As I stood there and watched the casket being transported up the cemetery road, my heart grieved along with everyone else. Words like “tragic,” “too young to die,” “not at Christmas,” “painful,” “just broken,” and “world is rocked” were used to describe the passing of a young man loved by so many.
As I read Genesis 5 yesterday morning, what I witnessed two days ago came back to mind. This chapter in Genesis records the first genealogy in Scripture, the family of Adam. Ten generations are mentioned from Adam to Noah. One thing that stands out is the length of life during that time. Adam lived 930 years, Seth live 912 years, Enosh lived 905 years, and as you might know, Methuselah lived a total of 969 years.
What really captured my attention was not the length of years these folks walked on this earth but a statement that is given eight times, “and he died” (5:5, 8, 11, 14, 17, 20, 27, 31).
Death. We really don’t want to talk about it. We laugh and make jokes about it to some degree to try and erase the reality of it. In our minds, we think we are going to live to be 912 years old. In comparison to eternity, whether we live one year or 969 years, we all die in “infancy.”
The most important part about life here is to be prepared to die. Hebrews 9:27 reminds us that man is destined to die one time. There is a 100% death rate. So, truth is, you are not ready to really live here until you are prepared to die.
Death is cold, harsh, difficult, often sudden, final, and due to the fall of man (Genesis 3).
Indeed, each our names are in some genealogy and could be followed with the words, “and he died.” But friend, just as much as that phrase has a note finality to it, there is life after death.
John 14:1-3, Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me. In my Father’s house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also.
John 3:16, For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.
John 11:25, Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live.
Revelation 21:1-4, Now I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away. Also there was no more sea. 2 Then I, John, saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. 3 And I heard a loud voice from heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people. God Himself will be with them and be their God. 4 And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away.
For each one of us who have believed on the Lord Jesus Christ alone for eternal salvation, that phrase could read, “and he died, yet he lives today in heaven.” (https://ptv.org/devotional/where-do-christians-go-when-they-die/)
For each one who rejects the Lord Jesus Christ as the only way to heaven, the phrase could read, “and he died, yet he lives today in hades.” (https://ptv.org/devotional/where-do-unbelievers-go-when-they-die/)
For everyone of us, the pain of death will either be exchanged for the glories of heaven or will continue on into the torments of hell.
What will follow for you after the words, “and he died”?
For this now broken-hearted, grieving family, a wonderful, sweet reunion awaits in heaven (1 Thessalonians 4:13-18).
From A Pastor's Heart 