Certainly, everyone that believes in the afterlife has an interest in where our deceased loved ones are. Heaven, Hell, or some sort of Purgatory? We may also question, do our deceased loved ones remember us and know what is happening in our lives on earth?
There seem to be two different schools of thought on what the Bible says about where the dead currently are:
1. They are asleep in the grave awaiting a future resurrection, or,
2. That the spirit/soul goes to be with God and the physical body returns to dust.
These are simple statements that may require additional explanation from various individuals believing one way or the other. Hopefully the following information will help establish the most plausible understanding.
Several Bible verses describe deceased ones as being asleep.
1 Corinthians 15:51-52 says: “Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.
There are five Greek words in the biblical manuscripts that were translated to “sleep", ”sleepeth" or “asleep”by the King James writers. Let's look at the meanings of these words and some examples of how they were used.
Strong’s #G879 aphupnoo: to fall asleep
Luke 8:23 "But as they sailed he fell asleep:”
Strong's #G1852 exypnizo: to awaken and G1853 exypnos: awake out of sleep
Acts 16:27 “And the keeper of the prison awaking out of his sleep, and seeing the prison doors open, he drew out his sword, and would have killed himself, supposing that the prisoners had been fled.”
This instance clearly is about sleeping and awaking.
Strong's #G5258 hypnos: sleep, i.e. (figuratively) spiritual torpor (deep sleep) or sleep Matthew 1:24 “Then Joseph being raised from sleep did as the angel of the Lord had bidden him, and took unto him his wife:”
This instance also is clearly about being asleep.
Strong's #G2518 katheudo: to lie down to rest or sleep
1 Thessalonians 5:6 “Therefore let us not sleep, as do others; but let us watch and be sober."
This instance Paul is clearly suggesting that we not be un-sober, and perhaps lazy, but to watch and be on our toes.
Strong's #G2837 koimao: to slumber, decease, be dead
In John 11:11 Jesus says: “Our friend Lazarus sleepeth; but I go, that I may awake him out of his sleep.” Now, verses 12 thru 14: “Then said his disciples, Lord, if he sleep, he shall do well. Howbeit Jesus spake of his death: but they thought that he had spoken of taking of rest in sleep. Then said Jesus unto them plainly, Lazarus is dead.”
Jesus clearly tells us that the word sleep is sometimes used to speak of death. Lazarus was dead in the flesh but Jesus brought him back to life.
1 Thessalonians 4:14 “For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him.”
Paul speaking of Jesus rising from physical death and then comparing “them also which sleep” (again G2837) is a clear indication that this word means dead in the physical sense.
1 Corinthians 15:51 is also Strong's #2837: to slumber, decease, be dead “Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed,”
I find it most plausible that this is saying we will not all die a physical death but be changed into our spiritual bodies at the second coming of Christ.
2 Corinthians 5:8 says: “we are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord.”
When we become “absent from the body” will that body not be dead, and is not “present with the Lord” to likely be spirituality alive and alert?
Revelation 20:12-14 says: “And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works.”
This is the judgment where all unsaved (spiritually dead) will receive judgement and experience the second death. The first death was their body, the second death will be their soul.
In Luke 16, Jesus tells us of two men that had died and that the righteous man was present in the “bosom of Abraham” and that the other unrighteous man was in hell.
The word hell that the unrighteous was in is haides (Strongs #G86), which means grave. It is a derivative of hades, which means unseen or the place or state of departed souls.
Verse 26 explains that there is a great gulf between the righteous and unrighteous.
This place was likely Paradise being that Abraham was present and that righteous and unrighteous souls went/go there at death and that these souls are aware, not asleep. The rich man mentioned his brothers so he had a memory of his earthly life.
Ecclesiastes 12:7 speaks of death saying: “Then shall the dust return to the earth as it was: and the spirit shall return unto God who gave it.”
In 1 Corinthians 15:53, Paul states: ”For this corruptible must put on incorruption” This happens for those of us that are still here when the Lord returns and I believe, all that have died. I find it very plausible that our loved ones are awake in their spiritual bodies immediately following death, for as 1 Corinthians 154:52 states “in the twinkling of an eye,”
I find it most plausible that the dead do not sleep but are aware of their condition and if “in the bosom of Abraham” are actively praising God and fellowshipping with one another.
So are our loved ones aware of things that are happening here on earth?
In Luke 16, remember that the rich man remembered his brothers, so memory of earthly things appears to be available to individuals that have passed.
In Luke 15, Jesus states: “that likewise joy shall be in heaven over one sinner that repenteth, more than over ninety and nine just persons, which need no repentance.”
This seems to indicate that the inhabitants of Heaven are aware when individuals on earth come to faith.
In Revelation 6, Martyrs in Heaven are depicted as being aware of events on earth by asking God how long it will be before He judges those on earth that were responsible for their deaths.
In Revelation 19, Saints and angles in Heaven praise God for his righteous judgements against wickedness on earth.
Conclusion: It appears that people in heaven have at least some idea of what happens on earth but it is certainly not clear that they know or pay attention to everything going on here.