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     Mourning is the natural reaction to the death of someone we knew.  Their soul (life force) and spirit (person) have separated from the body.  They are no longer with us, thus we mourn.  But consider this – What kind of mourning there must be over the spirit which is separated from God?
     When Adam sinned, he not only died physically, but spiritually, i.e. he broke his relationship with God and was denied access to the tree of eternal life (Genesis 3:24).  After Adam’s sin, all humans would die physically and their bodies would return to dirt.  But what happens to man’s spirit in death?
     The New Testament gives us a sketch of our existence after death.  “And inasmuch as it is appointed unto men once to die, and after this comes judgment” (Hebrews 9:27).  For certain, every person will face a judgment before God.  What is this judgment?
     The first 11 chapters of the book of Genesis is an introduction to the Bible.  It tells us where we came from (created by God, cc 1-2), our purpose in life (obey God, cc 2-3) and the concept of judgment for disobedience (worldwide flood, cc 6-9).  Mankind was so wicked that God was sorry He made man and resolved to destroy mankind (Genesis 6:5-7), with the exception of eight people – Noah and his family.  In our feeble judgment we might shout UNFAIR!  How can all, yea millions of people, but eight deserve to die?  God is first and foremost righteous, thus anything not righteous is unrighteousness (Psalm 119:137, 142).  He can not endure disobedience, which prompts His justice.
     Will God judge mankind again with a flood?  After the flood God promised Noah stating, “... I will remember my covenant, which is between me and you and every living creature of all flesh.  And the waters shall no more become a flood to destroy all flesh.” (Genesis 9:15).  The worldwide flood is a portrait of universal judgment, clearly showing that disobedience will be punished.  Conversely, it points to the seriousness of being obedient to our supernatural creator and provider – God.
     Obviously, since our spirit separates from the body and goes somewhere, a flood with water would not be the judgment after death.  If the spirits of those who are in Jesus’ kingdom will be with Him, what is the destiny of those who are not citizens of His kingdom?  And how will they be judged?
     When Jesus returns again He will conduct the final judgment.  Paul briefly stated what would happen in the judgment – “if so be that it is righteous thing with God to recompense affliction... at the revelation of the Lord Jesus from heaven with the angels of his power in flaming fire, rendering vengeance to them that know not God, and to them that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus: who shall suffer punishment, even eternal destruction from the face of the Lord.” (2 Thessalonians 1:6-9).  This is a terrible thought – an eternal destruction of not being in the presence of God.  What is the meaning of this final judgment?  What is this eternal punishment?

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