Lesson 6 What Hope Is There for the Dead?
1. What is the good news about the dead?
When Jesus arrived at Bethany near Jerusalem, his friend Lazarus had been dead for four days. Jesus went to the burial place with Martha and Mary, sisters of the deceased man. Soon, a crowd gathered. Can you imagine the joy of Martha and Mary when Jesus raised Lazarus back to life?—Read John 11:21-24, 38-44.
[“Read” scriptures.] John 11:21-24: Martha then said to Jesus: “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died. Yet even now I know that whatever you ask God for, God will give you.” Jesus said to her: “Your brother will rise.” Martha said to him: “I know he will rise in the resurrection on the last day.”
John 11:38-44: Then Jesus, after groaning again within himself, came to the tomb. It was, in fact, a cave, and a stone was lying against it. Jesus said: “Take the stone away.” Martha, the sister of the deceased, said to him: “Lord, by now he must smell, for it has been four days.” Jesus said to her: “Did I not tell you that if you would believe you would see the glory of God?” So they took the stone away. Then Jesus raised his eyes heavenward and said: “Father, I thank you that you have heard me. True, I knew that you always hear me; but I spoke on account of the crowd standing around, so that they may believe that you sent me.” When he had said these things, he cried out with a loud voice: “Lazarus, come out!” The man who had been dead came out with his feet and hands bound with wrappings, and his face was wrapped with a cloth. Jesus said to them: “Free him and let him go.” [End of “Read” scriptures.]
Martha was already aware of the good news about the dead. She knew that Jehovah will resurrect the dead to live on earth again.—Read Job 14:14, 15.
[“Read” scripture.] Job 14:14, 15: If a man dies, can he live again? I will wait all the days of my compulsory service Until my relief comes. You will call, and I will answer you. You will long for the work of your hands. [End of “Read” scripture.]
Picture on page 12: [Image:] The resurrected Lazarus is welcomed back by his sisters Martha and Mary
2. What is the condition of the dead?
Humans are made from dust. (Genesis 2:7; 3:19) We are not spirits living in a body of flesh. We are physical creatures, so no part of us survives death. When we die, our brain dies too, and our thoughts perish. Thus, Lazarus said nothing about his experience of death because the dead are unconscious.—Read Psalm 146:4; Ecclesiastes 9:5, 6, 10.
[“Read” scriptures.] Psalm 146:4: His spirit goes out, he returns to the ground; On that very day his thoughts perish.
Ecclesiastes 9:5, 6: For the living know that they will die, but the dead know nothing at all, nor do they have any more reward, because all memory of them is forgotten. Also, their love and their hate and their jealousy have already perished, and they no longer have any share in what is done under the sun.
Ecclesiastes 9:10: Whatever your hand finds to do, do with all your might, for there is no work nor planning nor knowledge nor wisdom in the Grave, where you are going. [End of “Read” scriptures.]
Pictures on page 12: [Image:] Adam’s creation, and later his death
[Image:] An open grave
Caption: God told Adam: “Dust you are and to dust you will return.”—Genesis 3:19.
Does God torment people with fire after death? Since the Bible shows that the dead are unconscious, hellfire is clearly a false teaching that slanders God. The very idea of tormenting people with fire disgusts him.—Read Jeremiah 7:31.
[“Read” scripture.] Jeremiah 7:31: They have built the high places of Topheth, which is in the Valley of the Son of Hinnom, in order to burn their sons and their daughters in the fire, something that I had not commanded and that had never even come into my heart.’ [End of “Read” scripture.]

Watch the video What Is the Condition of the Dead? See jw.org.

3. Can the dead speak to us?
The dead can neither speak nor hear. (Psalm 115:17) But some angels are wicked, and they may speak to people and pretend to be dead humans. (2 Peter 2:4) Jehovah forbids trying to inquire of the dead.—Read Deuteronomy 18:10, 11.
[“Read” scripture.] Deuteronomy 18:10, 11: There should not be found in you anyone who makes his son or his daughter pass through the fire, anyone who employs divination, anyone practicing magic, anyone who looks for omens, a sorcerer, anyone binding others with a spell, anyone who consults a spirit medium or a fortune-teller, or anyone who inquires of the dead. [End of “Read” scripture.]
4. Who will return to life?
Many millions of people who are dead in the grave will return to life on earth. Even some who did not know God and who practiced bad things will be resurrected.—Read Luke 23:43; Acts 24:15.
[“Read” scriptures.] Luke 23:43: And he said to him: “Truly I tell you today, you will be with me in Paradise.”
Acts 24:15: And I have hope toward God, which hope these men also look forward to, that there is going to be a resurrection of both the righteous and the unrighteous. [End of “Read” scriptures.]
Resurrected ones will be able to learn the truth about God and to exercise faith in Jesus by obeying him. (Revelation 20:11-13) Those who return to life and do good things will be able to enjoy life forever on earth.—Read John 5:28, 29.
[“Read” scripture.] John 5:28, 29: Do not be amazed at this, for the hour is coming in which all those in the memorial tombs will hear his voice and come out, those who did good things to a resurrection of life, and those who practiced vile things to a resurrection of judgment. [End of “Read” scripture.]
5. What does the resurrection tell us about Jehovah?
God made hope for the dead possible by sending his Son to die for us. So the resurrection tells us about Jehovah’s love and undeserved kindness. When the dead return to life, whom do you especially want to see?—Read John 3:16; Romans 6:23.
[“Read” scriptures.] John 3:16: “For God loved the world so much that he gave his only-begotten Son, so that everyone exercising faith in him might not be destroyed but have everlasting life.
Romans 6:23: For the wages sin pays is death, but the gift God gives is everlasting life by Christ Jesus our Lord. [End of “Read” scriptures.]

For more information, see chapters 6, 7, and 10 of the book What Does the Bible Really Teach?