“As for you, go your way until the end.

You will rest, and then at the end of the

days, you will rise again to receive the inheritance set aside for you.” Daniel
12:13 NLT

Notice the angel did not tell Daniel that he would die and go straight to heaven.
He clearly told Daniel he would rest and then would rise again at the end of the
last day, and then and not before then would receive his inheritance.

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Yesterday morning in my personal Bible study I ran across the passage.

It was by faith that Abel brought a more acceptable offering to God than Cain
did. Abel’s offering gave evidence that he was a righteous man, and God
showed his approval of his gifts. Although Abel is long dead, he still speaks to
us by his example of faith. Hebrews 11:4 NLT 

Notice Paul does not say that Abel has gone home to be with the Lord, or Abel is
in heaven now. No, Paul clearly says Abel is long dead. As a matter of fact
nowhere in the Bible do you read Paul or Jesus or anyone else saying that
anyone has gone home to be with the Lord or has died and gone to heaven. The
notion that dead loved ones are in heaven is another myth from the dark ages,
when human tradition and theories replaced plain and simple Bible teachings. 

But wait a minute? Doesn’t the Bible say,

For then the dust will return to the earth, and the spirit will return to God who
gave it. Ecclesiastes 12:7 NLT 
Indeed it does. So we need to see how the Bible defines the word “spirit.” Job
defines it for us.

All the while my breath is in me, and the spirit of God is in my nostrils; Job
27:3 KJV

As long as I live, while I have breath from God, Job 27:3 NLT 

By comparing Bible versions we see clearly that the word “spirit” simply means
breath. So in Ecclesiastes 12:7 it is simply our breath that returns to God. Noting
living our conscious returns to heaven when we die. It is simply our breath. David
clarifies this for us. 

When you take away their breath, they die and turn again to dust. Psalms
104:29 NLT 

By the way the word “spirit” in Job 27;3 in the original manuscripts is the word
“pneumo” where we get the word “pneumonia” which is a breathing disorder. So
the word “spirit” in the KJV of Job 27:3 is correctly translated “breath” in the NLT
version of Job 27:3.  Another example is in 2 Chronicles 9:4 the KJV versions
says when the Queen of Sheba saw all of Solomon’s riches there was no more
spirit in her, meaning it was breathtaking. 

While we are speaking about Job let’s take a look at a question asked in Job
14:10.

“But when people die, their strength is gone. They breathe their last, and then
where are they?” Job 14:10 NLT 

We don’t have to philosophize or make up theories to answer this question. The

Bible answers the question for us just two verses later.

People are laid to rest and do not rise again. Until the heavens are no more,
they will not wake up nor be roused from their sleep. Job 14:12 NLT 

Job, like Jesus and Paul and everyone else in the Bible never say the dead have
gone home to be with the Lord or have gone straight to heaven. King Solomon is
in total harmony with the rest of Scripture when he wrote,
The living at least know they will die, but the dead know nothing. They have
no further reward, nor are they remembered. Whatever they did in their
lifetime—loving, hating, envying—is all long gone. They no longer play a part
in anything here on earth. Ecclesiastes 9:5-6 NLT 

As already noted, Jesus Himself never mentioned anyone dying and going home
to be with the Lord, or going straight to heaven when they died. In John
11:11 Jesus said Lazarus was asleep. Jesus did not say Lazarus had gone home
to be with the Lord or was in heaven. He said he was asleep. In John
11:14 Jesus clarifies that Lazarus is dead. Jesus calls death sleep. So why is it
today that so many Christians use the term “Gone to be with the Lord” which
Jesus never used or anyone else in the Bible for that matter, instead of using the
term “fallen asleep” which is a term Jesus and other Bible authors used? 

Paul tells us, 

But I do not want you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning those who have
fallen asleep, lest you sorrow as others who have no hope.  1 Thessalonians
4:13 NKJV

Paul refers to the dead as fallen asleep. He does not want us to be ignorant
about what happens when we die. So he gives us the total truth. 

For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with
Him those who sleep in Jesus.  For this we say to you by the word of the
Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord will by no
means precede those who are asleep.  For the Lord Himself will descend
from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet
of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and
remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in
the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord. 1 Thessalonians 4:14-17
NKJV