A few verses that speak of sleeping in death.

Revelation 20: 4-6, 13 — 4 I saw thrones on which were seated those who had been given the authority to judge. And I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded because of their testimony for Jesus and because of the word of God. They had not worshiped the beast or his image and had not recieved his mark on their foreheads or their hands. They came to life and reigned with Christ a thousand years. 5 (The rest of the dead did not come to life until the thousand years were ended.) This is the first resurrection. 6 Blessed and holy are those who have part in the first resurrection. The second death has no power over them, but they will be priest of God and of Christ and will reign with him for a thousand years....13 The sea gave up the dead that were in it, and death and Hades gave up the dead that were in them, and each person was judged according to what he had done.

Daniel 12:1-2 — 1 "At that time Michael, the great prince who protects your people, will arise. There will be a time of distress such as not has happened from the beginning of nations until then. But at that time your people - everyone whose name is found written in the book - will be delivered. 2 Multitudes who sleep in the dust of the earth will awake: some to everlasting life, others to shame and everlasting contemp.

John 11:11, 13 — 11 After he had said this, he went on to tell them, "Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep; but I am going there to wake him up." ..13 Jesus had been speaking of his death, but his disciples thought he meant natural sleep.



Everwhere you turn you hear of dying and going to heaven or hell. These verses on the right seem to point to a different case, if you die and go to heaven or hell then why is the sea giving up the dead in it? why are multitudes asleep in the dust? And who are death and Hades, Satan is already in the lake of burning sulfur at this point.

Death and Hades come into this world with the fourth Seal. Death is the rider of the fourth horse and Hades follows after him.