God's View on Death

I know that we all prayed fervently for Zach's healing. And Norm and I, when we heard about Zach, both of us cried over the situation because we had, I'm sure like all of you, prayed so fervently that God would perform a miracle. When God allowed Zach to die, I'm sure that some people's faith were weakened by that. I think we all have difficulty handling death, especially when it involves children. That's not an easy thing to deal with. We can understand the elderly. We can understand adults as we get older. And as we begin to age, we all realize that one day we will die.

I think the older you get, the deeper that realization, the awareness of it begins to sink in. But I know that we have couples sitting here who've lost children in the past and that you have a special empathy, a special concern, and you know what others are going through. We as parents are supposed to die first. That's the natural order of things.

And then our children die. We grieve for this precious young man. Our emotions can run the gamut from heart-sabbing grief to resentment and anger. There are all kinds of emotions that human beings have when something like this occurs. The suddenness of an untimely death can overwhelm us with shock, disbelief, and sometimes even bewilderment.

While it's natural and normal for us as human beings to feel this way, God in His love never intended us to look on death with a morose fear of the unknown. So many in society today feel that way. They don't know what's going to happen. They hear all kinds of ideas thrown around. We do ask why, though. Some think that God isn't with us anymore when someone dies and they wonder about that.

God looks at death as we know totally different than we do. God looks at death as something that is not final. For too many, death is final. It's a final separation. But for God, death is a step in His great plan. A step toward fulfilling His great Master Plan. Because you find that God created us physically, He created us mortal, He created us with a definite lifespan.

We don't go on living forever. He told Adam and Eve, in the day you sin, you will die. And so God showed right from the very beginning that man would die. Let's go over to the book of Ecclesiastes in the Bible, Ecclesiastes chapter 3, beginning in verse 1. Ecclesiastes 3, verse 1, says to everything there is a season and a time for every purpose under heaven.

There is a time to be born and there is a time to die. There is a time to plant and a time to pluck up what is planted. And it goes on making comparisons. So the Bible very clearly says there is a time to be born and there is a time to die. We don't choose the timing of our birth. The only one who did that was God the Father and Jesus Christ. I knew precisely when Christ was going to be born. For the rest of us, what did you have to do with your birth?

You are here because of the blessings of your parents. And we don't choose the timing of our death either. That's something that happens and is not something that you and I can always choose. We find that the Bible was written, and part of the reasons for the Bible being written in many of the Scriptures in the Bible, is to give us comfort and encouragement so that we can be comforted by God.

There are examples in the Scriptures that show that premature death has and does occur in life, and we find that example. Adam and Eve had two sons, Cain and Abel, and we know that Cain killed Abel, and so they lost their son very early in life. God asked Abraham to go out and sacrifice his son Isaac, and in Abraham's mind he had killed Isaac. He had taken the knife, it was raised, he was ready, and he had committed himself to plunge that knife into his son when God ordered him to stop.

Job, if you remember the account in Job, lost all of his children. He had ten children, and he lost them. They were of various ages. What about the male children in Israel when they lived in Egypt, when Pharaoh commanded that all of the male children be thrown into the river and die? And you find that Moses' parents saved him alive, and through Moses God was able to deliver the Israelites. What about Elijah and the widow's son?

You find that Elijah stayed with the widow, her son died. She accused Elijah, why did you allow my son, or why did God kill my son? And Elijah went in and prayed three times, and God restored life to her son. David lost his son, and we're all familiar with that account. We'll take a look at that in more detail.

All the male children were killed after the birth of Jesus Christ. When the wise men did not come back to Herod to report to him, you find that he had all of the children in Bethlehem two years and younger killed. God gave his son for us.

And so you find many times in the Bible that there are many scriptures that we could turn to, we could read, that deal with the premature death of a young person. Let's go over to 2 Samuel 12. 2 Samuel 12, verse 16, and we will read the example of David. Because you find that David prayed and fasted, and he cried out to God for the healing of his son.

Beginning here in verse 16, we read, So we have his example here of beseeching God, asking God to intervene. Notice verse 17. So the elders of his house arose and went to him to raise him up from the ground, but he would not. Nor did he eat food with them. So they realized that he was very emotionally upset over this whole situation. He was crying, and he was beseeching God, and he was not eating.

Now in verse 18, then on the seventh day came to pass that the child died, and the servants of David were afraid to tell him that the child was dead. For they said, Indeed, while the child was alive, we spoke to him, and he would not hear our voices. How can we tell him that the child is dead? He may do some harm, talking about what he might do to himself. So his servants were afraid to tell him. The NIV translates the last part of this verse.

He may do something desperate. So they were afraid of what he might do to himself. And yet in verse 19, when David saw that his servants were whispering, David perceived that the child was dead. Therefore, David said to his servants, Is the child dead? And they said, He is dead. Now David perceived this. You can imagine the concern of a household. He had been fasting and grieving for his son, and they feared to give him the news about his son's death.

But let's notice in verse 20. So David arose from the ground, washed, anointed himself, changed his clothes. He went into the house of the Lord and worshipped. Then he went to his own house. When he requested, they said food before him, and he ate. Now we see David doing the opposite of what most people would think David would have done. He mourned while the child was ill. He fasted while the child was ill. He prayed while the child was ill. And then he resumed his normal routine afterwards.

Now this was somewhat puzzling to his servants. They couldn't make this out. And so in verse 21, then his servants said to him, what is it that you've done? You fasted and wept for the child while he was alive, but when the child died, you arose and ate food.

I want you to notice David's response. I think when we understand what David says here, you and I can take great comfort and have peace of mind. Notice in verse 22 and 23. He said, while the child was alive, I fasted and wept.

For I said, who can tell whether the Lord will be gracious to me, and that the child may live? Now here we know as David, one of the greatest servants of God, beseeching God, he realized partially that a lot of this occurred because of his own sins that he had committed. But he said, now he is dead. Why should I fast? Can I bring him back again? I shall go to him. He shall not return to me. So when we have a loved one who dies, it can be a mate, a spouse, it can be a child, a mother, a father, whoever it might be, we cannot bring them back to us.

We know that eventually we will go to them, we will go to the grave. He understood what other servants of God have understood down through the ages, that all is not over at death, especially for a young person like Zachary, who died, for anyone who dies, that there's coming a time when every person will be resurrected from the grave, and the continuation of God's purpose in their life will be there. God has a purpose for every human being who's ever been born.

God has a plan for every human being, and all of us have a race to run that God has given to us. So it's proper and right to mourn, but we can be comforted and encouraged by the plan of God and the knowledge of knowing that Zachary and anyone who dies, that Zachary will again live in God's appointed time, that there will come an appointed time for him to be resurrected.

Let's notice the book of Job in Job 14. Job 14, verse 14. Job asks the question, If a man die, shall he live again? Then he said, All the days of my hard service, I will wait till my change comes. So he realized that there was going to be a change. And he said, You will call, and I will answer you, and you shall desire the work of your hands. I want you to notice the N.A.S. translation of verse 14. If a man dies, will he live again? All the days of my struggle?

I will wait until my change comes. The N.I.V. says, All the days of my hard service, I will wait for my renewal to come. He realized there was going to be a renewal, or a change. The New Revised Standard Version says, All the days of my service, I will wait until my release comes. So they all use different words, change, release, renewal.

But they all are specifically addressing the fact that there will come a time when there will be a resurrection, and there will be a change. In 1 Thessalonians chapter 4, we find the Apostle Paul addressing the church in Thessalonica. Many of them had thought that Jesus Christ was going to come back in their lifetime. They didn't fully understand the timing of Christ's second coming. Christ had told the apostles, I will come again. And it wasn't, I think, until the book of Revelation and some of the other prophecies, until God began to reveal to them that the timing was more into the future.

Paul wrote here in verse 13, I did not want you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning those who have fallen asleep. Now God compares death to asleep. He says, Now God compares death to asleep. He says, Lest you sorrow as others who have no hope. So a lot of people, when someone dies close to them, they have no hope. They don't know what's going to happen. And yet, you go on and you read through this chapter, and you find that when Jesus Christ returns to the earth, that there is to be a resurrection, that the dead in Christ shall rise first, as verse 16 says, and then we which are alive and remain shall be called up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord, and so shall we ever be with the Lord.

Therefore, we're told, comfort one another, or to take comfort from the promise that God has given to us. We have the hope of the resurrection. We look forward to the future, to that time. In fact, in 1 Corinthians chapter 15, beginning in verse 20, we find that there's going to come a time when all who have died will be made alive. It doesn't matter if they're a baby who dies, a teenager like Zachary who dies, an older person who dies, an aged person who dies.

We find, but now, in verse 20, Christ is risen from the dead and has become the firstfruits of those who fallen asleep. For since by man came death, by man also came the resurrection of the dead, for as an atom all die, even so in Christ, all shall be made alive. So I want you to notice, all will be made alive.

John 5, 28 says there will be a resurrection of all who have ever lived, and they will be resurrected the just. There's a resurrection of the just and the resurrection of the unjust.

Zach died without the opportunity to live out his life, to develop his dreams, to have a family.

Like so many young people, how many millions have died in war without ever living for the rest of their life? How many einzines? How many poets? How many world leaders? How many people have been cut short in their lives before they had the opportunity to really live? Millions have died in the same state or condition down through the six thousand years a man's been on this earth, and they will have the opportunity to live again. This is the promise that our great God gives to us, that every human being will live once more. Revelation chapter 19 begins to put it all into focus. If you'll read Revelation chapter 19 beginning in verse 11. Verse 11 talks about Jesus Christ returning to the earth here shortly in the near future. It says, I saw heaven open and behold a white horse, and he who said on him was called faithful and true, and in righteous he judges and makes war. And you find that out of his mouth, verse 15, goes a sharp sword, that with it he should strike the nations, and he shall rule them with a rod of iron. So he's going to come back, put down the rulers of this world, set up his government on this earth. Now in Revelation chapter 20 and beginning here in verse 2, you find in the future, after Christ returns, one of the first things that he will do is send out a great angel who lay hold on the dragon, that serpent of old who is the devil and Satan, and bound him for a thousand years. So Satan and his demons will be thrown in a lake of fire. They'll be shut up and they'll be sealed and will not be able to deceive the nations anymore until after that thousand years. Now you find, beginning in verse 4, that a resurrection takes place when Christ returns. I saw thrones and they sat on them, and judgment was committed to them, and I saw the souls of those who were beheaded for their witness to Jesus and for the Word of God, who had not worshiped the beast or his image or had not received his mark on their fords in their hands. And they lived and they reigned with Christ for a thousand years. So we know when you have your head cut off, you're dead. These are talking about true Christians, specifically focusing on the martyrs who have died, that they live and they reign with Christ a thousand years. So if they reign with him for a thousand years, it means they were resurrected at the beginning of the millennium. And then they live and they reign for a thousand years with Jesus Christ. But let's notice verse 5. But the rest of the dead did not live again till the thousand years were finished.

So there are others who are not resurrected in that first resurrection, only those who are true Christians, who have God's Spirit that God has called, that God has worked with during the last six thousand years, come up in that first resurrection. The rest of the dead, that's those who never understood God's truth, or never had an opportunity to understand God's truth, or never had a chance to live, they will live and they will have their opportunity at the end of that thousand years. Blessed and holy is he who is part in the first resurrection. Over such the second death is no power and they shall be priests of God and of Christ and they shall reign with him a thousand years. And so the first resurrection. So you find at the end of that thousand years, the rest of the dead will live, will be given their opportunity to live a normal and a wonderful life in the flesh. They will be given their chance of salvation, not a second chance, but their first opportunity that they ever had to understand fully and to live and to respond to God's way of life.

As verse 11 and 12 describes it here, there's going to come a great white throne judgment.

And I saw a great throne and him who sat on it from whose face the earth and the heavens fled away and there was found no more place for them. And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God and the books were opened. And another book was opened, which is the book of life.

And the dead were judged according to the works by the things written in the books.

The books here refer to the Bible. This is Beblos, books. This is the Bible, the Scriptures. So the Scriptures are open to their understanding and then they're going to be judged according to the Word of God. And as James 1 and 2 shows, we are judged by the law of God, by the Word of God.

Billions of human beings will come up at that time. Among them will be children, babies, and young people. Someone like Zach will have an opportunity to grow up, to mature, to marry.

People will marry in the white throne judgment. They won't have children.

God will have to stop the procreation process or offspring, but there will be billions of babies to rear. How many babies have died? How many abortions have taken place? How many young people have died young? Billions of babies will be raised, and there will be families that they'll be in. In the great white throne judgment, there will be family units, and they will be able to live, learn God's way, qualify, or grow in grace and in knowledge and be in God's kingdom.

So many have died without hope, without understanding, without realizing what their hope was. Let's go back to the book of Ezekiel. Ezekiel 37. The book of Ezekiel. Chapter 37, verse 10.

And you find...

Notice, verse 10. So I prophesied as he commanded me.

Here is what is described the Valley of Dry Bones.

And breath came into them, and they lived, and stood upon their feet, an exceeding great army.

And he said to me, Son of Man, these bones are the whole house of Israel. So here is pictured all of Israel being resurrected. They indeed say our bones are dry. So figuratively speaking, the dead are saying our bones are dry. Our hope is lost. We have no hope, and we ourselves are cut off.

Therefore prophesy and say to them, Thus says the Lord God, Behold, thus says the Lord God, Behold, O my people, I will open your graves and cause you to come up out of your graves and bring you into the land of Israel. And you shall know that I am the Lord, when I have opened your graves, O my people, and brought you up from your graves. And I will put my spirit in you, and you shall live, and I will place you in your own land. And then you shall know that I, the Lord, have spoken it and performed it, says the Lord.

So you find that those who have no hope will come up in a resurrection.

They will be resurrected physically. The fact that they received God's Holy Spirit is direct implication that they didn't have it before. They will be given God's Spirit at this time and have their opportunity for salvation. So for Zach, like many others, it's like he went to sleep. You go to sleep, and you're really tired, and you sleep seven or eight hours, and you have no consciousness of the passing of time. You can wake up. It was dark when you went to bed. You wake up. It's daylight outside. So it is with those who have died. When a person dies, they go to the grave, and the next second of their consciousness, they're alive. They have no idea how much time has passed. Six thousand years, a thousand years, a hundred years. For them, it's as if they just went to sleep, and they wake up. And so, for those who have died, they will be resurrected.

They will live, and they will proceed on, then, those who come up in the first resurrection to live forever, those who come up in the second resurrection to be given their opportunity for salvation, to come to know God in His way of life, and then they will be given eternal life.

And so, you find that the Scriptures have been written to give us comfort and encouragement.

The Holy Spirit is called a comforter in the Bible, and there is another step that God will perform for all of us when we lose someone who's a loved one, or we lose a child.

In Luke chapter 4 and verse 18, we read this. Christ made this statement.

The Spirit of the Lord is upon me because He has anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor, and He has sent me to heal the brokenhearted. Certainly, Penny is brokenhearted.

Any mother, any father who loses a child is going to be brokenhearted. Anyone who loses a mate is going to be brokenhearted. This passage is a passage that Christ quoted from Isaiah chapter 61.

Have any of us ever had a broken heart? We do in situations like this, and certainly Penny and Stan for their dear son. Is there hope for a broken heart? How do we cope? How do we deal with powerful emotions and feelings like this? If you turn back here to Psalm 147 and verse 3, we find this promise from God. He, referring to God, heals the broken hearts and binds up their wounds. So one of the things that God does for us now in the Church is that He promises through His Spirit, through His Word, through His Holy Spirit, that He will give us comfort, that He will heal us. This is what Jesus Christ does in our lives today. He will do in the millennium, and He will do in the great white throne judgment. When the millennium begins, there will be millions of people who've come through the Tribulation with broken hearts, seeing their loved ones suffer and die, seeing human beings vaporize, pulverize, tortured, you know, have gone through all of that. People will be resurrected in the white throne judgment who've seen everything, every type of inhumanity for 6,000 years, and they'll come up. And before they can be converted, they're going to have to be willing to forgive others who mistreated them.

As we work through our griefs, our sorrows, our pains, our hearts, we will be able to help others in the future. You and I have been called, we are being trained, to be the Bride of Jesus Christ.

And the Bride of Jesus Christ is being made comparable to Him, to be able to extend the same help to others that God is extending to us today. And you and I, as we're transformed, we, you know, God creates us on a different level. We become spirit beings through the resurrection.

We will go out to assist Jesus Christ just like a bride, a wife assists her husband in dealing with humanity and the world tomorrow, and the great white throne judgment. So let us never forget that there is coming a time when all hurts and pains will pass away. Revelation 21 describes that time. We'll finish with this scripture. When we read in verse 1, Revelation chapter 21 verse 1, that I saw a new heaven and a new earth, first heaven, first earth, that passed away, if there's no more sea. John sees in verse 2 the new Jerusalem coming down out of heaven, prepared as a bride for her husband. And then I heard a loud voice from heaven, saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people, and God Himself shall be with them, and be their God. Let's notice verse 4. This is talking about a time when all human beings have had an opportunity for salvation. The first resurrection has occurred. The millennium has occurred. The second resurrection has occurred. The incorrigible wicked have died in the lake of fire, and you find that there is going to be the family of God, whom God has created, this whole plan, this whole purpose of what God is doing here below. And God says there will come a time when He will wipe away every tear from their eyes. And there shall be no more deaths, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain. For the former things, the first things, have passed away. So, brethren, the things as we know them today will cease, and there truly will come a time when there will be no more pain, no more sorrow, no more death.