Joel M Bradshaw

39These were all commended for their faith, yet none of them received what had been promised, 40since God had planned something better for us so that only together with us would they be made perfect.–Hebrews 11 (emphasis)

I read a fascinating theory about this verse. It involves what theologians call the “intermediate state.” This is a fancy way of describing what happens after you die, but but before your final destination. So the discussions ask if a follower of Jesus who dies immediately goes to Heaven or is there an intermediate place before then? The same with a person who dies who is not a follower of Jesus. Does that person immediately enter Hell or somewhere else first?

The Bible uses four basic words for places after death.

1. SHEOL. A place of ghosts and spirits.
2. HELL. Eternal torment separated from God.
3. PARADISE. The place where Jesus immediately takes His followers.
4. HEAVEN. Eternal bliss dwelling with God.

The theory I read stated that in terms of the intermediate state, SHEOL is like the waiting room for HELL and PARADISE is the waiting room for HEAVEN.

Why is this even a thing? It’s because of a verse like the one quoted above. The entire chapter of Hebrews 11 spoke of the heroes of the faith, but all who are no longer alive. They are somewhere, right? We want to say they are in Heaven, but then verse 40 happened!

What is the “something better?” Why “only together with us?”

The theory states that all these faithful are with Jesus in Paradise and waiting for all the faithful to join them in the waiting room. The very next verse in Hebrews describes them as a “cloud of witnesses” watching us run or races.

Could it be that they are waiting for us to join them and only together with us can they enter into the eternal bliss of Heaven?

Stay faithful, my friends. Stay disciplined. Keep trusting Jesus with what you can’t control and honoring Him with what you can. It appears that God’s waiting room is full of the faithful who are longing for eternity, but only get to experience it with you and me. They can’t enter that perfect place without us.

Oh, I miss my Dad. He’s in that waiting room with Jesus. These are the kinds of theological theories I loved to discuss with him.–JMB