Reflections on Death: Where do the Dead Ones Go? Part 2

2 Peter 2:9 says, " ... then the Lord knows how to rescue the godly from trials, and to hold the unrighteous under punishment until the day of judgment". This passage can be understood to mean that the unrighteous goes through punishment even while they are on earth, and continues till the day of judgment in future. But it can also be understood to mean that the unrighteous ones go through punishment in Hades, while they continue to wait for the final judgement. The second interpretation goes well with the story of Lazurus and the rich man. In this story, the rich man continues to go through suffering while Lazarus was not. But this is not the final state. Along with the righteous, the unrighteous too will be raised on the last day. But the unrighteous will be raised to shame; to face punishment. 

Jesus told one of the thieves on the cross, "today you will be with me in Paradise". In Philipians 1.23-24 Pauls writes, "... I desire to depart and be with Christ, which is better by far; but it is more necessary for you that I remain in the body." These passages tell us that the righteous dead go to be with Jesus. Paradise is more like a garden, and not a permanent resting place. Jesus used to refer to death as 'sleep'. So in one sense being in Paradise is not really a vibrant and full of life kind of a place. But definitely they are resting in the Lord. This is not the final state; it is rather like an intermediate state. At some point in the future, they will be raised with the unrighteous ones as well to face the Lord. And the righteous ones will be in the new heaven and new earth with the Lord forever. This is the final state. This is the state of being resurrected. They will be embodied in this state; yet space and time that constraint us now will no longer apply here. It's a body that will never see decay and death again.