What happens to us at death? How do we handle death? What is your Hope & Faith as regards death and the resurrection?
1 Corinthians 15:55… Death, where is your victory? Death, where is your sting?
So, I will ask you what does death mean to you? You may know death as: the absence of the person or an end of life. You may also understand that the animation of the physical body is gone. That the breath of life ceases to be in the physical body, for the word of God tells us such things. It reveals the truth about life and death. Where did life come from and where is it going?
Genesis 2:7… And Jehovah God proceeded to form the man out of dust from the ground and to blow into his nostrils the breath of life (H2416 chay), and the man came to be a living (H2416 chay) soul life.
Through this act of creation God took his energy and with his power he formed man out of the earth and gave him life with his breath.
You and I are made from dust and dust is made of particles. The very particles themselves are made from the fabric of the universe, protons and electrons that make up the nucleus that form an atom.
If you were to look into the universe you would see the framework of our physical universe formed in our own body. Looking into outer space we have nebulous with their stars, we have dust clouds that form solar systems, moons circling planets and planets circling stars.
Outer space itself contains the elements that make up our life. That pattern that we see in space repeats itself in the very substance that makes our life possible in this physical realm. Adam is a man who was formed from atoms.
This is the basis that God used: He took his energy and folded it up, and with his laws he holds these things in place. That energy formed the very matter that allows for the physical existence in the world that we know.
Adam the man then became an animated creation of God, a living human being, with personality and intelligence. And with the most important aspect of all, the ability to communicate with God by spirit. John 4:24
Do we use that gift of communication with God? You may be thinking “why should we”? What happens at death should give you a hint why!
Ecclesiastes 12:7… Then the dust returns to the earth just as it happened to be and the spirit (H7307 ruach) itself returns to the [true] God who gave it.
Strong’s Concordance #H7307 ruach, can mean spirit, wind, or breath, but the context dictates which definition is to be used, that is all because of context.
A good example of this would be when speaking about the wind that blows upon a boat that has a sail. It’s being driven by the wind. We would not use the word breath, nor would we use the word spirit, but we would use the word wind. If we did change or substitute with these other words, then the total meaning of what was just spoken has been changed. Like saying: it’s being driven by the spirit, or it has been driven by the breath of God.
So, we can see by this Scripture that a physical body will decay and return to the earth as dust. But the spirit that belongs to God will return to God.
We need to understand that we are given life, but that life doesn’t belong to us, it will return to God, and we will become accountable for the life that we lived in the body we were given.
Are we really accountable to God for our past actions?
2 Corinthians 5:10… For we must all be made manifest before the judgment seat of the Christ, that each one may get his award for the things done through the body, according to the things he has practiced, whether it is good or vile.
So, we can see that all of us will become manifested before the judgment seat of Christ and there is a reward to be paid for the good or the bad that we have done.
We should all know that the Lord Jesus Christ is the one to judge mankind and that he is sitting at the right hand of God.
Are there any other scriptures that speak about the judgment seat of God?
Romans 14:10-13… But why do you judge your brother? Or why do you also look down on your brother? For we shall all stand before the judgment seat of God; for it is written: “As I live, says Jehovah, to me every knee will bend down, and every tongue will make open acknowledgment to God” (Isaiah 45:22-24). So, then, each of us will render an account for himself to God. Therefore, let us not be judging one another any longer…
This is a really good reminder that we have no business judging one another. But there is another point to be found here. Did you see that the apostle Paul was actually quoting from another Scripture and that there was an action that was required on the part of those who are standing before the judgment seat of God?
Let’s review that scripture now:
Isaiah 45:22-24… “Turn to me and be saved, all YOU [at the] ends of the earth; for I am God, and there is no one else. By my own self I have sworn—out of my own mouth in righteousness the word has gone forth, so that it will not return—that to me every knee will bend down, every tongue will swear, saying, ‘Surely in Jehovah there are full righteousness and strength. All those getting heated up against him (God) will come straight to him (God) and be ashamed.
Friends let’s not become ashamed at standing before the judgment seat of God. There is something very specific that we can do about this now. Kneel down and swear that God is righteous in all that he does. Some may ask: How do we know that God is righteous, what did he do to prove it to us?
Judgment Seat / Mercy Seat
God had Moses make the ark of the covenant and inside that ark were things that God said that should be placed there.
There were the 10 Commandments on stone. There was the rod of Aaron and some manna that God provided to the Israelite nation while they were in the wilderness.
Then there was the cover that sealed the ark, and that cover was called the mercy seat. You may remember that the cover had two angels and that the light of God could be seen between the two angels as it sat on or over the covering.
God is righteous in that he provided for us the perfect blood sacrifice to be offered before the judgment seat of God, the blood of the Lamb that now has been presented and splattered upon the ark of the covenant the very seat of judgment so, that you and I could find mercy. To find mercy what do we need to do?
Philippians 2:5-11… Keep this mental attitude in YOU that was also in Christ Jesus, 6 who, although he was existing in God’s form, gave no consideration to a seizure, namely, that he should be equal to God. 7 No, but he emptied himself and took a slave’s form and came to be in the likeness of men. 8 More than that, when he found himself in fashion as a man, he (Christ Jesus) humbled himself and became obedient as far as death, yes, death on a torture stake. 9 For this very reason also God exalted him to a superior position and kindly gave him the name that is above every [other] name, 10 so that in the name of Jesus every knee should bend of those in heaven and those on earth and those under the ground, 11 and every tongue should openly acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father.
So, in two Scriptures we are told to take a knee and swear that the Sovereign Lord Jehovah himself is righteous. Also, now we know that God provided for us a Lord to watch over the heavens & the earth whose name is Jesus Christ the name above all others, Amen.
But where will you put your faith? Do you have a hope in a resurrection from the dead?
The Resurrection
let’s turn to a famous event that took place in history and let’s look at the conversation between Jesus Christ and one of his followers speaking about the hope of the resurrection.
John 11:21-27… Martha therefore said to Jesus: “Lord, if you had been here my brother would not have died. 22 And yet at present I know that as many things as you ask God for, God will give you.” 23 Jesus said to her: “Your brother will rise.” 24 Martha said to him: “I know he will rise in the resurrection (G386) on the last day.” 25 Jesus said to her: “I am the resurrection and the life. He that exercises (G4100) faith in me, even though he dies, will come to life; 26 and everyone that is living and exercises faith in me will never die at all. Do you believe this?” 27 She said to him: “Yes, Lord; I have believed that you are the Christ the Son of God, the One coming into the world.”
Strong Concordance #G386 means to stand again or rising again.
Do you believe that Jesus Christ is the son of the living God? Do you believe that Jesus can cause you to stand again to rise you up from death?
Mary believed in the resurrection of the Last Day. But Jesus adds more to her knowledge by saying even though people die they will come to life. That even people exercising faith in him would “never die at all”.
Martha was not disappointed in her belief in the resurrection. So, what do we really know about the resurrection of the Last Day?
The apostle Paul spoke extensively about the subject matter in first Corinthians chapter 15.
1 Corinthians 15:20-25…However, now Christ has been raised up from the dead, the first fruits of those who have fallen asleep [in death]. 21 For since death is through a man, resurrection of the dead is also through a man. 22 For just as in Adam all are dying, so also in the Christ all will be made alive. 23 But each one in his own rank (G5001): Christ the first fruits, afterward those who belong to the Christ during his presence. 24 Next, the end, when he hands over the kingdom to his God and Father, when he has brought to nothing all government and all authority and power. 25 For he must rule as king until [God] has put all enemies under his feet.
Did you notice that the apostle Paul spoke of the resurrection happening in three specific timed events?
For all intensive purposes we could call them the first resurrection, then the 2nd resurrection during his presence. And the last resurrection at the end.
Revelation 20:5-6 also speaks of a timing of the resurrection.
Next the apostle Paul asked a retorted question about the resurrection and in what kind of body will we have?
1 Corinthians 15:35-36… But someone will say: “How are the dead to be raised? What kind of body will they have when they come? Foolish one! What you sow does not come to life unless it dies.
The apostle Paul goes on with his analogy of the grain that was sown, he talks about the flesh of birds, fish, and man all being different. Then he speaks of the heavenly bodies and that each one is different one from another in their glory.
1 Corinthians 15:42-44… So also, is the resurrection of the dead. It is sown in corruption; it is raised up in incorruption. It is sown in dishonor; it is raised up in glory. It is sown in weakness; it is raised up in power. It is sown a physical body; it is raised up a spiritual body. If there is a physical body, there is also a spiritual one.
Here the apostle Paul stresses the resurrection will be to incorruption. It will be to glory; it will be a spiritual body. Paul next reveals something that you and I may not know, and this may be very hard for us to understand.
You see we think, move, and exist in the physical realm. But here Paul speaks of a spiritual body. So, is the resurrection physical and can we see it or is it spiritual?
1 Corinthians 15:47-50… The first man is out of the earth and made of dust; the second man is out of heaven. As the one made of dust [is], so those made of dust [are] also; and as the heavenly one [is], so those who are heavenly [are] also. And just as we have borne the image of the one made of dust; we shall bear also the image of the heavenly one. However, this I say, brothers, that flesh and blood cannot inherit God’s kingdom, neither does corruption inherit incorruption.
Becoming resurrected and entering into the kingdom of God will require dropping or losing the flesh of our physical body. Those entering into the kingdom of God will be spirit.
There will still be those who live into the thousand-year reign of Christ who will have time to get their names written into the scroll of life or book of life. Remember there is a timing for those who would enter into the kingdom of God. Revelation chapter 20 speaks about these things so let’s read.
Revelation 20:11-15… And I saw a great white throne and the one seated on it. From before him the earth and the heaven fled away, and no place was found for them. 12 And I saw the dead, the great and the small, standing before the throne, and scrolls were opened. But another scroll was opened; it is the scroll of life. And the dead were judged out of those things written in the scrolls according to their deeds. 13 And the sea gave up those dead in it, and death and Hades gave up those dead in them, and they were judged individually according to their deeds. 14 And death and Hades were hurled into the lake of fire. This means the second death, the lake of fire. 15 Furthermore, whoever was not found written in the book of life was hurled into the lake of fire.
How do you get your name written in the book of life? By your deeds the Scripture says. That would be by your good works and what you have accomplished. Right?
Have you accepted Jesus as your Lord and Savior? Is your hope on the rock mass? Are you under the new covenant?
Matthew 7:21-27… “Not everyone saying to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter into the kingdom of the heavens, but the one doing the will of my Father who is in the heavens will. 22 Many will say to me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and expel demons in your name, and perform many powerful works in your name?’ 23 And yet then I will confess to them: I never knew YOU! Get away from me, YOU workers of lawlessness. 24 “Therefore everyone that hears these sayings of mine and does them will be likened to a discreet man, who built his house upon the rock-mass. 25 And the rain poured down and the floods came, and the winds blew and lashed against that house, but it did not cave in, for it had been founded upon the rock-mass. 26 Furthermore, everyone hearing these sayings of mine and not doing them will be likened to a foolish man, who built his house upon the sand. 27 And the rain poured down and the floods came, and the winds blew and struck against that house, and it caved in, and its collapse was great.”
Our good works will not save you so says Jesus. We need to become discreet, understand the will of God, accept the good news about Jesus Christ then listen to his sayings and get saved by the new covenant.
The New Covenant
Jesus is our bread of life. He is the food for our thoughts and the one to get us through our day. How can we get or maintain everlasting life?
John 6:35-40… Jesus said to them: “I am the bread of life. He that comes to me will not get hungry at all, and he that exercises faith in me will never get thirsty at all. 36 But I have said to YOU, YOU have even seen me and yet do not believe. 37 Everything the Father gives me will come to me, and the one that comes to me I will by no means drive away; 38 because I have come down from heaven to do, not my will, but the will of him that sent me. 39 This is the will of him that sent me, that I should lose nothing out of all that he has given me but that I should resurrect it at the last day. 40 For this is the will of my Father, that everyone (G3956) that beholds the Son and exercises faith in him should have everlasting life, and I will resurrect him at the last day.”
What is this Greek word #G3956? How do we exercise faith in the son of God?
The Greek word translated as everyone as found in Strong’s Concordance #G3956, it means all, every, the whole, always or everyone. That would be encompassing and not exclusive in its meaning. So that everyone that exercises faith should have life everlasting, but did you notice that Jesus would resurrect them in the last day.
Faith is something that needs to be used. We have to exercise it, or it will wither away much like a muscle. So, we are all taught in Scripture that faith without works is dead or useless. If we are to exercise faith in Jesus Christ and the hope of a resurrection, we have to demonstrate that we believe that he will give us everlasting life. So, is there more to it than just that?
John 6:48 -51… “I am the bread of life. YOUR forefathers ate the manna in the wilderness and yet died. 50 This is the bread that comes down from heaven, so that anyone may eat of it and not die. I am the living bread that came down from heaven; if anyone eats of this bread he will live forever; and, for a fact, the bread that I shall give is my flesh in behalf of the life of the world.”
Jesus made a comparison between himself and the manna that was given to the Israelite nation in the wilderness. They ate the manna but died but eating from the bread of life will allow you to live on.
Are we eating from the literal body of Christ? Absolutely not. So, how do we feed on the bread of life?
Faith in action is an exercise. It is deliberate action not spontaneous. It is thought out, with reasoning, understanding, and discernment! That type of action with that kind of understanding is a wisdom that is given from above.
The apostle Paul explained how we are to eat from the bread of life and the symbolisms that are behind it.
1 Corinthians 11:23-26… For I received from the Lord that which I also handed on to YOU, that the Lord Jesus in the night in which he was going to be handed over took a loaf 24 and, after giving thanks, he broke it and said: “This means my body which is in YOUR behalf. Keep doing this in remembrance of me.”25 He did likewise respecting the cup also, after he had the evening meal, saying: “This cup means the new covenant by virtue of my blood. Keep doing this, as often as YOU drink it, in remembrance of me.” 26 For as often as (G3740) YOU eat this loaf and drink this cup, YOU keep proclaiming the death of the Lord, until he arrives.
We have to display an act of faith! We need to show that we understand that Jesus is the bread of life for us. We need to seal this deal by drinking the wine of the covenant it represents the blood. We have to wash our garments white in the blood of the Lamb, there is no other way.
What is the will of God? John 6:40, that YOU accept this good news about our Lord Jesus Christ and remember him.
Maybe this is a new thought for you or maybe you do not understand what I’m speaking about, that’s okay too we have a Scripture for you. Philippians 3:15
Messenger of the Covenant
Moses warned the Israelite nation that someone would be sent like him, that they should be listening to what he says by obeying him. Deuteronomy 18:15-20
The nation of Israel had a covenant with God under Moses, but God spoke afterwards through Malachi the prophet about a messenger and a covenant that he would announce to the people.
Malachi 3:1-2… “Look! I am sending my messenger, and he must clear up a way before me. And suddenly there will come to His temple the [true] Lord, whom YOU people are seeking, and the messenger of the covenant in whom YOU are delighting. Look! He will certainly come,” Jehovah of armies has said. 2 “But who will be putting up with the day of his coming, and who will be the one standing when he appears? For he will be like the fire of a refiner and like the lye of laundrymen.
God sent Jesus as the messenger of this new covenant. Jesus was the true Lord of God’s temple. This is the good news that was preached, it has not changed.
Will you be putting up with the troubles of the day waiting for his coming, will you be standing when he appears?
1 Corinthians 15:51-52… Look! I tell YOU a sacred secret: We shall not all fall asleep [in death], but we shall all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, during the last trumpet…
When is the last trumpet going to sound? What are the Scriptures that speak about God’s trumpet?
We have 3 more Scriptures that will speak for themselves about these matters. So, what do we know about this trumpet?
1 Thessalonians 4:13-17…For if our faith is that Jesus died and rose again, so, too, those who have fallen asleep [in death] through Jesus God will bring with him. 15 For this is what we tell YOU by Jehovah’s (GOD’S) word, that we the living who survive to the presence of the Lord shall in no way precede those who have fallen asleep [in death]; 16 because the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a commanding call, with an archangel’s voice and with God’s trumpet, and those who are dead in union with Christ will rise first. 17 Afterward we the living who are surviving will, together with them, be caught away in clouds to meet the Lord in the air; and thus, we shall always be with [the] Lord.
When is Christ our Lord coming with God’s trumpet?
Matthew 24:29-31… Immediately after the tribulation of those days the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light, and the stars will fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken. And then the sign of the Son of man will appear in heaven, and then all the tribes of the earth will beat themselves in lamentation, and they will see the Son of man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. And he will send forth his angels with a great trumpet sound, and they will gather his chosen ones together from the four winds, from one extremity of the heavens to their other extremity.
1 Corinthians 15:52-56… For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised up incorruptible, and we shall be changed. For this which is corruptible must put on incorruption, and this which is mortal must put on immortality. But when [this which is corruptible puts on incorruption and] this which is mortal puts on immortality, then the saying will take place that is written: “Death is swallowed up forever.”
When God’s trumpet sounds the dead will rise, the chosen will be gathered to immortality. So, yes, we can say: “Death, where is your victory? Death, where is your sting? For my hope is in the resurrection with the Holy Ones, yes come Lord Jesus, Amen.
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