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Was Mankind Created by God to Die?

Jehovah did not create mankind with the intention that they would die. Death was not part of His original design for humanity. In Genesis 2:17, Jehovah warned Adam, “But from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you must not eat, for in the day you eat from it you will positively die.” This warning demonstrated that death would only enter the world as a consequence of disobedience. Had Adam and Eve remained faithful to God, they would have continued living indefinitely.

The lifespan of humanity drastically changed after sin entered the world. Psalm 90:10 states, “The days of our years are seventy years; and if by strength they be eighty years, yet their pride is but trouble and sorrow, for it is soon cut off, and we fly away.” This observation, made by Moses, reflects the shortened lifespan of humans due to the effects of inherited sin. However, this was not the case in the early generations of mankind. Genesis 5 provides a genealogy of the patriarchs, many of whom lived for centuries, indicating that human life was originally meant to be much longer.

Hebrews 9:27 affirms the reality of death, stating, “It is reserved for men to die once for all time, but after this, judgment.” While this statement acknowledges the inevitability of death due to sin, it also points forward to the resurrection and the final judgment, where God’s purpose for humanity will be fully realized.

Why Do We Grow Old and Die?

The Bible explains that the aging process and death are direct consequences of sin. Jehovah created Adam and Eve with perfect bodies, free from disease and the natural decay that now affects humanity. However, their disobedience resulted in their gradual decline and eventual death.

Romans 5:12 states, “Through one man [Adam] sin entered into the world and death through sin, and thus death spread to all men because they had all sinned.” This passage establishes that sin is the root cause of death and that all humans inherit this condition from Adam.

The consequence of sin is reiterated in Romans 6:23: “The wages sin pays is death, but the gift God gives is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Sin leads to death, but Jehovah, in His mercy, has provided a way for humanity to overcome this through Jesus Christ.

Genesis 3:19 records Jehovah’s sentence upon Adam: “In the sweat of your face you will eat bread until you return to the ground, for out of it you were taken. For dust you are and to dust you will return.” This judgment affirms that humanity was formed from the dust of the ground and, because of sin, would return to it.

Why Do Babies Die?

The reality of infant mortality is one of the most heartbreaking aspects of human existence. While some may blame God for the suffering of children, the Bible makes it clear that death affects all people because of inherited sin.

Psalm 51:5 states, “Look! I was brought forth in error, and in sin my mother conceived me.” This verse acknowledges that every human being is born into a fallen state, inheriting sin from Adam.

Romans 3:23 confirms, “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” No one, including newborns, is exempt from the effects of sin. This does not mean that Jehovah actively “takes” children from their parents, as some claim. Instead, the world is subject to corruption, disease, and accidents, all of which contribute to untimely deaths.

Ecclesiastes 9:5 reminds us, “For the living know that they will die, but the dead know nothing at all, nor do they have any more reward, because all memory of them is forgotten.” This verse assures us that the dead, including infants, are not suffering but are in a state of unconsciousness, awaiting the resurrection.

Where Are the Dead?

The Bible consistently teaches that the dead are not conscious in any way but rather exist in a state of complete inactivity.

Genesis 3:19 records Jehovah’s words to Adam: “For dust you are and to dust you will return.” This affirms that death is a return to the lifeless state from which man was formed.

Ecclesiastes 9:10 states, “All that your hand finds to do, do with your might, for there is no work nor planning nor knowledge nor wisdom in Sheol, the place to which you are going.” Sheol, often translated as “the grave,” is the common destination of all who die, a place of inactivity and unconsciousness.

Psalm 146:4 explains, “His spirit goes out, he returns to the ground; on that very day his thoughts perish.” This passage refutes the idea that a person has an immortal soul that continues to think and act after death.

Is There a Part of Man That Lives on After Death?

The doctrine of the immortal soul is not found in the Bible. Instead, the Scriptures clearly teach that the soul is the person, and when a person dies, the soul dies as well.

Ezekiel 18:4 states, “Look! All the souls—to me they belong. As the soul of the father so also the soul of the son—to me they belong. The soul who sins is the one who will die.” This verse explicitly affirms that the soul is not an immortal entity but something that can die.

Isaiah 53:12, speaking prophetically about the Messiah, states, “He poured out his soul to the very death.” This demonstrates that the soul is not separate from the body but is the entire person.

Matthew 26:38 records Jesus’ words: “My soul is deeply grieved, to the point of death.” Jesus did not imply that His soul would continue existing separately after death but that He, as a whole person, was facing death.

Are the Dead Able to Help or Harm the Living?

The Bible refutes the idea that the dead can interact with the living. Once a person dies, they have no ability to communicate, influence, or return in any form.

Ecclesiastes 9:6 states, “Their love and their hate and their jealousy have already perished, and they have no portion anymore forever in anything that is done under the sun.” This passage shows that the dead no longer take part in earthly affairs.

Isaiah 26:14 further confirms, “They are dead; they will not live. Impotent in death, they will not rise up.” The dead remain in a state of unconsciousness until Jehovah’s appointed time for the resurrection.

What About Reports of Near-Death Experiences?

Some people claim to have had visions or encounters during near-death experiences, leading them to believe in an afterlife. However, these experiences do not align with biblical teaching.

Medical research suggests that such experiences are the result of neurological activity in the brain during extreme stress or oxygen deprivation. The Bible does not support the idea that these events provide insight into the afterlife.

Jehovah has made it clear that the dead are unconscious and awaiting resurrection. Any supposed encounter with the spirits of the dead is not from God but may be the result of deception from demonic forces.

Why Does God Allow Death?

Jehovah is not the source of death. Death entered the world because of human rebellion. However, God has made a provision to undo death through Jesus Christ.

1 Corinthians 15:22 states, “For just as in Adam all are dying, so also in the Christ all will be made alive.” This verse affirms that Jehovah’s purpose is to restore life, not to cause death.

Revelation 21:4 provides a future hope, “And he will wipe out every tear from their eyes, and death will be no more, neither will mourning nor outcry nor pain be anymore. The former things have passed away.” This promise assures us that death will one day be completely eliminated.

Jehovah has provided a way to overcome death through faith in Christ. John 11:25-26 states, “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who exercises faith in me, even though he dies, will come to life.” Jesus’ words confirm that those who trust in him will have the hope of resurrection.

The Bible provides the only reliable answers about death. It assures us that death is not the end but a temporary state that will be reversed by Jehovah in His appointed time.

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About the Author

EDWARD D. ANDREWS (AS in Criminal Justice, BS in Religion, MA in Biblical Studies, and MDiv in Theology) is CEO and President of Christian Publishing House. He has authored over 220+ books. In addition, Andrews is the Chief Translator of the Updated American Standard Version (UASV).