Many Christians have strong feelings about the existence (or non-existence) of an intermediate state between death and resurrection. What does scripture have to say about this? The case against an intermediate state is as follows:
...NO MAN hath ascended up to heaven, but he that came down from heaven, even the Son of man which is in heaven (John 3:13.)
Note: This is part of a discourse that took place before the ascension, and the meaning is unclear.
Wilt thou shew wonders to the dead? shall the dead arise and praise thee? Selah. (Ps. 88:10.)
The dead praise not the LORD, neither any that go down into silence. (Ps. 115:17.)
His breath goeth forth, he returneth to his earth; in that very day his thoughts perish. (Ps. 146:4.)
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. (Ec. 3:19.)
For the living know that they shall die: but the dead know not any thing, neither have they any more a reward; for the memory of them is forgotten. (Ec.9:5.)
To those who believe in an intermediate state, the Psalms speak of the dead being unable to praise God in the congregation of Israel, and warn us that our thoughts will come to nothing one day (when the angel of death interupts our plans.)
As to the quotes from Ecclesiasties, many would say that they must be taken in the following context:
I the Preacher was king over Israel in Jerusalem. And I gave my heart to seek and search out by wisdom concerning all things that are done under heaven: this sore travail hath God given to the sons of man to be exercised therewith. I have seen all the works that are done under the sun; and, behold, all is vanity and vexation of spirit. That which is crooked cannot be made straight: and that which is wanting cannot be numbered. I communed with mine own heart, saying, Lo, I am come to great estate, and have gotten more wisdom than all they that have been before me in Jerusalem: yea, my heart had great experience of wisdom and knowledge. And I gave my heart to know wisdom, and to know madness and folly: I perceived that this also is vexation of spirit. For in much wisdom is much grief: and he that increaseth knowledge increaseth sorrow. (Ec. 1:12-18.)
Notice this speaks of what can be seen under the sun (i.e. known by observation and deduction.)
There's little the human mind can "search out by wisdom" concerning any future life after death, and nothing that can be known from what is seen "under the heavens."
Note: Those who regard this as the context of the book do not deny that the book is inspired (especially in it's conclussion, which is to "Fear God, and keep his commandments"), but they don't see it as really telling us a whole lot about the unseen world. To quote a friend of mine "some philosophical or poetic books speak using literary devices which no one can deny: Ecclesiastes says, don't be excessively righteous and don't be overly wise and I could mention how the theme of much of it is that life is meaningless. Some of the Psalms also speak from the perspective of earthly life. Will departed spirits praise You? Perhaps, but no one here will hear it and it will not bring glory to God in the earth."
The case for an intermediate state is as follows:
1.) Saul appears to converse with the departed spirit of Samuel (1 Samuel 28:7-15.)
2.) The Hebrews seem to have conceived of Sheol as a shadowy existence.
...you will take up this taunt against the king of Babylon: "How the oppressor has ceased, the insolent fury ceased! The LORD has broken the staff of the wicked, the scepter of rulers, that smote the peoples in wrath with unceasing blows, that ruled the nations in anger with unrelenting persecution. The whole earth is at rest and quiet; they break forth into singing. The cypresses rejoice at you, the cedars of Lebanon, saying, 'Since you were laid low, no hewer comes up against us.' Sheol beneath is stirred up to meet you when you come, it rouses the shades to greet you, all who were leaders of the earth; it raises from their thrones all who were kings of the nations. All of them will speak and say to you: 'You too have become as weak as we! You have become like us!' Your pomp is brought down to Sheol, the sound of your harps; maggots are the bed beneath you, and worms are your covering. (Isa. 14:4-11, Revised Standard Version.)
3.) The story (or parable) of Lazarus and the Rich Man depicts a conscious intermediate state (which can be seen from the fact that Abraham, Lazarus, and the Rich Man are conversing in hades, while the Rich Man's five brothers are still in the land of the living--(Luke 16:19-31.)
4.) Both Peter and Paul speak of their bodies as tents, or tabernacles (2 Cor. 5:4, 2Peter 1:13.)
5.) Paul expressed a desire to depart, and be with the Lord (Phil. 1:23.)
6.) Aside from Paul's direct statements (which must be taken as doctrinal directives), he once mentioned not being sure whether he was "in the body or apart from the body" when he was caught up unto heaven. Now, this is not a doctrinal statement but rather a narrative of his experience. However, it is extremely clear here that he personally believed it was possible to be "apart from the body" as opposed to "in" the body. (2 Cor. 12:1-5)
7.) Death is becoming less, not ceasing to exist. We were all once dead in our sins (Eph. 2:1; Col. 2:13.) The idea that we are only our bodies is materialistic--some might even say that it undermines the doctrine of the Trinity, since we were made in the image of God, and were created as trinities of body, soul, and spirit (1 The. 5:23.)
Objective Analysis
The context of John 3:13 is as follows:
Most assuredly, I say to you, We speak what We know and testify what We have seen, and you do not receive Our witness. If I have told you earthly things and you do not believe, how will you believe if I tell you heavenly things? ( John 3:11-12. )
Nicodemus was speaking to the only man on earth who had been in heaven ( the incarnate Son, who had the Father and The Holy Spirit with Him, and in whom all the fulness of the deity dwelt bodily ), and who could tell men on earth anything they wanted to know about heaven, but he couldn't even understand what He was telling him about earthly things.
That's the context of Christ's words in John 3:13, they were spoken before His bodily ascension into heaven, and they don't necessarily have anything to do with an intermediate state ( or whether a dis-embodied spirit can experience something of heaven between death and resurrection. )
Jesus may have simply been saying that He was the only one on earth who could be considered an authority on the subjebct.
Moving on to1 Samuel 28:7-14.
It's true that any attempt to contact the dead was illegal under the Law of Moses, and a demonic spirit could have been impersonating Samuel, but scripture does not say that a spirit was impersonating Samuel. The words spoken by the spirit are in fact quoted as the words of Samuel.
And Samuel saith unto Saul, `Why hast thou troubled me, to bring me up?' ( 1 Sam. 28:15, Young's Literal Translation. )
Isa. 14 may simply be poetic license ( but so could the passages that speak of death as sleep. )
There's also the question of why the Jews would attempt to contact the dead (or require a law forbidding the practice) if they conceived of death as non-existence?
When you come into the land which the LORD your God is giving you, you shall not learn to follow the abominations of those nations. There shall not be found among you anyone who makes his son or his daughter pass through the fire, or one who practices witchcraft, or a soothsayer, or one who interprets omens, or a sorcerer, or one who conjures spells, or a medium, or a spiritist, or one who calls up the dead. (Deut. 18:9-11.)
Bind up the testimony, Seal the law among my disciples. And I will wait on the LORD, Who hides His face from the house of Jacob; And I will hope in Him. Here am I and the children whom the LORD has given me! We are for signs and wonders in Israel From the LORD of hosts, Who dwells in Mount Zion. And when they say to you, "Seek those who are mediums and wizards, who whisper and mutter," should not a people seek their God? Should they seek the dead on behalf of the living? (Isa. 8:16-19.)
The Story of Lazarus and the Rich Man may be a parable (but even if taken literally, any impassable gulf that existed prior to the cross, or exists now, needn't exist forever.)
And as for 2 Cor. 5:4 and 2 Peter 1:13, it's is true that the dead would have no awareness of the passage of time if they’re unconscious , and the Apostles are using figures of speech when they speak of their bodies as tents here (but this is a very strange figure of speech for them to use if they in fact believed that the dead were unconscious--I personally attended a Church where such figures of speech were scrupulously avoided, precisely because we believed that the dead were unconscious. )
The only passage I haven't touched on is 1 Tim. 6:16. This is sometimes used to prove that Jesus is the only man who has immortality, but “only man” is read into the text, and it’s unclear whether God or Jesus is the subject of verse 16.
Here’s what Jamieson, Fausset and Brown have to say about this verse:
16. Who only hath immortality--in His own essence, not merely at the will of another, as all other immortal beings [JUSTIN MARTYR, Quæst. ad Orthod., 61]. As He hath immortality, so will He give it to us who believe; to be out of Him is death. It is mere heathen philosophy that attributes to the soul indestructibility in itself, which is to be attributed solely to God's gift. As He hath life in Himself, so hath He given to the Son to have life in Himself (Joh 5:26). The term used in the New Testament for "immortal," which does not occur, is "incorruptible." "Immortality" is found in 1Co 15:53, 54.
dwelling in the light which no man can approach unto--After life comes mention of light, as in John 1:4. That light is unapproachable to creatures, except in so far as they are admitted by Him, and as He goes forth to them [BENGEL]. It is unapproachable on account of its exceeding brightness [THEOPHYLACT]. If one cannot gaze steadfastly at the sun, which is but a small part of creation, by reason of it's exceeding heat and power, how much less can mortal man gaze at the inexpressible glory of God [THEOPHYLACT, To Autolycus] (Ps 104:2; 1Jo 1:5).
no man hath seen-- (Ex 23:20; Joh 1:18; Col 1:15; Heb 11:27; 1Jo 4:12). Perhaps even in the perfect state no creature shall fully see God. Still the saints shall, in some sense, have the blessedness of seeing Him, which is denied to mere man (Mt 5:8; 1Co 13:12; 1Jo 3:2; Re 22:4).
Conclusion
If there is an intermediate state, it must be somewhat of an imperfect and incomplete existence. Scripture clearly speaks of a resurrection, and Paul says:
For we know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building of God, an house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. For in this we groan, earnestly desiring to be clothed upon with our house which is from heaven: If so be that being clothed we shall not be found naked. For we that are in this tabernacle do groan, being burdened: not for that we would be unclothed, but clothed upon, that mortality might be swallowed up of life. (2Cor. 5:1-4.)
God Bless.
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