DEATH: The Way of all Man
The word death is a name and spirit that scares majority of people in this present world. In some families, it is abominable to talk or open a discourse on death. They believe talking about death, when no one has really died is a bad omen. Some people went to the extent of securing terrestrial power in order to live long and, or prevent death, yet they died because it is inevitable. For it is written, “In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto ground; for out of it wast thou taken; for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return Genesis 3: 9?).” This is a powerful declaration from God unto man when the first man Adam disobeyed him.
What Then Is Death?
Death can be defined as the final separation of the soul from the body. A situation whereby an end is brought to life. The term “Death” is of two kinds: The physical death and the eternal death. Considering the physical death, a lot of questions crossed several people’s mind. Questions like;
- Why do people die?
- Why is it that man has just a chance to live on earth?
- Why some righteous people do not live long?
- Is it true that there is predestination as regards death?
- Is it a good thing for a born again Christian to die mysteriously?
Why Do People Die
It is quite understandable to all man that, death is inevitable, we shall all die. Ecclesiastes 9:5 says, “For the living know that they shall die: but the dead know not anything…” People have to die because the Lord God desired it to be so. It is His word that, “For dust thou art and unto dust thou shalt return.” Without the physical death, there is no resurrection of the dead, “For since by man came death, by man came also resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive (1 Corinthians 15: 21-22).” In as much as Adam had tasted death, so also does Jesus tasted it, then all mortal must pass through death unto resurrection, “For it is pertinent that the dust return to the earth as it was, and the spirit shall return unto God who gave it.” Ecclesiastes 12:7 says, “As we have borne the image of the earthly, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly.
WHY MAN HAS JUST A CHANCE TO LIVE ON EARTH
Let’s look at the first man from whom the spirit “death” began its work. The first man to die on the surface of the earth was Abel (Genesis 4:8) and after his death, nothing was heard of him in terms of living again on earth for a second chance. The same is it with the first man Adam, through and after the death and resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ. Man has just a chance to live on earth because, it is appointed unto man once to die, but after this, the judgement (Hebrew 9:27).”
WHY SOME RIGHTEOUS PEOPLE DO NOT LIVE LONG?
I was at the burial service of a devoted child of God one day, when a woman from among the crowd shouted in tears that, “Oh God, you did not do it well at all, why is it that you have delight in the death of the righteous and spare the lives of the wicked.” I believe the woman said this out of ignorance of who God is. God will be God in every situation, He is unquestionable and there is no fault nor imperfection in Him. Psalm 115:3 says, “But our God is in heavens, He hath done whatsoever He hath pleased.” And so, who are we to question God. The book of Isaiah 57:1 says, “The righteous perisheth, and no man layeth it to heart: and merciful men are taken away, none considering that the righteous is taken away from evil to come.” Psalm 116:15 says, “Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of His saints.” The reason why some righteous people do not live long is not farfetched. God may take them away to prevent them from an evil to come or that, they have fulfilled their mission on earth. And the accomplishment of one’s mission in this sinful world, it becomes expedient for one to sleep in the Lord, awaiting the resurrection day just like Apostle Paul, and other beloved of God. I want you to know that if a beloved or saint is made to live extra days/years on earth after the accomplishment of his earthly mission, those days or years might lead him astray and may lead him to eternal destruction or might made him experience bitterness and evil which are not of the Lord Almighty.
IS IT TRUE THAT THERE IS PREDESTINATION AS REGARD DEATH?
“Man that is born of a woman is of few days and full of trouble. Seeing his days are determined, the number of his months are with thee, thou hast appointed his bounds that he cannot pass (Job 14:1&5).” I want to affirm here that, there is predestination as regards death. There is no mortal without having a predestination as regards death. The days of a man on earth have been predetermined by HIS creator, God. This is evident in Christ teaching in Matthew 6:27 where He says, “Which of you by taking thought can add one cubit unto his stature?” He further made us understand that what has been written has been written, through what he went through at the time of his death. John17:1 says, “These word spake Jesus, and lifted up His eyes to heaven and said, Father, the hour is come; glorify thy son, that thy son also may glorify thee.” Christ having knew that he had accomplished his earthly mission, committed all unto his heavenly father (John 17:1-26 & 18:4).
Predestination as regards death could also be seen in Apostle Paul’s epistle to Timothy where he wrote, “For I am now ready to be offered and the time of my departure is at hand. I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith (2 Timothy 4: 6-7).” Paul wrote this second epistle to Timothy, when he was brought before Nero, the Romans king for the second time, after which he was condemned to death. However, this is not to say that everyone dies at the completion of his course here on earth. Some are died before their appointed time either as a result of their spiritual weaknesses or as a result of their spiritual of an existing curse in the family in they were born or married into. It is my prayer that your life will never be cut short in Jesus name.
IS IT A GOOD THING FOR A BORN AGAIN CHRISTIAN TO DIE MYSTERIOUSLY?
To be born again means to be save, having assurance of salvation. Being born again does not justify where a person will die nor does it indicate the type of death a man will die. Everyone wishes and pray to die peacefully like Abraham, Jacob, Joseph, David, Sarah, and many others. However, it is the ultimate truth that not everyone experiences a peaceful death. Whether one die mysteriously or peacefully does not determined your final destination (Heaven or Hell), neither is God moved by the nature of one’s death. What concerns God is how you lived your life on earth, whether you live for him or the devil.
Abel lived a life that pleased God, yet he was murdered by his brother, Cain (Genesis 4:3-8). The prophets of God were slain with the sword through the wickedness of Jezebel (1 King 18:1 & 19:10). The twelve disciples of Jesus Christ were all precious in the sight of God, yet they all died mysteriously except John the beloved who died peacefully. Revelation 20:4b says, “And I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands, and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years.” No matter the nature of one’s death, whether a peaceful death or a painful death, all shall rise to receive judgement before the throne of God on that glorious morning. Revelation 20:13 says, “And the sea gave up the dead which were in it, and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them and they were judged every man according to their works.” Christians, don’t be ignorant, the way you live your life for God matter most and not the kind of death one dies.
Having gotten the knowledge on what death is, are you prepared for it? To be prepared for death means to be upright with your creator. You need to let go of somethings that may debar you from eternal life. A biblical example of one who is prepared for death was Apostle Paul. Apostle Paul was so bold to confess this by saying, “I protest by your rejoicing which I have in Christ Jesus Our Lord, I die daily (1 Corinthians 15:31).” David was bold enough to see death as the way of all the earth. He therefore charged his son, Solomon to keep the charge of the Lord, to walk in his ways and keep his statutes, and commandment, 1 Kings 2:1-4. If you are prepared for death, then you become fearless. You will not need to seek for protection where there is no protection. For the bible says in Psalm 89:48 that, “What man is he that liveth and shall not see death? Shall he deliver his soul from the hand of the grave?”
I was graced to preached at a burial service, and so I asked the congregation to open with me to the book of 1 Corinthians 15:32b and read the last sentence which says, “Let us eat and drink; for tomorrow we die.” To my utmost surprise, more than 80% of the congregation were gripped with fear, as if I was telling them they would die the next day. For some minutes, some were reading the verse over and over again. Why? Because they were not prepared for such message. Many has forgotten the day of death. They have sold themselves to commit all sorts of iniquities thinking the earth is a permanent place of abode. No wonder, the rate at which crimes and godlessness increases in the world today is alarming. People’s lives are being threatened as kidnappers, ritualist, terrorist are all over the places shedding innocent blood for money making, promotion sake, and attainment of political ambition. Human meat has become goat meat to some people, fornication and adultery is becoming legalized just as gay marriage and lesbianism had been legalized.
Have you ever asked yourself this question, “When this inevitable spirit (Death) comes, what will be my fate? Eternal life or eternal destruction? Ecclesiastes 7:1 says, “A good name is better than precious ointment, and the day of death than the day of one’s birth.” For your day of death to be better and greater than your day of birth, you have to decide now for yourself where you want to spend your eternity, so that when everyone around your corpse are crying, you will be smiling. Live your life for Jesus so that you will not be guilty of death. Forsake all forms of unrighteousness and let Jesus be the master and Lord of your life. Perhaps you don’t know that death is a spirit, that will equally be judged before the throne of judgement just like all man. Death has its final place in the lake of fire. Revelation 20:14 says, “And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.” 1 Corinthians 15:26 says, “For the last enemy that shall be destroyed is death.” For one to be blameless before death, and to swallow up death in victory, is for one to have a portion of inheritance in Christ Jesus in eternity, while to be guilty of death is for one to end up one’s life in the lake of fire with your enemy death, which means eternal destruction. It is my prayer that, this will not be your portion, provided you are ready to surrender ALL unto Jesus Christ, the author and finisher of our faith. It is not by might nor pretense, but by the grace of God and work of righteousness. It is well.
Further Readings: 1 Thessalonians 4:13-17, Proverb 27:1, Ecclesiastes 8:8, James 1:15.
