State of souls between death and Judgment Day
If a soul is not visible when a person dies and goes to heaven, how can the soul then recognize others or even meet the Lord? What does a soul do during that time in heaven until Judgement Day? The Bible notes that upon our death, the soul immediately goes to heaven but, if invisible, how can it rejoice, etc. with the Lord? Is there any scriptural basis that indicates the soul knows what has happened and why he/she is there and be able to recognize others? How can the soul recognize if it is an invisible being? Thank you.
The Bible provides little information on the state of souls after death and before Judgment Day. At death, body and soul separate, and judgment takes place (Hebrews 9:27). Souls are in heaven or hell based on the presence or absence of Christian faith (Mark 16:16). While it is difficult for us to imagine an existence without a body, the souls of believers (Revelation 6:9-10) and unbelievers (Luke 16:19-31; 1 Peter 3:18-20) are very much aware of their surroundings. Believers are enjoying the perfect peace of heaven (Revelation 14:13), while unbelievers are suffering the torments of hell (Luke 16:23). Any more specific information is beyond our reach—and probably our understanding.
What we can do, as Christians, is look forward to being with the Lord forever (1 Thessalonians 4:17)!