- FIRST WHAT DEATH IS NOT:
- It is not the means of allowing
a wicked person an opportunity to be converted.
Note:
The relationship one had with God when he dies will
never change. As one dies so is
he. [See Luke
16:19-31, especially v. 26] = "…..
And beside all this, between us and
you there is a great gulf fixed: so that they which
would pass from hence to you cannot; neither can they
pass to us, that would come from thence."
- It is not a time of man’s
extinction.
Note: Both
the good and the bad continue to live after death. Luke
16:22-26 = "And it came to
pass, that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels
into Abraham's bosom: the rich man also died, and was
buried; And in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments,
and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his
bosom. And he cried and said, Father Abraham, have
mercy on me, and send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip
of his finger in water, and cool my tongue; for I am
tormented in this flame. But Abraham said, Son, remember
that thou in thy lifetime receivedst thy good things,
and likewise Lazarus evil things: but now he is comforted,
and thou art tormented. And beside all this, between
us and you there is a great gulf fixed: so that
they which would pass from hence to you cannot;
neither can they pass to us, that would come from thence."
- DEATH IS AN APPOINTMENT GOD HAS MADE
FOR US.
Hebrews
9:27 = "And as it is appointed unto
men once to die, but after this the judgment:"
- Here on earth we are but pilgrims.
Hebrews
11:13 = "These all died in faith,
not having received the promises, but
having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them,
and embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers
and pilgrims on the earth."
1
Peter 2:11 = "Dearly beloved, I
beseech you as strangers and pilgrims, abstain
from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul;"
- This is not our permanent dwelling
place.
Comment:
Down through the centuries the strictest Jews have
left unfinished various parts of
their homes, usually the cornice or some other conspicuous
spot. The purpose of this is to remind
them that nothing here is finished, that like Abraham
of old they are pilgrims and strangers in a
foreign land.
- DEATH IS BOTH CERTAIN AND UNCERTAIN:
- Death is certain to come.
Genesis
3:3 = "But of the fruit of the
tree which is in the midst of the garden, God
hath said, Ye shall not eat of it, neither shall ye
touch it, lest ye die."
- The time of death is uncertain.
James
4:14 = "Whereas ye know not what
shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It
is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time,
and then vanisheth
away."
- DEATH IS THE END OF LABORS:
- What needs to be done, must be
done before death.
Ecclesiastes
9:5 = "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."
Ecclesiastes
9:10 = "Whatsoever thy hand findeth
to do, do it with thy might; for
there is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom,
in the grave, whither
thou goest."
John
9:4 = "I must work the works of
him that sent me, while it is day: the night
cometh, when no man can work."
- The rich man waited too late.
Luke
16:19 = "There was a certain rich
man, which was clothed in purple and fine linen, and
fared sumptuously every day:" Luke
16:25-26 = "But Abraham said, Son,
remember that thou in thy lifetime receivedst thy
good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things: but
now he is comforted, and thou art tormented. And beside
all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed:
so that they which would pass from hence to you cannot; neither
can they pass to us, that would come from thence."
- ONLY THE LORD HAS POWER OVER DEATH:
- This power will be manifest at
the last trump of God.
1
Corinthians 15:51-55 = "Behold,
I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but
we shall all be changed, In a moment, in the twinkling
of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet
shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible,
and we shall be changed. For this corruptible
must put on incorruption, and this mortal must
put on immortality. So when this corruptible shall
have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall
have put on immortality, then shall be brought to
pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed
up in victory. O death, where is thy sting? O
grave, where is thy victory?"
- The power of the Lord’s voice
will the dead hear and arise.
John
5:28-29 = "Marvel not at this:
for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in
the graves shall hear his voice,"And shall come
forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection
of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection
of damnation."
- The shout of the voice of the Lord
and trump of God will be sounded together.
1
Thessalonians 4:16 = "For the Lord
himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with
the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God:
and the dead in Christ shall rise
first:"
- DEATH IS THE LAST ENEMY MAN WILL
FACE ON EARTH.
1
Corinthians 15:25-26 = "For he must
reign, till he hath put all enemies under his feet.
The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death."
- DEATH IS A DEPARTURE:
- From the world.
Ecclesiastes
12:5 = "Also when they shall be
afraid of that which is high, and fears shall
be in the way, and the almond tree shall flourish,
and the grasshopper shall be a burden, and desire
shall fail: because man goeth to his long home, and
the mourners go about the streets:"
- From the physical body.
Ecclesiastes
12:7 = "Then shall the dust return
to the earth as it was: and the spirit
shall return unto God who gave it."
James
2:26 = "For as the body without
the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead
also."
- The silver cord of life will be
loosed.
Ecclesiastes
12:6 = "Or ever the silver cord
be loosed, or the golden bowl be broken, or the
pitcher be broken at the fountain, or the wheel broken
at the cistern."
Note:
- Song: "SOME
DAY THE SILVER CORD WILL BREAK".
- A sign in front of a house
read: "This house for rent. Is the former
tenant dead? No, he has moved to a larger house
n a better situation."
- DEATH WAS DESIGNED TO BE GAIN FOR
MAN.
Philippians
1:21-22 = "For to me to live is Christ,
and to die is gain. But if I live in the
flesh, this is the fruit of my labour; yet what I shall
choose I wot not. "
- DEATH IS FREEDOM FROM THE STRESSES
OF PHYSICAL LIFE. – FORMER THINGS HAVE COME TO
AN END [PASSED AWAY].
- It is rest from labors.
Revelation
14:13 = "And I heard a voice from
heaven saying unto me, Write, Blessed are the
dead which die in the Lord from henceforth: Yea, saith
the Spirit, that they may rest from their labours;
and their works do follow them."
- It is freedom from pain, sorrow,
tears and death.
Revelation
21:1-4 = "And I saw a new heaven
and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first
earth were passed away; and there was no more sea. And
I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming
down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned
for her husband. And I heard a great voice out
of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God
is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall
be his people, and God himself shall be with them,
and be their God. And God shall wipe away all tears
from their eyes; and there shall be no more death,
neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there
be any more pain: for the former things are passed away."
- DEATH IS A MEANS OF TRANSPORTATION:
- It takes us from the exist of this
world to the entrance of another world.
Genesis
35:18 = "And it came to pass, as
her soul was in departing, (for she died)
that she called his name Ben-oni: but his father called
him Benjamin."
- It is necessary that we put off
this physical body of flesh and blood.
1
Corinthians 15:50 = "Now this I say,
brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom
of God; neither doth corruption inherit incorruption."
- DEATH IS NOT THE END OF WHAT MAN
HAS DONE AND HIS INFLUENCE ON EARTH, FOR THEY WILL FOLLOW
HIM BEYOND THE GRAVE.