Nazgul:

Thanks for this. But the story of the rich man and Lazarus was a parable Jesus told. It didn't actually happen, just like the story of the prodigal son and the story of the good Samaritan.

I'm not trying to argue with your submission cos it really enlightened me, all I'm saying is who were the dead the Bible was saying will rise up?

And why will they be another judgement if the dead are already in Hades and the good in the third heavens like you pointed out.

Thanks for your contribution once again.

Although I have heard that claim that the parables of Jesus never happened and although I once thought that that was the case, I really have never heard any good reason why anyone believes it. "Parable" is just a means of comparing things to demonstrate something about them. So, for example, the Lord was using things that people of His day knew well to show them what something that they didn't know very well -- the Kingdom of God/Heaven -- was really like. Nothing about that even remotely suggests that the stories were not true. "Parable" does not mean "fictitious."

On the other hand, the Lord Jesus is Truth itself, so He never makes anything up. Everything He spoke and speaks is exactly true. I found that accepting this opens vistas of truth to us. It was only when I understood this that things like this parable in Luke 16 opened up to me. Not only did the Jews understand what He was talking about because it was part of their understanding of God that there should be multiple compartments of Hell, but the Lord Jesus Himself was providing graphic teaching of something the Jews took for granted so that it would be documented for the Gentiles who did not have Jewish traditions. This is the only place in the Bible that tells us Gentiles in such graphic detail just how Hades works.

About your first question, I did my best to answer it quite comprehensively. Perhaps I didn't explain something well enough, but unless you can show me what I need to explain better, I would be needing to just rewrite my answer, and I really cannot afford to do that. I understand if you don't believe my answer. Not many people believe that the Bible means what it says. Each person must make their own choice. What I can say is just that those who will be resurrected is everyone who dies today (and those believers who will be alive when the Lord Jesus returns). That is what I believe to be the truth that the Bible teaches.

As to your second question, as I said, everyone who dies now is put in a holding cell or in a place of rest where they await their judgment. It's exactly the same thing that human beings do with suspected criminals. When the police arrest someone that they really think is a threat to society in some way, they hold them in jail as they build a case against them. The difference is that God already knows what everyone has chosen. Those who are held in Torments are held there in order to wait for all of the human race to be tested here on earth. Those who are in the Third Heaven are waiting for the rest of God's children to be saved and tested before everyone is evaluated and rewarded.

Perhaps if you could ask a more specific question, I could provide a better answer. This is what I have for now.

Nazgul:
Thanks for this. But the story of the rich man and Lazarus was a parable Jesus told. It didn't actually happen, just like the story of the prodigal son and the story of the good Samaritan.

I'm not trying to argue with your submission cos it really enlightened me, all I'm saying is who were the dead the Bible was saying will rise up?

And why will they be another judgement if the dead are already in Hades and the good in the third heavens like you pointed out.

Thanks for your contribution once again.

MuttleyLaff:
Hell or better put, Hades, actually is a Greek concept, the Jews have no concept of Hell or Hades
they have sheol, alright but the concept of Hell or Hades, is a Greek one.

Sheol is more of a proper and real biblical Israelite concept of where the dead are ''interned''

So Sheol in an oversimplified or elementary manner can be grave or has been referred as grave

Grave/tomb/sepulchre sites are merely places of deposit for a corpse. Sheol is the realm of the dead or departed souls
- Souls do not linger in the air. Souls do not stay in limbo. Souls do not hang about. Souls do not make revisits

Until Yahshua Ha Mashiah's aka Jesus Christ', our Lord and Saviour of the whole wide world, clarity in the New Testament, Sheol in general, without necessarily distinguishing between righteous or unrighteous souls, has been the realm of the dead or abode of the dead

Nazgul, we have verses in Old Testament (e.g. Psalm 9:17 et cetera) suggesting that the wicked go to Sheol but it was Yahshua Ha Mashiah aka Jesus Christ, our Lord and Saviour of the whole wide world, in the New Testament, who brought things into a better perspective for us, when He shared the hyperbolic illustration of Sheol, with the story of the Rich Man being elsewhere and Abraham with the Poor Man being on a different side. Now, remember Nazgul, just like because you're telling a joke, it doesnt necessarily mean, the joke is devoid of some element of truth and reality in it, so is the case with the parable of the rich man and poor man.

Sheol (i.e. the original Hebrew concept of afterlife) now has gray lines shared with Gehenna (i.e. the refuse dump in Jerusalem hyperbolically referred to by Jesus in Matthew 5:29 Matthew 18:9 and Mark 9:47) and Hell (i.e. a Greek mythology and Greek concept of afterlife) which arent really understood. The etymology of afterlife from a Jewish concept (i.e. Sheol, with 2 sections) has changed over time and Sheol, since, has being interchangeably replaced with Gehenna and Hell/Hades

Reiterating, hell which has become synonymous with Hades, is neither Hebrew or Greek in origin. Sheol is, what you'll find in the original Hebrew text for any word for Hell. In other places, Hades or Hell was the Greek substitution for the part of Sheol where the Rich man is from the Parable of the Rich Man and Lazarus. As a matter of fact, Hell, actually finds it roots in the classic Greek mythology, Hades, where Hades interestingly and actually, was the ancient Greek god of the underworld. This god's name (i.e. Hades) later turned to mean the place or abode of the dead, which actually is exactly what Sheol is, what is signifies or represents.

Talking about Gehenna, well it is a valley, a valley in Jerusalem, used as a dumping refuse site and so was used by Jesus to depict the Lake of fire (i.e. it is a place of destruction, as in, via incineration, a place for destroying things)

As earlier mentioned, Gehenna was the incinerating refuse dump in Jerusalem. Hades however, historically and originally is the name of a Greek god until it got turned to meaning the place or abode of the dead. It later got interchanged with hell, which is from a German word root. It was bible translators who were substituting the original Hebrew word Sheol (i.e. the part where the dead of the Rich man sort are), with Greek counterparts Hades/Hell that made hell stick with us today

Death is not a physical person but it will cease to exist because it will be destroyed when figuratively thrown into a physical lake of fire

The reality of the parable is informing us that, the good and bad, after the spirit, leaves their bodies (i.e. after drawing one's last breath) automatically are transported and stationed at a terminus of life on this side of eternity, to await facing divine and final judgment, with books opened, before God, sitting on the Great White Throne (i.e. Revelation 20:11–15)

Nazgul, everyday is judgement day. Always has been, always will be. Judgement, fyi, even begins at the house of God (i.e. 1 Peter 4:17) and even Hebrew 9:27, only says, after death, comes judgement, but it doesn't clearly define or identify which judgement, its talking off

Anyway, the main and important thing you really need to grab and take hold off, is that, decision will be made about where each one deserves to spend eternity. Remember that, accuses, are first held in custody, prior to being brought to court, to face the judge, have their day in court, then for justice and judgment, to be served, whether to set them free, absolved of any crimes or be taken into custody, from not being absolved of guilt. Now, Sheol is a holding place too, and that the holding place Sheol and Death will be casted into the Lake of Fire, when sin will be no more.

WE DON'T DIE UNLESS WE SIN. WHEN WE DIE WE GO TO HELL.

MuttleyLaff:


The reality of the parable is informing us that, the good and bad, after the spirit, leaves their bodies (i.e. after drawing one's last breath) automatically are transported and stationed at a terminus of life on this side of eternity, to await facing divine and final judgment, with books opened, before God, sitting on the Great White Throne (i.e. Revelation 20:11–15)

Nazgul, everyday is judgement day. Always has been, always will be. Judgement, fyi, even begins at the house of God (i.e. 1 Peter 4:17) and even Hebrew 9:27, only says, after death, comes judgement, but it doesn't clearly define or identify which judgement, its talking off

Anyway, the main and important thing you really need to grab and take hold off, is that, decision will be made about where each one deserves to spend eternity. Remember that, accuses, are first held in custody, prior to being brought to court, to face the judge, have their day in court, then for justice and judgment, to be served, whether to set them free, absolved of any crimes or be taken into custody, from not being absolved of guilt. Now, Sheol is a holding place too, and that the holding place Sheol and Death will be casted into the Lake of Fire, when sin will be no more.

Ok... thanks.

Ihedinobi3:


Although I have heard that claim that the parables of Jesus never happened and although I once thought that that was the case, I really have never heard any good reason why anyone believes it. "Parable" is just a means of comparing things to demonstrate something about them. So, for example, the Lord was using things that people of His day knew well to show them what something that they didn't know very well -- the Kingdom of God/Heaven -- was really like. Nothing about that even remotely suggests that the stories were not true. "Parable" does not mean "fictitious."

On the other hand, the Lord Jesus is Truth itself, so He never makes anything up. Everything He spoke and speaks is exactly true. I found that accepting this opens vistas of truth to us. It was only when I understood this that things like this parable in Luke 16 opened up to me. Not only did the Jews understand what He was talking about because it was part of their understanding of God that there should be multiple compartments of Hell, but the Lord Jesus Himself was providing graphic teaching of something the Jews took for granted so that it would be documented for the Gentiles who did not have Jewish traditions. This is the only place in the Bible that tells us Gentiles in such graphic detail just how Hades works.

About your first question, I did my best to answer it quite comprehensively. Perhaps I didn't explain something well enough, but unless you can show me what I need to explain better, I would be needing to just rewrite my answer, and I really cannot afford to do that. I understand if you don't believe my answer. Not many people believe that the Bible means what it says. Each person must make their own choice. What I can say is just that those who will be resurrected is everyone who dies today (and those believers who will be alive when the Lord Jesus returns). That is what I believe to be the truth that the Bible teaches.

As to your second question, as I said, everyone who dies now is put in a holding cell or in a place of rest where they await their judgment. It's exactly the same thing that human beings do with suspected criminals. When the police arrest someone that they really think is a threat to society in some way, they hold them in jail as they build a case against them. The difference is that God already knows what everyone has chosen. Those who are held in Torments are held there in order to wait for all of the human race to be tested here on earth. Those who are in the Third Heaven are waiting for the rest of God's children to be saved and tested before everyone is evaluated and rewarded.

Perhaps if you could ask a more specific question, I could provide a better answer. This is what I have for now.

I got your explanation. At least you've made me believe that parables aren't just make up stories to buttress a point like some pastors do. They're actually real life occurrences.

Also the issue of the dead being kept in a temporary place of torment pending when they will be judged was explained much better.

Thanks.

Nazgul:
Good morning and happy Sunday. This question has really been bothering me cos we've been made to believe that once a person dies, he'll either go to heaven or hell. But the Bible is saying something totally different.

Let's observe these three scriptures.

1Thessalonians 4:16-17
King James Version
16 For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:

17 Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.


Revelation 20:13-15
13 [a]And the sea gave up her dead, which were in her, and death and hell delivered up the dead, which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works.

14 [b]And death, and hell were cast into the lake of fire: this is the second death.

15 And whosoever was not found written in the book of life, was cast into the lake of fire.

[b] Matthew 22:23-46
23 (A)On that day some (B)Sadducees (who say (C)there is no resurrection) came to [a]Jesus and questioned Him, 24 saying, “Teacher, Moses said, ‘(D)If a man dies having no children, his brother as next of kin shall marry his wife, and raise up children for his brother.’ 25 Now there were seven brothers among us; and the first married and died, and having no [c]children, he left his wife to his brother. 26 It was the same also with the second brother, and the third, down to the seventh. 27 Last of all, the woman died. 28 In the resurrection, therefore, whose wife of the seven will she be? For they all had her in marriage.”

29 But Jesus answered and said to them, “You are mistaken, (E)since you do not [d]understand the Scriptures nor the power of God. 30 For in the resurrection they neither (F)marry nor are given in marriage, but are like angels in heaven. 31 But regarding the resurrection of the dead, have you not read what was spoken to you by God: 32 ‘(G)I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob’? He is not the God of the dead, but of the living.” 33 When the crowds heard this, (H)they were astonished at His teaching.


In the first scripture it talked about the rapture. The second coming of Christ. It says the dead in Christ shall rise first, meaning when people die good or bad, they remain the in ground according to that passage pending when the trumpet shall sound. But this contradicts what we were taught in Sunday School that once you die and you're a Christian you'll find yourself in Paradise.

The second passage confirmed the first passage that there are actually people in the ground whose souls are waiting for judgement. It says the sea gave up the dead, meaning those who died and we're buried in the earth, those buried in the water or anywhere else would be resurrected on the last day to face judgement. Here also doesn't speak of the dead immediately going to heaven or hell upon death.

Finally the last passage was an answer Jesus was giving to the Sadducees. He made them understand that even though there's a resurrection it would happen on the last day and not immediately after death.

My question is If the dead are already in heaven as we're made to believe, how do they rise at the second coming?

Or would they descend from heaven back to their graves on earth then resurrect to face the last judgement?

If all the evil people are already in hell, why will the sea and the earth give up the dead in them for judgement and why will the book of life be opened to check if their names are written on it since they've already been jugded and thrown into hell?

I'll like to be clarified on this issue.

Cc lalasticlala mynd44 Dominique

According to Jesus Christ Himself, those of you who believe in Him, will lay sleeping in your graves(much like Lazarus did before Jesus then raised him from the grave) until Jesus Christ returns and raises you out of your graves.

Those who are His sheep will hear His voice from their graves where they sleep and will be raised from the dead, some to be judged while others to receive the reward that awaits them.

Those who do not believe are without an afterlife and so perish once they die, never to be again.

Nazgul:
I got [s]your explanation. At least you've made me believe that parables aren't just make up stories to buttress a point like some pastors do. They're actually real life occurrences.[/s]

Also the issue of the dead being kept in a temporary place of torment pending when they will be judged was explained much better.

Thanks.

"¹⁰Then the disciples came to Jesus and asked,
“Why do You speak to the people in parables?”
¹¹He replied, “The knowledge of the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven has been given to you, but not to them.
¹²Whoever has will be given more, and he will have an abundance.
Whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken away from him.
¹³This is why I speak to them in parables:
‘Though seeing, they do not see;
though hearing, they do not hear or understand.’
¹⁴In them the prophecy of Isaiah is fulfilled:
‘You will be ever hearing but never understanding;
you will be ever seeing but never perceiving.
¹⁵For this people’s heart has grown callous;
they hardly hear with their ears, and they have closed their eyes.
Otherwise they might see with their eyes, hear with their ears,
understand with their hearts, and turn, and I would heal them.’
¹⁶But blessed are your eyes because they see, and your ears because they hear.
¹⁷For truly I tell you, many prophets and righteous men longed to see what you see
but did not see it, and to hear what you hear but did not hear it."
- Matthew 13:10-17

Please don't like a Pharisee aka Far -To-See, get this parable business thing all twisted out of turn and up. Make no mistake in not believing that, parables, as told by Yahshua Ha Mashiah aka Jesus Christ, our Lord and Saviour of the whole wide world, in the Gospels, are simple make up stories used to explain a moral teaching or used to shed more light on a spiritual lesson. It is just like when you tell a joke, the joke is a make up story with punchline(s) providing humour, likely with an educational element accompany the joke delivery, to then cause audience/listener's laughter.

Parables, as told by Yahshua Ha Mashiah aka Jesus Christ, our Lord and Saviour of the whole wide world, are true to life but they are not any actually real life occurrences

We return to the real world, which we call the spirit world, from where we came. There is no such thing as death.

Kobojunkie:
According to Jesus Christ Himself, those of you who believe in Him, will lay sleeping in your graves(much like Lazarus did before Jesus then raised him from the grave) until Jesus Christ returns and raises you out of your graves.

Those who are His sheep will hear His voice from their graves where they sleep and will be raised from the dead, some to be judged while others to receive the reward that awaits them.

Those who do not believe are without an afterlife and so perish once they die, never to be again.

You're sounding like an atheist. Do you happen to be one?

Rossintii:
We return to the real world, which we call the spirit world, from where we came. There is no such thing as death.

We obviously wouldn't return with our flesh. My understanding of death is when the flesh is deprived of life, it then decomposes and becomes dust. The spirit like you rightfully stated will return back to God.

Nazgul:

You're sounding like an atheist. Do you happen to be one?

And what part of my post there sounds like what an atheist would say?

Kobojunkie:
And what part of my post there sounds like what an atheist would say?

The bolded portion below. But after taking my time to go through it I discovered that you were actually making an illustration. My bad.

Kobojunkie:
According to Jesus Christ Himself, those of you who believe in Him , will lay sleeping in your graves(much like Lazarus did before Jesus then raised him from the grave) , until Jesus Christ returns and raises you out of your graves.

Those who are His sheep will hear His voice from their graves where they sleep and will be raised from the dead, some to be judged while others to receive the reward that awaits them.

Those who do not believe are without an afterlife and so perish once they die, never to be again.

Death is an ilusion...its not real..

Try and read the egytian book of the dead..it explains everthing..

sonmvayina:
Death is an ilusion...its not real..

Try and read the egytian book of the dead..it explains everthing..

Illusion...so how do you explain the keeping of lifeless bodies in mortuaries, casket and in the ground respectively. Is that an illusion also?

Nazgul:
Good morning and happy Sunday. This question has really been bothering me cos we've been made to believe that once a person dies, he'll either go to heaven or hell. But the Bible is saying something totally different.

Let's observe these three scriptures.

1Thessalonians 4:16-17
King James Version
16 For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:

17 Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.


Revelation 20:13-15
13 [a]And the sea gave up her dead, which were in her, and death and hell delivered up the dead, which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works.

14 [b]And death, and hell were cast into the lake of fire: this is the second death.

15 And whosoever was not found written in the book of life, was cast into the lake of fire.

[b] Matthew 22:23-46
23 (A)On that day some (B)Sadducees (who say (C)there is no resurrection) came to [a]Jesus and questioned Him, 24 saying, “Teacher, Moses said, ‘(D)If a man dies having no children, his brother as next of kin shall marry his wife, and raise up children for his brother.’ 25 Now there were seven brothers among us; and the first married and died, and having no [c]children, he left his wife to his brother. 26 It was the same also with the second brother, and the third, down to the seventh. 27 Last of all, the woman died. 28 In the resurrection, therefore, whose wife of the seven will she be? For they all had her in marriage.”

29 But Jesus answered and said to them, “You are mistaken, (E)since you do not [d]understand the Scriptures nor the power of God. 30 For in the resurrection they neither (F)marry nor are given in marriage, but are like angels in heaven. 31 But regarding the resurrection of the dead, have you not read what was spoken to you by God: 32 ‘(G)I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob’? He is not the God of the dead, but of the living.” 33 When the crowds heard this, (H)they were astonished at His teaching.


In the first scripture it talked about the rapture. The second coming of Christ. It says the dead in Christ shall rise first, meaning when people die good or bad, they remain the in ground according to that passage pending when the trumpet shall sound. But this contradicts what we were taught in Sunday School that once you die and you're a Christian you'll find yourself in Paradise.

The second passage confirmed the first passage that there are actually people in the ground whose souls are waiting for judgement. It says the sea gave up the dead, meaning those who died and we're buried in the earth, those buried in the water or anywhere else would be resurrected on the last day to face judgement. Here also doesn't speak of the dead immediately going to heaven or hell upon death.

Finally the last passage was an answer Jesus was giving to the Sadducees. He made them understand that even though there's a resurrection it would happen on the last day and not immediately after death.

My question is If the dead are already in heaven as we're made to believe, how do they rise at the second coming?

Or would they descend from heaven back to their graves on earth then resurrect to face the last judgement?

If all the evil people are already in hell, why will the sea and the earth give up the dead in them for judgement and why will the book of life be opened to check if their names are written on it since they've already been jugded and thrown into hell?

I'll like to be clarified on this issue.

Cc lalasticlala mynd44 Dominique

Na straight to ELYSIUM all of you are going to much Greco Roman concepts and philosophy in the Bible.

Nazgul:

Illusion...so how do you explain the keeping of lifeless bodies in mortuaries, casket and in the ground respectively. Is that an illusion also?

That is the physical body that the real you, which is a spirit was dwelling. We are spiritual beings dwelling within a physical body made from dust. Death is just the spirit leaving the body back to God that gave it..so the body you see in the mortuaries is just a vessel..so we accord it respect and bury it properly because it was once a vessel for Gods spirit...

The real you is the spirit dwelling in it, not the physical body you see.

Just like NASA astronault needs a soecial kind of suit to adapt to conditions on the moon. We as spirits needed this body to be able to live on earth.

So the purpose of life is to realise that we are spirits. The journey of self discovery...

Rossintii:
We return to the real world, which we call the spirit world, from where we came. There is no such thing as death.

Exactely.....

Stop listening to Churchians cos dey know nothing and the book they quote they don't understand. Before they brought the book to you, you know God Almighty, the creator, you have a way of life and the Bible they gave you are your traditions rewritten by them cos they want to rule over you. Ask the spiritual priests among you.


When ppl die they go to the land of the dead. They have to wait till when they will Reincarnate. Reincarnation is an African cosmology but when the pinks came to you with Churchianity, they tell you it is evil. Your ancestors are more spiritual and powerful than them. Now in the Bible they tell you Elijah is John the Baptist, Christ lived in the old testament and came back in the New testament. How possible if not via Reincarnation?

Some think the creator will just punish ppl without giving them proper chance to repent. Reincarnation is the chance for you to correct the mistakes of your past life. Many of you have been on earth many times but don't know. This continues until the endtime which is now. Many who didn't live right in their past life, usually return via Reincarnation to do that but many of them don't know cos the church has blinded them with wrong doctrines which are traditions of men

Why was the witch of Endor able to call the spirit of Samuel for questioning Why are some spiritualists able to call out spirit of ppl that died righteously or unrighteously to know who killed them If they are in hell or heaven as many of you have been bamboozled, do you think they can be allowed to go?? They are in another dark word waiting till the day of judgement. It's where they are allowed to go back to the world if they have a mission or to make amends for their lives before judgement

Hear this again, nobody is in hell and hell is not a place with fire burning ppl. The devil is still roaming about looking for who to destroy. He is not in hell cos He has not been judged. It is after judgement that He will be bound and cast in outer darkness and ppl with him. Nobody is in hell. The verse that it is appointed for man to die once and after this judgement---is talking about the endtime judgement. Ppl are not judged twice(when they just died and the final they of judgement). This confirmed the fact reincarnation is real cos the dead are giving bodies to return to correct their mistakes till the final day of judgement. King Sarius in your Bible is an incarnate of Lucifer. Go and read about it.

Christians you don't understand that book. Wait for those who wrote it to unseal it by the power of the spirit. They will teach you all how it all happened

Does it seem as if your life is going round in circles?

Do you need direction in your life?

Then join Prophet Ubong Ukpong as he releases prophetic words to take your life to the next level.

Join now!

Click here to join now:

https://www.facebook.com/106700860866187/videos/1608900522613667/

namo77:
Does it seem as if your life is going round in circles?

Do you need direction in your life?

Then join Prophet Ubong Ukpong as he releases prophetic words to take your life to the next level.

Join now!

Click here to join now:

https://www.facebook.com/106700860866187/videos/1608900522613667/

Join now and be blessed

https://www.facebook.com/106700860866187/videos/398219211408612/

sonmvayina:


That is the physical body that the real you, which is a spirit was dwelling. We are spiritual beings dwelling within a physical body made from dust. Death is just the spirit leaving the body back to God that gave it..so the body you see in the mortuaries is just a vessel..so we accord it respect and bury it properly because it was once a vessel for Gods spirit...

The real you is the spirit dwelling in it, not the physical body you see.

Just like NASA astronault needs a soecial kind of suit to adapt to conditions on the moon. We as spirits needed this body to be able to live on earth.

So the purpose of life is to realise that we are spirits. The journey of self discovery...

Ok...your point is much clearer now

Kobojunkie:
According to Jesus Christ Himself, those of you who believe in Him, will lay sleeping in your graves (much like Lazarus did before Jesus then raised him from the grave) until Jesus Christ returns and raises you out of your graves.

Those who are His sheep will hear His voice from their graves where they sleep and will be raised from the dead, some to be judged while others to receive the reward that awaits them.

Those who do not believe are without an afterlife and so perish once they die, never to be again.

Nazgul:
You're sounding like an atheist. Do you happen to be one?

Kobojunkie:
And what part of my post there sounds like what an atheist would say?

"“Roll the stone aside,” Jesus told them.
But Martha, the dead man’s sister, protested,
“Lord, he has been dead for four days. The smell will be terrible.”"
- John 11:39

The noun/adjective sleeping, is making reference to how when one have natural sleep, one is oblivious of what is happened while in that state of rest. The same way, it is, when one dies, the body goes back to the ground to become dust again. The spirit aka breath or ruach, goes back to its Owner, God who first gave it, but the soul, it goes to Sheol, where there are two sections, to await the the time of judgment. Now when the soul, is in this state, it just as like when having a natural sleep, has no idea of what is happening anymore in the land of the living, as vice versa, those in the land of the living, have no idea of what's going on in the land of the dead, hence why the term "sleep" is used for anyone thats died, based on the fact such person is unconscious to all that is happening in or on the land of the living and equally because has no awareness to the going ons in the land of the living.

Now it'll interest you to know that, Lazarus wasn't brought back to life before five days after his death by Yahshua HaMashiah aka Jesus Christ, God Incarnate, our Lord and Saviour of the whole wide world, because it wouldn't have been obvious that Lazarus' soul has made the transition or passage journey to Sheol and so will not perfectly evidentially show He brought Lazarus back, really from the land of the dead aka sleep (i.e. John 11:39 above)