Recently a few close people to my family have passed on and hence this write up. Although death has been man’s lot for about six thousand years now, this phenomenon is still largely misunderstood. What exactly is death, how did it come in? What can be done about it? Is there any hope for mankind and for those alive? We would examine these questions in the Light of principles of truth revealed in the Holy Scriptures so join me as we go into the word of God.
Death was never and is still not God’s design for man.
The principle of truth we want to establish, and which we must all understand very clearly is that death was never and it is still not God’s design for man. God’s original and unchanging plan for mankind is given to us in Genesis 1:26-31
The human race was created to reflect the image and likeness of the Almighty God. They were also to live forever in an ever-expanding paradise, a world where they experience unlimited peace, joy, and fulfilment in harmony with their Creator, Father and God. But alas! This was not to be. The enemy entered and robbed mankind of his promised estate. Death became mans lot.
What is death?
Death has 3 separate parts which are indicated in Genesis 3.
(a.) Separation from God.
Death first of all means separation from God, the Creator, the ONLY ONE that can give life to His creation and sustain them in a state of conscious existence and peace. It includes inability to contact God have fulfilling fellowship with Him as Genesis 3:22-24 tells us of man being driven out of God’s presence. This is where death began.
(b.) The effects/consequences produced by a cursed environment.
The second meaning of death is the effects a cursed world produces upon man.
And unto Adam he said, Because thou hast hearkened unto the voice of thy wife, and hast eaten of the tree, of which I commanded thee, saying, Thou shalt not eat of it: cursed is the ground for thy sake; in sorrow shalt thou eat of it all the days of thy life;
Thorns also and thistles shall it bring forth to thee; and thou shalt eat the herb of the field;
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.
-Gen 3:17-19.
These includes “thorns and thistles” (a symbol of hardship and unfruitfulness in all things despite heavy toil and sweat), absence of peace, insecurity, sorrow, sickness amongst many others in the world today.
These things make man’s life to hang in a balance (Deuteronomy 28 15-68) and produce heavy toll on his soul, life-supporting system and physical body. They make man perish quickly from off the face of the Earth.
(c.) Physical Death.
This occurs when man finally let go the breath of life, either through sudden death or when his physical body and life supporting system have become too weak to carry on. The body returns to dust and the spirit (that which may be preserved of man) returns to God who gave it, to be held before the Almighty in remembrance. (Ecclesiastes 12:7)
Physical death is a termination of life and consciousness, there is no remembrance after death. When God told man…” in the day ye eat of it, in dying ye shall die –Genesis 2:17, He did not mean death will translate man to a higher life, rather He meant exactly what He said.
How did death enter the world?
We are shown clearly in the Holy scriptures that it was a consequence of the wilful disobedience of Adam (and transgression of Eve, our first parents)-Genesis 3:1-19. Adam broke God’s law and covenant
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
-Rom 5:12
Sin and death entered into man’s nature corrupting his soul, his blood and his flesh. Man’s nature was damaged by sin and by death just as well as his environment creating an atmosphere that promotes and sustain sin and is hostile to life. All of Adams children are “conceived and sharpened in iniquity” right from their mother’s womb. Thus by nature and nurture, man is doomed.
God has done something about Death.
And God looked upon man in his sorrows, perishing in his pains and there was no remedy. He knew all along what man will suffer. But what will God do. The wages of sin are Death-Romans 6:23, death can only be taken away if the sin committed is atoned for and without the shedding of blood, there can be no remission for sin (Hebrews 9:22).
But who will make atonement for man? It has to be a fit man, one from the human race but untainted by sin and death and not under the condemnation of the sin he’s to atone for. And god saw there was no man therefore, the Lord God, the Creator took upon Himself to be man’s Redeemer.
But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law
-Gal 4:4
For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.
-John 3:16-17
God through His son, Jesus of Nazareth, destroyed him that had the power of death. He delivered mankind from the penalty of death and is in the business of loosening Adams race from its grip.
May the Most High God be glorified in our lives. The “last day” is already upon us as these are no longer ordinary days. We must no longer live the rest of our lives in the flesh to lusts of men, but to the will of God. The Lord says in John 11:26…”And whosoever believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this?”. We have a choice between life and death. We can choose life and live.
God bless you all.