This thread is about the dead being asleep so let us please keep it to that and find out what the Bible means by saying the dead are asleep without bringing our own opinions, But using Bible texts for our opinions.
1 Kings 2:10
(10) So David slept with his fathers, and was buried in the city of David.
Genesis 19:4
(4) But before they lay down, the men of the city, even the men of Sodom, compassed the house round, both old and young, all the people from every quarter:
Joshua 2:1
(1) And Joshua the son of Nun sent out of Shittim two men to spy secretly, saying, Go view the land, even Jericho. And they went, and came into an harlot's house, named Rahab, and lodged there.
Job 11:18
(18) And thou shalt be secure, because there is hope; yea, thou shalt dig about thee, and thou shalt take thy rest in safety.
2 Samuel 8:2
(2) And he smote Moab, and measured them with a line, casting them down to the ground; even with two lines measured he to put to death, and with one full line to keep alive. And so the Moabites became David's servants, and brought gifts.
Job 3:13
(13) For now should I have lain still and been quiet, I should have slept: then had I been at rest,
Job 38:37
(37) Who can number the clouds in wisdom? or who can stay the bottles of heaven,
Proverbs 6:9
(9) How long wilt thou sleep, O sluggard? when wilt thou arise out of thy sleep?
All the words in red in these verses are all translated from the same word, so according to all this what does it mean when the Bible talks about sleep in death?
From this we see that to sleep in death means to lie down, take rest, lie still. When a person is asleep with no dreams what do they know?
Ecclesiastes 9:5-6
(5) 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.
(6) Also their love, and their hatred, and their envy, is now perished; neither have they any more a portion for ever in any thing that is done under the sun.
If anyone wants to talk about the spirit there is another thread for that. What does the Bible mean when it says the dead are asleep and please use the Bible for your opinions.
God Bless