    |
|
|
Other Articles: |
Is Death Good, or Evil? A Great Paradox! How should one consider death? How should we view that which is certainly a part of human life? As air breathing creatures, no matter how we think and behave, sooner or later, we give up the ghost. We DIE! Ecc. 9:1-5 says, "For all this I considered in my heart even to declare all this, that the righteous, and the wise, and their works, are in the hand of God: no man knoweth either love or hatred by all that is before them. All things come alike to all: there is one event to the righteous, and to the wicked; to the good and to the clean, and to the unclean; to him that sacrificeth, and to him that sacrificeth not: as is the good, so is the sinner; and he that sweareth, as he that feareth an oath. THIS IS AN EVIL among all things that are done under the sun, that there is one event unto all: yea, also the heart of the sons of men is full of evil, and madness is in their heart while they live, and after that they go to the dead. For to him that is joined to all the living there is hope: for a living dog is better than a dead lion. 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." Here the inspired word of God recognizes death as evil or bad. The original word translated "evil" above, is associated with calamity, adversity, distress, grief, sorrow, trouble, and wickedness. Certainly, we must give consideration to this association. After all, when those who we love die, we sorrow, we grieve, and adversity finds its way into our lives during these times. Can you imagine what life would be like if Adam and Eve had not eaten from the "tree of knowledge of good and evil." Remember death is connected to disobedience to God. As a result of the disobedience of the first man and woman, Death which is Evil, became a part of life, and the very fabric of human life and existence has been decaying ever since. Even the one who came to save us had to die in order to make immortality possible for those who accept the Salvation of God. When we understand the MYSTERIES OF GOD, we come to understand that God has a master plan. His plan is to reproduce Himself through us. Remember, in the garden it was said that each animal was made after their own kind. However, in the likeness of the image of God was man made. Man was a perfect example of the creation of God. But man in the garden was not made complete. Although the first Adam failed the test, thank God for the second Adam. Now we have the same opportunity that was made available to Adam. We can make the transition from mankind to literal members of the Family of God, if we let Him finish in us the process He began in Adam. That process is to change our human nature to the Divine nature of God! Although death is Evil, death (that is the first death) is also a blessing for the Saints of God. Isn't it wonderful how the Eternal takes the failures of man and converts them to BLESSINGS for those among mankind who "love His appearing?" Ps. 116:15 says, "Precious in the sight of the LORD is the death of his Saints." Isn't it wonderful to know that this calamity that befalls man is PRECIOUS in the eyes of God when that man is one of HIS? The word "precious" is taken from a Hebrew word that means to be valuable, rare, withdraw, etc. Regardless of how many times it is said of the vast number of people who die that they are Saints of God, the truth if it was known, is that in this "Day of Salvation," only a very few qualify to be called the Saints of the most high God. We read in Rev 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 labors; and their works do follow them." Here death is equated with "resting," or "sleeping." Although the absence of our loved ones brings sorrow to us, the living, in the eyes of the Almighty it is a blessing. Why? Imagine how you feel after a long, hard day's work. A day in which you struggled, and you were confronted with many obstacles that you had to OVERCOME? A day that literally WORE YOU OUT, and DRAINED you PHYSICALLY AND MENTALLY! At the end of the day you are ready for REST! For the true Saints of God, those who Overcome the appetites of the Adversary, the World, and the Flesh, those who cast aside every weight, the Almighty is the one who determines that His Servants, His Saints, His Friends, have suffered enough and He WITHDRAWS us from battle. The beauty of it all is that the next conscience moment of the "Dead in Christ," they will be in the Kingdom of God, and will then be immortal. How wonderful is the God we serve! The Evil of man becomes the JOY of the Lord. The word labors in Rev. 14:13 is also translated "labors" and "works" in Rev. 2:2-3. The church at Ephesus is told, "I know thy works, and thy labor, and thy patience, and how thou canst not bear them which are evil: and thou hast tried them which say they are apostles, and are not, and hast found them liars: And hast borne, and hast patience, and for my name's sake hast labored, and hast not fainted." Although in the next verse they were criticized for leaving their first love or not always maintaining the intensity that was present at the inception of their relationship with the Eternal, the Eternal did recognize that they labored and did not FAINT. You see how that works? If we labor and do not FAINT, if we stay in the RACE, then He knows when to pull us out of the race, give us REST, and put some one else on the FRONT LINE. When we consider the times that lie just ahead, we begin to agree that death is indeed a blessing for those who have finished the race, and yet for those who will FAITHFULLY live through the perilous times just ahead, a Great Reward is also prepared! Matt 24:21 says, "For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be." The next passage of scriptures pointed out by one of the sisters at the House of the Eternal really sums up the matter! Isa 57:1-2, "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 the evil to come. He shall enter into peace: they shall rest in their beds, each one walking in his uprightness." Remember, although death is evil, it is not the first death that should concern us. We already know that it is appointed unto a man once to die! But what about after that? Matt 10:28, "And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell." Rev 20:6, "Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years." Saints, the first Death is a paradox! It is a BAD and EVIL thing, because it is the result of disobeying God. But thank God for the shed Blood of His Son, the Messiah, and thank God for His infinite Wisdom, that makes the wisdom of man look foolish. Remember, Eve was deceived, and thus believed that she would become WISE if she ate of the unforbidden fruit. So much for our Wisdom! As we conclude for now, let the words from the book of Job penetrate the depths of our heart and mind as we seek to gain understanding from the knowledge of God! Job 14:1-14, "Man that is born of a woman is of few days, and full of trouble. He cometh forth like a flower, and is cut down: he fleeth also as a shadow, and continueth not. And dost thou open thine eyes upon such an one, and bringest me into judgment with thee? Who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean? not one. Seeing his days are determined, the number of his months are with thee, thou hast appointed his bounds that he cannot pass; Turn from him, that he may rest, till he shall accomplish, as an hireling, his day. For there is hope of a tree, if it be cut down, that it will sprout again, and that the tender branch thereof will not cease. Though the root thereof wax old in the earth, and the stock thereof die in the ground; Yet through the scent of water it will bud, and bring forth boughs like a plant. But man dieth, and wasteth away: yea, man giveth up the ghost, and where is he? As the waters fail from the sea, and the flood decayeth and drieth up: So man lieth down, and riseth not: till the heavens be no more, they shall not awake, nor be raised out of their sleep. O that thou wouldest hide me in the grave, that thou wouldest keep me secret, until thy wrath be past, that thou wouldest appoint me a set time, and remember me! If a man die, shall he live again? all the days of my appointed time will I wait, till my change come." "O DEATH WHERE IS THY STING? O GRAVE WHERE IS THY VICTORY? Beloved of God, don't just get in the Race. Don't just stay in the Race. Together, let's Finish the Race. Let's run on and see what the End will be for the Saints of God! HALLELUJAH! Pastor Gregory S. Andrus, Sr.
|
