Expert: Mrs. Priscilla Lyons - 4/7/2009

Question
1.if a soul is conscious after death in hades or paradise when and how does the resurrection takes place?
2.Where are the OT saints are they in paradise ?can you explain (matt.27:52-53).who are these saints ?were these saints shifted to paradise?Since Jesus' ascension did paradise got shifted to heaven?.
3.In (rev.6:9-11)we see souls can this be paradise ?
4.In (eph.4:8-9) who are these captives?what is this lower parts of the earth & in (1 pet.3:18-20) again who are these spirits ?what is this prison?

Answer
Hello, SRINIVAS.
You have lots of questions that are difficult to answer.
Are you attending a school to study religion?  Or are these your personal questions?
A verse that is very important is," We walk by faith, not by sight--we are of good courage, I say, and prefer rather To be absent from the body, and be at home with the Lord".  2 Corinthians 5:7-8.

Another is, "I know that my Redeemer lives, and at the last He will take His stand on the earth.  And though after my skin worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God."  Job 19:25-26

Another is, "For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord".  Romans 8:38-39.

Lastly, "For the which cause I also suffer these things: nevertheless I am not ashamed: for I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that He is able to keep that which I have committed unto Him against that day.

Although there are many interesting things to discuss in God's Word, many of the things you have asked are answered differently by Bible scholars, so we need to concentrate more on what has been promised to us if we have given control of our lives to our Creator.
Have a good day.