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CHAPTER SIX Where Are the Dead? What happens to us when we die? Why do we die? Would it be comforting to know the truth about death? What questions do people ask about death, and what answers do various religions offer? THESE are questions that people have thought about for thousands of years. They are important questions. No matter who we are or where we live, the answers concern each one of us. 2 In the preceding chapter, we discussed how the ransom sacrifice of Jesus Christ opened the way to everlasting life. We also learned that the Bible foretells a time when “death will be no more.” (Revelation 21:4) Meanwhile, we all die. “The living are conscious that they will die,” said wise King Solomon. (Ecclesiastes 9:5) We try to live as long as possible. Still, we wonder what will happen to us when we die. 3 When our loved ones die, we mourn. And we may ask: ‘What has happened to them? Are they suffering? Are they watching over us? Can we help them? Will we ever see them again?’ The world’s religions offer differing answers to these questions. Some teach that if you live a good life, you will go to heaven but if you live a bad life, you will burn in a place of torment. Other religions teach that at death, people pass on to the spirit realm to be with their ancestors. Still other religions teach that the dead go to an underworld to be judged and are then reincarnated, or reborn in another body. What basic idea do many religions share concerning death? 4 Such religious teachings all share one basic idea WHAT REALLY HAPPENS AT DEATH? What does the Bible teach about the condition of the dead? 5 What happens at death is no mystery to Jehovah, the Creator of the brain. He knows the truth, and in his Word, the Bible, he explains the condition of the dead. Its clear teaching is this: When a person dies, he ceases to exist. Death is the opposite of life. The dead do not see or hear or think. Not even one part of us survives the death of the body. We do not possess an immortal soul or spirit. 6 After Solomon observed that the living know that they will die, he wrote: “As for the dead, they are conscious of nothing at all.” He then enlarged on that basic truth by saying that the dead can neither love nor hate and that “there is no work nor devising nor knowledge nor wisdom in [the grave].” (Ecclesiastes 9:5, 6, 10) Similarly, Psalm 146:4 says that when a man dies, “his thoughts do perish.” We are mortal and do not survive the death of our body. The life we enjoy is like the flame of a candle. When the flame is put out, it does not go anywhere. It is simply gone. WHAT JESUS SAID ABOUT DEATH How did Jesus explain what death is like? 7 Jesus Christ spoke about the condition of the dead. He did so with regard to Lazarus, a man whom he knew well and who had died. Jesus told his disciples: “Lazarus our friend has gone to rest.” The disciples thought that Jesus meant that Lazarus was resting in sleep, recovering from an illness. They were wrong. Jesus explained: “Lazarus has died.” (John 11:11-14) Notice that Jesus compared death to rest and sleep. Lazarus was neither in heaven nor in a burning hell. He was not meeting angels or ancestors. Lazarus was not being reborn as another human. He was at rest in death, as though in a deep sleep without dreams. Other scriptures also compare death to sleep. For example, when the disciple Stephen was stoned to death, the Bible says that he “fell asleep.” (Acts 7:60) Similarly, the apostle Paul wrote about some in his day who had “fallen asleep” in death. How do we know that it was not God’s purpose for people to die? 8 Was it God’s original purpose for people to die? Not at all! Jehovah made man to live forever on earth. As we learned earlier in this book, God placed the first human couple in a delightful paradise. He blessed them with perfect health. Jehovah wanted only good for them. Does any loving parent want his children to suffer the pain of old age and death? Of course not! Jehovah loved his children and wanted them to enjoy endless happiness on earth. Concerning humans, the Bible says: “Time indefinite [Jehovah] has put in their heart.” (Ecclesiastes 3:11) God created us with the desire to live forever. And he has opened the way for that desire to be fulfilled. WHY HUMANS DIE What restriction did Jehovah place upon Adam, and why was this command not difficult to obey? 9 Why, then, do humans die? To find the answer, we must consider what happened when there was only one man and one woman on earth. The Bible explains: “Jehovah God made to grow out of the ground every tree desirable to one’s sight and good for food.” (Genesis 2:9) However, there was one restriction. Jehovah told Adam: “From every tree of the garden you may eat to satisfaction. But as for the tree of the knowledge of good and bad you must not eat from it, for in the day you eat from it you will positively die.” (Genesis 2:16, 17) This command was not difficult to obey. There were many other trees from which Adam and Eve could eat. But they now received a special opportunity to show their gratitude to the One who had given them everything, including perfect life. Their obedience would also show that they respected the authority of their heavenly Father and that they wanted his loving direction. (a) How did the first human couple come to disobey God? (b) Why was the disobedience of Adam and Eve a serious matter? 10 Sadly, the first human couple chose to disobey Jehovah. Speaking through a serpent, Satan asked Eve: “Is it really so that God said you must not eat from every tree of the garden?” Eve replied: “Of the fruit of the trees of the garden we may eat. But as for eating of the fruit of the tree that is in the middle of the garden, God has said, ‘You must not eat from it, no, you must not touch it that you do not die.’” 11 “You positively will not die,” said Satan. “God knows that in the very day of your eating from it your eyes are bound to be opened and you are bound to be like God, knowing good and bad.” (Genesis 3:4, 5) Satan wanted Eve to believe that she would benefit by eating the forbidden fruit. According to him, she could decide for herself what was right and what was wrong; she could do what she wanted. Satan also charged that Jehovah had lied about the consequences of eating the fruit. Eve believed Satan. So she picked some of the fruit and ate it. She then gave some to her husband, and he too ate some of it. They did not act in ignorance. They knew that they were doing exactly what God had told them not to do. By eating the fruit, they deliberately disobeyed a simple and reasonable command. They showed contempt for their heavenly Father and his authority. Such disrespect for their loving Creator was inexcusable! What may help us to understand how Jehovah felt when Adam and Eve took a course of opposition to him? 12 To illustrate: How would you feel if you raised and cared for a son or a daughter who then disobeyed you in a way that showed that he or she had no respect or love for you? That would cause you much heartache. Imagine, then, how hurt Jehovah must have felt when both Adam and Eve took a course of opposition to him. What did Jehovah say would happen to Adam at death, and what does this mean? 13 Jehovah had no reason to sustain disobedient Adam and Eve forever. They died, just as he had said they would. Adam and Eve ceased to exist. They did not pass on to the spirit realm. We know this because of what Jehovah said to Adam after confronting him with his disobedience. God said: “You [will] return to the ground, for out of it you were taken. For dust you are and to dust you will return.” (Genesis 3:19) God had made Adam from the dust of the ground. (Genesis 2:7) Before that, Adam did not exist. Therefore, when Jehovah said that Adam would return to the dust, He meant that Adam would return to a state of nonexistence. Adam would be as lifeless as the dust from which he was made. Why do we die? 14 Adam and Eve could have been alive today, but they died because they chose to disobey God and thus sinned. The reason we die is that Adam’s sinful condition as well as death was passed on to all of his descendants. (Romans 5:12) That sin is like a terrible inherited disease from which no one can escape. Its consequence, death, is a curse. Death is an enemy, not a friend. (1 Corinthians 15:26) How grateful we can be that Jehovah provided the ransom to rescue us from this dreadful enemy! KNOWING THE TRUTH ABOUT DEATH IS BENEFICIAL Why is it comforting to know the truth about death? 15 What the Bible teaches about the condition of the dead is comforting. As we have seen, the dead do not suffer pain or heartache. There is no reason to be afraid of them, for they cannot harm us. They do not need our help, and they cannot help us. We cannot speak with them, and they cannot speak with us. Many religious leaders falsely claim that they can help those who have died, and people who believe such leaders give them money. But knowing the truth protects us from being deceived by those who teach such lies. Who has influenced the teachings of many religions, and in what way? 16 Does your religion agree with what the Bible teaches about the dead? Most do not. Why? Because their teachings have been influenced by Satan. He uses false religion to get people to believe that after their body dies, they will continue to live in the spirit realm. This is a lie that Satan combines with other lies to turn people away from Jehovah God. How so? Why does the teaching of eternal torment dishonor Jehovah? 17 As noted earlier, some religions teach that if a person lives a bad life, after death he will go to a place of fiery torment to suffer forever. This teaching dishonors God. Jehovah is a God of love and would never make people suffer in this way. (1 John 4:8) How would you feel about a man who punished a disobedient child by holding his hands in a fire? Would you respect such a man? In fact, would you even want to get to know him? Definitely not! You would likely think that he was very cruel. Yet, Satan wants us to believe that Jehovah tortures people in fire forever Worship of the dead is based on what religious lie? 18 Satan also uses some religions to teach that after death people become spirits who must be respected and honored by the living. According to this teaching, the spirits of the dead can become powerful friends or terrible enemies. Many people believe this lie. They fear the dead and give them honor and worship. In contrast, the Bible teaches that the dead are sleeping and that we should worship only the true God, Jehovah, our Creator and Provider. Knowing the truth about death helps us to understand what other Bible teaching? 19 Knowing the truth about the dead protects you from being misled by religious lies. It also helps you to understand other Bible teachings. For example, when you realize that people do not pass on to the spirit realm at death, the promise of everlasting life on a paradise earth takes on real meaning for you. What question will we consider in the next chapter? 20 Long ago, the righteous man Job raised this question: “If an able-bodied man dies can he live again?” (Job 14:14) Can a lifeless person who is sleeping in death be brought back to life? What the Bible teaches about this is deeply comforting, as the next chapter will show. ^ par. 5 For a discussion of the words “soul” and “spirit,” please see the Appendix, pages 208-11.
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ŠESTO POGLAVLJE Gdje se nalaze mrtvi? Što se s nama događa kad umremo? Zašto umiremo? Bi li bilo utješno znati istinu o smrti? Koja pitanja ljudi postavljaju o smrti, i koje odgovore nude različite religije? LJUDI tisućama godina razmišljaju o tim pitanjima. To su važna pitanja. Bez obzira na to tko smo ili gdje živimo, odgovori na njih tiču se svakog od nas. 2 U prethodnom poglavlju saznali smo da zahvaljujući otkupnoj žrtvi Isusa Krista možemo dobiti vječni život. Saznali smo i to da Biblija proriče da dolazi vrijeme kada “smrti više neće biti” (Otkrivenje 21:4). No dok se to ne ostvari, ljudi će umirati. “Živi su svjesni toga da će umrijeti”, rekao je mudri kralj Salamun (Propovjednik 9:5). Mi želimo živjeti što duže. Pa ipak, pitamo se što će biti s nama kad umremo. 3 Kad naši voljeni umru, mi tugujemo. Možda se pitamo: ‘Što se dogodilo s njima? Pate li? Čuvaju li nas? Možemo li im pomoći? Hoćemo li ih ikada više vidjeti?’ Religije svijeta nude različite odgovore na ova pitanja. Jedne naučavaju da onaj tko je živio čestito ide na nebo, a onaj tko nije živio uzorno gori u nekom mjestu vječnih muka. Druge religije naučavaju da ljudi nakon smrti odlaze na neki drugi svijet gdje kao duhovna bića žive sa svojim precima. Treće pak naučavaju da mrtvi odlaze u podzemni svijet gdje im se sudi i potom se reinkarniraju, odnosno ponovno rađaju u drugom tijelu. Koju temeljnu misao o smrti zagovaraju mnoge religije? 4 Sva ta vjerska učenja imaju nešto zajedničko, a to je da postoji dio nas koji nastavlja živjeti nakon smrti fizičkog tijela. Prema gotovo svim religijama, bilo onima iz drevnog doba bilo današnjim, mi na neki način nastavljamo živjeti vječno te možemo vidjeti, čuti i razmišljati. No kako je to moguće? Naša osjetila i sposobnost razmišljanja povezani su s radom mozga. Prilikom smrti on prestaje raditi. Naša sjećanja, osjećaji i osjetila ne nastavljaju samostalno funkcionirati na neki zagonetan način. Oni ne preživljavaju nakon što mozak prestane s radom. ŠTO SE DOISTA DOGAĐA PRILIKOM SMRTI? Što Biblija uči o stanju mrtvih? 5 Ono što se događa prilikom smrti nije tajna za Jehovu, koji je stvorio mozak. On zna istinu i u svojoj Riječi, Bibliji, objašnjava u kojem se stanju nalaze mrtvi. Biblija jasno uči: Kad osoba umre, ona prestaje živjeti. Smrt je suprotnost životu. Mrtvi ne vide, ne čuju i ne mogu razmišljati. Nijedan dio nas ne nastavlja živjeti nakon što tijelo umre. Mi nemamo besmrtnu dušu ili duh. 6 Nakon što je Salamun rekao da živi znaju da će umrijeti, napisao je: “Mrtvi nisu svjesni ničega.” Zatim je objasnio tu temeljnu istinu rekavši da mrtvi ne mogu voljeti ni mrziti i da “nema rada ni razmišljanja ni znanja ni mudrosti u grobu” (Propovjednik 9:5, 6, 10). Slično tome, u Psalmu 146:4 kaže se da prilikom smrti “propadnu misli” čovjekove. Mi smo podložni smrti i ne nastavljamo živjeti nakon što naše tijelo umre. Život koji imamo nalik je plamenu svijeće. Kad se svijeća ugasi, plamen nikamo ne odlazi. Jednostavno ga više nema. ŠTO JE ISUS REKAO O SMRTI S čime je Isus usporedio smrt? 7 Isus Krist je govorio o stanju mrtvih. Bilo je to kad je umro Lazar, čovjek kojeg je dobro poznavao. Isus je svojim učenicima rekao: “Naš je prijatelj Lazar zaspao.” Učenici su mislili da Isus želi reći da Lazar spava kako bi se oporavio od bolesti. No on to nije mislio. Isus je objasnio: “Lazar je umro” (Ivan 11:11-14). Zapazi da je Isus smrt usporedio sa spavanjem. Lazar nije bio ni na nebu ni u paklenoj vatri. Nije se susreo s anđelima, a ni sa svojim precima. Lazar se nije ponovno rodio kao neki drugi čovjek. Umro je, a smrt je bila poput dubokog sna u kojem nema snova. Još neki biblijski reci uspoređuju smrt sa spavanjem. Naprimjer, nakon što je učenik Stjepan bio kamenovan, “umro je”, odnosno prema izvornom jeziku “zaspao” (Djela apostolska 7:60). Slično tome, apostol Pavao pisao je o nekima iz svog vremena koji su “pomrli”, odnosno prema izvornom jeziku “zaspali” (1. Korinćanima 15:6). Kako znamo da Božji naum nije bio da ljudi umiru? 8 Je li Bog u početku naumio da ljudi umiru? Nipošto! Jehova je stvorio čovjeka da vječno živi na Zemlji. Kao što smo saznali ranije u ovoj knjizi, Bog je prvi ljudski par smjestio u predivan raj. Dao im je savršeno zdravlje. Jehova im je želio samo najbolje. Želi li ijedan roditelj koji voli svoju djecu da ona dožive bol zbog starosti i smrti? Naravno da ne želi! Jehova je ljubio svoju djecu i želio je da iskuse beskrajnu sreću na Zemlji. Biblija o ljudima kaže: ‘Jehova je vječnost stavio ljudima u srce’ (Propovjednik 3:11). Bog nas je stvorio sa željom da vječno živimo. Čak se pobrinuo da se ta želja ostvari. ZAŠTO LJUDI UMIRU Što je Jehova zabranio Adamu, i zašto tu zapovijed nije bilo teško poslušati? 9 Zašto onda ljudi umiru? Da bismo pronašli odgovor na to pitanje, moramo uzeti u obzir ono što se dogodilo dok su na Zemlji živjeli samo jedan čovjek i jedna žena. Biblija objašnjava: ‘Jehova Bog dao je da iz zemlje nikne svakovrsno drveće privlačno pogledu i dobro za jelo’ (1. Mojsijeva 2:9). Međutim, nešto je ljudima bilo zabranjeno. Jehova je Adamu rekao: “Sa svakoga drveta u vrtu slobodno jedi do sita. Ali s drveta spoznaje dobra i zla ne smiješ jesti, jer u onaj dan u koji okusiš s njega, sigurno ćeš umrijeti” (1. Mojsijeva 2:16, 17). Tu zapovijed nije bilo teško poslušati. Postojalo je mnogo drugog drveća s kojeg su Adam i Eva mogli jesti. No oni su dobili posebnu priliku da pokažu svoju zahvalnost onome koji im je dao sve što su imali, pa tako i život u savršenstvu. Svojom poslušnošću pokazali bi i to da poštuju autoritet svog nebeskog Oca i da žele prihvatiti njegovo vodstvo puno ljubavi. (a) Kako je prvi ljudski par pokazao neposlušnost prema Bogu? (b) Zašto je neposlušnost Adama i Eve bila ozbiljna stvar? Nažalost, prvi ljudski par nije poslušao Jehovu. Sotona je preko zmije upitao Evu: “Je li doista Bog rekao da ne smijete jesti sa svakoga drveta u vrtu?” Eva je odgovorila: “Plodove s drveća u vrtu smijemo jesti. Ali za plod s drveta koje je usred vrta Bog je rekao: ‘Ne jedite ga i ne dirajte u njega da ne umrete!’” (1. Mojsijeva 3:1-3). 11 “Ne, nećete umrijeti”, rekao je Sotona. “Zna Bog da će vam se onoga dana kad ga budete jeli otvoriti oči i da ćete postati kao Bog, znajući što je dobro, a što zlo” (1. Mojsijeva 3:4, 5). Sotona je želio da Eva povjeruje da se isplati okusiti zabranjeni plod. Rekao joj je da sama ima pravo odlučivati što je ispravno, a što neispravno, da ima pravo raditi što god želi. Sotona je također optužio Jehovu da je lagao o posljedicama do kojih će doći ako okusi taj plod. Eva je povjerovala Sotoni. Ubrala je plod i okusila ga. Zatim je dala mužu da ga i on okusi. To što su učinili nije bilo u neznanju. Dobro su znali da rade upravo ono što im je Bog rekao da ne smiju. Okusivši taj plod, namjerno su prekršili jednostavnu i razumnu zapovijed. Pokazali su prezir prema svom nebeskom Ocu i njegovom autoritetu. Takvo nepoštovanje prema svom Stvoritelju punom ljubavi bilo je neoprostivo! Što nam može pomoći da razumijemo kako se Jehova osjećao kad su mu se Adam i Eva suprotstavili? Potkrijepit ćemo to jednim primjerom. Kako bi se osjećao da s puno ljubavi odgojiš sina ili kćerku, a oni postanu neposlušni i tako ti pokažu da te ne poštuju i ne vole? To bi te sigurno jako boljelo. Zamisli onda koliko je Jehovu zaboljelo kad su mu se Adam i Eva suprotstavili. Što je Jehova rekao da će se dogoditi Adamu kad umre, i što to znači? Jehova nije imao razloga neposlušnog Adama i Evu vječno držati na životu. Umrli su, baš kao što im je i rekao. Adam i Eva više nisu postojali. Nisu prešli u neki drugi svijet gdje žive kao duhovna bića. To znamo na temelju onog što je Jehova rekao Adamu nakon što ga je pozvao na odgovornost zbog neposlušnosti. Bog mu je rekao: ‘Vratit ćeš se u zemlju, jer od nje si uzet. Jer si prah i u prah ćeš se vratiti’ (1. Mojsijeva 3:19). Bog je Adama stvorio od praha zemaljskoga (1. Mojsijeva 2:7). On prije toga nije postojao. Stoga kad je Jehova rekao da će se Adam vratiti u prah, mislio je da će se vratiti u stanje nepostojanja. Postat će beživotan poput praha od kojeg je stvoren. Zašto umiremo? Adam i Eva danas su mogli biti živi, no umrli su jer su sagriješili time što nisu željeli slušati Boga. Mi umiremo zato što je Adam grešnost i smrt prenio na sve svoje potomke (Rimljanima 5:12). Grijeh je poput strašne naslijeđene bolesti koju nitko ne može izbjeći. Njegova posljedica, smrt, je prokletstvo. Smrt je neprijatelj, a ne prijatelj (1. Korinćanima 15:26). Doista možemo biti zahvalni Jehovi što je omogućio otkupninu da bi nas spasio od tog strašnog neprijatelja. ZAŠTO JE DOBRO ZNATI ISTINU O SMRTI Zašto je utješno znati istinu o smrti? Ono što Biblija govori o stanju mrtvih doista je utješno. Kao što smo vidjeli, mrtvi ne pate niti osjećaju bol. Nema razloga da ih se bojimo jer nam ne mogu nauditi. Oni ne trebaju našu pomoć, a ni oni nama ne mogu pomoći. Niti mi možemo razgovarati s njima niti se oni mogu obraćati nama. Mnogi vjerski vođe pogrešno tvrde da mogu pomoći umrlima, pa im ljudi koji im vjeruju daju novac za to. No kad znamo pravu istinu, oni koji naučavaju takve laži ne mogu nas prevariti. Tko utječe na učenja mnogih religija, i kako? Naučava li tvoja religija isto ono što Biblija kaže o mrtvima? Većina religija to ne naučava. Zašto? Zato što na njihova učenja utječe Sotona. On koristi krivu religiju kako bi naveo ljude da povjeruju u to da nakon što tijelo umre oni na nekom drugom svijetu nastavljaju živjeti kao duhovna bića. To je laž koju Sotona promiče zajedno s drugim lažima da bi ljude odvratio od Jehove Boga. Kako to uspijeva? Zašto učenje o vječnim mukama sramoti Jehovu? Kao što smo ranije rekli, neke religije naučavaju da osoba koja nije živjela uzorno odlazi nakon smrti na mjesto gdje će vječno patiti u vatrenim mukama. Tim se učenjem sramoti Boga. Jehova je Bog pun ljubavi i ljude nikada ne bi tako mučio (1. Ivanova 4:8). Što bi mislio o čovjeku koji bi neposlušno dijete kaznio tako što bi mu ruke držao u vatri? Bi li ga poštovao? Ustvari, bi li ga uopće želio upoznati? Sigurno ne bi. Vjerojatno bi mislio da je jako okrutan. Pa ipak, Sotona želi da vjerujemo kako Jehova vječno muči ljude u vatri. Na kojoj se vjerskoj laži temelji štovanje mrtvih? Sotona neke religije koristi i da bi naučavao da ljudi nakon smrti postaju duhovi koje živi moraju poštovati i iskazivati im čast. Prema tom učenju duhovi umrlih mogu postati moćni prijatelji ili strahoviti neprijatelji. Mnogi ljudi vjeruju toj laži. Boje se mrtvih te im iskazuju čast i štuju ih. Za razliku od toga, Biblija uči da mrtvi spavaju i da trebamo obožavati jedino pravog Boga, Jehovu, našeg Stvoritelja koji nam daje sve što nam je potrebno (Otkrivenje 4:11). Koje nam biblijsko učenje postaje još značajnije kad znamo istinu o smrti? Istina o mrtvima štiti te od toga da ne budeš zaveden vjerskim lažima. Također ti pomaže da razumiješ ostala biblijska učenja. Naprimjer, kad znaš da ljudi prilikom smrti ne idu na neki drugi svijet gdje žive kao duhovna bića, obećanje o vječnom životu na rajskoj Zemlji postaje ti još značajnije. Koje ćemo pitanje obraditi u sljedećem poglavlju? Prije mnogo godina pravedni je Job upitao: “Kad čovjek umre, može li se u život vratiti?” (Job 14:14). Može li se osobu koja spava smrtnim snom vratiti u život? Ono što Biblija uči o tome veoma je utješno, kao što će pokazati sljedeće poglavlje. ^ odl. 5 Što znače riječi “duša” i “duh” možeš saznati u Dodatku na 208-211. stranici.