[MississippiMan]

No one is presently in Hell. Hell is presently empty, and the fist resident of Hell will be the anti-Christ, followed by the False Prophet. Then there is the 1000 years, and then Satan, his angels, and all those who do not appear in the Book of Life takes up residence. Believe it or not, Satan is presently in the Throne Room of God, fulfilling his role as chief accuser. Orion, can you explain briefly where you derive that summary from? Not being sarcastic in the least here; merely want to know where to study those points for myself. One thing that I've been meaning to find out for quite a while and I never seem to get around to finding the answer is this: when a Christian dies we always take comfort in knowing that they're in the presence of the Lord. Yet we also hear that when Jesus returns, "the dead in Christ shall rise." If the saved are already in heaven, who/why are the dead in Christ to rise? MM

[Southflanknorthpawsis]

The soul of the Christian is immediately with Jesus at death. The soul is reunited with a "perfect" body in the resurrection.

[Orion]

Anti-Christ and False Prophet thrown into Hell prior to 1000 years and prior to Satan's condemnation. - Rev 19:19-20.

Satan is not in Hell, and will not be there until the end of the 1000 years of Christ rule. - Rev 20:1-3

Anti-Christ and False prophet preceding Satan in Hell. Satan thrown in Hell after 1000 years. - Rev 20:7-10

Unsaved thrown into hell immediately after Satan. - Rev 20:11-15.

Matt 25:41 makes reference to Hell being "prepared" for the Devil and his angels.

As far as being with the Lord upon death, and rising to join the Lord Satan presently in Heaven serving as Chief Accuser. - Rev 12:7-12, Zech 3:1, Job 1:9-12

As far as your question about the dead in Christ shall rise, and being present with the Lord upon death. Here is my best attempt:

Your spirit is with Christ upon death. Your body is not. During the resurection of the saints, your "perfected" body will rise up and be with the Lord and your spirit. I may be wrong, but that is my understanding.

This swerves into the decision to be buried or cremated. The practice of burial is in some way a testament to the impending resurection of the saints, and cremation is the way Hindus release the "spirit" to be reincarnated. I am not saying that those choosing cremation will be denied resurection, just that it is a symbol of what to expect in the hereafter. Most choose burial or cremation on a basis other than religious. Just food for thought.

I hope this helps.