“Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of His godly ones” (Psalm 116:15, NASB).
With Easter approaching it seems appropriate to be thinking about death. And the good thing about death!
While Easter is the time we celebrate the Lord’s resurrection, we should also remember that the only way human beings enter into eternal life is through the death of the physical body.
“Anyone with ears to hear must listen to the Spirit and understand what he is saying to the churches. To everyone who is victorious I will give some of the manna that has been hidden away in heaven. And I will give to each one a white stone, and on the stone will be engraved a new name that no one understands except the one who receives it” (Revelation 2:17, NLT).
The book of Revelation opens with a series of personal messages to the seven churches of Asia. Asia was a Roman province in the geographical area that is now western Turkey. The cities where the seven churches were located were joined by a road system that formed a geographical triangle.
“What you sow does not come to life unless it dies. And as for what you sow–you are not sowing the future body, but only a seed, perhaps of wheat or another grain. But God gives it a body as He wants, and to each of the seeds its own body…For this corruptible must be clothed with incorruptibility, and this mortal must be clothed with immortality…Therefore, my dear brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always excelling in the Lord’s work, knowing that your labor in the Lord is not in vain” (1 Corinthians 15: 37,53-54,58, HCSB).
Some in the Corinthian church were apparently denying the resurrection from the dead. The Apostle Paul argued that all they believe is in vain if there is no resurrection from the dead: “If we have put our hope in Christ for this life only, we should be pitied more than anyone” (vs. 19).
“A good reputation is more valuable than costly perfume. And the day you die is better than the day you are born. Better to spend your time at funerals than at parties. After all, everyone dies—so the living should take this to heart. Sorrow is better than laughter, for sadness has a refining influence on us. A wise person thinks a lot about death, while a fool thinks only about having a good time” (Ecclesiastes 7:2-4, NLT).
The Teacher had a good understanding about human nature when he penned these words in the book of Ecclesiastes.
“The death of His faithful ones is valuable in the Lord’s sight” (Psalm 116:15, HCSB).
We don’t like to think about death and dying and so we really don’t give it much thought…until we have to!
Death is an uncomfortable subject to discuss, and when we talk about it, we commonly use terms like “tragic” or “untimely,” which gives death an undeserved negative connotation.
To us, death is the Grim Reaper!
“The death of His faithful ones is valuable in the Lord’s sight” (Psalm 116:15, HCSB).
While Easter is the time we celebrate the Lord’s resurrection, we are also reminded that just as Jesus died and was resurrected, the only way human beings enter into eternal life is through the death of the physical body.
The Apostle Paul said, “What you sow does not come to life unless it dies” (I Corinthians 15:36).
Now, maybe it sounds morbid to say that death is the way to eternal life, but the fact is, you have to die to live eternally. As human beings, we strive for eternal life and death and resurrection are the means through which we enter into eternal life.
Steve's Bible Meditations 