Are You Ready To Meet The Angel Of Death? Series

Several decades ago a music artist sang a song titled, ‘Angel Of Death’. It is about being ready when your time comes to die. Jesus told his disciples “Be ye therefore ready also;”

Let us notice the words of this song.

"Angel Of Death"

In the great book of John

You're warned of the day

When you'll be laid

Beneath the cold clay

The Angel of Death

Will come from the sky

And claim your poor soul

When the time comes to die

When the Angel of Death

Comes down after you

Can you smile and say

That you have been true

Can you truthfully say

With your dying breath

That you're ready to meet

The Angel of Death

When the lights all grow dim

And the dark shadows creep

And then your loved ones

Are gathered to weep

Can you face them and say

With your dying breath

That you're ready to meet

The Angel of Death

When the Angel of Death

Comes down after you

Can you smile and say

That you have been true

Can you truthfully say

With your dying breath

That you're ready to meet

The Angel of Death

In our news we heard of a mid-air plane crash with a helicopter in our nation’s capital. Sixty seven lives were taken in a tragic moment. Did they expect not to land at the airport safely? Were they ready for death? Where will they spend eternity? Had they made plans for their eternal home? It appears obvious they did not expect to leave this earth so soon and so sudden.

Mankind does not know when their life shall be over; whether of old age or from a sudden tragedy. But Jesus said, Luke 12:35-40. 35 Let your loins be girded about, and your lights burning; 36 And ye yourselves like unto men that wait for their lord, when he will return from the wedding; that when he cometh and knocketh, they may open unto him immediately. 37 Blessed are those servants, whom the lord when he cometh shall find watching: verily I say unto you, that he shall gird himself, and make them to sit down to meat, and will come forth and serve them. 38 And if he shall come in the second watch, or come in the third watch, and find them so, blessed are those servants. 39 And this know, that if the goodman of the house had known what hour the thief would come, he would have watched, and not have suffered his house to be broken through. 40 Be ye therefore ready also: for the Son of man cometh at an hour when ye think not.

Just as the Great Resurrection shall come at a time unknown to mankind, if we are to die before the second coming of our Lord, we also do not know the hour the Angel of Death may come. It is said the Lord shall come as a thief in the night. We must be ready. Peter warns us to make our calling and election sure. 2 Peter 1:10

Let us look at a story about a group of believers and their watching and being prepared for the coming of the Lord. Matthew 25:1-13. This speaking from Jesus to his disciples was right after he had spoken about the coming end of time. (previous chapter) 25 Then shall the kingdom of heaven be likened unto ten virgins, which took their lamps, and went forth to meet the bridegroom. 2 And five of them were wise, and five were foolish. 3 They that were foolish took their lamps, and took no oil with them: 4 But the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps. 5 While the bridegroom tarried, they all slumbered and slept. 6 And at midnight there was a cry made, Behold, the bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet him. 7 Then all those virgins arose, and trimmed their lamps. 8 And the foolish said unto the wise, Give us of your oil; for our lamps are gone out. 9 But the wise answered, saying, Not so; lest there be not enough for us and you: but go ye rather to them that sell, and buy for yourselves. 10 And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came; and they that were ready went in with him to the marriage: and the door was shut. 11 Afterward came also the other virgins, saying, Lord, Lord, open to us. 12 But he answered and said, Verily I say unto you, I know you not. 13 Watch therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh.

We can infer these ten virgins were of the same belief or church. They assembled together. They were of the same mind to wait for the groom to come for the banquet. However, they were not all of the same mind being found watching and expecting the Lord to come at any moment. Not all were prepared for whatever challenge may arise before the coming of the bridegroom. Let us see what went wrong.