March 3, 2021
JAMES 4:14
“Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away.”
Driving home from work the other day I noticed a vehicle riding my rear bumper and getting way too close for comfort. As I observed it through my rearview mirror, I realized it was a hearse! This seemed unusual that he was tailgating me and frankly a bit disturbing. Now I have been tailgated in my life but never by a hearse! It was just odd. While enduring this abnormal occurrence, I began to contemplate about death. In a sense, death does follow behind us and eventually it will catch up to us all. I liken it to a thin veil that is hanging right next to each of us. At some point in our lifetime, we will all go through this veil of death into an eternity.
Death is not a comfortable topic. It is a discussion that we typically try to avoid. We rarely think about it until it happens to someone we know. We may have warnings of a coming death, due to illness or old age, but death can also occur unexpectedly. No matter how death comes about, it will come for us all. God’s Word says there is a time to be born and time to die (Ecclesiastes 3:2). Do you know the statistics on death? One out of every one person will die! The Bible says in Hebrews 9:27 “And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment:” After we pass through the veil of death, we will all meet our Maker, the very one who gave us life. When someone I know dies, my first response is usually one of shock or disbelief. I wonder if the reason disbelief happens first is because God created us for eternity.
Have you ever thought about your own death? What sort of emotions develop in you when you think about your own approaching death? There are a variety of emotions surrounding the subject of death: feelings such as sadness, fear, shock, despair, and disbelief. With the myriad of emotions that accompany death, I think the most common emotion we all have is fear. A lot of folks would say it is the fear of the unknown. But we can know what to expect after death, because the one who made us tells us what to expect. Should born-again believers in Jesus Christ fear death? After all, we know that our eternal destination is Heaven.
Since I have placed my faith in Jesus Christ, I do not fear the other side of the veil. But thoughts about how God is going to take me through the veil can bring about fear. Thoughts of leaving my loved ones behind can bring sadness and concern. The Apostle Paul longed to be with Jesus in glory. He said, “For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.” In the first chapter of Philippians, he talks about longing to be with Christ but God still had work for him. It was not yet his time to go.
In my observations, specifically over the last year, I do not think every Christian looks upon death as gain. COVID-19 made its appearance to our nation about a year ago. Since its entrance the virus has pretty much dominated our lives. One thing I have noticed about the response to this health crisis is that a lot of people are afraid to die. Even professing Christians seem fearful. The populace has been trying their best to avoid something that will eventually happen to all of us.
Avoiding death is a natural act because life is a precious gift that God has given us. However, I think we can get so focused on this life here on earth, which is but a vapor, that we forget that God is sovereign over ALL of life. He gives us every breath! He gives us every heartbeat! We cannot exist without Him.
Disease and death have been here since sin entered the world. (Genesis chapters 2-3) Throughout the centuries mankind has developed ways to treat disease and prolong life but death is inescapable. I find it interesting that when we read the Gospels of the Bible, we find that the main interest people had in Jesus was that He healed the sick and raised the dead. The multitudes would follow Him, gather around Him, and beg Him for healing.
Today, since we have so many medical advances, our society seems to rely more on science. Science is good, God gives us knowledge. However, our understanding of science changes. I mean, look at all the inconsistencies surrounding COVID-19. But God, hallelujah, He does not change! We need His wisdom to direct our knowledge. Unfortunately, many scientists do not believe in God. Therefore, they do not seek God’s wisdom in their research. I think fear has become the driving force behind many scientists. So when we allow science alone to direct us instead of following God’s Word and wisdom, our focus is off. If we look even deeper, it is really our faith that is off. We lose sight of God. Christians are to have a personal relationship with the God of the entire universe! Every single microorganism is in HIS control. Where is our faith?
In a Daily Wire article titled “The End Of Frivolous Religion?” by John MacAuthor, he discusses how the COVID-19 pandemic has brought a distinction between churches in America. Those who obey the Word of God and those who obey man. The following is paragraph from this article by MacAuthor. “Who could possibly miss the fact that “fear of death” has literally been the controlling factor in government policies, news reports, economic trends, and almost every level of human activity worldwide for the past year? Scripture gives us a clear and effectual remedy for that fear. And the Church’s chief duty with regard to society at large is the proclamation of that message.”
God has given us the remedy for fear and death—trust and obey Him. As Christians, our duty is to be doers of the Word. (James 1:22) There are two commands given to us in the scripture that have sadly been disobeyed over the past year because of quarantines and shutdowns. Those commands are Hebrews 10:25, “Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.” and Matthew 28:18-20 “And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.”
What we are experiencing in our world today should bring about a greater urgency in our calling as Christians. We are instructed in scripture to not fear the death of our body but to fear the destination of our soul. (Matthew 10:28). Many have a greater fear of this pandemic than they do of God and the second death. People are dying without Jesus!
Christian, unless Jesus returns in our lifetime, we will not escape death. Whether we die first or be caught up in the rapture, don’t you want the Lord Jesus to see that you are going about HIS business when your life here ends? As Jesus said in Luke 9:62 “No man, having put his hand to the plough, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.” Death is on the tail of each one of us. It follows closely behind us on this road we travel. As death follows us, are we following Jesus? No matter how or when our life here ends, we are not supposed to stop. We plow forward and continue His work, for His glory!
Scripture For Further Study:
Psalm 23, Psalm 90:12, Psalm 116:15, Proverbs 16:9, Proverbs 27:1, Ecclesiastes 3, Ecclesiastes 7:1-12, Isaiah 25:8, John 3:16, John 16:33, Romans 6:23, Romans 8:37-39, Romans 14:7-8, 1 Corinthians 15, 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18, 2 Peter 3:10, 1 John 4:18, Revelation 1:18, Revelation 21:4
In Times Like These 