Three kinds of death

After the death of Ahab, Moab rebelled against Israel. Now Ahaziah fell through the lattice in his upper chamber in Samaria, and lay sick; so he sent messengers, telling them, “Go, inquire of Baal-zebub, the god of Ekron, whether I shall recover from this sickness.” But the angel of the Lord said to Elijah the Tishbite, “Arise, go up to meet the messengers of the king of Samaria, and say to them, ‘Is it because there is no God in Israel that you are going to inquire of Baal-zebub, the god of Ekron? Now therefore thus says the Lord, You shall not come down from the bed to which you have gone up, but you shall surely die.’ ” So Elijah went. (2 Kings 1:1–4)

In the Bible, there are three kinds of death. One is the physical death, usually first thought of for this word;

By the sweat of your face you shall eat bread, till you return to the ground, for out of it you were taken; for you are dust, and to dust you shall return.” (Genesis 3:19) 

And just as it is appointed for man to die once, and after that comes judgment, (Hebrews 9:27)

As my hubby often says, we are all terminal. This thought helps us make decisions in daily life. For instance, the accumulation of useless stuff is meaningless because we cannot take it with us. Unless our stuff has meaning for the time we are here, or can be helpful for others, possessing it has no meaning. Pragmatic thinking comes from recognizing this kind of death.

This physical death is the separation of the soul from the body yet the second one is of greater significance, spiritual death. This is the separation of the soul from God. In Genesis 2:17, God tells Adam that in the day he eats of the forbidden fruit he will “surely die.” Adam does fall, but his physical death does not happen at that point. However, he is separated from God. Because of that sin, all who have not been redeemed and regenerated are alienated from God by sin. 

And you were dead in the trespasses and sins in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience— among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the flesh and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind. But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved— and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. (Ephesians 2:1–7)

By faith in Jesus Christ, anyone who is dead in sin passes from that death into spiritual life, a life that is no longer lived apart from God. 

For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. (Ephesians 2:8–9)

The third death mentioned is really the second one. It is eternal death or eternal separation from God after physical death. This is true for those who reject God’s gift of forgiveness of sin and eternal life. They remain eternally separate from the One who loves them and died for them.

Jesus, You died for a brief time and then were raised from the dead because You didn’t want me to remain separated from You. I shake my head in amazed wonder at the sacrifice You made for me and millions more. How utterly wonderful that Christians cannot be killed! I will live forever with You. 

 

 

Peace that makes no sense

Deuteronomy 10; Psalm 94; Isaiah 38; Revelation 8

This week I’m feeling like God’s spoiled brat, not deserving His blessings yet filled with His peace, even as we read the news and watch the disasters happening in the world. Talking to friends and neighbors, I realize that many people are fearful, filled with anxiety, and fretting about social isolation and many other events as if these are the worst tragedies possible. I’m not always sure what I should say to them.

It is true that many North Americans have had years of peace and prosperity. A generation or more have no idea what it is like to make-do, to struggle from day to day without food or income, or to live with few resources. The younger people today did not experience hardship like those who lived during the two great wars or other pandemics and plagues. Spoiled brats come to mind. Some complain that they have nothing to do, as if it is the worst possible thing that could happen. Others riot in the streets over one unjust act yet thousands of unjust acts are committed every day. Most of them never reach social media yet people suffer, such as millions of children forced into labor or the sex trade.

Today I read about a future judgment. No one knows when it will happen, but as with all biblical prophecies, I know it will happen. God’s record of fulfilled predictions stands at 100%. This one puts our current situation into perspective:

The second angel blew his trumpet, and something like a great mountain, burning with fire, was thrown into the sea, and a third of the sea became blood. A third of the living creatures in the sea died, and a third of the ships were destroyed. The third angel blew his trumpet, and a great star fell from heaven, blazing like a torch, and it fell on a third of the rivers and on the springs of water. The name of the star is Wormwood. A third of the waters became wormwood, and many people died from the water, because it had been made bitter. The fourth angel blew his trumpet, and a third of the sun was struck, and a third of the moon, and a third of the stars, so that a third of their light might be darkened, and a third of the day might be kept from shining, and likewise a third of the night. Then I looked, and I heard an eagle crying with a loud voice as it flew directly overhead, “Woe, woe, woe to those who dwell on the earth, at the blasts of the other trumpets that the three angels are about to blow!” (Revelation 8:8–13)

The latest data I can find says Covid-19 deaths are about 5% of the population, not anywhere near the numbers in this scary passage. Even more staggering is the realization that 100% of the population will eventually die, virus or not. Heart attack, stroke, or not. Hit by a truck or not. “It is appointed for man to die once, and after that comes judgment.” (Hebrews 9:27)

These thoughts are not intended to increase the fear but to bring an eternal perspective to the daily headlines. Because death is a certainty, regardless of how it happens, doesn’t it make more sense to focus on that issue?

Trusting Jesus Christ for salvation erases that fear. He forgives sin and grants eternal life to all who put their faith in Him. This is an incredible thing, better than an antidote, antivirus, an aspirin a day, and staying out of traffic. It is not a popular choice, now or in the past. The psalmist struggled with foes and the daily battle against sin, but he could say:

Who rises up for me against the wicked? Who stands up for me against evildoers? If the Lord had not been my help, my soul would soon have lived in the land of silence. When I thought, “My foot slips,” your steadfast love, O Lord, held me up. When the cares of my heart are many, your consolations cheer my soul. (Psalm 94:16–19)

Not all Christians are in the frontlines against evil yet all of us battle the source of it and in this battle, we have God’s incredible promises. As Jesus said, “I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33) And as John echoed, “For everyone who has been born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith.” (1 John 5:4)

APPLY: When I watch the news, emotions grip me almost as if I am there — in the struggles and sorrows, but the peace of God will not let me stay there. Jesus keeps His promises, those about peace and those about judgment. His steadfast love is holding me up and His consolations cheer my soul.

 

 

Some parties are no fun at all . . .

I was sad all of yesterday. First a large photo in the newspaper caught my attention. It was a distinguished looking man with a nice smile, but when I read the story, he turned out to be an accused rapist. How deceptive outward appearance can be and why give that much space to him?

Then a news story on an Internet site for quilters shocked me. A young designer whose work has caught my attention is suddenly dead. She was sick, but I didn’t know that. I didn’t know her personally, but for some reason her death shouted how brief life is and how quickly it can be lost. I grieve for her and for the shortness and unpredictability of life.

On a more personal level, a project I was excited about suddenly became difficult, even seeming impossible. I wasted a couple of hours struggling with it and wound up feeling sorry for myself. Pity party.

Besides those, I did yoga and Pilates for the first time in years, and was sore, and at each meal I ate the wrong food and too much of it. By bedtime, I felt like a balloon — filled with aches and pains. More pity party.

Sitting before the Word of God this morning, I asked Him to clarify my thoughts. As I read these verses, the Holy Spirit spoke to my heart: “Get your focus back on Jesus” . . .

“By this we know that we abide in him and he in us, because he has given us of his Spirit. And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent his Son to be the Savior of the world. Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him, and he in God.” (1 John 4:13–15)

Jesus is the Savior of the world, and my Savior. I confess this is true; and He is the Son of God. He lives in me and I in Him. I have the Holy Spirit who gives me the assurance of these things.

From John 3:11-21, the Spirit clarified some of the stuff that bothered me yesterday with several realities . . .

The world lies in sin. “We know that we are from God, and the whole world lies in the power of the evil one.” (1 John 5:19) I should not be surprised when those least likely are caught doing despicable things. In the eyes of God, all are guilty. We need a Savior.

The wages of sin is death and death is often a surprise. How important it is to know Jesus as Savior and abide in Him. I don’t know the quilter who died. She may have been a Christian who has eternal life. However, from what God says, she illustrates the reality that everyone is appointed once to die, and after that there is a judgment. (Hebrews 9:27)

God sent Jesus to free sinners (me) from judgment. “God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God. And this is the judgment: the light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their works were evil. For everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his works should be exposed.” (John 3:16-20)

Other passages address my self-pity. Most of them are a slap on the wrist, such as . . .

“Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice. Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand; do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.” (Philippians 4:4–8)

He also reminded me that “I can do all things through him who strengthens me” (Philippians 4:13) and that “God is able to make all grace abound to (me), so that having all sufficiency in all things at all times, (I) may abound in every good work.” (2 Corinthians 9:8)

Jesus, how can I whine when You, the God who created all things, lives in my heart, meets all of my needs, and has given me eternal life? My sinfulness is still powerful and reminds me how deeply I need You as my Savior and Lord, and how keeping my mind on You prevents me from going to those sad pity parties.

Time to reconsider

Some people say, “When you are dead, you are dead” without any faith in an afterlife. Others hope, but are not certain. In Jesus’ time, a religious sect called the Sadducees did not believe in a resurrection or in angels. In those days, if a man died, his brother was supposed to marry his widow, thus ensuring her care, so they tried to trap Jesus with a question about marriage.

They asked Him if a woman consecutively married seven brothers who all died, whose wife would she be in the resurrection. They thought this would mess with the idea of any afterlife or heaven, but…

Jesus said to them, “Is this not the reason you are wrong, because you know neither the Scriptures nor the power of God? For when they rise from the dead, they neither marry nor are given in marriage, but are like angels in heaven. And as for the dead being raised, have you not read in the book of Moses, in the passage about the bush, how God spoke to him, saying, ‘I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob’? He is not God of the dead, but of the living. You are quite wrong.” (Mark 12:24–27)

Jesus’ answer stopped them, but it also touches several issues that are still a struggle today. The first one is that most people, even many Christians, don’t know what the Bible says about death and the afterlife. Some have the mistaken notion that people sprout wings, sit on clouds and play harps. They might call heaven “a better place” or “up there” thinking their loved ones look down on them and cheer them on. Others have convinced themselves that death is the end of everything.

The current books about those who have come back from death-like experiences catch a lot of interest. While those people had a genuine experience, it seems much of what they “saw” is related to their preconceived ideas because the stories do not agree with each other. A far more reliable source is the One who came down from heaven to live and walk among us and to show us the glory of God. What does He say about it?

Second, Jesus said these religious leaders did not know the power of God. I have told several people about the supply of food brought to the farm the week prior to the flooding. (See yesterday’s post.) The farm woman didn’t know why so many brought her food, and they didn’t know either. This illustrates the power of God. His Spirit nudges in ways that may not be spectacular yet nonetheless are convincing.

I can remember a couple came to a church we were attending. They had just moved from a distance and were settling into their new home. I was “nudged” to take them a big bag of rhubarb. At the time, it seemed odd. Many people don’t like rhubarb, but the nudge was clear. When I gave it to them, they were almost in tears. They said the thing they missed the most from their former yard was their rhubarb!

Third, Jesus says that heaven is not about marriage. We will not become angels, but we will be like them in that marriage is not an issue. In my mind, this raises other questions, but the Bible doesn’t answer all of them. Jesus did confirm though, that the idea of us becoming angels is not true.

Forth, Jesus also spoke about resurrection. His own had not yet happened, but even the Old Testament Scriptures strongly hinted that this was going to happen. God is the God of the Old Testament saints. Jesus didn’t say God was their God but that He is their God. They are alive, hundreds of years after they died.

Of all that the Word of God says about the afterlife, the clearest is that it is a fact. When I die, I will live. My personality will remain. I will be recognizable (just as Peter and John recognized Moses and Elijah at the transfiguration (Matthew 17:1-8). I will also have a body like the resurrected body of the Lord (1 Corinthians 15). There will be no more mourning, tears and crying, pain or sorrow, and I will be with God forever (Revelation 21:3-4).

In my recent studies, I’ve read ancient documents about the existence of Jesus Christ and the attempts to disprove both that and His resurrection. No one tries to disprove a world-changing event that didn’t happen, unless of course they don’t want it to be true.

This is the part that baffles me. Why would anyone not want eternal life to be true? Perhaps they are afraid of one other thing the Bible says about death: “…it is appointed for man to die once, and after that comes judgment” (Hebrews 9:27). Perhaps they don’t like the idea of harps and forever having nothing to do (both false concepts). Whatever their reasons, as long as they are still breathing, there is still time read the Bible, take another look at the Redeemer, and reconsider.