Intro
The great religions and philosophies of this world all speak
to what happens when we die? It is a
question that people have been asking for a long time, and the answer to one of
man’s greatest questions has seemed to some to be left unanswered. The afterlife is an enigma that people look to
with curiosity and fear sometimes. It is
quite an interesting feeling isn’t it, realizing that your body is going to die
someday? Death seems so final and at
times can seem so hopeless.
Fear of Death
I vividly remember one of the first times I realized death
for myself, that cold grasp of fear starting to twist and tighten itself around
me as I began to lose hope. I remember
the feeling of something grabbing around my heart as my mind began to desperately
grasp for reason in trying to understand something I didn’t have the answers
to. I sat there with a blank stare on my
face as my world that was shattered by fear began to form itself back around
me. Recently, I wrote about Hope and see
as I’m writing this now; that there is some truth in there that speaks to my experience
of realizing that my body will die.
Hope is something that can be so hard to hold onto. Trials
come to us in life that threatens to tear down the very walls around us. I
believe some of the Enemies greatest tools are: deception-to steal our hearts,
fear-to steal our hope and anger-to control our life. Time and time again God
uses imperfect people for His perfect plan, and that is something we all can
take heart in! Trust in God, for he will never leave us.
Interesting that fear came to steal my hope for life, and my
heart was stolen from me as the grip of fear tightened around me. Maybe the deception from the Enemy that life
ends at death, and the fear of losing hope was enough to control me?
The Future Glory
18Yet what we suffer now is nothing compared to the glory he
will reveal to us later. 19For all creation is waiting eagerly for that future
day when God will reveal who his children really are. 20Against its will, all
creation was subjected to God’s curse. But with eager hope, 21the creation
looks forward to the day when it will join God’s children in glorious freedom
from death and decay. 22For we know that all creation has been groaning as in
the pains of childbirth right up to the present time. 23And we believers also
groan, even though we have the Holy Spirit within us as a foretaste of future
glory, for we long for our bodies to be released from sin and suffering. We,
too, wait with eager hope for the day when God will give us our full rights as
his adopted children, including the new bodies he has promised us. 24We were
given this hope when we were saved. (If we already have something, we don’t
need to hope for it. 25But if we look forward to something we don’t yet have,
we must wait patiently and confidently.) (Romans 8:18-25, NLT)
I love how this passage speaks of all creation, not just mankind but all creation. The Lord shows us here that the
universe longs for the perfect relationship that creation had with God
before the fall of man. We see here that
God’s plan calls for death to be destroyed forever, and decay will no longer
have power to harm His creation. Also,
we are reminded that as children of God and trusting in Him and his son Jesus, that
the gift of the Holy Spirit gives us a taste of the future awesomeness that God
has in store for us, when He will come and live among his people. I believe the spiritual hope the bible speaks
of so often is simply the ending to God’s plan where those who are saved live
in perfect harmony with God the creator of the universe. Also, the word tells us that we are to wait
patiently and confidently for this hope that was shown to us when we were
saved.
So what does God tell us is to happen when He comes back to
live among His people?
Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the old heaven
and the old earth had disappeared. And the sea was also gone. And I saw the
holy city, the new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven like a bride
beautifully dressed for her husband. I heard a loud shout from the throne,
saying, “Look, God’s home is now among his people! He will live with them, and
they will be his people. God himself will be with them. He will wipe every tear
from their eyes, and there will be no more death or sorrow or crying or pain.
All these things are gone forever.” And the one sitting on the throne said,
“Look, I am making everything new!” And then he said to me, “Write this down,
for what I tell you is trustworthy and true.” (Revelation 21:1-5 NLT)
Now THAT is something to patiently and confidently hope for!
Separation from God & His Anchor for our Soul
24But God released him from the horrors of death and raised
him back to life, for death could not keep him in its grip. 25King David said
this about him: ‘I see that the Lord is always with me. I will not be shaken,
for he is right beside me. 26No wonder my heart is glad, and my tongue shouts
his praises! My body rests in hope. 27For you will not leave my soul among the
dead or allow your Holy One to rot in the grave. 28You have shown me the way of
life, and you will fill me with the joy of your presence.’ 29“Dear brothers,
think about this! You can be sure that the patriarch David wasn’t referring to
himself, for he died and was buried, and his tomb is still here among us. 30But
he was a prophet, and he knew God had promised with an oath that one of David’s
own descendants would sit on his throne. 31David was looking into the future and
speaking of the Messiah’s resurrection. He was saying that God would not leave
him among the dead or allow his body to rot in the grave. 32“God raised Jesus
from the dead, and we are all witnesses of this. 33Now he is exalted to the
place of highest honor in heaven, at God’s right hand. (Acts 2:24-32, NLT)
Christ, as the perfect sacrifice for all mankind, was subjected
to the torment of death and the horrors that come when we are separated from God
the Father. God is always with us, even
in torment. Our body can rest in hope,
when we are shown the way of life. Jesus
tells us that He is the way, the truth and the life and no one can come to the
father but through him.
18So God has given both his promise and his oath. These two
things are unchangeable because it is impossible for God to lie. Therefore, we
who have fled to him for refuge can have great confidence as we hold to the
hope that lies before us. 19This hope is a strong and trustworthy anchor for
our souls… (Hebrews 6:18-19, NLT)
God’s promise of salvation for our souls is something we all
can trust in. The bible teaches us by
accepting Jesus as your savior, in trusting and believing with all your heart,
all your mind and all your soul that The Messiah came down to earth, died and
was resurrected from death, that God saves us from the torment of separation from
him and gives us freely, though we do not deserve it, eternal life with him in
heaven and later a new body after the day of judgment. At that glorious time, when God will come
back to live among His people, where no death or sorrow or crying or pain will
be allowed to harm us, all creation and those that are saved will live in
perfect harmony with God once again.
Coming full circle, back to when God created the heavens and
the earth and when we lived with Him.
How awesome that time will be indeed!
Sounds kind of like ‘Heaven’ to me…
See image here: http://www.purechristiangraphicdesign.com/wp-content/uploads/golden-city-of-Heaven-image.jpg
37Jesus replied, “‘You must love the Lord your God with all
your heart, all your soul, and all your mind. 38This is the first and greatest
commandment. 39A second is equally important: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’
40The entire law and all the demands of the prophets are based on these two
commandments.” (Matthew 22:37-40, NLT)
[Jesus speaking] 35If you try to hang on to your life, you
will lose it. But if you give up your life for my sake and for the sake of the
Good News, you will save it. 36And what do you benefit if you gain the whole
world but lose your own soul? 37 Is
anything worth more than your soul? (Mark 8:35-37, NLT)
21My child, don’t lose sight of common sense and
discernment. Hang on to them, 22for they will refresh your soul. They are like
jewels on a necklace. 23They keep you safe on your way, and your feet will not
stumble. 24You can go to bed without fear; you will lie down and sleep soundly.
(Proverbs 3:21-24, NLT)
P.S. –
One more thing--From what I have read, the bible does not
tell us a whole lot of what heaven and hell will look like. But, I found this passage very interesting:
Parable of the Rich Man and Lazarus
19Jesus said, “There was a certain rich man who was
splendidly clothed in purple and fine linen and who lived each day in luxury.
20At his gate lay a poor man named Lazarus who was covered with sores. 21As
Lazarus lay there longing for scraps from the rich man’s table, the dogs would
come and lick his open sores. 22“Finally, the poor man died and was carried by
the angels to be with Abraham. The rich
man also died and was buried, 23and his soul went to the place of the dead.
There, in torment, he saw Abraham in the far distance with Lazarus at his side.
24“The rich man shouted, ‘Father Abraham, have some pity! Send Lazarus over
here to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue. I am in anguish
in these flames.’ 25“But Abraham said to him, ‘Son, remember that during your
lifetime you had everything you wanted, and Lazarus had nothing. So now he is
here being comforted, and you are in anguish. (Luke 16:19-25, NLT)
See music video here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tOVjtp6oxZ0
See music video here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tOVjtp6oxZ0
