Understanding death

The reality of death is as clear as the evidence of life. As all men share in common the miracle of birth so all men face the fear of death which makes no distinction of wealth, power, race or age. Save the coming of the Lord death will be the unwelcome guest in every home. Yet the character of Christ's coming will be as sudden and without warning as death. It is in that instant moment of transition that life fades to a place of mystery and trepidation. Knowledge gives freedom as we seek to find the answers to life. The science of man has unraveled many mysteries of our universe, our bodies and the world about us. So many corners of our world remain hidden from sight as new discoveries are made each year. Death will always remain an illusive mystery that we can only understand through the thin veil of what God has told us. No man has returned from death to describe the nature of its feel, the wonder, the senses bursting with memories of the experience of death. Only the Son of God has experienced death and lives now in the resurrection but the revelation of the Lord to man was not about the experience of death but rather to hope of what death will bring. What of the experience of death? How are we to view that moment in the vapor of life that blows away as morning mist?

Jesus told the family of Lazarus "Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep, but I go to awaken him." (John 11:11). The apostle Paul refers to death as a "sleep" (1 Thessalonians 4:14-15; 5:10). How can we think of death as sleeping when we fear it so much and find it so hard to talk about? We do not have the same view of sleep as we do death. Sleep is welcome and necessary. Death is welcome and necessary for the child of God to awaken to see the Father. As people of hope we live with the reality of death tempered by the blessing of what death will bring.

The reason death is feared is because we care more for this world than the promise of a new world. We do not want to let go of what we have here in this world - our families, our friends, our lives - these are all important and wonderful things. Consider for a moment the absolute nature of death. If we were created to live forever on earth then we should embrace our world in every way. Yet in the garden of Eden the Lord created man to die. The other tree in the garden was the tree of life and our expulsion from paradise (in part) was so that man could not put forth his hand and eat of the tree of life and live forever on earth (Genesis 3:22). We are made to live with God and the only way to live with God eternally is to live in eternity. Death is the door to our home. It is not to be feared. Life is about dying and that is a good thing. Whatever joys we share in this life will not compare with the promise of eternal life. That is where the real meaning of life is found.

Picture for a moment the experience of death. You are in a crowded lobby filled with people talking, laughing, busy with this and that and the hustle and bustle of life. Your eyes take in all the senses of life with its smells, sounds and feel. Yet death is coming and you begin to move to to the back of the lobby where a single elevator stands. You draw near the door as you look at life all about you. Most people do not take notice of where you are; a few stand with you and their faces show concern, fear, sadness and tears. You move without control towards the elevator door which begins to open slowly. Quietly you enter the small room darkly lit and the door begins to close. Those on the other side of the door reach out to touch you but cannot. The noise of life begins to dim and in an instant the door closes and the silence is deafening. You die. Your body feels different now. The pains of life have disappeared and everything seems clear. Before you appears a place of great wonderment. There are no questions because you feel the wisp of angels wings carrying you to a place of eternal beauty. On the horizon of the eternal mist appears a figure that you know immediately is Abraham as you enter the bosom of the father of the faithful. The warmth of God's love and the light of His Son fill your expanse as your eyes behold the wonder of eternal life. There is the Holy Spirit rejoicing with the angels of Heaven. You are home.

"He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away." (Revelation 21:4)

That is understanding death. Wow.