The Dead are Dead
The Dead are Dead
When dead, what does a person do?
What do 'the dead' really do?
Probably not a lot!
The Scriptures tell us more about what a dead person does not do, rather than what he does. The dead don't praise the Lord. (Psalm 115:17) They don't remember God. They don't give thanks to God. (Psalm 6:5) The dead don't work. They don't retain knowledge or wisdom while in the grave. (Ecclesiastes 9:10) They don't ascend into the heavens. (Acts 2:29, 34)
Psalm 115:17
The dead praise not the Lord, neither any that go down into silence.
Psalm 6:5
For in death there is no remembrance of thee: in the grave who shall give thee thanks?
Ecclesiastes 9:10
Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with your might; for there is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom, in the grave, where you will go.
Acts 2:34
For David is not ascended into the heavens...
King David
Acts 2:29, 34
29 Men and brothers, let me speak freely to you concerning the patriarch David, he is both dead and buried, and his sepulchre is with us to this day...
34 For David is not ascended into the heavens...
Elsewhere we read.
Acts 13:36
David fell asleep, he was buried, and his body decayed.
The Scriptures speak more of what the living can do for a dead person -- rather than what the dead themselves do.
- We note that David was buried -- obviously by others.
- David's sepulchre was still identifiable at the time Peter was preaching. David may have supervised the building of his own sepulchre while he was alive -- we know he didn't build it after he'd died.
- Peter quoted David's words. These words David wrote when alive (compare Acts 2: 34 with Psalm 110: 1). Peter though is silent about David's utterances after death.
When David died, what did he do?
Probably not a lot!
Note that David's situation is going to change dramatically when he is called by the Giver of Life.
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