A concept that causes great confusion among many believers is the so-called "intermediate state", i.e. the condition of the spirit between the moment we die and the moment of the resurrection of the dead / final judgment. During this intermediate state, will the spirit enter a deep sleep until the resurrection of the dead?

To discern what the Bible teaches, we first need to understand the language used.

The Bible mainly uses five expressions in reference to the afterlife: 

► Death(Hades)

► The Pit

► The Abode of the Dead(Sheol)

► Abraham's Bosom

► Gehenna

Biblically, the death of the body is defined by the separation between the spirit and the body.

The spirit returns to God,

• Ecclesiastes 12:7-8 "before the dust returns to the ground from which it came and the spirit returns to God who gave it. “Futility of futilities,” says the Teacher. “Everything is futile!”

and the condition of the soul is revealed.

• 1 Corinthians 13:12 "Now we see but a dim reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known."

On that day, earthly sentiments, thoughts, projects, desires and ambitions vanish for eternity.

• Psalm 146:4 "When his spirit departs, he returns to the ground; on that very day his plans perish."

• Ecclesiastes 9:5-6 "For the living know that they shall die: but the dead know not any thing, neither have they any more a reward; for the memory of them is forgotten. Their love, their hate, and their envy have already vanished, and they will never again have a share in all that is done under the sun.

Here are some passages from books classified as apocryphal* which give great detail about what happens once the soul leaves the body.

*The Greek word "apokrypha" is derived from the verb kryptein, meaning "to hide". This word originally meant "hidden things", and applied more specifically to books that were "hidden" or "secret" by virtue of their content. 

In order to deepen our understanding of death (Hades), it's first important to understand why death exists.

According to the Book of the Succession of Generations and The Book of the Conflict of Adam and Eve (these books are not known to the general public and are kept in renowned libraries), the fall of mankind began the day Adam was created, because his majesty and splendor stirred the jealousy of Satnael, also called Lucifer (a celestial being in whom the spirit of wickedness, or Satan, resides in all its fullness). As such, Lucifer and Satan cannot be dissociated). Out of pride, Lucifer refused to bow down before the one who had been created in the image of ELOHIM. In his rage, he convinced some angels under  his command, to not prostrate themselves before Adam, thus disobeying ELOHIM's order.

• Revelations 12:7-9 "Then a war broke out in heaven: Michael and his angels fought against the dragon, and the dragon and his angels fought back. But the dragon was not strong enough, and no longer was any place found in heaven for him and his angels. And the great dragon was hurled down—that ancient serpent called the devil and Satan, the deceiver of the whole world. He was hurled to the earth, and his angels with him."

Seeing himself driven out of the heavenly places, Lucifer was filled with hatred and extreme jealousy. He convinced the serpent to serve as his instrument, then using mystical possession by devilry, Satan that spirit he brought up and fully endowed with, succeeded in arousing in Eve the same desires as Lucifer: domination and a desire for autonomy. Eve allows herself to be seduced and deceived, then leads Adam into deception. In her fallen heart, Eve had become guilty of the sin of rebellion, for she had desired to elevate herself to the same rank as ELOHIM and disrupt the divine order of authority and submission.

The Book of the The Cave of Treasures - The Revolt of Satan and the Battle in Heaven

¶ And when the prince of the lower order of angels saw what great majesty had been given unto Adam, he was jealous of him from that day, and he did not wish to worship him. And he said unto his hosts, "Ye shall not worship him, and ye shall not praise him with the angels. It is meet that ye should worship me, because I am fire and spirit; and not that I should worship a thing of dust, which hath been fashioned of fine dust." And the Rebel meditating these things would not render obedience to God, and of his own free will he asserted his independence and separated himself from God. But he was swept away out of heaven and fell, and the fall of himself and of all his company from heaven took place on the  Sixth Day, at the second hour of the day. And the apparel of their glorious state was stripped off them. And his name was called "Sâtânâ" because he turned aside [from the right way], and "Shêdâ" because he was cast out, and "Daiwâ" because he lost the apparel of his glory. And behold, from that time until the present day, he and all his hosts have been stripped of their apparel, and they go naked and have horrible faces. And when Sâtânâ was cast out from heaven, Adam was raised up so that he might ascend to Paradise in a chariot of fire. And the angels went before him, singing praises, and the Seraphim ascribed holiness unto him, and the Cherubim ascribed blessing; and amid cries of joy and praises Adam went into [Fol. 6a, col. 1] Paradise. And as soon as Adam entered Paradise he was commanded not to eat of a [certain] tree; his entrance into Paradise took place at the third hour of the Eve of the Sabbath (i.e. on Friday morning). 

The Book of the Cave of Treasures

¶ And when Satan saw that Adam and Eve were happy and joyful in Paradise, that Rebel was smitten sorely with jealousy, and he became filled with wrath. and he went and took up his abode in the serpent, and he raised him up, and made him to fly through the air to the skirts of Mount Eden whereon was Paradise. Now why did Satan enter the body of the serpent and hide himself therein? Because he knew that his appearance was foul, and that if Eve saw his form, she would betake herself to flight straightway before him... In this manner did Satan enter in and dwell in the serpent, and he watched for the opportunity, and when he saw Eve by herself, he called her by her name. And when she turned round towards him, she saw her own form reflected in him, and she talked to him; and Satan led her astray with his lying words, because the nature of woman is yielding. And when Eve had heard from him concerning that tree, straightway she ran quickly to it, and she plucked the fruit of disobedience from the tree of transgression of the command, and she ate. Then immediately she found herself stripped naked, and she saw the hatefulness of her shame, and she ran away naked, and hid herself in another tree, and covered her nakedness with the leaves thereof. And she cried out to Adam, and he came to her, and she handed to him some of the fruit of which she had eaten, and he also did eat thereof. And when he had eaten he also became naked, and he and Eve made girdles for their loins of the leaves of the fig-trees; and they were arrayed in these girdles of ignominy for three hours. At mid-day they received their sentence of doom. And God made for them tunics of skin which was stripped from the trees, that is to say, of the bark of the trees, because the trees that were in Paradise had soft barks, and they were softer than the byssus and silk wherefrom the garments worn by kings are made. And God dressed them in this soft skin, which was thus spread over a body of infirmities. 

• Genesis 3:6-7 "When the woman saw that the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eyes, and that it was desirable for obtaining wisdom, she took the fruit and ate it. She also gave some to her husband who was with her, and he ate it. And the eyes of both of them were opened, and they knew that they were naked; so they sewed together fig leaves and made coverings for themselves.

• Genesis 3:21 "And the LORD God made garments of skin for Adam and his wife, and He clothed them."

Conflict of Adam and Eve - book 1 chap 55

¶ Thou didst hearken to Satan, and didst forsake the Word of God who created thee; and thou didst believe that Satan would fulfil all he had promised thee. But now, O Adam, we will make known to thee, what came upon us through him, before his fall from heaven. He gathered together his hosts, and deceived them, promising them to give them a great kingdom, a divine nature; and other promises he made them. His hosts believed that. his word was true, so they yielded to him, and renounced the glory of God. He then sent for us according to the orders in which we were-to come under his command, and to hearken to his vain promise. But we would not, and we took not his advice. Then after he had fought with God, and had dealt forwardly with Him, he gathered together his hosts, and made war with us. And if it had not been for God's strength that was with us, we could not have prevailed against him to hurl him from heaven. But when he fell from among us, there was great joy in heaven, because of his going down from us. For had he continued in heaven, nothing, not even one angel would have remained in it. But God in His mercy, drove him from among us to this dark earth; for he had become darkness itself and a worker of unrighteousness. And he has continued, O Adam, to make war against thee, until he beguiled thee and made thee come out of the garden, to this strange land, where all these trials have come to thee. And death, which God brought upon him he has also brought to thee, O Adam, because thou didst obey him, and didst transgress against God. 

In Saint-Paul's Apocalypse, Chapters 15, 16, 17 and 18, we are made to understand that when the body dies, the angels of death come at once to seize the soul, which will then try to find a way to hide in order to be saved.

• Job 33:22 "His flesh wastes away from sight, and his hidden bones protrude. He draws near to the Pit, and his life to the messengers of death.."

• Job 34:22 “There is no darkness or deep shadow where the workers of iniquity can hide.”

In the Book of Joseph the Carpenter, chapter 22, YESHUA tells us that when the angels of death fail to seize the soul, it must then be able to overcome 7 dark eons.

"My Father and the Father of all mercy, the seeing eye, the hearing ear, listen to your beloved son, myself, when I entreat you in the name of your handiwork, my father Joseph, to send me a great chorus of angels with Michael, the steward of goodness, and Gabriel, the herald of light, that they may accompany the soul of my father Joseph until it passes the seven dark aeons, that it may not pass on the narrow paths where there is fear, and it is very fearful to see the powers that are on them, when the river of fire comes in that place like the tide of the sea. Be merciful to the soul of my father Joseph who is coming into your holy hands, because this is the time when he needs your mercy."

According to the Gospel of the Virgin Mary - A Coptic manuscript of the second century, when the soul dies, it must first pass through 3 atmospheres (or aeons), then successfully pass through the 7 manifestations that arouse Divine Wrath:

1. Darkness: 

a soul that was attracted to all kinds of dark things.

2. Evil Desires: 

a soul that continually desired what ELOHIM abhors.

3. Ignorance: 

A soul that did not care to know the Lord, denied his existence and did not give much consideration to his own  spiritual condition.

4. Deadly Jealousy: 

A soul that was constantly plagued by covetousness and jealousy towards others.

5. Carnal Bondage: 

A soul that indulged in sexual gratification, sinful sexual acts and abominable and forbidden sexual practices.

6. Maturity in Pride: 

An arrogant and haughty soul, who believed himself to be superior to others, and viewed himself as more elevated and of unequalled importance. This sin of pride is so detested by the Lord that Paul was deterred from committing it by receiving "a thorn in the flesh" so that he would remain humble.

• 2 Corinthians 12:7-10 "So to keep me from becoming conceited, I was given a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me. Three times I begged the Lord for this, that it might depart from me. But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me.

7. Maturity in Deceit: 

A soul that was very clever in deception, Machiavellianism, trickery, scheming.

The Book of Gleanings / The Book of the Bee - Chap 56

When the soul goes forth from the body, as Abbâ Isaiah says, the angels go with it: then the hosts of darkness go forth to meet it, seeking to seize it and examine it, if there be anything of theirs in it. Then the angels do not fight with them, but those deeds which the soul has wrought protect it and guard it, that they come not near it. If its deeds be victorious, then the angels sing praises before it until it meets God with joy. In that hour the soul forgets every deed of this world.

The Book of Enoch - Chap 22:1-13

1. And from there, I went to another place, and he showed me in the west a large and high mountain, and a hard rock, and four beautiful places.

2. And inside, it was deep, wide, and very smooth. How smooth is that which rolls, and deep and dark to look at!

3. Then Raphael, one of the Holy Angels who was with me, answered me, and said to me: "These beautiful places are there so that the spirits, the souls of the dead, might be gathered into them. For them they were created; so that here they might gather the souls of the sons of men.

4. And these places they made, where they will keep them until the Day of Judgment, and until their appointed time, and that appointed time will be long, until the great judgment comes upon them.

5. And I saw the spirits of the sons of men who were dead and their voices reached Heaven and complained.

6. Then I asked Raphael, the Angel who was with me, and said to him: "Whose is this spirit, whose voice thus reaches Heaven and complains?"

7. And he answered me, and said to me, saying: "This spirit is the one that came out of Abel, whom Cain, his brother, killed. And he will complain about him until his offspring are destroyed from the face of the Earth, and from amongst the offspring of men, his offspring perish."

8. Then I asked about him, and about judgment on all, and I said: "Why is one separated from another?"

9. And he answered me, and said to me: "These three places where made, in order that they might separate the spirits of the dead. And thus the souls of the righteous have been separated; this is the spring of water, and on it the light.

10. Likewise, a place has been created for sinners, when they die, and are buried in the earth, and judgment has not come upon them during their life.

11. And here their souls will be separated for this great torment, until the Great Day of Judgment and Punishment and Torment for those who curse, forever, and of vengeance on their souls. And there he will bind them forever. Verily, He is, from the beginning of the world.

12. And thus a place has been separated for the souls of those who complain, and give information about their destruction, about when they were killed, in the days of the sinners.

13. Thus a place has been created, for the souls of men who are not righteous, but sinners, accomplished in wrongdoing, and with the wrongdoers will be their lot. But their souls will not be killed on the day of judgment, nor will they rise from here."

The Second Book of Ezra / Esdras - Chap 7:78-99

7:78  Now, concerning death, the teaching is: When the decisive decree has gone forth from the Most High YAHWEH that a man shall die, as the spirit leaves the body to return again to HIM who gave it, first of all it adores the splendor of the Most High YAHWEH.

7:79  And if it is one of those who have shown scorn and have not kept the way of the Most High YAHWEH, and who have despised HIS Torah, and who have hated those who fear YAHWEH,

7:80  Such spirits shall not enter into habitations, but shall immediately wander about in torments, ever grieving and sad, in seven ways.

7:81  The first way, because they have scorned the Torah of the Most High.

7:82  The second way, because they cannot now make a good repentance that they may live.

7:83  The third way, they shall see the reward laid up for those who have trusted the Covenants of the Most High YAHWEH.

7:84  The fourth way, they shall consider the torment laid up for themselves in the last day.

7:85  The fifth way, they shall see how the habitations of the others are guarded by angels in profound quiet.

7:86  The sixth way, they shall see how some of them will pass over into torments.

7:87  The seventh way, which is worse than all the ways that have been mentioned, because they shall utterly waste away in confusion and be consumed with shame, and shall wither with fear at seeing the splendor of the Most High YAHWEH before whom they sinned while they were alive, and before whom they are to be judged in the last time.

7:88  Now this is the order of those who have kept the ways of the Most High YAHWEH, when they shall be separated from their corruptible body.

7:89  During the time that they decayed in it, they laboriously served the Most High, and withstood danger every hour, that they might keep the Torah of the Torah-giver perfectly.

7:90  Therefore this is the teaching concerning them:

7:91  First of all, they shall see with great joy the splendor of HIM who receives them, for they shall have rest in seven orders.

7:92  The first order, because they have striven with great effort to overcome evil which was formed with them, that it might not lead them astray from life into death.

7:93  The second order, because they see the perplexity in which the souls of the sinners wander, and the punishment that waits them.

7:94  The third order, they see the witness which HE who formed them bears concerning them, that while they were alive they kept the Torah which was given them in trust.

7:95  The fourth order, they understand the rest which they now enjoy, being gathered into their chambers and guarded by angels in profound quiet, and the splendor which awaits them in the last day.

7:96  The fifth order, they rejoice that they have now escaped what is mortal, and shall inherit what is to come; and besides they see the straits and the fullness of toil from which they have been delivered, and the spacious liberty which they are to receive and enjoy in immortality.

7:97  The sixth order, when it is shown to them how their face is to shine like the sun, and how they are to be made like the light of the stars, being incorruptible from then on.

7:98  The seventh order, which is greater than all that have been mentioned, because they shall rejoice with boldness, and shall be confident without confusion, and shall be glad without fear, for they hasten to behold the face of HIM whom they served in life and from whom they are to receive their reward when magnified.

7:99  This is the order of the souls of the righteous, as henceforth is announced, and the aforesaid are the ways of torment which those who would not give heed shall suffer hereafter."

May the Holy Spirit guide you in understanding this message.