by William W. Orr, A.B., M.A., Th.B., D.D.. Pastor and Teacher.
Our interest centers on what happens immediately after death.
Actually, we do not plan, at the present time, to deal with the indescribable glories of heaven, or even the frightful horrors of hell. These will be subjects for discussion at another time.
Our desire is to answer the question that is in many hearts: What occurs when our eyes close on earth's scenes and when our ears cease to hear the sounds of this world? When our lungs have expelled their last breath of air, where are we?
Everyone has heard of the "valley of the shadow of death." But where is this famous valley? Does death introduce us to it? How long is that valley and must we traverse it alone? Will it be a fearful journey? Tennyson wrote feelingly of "crossing the bar." Is death like this?
Is there a dark, icy river to cross? We sing hymns about "meeting beyond the river." Pagan mythology spoke of souls being ferried by Charon over the river Styx. Is this kind of crossing on the program for one who has just died? Why is there a river and how does one cross it?
Does death simply lead into frightful groping after an unknown something? Is there no one to guide us? Are there no directions to tell us where to go?
Some have taught that a period of unconsciousness follows death; that there is a long, long, sleep in the grave. If this were true, the dead would know nothing until the soul's awakening. Would this interval last for endless years?
Millions have been taught that immediately after death one enters first into purgatory, a place of burning torment. Though this is supposed to be a temporary experience on the road to eternal destiny, yet it is marked with intense remedial suffering. In this place the soul is supposed to be tortured until all sins are removed completely. Is this idea true.?
Earnestly we shall inquire of the Holy Scriptures in regard to this most vital matter. Surely we shall not be disappointed in the answer given there. The Word of God ever tells us the truths necessary to know in this life and that which is to come. So we can be certain that it will supply the necessary information about the first five minutes after death.
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THE FIRST 5 MINUTES AFTER DEATH-what really happens immediately after death?
Monday, January 03, 2011
POST 2 - Death Comes to All
by William W. Orr, A.B., M.A., Th.B., D.D.. Pastor and Teacher.
Here is a subject of universal interest. Many people do not want to thing about death, but eventfully everyone must. Consider that, out of earth's billions of people over the centuries, only two persons have escaped the experience of death -- Enoch (Gen. 5:24; Heb. 11:5) and Elijah (II Kings 2:11). Also, God warns that it is appointed unto men once to die (Heb. 9:27). These facts impress on us the importance of this subject for each individual.
Strangely, though, multitudes of people deliberately avoid any thought of death. Some refuse to discuss it, calling it morbid. Others regard it as a subject only for funeral sermons or attorneys' offices. But everyone knows that someday he must die.
Nor is, this subject strictly for the contemplation of the aged. One has only to scan the obituary lists or to take an old-fashioned stroll through a cemetery to be convinced that death is no respecter of age or position in life. While medical science has made great progress in the prevention and cure of disease, sickness and accidents continue to take their daily toll of human life. No one escapes.
Actually, there is noting wrong or unwholesome about facing the fact of death. A truly wise person will admit it's inevitability and will prepare realistically for it. When we consider that at best human life is but a brief span on the average of threescore years and ten (70), that not all even reach that age, and that eternity is endless, is it not a mark of true intelligence to look into the matter and learn what is ahead?
But you ask, "Can we really know?" The answer unequivocally is, "Of course we can." For our reliable information we turn to a trusted Book. This Book is the final authority of all truth in life. It speaks without ambiguity. The Bible clearly reveals the mysteries surrounding the life to come so that we need not be ignorant about the transition from life to death.
Why then the universal fear of death? The full answer to this question involves the whole plan of God's creation and redemption. Simply stated, men are afraid of death because they do not know God. But for a child of God the glorious truth is that the fear of death may be removed. With the knowledge of what God's Word says, the fear of death disappears, making way for trust and confidence.
More than that, the fear of death gives way to a happy anticipation of the life beyond which one day will blossom into a glorious realization for a Christian.
We are interested in YOUR RESPONSE. Please use the COMMENT section at the end of EACH POST for your response and impressions. Was this post helpful to you? How?
Here is a subject of universal interest. Many people do not want to thing about death, but eventfully everyone must. Consider that, out of earth's billions of people over the centuries, only two persons have escaped the experience of death -- Enoch (Gen. 5:24; Heb. 11:5) and Elijah (II Kings 2:11). Also, God warns that it is appointed unto men once to die (Heb. 9:27). These facts impress on us the importance of this subject for each individual.
Strangely, though, multitudes of people deliberately avoid any thought of death. Some refuse to discuss it, calling it morbid. Others regard it as a subject only for funeral sermons or attorneys' offices. But everyone knows that someday he must die.
Nor is, this subject strictly for the contemplation of the aged. One has only to scan the obituary lists or to take an old-fashioned stroll through a cemetery to be convinced that death is no respecter of age or position in life. While medical science has made great progress in the prevention and cure of disease, sickness and accidents continue to take their daily toll of human life. No one escapes.
Actually, there is noting wrong or unwholesome about facing the fact of death. A truly wise person will admit it's inevitability and will prepare realistically for it. When we consider that at best human life is but a brief span on the average of threescore years and ten (70), that not all even reach that age, and that eternity is endless, is it not a mark of true intelligence to look into the matter and learn what is ahead?
But you ask, "Can we really know?" The answer unequivocally is, "Of course we can." For our reliable information we turn to a trusted Book. This Book is the final authority of all truth in life. It speaks without ambiguity. The Bible clearly reveals the mysteries surrounding the life to come so that we need not be ignorant about the transition from life to death.
Why then the universal fear of death? The full answer to this question involves the whole plan of God's creation and redemption. Simply stated, men are afraid of death because they do not know God. But for a child of God the glorious truth is that the fear of death may be removed. With the knowledge of what God's Word says, the fear of death disappears, making way for trust and confidence.
More than that, the fear of death gives way to a happy anticipation of the life beyond which one day will blossom into a glorious realization for a Christian.
We are interested in YOUR RESPONSE. Please use the COMMENT section at the end of EACH POST for your response and impressions. Was this post helpful to you? How?
POST 3 - Death is Not a Mistake
by William W. Orr, A.B., M.A., Th.B., D.D.. Pastor and Teacher.
Death is part of God's plan. While it is true that death is the wages of sin (Rom. 6:23), it is also true that God pronounced this plenty. Death marks the end of one span of human life, but it also provides the entrance from time into eternity.
In it's highest sense, death has become but a step in God's program. What we call life was never intended to be an end in itself. God has not designed that the usual threescore years and ten on earth should be all of our existence. Physically oriented life is simply the introduction into spiritual oriented life.
A completely physical view of life is inadequate. If we can see only worldly things, we are missing the true picture. God has always wanted us to live with an eternal perspective. We are destined for better things than we can experience now. The Lord's overall plan always included everlasting, abundant life lived in His immediate presence.
It is, therefore, incorrect to view death as an accident or a tragedy. Man was never intended to live forever on this planet, for God's plan inclouded a transition into celestial realms. Physical life from the beginning was to be temporary. While we may gasp at the implications involved here, it is nevertheless true that God's heart of love always has longed for our permanent companionship. He was not the Author of sin for He cannot sin (James 1:13; I Pet. 2:22), but He turned the results of man's sin to His own purpose.
To view death as norma and necessary (since it came into the world through sin) is vital to a proper understanding of life itself. Our years hold many inequalities, inadequacies, and injustices. There are disappointments and discouragements. All around us are evidences that sometimes crimes does pay. Frequently the thief and the murderer get off scot-free. Evil often appears to be on the throne. Will a just and righteous God allow this to continue -- always?
As Christians, our lives are years of training. This experience, it seems, is a school with difficult studies and hard examinations. We learn, to be sure, but the process is a painful one. Must such training go on forever? No, for death becomes a graduation.
Can we not look at death from God's standpoint? It is not the end, but the beginning. It's not defeat, but victory. It is not failure, but success. It is not an accident, but the plan of God.
We are interested in YOUR RESPONSE. Please use the COMMENT section at the end of EACH POST for your response and impressions. Was this post helpful to you? How?
Death is part of God's plan. While it is true that death is the wages of sin (Rom. 6:23), it is also true that God pronounced this plenty. Death marks the end of one span of human life, but it also provides the entrance from time into eternity.
In it's highest sense, death has become but a step in God's program. What we call life was never intended to be an end in itself. God has not designed that the usual threescore years and ten on earth should be all of our existence. Physically oriented life is simply the introduction into spiritual oriented life.
A completely physical view of life is inadequate. If we can see only worldly things, we are missing the true picture. God has always wanted us to live with an eternal perspective. We are destined for better things than we can experience now. The Lord's overall plan always included everlasting, abundant life lived in His immediate presence.
It is, therefore, incorrect to view death as an accident or a tragedy. Man was never intended to live forever on this planet, for God's plan inclouded a transition into celestial realms. Physical life from the beginning was to be temporary. While we may gasp at the implications involved here, it is nevertheless true that God's heart of love always has longed for our permanent companionship. He was not the Author of sin for He cannot sin (James 1:13; I Pet. 2:22), but He turned the results of man's sin to His own purpose.
To view death as norma and necessary (since it came into the world through sin) is vital to a proper understanding of life itself. Our years hold many inequalities, inadequacies, and injustices. There are disappointments and discouragements. All around us are evidences that sometimes crimes does pay. Frequently the thief and the murderer get off scot-free. Evil often appears to be on the throne. Will a just and righteous God allow this to continue -- always?
As Christians, our lives are years of training. This experience, it seems, is a school with difficult studies and hard examinations. We learn, to be sure, but the process is a painful one. Must such training go on forever? No, for death becomes a graduation.
Can we not look at death from God's standpoint? It is not the end, but the beginning. It's not defeat, but victory. It is not failure, but success. It is not an accident, but the plan of God.
We are interested in YOUR RESPONSE. Please use the COMMENT section at the end of EACH POST for your response and impressions. Was this post helpful to you? How?
POST 4 - What is Death?
by William W. Orr, A.B., M.A., Th.B., D.D.. Pastor and Teacher.
If we were to express the Biblical teaching on death in one word, it would be separation. The Scriptures never treat death as annihilation or cessation of existence. Three deaths are mention in the Bible:
The first is physical death. What we commonly call death is but the separation of the soul from the body. At the incident of death, the body still remains with the component parts of blood, bones, muscles, and nerves. But something has gone, for these is no animation. A separation has taken place. In reality, the person himself has departed and only the body in which he lived for a time is left. With this death we are all familiar (John 11:11-14).
But there is likewise spiritual death, which is far more significant. This is the separation of a human being from God. Back in the beginning of the race, our first parents walked in perfect harmony and blessed fellowship with a holy God. No discord existed, for there was no sin to interfere. However, after sin occurred, the entire picture changed. Fellowship was broken. Communion came to an end. Spiritual death had occurred, bringing grievous disruption between God and His creatures. This separation still exists between God and the world, which is spiritually dead (Eph. 2:1).
In the fullness of time, Christ came into the world to heal this gaping wound and to bring this estrangement to an end. By His death on Calvary's cross, He made possible the way of new communion and fellowship with God. This separation need no longer exist if man will accept Christ as his Savior, be cleansed from his sin, and receive new and everlasting life.
The third death is eternal death (Rev. 20:13,14). The Bible equates this with eternal punishment in the lake of fire, the place generally call hell. Essentially this, too, involves a severance. It is is separation from God God on an eternal basis, a never-ending exclusion from light, love, life, friends and happiness. This fate was never planned for man, but rather for the devil and his angels (Matt. 25:41). If man bypasses Calvary, however, he will find his eternal destiny in hell.
When the Lord Jesus returns to this earth as King of kings and Lord of lords (I Cor. 15:54-57; Rev. 20:14), He will destroy physical death. Sadly enough, spiritual is merged into eternal death. But even so this does not mean annihilation of the unsaved but their everlasting, never-ending isolation from God.
We are interested in YOUR RESPONSE. Please use the COMMENT section at the end of this POST for your response and impressions. Was this post helpful to you, how?
If we were to express the Biblical teaching on death in one word, it would be separation. The Scriptures never treat death as annihilation or cessation of existence. Three deaths are mention in the Bible:
The first is physical death. What we commonly call death is but the separation of the soul from the body. At the incident of death, the body still remains with the component parts of blood, bones, muscles, and nerves. But something has gone, for these is no animation. A separation has taken place. In reality, the person himself has departed and only the body in which he lived for a time is left. With this death we are all familiar (John 11:11-14).
But there is likewise spiritual death, which is far more significant. This is the separation of a human being from God. Back in the beginning of the race, our first parents walked in perfect harmony and blessed fellowship with a holy God. No discord existed, for there was no sin to interfere. However, after sin occurred, the entire picture changed. Fellowship was broken. Communion came to an end. Spiritual death had occurred, bringing grievous disruption between God and His creatures. This separation still exists between God and the world, which is spiritually dead (Eph. 2:1).
In the fullness of time, Christ came into the world to heal this gaping wound and to bring this estrangement to an end. By His death on Calvary's cross, He made possible the way of new communion and fellowship with God. This separation need no longer exist if man will accept Christ as his Savior, be cleansed from his sin, and receive new and everlasting life.
The third death is eternal death (Rev. 20:13,14). The Bible equates this with eternal punishment in the lake of fire, the place generally call hell. Essentially this, too, involves a severance. It is is separation from God God on an eternal basis, a never-ending exclusion from light, love, life, friends and happiness. This fate was never planned for man, but rather for the devil and his angels (Matt. 25:41). If man bypasses Calvary, however, he will find his eternal destiny in hell.
When the Lord Jesus returns to this earth as King of kings and Lord of lords (I Cor. 15:54-57; Rev. 20:14), He will destroy physical death. Sadly enough, spiritual is merged into eternal death. But even so this does not mean annihilation of the unsaved but their everlasting, never-ending isolation from God.
We are interested in YOUR RESPONSE. Please use the COMMENT section at the end of this POST for your response and impressions. Was this post helpful to you, how?
POST 5 - Death Enters the World
by William W. Orr, A.B., M.A., Th.B., D.D.. Pastor and Teacher.
The lovely story of creation is an accurate reliable account of the origin or our earth and of mankind. In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth. In the fullness of time, He also made our first parents, Adam and Eve. Having planted an attractive, floral wonderland of a garden. He placed them in it.
The Lord did everything possible to make Adam and Eve content. They had each other as well as interesting work to engage their minds and hands. Their daily needs were supplied fully. Nothing ugly or evil spoiled the environment. To crown their bliss, God Himself entered into personal relationship with them, "waling in the cool of the day" in Eden.
But the Lord had made Adam and Eve rational creatures, endowed with the faculty of choice. The test of this power of choice was a forbidden tree in the midst of the garden.
God had faithfully, unequivocally warned that the tree of the knowledge of good and evil was not to be touched. He had stated plainly that if our first parents touched it they would surely die. Here the story becomes exceedingly tragic. For the devil entered Eden. Eve, being deceived by him, ate of the forbidden fruit, then gave to Adam who, well aware of what he was doing, also partook. Thus both sinned as they disobeyed the command of God.
What happened? Did they die as God had warned? Certainly! The devil had raised the question and was proved to be a liar from the beginning. Adam and Eve died, but their death was spiritual. Whereas they had enjoyed incomparable fellowship with God Himself, now this communion was impossible. Separation between God and His creatures had taken place. The only way to approach God was by means of death. They had to kill an animal; its blood had to be poured out, foreshadowing the blood of that Redeemer who would die for the sins of the race. Only in this way could these disobedient creatures communicate with their Creator.
Thus death entered into the world (Rom. 5:12). All mankind was now spiritually dead. The seeds of physical death were also implanted in the human race. In due time, all men would die physically. More than that, if nothing were done to remove the power and curse of sin, men would die eternally as well.
Adam lived 930 years. That seems like a long time until we remember that a thousand years is but a day in God's sight (II Pet. 3:8). But God is gracious, and physical life was extended in order that the sons of men might receive the grace of God and learn how they might be pardoned for their sins and prepared for God's heaven.
We are interested in YOUR RESPONSE. Please use the COMMENT section at the end of EACH POST for your response and impressions. Was this post helpful to you? How?
The lovely story of creation is an accurate reliable account of the origin or our earth and of mankind. In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth. In the fullness of time, He also made our first parents, Adam and Eve. Having planted an attractive, floral wonderland of a garden. He placed them in it.
The Lord did everything possible to make Adam and Eve content. They had each other as well as interesting work to engage their minds and hands. Their daily needs were supplied fully. Nothing ugly or evil spoiled the environment. To crown their bliss, God Himself entered into personal relationship with them, "waling in the cool of the day" in Eden.
But the Lord had made Adam and Eve rational creatures, endowed with the faculty of choice. The test of this power of choice was a forbidden tree in the midst of the garden.
God had faithfully, unequivocally warned that the tree of the knowledge of good and evil was not to be touched. He had stated plainly that if our first parents touched it they would surely die. Here the story becomes exceedingly tragic. For the devil entered Eden. Eve, being deceived by him, ate of the forbidden fruit, then gave to Adam who, well aware of what he was doing, also partook. Thus both sinned as they disobeyed the command of God.
What happened? Did they die as God had warned? Certainly! The devil had raised the question and was proved to be a liar from the beginning. Adam and Eve died, but their death was spiritual. Whereas they had enjoyed incomparable fellowship with God Himself, now this communion was impossible. Separation between God and His creatures had taken place. The only way to approach God was by means of death. They had to kill an animal; its blood had to be poured out, foreshadowing the blood of that Redeemer who would die for the sins of the race. Only in this way could these disobedient creatures communicate with their Creator.
Thus death entered into the world (Rom. 5:12). All mankind was now spiritually dead. The seeds of physical death were also implanted in the human race. In due time, all men would die physically. More than that, if nothing were done to remove the power and curse of sin, men would die eternally as well.
Adam lived 930 years. That seems like a long time until we remember that a thousand years is but a day in God's sight (II Pet. 3:8). But God is gracious, and physical life was extended in order that the sons of men might receive the grace of God and learn how they might be pardoned for their sins and prepared for God's heaven.
We are interested in YOUR RESPONSE. Please use the COMMENT section at the end of EACH POST for your response and impressions. Was this post helpful to you? How?
POST 6 - What We Want to Know
by William W. Orr, A.B., M.A., Th.B., D.D.. Pastor and Teacher.
We can observe what happens on the earthly side of death. Sickness, accident, and old age furnish us with many examples of the process and procedure of death. Sadly enough, death is often preceded by suffering, loss of faculties, mental lapses, and unconsciousness. Frequently there is lingering illness. Then again sometimes death comes as swiftly as an arrow, cutting down young and old.
The earthly side of death is not pretty. Health's bloom departs. The body suffers loss of vitality. The patient is put to bed; the physician comes and prescribes treatment. Life ebbs and finally the last breath is drawn. The patient is dead. True, the body is there, but life is gone. Where?
This is what we want to know. Can we know what happens immediately after death? Is the instant of death painful? Is the pathway one of darkness? As the last, will there be an unspeakable fear? In short, is death a terrifying experience?
Many have declared that we cannot know anything about death in advance. They point out that no one has returned from the portals of death. But they are wrong. Some who have died have come back to give their testimony. Shortly, we shall consider what they have said of this experience.
More than that, the Bible insists that it is the Book of all books. If this is so -- and we believe that it is -- then with God as its Author, we may expect to discover insights that are otherwise unknown, and unknowable. For instance, in the Scriptures we have a record of the conference of the Godhead immediately prior to the creation of the first man (Gen. 1:26). Also we have the account of the conversation between God and the devil about testing Job (Job 1:6-12). The Word of God also provides a description of the celestial city of God even though as yet no one has seen it (Rev. 21:10-27).
Therefore may we not have confidence that we shall be enlightened regarding what occurs the first five minutes after death?
Our plan is to examine the facts relating to the deaths of several Bible characters. We shall see exactly what happens to them as the Scriptures draw back a bit the curtain of life. Then we shall apply this Bible doctrine to our present life. As we do, the Holy Spirit will whisper a comforting and reassuring answer to our own hearts.
We are interested in YOUR RESPONSE. Please use the COMMENT section at the end of EACH POST for your response and impressions. Was this post helpful to you? How?
We can observe what happens on the earthly side of death. Sickness, accident, and old age furnish us with many examples of the process and procedure of death. Sadly enough, death is often preceded by suffering, loss of faculties, mental lapses, and unconsciousness. Frequently there is lingering illness. Then again sometimes death comes as swiftly as an arrow, cutting down young and old.
The earthly side of death is not pretty. Health's bloom departs. The body suffers loss of vitality. The patient is put to bed; the physician comes and prescribes treatment. Life ebbs and finally the last breath is drawn. The patient is dead. True, the body is there, but life is gone. Where?
This is what we want to know. Can we know what happens immediately after death? Is the instant of death painful? Is the pathway one of darkness? As the last, will there be an unspeakable fear? In short, is death a terrifying experience?
Many have declared that we cannot know anything about death in advance. They point out that no one has returned from the portals of death. But they are wrong. Some who have died have come back to give their testimony. Shortly, we shall consider what they have said of this experience.
More than that, the Bible insists that it is the Book of all books. If this is so -- and we believe that it is -- then with God as its Author, we may expect to discover insights that are otherwise unknown, and unknowable. For instance, in the Scriptures we have a record of the conference of the Godhead immediately prior to the creation of the first man (Gen. 1:26). Also we have the account of the conversation between God and the devil about testing Job (Job 1:6-12). The Word of God also provides a description of the celestial city of God even though as yet no one has seen it (Rev. 21:10-27).
Therefore may we not have confidence that we shall be enlightened regarding what occurs the first five minutes after death?
Our plan is to examine the facts relating to the deaths of several Bible characters. We shall see exactly what happens to them as the Scriptures draw back a bit the curtain of life. Then we shall apply this Bible doctrine to our present life. As we do, the Holy Spirit will whisper a comforting and reassuring answer to our own hearts.
We are interested in YOUR RESPONSE. Please use the COMMENT section at the end of EACH POST for your response and impressions. Was this post helpful to you? How?
POST 7 - The Basic Illustration . . . (Luke 16:19-31)
by William W. Orr, A.B., M.A., Th.B., D.D.. Pastor and Teacher.
Our Lord Himself told this story. Actually it is not a parable but a case history of the deaths of two representative men. What makes it so valuable to us is the wealth of detail about what happens at death.
First, we are introduced to a rich man (often called Dives from the Latin) who was described as a garbed in purple and linen, marks of wealth and position. Evidently he was proud, ostentatious, and greedy. His god consisted of the possession that ruled his life. Dining sumptuously every day, evidently he was quite a gourmet, one who lived to eat. He was like those of whom Paul later wrote whose god was their belly (Phil. 3:19), and likely this gluttony hastened his death.
Next, the beggar Lazarus is introduced. We do not know just what was this poor wretch's problem. Jesus mentioned that he was taken to the gate of the rich man where he eked out a miserable existence by his begging. His was covered with running ulcers, which were licked by the numerous street dogs. The inference is that no human being cared for him.
Then the beggar died. We read no description of a funeral or even of a burial. The usual custom was to toss unwanted bodies on the common refuse heap outside of the city where they became food for wild dogs or vultures. Certainly the body of poor Lazarus, so infected with sores, was disposed of as quickly as possible.
Finally the Lord relates that the rich man also departed this life. But what a contrast was his burial. Evidently, his was a fine funeral with all the pomp and ceremony that money could provide. Likely there were many hired mourners. No doubt his body was wrapped in a most careful manner with perfumes, spices, and all the trappings then in fashion. He was interred in a tomb appropriate to the position he had occupied in his life.
Now what happens? Our Lord, the narrator, speaks from the vantage point of One who has a complete knowledge of the subject. He is acquainted with the unseen. First of all, He indicates that in the case of these two men there is a division of destinations: The beggar is carried by the angels into Abraham's bosom -- that is, into the immediate presence of the patriarch while the wealthy man finds himself in the torment of hades.
We should observe here that hades (the Greek equivalent of the Old Testament Hebrew word sheol), the place of departed spirits, was in two divisions: the place of the righteous dead (paradise) and the place of the unrighteous dead. These were separated by a "great gulf" or chasm, making in impossible to go from one to the other. At the resurrection and ascension of Christ, all righteous dead and paradise itself, were taken to heaven, into the presence of God by the Savior Himself. From that time on paradise and heaven have been synonymous (Eph. 4:8; II Cor. 12:4). The unrighteous dead remained in "lower sheol" or hades, including the rich man who had scorned the poor beggar.
Let us consider what the first few minutes after death had brought to these two men. Both were dead, but both were conscious. Their bodies were still on earth, but evidently they had been immediately provided with other bodies. In their new surroundings they did not seem to miss their earthly bodies. There seemed to be no period of "newness" or adjustment to the transition of bodies. Lazarus, the beggar, was completely at ease; he was "comforted" and made to feel at home. He was happy and completely satisfied in his new environment. which was vastly different from his painful, despised position on earth.
The rich man, too, apparently had a body, evidently a sort of counterpart to his earthly body. According to the account he lifted up his eyes and asked that water be placed upon his tongue. Being in torment in the flames, he was aware that a drop of water might cool him and help alleviate his sufferings. But he seemed to have no difficulty acclimating himself to his new kind of body. As we know, his earthly body was buried on earth.
All of these conditions apparently occurred instantaneously. There is no period of "soul sleep." There is no interval of unconsciousness in the grave. The transition from the earthly sphere to another realm is immediate. Moreover there is an instant orientation to the new body and environment.
Without doubt, the new body provided is a "spiritual body" (I Cor. 15:44). Evidently this body (house) is the one spoken of as "a building of God" (II Copr. 5:1). Some Bible scholars believe that this is a temporary body because believers will received glorified bodies at the return of Christ (I Cor. 15:51-54).
We must mention at this point that the body of Lazarus was "carried by the angels" from the scene of his death to this place of comfort. Nothing is said about the mode of transportation for the rich man. It is not contrary to the text, however, to assume that angels have a part in removing the unrighteous dead to hades. These beings might be angels with flaming swords.
The location of Hades is unknown. Invariably it is referred to as "down" (Num. 16:30; Isa. 14:9). In connection with the ascension of Christ, the righteous dead were said to be ascending or going up (Acts 7:55; II Cor. 124; Eph. 4:8-10).
The contrast between the positions of the two men is highly indicative of their spiritual condition. Lazarus is with Abraham in closet fellowship. This relationship suggests the heart-warming communion of heaven. Evidently he immediately recognizes Abraham, and Abraham, understanding the beggar's case fully, speaks to him. The word "comforted" conveys how this individual felt. The poor man's pain, loneliness, poverty, and social ostracism are now at an end. In exchange he has the health, fellowship, joy, and all the rewards that God had prepared for him.
The case of the rich man, on the other hand, is tragic indeed. Apparently he is alone, for no companions are mentioned. Fellowship is non-existent in hales. This is one of the features that makes the punishment there and in hell so unspeakably horrible.
The rich man still possesses a number of human characteristics. In hades he sees, feels, speaks, hears, suffers, beseeches, argues, recognizes, hopes, and reasons. In fact, he does not appear to lose in the transit the use of any of his senses. He recognizes the justice and the permanence of his sentence. He does not argue about the reason for his being there. He is in full possession of his memory.
Addressing himself to Abraham, the rich man asks him to send Lazarus with water to cool his tortured tongue, only to be told that this is impossible. He does not dispute the point. Next, he remembers his family at home where there were five brothers. He asks that Lazarus, a familiar figure to his brothers, be sent home to earth to warn these relatives of this place of torment. Abraham solemnly answers that already these brothers have had plenty of warning in the writings of Moses and the prophets. He also answers that even if one rose from the dead (pointing to the resurrection of Christ ) they would not believe. So the Lord's story ends.
The enduring lessons of this account are both negative and positive. There is no "valley of the shadow" here, no "soul sleeping," no crossing the dark rivers, no wandering of the departed souls in abysmal emptiness. The Apostle Peter is not convened. Torment is real: hades is dreadfully solitary; there is no second chance anywhere.
For the child of God there is immediate angelic transport into the fellowship of God's children. Nothing whatsoever is lost. All persons are in full command of intelligence and the five senses. All the happiness of heaven is available so that even one who on earth was denied any comfort can experience abundant joy and peace.
All of this is immediate, instant.
We are interested in YOUR RESPONSE. Please use the COMMENT section at the end of EACH POST for your response and impressions. Was this post helpful to you? How?
Our Lord Himself told this story. Actually it is not a parable but a case history of the deaths of two representative men. What makes it so valuable to us is the wealth of detail about what happens at death.
First, we are introduced to a rich man (often called Dives from the Latin) who was described as a garbed in purple and linen, marks of wealth and position. Evidently he was proud, ostentatious, and greedy. His god consisted of the possession that ruled his life. Dining sumptuously every day, evidently he was quite a gourmet, one who lived to eat. He was like those of whom Paul later wrote whose god was their belly (Phil. 3:19), and likely this gluttony hastened his death.
Next, the beggar Lazarus is introduced. We do not know just what was this poor wretch's problem. Jesus mentioned that he was taken to the gate of the rich man where he eked out a miserable existence by his begging. His was covered with running ulcers, which were licked by the numerous street dogs. The inference is that no human being cared for him.
Then the beggar died. We read no description of a funeral or even of a burial. The usual custom was to toss unwanted bodies on the common refuse heap outside of the city where they became food for wild dogs or vultures. Certainly the body of poor Lazarus, so infected with sores, was disposed of as quickly as possible.
Finally the Lord relates that the rich man also departed this life. But what a contrast was his burial. Evidently, his was a fine funeral with all the pomp and ceremony that money could provide. Likely there were many hired mourners. No doubt his body was wrapped in a most careful manner with perfumes, spices, and all the trappings then in fashion. He was interred in a tomb appropriate to the position he had occupied in his life.
Now what happens? Our Lord, the narrator, speaks from the vantage point of One who has a complete knowledge of the subject. He is acquainted with the unseen. First of all, He indicates that in the case of these two men there is a division of destinations: The beggar is carried by the angels into Abraham's bosom -- that is, into the immediate presence of the patriarch while the wealthy man finds himself in the torment of hades.
We should observe here that hades (the Greek equivalent of the Old Testament Hebrew word sheol), the place of departed spirits, was in two divisions: the place of the righteous dead (paradise) and the place of the unrighteous dead. These were separated by a "great gulf" or chasm, making in impossible to go from one to the other. At the resurrection and ascension of Christ, all righteous dead and paradise itself, were taken to heaven, into the presence of God by the Savior Himself. From that time on paradise and heaven have been synonymous (Eph. 4:8; II Cor. 12:4). The unrighteous dead remained in "lower sheol" or hades, including the rich man who had scorned the poor beggar.
Let us consider what the first few minutes after death had brought to these two men. Both were dead, but both were conscious. Their bodies were still on earth, but evidently they had been immediately provided with other bodies. In their new surroundings they did not seem to miss their earthly bodies. There seemed to be no period of "newness" or adjustment to the transition of bodies. Lazarus, the beggar, was completely at ease; he was "comforted" and made to feel at home. He was happy and completely satisfied in his new environment. which was vastly different from his painful, despised position on earth.
The rich man, too, apparently had a body, evidently a sort of counterpart to his earthly body. According to the account he lifted up his eyes and asked that water be placed upon his tongue. Being in torment in the flames, he was aware that a drop of water might cool him and help alleviate his sufferings. But he seemed to have no difficulty acclimating himself to his new kind of body. As we know, his earthly body was buried on earth.
All of these conditions apparently occurred instantaneously. There is no period of "soul sleep." There is no interval of unconsciousness in the grave. The transition from the earthly sphere to another realm is immediate. Moreover there is an instant orientation to the new body and environment.
Without doubt, the new body provided is a "spiritual body" (I Cor. 15:44). Evidently this body (house) is the one spoken of as "a building of God" (II Copr. 5:1). Some Bible scholars believe that this is a temporary body because believers will received glorified bodies at the return of Christ (I Cor. 15:51-54).
We must mention at this point that the body of Lazarus was "carried by the angels" from the scene of his death to this place of comfort. Nothing is said about the mode of transportation for the rich man. It is not contrary to the text, however, to assume that angels have a part in removing the unrighteous dead to hades. These beings might be angels with flaming swords.
The location of Hades is unknown. Invariably it is referred to as "down" (Num. 16:30; Isa. 14:9). In connection with the ascension of Christ, the righteous dead were said to be ascending or going up (Acts 7:55; II Cor. 124; Eph. 4:8-10).
The contrast between the positions of the two men is highly indicative of their spiritual condition. Lazarus is with Abraham in closet fellowship. This relationship suggests the heart-warming communion of heaven. Evidently he immediately recognizes Abraham, and Abraham, understanding the beggar's case fully, speaks to him. The word "comforted" conveys how this individual felt. The poor man's pain, loneliness, poverty, and social ostracism are now at an end. In exchange he has the health, fellowship, joy, and all the rewards that God had prepared for him.
The case of the rich man, on the other hand, is tragic indeed. Apparently he is alone, for no companions are mentioned. Fellowship is non-existent in hales. This is one of the features that makes the punishment there and in hell so unspeakably horrible.
The rich man still possesses a number of human characteristics. In hades he sees, feels, speaks, hears, suffers, beseeches, argues, recognizes, hopes, and reasons. In fact, he does not appear to lose in the transit the use of any of his senses. He recognizes the justice and the permanence of his sentence. He does not argue about the reason for his being there. He is in full possession of his memory.
Addressing himself to Abraham, the rich man asks him to send Lazarus with water to cool his tortured tongue, only to be told that this is impossible. He does not dispute the point. Next, he remembers his family at home where there were five brothers. He asks that Lazarus, a familiar figure to his brothers, be sent home to earth to warn these relatives of this place of torment. Abraham solemnly answers that already these brothers have had plenty of warning in the writings of Moses and the prophets. He also answers that even if one rose from the dead (pointing to the resurrection of Christ ) they would not believe. So the Lord's story ends.
The enduring lessons of this account are both negative and positive. There is no "valley of the shadow" here, no "soul sleeping," no crossing the dark rivers, no wandering of the departed souls in abysmal emptiness. The Apostle Peter is not convened. Torment is real: hades is dreadfully solitary; there is no second chance anywhere.
For the child of God there is immediate angelic transport into the fellowship of God's children. Nothing whatsoever is lost. All persons are in full command of intelligence and the five senses. All the happiness of heaven is available so that even one who on earth was denied any comfort can experience abundant joy and peace.
All of this is immediate, instant.
We are interested in YOUR RESPONSE. Please use the COMMENT section at the end of EACH POST for your response and impressions. Was this post helpful to you? How?
Sunday, January 02, 2011
POST 8 - Death to the Unsaved
by William W. Orr, A.B., M.A., Th.B., D.D.. Pastor and Teacher.
From the beginning of time, the devil's diabolical strategy has been to cause men either to deny the existence of hell entirely or to minimize its horrors. His success in propagating these lies is only too apparent. Some individuals have a strong subconscious feeling that hell is really not too bad. Others facetiously declare that there will be plenty of company there, believing that the same type of friends with whom one associated on earth will be with him in the life beyond. Many deceive themselves and imagine that hell will be only temporary or purgative. Others rely upon complete annihilation. The Bible negates all of these philosophies.
The Scriptures planly teach the absolute certainty of hell at the end of a Christless life. Along with the affirmation of never-ending bliss for the Christian are the corresponding warning of never-ending torment for the unsaved (Mark 9:42-48; Rev. 20:11-15).
Hell was never made for the sons of men but rather for the devil and his angels (Matt. 25:41). Its tortures were designed for his evil creature who led in a rebellion against the almighty God and who has been mainly respionsibile for the floods of sin and unrighteousness which have brought sorrow, crime, heartaches, and death to the entire world.
The idea that there is to be a "warm" fellowship of sinner in hell has no Biblical basis whatsoever. As far as we can comprehend God's Word, the sentence is to solitary confinement. The only companion of the occupant of hell will be the sinner's memory. He will continuously remember that he never needed to come to that place of torment, that God gave him countless opportunities to escape this torture through faith in Christ.
The purgatory ideas was borrowed from pagan literature. To the heathen sin was real, conceived as being against God. They know no way to rid themselves of sin in order to enjoy the bliss of heaven. Seeking to end this unresolved problem, men rejected the revelation of God and worked out their eternal destiny on a merit and punishment basis. But the Bible also flatly desires this idea (Rom. 3:19, 20).
No one receives a second opportunity to be saved (Heb. 9:27). Annihilation, cessation of being and personality, appears to be a likely answer to an unbeliever, but this also is a false hope. There is no answer at all but suffering in hell, and that is unspeakable, horrible, and beyond the imagination of man.
We are interested in YOUR RESPONSE. Please use the COMMENT section at the end of EACH POST for your response and impressions. Was this post helpful to you? How?
From the beginning of time, the devil's diabolical strategy has been to cause men either to deny the existence of hell entirely or to minimize its horrors. His success in propagating these lies is only too apparent. Some individuals have a strong subconscious feeling that hell is really not too bad. Others facetiously declare that there will be plenty of company there, believing that the same type of friends with whom one associated on earth will be with him in the life beyond. Many deceive themselves and imagine that hell will be only temporary or purgative. Others rely upon complete annihilation. The Bible negates all of these philosophies.
The Scriptures planly teach the absolute certainty of hell at the end of a Christless life. Along with the affirmation of never-ending bliss for the Christian are the corresponding warning of never-ending torment for the unsaved (Mark 9:42-48; Rev. 20:11-15).
Hell was never made for the sons of men but rather for the devil and his angels (Matt. 25:41). Its tortures were designed for his evil creature who led in a rebellion against the almighty God and who has been mainly respionsibile for the floods of sin and unrighteousness which have brought sorrow, crime, heartaches, and death to the entire world.
The idea that there is to be a "warm" fellowship of sinner in hell has no Biblical basis whatsoever. As far as we can comprehend God's Word, the sentence is to solitary confinement. The only companion of the occupant of hell will be the sinner's memory. He will continuously remember that he never needed to come to that place of torment, that God gave him countless opportunities to escape this torture through faith in Christ.
The purgatory ideas was borrowed from pagan literature. To the heathen sin was real, conceived as being against God. They know no way to rid themselves of sin in order to enjoy the bliss of heaven. Seeking to end this unresolved problem, men rejected the revelation of God and worked out their eternal destiny on a merit and punishment basis. But the Bible also flatly desires this idea (Rom. 3:19, 20).
No one receives a second opportunity to be saved (Heb. 9:27). Annihilation, cessation of being and personality, appears to be a likely answer to an unbeliever, but this also is a false hope. There is no answer at all but suffering in hell, and that is unspeakable, horrible, and beyond the imagination of man.
We are interested in YOUR RESPONSE. Please use the COMMENT section at the end of EACH POST for your response and impressions. Was this post helpful to you? How?
POST 9 - Rich Fool Story
by William W. Orr, A.B., M.A., Th.B., D.D.. Pastor and Teacher.
One day our Lo9rd was speaking to a multitude of people (Luke 12:16-34). In the middle of His message a man in the audience interrupted Jesus. He stood up and asked the Lord to adjust a family matter concerning an inheritance. Jesus took this opportunity to point out the sin of covetousness and the folly of living merely for earthly interests.
Christ then told this story. A certain rich man was faced with a peculiar problem. His current crop was so great and his riches so abundant that he had no place to store them. So he had a conference with himself. There were several alternatives. He could share his bounty with the poor; he could divide it with his family; he could give it to the Lord's work. But his decision was an extremely selfish one. He would tear down the inadequate barns, build greater ones, and keep on hoarding it all for himself. Thus his continuing and increasing prosperity would furnish him luxury, extreme ease, and the good life for years to come.
But this man had overlooked a vital factor. He had forgotten that God is the Author and Giver of all good gifts. He failed to realize that riches spell responsibility. He had neglected the fact that he must give an account of himself to his Maker.
God's answer to the rich man's decision was a never-to-be-forgotten one. The Lord said, "Thou fool." When God calls a man foolish, we should listen carefully. This fellow was a fool in many ways, but particularly in thinking that he had unlimited time -- that he had many more years in which to live and accumulate more of the world's goods. The truth, however, was known to God. This man was to die that very night. And he did.
Here is truth worthy of earnest meditation. God is immanent in the affairs of men. He his the Controller of life. When God says that a man's soul is required or demanded of him, that is the end of his earthly life. But it is not the end of the next life.
The inference is that the rich man went into hades immediately without any of his possessions. All his material riches were left behind. In due time, there must be an accounting before the Judge of all the earth. And during the eternal ages the rich man spends in hell, the question of the Lord will ring unceasingly in his mind: "Whose shall those things be which thou hast provided?"
We are interested in YOUR RESPONSE. Please use the COMMENT section at the end of EACH POST for your response and impressions. Was this post helpful to you? How?
One day our Lo9rd was speaking to a multitude of people (Luke 12:16-34). In the middle of His message a man in the audience interrupted Jesus. He stood up and asked the Lord to adjust a family matter concerning an inheritance. Jesus took this opportunity to point out the sin of covetousness and the folly of living merely for earthly interests.
Christ then told this story. A certain rich man was faced with a peculiar problem. His current crop was so great and his riches so abundant that he had no place to store them. So he had a conference with himself. There were several alternatives. He could share his bounty with the poor; he could divide it with his family; he could give it to the Lord's work. But his decision was an extremely selfish one. He would tear down the inadequate barns, build greater ones, and keep on hoarding it all for himself. Thus his continuing and increasing prosperity would furnish him luxury, extreme ease, and the good life for years to come.
But this man had overlooked a vital factor. He had forgotten that God is the Author and Giver of all good gifts. He failed to realize that riches spell responsibility. He had neglected the fact that he must give an account of himself to his Maker.
God's answer to the rich man's decision was a never-to-be-forgotten one. The Lord said, "Thou fool." When God calls a man foolish, we should listen carefully. This fellow was a fool in many ways, but particularly in thinking that he had unlimited time -- that he had many more years in which to live and accumulate more of the world's goods. The truth, however, was known to God. This man was to die that very night. And he did.
Here is truth worthy of earnest meditation. God is immanent in the affairs of men. He his the Controller of life. When God says that a man's soul is required or demanded of him, that is the end of his earthly life. But it is not the end of the next life.
The inference is that the rich man went into hades immediately without any of his possessions. All his material riches were left behind. In due time, there must be an accounting before the Judge of all the earth. And during the eternal ages the rich man spends in hell, the question of the Lord will ring unceasingly in his mind: "Whose shall those things be which thou hast provided?"
We are interested in YOUR RESPONSE. Please use the COMMENT section at the end of EACH POST for your response and impressions. Was this post helpful to you? How?
POST 10 - Does God Control Death?
by William W. Orr, A.B., M.A., Th.B., D.D.. Pastor and Teacher.
As we look at death from the human side, we see man causes for it. Some people simply grow old and die. For them there is usually plenty of warning. They anticipate death for months or years. To others, death comes abruptly, with startling suddenness. They die as a result of accidents, heart attacks, sudden strokes, rapid cancer, and a variety of other diseases. Death comes to infants, youth, and those in the prime of life -- people of all ages.
The question is then raised: Is death merely the result of human foolishness, carelessness, wrong decisions, improper judgment, and unavoidable circumstances? Or does God without exception control all factors in every life? Does anyone die part from God's plan?
Or, does God control the death of Christians only? Does He allow the inflexible laws of life and death to terminate the lives of non-Christians, too?
Let us consider what happened to several individuals. In the case of Moses, the long-time, honored servant of God, the day of his death was set. God also marked the place of his death and buried him (Deut. 32:48-52; 34:1-6). The plight of good King Hezekiah was especially interesting. In the will of God, the day of His death was determined , and the prophet Isaiah was sent to tell him about it. When the king "wept sore" before the Lord, however, God granted him additional time, fifteen more years, after which he died and "slept with his fathers" (II Kings 20:1-21).
A man named Onan displeased the Lord and was immediately slain (Gen. 38:10). Elijah predicted the wicked queen Jezebel's death, and it occurred just as he had declared I Kings 21:23); II Kings 9:30-37). Israel's first king, Saul, lost his right to reign over Israel through disobedience and the already-departed prophet Samuel reappeared and foretold his tragic death (I Sam. 28:18,19; 31:2-6). The Lord, through the prophet Nathan, described in advance the death of the infant son of King David (II Sam. 12:14).
Sennacherib was a mighty king of the Assyrian empire. Because of his blasphemy against the true God he underwent a violent death which was foretold by the prophet Isaiah (II KIngs 19:7, 33, 37). Daniel told of the coming death of Babylon's king, Belshazzar, as a result of the grievous sin in his life (Dan. 5:26-30).
To be sure, many died without the direct statement that God specifically caused their deaths. But these examples furnished a key to help us understand a little more about this subject.
Turning to the New Testament, the deaths of Ananias and Sapphira are highly indicative of God's control in this matter. This Christian couple secretly withheld part of the proceeds from selling their property. Because of their deception they were slain instantly. God directly and instantaneously intervened to cause thier death. As a result of this judgment, a reverential fear fell upon the entire Church (Acts 5:1-11).
The first Christ martyr was Stephen, who was stoned to death at the time of God's choosing (Acts 7:54-60). Our Lord discussed the future deaths of both Peter and John. The time of their departures was not revealed, but the implication is that these events were within the knowledge and control of God (John 21:18-23).
In Paul's last lettr to Timothy, he indicates that the time of his own death was near. To be sure, this information may have come to im from the court of the Roman emperor Nero, but Paul does not speak of his "departure" as the sentence of a heathen king but the as an event planned long before by his Lord (II Tim. 4:6-8). Peter, in his second letter, speaks of his coming death as putting off "this my tabernacle, " or as another version of graphically expresses it, "I know that shorthloy my tent will be struck, as our Lord Jesus Christ made clear to me) (II Pet. 1:14, Berkeley).
We must remember that "all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are called according to His purpose" (Rom. 8:28). This promise would be only partially true if God did not also control that entrance into the glory land which we call death.
We should bear in mind, too, tdhat while death terminates activity on earth, it begins new activity in heaven. Apparently God will provide temporary bodies so that we will be able to move about freely. Later we will appear at the judgment seat of Christ and have a place at the supper of the Lamb (II Cor. 5;10; "Rev. 19:7-10).
God's control of the departure of both believers and unbelievers from the earth is in keeping with the New Testament emphasis that God cares for even the insignificant creatures of His hand. Not even a sparrow falls to the ground without His notice (Matt. 10:29).
Is such teaching of God's control of death fatalistic? The answer is "No," for this is not blind fate, but the powerful hand of an all-wise God, who not only loves His children but whose great heart also yearns for the salvation of the entire human race which He created (II Pet. 3:9).
We are interested in YOUR RESPONSE. Please use the COMMENT section at the end of EACH POST for your response and impressions. Was this post helpful to you? How?
As we look at death from the human side, we see man causes for it. Some people simply grow old and die. For them there is usually plenty of warning. They anticipate death for months or years. To others, death comes abruptly, with startling suddenness. They die as a result of accidents, heart attacks, sudden strokes, rapid cancer, and a variety of other diseases. Death comes to infants, youth, and those in the prime of life -- people of all ages.
The question is then raised: Is death merely the result of human foolishness, carelessness, wrong decisions, improper judgment, and unavoidable circumstances? Or does God without exception control all factors in every life? Does anyone die part from God's plan?
Or, does God control the death of Christians only? Does He allow the inflexible laws of life and death to terminate the lives of non-Christians, too?
Let us consider what happened to several individuals. In the case of Moses, the long-time, honored servant of God, the day of his death was set. God also marked the place of his death and buried him (Deut. 32:48-52; 34:1-6). The plight of good King Hezekiah was especially interesting. In the will of God, the day of His death was determined , and the prophet Isaiah was sent to tell him about it. When the king "wept sore" before the Lord, however, God granted him additional time, fifteen more years, after which he died and "slept with his fathers" (II Kings 20:1-21).
A man named Onan displeased the Lord and was immediately slain (Gen. 38:10). Elijah predicted the wicked queen Jezebel's death, and it occurred just as he had declared I Kings 21:23); II Kings 9:30-37). Israel's first king, Saul, lost his right to reign over Israel through disobedience and the already-departed prophet Samuel reappeared and foretold his tragic death (I Sam. 28:18,19; 31:2-6). The Lord, through the prophet Nathan, described in advance the death of the infant son of King David (II Sam. 12:14).
Sennacherib was a mighty king of the Assyrian empire. Because of his blasphemy against the true God he underwent a violent death which was foretold by the prophet Isaiah (II KIngs 19:7, 33, 37). Daniel told of the coming death of Babylon's king, Belshazzar, as a result of the grievous sin in his life (Dan. 5:26-30).
To be sure, many died without the direct statement that God specifically caused their deaths. But these examples furnished a key to help us understand a little more about this subject.
Turning to the New Testament, the deaths of Ananias and Sapphira are highly indicative of God's control in this matter. This Christian couple secretly withheld part of the proceeds from selling their property. Because of their deception they were slain instantly. God directly and instantaneously intervened to cause thier death. As a result of this judgment, a reverential fear fell upon the entire Church (Acts 5:1-11).
The first Christ martyr was Stephen, who was stoned to death at the time of God's choosing (Acts 7:54-60). Our Lord discussed the future deaths of both Peter and John. The time of their departures was not revealed, but the implication is that these events were within the knowledge and control of God (John 21:18-23).
In Paul's last lettr to Timothy, he indicates that the time of his own death was near. To be sure, this information may have come to im from the court of the Roman emperor Nero, but Paul does not speak of his "departure" as the sentence of a heathen king but the as an event planned long before by his Lord (II Tim. 4:6-8). Peter, in his second letter, speaks of his coming death as putting off "this my tabernacle, " or as another version of graphically expresses it, "I know that shorthloy my tent will be struck, as our Lord Jesus Christ made clear to me) (II Pet. 1:14, Berkeley).
We must remember that "all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are called according to His purpose" (Rom. 8:28). This promise would be only partially true if God did not also control that entrance into the glory land which we call death.
We should bear in mind, too, tdhat while death terminates activity on earth, it begins new activity in heaven. Apparently God will provide temporary bodies so that we will be able to move about freely. Later we will appear at the judgment seat of Christ and have a place at the supper of the Lamb (II Cor. 5;10; "Rev. 19:7-10).
God's control of the departure of both believers and unbelievers from the earth is in keeping with the New Testament emphasis that God cares for even the insignificant creatures of His hand. Not even a sparrow falls to the ground without His notice (Matt. 10:29).
Is such teaching of God's control of death fatalistic? The answer is "No," for this is not blind fate, but the powerful hand of an all-wise God, who not only loves His children but whose great heart also yearns for the salvation of the entire human race which He created (II Pet. 3:9).
We are interested in YOUR RESPONSE. Please use the COMMENT section at the end of EACH POST for your response and impressions. Was this post helpful to you? How?
POST 11 - This Death Was Planned
by William W. Orr, A.B., M.A., Th.B., D.D.. Pastor and Teacher.
The small village of Bethany, a short mile or so over the Mount of Olives from Jerusalem, was notable because Mary, Martha, and Lazarus lived there. The Lord Jesus Christ frequently went to their home to rest and to refresh Himself during His strenuous ministry. Christ dearly loved these three friends (John 11:1-46).
While the Lord was ministering far away from Bethny in Perea, Across the Jordan, Lazarus was taken seriously ill. The sisters sent word to Christ, notifying Him of the plight of their beloved brother. In those ancient times, people dispatched a runner to cover the distance on foot. When Christ received the news, He remained in Perea. He did not rush to Bethany. In the meantime, His dear friend Lazarus died.
Our Lord discussed the condition of Lazarus with His disciples. He told them plainly that his sickness was not actually for death, but for the glory of God. Describing the death of Lazarus as "sleep," He promised He would awaken him from that sleep. Of course it was a real death. In a few days the Lord fulfilled His promised by standing at the grave of Lazarus, and imperiously calling him back to life.
How is death a sleep? Lacking the modern technique of embalming, the body of Lazarus was place in the tomb quickly. Did the spirit and soul sleep, too, with the body? No, for the Bible explicitly states that to be "absent from the body" is to be "present with the Lord" (II Cor. 5:8; Phil 1:23). The word "sleep" concerns only the physical body. The real being of Lazarus instantly entered the place of the righteous dead, from which he returned when was raised from the dead by the Lord Jesus Christ.
As our Lord indicates, Lazarus' death was extraordinary (John 11:4). The body of Lazarus apparently remained in a state of arrest decomposition. Later Christ said, "He that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live" (John 11:25). We know now that even though a believer may die physically, he will share the resurrection glory of Christ.
Eventually Lazarus died again. But in this first death, Christ demonstrates His authority over death. To be sure, death is an enemy; death is the sure result of sin. Death is a cruel, stinging serpent, but Christ is death's Conqueror. The same Lord who called back Lazarus from his grave will one glorious day call forth from the graves all that are His (John 5:28,29; I Thess. 4:13-18).
We are interested in YOUR RESPONSE. Please use the COMMENT section at the end of EACH POST for your response and impressions. Was this post helpful to you? How?
The small village of Bethany, a short mile or so over the Mount of Olives from Jerusalem, was notable because Mary, Martha, and Lazarus lived there. The Lord Jesus Christ frequently went to their home to rest and to refresh Himself during His strenuous ministry. Christ dearly loved these three friends (John 11:1-46).
While the Lord was ministering far away from Bethny in Perea, Across the Jordan, Lazarus was taken seriously ill. The sisters sent word to Christ, notifying Him of the plight of their beloved brother. In those ancient times, people dispatched a runner to cover the distance on foot. When Christ received the news, He remained in Perea. He did not rush to Bethany. In the meantime, His dear friend Lazarus died.
Our Lord discussed the condition of Lazarus with His disciples. He told them plainly that his sickness was not actually for death, but for the glory of God. Describing the death of Lazarus as "sleep," He promised He would awaken him from that sleep. Of course it was a real death. In a few days the Lord fulfilled His promised by standing at the grave of Lazarus, and imperiously calling him back to life.
How is death a sleep? Lacking the modern technique of embalming, the body of Lazarus was place in the tomb quickly. Did the spirit and soul sleep, too, with the body? No, for the Bible explicitly states that to be "absent from the body" is to be "present with the Lord" (II Cor. 5:8; Phil 1:23). The word "sleep" concerns only the physical body. The real being of Lazarus instantly entered the place of the righteous dead, from which he returned when was raised from the dead by the Lord Jesus Christ.
As our Lord indicates, Lazarus' death was extraordinary (John 11:4). The body of Lazarus apparently remained in a state of arrest decomposition. Later Christ said, "He that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live" (John 11:25). We know now that even though a believer may die physically, he will share the resurrection glory of Christ.
Eventually Lazarus died again. But in this first death, Christ demonstrates His authority over death. To be sure, death is an enemy; death is the sure result of sin. Death is a cruel, stinging serpent, but Christ is death's Conqueror. The same Lord who called back Lazarus from his grave will one glorious day call forth from the graves all that are His (John 5:28,29; I Thess. 4:13-18).
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POST 12 - Paul's First Death
by William W. Orr, A.B., M.A., Th.B., D.D.. Pastor and Teacher.
Another remarkable incident occurred on the great Apostle Paul's first missionary journey. He and his companion, Barnabas, were preaching and teaching as they went through Asia Minor. When they came to a city called Lystra (Acts 14:6-22), God enable Paul to heal a helpless cripple by the way.
Seeing this miracle, the people of Lystra thronged around Paul and Barnabas, wildly proclaiming them to be their own pagan gods, come down in the form of men. They called Paul Mercury and Barnabas Jupiter. They summoned priests of the temple of Jupiter, who hurriedly brought oxen and garlands to sacrifice before the servants of the Lord. Only with the greatest effort did God's true messengers restrain the cheering populace for worshiping them.
The next day the story was quite different. During the night hate-inspired, unbelieving Jews came from cities where the apostles had already ministered and, hatching a wicked plot, planned to kill them. These Jews formed an unruly mob, surrounded Paul as he preached, and stoned him on the spot. For some unrecorded reason Barnabas was not there at the time.
Stoning was an ugly sight, a brutal act. Weighing about two pounds, the stones were concealed until needed in the garments of the would-be executioners. They maneuvered the victim into the center of the frenzied, bloodthirsty mob of screaming manics. Then they hurled stones at him from all directions until one eventually him the human target and caused him to fall. This was the signal for the mob to close in and throw stones unmercifully at close range until every bone of the victim was crushed. Rarely did anyone come through a stoning alive. And if one did survive, he was a helpless cripple for life.
Though the account does not state that Paul died from the stoning, there is every reason to believe that he did. First, the eye-witnesses thought that he was dead. "Having stoned Paul, they drew him out of the city, supposing he had been dead" (Acts 14:19). Likely he was dragged to the refuse dump. The next bit of evidence is a corroborating passage from the pen of the apostle himself. It possibly related to this very incident (II Cor. 12:1-10).
Certainly his executioners thought the Apostle Paul was dead when they tossed his burised and bleeding body outside of the city. In a short time there came grief-stricken disciples, possibly Barnabas among them, who sorrowfully wept and prayed. Then, without warning, Paul arose, unassisted and proceeded to walk back into the city. What had happened?
We might never have been able to understand this unusual event without Paul's description in his second letter to Corinth (12:1-10). In this passage Paul defends his apostolic authority against false teaching who dogged his steps, repeatedly heckling and harassing him. As Paul produces the proofs of his apostleship, he cites the miracle of Lystra, which had occurred about ten years before the epistle was written.
As Paul gives the account, it is evident that he still cannot overcome the wonder of the tremendous experience that he underwent. It seemed almost like a dream to him, yet it was not a dream, not a vision, but an actual experience. At first he speaks of himself in the third person, then he changes to the first person. In summary, his experience was this: Paul was caught in the mob and brutally stoned to death. His body was dragged outside of the city where he was dumped. The plotters wiped their bloody hands and departed. But the news traveled fast and in a short time a few friends gathered around the corpse to mourn Paul's loss. Then Paul stirred, got to his feet before their incredulous eyes, and suggested that they all return to the city.
Actually very little time was involved in this entire incident. What had happened to Paul is what happens to every Christ. At the Point of Death, Paul's spirit went immediately to be with his Lord(Phi. 1:23). After he took his last look at earthly scenes, he immediately began viewing heavenly scenes. After he stopped breathing, he entered into a heavenly experience.
The transition from the earthly body to the heavenly body is without strain or shock. Paul says that he did not know whether he was in the body or out of it. Evidently, he did not miss his earthly body in any way. There was no feeling of being unclothed. He was onot hindered or hampered by lack of the body.
Many believe that the Lord provides a temporary body for a child of God until he receive his glorified body (II Cor. 5:15). If so, Paul was able instantly to see, to hear, and to enjoy the indescribably glorious sights of heaven. He heard things and saw scenes that are indescribable. In fact, he said they were so sacred that it would be unlawful to describe them. All of this took place in a brief amount of time.
There was no pain in the exchange of earth for heaven. There was no valley of the shadow to enter, no dark river to cross, no purgatorial fires to undergo. There was no fear, no terror, no loneliness, no shock. One moment Paul experience the agony of death, the next heaven.
We are interested in YOUR RESPONSE. Please use the COMMENT section at the end of EACH POST for your response and impressions. Was this post helpful to you? How?
Another remarkable incident occurred on the great Apostle Paul's first missionary journey. He and his companion, Barnabas, were preaching and teaching as they went through Asia Minor. When they came to a city called Lystra (Acts 14:6-22), God enable Paul to heal a helpless cripple by the way.
Seeing this miracle, the people of Lystra thronged around Paul and Barnabas, wildly proclaiming them to be their own pagan gods, come down in the form of men. They called Paul Mercury and Barnabas Jupiter. They summoned priests of the temple of Jupiter, who hurriedly brought oxen and garlands to sacrifice before the servants of the Lord. Only with the greatest effort did God's true messengers restrain the cheering populace for worshiping them.
The next day the story was quite different. During the night hate-inspired, unbelieving Jews came from cities where the apostles had already ministered and, hatching a wicked plot, planned to kill them. These Jews formed an unruly mob, surrounded Paul as he preached, and stoned him on the spot. For some unrecorded reason Barnabas was not there at the time.
Stoning was an ugly sight, a brutal act. Weighing about two pounds, the stones were concealed until needed in the garments of the would-be executioners. They maneuvered the victim into the center of the frenzied, bloodthirsty mob of screaming manics. Then they hurled stones at him from all directions until one eventually him the human target and caused him to fall. This was the signal for the mob to close in and throw stones unmercifully at close range until every bone of the victim was crushed. Rarely did anyone come through a stoning alive. And if one did survive, he was a helpless cripple for life.
Though the account does not state that Paul died from the stoning, there is every reason to believe that he did. First, the eye-witnesses thought that he was dead. "Having stoned Paul, they drew him out of the city, supposing he had been dead" (Acts 14:19). Likely he was dragged to the refuse dump. The next bit of evidence is a corroborating passage from the pen of the apostle himself. It possibly related to this very incident (II Cor. 12:1-10).
Certainly his executioners thought the Apostle Paul was dead when they tossed his burised and bleeding body outside of the city. In a short time there came grief-stricken disciples, possibly Barnabas among them, who sorrowfully wept and prayed. Then, without warning, Paul arose, unassisted and proceeded to walk back into the city. What had happened?
We might never have been able to understand this unusual event without Paul's description in his second letter to Corinth (12:1-10). In this passage Paul defends his apostolic authority against false teaching who dogged his steps, repeatedly heckling and harassing him. As Paul produces the proofs of his apostleship, he cites the miracle of Lystra, which had occurred about ten years before the epistle was written.
As Paul gives the account, it is evident that he still cannot overcome the wonder of the tremendous experience that he underwent. It seemed almost like a dream to him, yet it was not a dream, not a vision, but an actual experience. At first he speaks of himself in the third person, then he changes to the first person. In summary, his experience was this: Paul was caught in the mob and brutally stoned to death. His body was dragged outside of the city where he was dumped. The plotters wiped their bloody hands and departed. But the news traveled fast and in a short time a few friends gathered around the corpse to mourn Paul's loss. Then Paul stirred, got to his feet before their incredulous eyes, and suggested that they all return to the city.
Actually very little time was involved in this entire incident. What had happened to Paul is what happens to every Christ. At the Point of Death, Paul's spirit went immediately to be with his Lord(Phi. 1:23). After he took his last look at earthly scenes, he immediately began viewing heavenly scenes. After he stopped breathing, he entered into a heavenly experience.
The transition from the earthly body to the heavenly body is without strain or shock. Paul says that he did not know whether he was in the body or out of it. Evidently, he did not miss his earthly body in any way. There was no feeling of being unclothed. He was onot hindered or hampered by lack of the body.
Many believe that the Lord provides a temporary body for a child of God until he receive his glorified body (II Cor. 5:15). If so, Paul was able instantly to see, to hear, and to enjoy the indescribably glorious sights of heaven. He heard things and saw scenes that are indescribable. In fact, he said they were so sacred that it would be unlawful to describe them. All of this took place in a brief amount of time.
There was no pain in the exchange of earth for heaven. There was no valley of the shadow to enter, no dark river to cross, no purgatorial fires to undergo. There was no fear, no terror, no loneliness, no shock. One moment Paul experience the agony of death, the next heaven.
We are interested in YOUR RESPONSE. Please use the COMMENT section at the end of EACH POST for your response and impressions. Was this post helpful to you? How?
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