side of the rapture.

   I will leave you with one of the final words of the Apostle of the Gentiles that he uttered just before he died, and it just so happens to deal with the subject of Paul's death and departure:

2nd Timothy 4:6 For I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is at hand.

   Paul did not say it was time for him to go to that final deep sleep, but to depart, which we learned from his previous words, was far better than staying here in his body.

The End