Let's start by asking the question, "How does God feel about the death of one of His saints?" Turn to Psalm 116.

Psa 116:15 Precious in the sight of the LORD is the death of his saints.

The real meaning of "precious" or "valuable" can be better understood by a statement by Jesus, Yeshua in Hebrew, in John 8:51. Let's look at it.

(John 8:51 NKJV) Most assuredly, I say to you, if anyone keeps My word he shall never see death.

(Rev 20:6 NKJV) Blessed and holy is he who has part in the first resurrection. Over such the second death has no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with Him a thousand years.

Isa 57 also describes the death of the righteous.

(Isa 57:1-2 NKJV) The righteous perishes, And no man takes it to heart; Merciful men are taken away, While no one considers That the righteous is taken away from evil. {2} He shall enter into peace; They shall rest in their beds, Each one walking in his uprightness.

We have been talking about the righteous, but what is a righteous person?
 

Mat 25:34-46 "Then the King will say to those on his right, 'Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. {35} For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, {36} I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.' {37} "Then the righteous will answer him, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? {38} When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? {39} When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?' {40} "The King will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.' {41} "Then he will say to those on his left, 'Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. {42} For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, {43} I was a stranger and you did not invite me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe me, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after me.' {44} "They also will answer, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help you?' {45} "He will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.' {46} "Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life." 

 

James 1:22-25 NKJV But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. {23} For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man observing his natural face in a mirror; {24} for he observes himself, goes away, and immediately forgets what kind of man he was. {25} But he who looks into the perfect law of liberty and continues in it, and is not a forgetful hearer but a doer of the work, this one will be blessed in what he does.

Gal 5:22-23 NKJV But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering [patience], kindness, goodness, faithfulness, {23} gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law.

John 15:5 NKJV [Our Lord said,] "I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing.

Rev 22:12&14 NKJV And behold, I am coming quickly, and My reward is with Me, to give to every one according to his work.... {14} Blessed are those who do His commandments, that they may have the right to the tree of life, and may enter through the gates into the city.

But David was righteous, in my opinion. He is waiting for his resurrection.

John 3:13 No one has ever gone into heaven except the one who came from heaven--the Son of Man. 

Acts 2:34 For David did not ascend to heaven, and yet he said, "'The Lord said to my Lord: "Sit at my right hand 

Job 14:14 (KJV) If a man die, shall he live <again>? all the days of my appointed time will I wait, till my change come. 

Preparations for the resurrection of the Saints began with the ascension of the Messiah. Before He left, He promised us:

John 14:2-3 NKJV In My Father's house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. {3} And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also.

1 Cor 15:50-54 NKJV Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; nor does corruption inherit incorruption. {51} Behold, I tell you a mystery: We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed; {52} in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. {53} For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. {54} So when this corruptible has put on incorruption, and this mortal has put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written: "Death is swallowed up in victory."

3. But we who are alive must wait until the resurrection of all the saints.

Let's read 1 Thes 4:15-18 and Matt 24:40.

(1 Th 4:15-18 NKJV) 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. {16} 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. {17} 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. {18} Therefore comfort one another with these words.

(Mat 24:40-42 NKJV) "Then two men will be in the field: one will be taken and the other left. {41} "Two women will be grinding at the mill: one will be taken and the other left. {42} "Watch therefore, for you do not know what hour your Lord is coming.

1 Cor 15:42-56 talks about a spiritual resurrection.

1 Cor 15:42-56 So will it be with the resurrection of the dead. The body that is sown (planted) is perishable, it is raised imperishable; {43} it is sown in dishonor, it is raised in glory; it is sown in weakness, it is raised in power; {44} it is sown a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body. If there is a natural body, there is also a spiritual body. {45} So it is written: "The first man Adam became a living being" ; the last Adam [i.e. Christ], a life-giving spirit. {46} The spiritual did not come first, but the natural, and after that the spiritual. {47} The first man was of the dust of the earth, the second man from heaven. {48} As was the earthly man, so are those who are of the earth; and as is the man from heaven, so also are those who are of heaven. {49} And just as we have borne the likeness of the earthly man [As a parallel, Eddie often talked of his sinful early adult life.], so shall we bear the likeness of the man from heaven. {50} I declare to you, brothers, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable. {51} Listen, I tell you a mystery: We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed-- {52} in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed. {53} For the perishable must clothe itself with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality. {54} When the perishable has been clothed with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality, then the saying that is written will come true: "Death has been swallowed up in victory." {55} "Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?" (Where are your plagues and destruction?) {56} The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. (Man's transgression of the law gives death its lawful power. Without the law there is no sin.) 

T

Rev 20:11-14 Then I saw a great white throne and him who was seated on it. Earth and sky fled from his presence, and there was no place for them. {12} And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Another book was opened, which is the book of life. The dead were judged according to what they had done as recorded in the books. {13} The sea gave up the dead that were in it, and death and Hades gave up the dead that were in them, and each person was judged according to what he had done.