2 Corinthians 5:8 We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord.
So we have the example of Moses and Elijah who aren't sleeping waiting on the second coming of Jesus.
And 2 Corinthians teaches that to be absent the body is to be present with Christ.
>>>Matthew 17 Six days later, Jesus took Peter, James, and John the brother of James and went up on a high mountain. They were all alone there. 2 While these followers watched him, Jesus was changed. His face became bright like the sun, and his clothes became white as light. 3 Then two men were there, talking with him. They were Moses and Elijah.
2 Corinthians 5:8 We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord.
So we have the example of Moses and Elijah who aren’t sleeping waiting on the second coming of Jesus.>>>
Well, we know Elijah never died, he was taken up by a chariot while alive. And we know Moses did die. God would not allow him into the promised land. God took moses up to MT Nebo and buried him. So was that a disembodied soul Jesus saw later on the Mt? No. Because in Jude we read there was a some kind of argument between Satan and God over the “body” of Moses.
Right there in the book of Jude. The “body” of Moses. Jude 9. Obsviously, God took Moses to heaven including his “body”....Moses didn’t see the earthly promised land. He had to die because of his sin of striking the rock twice. But had something better for him......even though Moses begged God to allow him into the earthly promised land.....God said no and laid him to rest. Then later.....raised him, body and all and took him to the real promised land.
So see......when we think we have no hope......God has a plan if we trust him.
As for absent from body present with Lord.....context is key. Paul is talking about that new body ......and the issue it timing. It is better to be absent from this sinful fallen vile body.......and to be present with the Lord in our new glorified body and WHEN is that? WHEN?...not at death. At the 2nd coming.
Lazarus wasn’t in heaven........he was dead in his tomb. Jesus went to raise him......he didn’t pull him out of heaven. The Bible knows no such doctrine as a disembodied immortal soul. ON the contrary..it says the soul that sinneth shall die. But in Christ, as Luther said....it’s a sweet dreamless sleep until that day......when the dead in Christ shall come up......amen.