9023 death, of unbelievers

The departure from the present life of unrepentant people to await final banishment from God.

Death is inevitable

Ps 49:10; Ps 89:48 See also 2Sa 14:14; Job 30:23; Ps 37:36; Ecc 3:19-20; Ecc 8:8

The premature death of unbelievers is the consequence of sin

Pr 10:27 OT writers, for whom God’s blessing on the righteous occurs mostly in the present life, often saw early or sudden death as divine judgment on the wicked. See also 1Ch 10:13; Job 22:16; Ps 9:17; Ps 37:1-2,22,38; Ps 55:23; Ps 139:19; Pr 5:21-23; Pr 11:19; Pr 14:12; Isa 17:14; Eze 3:19; Eze 18:4,20; Da 5:30; Lk 12:20

Aspects of the death of unbelievers

They die unforgiven Jn 8:21,24

They die without hope Pr 11:7; Ecc 8:10

God has no pleasure in their death Eze 18:23 See also Eze 18:32; 2Pe 3:9

Descriptions of the death of unbelievers

Being destroyed Mt 7:13; Ro 9:22

Perishing Jn 3:16; 2Pe 2:12

Being in fire Lk 16:22-24; Heb 10:27

Being in darkness Mt 25:30; 2Pe 2:17

The consequences of the death of unbelievers

The intermediate state of awaiting judgment Rev 20:13 See also Lk 16:23; Jn 5:29; Ac 24:15

The judgment Heb 9:27 See also Jn 5:29

The eternal consequences Da 12:2; Mt 25:41 See also Mt 18:8; Mt 25:46; Mk 9:45-48; Gal 1:8-9; Heb 6:2; Jude 7

The challenge of the death of unbelievers

The call to prepare 2Ki 20:1 See also Ecc 7:17; Ecc 9:10; Am 4:12

The only escape is through Jesus Christ Jn 8:51 Death for believers is swallowed up in life, so that they are never personally aware of the pain and sting of death (compare Jn 11:26). See also Jn 5:24

See also