Isaiah 40:6-8 “The voice said, “Cry out!”
And he said, “What shall I cry? All flesh is grass,
And all its loveliness is like the flower of the field.
The grass withers, the flower fades,
Because the breath of the Lord blows upon it;
Surely the people are grass.
The grass withers, the flower fades,
But the word of our God stands forever.”
There was a tragedy that occurred which took the life of a young man I once knew. He was strong, a military hero who had served his country faithfully, he had a full life awaiting him and yet the abrupt nature of his death brings a reminder of how fragile life is.
When the Lord reminds us of the brevity of life He compares life to grass that grows for a season, produces seed, then withers and falls to the ground, just for a season. What if that man had lived to the ripe old age of 80 or 90 years? Would the loss seem as great? Many believe that by the time people reach a certain age the expectation of death is more palpable, the loss can be more bearable since old age implies fullness of life.
Whether we live to be 30 or 100, the brevity of life is compounded when placed in an eternal perspective….a perspective that God maintains.
When events occur that challenge our expectation for life we often argue with God as if we have a right to live as long as possible. The shock of a life threatening disease or a person who is critically injured turns into prayers for healing, then the request to draw people into prayer is a form of bargaining with God, then if that loved one doesn’t survive…despair turns into anger and often depression.
Why do people think they have any rights at all?
What qualifies us to insist that God heals us, or that we live a long full life?
Job 14:1,2 “Man who is born of woman
Is of few days and full of trouble.
He comes forth like a flower and fades away;
He flees like a shadow and does not continue.”
The perspective of life and death varies greatly for the believer and unbeliever.
“Some day you will read in the papers that D. L. Moody, of East Northfield, is dead. Don’t you believe a word of it! At that moment I shall be more alive than I am now. I shall have gone up higher, that is all; out of this old clay tenement into a house that is immortal—a body that death cannot touch; that sin cannot taint; a body fashioned like unto His glorious body.”
D.L. Moody
The Believers Life
What does a believer who has the eternal Spirit of God indwelling within them have to look forward to?
The answer is: Everything.
For those who lived before Christ, the expectation of God’s wrath was clear and evident. Sin was an egregious offense towards God and without the grace of the cross those who lived previously could only hope for the promised Messiah.
Job recognized that the grave was his expectation until God’s wrath was appeased by the sacrifice of Christ.
Job 14:13,14 “Oh, that You would hide me in the grave,
That You would conceal me until Your wrath is past,
That You would appoint me a set time, and remember me!
If a man dies, shall he live again?
All the days of my hard service I will wait,
Till my change comes.”
Man’s position as a sinner before a Just and Holy God left him in a state of separation from God. For those who maintained a hopeful expectation for a coming Messiah their release from Sheol occurred when Jesus died for their sins—today those saints of God are waiting in Heaven for new bodies that will be given at the end of the age.
King David knew that his soul would dwell in Sheol until the Savior released him from his shame.
Acts 2:15-18 “For David says concerning Him:
‘I foresaw the Lord always before my face,
For He is at my right hand, that I may not be shaken.
Therefore my heart rejoiced, and my tongue was glad;
Moreover my flesh also will rest in hope.
For You will not leave my soul in Hades,
Nor will You allow Your Holy One to see corruption.
You have made known to me the ways of life;
You will make me full of joy in Your presence.’
Just like Job, Abraham, and every other believer in God before Christ, David’s soul was separated from God in a place of non-torment, waiting for the promised Messiah.
So whether the believer was waiting for the Savior or lived after the dispensation of grace, the believer has hoped in Christ alone. The hope is that Jesus’ sacrifice was enough for redemption (their release from the slavery of sin).
Acts 2:36 “Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly that God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ.”
An Unbelievers Life
For those who have rejected the hope of salvation, their expectation will be founded on their ‘good works’. The uncertainty of the hereafter becomes an act of desperation to stay alive as long as possible since the knowledge of what lies ahead is obscure. The atheist follows the path of expected oblivion. Even though the prospect of complete annihilation is a somber thought, they hold onto this false presumption not realizing there is a coming judgement for sin.
If a criminal didn’t have to pay for his/her crimes, the judge would be unjust, the atheist’s great hope is to think that any evil perpetuated in life has no consequence….it’s certainly a better prospect than an eternity in Hell.
Revelation 21:6-8 “And He said to me, “It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. I will give of the fountain of the water of life freely to him who thirsts. He who overcomes shall inherit all things, and I will be his God and he shall be My son. But the cowardly, unbelieving, abominable, murderers, sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death.”
But there are consequences to sin, and the Lord knows every work.
The Dialogue
A few years ago a friend of mine died from an overdose. His determination to ‘enjoy’ the freedom of homelessness became a desperate struggle against depression and substance abuse. His belief in Christ was evident in his testimony and his love for others, he just couldn’t shake the trauma of his youth and the hurt that was inflicted upon him.
I was asked to speak at his memorial and his entire family was present. I considered it a great honor because I knew he would want me to share the gospel with those he had tried himself so many times to share.
I spoke to those people as if my friend was speaking in my place, I held nothing back. I had one opportunity to bring the gospel and I did it to the best of my ability.
When death occurs around us, people are reminded that life has an end, it isn’t one continuous party nor does strength continue indefinitely. The days of our lives may seem to extend long but before we know it, 5 years goes by, then 10, then 20, then 50….before you know it your inevitable end becomes more apparent….if you live that long.
With the knowledge of the gospel comes the responsibility to share it with others.
Death is a good time to speak to others regarding what lies ahead, we must be prepared to answer tough questions when a loved one’s life has come to an end. If someone dies apart from Christ, I have found that if I share the law and grace then people recognize what the conclusion is for an unbelieving loved one, I don’t have to give them the bad news. If someone pushes me for an answer I just tell them that it isn’t up to me to decide, the Lord will decide in judgement, we just need to make sure that our position is secure in Christ.
Psalm 43:5 “Why are you cast down, O my soul? And why are you disquieted within me? Hope in God; For I shall yet praise Him, The help of my countenance and my God.”
The brevity of life can surprise us, especially when it strikes close to home. We must seize every opportunity God gives us and remember that we too will join those who have gone before us and be held accountable for how we lived—some to eternal life and others to an eternity of judgement.
Where do you stand?
U.T. 