First of all, let's define:  What is Death?

John 11  (v. 11)....Our friend Lazarus sleeps, but I go that I may wake him up.  (v. 13) However, Jesus spoke of his death, but they thought that He was speaking about taking rest in sleep. (v. 14) Then Jesus said to them plainly, "Lazarus is dead."

So death in the bible is described as a "sleep" and this is the first death, since everybody experiences this kind of death.[1]

The Lutheran scholar Dr. T. A. Kantonen, likewise referred to Luther's position in these words:  "Luther, with a greater emphasis on the resurrection, preferred to concentrate on the scriptural metaphor of sleep."  For just as one who falls asleep and reaches morning unexpectedly when he awakes, without knowing what has happened to him, we shall suddenly rise on the last day without knowing how we have come into death and through death.  ''We shall sleep, until He comes and knocks on the little grave and says, Doctor Martin, get up!  Then I shall rise in a moment, and be with him forever."[2]

Let us investigate the lives of people in the bible who had died and came back to life.

John 11  (v. 1) Now a certain man was sick, Lazarus of Bethany, the town of Mary and her sister Martha.  (v. 32) Then, when Mary came where Jesus was....saying to Him, Lord if You had been here, my brother would not have died.

So this man Lazarus had died and was in the grave.

John 11  (v. 38) Then Jesus,...came to the tomb....(v. 39)....and Martha....said to Him, Lord by this time there is a stench, for he has been dead four days. (v. 41) Then they took away the stone from the place where the dead man was lying....

Later on in the story, there was a big supper prepared for them in Bethany.

John 12  (v. 1) Then, six days before the Passover, Jesus came to Bethany, where Lazarus was who had been dead, whom He had raised from the dead. (v. 2) There they made Him a supper; and Martha served, but Lazarus was one of those who sat at the table with Him.

(verse 9) Then a great many of the Jews knew that He was there; and they came, not for Jesus sake only, but that they might also see Lazarus, whom He had raised from the dead.

John 12  (v. 12) The next day a great multitude that had come to the feast, when they heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem, (v. 13) took branches of palm trees and went out to meet Him.... (v. 17) Therefore the people, who were with Him when He called Lazarus out of his tomb and raised him from the dead, bore witness.   

(They bore witness about what?)

(verse 18) For this reason the people also met Him, because they heard that He had done this sign. (v. 19) The Pharisees therefore said among themselves, “You see that you are accomplishing nothing.  Look, the world has gone after Him!”

Where is the witness about Lazarus being in heaven or in hell?    (They bore witness about what?)

Not a word was recorded about any of Lazarus experiences, when he was dead!!

Do some people see the spiritual world when they sleep?

Gen 28  (v. 10) Now Jacob went out from Beersheba and went toward Haran. (v. 11) ....and stayed there all night, because the sun had set....and he lay down in that place to sleep.

(verse 12) Then he dreamed, and behold a ladder was set up on the earth, and its top reached to heaven; and there the angels of God were ascending and descending on it. (v. 13) And behold, the Lord stood above it....

Did Jacob experience the sleep of the first death?  It would appear that he went to heaven and saw the Lord.

(verse 16) Then Jacob awoke from his sleep and said, "Surely the Lord is in this place, and I did not know it."

He was not dead, he received a dream from the Lord.  Perhaps this is what the devil has confused us on!!

Other people that were raised from the dead.   

Acts 9  (v. 36) At Joppa there was a certain disciple named Tabitha....This woman was full of good works and charitable deeds....(v. 37) But it happened in those days that she became sick and died....

(verse 39) Then Peter arose and went with them. When he had come, they brought him to the upper room....(v. 40)....and knelt down and prayed.  And turning to the body he said, "Tabitha arise." And she opened her eyes, and when she saw Peter she sat up.

(verse 41) Then he gave her his hand and lifted her up; and when he had called the saints and widows, he presented her alive.

(verse 14) Then He came and touched the open coffin, and those who carried him stood still.  And He said, "Young man, I say to you arise." (v. 15) And he who was dead sat up and began to speak.

Did he testify about the after-life experience?   

(v. 15) ....And He presented him to his mother. (v. 16) ....and they glorified God, saying “A great prophet has risen up among us”....

There was nothing recorded in the bible about what he spoke about.

Nowhere in the Bible will you find anything written about having a life-after-death experience, because the Bible says that “death” is a sleep; and you stay in the graves until Jesus comes back for the resurrection time.