Grief
What Bible examples show that it is natural to grieve when someone dies?
What shows that Jehovah yearns to provide comfort to those who grieve?
What comfort may we find in knowing about the condition of the dead?
Relevant Bible account(s):
Lu 20:37, 38—Jesus explains that the resurrection is so sure that it is as if the dead were living from God’s point of view
Joh 11:5, 6, 11-14—After his dear friend Lazarus dies, Jesus compares death to sleep
Heb 2:14, 15—The apostle Paul explains that we need not be enslaved by a fear of death
Why does a person’s name have greater value at the time of his death?
How does the Bible describe death, and what will God do about death?
Why can we be certain of a future resurrection?
Isa 26:19; Joh 5:28, 29; Ac 24:15
Relevant Bible account(s):
There are nine resurrections described in the Bible, eight of them to life on earth. For those who grieve the loss of a loved one, each account offers comfort and hope for the future
1Ki 17:17-24—The prophet Elijah resurrects a widow’s son in Zarephath, a town in Sidon
2Ki 4:32-37—The prophet Elisha resurrects a boy in the town of Shunem and restores him to his parents
2Ki 13:20, 21—A man who recently died is resurrected when his corpse touches the bones of Elisha the prophet
Lu 7:11-15—At the city of Nain, Jesus interrupts a funeral procession to resurrect the son of a widow
Lu 8:41, 42, 49-56—Jesus resurrects the young daughter of Jairus, an officer of the synagogue
Joh 11:38-44—Jesus resurrects his dear friend Lazarus, restoring him to his sisters, Martha and Mary
Ac 9:36-42—The apostle Peter resurrects Dorcas, a beloved Christian known for her kind deeds
Ac 20:7-12—The apostle Paul resurrects a young man named Eutychus, who died after falling from a window
Jesus Christ is resurrected to life as an immortal spirit person, which guarantees all our hopes for the future
Jesus is the first to be resurrected to heaven and to be granted immortality but not the last; his 144,000 anointed followers receive a similar resurrection