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    How does this parable illustrate the following truths, that:

      -Souls are sent by God to heaven or hell immediately after their separation from the body in death?
      -Soul states are irreversibly determined after death?
      -Souls are conscious in their intermediate state (after death before the resurrection) both in heaven and hell?

"Due to the soul's immediate and irreversible judgment after being separated from the body at death, we are not to pray for those who have died. Praying for the dead would contradict God's own Word that their soul's state and condition have been irrevocably judged, sentenced, and executed by God.

    In II Samuel 12, we read of David's actions when Bathsheba's and his baby was seriously ill and after the infant died. When the baby was very ill, David laid all night upon the ground, praying and fasting.

    After the child died, however, David arose, washed himself, changed his clothes, and went to the Lord's house to worship.

    "Then said his servants unto him, What thing is this that thou hast done? thou didst fast and weep for the child, while it was alive; but when the child was dead, thou didst rise and eat bread. And he said, While the child was yet alive, I fasted and wept: for I said, Who can tell whether GoD will be gracious to me, that the child may live? But now he is dead, wherefore should I fast? can I bring him back again? I shall go to him, but he shall not return to me" (II Samuel 12:21-23).

    Why would David no longer pray for his son once he had passed away? What is the eternal meaning of David's confession "I shall go to him"?

The following sketch illustrates the three stages of existence in the life of the soul; i.e., living in a temporal body, separated from a body (its intermediate state), and reunited in an eternal body. It also portrays three distinct time periods for the body; i.e., a temporal


How does II Peter 2:9 (printed ..on the previous page) testify of lost souls living in hell after separation from their bodies?



  • Irrevocably -Irreversibly; incapable of being repealed, reversed, or annulled



  • Executed -Carried out; put into effect; transacted



  • What is meant in Acts 1:26 where it states, "That he (Judas Iscariot) might go to his own place"?


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