Death and the Grave? Are they the same thing?
Written by WD Kemner July 2025
There is no concern in today’s society for the need to have an answer to that question. A large segment will answer “everyone will go to one or the other, either Heaven or Hell. Man believes that the choice is as simple as flipping a switch. If you are a “good” person you will go to Heaven; if “bad” you go to Hell. Problem exists with this belief. None of the above answers are influenced by the fact that a divine God would have a say in their choice. As if man can ultimately decide this solely based upon being a “good person” or not.
Now approach it from that perspective. If this same group was asked: Is there a God? How many would say: YES. One question should not be answered without the foundation of the other. If belief is in a Heaven BUT there is no God; the fact remains that you are NEVER going to see Heaven. Read His Book!
If you DO NOT believe God exists; why would you be invited into God’s home?
Three Types of DEATH
Definition of “Death”: a cutting off from any more time you have left to fulfill God’s purpose for being created. Separation from God.
Death = Separation; and Separation=Death; Interchangeable words in Scripture.
Physical Death – separation of the INNER MAN from the OUTER MAN.
Inner man = Soul and Spirit; Immortal
Outer man = Physical Body, Shell of skin and bones; made from dust of the earth
James 2:26 For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.
Genesis 3:19 In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground; for out of it wast thou taken: for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return.
With physical death, the INNER MAN exits the body and the OUTER MAN returns to the dust of the earth from which it originated. The INNER MAN of the WICKED ONLY go to HELL to WAIT for the resurrection for WHITE THRONE JUDGMENT at the END OF TIME.
Spiritual Death – Separation from God for sin. Isaiah 59:2
Eternal Death – Separation from God for all Eternity because man chose Satan over God. This is referred to as the SECOND DEATH. Matthew 10:28; 25:41
IMMORTALITY of the Body
The human body which is now MORTAL returns to dust which it comes from but all bodies will one day be RESURRECTED and will become IMMORTAL. Romans 2:7; 1 Corinthians 15:42-54; Philippians 3:21
After being resurrected the body will be reunited with the INNER MAN (already immortal). John 3:15-16; 6:51; Luke 12:5; 2 Corinthians 4:16-18; 5:8; 1 Peter 3:4
This happens to all individuals at some point regardless of whether an individual goes to Heaven or Hell. An immortal body will be spending eternity in Heaven or in Hell. Where it goes is determined by which Master each individual chooses to spend eternity with.
THE GRAVE
Grave: Word is used to reference the place used for burial of the physical body. The places that can be seen with the eye.
HEBREW WORD FOR GRAVE USED IN OLD TESTAMENT
The word has been translated from different Hebrew words. Each word has a different meaning.
This can cause confusion. The writer may be referring to the earthly burial sight that can be seen with the human eye or to the “underworld” that cannot be seen. This creates the need of the reader to have an understanding of what the “underworld” consisted of. This became clearer with the writing of the New Testament.
1.GRAVE translated from Hebrew word: “sheol”; sheh-ole ; defined as; Hades or the world of the dead (as if a subterranean retreat), includes its accessories and inmates: hell, pit.
This meaning for word “Grave” is used in the following scripture:
Genesis 37:35; 42:38; 44:29, 31
1 Samuel 2:6
1 Kings 2:6, 9
Job 7:9; 14:13; 17:13; 21:13; 24:19
Psalms 6:5, 30:3, 31:17, 49:14-15, 88:3, 89:48, 141:7
Proverbs 1:12, 30:16
Ecclesiastes 9:10
Song of Solomon 8:6
Isaiah 14:11, 38:10,18
Ezekiel 31:15
Hosea 13:14
2.GRAVE translated from Hebrew word: “geber”; keh-ber; defined as; a sepulcher or burying place.
“geber” translated into any of the following words: Grave, Graves, Burial, Burying Place, Sepulcher, Sepulchers.
This meaning for word “Grave” is used in the following scripture:
Genesis 23:4,6, 9,20; 35:20, 47:30, 49:30 50:5,13
Exodus 14:11
Numbers 19:16,18
Deuteronomy 34:6
Judges 8:32,16:31
1 Samuel 10:2
2 Samuel 2:32; 3:32; 4:12; 17:23; 19:37; 21:14
1 Kings 13:22, 30, 31; 14:13
2 Kings 9:28, 13:21; 21:26; 22:20; 23:6,16,17, 30
2 Chronicles 16:14, 21:20, 24:25, 26:23, 28:27; 32:33, 34:4, 28, 35:24
Nehemiah 2:3, 5, 3:16
Job 3:22, 5:26, 10:19, 17:1, 21:32
Psalms 5:9; 88:5, 11
Ecclesiastes 6:3
Isaiah 14:19, 20, 22:16, 53:9, 65:4
Jeremiah 5:16, 8:1, 22:19, 26:23
Ezekiel 32:22-25; 37:12-13, 39:11
Nahum 1:14
GREEK WORD FOR GRAVE USED IN NEW TESTAMENT
Greek word: “mnemeion”; mnay-mi-on; a remembrance, place of interment – grave, tomb, sepulcher.
Translated into the words: Grave, Graves, Tomb, Tombs, Sepulcher, Sepulchers.
This meaning for word “Grave” is used in the following scripture:
Matthew 8:28, 23:29, 27:52-53, 60, 28:8
Mark 5:2-5, 6:29, 15:46, 16:2-8
Luke 8:27, 11:44, 47-48, 23:53, 55, 24:1-2, 9, 12, 22, 24
John 5:28, 11:17, 31, 38; 12:17, 19:41-42, 20:1-11
Acts 2:29, 7:16, 13:29
Revelation 11:9
For Additional Study. See the topic studies on:
HEAVENS and HELL and the LAKE OF FIRE.