April 14, 2013
Morning Service

The Oxford English Dictionary defines eschatology as "The department of theological science concerned with ‘the four last things: death, judgement, heaven and hell’."^[3]

We must understand that Jesus, and His Apostles have given us what He wants us to know concerning these subjects.   Jesus taught concerning death, judgment, heaven, and hell.  Throughout His teachings, mainly in the parables.  A lot of people have built their understanding of these topics from songs.  Songs are not to build our faith, the Bible is to build our faith.

 

But just what do we really know, and accept concerning death, judgment, heaven, and hell? 

·         We’ve all had loved ones pass away, and even though the Scriptures comfort us concerning their deaths, we all have questions, and unless you know your Scriptures, some doubt.

 

Let’s look at death this morning.

Death - 1. That state of a being, animal or vegetable, but more particularly of an animal, in which there is a total and permanent cessation of all the vital functions, when the organs have not only ceased to act, but have lost the susceptibility of renewed action.

 

In the O.T.

First of all death was passed unto man for his sins.  Listen to this account in Gen.

·         Gen 3:19  In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground; for out of it wast thou taken: for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return.

·         Gen 3:22  And the LORD God said, Behold, the man is become as one of us, to know good and evil: and now, lest he put forth his hand, and take also of the tree of life, and eat, and live for ever:

Once man was made to be like God, and live forever, but when he sinned, this brought about death.

 

Paul said;  Heb 9:27  And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment:

Again the Apostle Paul;  Rom 3:23  For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;

And again;  Rom 6:23  For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

 

Death in the O.T.

·         Gen 23:2  And Sarah died in Kirjatharba; the same is Hebron in the land of Canaan: and Abraham came to mourn for Sarah, and to weep for her.

Gen 25:8  Then Abraham gave up the ghost, and died in a good old age, an old man, and full of years; and was gathered to his people.  Ghost

·         An old Saxon word equivalent to soul or spirit. It is the translation of the Hebrew nephesh and the Greek pneuma, both meaning “breath,” “life,” “spirit,” the “living principle” (Job_11:20; Jer_15:9; Mat_27:50; Joh_19:30). The expression “to give up the ghost” means to die (Lam_1:19; Gen_25:17; Gen_35:29; Gen_49:33; Job_3:11).  

This goes right along with what the Ecc. Writer said;

·         Solomon said, “there is a time for everything under the sun, a time to be born, and a time to die.”

·         Ecc 12:7  Then shall the dust return to the earth as it was: and the spirit shall return unto God who gave it.

In the O.T. religion of Judaism, there were different opinions on what happened at death, just as there is in the N.T. times.

There were some that did not believe in the resurrection of the body, and spirits, and then there were those that believed in both spirits, and the resurrection of the body.  They believed in the same God, but interpreted the Scriptures differently.  Much controversy on the subject.

 

What did Jesus want us to know on the subject of death?

Jesus counted the first death as a sleep:

·         Mat 9:24  He said unto them, Give place: for the maid is not dead, but sleepeth. And they laughed him to scorn.

·         Joh 11:11  These things said he: and after that he saith unto them, Our friend Lazarus sleepeth; but I go, that I may awake him out of sleep.  Joh 11:12  Then said his disciples, Lord, if he sleep, he shall do well. Joh 11:13  Howbeit Jesus spake of his death: but they thought that he had spoken of taking of rest in sleep. 

·         You can’t use the parables for this purpose.  ( Rich man, and Lazarus ).  Lk. 16.

 

Paul also taught the first death as a sleep;

·         (1Co 11:30)  For this cause many are weak and sickly among you, and many sleep.

·         (1Co 15:51)  Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed,

·         (1Th 4:14)  For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him.  (This is at the catching away of the church)

 

I often wondered concerning the Scripture where Jesus said, (Joh 11:25)  Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live: (Joh 11:26)  And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this?

But I thought, I know a lot of people who have believed in the Lord, and they are dead, so how can this be?  How can one living, who believes in You, never die?

·         You begin your eternal life once you accept the gospel, H.B.R.C.B. you receive a measure of the Spirit of God, who only has immortality, and after the first death, you will be raised to immortality.

·         The first death is a sleep.  The body returns to dust, and the spirit, or breath returns to God.  This death, or sleep is not permanent.

HOWEVER: The Scriptures speak of a second death.  IN JOHN’S REVELATION HE TELLS US:

·         (Rev 2:11)  He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; He that overcometh shall not be hurt of the second death.

·         (Rev 20:6)  Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years.

·         Rev 20:14)  And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.

·         (Rev 21:8)  But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.

 

You see, this all makes sense when we understand that it is our entire body that has been redeemed by Jesus, not just our spirit.  The Apostle Paul in his resurrection chapter of I Cor. 15;  tells us that our bodies will be raised incorruptible.  This mortal shall put on immortality. 

IThess. 4:13-18; “and the dead in Christ shall rise first: 1Th 4:17  Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.

Christian, we need not fear death.  The first death is a sleep, and because you have accepted the saving grace of our Lord Jesus, you shall not taste of the second death, which is being cast into the lake of fire.      COMFORT ONE ANOTHER WITH THESE WORDS.