Replies

The place of the dead was called in the Old Testament by the Hebrew word “Sheol.” It had two parts, the place of the unbelieving, unrighteous dead, and the place of the believing, righteous dead, that Jesus called “Paradise.” The division between the two parts is described in Jesus’ story of Lazarus who had died, but couldn’t even give a man who had tormented and despised him in his earthly life a drink of water.

Jesus went to Sheol when He died. He preached to the righteous dead, and led them out of that place, ultimately taking them to heaven to be with Him after His resurrection when he ascended and sat down at the right hand of the Father. Hence Paul’s later “absent from the body, present with the Lord” formulation. Since the Lord’s resurrection and ascension all believers have gone immediately into the Lord’s presence, without any detours, where they await the physical bodily resurrection of the believers at the return of Christ to the earth.

The unrighteous dead remain in Sheol, awaiting the end and the White Throne judgement, after which Sheol, and all its remaining inhabitants, will be cast into the Lake of Fire prepared for the devil and his angels.

I don’t have time this evening to look up all the references, but in short, that’s what the Bible teaches.