Many wonder what happens to them after death. Because this question is such a presing one, many different answers and speculations have crept into the popular understanding. Much of this speculation is nothing more than superstition. Some speculation finds roots in the Bible. One such superstition is the belief that when someone dies he becomes an angel. Angels are a completely different kind of being from humanity. Angels are might spiritual beings which were created by God, probably on the first day of creation before God created much of anything else in the universe. The angels of heaven are God’s servants and messengers. Some angels spend all their time worshiping God. Angels were created by God before He created mankind and serve specific, God ordained purposes. Man was created by God in His image on the sixth day of creation.

Though the Bible gives us only a little bit of information about angels, it gives abundant information about what happens to a person after death. At death people do not stop existing. At death the individual does not disappear and go into nothingness. After death the person enters into either heaven or hell. In Luke 16 Jesus tells of two men who died. When these men died, one went directly into hell and the other went directly into heaven. At death the person goes immediately into heaven or hell. Those who have turned from their sin and trusted in Jesus for forgiveness go directly into heaven. Those who have not trusted Jesus for salvation go directly into hell. In hell the dead endure conscious sufering and torment. Those in hell are not able to leave or to have any involvement with events on earth. Those who go into heaven join the angels in service and worship of God, but they do not become angels. The dead in heaven appear to have some awareness of what is happening on the earth, but no involvement with earthly affairs.

The book of Revelation depicts the saints of God around the throne of God, praising Him and pleading for His justice to be executed on the earth. The book of Revelation shows the angels around the throne of God praising Him and going out into the world to do His bidding. Though angels and the saved dead share the abode of heaven and join together in the worship of God, the Bible, particularly the book of Revelation, shows them to eternally continue as two distinct groups.