Big Ideas · 25 · The Soldier
'The dead cannot praise you'
Facing the Assyrian siege, Hezekiah prays that the grave cannot thank God. It is the living who praise him, as a father tells his children of God's faithfulness.
The Hebrew Bible focuses on life, not afterlife.
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Egypt and Israel's neighbors had elaborate afterlife beliefs, and ancient Judean tombs show rituals for feeding the dead. The Bible mostly forbids such mourning practices. Its 'resurrection' is the revival of a community after defeat.
Bible reference: Isaiah 38:18–19; Deuteronomy 14:1
Source: Why the Bible Began, pp. 400–401
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