Absent from the body,
present with the Lord.
Rich Coyle
[email protected]
(451) 450-4170
November 12, 1994
Study of God’s Word reveals clearly what God teaches about the temporary occupation and eternal destiny of His holy ones. We are to "walk in the Light as He is in the Light" while we are "alive" in the flesh. When we die, that part which God ordained goes to be with Him. There is no "soul sleep" taught by the Scripture as some would have us believe. It says, "'the LORD, the God of the spirits of all flesh'" (Numbers 27:16) "knows that the spirit of man ascends upward." (Ecclesiastes 3:21) Does not God's Word say, "The wicked is thrust down by his wrong doing, but the righteous has a refuge when he dies."(Proverbs 14:32) And also, the Holy Spirit constrained the Apostle Paul to write in Philippians 1:20b-24
"Christ shall even now, as always, be exalted in my body, whether by life or by death. For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain. But if I am to live on in the flesh, this will be fruitful labor for me; and I do not know which I will choose. But I am hard pressed from both, having the desire to depart and be with Christ, for that is very much better; yet to remain on in the flesh is more necessary for your sake."
And again the apostle writes by the "Word of the Lord",
"Therefore, being always of good courage, and knowing that while we are at home in the body we are absent from the Lord - for we walk by faith, not by sight - we are of good courage, I say, and prefer rather to be absent from the body and to be at home with the Lord." 2 Corinthians 5:6-8
God is quoted in Job 42:7-8: "'Job speaks correctly about God.'" And what does Job say, "'For I know that You will bring me to death and the house of meeting for all living,'"(Job 30:23) as we see in Moses' case. The LORD told him,
"'Go up to this mountain of Abarim, Mount Nebo, which is in the land of Moab opposite Jericho and look at the land of Canaan, which I am giving to the sons of Israel for a possession. Then die on the mountain where you ascend, and be gathered to your people, as Aaron your brother died on Mount Hor and was gathered to his people.'" Deuteronomy 32:49-50
In Numbers 20:23-28 we learn that Aaron’s body was not brought back to the people and buried. Verse 26 shows us that God had Moses "strip Aaron of his garments and put them on Eleazar his son. So Aaron will be gathered, and will die there." And again Moses went up on the mountain alone. Yet God's Word says that he was "gathered to your people". The Word of God does not let us know exactly where the body of Moses is buried. It does tell us God buried him in the "valley in the land of Moab, opposite Beth-peor; but no man knows his burial place to this day." His dead body was not "gathered to his people." God buried it. We can conclude, then, that Moses went to "the house of meeting for all living."
This is not the end of Moses being displayed in a body in this earthly realm. On the mount of transfiguration, Moses and Elijah are there speaking with Jesus. There are some who would have us believe that the apostles, Peter, James and John were asleep and dreaming that Moses and Elijah were there. Teaching that they were asleep is correct. But from the same passage that informs us they were asleep, we subsequently find them fully awake and totally cognizant of their surroundings. Sometimes we hear that Moses and Elijah weren't real[1]. They were only a figment of a vision. A dream or a surreal vision or real? Let's read Luke 9:29-32:
"And while He (Jesus) was praying, the appearance of His face became different, and His clothing became white flashing like lightning. And behold, two men were talking with Him; and they were Moses and Elijah, who, appearing in glory, were speaking of His departure which He was about to accomplish at Jerusalem. Now Peter and his companions had been overcome with sleep; but when they were fully awake, they saw His glory and the two men standing with Him."
We can learn from This Passage Jesus was talking with real people God’s Word tells us were Moses and Elijah before His apostles woke from sleep. The idea it was a vision is chosen by “willfully ignorant” exegesis of God’s Word.
The finish of the next Scripture is very sad. Like the ending when Jesus raised Lazarus. Remember some people went to inform the Pharisees, as a child “tells on” his sibling. It is a commentary on the world at large: We stumble over ourselves trying to be first to deny God's Power instead of bowing before His majesty. The Scripture that teaches about those who have gone on before us is Luke 16:22-31. In this Scripture there are three deceased men referred to as being somewhere other than the grave. More importantly, they are aware of their surroundings and each other. Jesus is the Unchallengeable Story Teller:
"'Now it came about that the poor man died and he was carried away by the angels to Abraham's bosom; and the rich man died and was buried. And in Hades he lifted up his eyes, being in torment, and saw Abraham far away, and Lazarus in his bosom. And he cried out and said, "Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water and cool off my tongue; for I am in agony in this flame.' But Abraham said, 'Child, remember that during your life you received your good things, and likewise Lazarus bad things; but now he is being comforted here, and you are in agony. And besides all this, there is a chasm fixed, in order that those who wish to come over to you may not be able, and none may cross over from there to us.' And he said, 'Then I beg you, Father, that you send him to my father's house - for I have five brothers - that he may warn them, lest they come to this place of torment.' But Abraham said, 'They have Moses and the Prophets, let them hear them.' But he said, 'No, Father Abraham, but if someone goes to them from the dead, they will repent!' But he said to him, 'If they do not listen to Moses and the Prophets, neither will they be persuaded if someone rise from the dead.'"
We in the twentieth century are as "dead in trespasses and sin" as the people to whom Jesus spoke these words. Although there is more legal historical evidence that Jesus Christ rose from the dead than that Caesar Augustus even lived, and yet we still find doubters and unbelievers! Jesus rose from the dead and proved that he is God in the flesh and His Word is Truth.
[1]To the author Moses and Elijah were more real than we mortals. They are sharing in eternity with the Master.
present with the Lord.
Rich Coyle
[email protected]
(451) 450-4170
November 12, 1994
Study of God’s Word reveals clearly what God teaches about the temporary occupation and eternal destiny of His holy ones. We are to "walk in the Light as He is in the Light" while we are "alive" in the flesh. When we die, that part which God ordained goes to be with Him. There is no "soul sleep" taught by the Scripture as some would have us believe. It says, "'the LORD, the God of the spirits of all flesh'" (Numbers 27:16) "knows that the spirit of man ascends upward." (Ecclesiastes 3:21) Does not God's Word say, "The wicked is thrust down by his wrong doing, but the righteous has a refuge when he dies."(Proverbs 14:32) And also, the Holy Spirit constrained the Apostle Paul to write in Philippians 1:20b-24
"Christ shall even now, as always, be exalted in my body, whether by life or by death. For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain. But if I am to live on in the flesh, this will be fruitful labor for me; and I do not know which I will choose. But I am hard pressed from both, having the desire to depart and be with Christ, for that is very much better; yet to remain on in the flesh is more necessary for your sake."
And again the apostle writes by the "Word of the Lord",
"Therefore, being always of good courage, and knowing that while we are at home in the body we are absent from the Lord - for we walk by faith, not by sight - we are of good courage, I say, and prefer rather to be absent from the body and to be at home with the Lord." 2 Corinthians 5:6-8
God is quoted in Job 42:7-8: "'Job speaks correctly about God.'" And what does Job say, "'For I know that You will bring me to death and the house of meeting for all living,'"(Job 30:23) as we see in Moses' case. The LORD told him,
"'Go up to this mountain of Abarim, Mount Nebo, which is in the land of Moab opposite Jericho and look at the land of Canaan, which I am giving to the sons of Israel for a possession. Then die on the mountain where you ascend, and be gathered to your people, as Aaron your brother died on Mount Hor and was gathered to his people.'" Deuteronomy 32:49-50
In Numbers 20:23-28 we learn that Aaron’s body was not brought back to the people and buried. Verse 26 shows us that God had Moses "strip Aaron of his garments and put them on Eleazar his son. So Aaron will be gathered, and will die there." And again Moses went up on the mountain alone. Yet God's Word says that he was "gathered to your people". The Word of God does not let us know exactly where the body of Moses is buried. It does tell us God buried him in the "valley in the land of Moab, opposite Beth-peor; but no man knows his burial place to this day." His dead body was not "gathered to his people." God buried it. We can conclude, then, that Moses went to "the house of meeting for all living."
This is not the end of Moses being displayed in a body in this earthly realm. On the mount of transfiguration, Moses and Elijah are there speaking with Jesus. There are some who would have us believe that the apostles, Peter, James and John were asleep and dreaming that Moses and Elijah were there. Teaching that they were asleep is correct. But from the same passage that informs us they were asleep, we subsequently find them fully awake and totally cognizant of their surroundings. Sometimes we hear that Moses and Elijah weren't real[1]. They were only a figment of a vision. A dream or a surreal vision or real? Let's read Luke 9:29-32:
"And while He (Jesus) was praying, the appearance of His face became different, and His clothing became white flashing like lightning. And behold, two men were talking with Him; and they were Moses and Elijah, who, appearing in glory, were speaking of His departure which He was about to accomplish at Jerusalem. Now Peter and his companions had been overcome with sleep; but when they were fully awake, they saw His glory and the two men standing with Him."
We can learn from This Passage Jesus was talking with real people God’s Word tells us were Moses and Elijah before His apostles woke from sleep. The idea it was a vision is chosen by “willfully ignorant” exegesis of God’s Word.
The finish of the next Scripture is very sad. Like the ending when Jesus raised Lazarus. Remember some people went to inform the Pharisees, as a child “tells on” his sibling. It is a commentary on the world at large: We stumble over ourselves trying to be first to deny God's Power instead of bowing before His majesty. The Scripture that teaches about those who have gone on before us is Luke 16:22-31. In this Scripture there are three deceased men referred to as being somewhere other than the grave. More importantly, they are aware of their surroundings and each other. Jesus is the Unchallengeable Story Teller:
"'Now it came about that the poor man died and he was carried away by the angels to Abraham's bosom; and the rich man died and was buried. And in Hades he lifted up his eyes, being in torment, and saw Abraham far away, and Lazarus in his bosom. And he cried out and said, "Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water and cool off my tongue; for I am in agony in this flame.' But Abraham said, 'Child, remember that during your life you received your good things, and likewise Lazarus bad things; but now he is being comforted here, and you are in agony. And besides all this, there is a chasm fixed, in order that those who wish to come over to you may not be able, and none may cross over from there to us.' And he said, 'Then I beg you, Father, that you send him to my father's house - for I have five brothers - that he may warn them, lest they come to this place of torment.' But Abraham said, 'They have Moses and the Prophets, let them hear them.' But he said, 'No, Father Abraham, but if someone goes to them from the dead, they will repent!' But he said to him, 'If they do not listen to Moses and the Prophets, neither will they be persuaded if someone rise from the dead.'"
We in the twentieth century are as "dead in trespasses and sin" as the people to whom Jesus spoke these words. Although there is more legal historical evidence that Jesus Christ rose from the dead than that Caesar Augustus even lived, and yet we still find doubters and unbelievers! Jesus rose from the dead and proved that he is God in the flesh and His Word is Truth.
[1]To the author Moses and Elijah were more real than we mortals. They are sharing in eternity with the Master.