Bill Rudge
Ecclesiastes 8:8 informs us that “no one has authority over the day of death.” In other words, there is nobody who has the power to hold back their spirit from departing on the day of their death. They may be vivacious until the last few months, or even days, of their life but eventually death will overtake them.
Increasing pain and decreasing strength often precede death. One moment there is independent movement and life, even if it is only shallow irregular breathing, the next moment there is total stillness. The body that was once able to move on its own can now only be moved by outside forces. Doctors might be able to explain what caused the physical body to no longer be able to pump blood to the brain and vital organs, but what really happened? We must look to the Bible for a full explanation.
God formed Adam from the dust of the ground. After he was created, Adam was a lifeless body until something significant happened: God breathed into Adam the breath of life and he became a living being (Genesis 2:7). Zechariah 12:1 tells us that it is “the Lord who stretches out the heavens, lays the foundation of the earth, and forms the spirit of man within him.” Luke 23:46 states: “And Jesus, crying out with a loud voice, said, ‘Father, into your hands I commit my spirit.’ Having said this, He breathed His last.” As Stephen was being stoned to death, he called on the Lord and said, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit!” (Acts 7:59).
When one’s spirit departs from the body, there is death. Scripture teaches that the spirits of the righteous dead go directly into the presence of God. It’s as though the spirit steps out of the body, out of this world and into another dimension. The Apostle Paul assures believers that to be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord (2 Corinthians 5:6-8; Philippians 1:21-24).
In ancient Rome, a burial place was known as a necropolis, which stems from the ancient Greek meaning “city of the dead.” With the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, the understanding of death changed. Our English word cemetery comes from the Greek word “koimeterion” meaning “dormitory, sleeping place or resting place.” The domain of the dead is not referred to by Christians as a necropolis but as a cemetery, a resting or sleeping place for the body until it is reunited with the spirit on resurrection day.
Death Is Inescapable
Death is no respecter of persons; it is undeniable, inescapable and irreversible. Many people die unexpectedly—with little or no time to prepare for eternity. That is why you should live each day as if it were your last—for one day it will be. One speeding car, one errant bullet, one careless accident, one deadly disease, one silent aneurysm—and all your goals and dreams are ended. You are thrust into eternity.
Multitudes have tried almost every way imaginable to conquer death and gain immortality. Some have searched for the fountain of youth. Others have attempted to discover a miracle drug or invent a new technique to prolong life and restore youthfulness. Cryonics is the low-temperature freezing and storage of the whole body (or just the head and brain) to prevent tissue decomposition with the speculative hope that, at some time in the future, science and technology will advance to the stage where the deceased can be brought back to life. Digital immortality refers to uploading, storing or transferring a person’s personality in digital substrate, i.e., a computer, robot or cyberspace. It is intended to create a digital persona that can interact with people on your behalf after you are dead.
All attempts to conquer death have ended in futility. Throughout history, no one (other than Enoch and Elijah) has been able to evade the death angel. All have eventually succumbed to death.
Death is final. There is no reversing it. No coming back. No undoing what was done in life. No changing one’s eternal destiny. What was done is done! So make wise choices while you still have time and opportunity to do so.
Fear of the Unknown
Death escorts us into unforeseeable territory. The mystery of the unknown causes people to be frightened by death and fascinated with what lies beyond the grave. The Bible indicates that fear of death enslaves human beings throughout their lifetimes (Hebrews 2:15). In a never-ending attempt to know the future and discover what lies beyond the grave, many seekers resort to such occult practices as séances, trance channeling, fortunetelling, Ouija boards and astrology. Fear of death has brought the bravest of men and women to their knees. Many skeptics, who laugh at the concept of God, obtain a strong belief in the face of death. I have led several people to Christ who previously had disbelieved, rejected or spurned Him for most of their lives.
Continued next week
The preceding was excerpted from Bill’s new book Death, Dying and Eternity. Available in April 2024, free of charge upon request.
Bill Rudge Ministries 