Biblical explanation
Jesus described death using the metaphor of sleep. Lazarus had died, yet Jesus said He would "wake him up" (John 11:11-14). The apostles continued using this language. Paul described deceased Christians as those who "sleep in Jesus" (1 Thessalonians 4:14). The resurrection occurs when Christ returns. First Thessalonians 4:16 says the "dead in Christ shall rise first." Jesus also taught two future resurrections, one to life and one to judgment (John 5:28-29). Daniel 12:2 similarly says that "many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake," with different outcomes. The Bible therefore presents a sequence: A person dies. The person rests in death. Christ returns. The dead are resurrected. God brings judgment. The righteous receive eternal life. Sin and death are ultimately destroyed. Revelation 20 describes the final judgment and the lake of fire, which Scripture explicitly identifies as "the second death" (Revelation 20:14).
Key takeaway
The great controversy reveals God's character as Christ ministers as our High Priest in the heavenly sanctuary. The dead await the resurrection, Christ's return will be visible and personal, and prophecy calls believers to faithful mission rather than date-setting or fear.