JEHOVAH, having made provision for all men to have an opportunity for life, speaks of death as sleep. As a man lies down to sleep and rises up again, so this figure of speech suggests God's purpose to awaken the dead. Such action would be entirely consistent with every other part of God's gracious plan.

It is illuminating to take note of some Scriptural texts proving that God speaks of the dead as though they were asleep. Moses was faithful as a servant of God. "And the Lord said unto Moses, Behold, thou shalt sleep with thy fathers." Adam was the father of the human race and therefore one of Moses' fathers. If Adam went to eternal torment, then Moses did also.

The Lord told David what was to transpire with reference to him, and then said: "And when thy days be fulfilled,... thou shalt sleep with thy fathers." (2 Sam. 7:12) Again it is written concerning David: "For David, after he had served his own generation by the will of God, fell on sleep, and was laid unto his fathers, and saw corruption." (Acts 13: 36) When David was in great distress he feared lest he should die, and in his sorrow he prayed unto God: "Consider and hear me, 0 Lord my God; lighten mine eyes, lest I sleep the sleep of death." — Psalm 13: 3.

David was a prophet of God; and God moved his mind by his invisible power, his holy spirit, to write down truths of which the foregoing is one. It was written for the purpose of establishing a hope in the minds of men. (Romans 15: 4) David, who foreshadowed the

new creation, expressed the heart sentiments of the members thereof; and representing those who determine to walk in the narrow way to the end, and looking forward to the time of the awakening out of death, he said: "I shall be satisfied, when I awake, with thy likeness." — Psalm 17:15.

Lazarus of Bethany, a brother of Mary and Martha, with whom Jesus had often visited and whom he loved, became sick and died. Jesus knew that Lazarus was dead, but his disciples did not know it. Jesus, speaking of his death, said to them: "Our friend Lazarus sleepeth; but I go, that I may awake him out of sleep." Not understanding at the time what he meant, his disciples said: "Lord, if he sleep, he shall do well. Howbeit Jesus spake of his death: but they thought that he had spoken of taking of rest in sleep. Then said Jesus unto them plainly, Lazarus is dead." — John 11:11-14.

Jesus and his disciples then proceeded to Bethany, where Lazarus had died. Arriving there they found his sisters weeping for sorrow. At that time Lazarus had been dead four days and buried in the grave, bound with grave clothes, as was the custom then. Lazarus was a good man; but he was not in heaven, as the preachers would make it appear. Nor was he in a place of torment or in purgatory. He was in the grave, in the condition of death. Jesus went to the tomb, which was closed with a large stone; and, causing the stone to be rolled away, he called to Lazarus and awakened him out of death. "And he that was dead came forth, bound hand and foot with graveclothes: and his face was bound about with a napkin. Jesus saith unto them, Loose him, and let him go." — John 11: 44.

It was on that occasion that Jesus said to Martha: "I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live: and

whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this?" (John 11:25, 26) Jesus was here stating the great truth that into his hands Jehovah God had committed all power to awaken the dead, and that in due time God would bring forth the dead by him. The awakening of Lazarus was but a sample of what God through Christ Jesus in due time will do. Concerning this Jesus testified: "Verily, verily, I say unto you, The hour cometh, and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God; and they that hear shall live. . . . Marvel not at this: for the hour cometh, in which all that are in the tombs shall hear his voice, and shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of judgment." — John 5: 25, 28, 29, R. V.

These scriptures are conclusive in proving that the dead are wholly unconscious, and that in God's due time through Christ the dead shall be awakened.

Resurrection

Resurrection means a standing up again unto life. The awakening of the dead is but the beginning of the resurrection. Those who will compose the new creation will experience an instantaneous resurrection, changed to life and immortality. The billions of people who are dead and in their tombs will be awakened out of death for trial and judgment, and therefore the resurrection or bringing up of the people to life in its fullness will be a gradual work.

Without the resurrection of the dead the ransom sacrifice of Jesus would be of no avail. Having in mind that four thousand years prior to his death and resurrection men had been going into the grave, it is manifest that the ransom sacrifice provided by Jesus'

death could be of no benefit to those who were then dead unless they shall be awakened out of death. The awakening of all such out of the sleep of death, and giving them a fair trial for life, is consistent with every other part of the divine plan and is just what should be expected of the great loving Jehovah.

If the clergymen were right in their conclusions that the destiny of each one is fixed at death, that the good go to heaven and that the evil go to purgatory or to hell, then why should there be a resurrection at all? All the scriptures that speak of the awakening of the dead are meaningless if the dead are already conscious in heaven, purgatory or hell. The Scriptures therefore flatly contradict the theory of the clergy. The strange thing is that the Devil has so long succeeded in blinding the people to the truth and in inducing them to accept the false teachings of the clergy.

There is nothing more wonderfully and beautifully taught in the Bible than the doctrine of the resurrection of the dead. It shows a reason for the death of Christ Jesus, the beloved Son of God, and why God raised him out of death. It is a manifestation of God's loving kindness toward the human family. This wonderful and beautiful doctrine of the Bible the Devil, through his agencies, has tried to hide from the people. God knew that he would do that, of course; therefore he caused the testimony to be plainly set forth in his Word so that all who desire to know may know the truth in his due time.

Jesus First

Jehovah chooses his own good way to teach the people. Christ Jesus, his beloved Son, is not only God's Executive Officer but God's great Teacher of men. When Jesus was on earth he did and said many things which were then "dark sayings", but which began to be

understood after he had ascended into heaven; and what he said and did was largely for the purpose of teaching those who seek to know and to understand.

The awakening of Lazarus was not the beginning of the resurrection, but was done by Jesus for the purpose of showing how God, in his due time, will awaken all the dead and give them all an opportunity for complete resurrection to life. The Scriptural proof is plain that Jesus Christ was the first one to be raised from the dead. Concerning this it is written: "For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; and that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures. . . . But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits of them that slept." — 1 Corinthians 15: 3,4, 20.

Prom whence was Jesus brought at the time of his resurrection, seeing that he was "the firstfruits of them that slept"? The Scriptural answer is that Jesus Christ was for three days in hell! It is written concerning him: "Because thou wilt not leave my soul in hell, neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption. . . . Therefore being a prophet, and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him, that of the fruit of his loins, according to the flesh, he would raise up Christ to sit on his throne; he, seeing this before, spake of the resurrection of Christ, that his soul was not left in hell, neither his flesh did see corruption."  — Acts 2: 27, 30, 31.

How utterly ridiculous God's Word makes the preachers appear! For many years they have been telling the people that hell is a place of eternal torment. God sent his beloved Son Jesus to hell. He was there for three days, and he was asleep while there; that is to say, he was asleep in death, and then God brought him forth. "Him God raised up the third day, and shewed

him openly." (Acts 10:40; 2 Timothy 2:8) If hell were a place of fire and brimstone, where souls are eternally tormented, then it would be impossible for anyone to get out; and the fact that Jesus was brought forth from hell shows that hell means what the Scriptures plainly state, to wit, the condition of death. Surely the people will not longer believe Satan's falsehoods promulgated by so-called preachers when the Word of the Lord is so plain, reasonable and loving.

In the days of the apostles the enemy Satan was desperately attempting to blind the people to the truth concerning the resurrection. God caused his witness to give testimony then, to show that the plan of God would be a failure if the dead are not awakened to give them an opportunity for life. It is written: "For to this end Christ both died, and rose, and revived, that he might be Lord both of the dead and living." (Romans 14: 9) The fact that he is Lord over both the living and the dead shows that he has power to take action in behalf of both. His resurrection is a guarantee that all the dead shall be awakened to a resurrection. There shall be a resurrection of the dead, of both the just and the unjust. (Acts 24:15) To this end God gives assurance to all men of an opportunity for life by reason of the fact that Jesus was raised from the dead.  — Acts 17:31.

Concerning the opportunity for all men the Scriptural argument is emphatic concerning the resurrection, and is given that the people might have hope both for themselves and for their beloved ones who have died, and might have comfort in the Word of God. Christ Jesus gave himself a ransom for all, to be testified to all in due time. (1 Timothy 2:5, 6) Therefore all, in God's due time, must be brought forth from the condition of death that they might receive the testimony. The inspired argument in support of the

resurrection of the dead is clear, cogent and convincing to every one who desires to know the truth.

We read: "Now if Christ be preached that he rose from the dead, how say some among you that there is no resurrection of the dead? But if there be no resurrection of the dead, then is Christ not risen. And if Christ be not risen, then is our preaching vain, and your faith is also vain. Yea, and we are found false witnesses of God; because we have testified of God that he raised up Christ: whom he raised not up, if so be that the dead rise not. For if the dead rise not, then is not Christ raised: and if Christ be not raised, your faith is vain; ye are yet in your sins. Then they also which are fallen asleep in Christ are perished." — 1 Corinthians 15:12-18.

The gist of this argument is that the testimony concerning God's plan is untrue, that God's plan is a failure, and that all who have died have gone completely out of existence, unless there is an awakening and a resurrection of the dead. Furthermore, this argument conclusively negatives the preachers' contention that the dead are conscious anywhere. Note the scripture says that if there is no resurrection then the dead "are perished". To perish means to cease to exist, and resurrection means to awaken to life. If a creature is perished it could not be awakened to life, nor could the creature be resurrected; but being dead and unconscious, and God having planned that he will bring such to life again, this is exactly what the Scriptures say that he will do; and he will do it through Christ Jesus.

The argument continues: "If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable. But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits of them that slept. For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the

dead. For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive. But every man in his own order: Christ the firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ's, at his coming. Then cometh the end, when he shall have delivered up the kingdom to God, even the Father; when he shall have put down all rule and all authority and power. For he must reign, till he hath put all enemies under his feet." (1 Corinthians 15:19-25) The gist of this argument is that Christ Jesus was the first raised out of death, that by his death and resurrection there comes a resurrection to all men, and that this must come in order and in God's due time.

Asleep in Jesus

If the billions who have died are asleep in death, then where do they sleep? For the comfort of those who remain and mourn the loss of their beloved ones who have died, and that they might have hope, God caused to be written in his Word the answer to that question, as follows, to wit: "But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him. . . . Wherefore comfort one another with these words." —1 Thessalonians 4:13, 14, 18.

All "sleep in Jesus", for the reason that his life-blood provides the ransom price whereby the whole human race is purchased; and therefore they belong to him, by God's arrangement. Jehovah has given him power over death and has given him the keys of hell and death. (Revelation 1:18) This symbolical expression shows that the Lord Jesus is clothed with power and authority to awaken the dead out of the death condition and bring them up out of the grave, and ultimately to bring them to life.

God promised Abraham that he would give to him and to his seed all of the land that he saw before him and as far as he could see. (Genesis 13:14, 15; 17: 8) Abraham and his offspring died many centuries before Jesus came. The promise of God, however, must be kept. These dead, as all other dead, sleep in Jesus; and again, are said to be "in the dust of the earth" from whence they were taken. And so it is written: "And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake." — Daniel 12: 2.

A specific prophecy is given to the Jews by Jehovah, which is a full assurance that the dead shall . come forth: "Therefore prophesy, and say unto them, Thus saith the Lord God, Behold, 0 my people, I will open your graves, and cause you to come up out of your graves, and bring you into the land of Israel. And ye shall know that I am the Lord, when I have opened your graves, 0 my people, and brought you up out of your graves, and shall put my spirit in you, and ye shall live; and I shall place you in your own land: then shall ye know that I the Lord have spoken it, and performed it, saith the Lord." — Ezekiel 37:12-14.

The peoples of Sodom and Gomorrah were destroyed in a great fire. The preachers would make the people think that they are still burning; but the Lord, through his prophet, says that these shall be brought back to "their former estate", which means that they shall be awakened out of death. They had not had an opportunity for life at the time of their destruction. The opportunity must come to them because God promised it to all. (Ezekiel 16:55) This is exactly in corroboration of the words of Jesus: "Verily, verily, I say unto you, The hour is coming, and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God; and they that hear shall live." — John 5: 25.

The awakening of the dead and their resurrection to life is one of the grand and progressive steps in the outworking of the divine plan. The indisputable proof from the Word of God shows that the dead are not suffering torture in purgatory or hell or anywhere else; and that the claim of the clergy that they are able, for a money consideration, to help the dead is a fraud on the face of it and is the fruit of the Devil's great lie. The time is at hand when God's message of truth shall sweep away their refuge of lies, and open the mind of the people that they may rejoice in his loving provision made that they might live. — Isaiah 28:17.

Looking back over the ages we see that the entire pathway of the human race has been marked with sickness, sorrow, suffering and death. Today the people, looking forward in the light of the unfolding of the divine plan, may see that there is one great and righteous way for them, leading them to life, and that this way shall be opened for both those who live and those who are dead. Seeing these truths, they have cause to rejoice. The beginning of that blessed and happy day is marked by the coming of the Lord Jesus in power and great glory; and then the people from the least to the greatest shall have an opportunity to know the way to life and happiness, and to walk in the way thereof.