Is “the Sleep of Death” (Psalm 13:3) a Conscious State?
Author’s Response in Early 2016 to His Own Teaching in June 2010:
“The Departure from the Body” on Sunday Night Bible Study
June 27, 2010 at the Christian Missionary Alliance in Aurora, In.

It was not wrong to state that “Scripture refers to death as sleep.”
Introduction
This statement is supported in the teaching by dozens of biblical passages:
Scripture refers to death as ____________ (1 Kings 1:21; 2:10; 11:21; 11:43; 14:20,31; 15:8,24; 16:6,28; 22:40,50; 2 Kings 8:24; 9:28; 10:35; 12:21; 13:9,13; 14:16,20,22,29; 15:7,22,38; 16:20; 20:21; 21:18; 24;6; 2 Chronicles 9:31; 12:16; 14:1; 16:13; 21:1; 25:28; 26:2,23; 27:9; 28:27; 32:33; 33:20; Acts 7:60; 13:36; 1 Corinthians 15:6; 2 Samuel 7:12; Deuteronomy 31:16). On earth, Jesus awakened some from the dead (Matthew 9:24; 27:52; John 11:11-14). Except for the believers who are alive (1 Thessalonians 4:17; 1 Corinthians 15:51-52), Christ’s coming (1 Corinthians 15:18-20,23) on the last day (John 6:39-40,44) will awaken all who sleep (Daniel 12:2) unto eternal contempt (John 12:48) or everlasting life (Daniel 12:3).
~ “The Departure from the Body” on Sunday Night Bible Study
June 27, 2010 at the Christian Missionary Alliance in Aurora, In.


Affirmation from Additional Passages
As an additional example from the Old Testament, Psalm 13:3 combines a word that the ESV translates in connection with sleep (see all occurrences of יָשַׁן) with a word that the ESV translates in connection with death (see all occurences of מָוֶת): “Consider and answer me, O Lord my God; light up my eyes, lest I sleep the sleep of death [אִישַׁן הַמָּֽוֶ]…”

The New Testament uses the same word κοιμάω (“I sleep”) for both sleep and death, as is obvious from the following complete list of the word’s occurrences in the New Testament:
52 The tombs were opened, and many bodies of the saints who had fallen[G2837] asleep[G2837] were raised; (Mat 27:52 NASB)
13 and said, "You are to say, 'His disciples came by night and stole Him away while we were asleep.'[G2837] (Mat 28:13 NASB)
45 When He rose from prayer, He came to the disciples and found them sleeping[G2837] from sorrow, (Luk 22:45 NASB)
11 This He said, and after that He said to them, "Our friend Lazarus has fallen[G2837] asleep;[G2837] but I go, so that I may awaken him out of sleep." 12 The disciples then said to Him, "Lord, if he has fallen[G2837] asleep,[G2837] he will recover." (Jhn 11:11-12 NASB)
60 Then falling on his knees, he cried out with a loud voice, "Lord, do not hold this sin against them!" Having said this, he fell[G2837] asleep.[G2837] (Act 7:60 NASB)
6 On the very night when Herod was about to bring him forward, Peter was sleeping[G2837] between two soldiers, bound with two chains, and guards in front of the door were watching over the prison. (Act 12:6 NASB)
36 "For David, after he had served the purpose of God in his own generation, fell[G2837] asleep,[G2837] and was laid among his fathers and underwent decay; (Act 13:36 NASB)
39 A wife is bound as long as her husband lives; but if her husband is dead,[G2837] she is free to be married to whom she wishes, only in the Lord. (1Co 7:39 NASB)
30 For this reason many among you are weak and sick, and a number sleep.[G2837] (1Co 11:30 NASB)
6 After that He appeared to more than five hundred brethren at one time, most of whom remain until now, but some have fallen[G2837] asleep;[G2837] ... 18 Then those also who have fallen[G2837] asleep[G2837] in Christ have perished. ... 20 But now Christ has been raised from the dead, the first fruits of those who are asleep.[G2837] ... 51 Behold, I tell you a mystery; we will not all sleep,[G2837] but we will all be changed, (1Co 15:6, 18, 20, 51 NASB)
13 But we do not want you to be uninformed, brethren, about those who are asleep,[G2837] so that you will not grieve as do the rest who have no hope. 14 For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him those who have fallen[G2837] asleep[G2837] in Jesus. 15 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 not precede those who have fallen[G2837] asleep.[G2837] (1Th 4:13-15 NASB)
4 and saying, "Where is the promise of His coming? For ever since the fathers fell[G2837] asleep,[G2837] all continues just as it was from the beginning of creation." (2Pe 3:4 NASB)


However, is this sleep “Tangible” or “conscious,” as the teaching claims?
Introduction
The only passages cited in favor of consciousness are Luke 16:19-31 and the Book of Revelation:
Tangible. For the follower of Christ, death is a ___________ (Philippians 1:23), immediate transition (2 Timothy 4:6) from residence in the body (2 Peter 1:14) to residence with the Lord (2 Corinthians 5:6-8). For the one who disagrees God’s words, death is a transition into conscious torment (Luke 16:19-31). The _____________ is the eternal lake of fire for evildoers (Revelation 20:14; 21:8) not for those who conquer (Revelation 21:7).
~ “The Departure from the Body” on Sunday Night Bible Study
June 27, 2010 at the Christian Missionary Alliance in Aurora, In.

The Book of Revelation is the book of “[t]he revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave him to show to his servants the things that must soon take place.” (Revelation 1:1) It appears clear that certain passages - at least - of the book are not referring to future events and, for that matter, not referring precisely to any events in time and space at all. Consider the biblical information in The Bible on the End: When Will Jesus Return?

Is Jesus’ story in Luke a news report of an actual series of events in time and space, or is Jesus’ story in Luke a non-historical vehicle to communicate a particular message? For better or for worse, I will not comment on this passage’s potential relationship to “extra-biblical… ancient literature,” because I do not know the material well, and I do not even know the degree to which knowing the material would prove relevant or irrelevant to the message of this passage. However, I do know that Luke was one of Paul’s coworkers (Colossians 4:14; Philemon 1:24), and it was Paul who wrote that “the sacred writings... are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus.” (2 Timothy 3:15) A few verses later, Paul added, “Luke alone is with me.” (2 Timothy 4:11) If the sacred writings can play a positive role toward faith in Jesus, it is wise to consider Jesus in light of these sacred writings.


Negation from the Sacred Writings
Not only does Solomon negate the consciousness of the dead, but he does so while affirming that the dead will be with the Lord, harmonizing with Philippians 1:23, 2 Timothy 4:6, 2 Peter 1:14, and 2 Corinthians 5:6-8 from the original teaching: “and (LR)the dust returns to the earth as it was, and (LS)the spirit returns to God (LT)who gave it.” (Ecclesiastes 12:7; cf. 3:17-22 and 9:2-10) By the way, in regard to “spirit” in the preceding quotation, the Hebrew is רוּחַ, a word that is congruent with the original teaching’s last paragraph.

Psalm 6:4-5
4 Turn, O Lord, deliver my life; save me for the sake of your steadfast love. 5 For in (A)death there is no remembrance of you; in Sheol who will give you praise?

Psalm 30:9
“What profit is there in my death,[a] if I go down to the pit?[b] Will (A)the dust praise you? Will it tell of your faithfulness?

Psalm 88:10-12
10 Do you work wonders for the dead? (A)Do the departed rise up to praise you? Selah 11 Is your steadfast love declared in the grave, or your faithfulness in Abaddon? 12 Are your (B)wonders known in (C)the darkness, or your righteousness in the land of (D)forgetfulness?

Psalm 115:17
(A)The dead do not praise the Lord, nor do any who go down into (B)silence.

Isaiah 38:18-20
18 (A)For Sheol does not thank you; death does not praise you; those who go down to the pit do not hope for your faithfulness. 19 The living, the living, he thanks you, as I do this day; (B)the father makes known to the children your faithfulness. 20 The Lord will save me, and we will play my music on stringed instruments all the days of our lives, (C)at the house of the Lord.

Ecclesiastes 3:17-22
17 I said in my heart, (CR)God will judge the righteous and the wicked, for there is (CS)a time for every matter and for every work. 18 I said in my heart with regard to the children of man that God is testing them that they may see that they themselves are but (CT)beasts. 19 (CU)For what happens to the children of man and what happens to the beasts is the same; as one dies, so dies the other. They all have the same breath, and man has no advantage over the beasts, for all is vanity.[n] 20 All go to one place. All are from (CV)the dust, and to dust all return. 21 Who knows whether (CW)the spirit of man goes upward and the spirit of the beast goes down into the earth? 22 So I saw that there is(CX)nothing better than that a man should rejoice in his work, for (CY)that is his lot. Who can bring him to see (CZ)what will be after him?

Ecclesiastes 9:2-10
2 (IL)It is the same for all, since (IM)the same event happens to the righteous and the wicked, to the good and the evil,[al] to the clean and the unclean, to him who sacrifices and him who does not sacrifice. As the good one is, so is the sinner, and he who (IN)swears is as he who shuns an oath. 3 This is an evil in all that is done under the sun, that (IO)the same event happens to all. Also, the hearts of the children of man are full of evil, and (IP)madness is in their hearts while they live, and after that they go to the dead. 4 But he who is joined with all the living has hope, for a living dog is better than a dead lion. 5 For the living know that they will die, but (IQ)the dead know nothing, and they have no more reward, for (IR)the memory of them is forgotten. 6 Their love and their hate and their envy have already perished, and forever they have no more share in all that is done under the sun. 7 Go, (IS)eat your bread with joy, and drink your wine with a merry heart, for God has already approved what you do. 8 (IT)Let your garments be always white. Let not (IU)oil be lacking on your head. 9 Enjoy life with the wife whom you love, all the days of your (IV)vain[am] life that he has given you under the sun, because that is your (IW)portion in life and in your toil at which you toil under the sun. 10 Whatever your hand finds to do,(IX)do it with your might,[an] (IY)for there is no work or thought or knowledge or wisdom in Sheol, to which you are going.


For Solomon’s words in context, examine Ecclesiastes and Eternity: Digging Deeper.

Answer: the whole of Scripture does not describe “the sleep of death” as a conscious state.