Life beyond Death and Man’s future destiny-part-3
We continue with the 3rd part of our study about “Life beyond Death” for this study our text is taken from the Book of Job chapter fourteen. The Book of Job is one of the most celebrated pieces of biblical literature, not only because it explores some of the most profound questions humans ask about their lives, but also because it is extremely well written. The basic question of the book is “why do the righteous suffer if God is loving and all powerful? The book of Job concerns the transforming crisis in the life of a great man who lived perhaps 4000 years ago. It tells about an unexpected disaster in his life, Job loses everything-his wealth, his family, his health and wrestles with question,” Why”?
The book begins with a heavenly debate between God and Satan, moves through three cycles of earthly debate between Job and his friends, and concludes with a dramatic divine ruling of Job’s problem. In this book, suffering itself is not the central theme; rather, the focus is what Job learns from this suffering. In the end, Job acknowledges the sovereignty of God in his life and over all creation, keeping the context in mind let us read the text.
“Mortals, born of woman, are of few days and full of trouble. They spring up like flowers and wither away; like fleeting shadows, they do not endure. Do you fix your eye on them? Will you bring them before you for judgment? Who can bring what is pure from the impure? No one!
A person’s days are determined; you have decreed the number of his months and have set limits he cannot exceed. If someone dies, will they live again? All the days of my hard service I will wait for my renewal to come.” (Job 14:1-5,14NIV)
In our text Job enlarges upon the condition of man, addressing himself also to God. Every man of Adam's fallen race is short-lived. All his show of beauty, happiness, and splendor falls before the stroke of sickness or death, as the flower before the scythe; or passes away like the shadow. The general term of human life is fixed by God himself; in vain are all attempts to prolong it beyond this term. Several attempts have been made in all nations to find an elixir that would expel all the seeds of disease, and keep men in continual health; but all these attempts have failed. God has appointed man’s bounds that he cannot pass; the boundaries of his life the period of his days, beyond which he cannot go; the term of man's life is so peremptorily fixed by God, that he cannot die sooner, nor live longer, than he has determined he should; as the time of a man's birth, so the time of his death is according to the purpose of God. Go has fixed a limit, or has determined the time which he is to live, and he cannot go beyond it.
The Book of Job also reminds us that there is a "cosmic conflict" going on the behind the scenes that we usually know nothing about. Often we wonder why God allows something, and we question or doubt God's goodness, without seeing the full picture. The Book of Job teaches us to trust God under all circumstances. We must trust God, not only when we do not understand, but BECAUSE we do not understand. The psalmist tells us, “God's way is perfect. All the LORD's promises prove true. He is a shield for all who look to him for protection.” (Psalm 18:30NLT)If God’s ways are “perfect,” then we can trust that whatever He does—and whatever He allows—is also perfect. Nevertheless, our responsibility to God is to obey Him, to trust Him and to submit to His will, whether we understand it or not. God's perfection is the sources of his own, His providence, though it may sometimes be dark, yet is always wise and just. No matter how great or many the dangers may be, yet God's promise must take effect. He is a shield for all who look to him for protection.
In chapter 14:1-5 we are led to think about the brevity and frailty of Human Life. Man, as he is short-lived, so he is sad-lived. In Verses 5, there are three things we are here assured of: ------- (1.) That the shortness, misery, and sinfulness of man's life. Our life will come to an end our days upon earth are numbered, and will soon be finished.
(2.) That it is determined, in the counsel and decree of God, how long we shall live and when we shall die. The number of our days is with God, at the disposal of his power, which cannot be controlled, and under the view of his omniscience, which cannot be deceived.
(3.) That the bounds God has fixed we cannot pass for his counsels are unalterable, his foresight being infallible.
Death is by any measure, a painful thing to happen to anyone. Yet death is inevitable. Death happens to all living things that ever exist on earth: Plants and animals. Non-living things decay and rot away and so are human beings whose body is made of these decaying minerals. Everybody wants to live long, but nobody wants to get old. Even though ageing cannot be avoided, people try to hide it. Facial Skin Care and Treatment and also Hair dye are the fast-selling cosmetics! "Old" people prefer to be called as "senior" citizens! It’s an instinct in man to stay and appear young. So many books and articles have been published by the secular press giving tips on maintaining youthfulness. They mostly talk about food habits, physical exercises and positive mental attitudes. Doctors and researchers are particularly anxious to learn what causes this rare cause of ageing.
Why do we have to die? According to scientific theories, there are Biological Reasons for death. Billions of tiny cells that are glued together make up human beings: every part of us. Did you know that in every cell of our bodies there exists a very detailed instruction code, much like a miniature computer program? As you may know, a computer program is made up of ones and zeros, like this: 110010101011000. The way they are arranged tell the computer program what to do. The DNA code in each of our cells is very similar. It's made up of four chemicals that scientists abbreviate as A, T, G, and C. These are arranged in the human cell like this: CGTGTGACTCGCTCCTGAT and so on. There are three billion of these letters in every human cell!!Well, just like you can program your phone to beep for specific reasons, DNA instructs the cell. DNA is a three-billion-lettered program telling the cell to act in a certain way. It is a full instruction manual. Why is this so amazing? One has to ask....how this information program wound up in each human cell. These are not just chemicals. These are chemicals that instruct, that code in a very detailed way exactly how the person's body should develop. Natural, biological causes are completely lacking as an explanation when programmed information is involved. You cannot find instruction, precise information like this, without someone intentionally constructing it.
However the cells are made from the food that we eat and minerals such as iron, zinc, calcium which we in turn obtain from the earth! Thus, these cells are nothing but minerals and water that make up the earth: the dust of the earth. As each of these billions of cells work "24/7" from conception, they wear and tear, just like any machine would.
Our cells busily reproduce themselves throughout our lifetime. During all this multiplying and dividing of protein our DNA (the genetic blueprint) occasionally make a mistake. For several reasons they may break-down. "Spare parts” from other parts of the body may not be readily available to “repair” any damage. Scientists speculate that exposure to the toxins (poisonous in our environment), chemicals and ultra-violate light breaks, twists, or scrambles these genetic codes. And thus occasional “factory defects” roll off our cell assembly lines. When enough bad products accumulate, cells begin to break down, and our bodies begin to show signs of ageing. The cells also may break down due to poison by substance misuse, substance allergy, or poison by other living things such as bacteria (E-coli for example) , viruses (such as AIDS/HIV virus) or parasites such as malaria-causing parasites. Meanwhile, the above-mentioned poisoning may be due to the person's cause/self-abuse (personal issues such as drug-misuse) By extension, death will come on a person, due to deprivation of essential maintenance such as lack of water, food, blood, oxygen, lack of supply of adequate food and minerals. These deprivations may be by accident or deliberate act by the person or another.
In similar manner, the human body can only survive in certain internal or external environmental conditions. Any extreme of temperatures or imbalance in Sun rays and wind/air or magnetic fields may poison or damage the body cells leading up to death. On the other hand, in the aging process, collectively therefore, the cells and organs of the body get tired and will, like any machine, break down. Due to overuse of one's body especially if such overuse is done without rest, maintenance or if done with misuse of one's own body. This is what happens in aging process whereby essential parts of the human organs fail making it impossible for the organ to work in association with other parts of the human machine. Death will therefore come. This biological death is the death that comes upon human beings, plants and all animals.
Socially Death is necessary tool to eliminate people that may not promote the aim of the earth’s existence or existence of its inhabitants. This category of people may be wicked rulers that cause trouble for others or anyone who is bent on destroying the earth and its people. The earth does not like anyone to be a burden on it or be a burden to others. Human beings must be free and able to function on daily basis. Any defect, illness, violation and break-downs are likely to result in death: being cut-off from living. This is exactly how human beings came to dying: being lawless to both Divine and Natural laws. Human beings (and all living things) were therefore “sentenced” to death after living for a while on earth, on account of human lawlessness to divine laws. As Romans 8:21 says, ALL creation is subject to “the bondage of DECAY.” Our world and the things in it are not eternal. It is not permanent. Since this world is fallen-it is decaying. That’s basically what our museums are full of-decaying parts of this world.
Scientists also claim that the longest possible life span is between 115 and 120. But that’s nothing new” the book of Genesis declares, “ Then the Lord said, “My Spirit will not contend with humans forever, for they are mortal; their days will be a hundred and twenty years.” (Genesis 6:3, NIV).
One of Satan's deceptive methods of convincing people that there is no reason to think about death and judgment is to cause people to have a life, lives in denial, as if death and judgment will never come. But sooner or later, death comes to everybody and after that comes judgment. What is death? Most of us only begin to ask these questions at the end of life, when the certainty of death can no longer be ignored. By that time we may be caught by surprise and ill-equipped to deal with the situation at hand. A perfectly natural, and even beautiful stage of life, becomes overcast with fear and confusion. Why wait 'til the end? Why not ask these questions now, while there's time to make a serious investigation?
Job asked this question “If someone dies, will they live again? All the days of my hard service I will wait for my renewal to come.”(Job 14:14)
This is a sudden transition in the thought. He had unconsciously worked himself up almost to the belief that man might live again even on the earth. He had asked to be hid somewhere - even in the grave - until the wrath of God should be overpass, and then that God would remember him, and bring him forth again to life. Here is no doubt, but a strong persuasion, of the certainty of the general resurrection.
Hence, in the faith of this is the following resolution, all the days of my appointed time will I wait, till my change come; there is an appointed time for man on earth when he shall be born, how long he shall live, and when he shall die, a change of this life for another; death makes a great change in the body of a man, in his place here, in his relations and connections with men, in his company, condition, and circumstances: or else the change at the resurrection, when this vile body will be changed, and made like unto Christ's; when it will become an incorruptible, glorious, powerful, and spiritual body, which is now corruptible, dishonorable, weak, and natural; and, till one or other of these should come, Job is determined to wait, to live in the constant expectation of death, and to be in a readiness and preparation for it; in the mean while to bear afflictions patiently, and not show such marks of impatience as he had done, nor desire to die before God's time, but, whenever that should come, quietly and cheerfully resign himself into the hands of God; or this may respect the frame and business of the soul in a separate state after death, and before the resurrection, believing, hoping, and waiting for the resurrection of the body, and its union to it, Psalmist says “For you will not leave my soul among the dead or allow your holy one to rot in the grave.”(Psalm 16:10 NLT)
In our humanistic culture, people pursue many things, thinking that in them they will find meaning and contentment. Some of these pursuits include business success, wealth, good relationships, sex, entertainment, and doing charity to others. People have testified that while they achieved their goals of wealth, relationships, and pleasure, there was still a deep void inside, a feeling of emptiness that nothing seemed to fill. A great celebrity who had reached the pinnacle of his life was once asked what you think about your great success in life. He replied, “I wish that someone would have told me that when you reach the top, there's nothing there.” Many goals reveal their emptiness only after years have been wasted in their pursuit.
The richest and wise king ever lived in history describes this feeling when he says, “Meaningless! Meaningless! ...Utterly meaningless! Everything is meaningless” (Ecclesiastes 1:2). King Solomon, the writer of Ecclesiastes, had wealth beyond measure, wisdom beyond any man of his time or ours, hundreds of women, palaces and gardens that were the envy of kingdoms, the best food and wine, and every form of entertainment available. He said at one point that anything his heart wanted, he pursued. And yet he summed up “life under the sun”—life lived as though all there is to life is what we can see with our eyes and experience with our senses—is meaningless. Why is there such a void? God created us for something beyond what we can experience in the here-and-now. Solomon said of God, “He has also set eternity in the hearts of men...” (Ecclesiastes 3:11). In our hearts we are aware that the “here-and-now” is not all that there is.“Great blessings belong to those who know they are spiritually in need. God’s kingdom belongs to them. (Matthew 5:2ERV)
Therefore the Spirituality is the most important factor in enabling us stays secure. So this sermon is basically from a spiritual perspective. It is the state of the inner man that’s reflected on the outside. Paul the aged testified, "Even though our outward man is perishing, yet the inward man is being renewed day by day" (2 Cor 4:16). Instead of worrying about adding years to our life we should try adding life to our years. "The everlasting God gives power to the WEAK, and to those who have no might He INCREASES STRENGTH. Even the YOUTHS shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall, but those who wait on the Lord shall RENEW THEIR STRENGTH; they shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint" (Isa 40:29-31).
It’s good to go for physical exercise daily for improving blood circulation and increasing muscle strength. But the daily spiritual exercise of prayer, Bible study and intimacy with God, as the above Scripture passage promises, will renew our strength and restore spiritual energy to our inner man. The blessedness of brokenness belongs to those who spend unhurried time before God their Creator. Hardening of the heart ages people more quickly than hardening of the arteries. Comparing his life on earth to a pilgrimage, Psalmist David testifies concerning God’s word, "Your principles have been the Music of my life throughout the years of my pilgrimage" (Psa 119:54). Recalling his many tears and fears of life he affirms to God, "Unless Your law had been my delight, I would then have perished in my misery" (119:92).
The Bible presents a picture of death as something that should give us a tremendous amount of hope. After Adam and Eve sinned they died spiritually as well as physically. Sending them out of the garden, far from being an act of cruelty, was actually proof of God's kindness and great love. Had Adam and Eve, after eating from the forbidden tree, then eaten from the Tree of Life, that other special tree, they would have been immortalized for all of eternity in their sinful condition. They never would have qualified for the heaven that God wanted them to enjoy because by eating also from the tree of life, they would have obtained eternal life. Imagine living forever as sinners, with sickness and pain, with heartache and sadness, with having to live forever with all the consequences that a sinful nature can bring, with no possibility of redemption, and with absolutely no possibility of ever getting any of the heavenly gifts that God had planned for us. Thus God prevented Adam and Eve from having eternal sinfulness by giving them the gift of death. So Death is the ability to exit this life and arrive safely in the wondrous life to come. Though death appears to be man's greatest enemy, it will in the end prove to be his greatest friend. Only through death can we go to God.
Death is the means by which our bodies are put to rest while our souls are escorted through the gates of Heaven. Death itself brings us to the gate, but then it is opened by the one who says, "He who is Holy, who is true, who has the Key of David, who opens and no one will shut, and who shuts and no one opens."Revelation 3:7. We should not be surprised that the Bible tells true believers that they should look upon death almost as a special gift. Only death can give us the gift of eternity.
The book of Job also deals with another question which has troubled men in all ages: “Why do bad things happen to good people?” Job was an upright man. The Bible says that he was “blameless and upright, and one who feared God and shunned evil” (Job 1:1). He rose up early in the morning to offer sacrifices to God on behalf of his children (Job 1:5). God held up Job as a good example to Satan. He asked Satan: “Have you considered my servant Job, that there is none like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man, one who fears God and shuns evil” (Job 1:8)?
Satan said to God that the only reason Job served God was because God blessed him. He said that Job would curse God if God took away His blessings. God gave Satan permission to test Job. He only placed one restriction on Satan. He was not allowed to harm Job himself (Job 1:9-12).
Satan tempted Job by taking away all his wealth. Then he sent a storm which killed all of Job’s children at one time. Job did not curse God as Satan had said he would. He worshiped God and said: “Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked shall I return there. The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away; Blessed be the name of the Lord” (Job 1:21,22).
God again pointed out Job as a good example to Satan. Satan said: “Skin for skin! Yes, all that a man has, he will give for his life. But stretch out your hand now, and touch his bone and his flesh, and he will surely curse You to Your face” (Job 2:4,5). God gave Satan permission to afflict Job’s body, but restricted him from taking Job’s life. God limits Satan’s power. “No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it.” ( 1 Corinthians 10:13).
Satan afflicted Job with sores which covered his entire body. Job had lost his possessions, his children, and now his health was taken away. Job’s wife told him to “Curse God and die” (Job 2:9). Job replied, “Shall we indeed accept good from God, and shall we not accept adversity?” Job continued to trust in God and refused to blame God for his problems. Finally God blessed Job again. He gave Him twice as many possessions as he had before. God also gave Job seven sons and three daughters. Job lived one hundred and forty years after this.
There are many helpful lessons we can learn from the book of Job. First, we can learn that God is the Creator of all things. His wisdom is far above anything that we can ever understand. Because He is the Creator, God has no obligation to explain any of His actions to man.
Second, we can learn that if one truly has faith in God, he will remain faithful to God no matter what happens. He may not understand what is happening, or why. But he will trust God because God loves us and knows what is best for us (Romans 8:28).
Third, we can learn from the book of Job that innocent people suffer in this life along with the wicked. Natural disasters such as floods and famines affect everybody. Accidents can happen to anyone. Sickness comes to rich and poor, young and old, evil and good. Finally, death will come to everyone. These things are a part of the lives of all who live on this earth. They do not mean that a person is good or bad, but simply that he is a human.
Fourth, we can learn that Satan is a deceptive spirit and does not have any power over us. God is sovereign. He will not allow Satan to cause us to do anything that we do not want to do. God will not allow Satan to take away our power to choose between right and wrong.
Fifth, we can learn that Satan may use other people to discourage us. In Job’s case, Satan used his wife and his three friends. We must always put God first, even before our closest friends and relatives (Matthew 10:37).
Sixth, we need to have patience as Job did. We must learn to endure the hardships of life (James 5:11). We must remember that in the end, God’s people will triumph.
Seventh, we can learn from the book of Job that life on earth is very brief. It is filled with many troubles (Job 5:7; 7:6; 8:9; 14:1,2; James 4:13-15).
Part of the greatness of the book of Job is its ability to raise several questions about life and relationship with God at the same time. Job demonstrates many of the dimensions of suffering of which we are unaware until tragedy strikes us. Part of what we can learn from Job is what it means to suffer. However, Jesus provides more than Job because his suffering was redemptive. As a suffering servant his death has brought us salvation. Jesus shows us that suffering can be more than a painful experience to be endured or a philosophical problem to be solved. Suffering can become redemptive. Right at the heart of resurrection of Jesus lies the central purpose of God - to glorify Himself by redeeming the mankind and giving a new hope and everlasting life
Resurrection of Christ is the cornerstone of Christian faith. It is precisely because the physical resurrection of Christ is at the very heart of Christian faith and Hope. Apostle Peter said in First Peter 1:3:“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! Who according to His abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.’’ The resurrection shouts that we are special to God. We possess a dignity worth redeeming. Jesus died for our sin and rose again to prove His sacrifice was not in vain. He is alive to declare to us and to the world that we are a unique creation of God with significant role to play in His kingdom. One of the greatest assurances of eternal life or life after death is anchored in the forty incredible days Jesus spent on the earth after His resurrection. During this dramatic season of heaven on earth in which Jesus made several appearances, we gain invaluable insight into the priorities of our life and following Christ.
Resurrection of Jesus made all the difference in the world. The death of the body, some day, is strangely linked, in a way that we do not fully comprehend, with the death which is at work in our inner lives, right now. That is, death is all one thing, whether it takes place and affects the physical body some day, or whether it is taking place within the spirit of man today. It is all of a piece. And that inner death is what we experience in a thousand ways - sometimes as loneliness, bitterness, emptiness, despair, depression of spirit, and sometimes it is malice and resentment and violence. Whatever it may be, it is not what God intended for man. It is an enemy which has seized man and lives with him and haunts him in everything he does. The glorious hope as it is in Jesus, is that Jesus Christ, in dying and rising from the dead, that he defeated it by his risen power. And the result is peace instead of restlessness, acceptance rather than guilt, love in place of lust or hate, power to replace weakness, joy for mourning, beauty for ashes, hope for despair, courage in place of cowardice, and cleansing from all dirt and filth of spirit.
Physical resurrection of Christ is affirmed in the canon of Scripture. When the Jewish leaders asked for a miraculous sign, Jesus answered, "Destroy this temple, and I will raise it again in three days" (John 2:19). Scripture confirms that the temple he was speaking of was the temple of his own body (see v.21). John states: "That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked at and our hands have touched -- this we proclaim concerning [Jesus] the Word of Life" (1 John 1:1).
Resurrection stands for the presence of Christ with us to meet the pressures of life as they come to us day by day. When our hopes crush, & dreams collapse, the resurrection of Jesus is designed to relieve and to bring hope to us. We celebrate resurrection and the great triumph of Christ over the grave. We are also given the assurance that we will not be alone in the hour of death. There will be a divine companion with us; a hand will steady us through this time. Jesus said, "I will never leave you nor forsake you," {Heb 13:5. he said to his disciples, "I will not leave you as orphans, I will not abandon you," {John 14:18. Many of the martyrs and those who have died have borne testimony to that fact. When D. L. Moody, the great evangelist, was dying, his last words were, "Earth is receding, heaven is approaching; this is my crowning day.” Resurrection of Christ is a reminder that we need have no fear about death.
Jesus said to disciples, “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 when 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 14:1-3.Those words are great assurance in the hour of death. There are also many promises in the Bible that give us assurance that beyond grave there is an Everlasting life. Paul says, "The sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that shall be revealed in us," Rom 8:18
The promise of the resurrection had been extended by Jesus to all of us as well, that he himself had said, "I am the resurrection and the life, he that believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live," John 11:25 "Because I live, you shall live also, “John 14:19. And out of that open tomb has arisen a blazingly radiant, flaming hope which has gripped and held the hearts of thousands and millions since, through the centuries, who have had to face the fact and the experience of death.
Friends, accepting and knowing the Lord Jesus personally is Freedom and Everlasting life. The promise and power of new life in Jesus, frees us from the devastating hold and effects of sin, guilt and death (Rom. 8:1). “Therefore there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and of death.”
To be continued…………
