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Answer
The believers in the Old Testament were believed to go to a place of comfort and rest known as “paradise” upon death. The Old Testament conveyed the concept of life after death, teaching that all individuals who passed away entered a state of conscious existence. This place was commonly referred to as Sheol, which could be interpreted as “the grave” or “the realm of the dead.” The wicked resided there (Psalm 9:17; Psalm 31:17; Psalm 49:14; Isaiah 5:14), as did the righteous (Genesis 37:35; Job 14:13; Psalm 6:5; Psalm 16:10; Psalm 88:3; Isaiah 38:10).
In the New Testament, the equivalent of Sheol is Hades. According to Luke 16:19–31, before Christ’s resurrection, Hades was divided into two realms: a place of comfort where Lazarus was (referred to as Abraham’s bosom or Abraham’s side) and a place of torment where the rich man was (hell). The place of comfort for Lazarus is also identified as “paradise” elsewhere «And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, To day shalt thou be with me in paradise. » (Luke 23:43). The place of torment is termed “Gehenna” in Greek in Mark 9:45. A “great chasm” separated paradise and hell (the two sections of Hades) «And beside all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed: so that they which would pass from hence to you cannot; neither can they pass to us, that would come from thence. » (Luke 16:26). The inability to cross this chasm signifies that one’s destiny is determined after death.
At present, when an unbeliever passes away, they join the Old Testament unbelievers in the torment.Side of Hades. At the final judgment, Hades will be emptied before the Great White Throne, where its occupants will be judged before entering the lake of fire (Revelation 20:13-15).
On the other hand, when a believer dies today, they are “present with the Lord” in heaven (2 Corinthians 5:6-9). There, they join the Old Testament saints who have been enjoying their reward for thousands of years.
A resurrection awaits everyone—either a resurrection to eternal life or a resurrection to “shame and everlasting contempt” «And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt. », (Daniel 12:2). The Bible clearly states that New Testament saints who have died will be resurrected at the event we call the rapture of the church (1 Thessalonians 4:16-17). The Bible is less clear about when the Old Testament saints will be resurrected. It is our view that Old Testament believers will be joined to their resurrected bodies at the end of the tribulation period when Jesus returns to earth to set up His millennial kingdom (Isaiah 26:19;Hosea 13:14).
