Did you ever notice a lot of old people die? In fact, I’ve noticed a lot of people of all ages die. One idiosyncrasy I acquired from my mom is looking at the obituaries every day. Now with the internet I can view them in the towns where we know people. My wife picks at me about this habit, so I don’t let her see me scanning the names. If someone comments to me that this is an odd practice, I respond, “I’m just making sure my obituary is not listed.” Ok, my family would call this a bit of morbid humor. But nothing is humorous about the obituaries because each one signifies death. It means a human life has ended on this earth and now he or she faces judgment. And just as it is appointed for man to die once, and after that comes judgment . . . (Heb 9:27 ESV).
For those of us who are older, this reality becomes more pronounced. As a teenager, I would tell myself, “I’ll ask Jesus into my heart at my last moments.” This idea was shattered when a friend was driving my car on the way to the beach and I was sleeping off too many drinks in the back seat. His words, “hold on, we’re going to wreck” jolted me from my slumber. Immediately the car began spinning. I have no clue how many times. It jumped a ditch, and rested on its side. All the while, we were tossed and thrown around in the vehicle. After crawling out through a window, the first thought that came to my mind and I do mean the first, “I didn’t even think about asking Christ into my heart.” Thankfully, we were physically unharmed. But the experience and the fact I never thought about praying had a profound influence on my salvation and the reality of death.
We live in an age when people view death as merely an end with nothing beyond that. Others fear death doing all they can to evade it through healthy living, medicine, or even preserving their bodies through cryonics hoping science will conquer death and bring them back to life someday. Those following the teachings of false religions live with futile hopes that will only lead them into eternal death rather than eternal life with Christ. Others try and avoid the subject, “Oh! I don’t like to think about dying. I’ll cross that bridge when I come to it.” Death is the result of sin. Genesis records the beginning of sin through Adam and Eve, states the consequence—death, and chapter five begins the account of the deaths that followed. Adam lived nine hundred and thirty years, and he died; all the days of Methuselah were nine hundred and sixty-nine years, and he died; all the days of Noah were nine hundred and fifty years, and he died. As believers, we will also die, but in Christ, we have the assurance that physical death is just a door leading to eternal life in His presence.
The word used for ‘appointed’ for man to die also means laid up, laid up in store, or reserved. So death is laid up or reserved for every person. Yet, other scriptures give hope for blessings also laid up in store for Christians. Paul used this word twice. Because of the hope laid up [reserved] for you in heaven, of which you previously heard in the word of truth, the gospel (Col 1:5). Then only days, maybe hours, before he was beheaded, Paul wrote to Timothy in the future there is laid up [reserved] for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day; and not only to me, but also to all who have loved His appearing (2Ti 4:8). We likewise have hope laid up in heaven and a crown of righteousness reserved.
Most people have heard the first part of the verse, appointed for man to die but failed to connect the latter part, so Christ, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time, not to deal with sin but to save those who are eagerly waiting for him (Heb 9:28 ESV). Note the writer says who are eagerly waiting for him and Paul’s words all who have loved His appearing. Because Christ was offered once to bear our sins, which is the cause of death, it is not something to fear.
For those who say they will cross that bridge when they come to it, death is like my car wreck and my incorrect belief that I could ask for forgiveness in my final moments. That bridge can come so suddenly that no time remains for repentance. For those without Christ, no bridge exists, only a bottomless abyss of eternal torment.
Regardless of the city or country when I scanned a newspaper, I always found an obituary page listing the name/s of those who had died. Death is inevitable. Science has learned ways of prolonging life, but still nowhere near to conquering death. Only Christ has done that. We will sing at our resurrection, O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting (1 Cor 15:55)?” May your obituary read, “Tomorrow, we will celebrate the home going of our beloved friend.”
Sustaining Word for the Week: Whether young or old, when we receive Christ He becomes the bridge to eternal life. I am the resurrection and the life; he who believes in Me will live even if he dies (John 11:25).