This months Bible Trivia question aligns perfectly with this subject.
We'll seek the answers in the Scriptures.
Q: Where are the dead?
Witness #1
Ecclesiastes 12.6-7
Or ever the silver cord be loosed, or the golden bowl be broken, or the pitcher be broken at the fountain, or the wheel broken at the cistern. Then shall the dust return to the earth as it was: and the spirit shall return unto God who gave it.
The Hebrew figures here are the silver cord (spinal cord) the golden bowl (the head) the pitcher (the brain) and the wheel (the heart.) If the rope is loosed, the bowl is broken, the pitcher is broken or the wheel at the cistern (well) is broken, the fountain (body) is useless.
If the fountain or cistern (being body or life) is useless, it is dead. All of this simply means death of the flesh.
So when the body dies, the spirit returns to God, and the flesh returns to the dust.
2 Corinthians 5.6-9
Therefore we are always confident, knowing that, whilst we are at home in the body, we are absent from the Lord: (For we walk by faith, not by sight:) We are confident, I say and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord. Wherefore we labour, that, whether present or absent, we may be accepted of him.
Paul is saying that he would rather be absent from his flesh body and be present with the Lord, but as flesh and blood cannot inheirent the Kingdom of God, we are therefore absent from the Lord while we are present in our bodies.
Once our flesh bodies die, we will then be present with the Lord in our beautiful spiritual bodies.
Witness #3
Luke 23.39-43
And one of the malefactors which were hanged railed on him, saying, If thou be Christ, save thyself and us. But the other answering rebuked him saying, Dost not thou fear God, seeing thou art in the same condemnation? And we indeed justly; for we receive the due reward of our deeds; but this man hath done nothing amiss. And he said unto Jesus, Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom. And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, To day shalt thou be with me in paradise.
Christ told that malefactor, who believed in whom He was, that "To day" shalt thou be with me in paradise. Meaning the self same day that they died. Not some time later.
See if you can find other "witnesses" within the Holy Scriptures, about where one goes upon leaving our flesh bodies.
