Question: When will be the time spoken of in Amos 8:11,1211Behold, the days come, saith the Lord God, that I will send a famine in the land, not a famine of bread, nor a thirst for water, but of hearing the words of the Lord: 12And they shall wander from sea to sea, and from the north even to the east, they shall run to and fro to seek the word of the Lord, and shall not find it. (Amos 8:11‑12), a famine for the Word of the Lord?
Answer: When judgments are falling on Israel in the coming tribulation, they will seek for some word from God for guidance and comfort; but will not find it. God will for a time leave them in darkness and perplexity.
Answer: To those who truly love Him, it was more than either of them. It was love’s gift to express to us His love; and in our remembering Him, we express our love to Him. Precious privilege!
Question: Do the souls of believers sleep when they die?
Answer: The idea of the souls of believers being asleep when absent from the body, is at once unscriptural and absurd.
“Today shalt thou be with Me in paradise.” Was this to be in an unconscious state? Has the soul of the thief been asleep for the last 1900 years?
“Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.” Has Stephen been asleep ever since?
“Absent from the body, present with the Lord.” Is this to be asleep?
“Having a desire to depart and to be with Christ, which is far better.” Why not say, “Having a desire to be asleep”? Is it far better to be asleep, to be unconscious, than to be enjoying Christ, and working for Him here?
“Sleep in Jesus”, and “shall not prevent them which are asleep” refer to the raising of the bodies of those who are now with Him, waiting for their glorified bodies (1 Thess. 4:14; 1514For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him. (1 Thessalonians 4:14)).