Reading: Isaiah 38: 1-22 ARE YOU READY TO DIE ?
HERE IS : -
(1) A REALITY WE CANNOT DENY "Set thine house in order for thou shalt die and not live." Gen 3:19 In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground; for out of it wast thou taken: for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return.
Eccl 3:1 To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven: 2 A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted;
1 Tim 6:17 For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out.
Heb 9:27 And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment:
Romans 5:12 Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned:
(a) THE CERTAINTY OF DEATH: ( 38:1 ) " for Thou shalt die."
a rough estimate of the annual deaths in the world. Sixty million or about two every second.
Think of it: 120 die every minute: 7,200 die every hour: 172,800 die every day.
"One out of one people die." Did you get that ? Death is a REALITY !
(b) THE CRUELTY OF DEATH: " Set thine house in order for thou shalt die."
Now Hezekiah was a GODLY King.
Of him it was said, there " was none like him among all the kings of Judah, nor any that were before him." ( 2 Kings 18:5 ) He instituted sweeping reforms throughout the land of Judah.
Hezekiah was a YOUNG King. He came to the throne when he was 25 years of age and he reigned for 29 years in Jerusalem. ( 2 Kings 18:2 )
He passed through this time of serious illness when he was 39 years of age and he died when he was 54. Death is no respector of PERSONS: Rich and poor: Prince and pauper: Learned and illiterate death comes to all.
of POSITIONS: He was the King
of POSSESSIONS: Luke 16 v 22 And it came to pass, that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels into Abraham’s bosom: the rich man also died, and was buried;
of POWERS: Hezekiah was 39 " For THOU shalt die and not live."
(c) THE CALAMITY OF DEATH: " For thou shalt DIE and not live." ( 32:1 )
The Bible speaks of three kinds of death.
(a) of SPIRITUAL DEATH: thats the seperation of the soul from God: ( Eph 2:1 ) And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins;
(b) of PHYSICAL DEATH: thats the seperation of the soul from the body: ( Gen 3:19 ) In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground; for out of it wast thou taken: for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return.
(c) of ETERNAL DEATH: thats the seperation of the soul and body from God in hell forever. ( Rev 21:8) But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.
Now listen: as death leaves men so judgement will find them.
There is no chance of being saved after death for there is a permanence of destiny beyond the grave. ( Lk 16:26 ) And beside all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed: so that they which would pass from hence to you cannot; neither can they pass to us, that would come from thence.
( Jn 8:21 ) Then said Jesus again unto them, I go my way, and ye shall seek me, and shall die in your sins: whither I go, ye cannot come.
(2) A REACTION WE CANNOT DISMISS v 4 " And Hezekiah wept sore."
Was the King afraid to die ? One thing is certain he clung tenaciously to life.
Satan in the Book of Job describes man's clinging to life, ( Job 2:4 ) " Skin for skin, yea, all that a man hath will he give for his life."
(a) FEAR IS OFTEN PRESENT IN GOOD MEN:
And Hezekiah was a good man. Note : -
(a) His Faith in God: ( 2 Kings 18:5 ) He trusted in the LORD God of Israel; so that after him was none like him among all the kings of Judah, nor any that were before him.
(b) His Walk with God: ( 18:3 ) And he did that which was right in the sight of the LORD, according to all that David his father did.
(c) and His Acts for God: ( 18:3 ) are all marked and noted.
David said Ps 23:4 Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.
(b) FEAR IS OFTEN PRESENT IN GODLESS MEN:
Ill: Svetlana Stalin described her fathers death like this.
" My father died a difficult and terrible death .... at what seemed the last moment he suddenly opened his eyes and cast a glance over everyone in the room. It was a terrible glance, insane or perhaps angry and full of fear of death."
are you unsaved ? Then you should fear death. For you will face it without Christ: without hope: and without God !
Jeremiah 12:5 If thou hast run with the footmen, and they have wearied thee, then how canst thou contend with horses? and if in the land of peace, wherein thou trustedst, they wearied thee, then how wilt thou do in the swelling of Jordan?
(3) A RESPONSIBILITY WE CANNOT DEFER " Set thine house in order."
In other words " Hezekiah, in view of the fact that you're going to die settle your affairs, do the necessary things that remain undone."
" Set thine house in order." ( 38:1 ) we need to do that in:
(a) RELATION TO TEMPORAL AFFAIRS:
Here was Hezekiah directed to give command concerning his house. His wishes respecting the succession to the throne.
Do you recall Paul's words to Timothy, " But if any provide not for his own and specially for those of his own house, he hath denied the faith and, is worse than an infidel." ( 1 Tim 5:8 ) It will not hasten death. It will save expense. It will secure the rights of all. It will prevent family disputes. It will relieve the mind. Above all, it will leave the mind free to attend to the soul.
Someone has said: " When you come to die, make sure that is all you have to do."
(b) RELATION TO ETERNAL AFFAIRS:
Of Hezekiah it was said, " He trusted in the Lord God of Israel." ( 2 Kings 18:2 ) What about you ? DO IT : -
(1) PERSONALLY: Tell me: have you settled affairs concerning your soul: your destiny: your eternity ?
( Mk 10:45 )" The Son of Man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister and to give his life a ransom for many."
There's a way back to God .... "
(2) BIBLICALLY: How can I settle my affairs ? How can I settle this matter of my sin: my soul: my eternity ?
By Realising that you are a Sinner: by Recognising that God loves you: by Repenting of your sin: by Receiving Christ as your personal Saviour !
" Not the labour of my hands, Could fulfil Thy laws demands
Could my zeal no respite know, Could my tears for ever flow,
All for sin could not atone, Thou must save and Thou alone."
(3) URGENTLY: David said, ( 1 Sam 20:3 ) " There is but a step between me and death."
(4) A RECOVERY WE CANNOT DOUBT v.21 For Isaiah had said, Let them take a lump of figs, and lay it for a plaister upon the boil, and he shall recover.
(a) The Remedy Appointed
(b) The Remedy Applied
(c) The Remedy Appreciated
19 The living, the living, he shall praise thee, as I do this day: the father to the children shall make known thy truth.20 The LORD was ready to save me: therefore we will sing my songs to the stringed instruments all the days of our life in the house of the LORD.
