In Death All Are Equal

One man dies full of vigor, completely secure and at ease. His body is well nourished, and his bones are rich with marrow. Yet another man dies in the bitterness of his soul, having never tasted prosperity. But together they lie down in the dust, and worms cover them both. (Job 21:23-26 BSB)

All men are equal at death. He might have been a rich man, a powerful dictator, a beggar, a murderer or claim to be a god, a buddha, a prophet or whatever, at death, they are all equal. They do not come back again. Almost nobody came back to prove that he is more equal than others. But there is one exception, only one who came back from death.

Today is Resurrection Sunday. We commemorate a unique event in history - the resurrection of Christ. All men are born of two parents and died. Jesus was uniquely born of a virgin, crucified to death, and then resurrected on the third day. This event serves as evidence of Jesus' divine nature, setting Him apart from others who simply made claims that they are gods or buddhas or some other supermen, without any proof to support them.

Why do we listen to men, born of one man and one woman, fusion of sperm and egg, who after speaking great things, claiming to be somebody great, die and return to dust, like all men before and after him? He who cannot conquer death is like me, and no better than me. Why should I listen to him?

Why not believe in the only one in the world, who was born of a virgin, died and was resurrected, and will be returning again? Believe in Him who had conquered death, proving Himself to be different from all men.

He was buried, and he was raised from the dead on the third day, just as the Scriptures said. (1 Corinthians 15:4 NLT)

Rapture - Resurrection or Second Coming

For the Lord himself will come down from heaven with a commanding shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trumpet call of God. First, the believers who have died will rise from their graves. Then, together with them, we who are still alive and remain on the earth will be caught up in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. Then we will be with the Lord forever. (1 Thessalonians 4:16-17 NLT)

Jesus will descend from heaven and the dead in Christ will rise first. So should the rapture be classified as resurrection or second coming of Christ?

We know that there are two coming of Christ, two resurrections and two deaths. So how many second coming are there? How many first resurrection are there?

We know that the first resurrection will occur at the second coming of Christ. So is the rapture part of the first resurrection? When will it occur? Is it at the last trumpet?

Then will appear in heaven the sign of the Son of Man, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. And he will send out his angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other. (Matthew 24:30-31 ESV)

Blessed and holy is the one who shares in the first resurrection! Over such the second death has no power, but they will be priests of God and of Christ, and they will reign with him for a thousand years. (Revelation 20:6 ESV)

Choice Chosen And Consequence

Choice
And the Lord God commanded the man, "You are free to eat from any tree in the garden; but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat from it you will certainly die." (Genesis 2:16-17 NIV)

So when they had gathered, Pilate said to them, "Whom do you want me to release for you: Barabbas, or Jesus who is called Christ?" (Matthew 27:17 ESV)

Chosen
When the woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye, and also desirable for gaining wisdom, she took some and ate it. She also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it. (Genesis 3:6 NIV)

They shouted back, "Not this man, but Barabbas!" Now Barabbas was a revolutionary. (John 18:40 CSB)

Consequence
Therefore, just as sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, in this way death spread to all people, because all sinned. (Romans 5:12 CSB)

But you denied the Holy and Righteous One, and asked for a murderer to be granted to you, and you killed the Author of life, whom God raised from the dead. To this we are witnesses. (Acts 3:14-15 ESV)

Life And Death - 3

"For this commandment that I command you today is not too hard for you, neither is it far off. It is not in heaven, that you should say, 'Who will ascend to heaven for us and bring it to us, that we may hear it and do it?' Neither is it beyond the sea, that you should say, 'Who will go over the sea for us and bring it to us, that we may hear it and do it?' But the word is very near you. It is in your mouth and in your heart, so that you can do it.
"See, I have set before you today life and good, death and evil. If you obey the commandments of the Lord your God that I command you today, by loving the Lord your God, by walking in his ways, and by keeping his commandments and his statutes and his rules, then you shall live and multiply, and the Lord your God will bless you in the land that you are entering to take possession of it. But if your heart turns away, and you will not hear, but are drawn away to worship other gods and serve them, I declare to you today, that you shall surely perish. You shall not live long in the land that you are going over the Jordan to enter and possess. I call heaven and earth to witness against you today, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and curse. Therefore choose life, that you and your offspring may live, loving the Lord your God, obeying his voice and holding fast to him, for he is your life and length of days, that you may dwell in the land that the Lord swore to your fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, to give them." (Deuteronomy 30:11-20 ESV)

This the the summary of the Bible. The Bible talks about life and death. He who believes in God lives. He who does not believe in God dies. Life is not shaped by events, but by response to events. A Spirit-filled life will give a Spirit led response. What is your response? Would you choose life?

I have made my choice. I choose life.

He who has the Son has the life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have the life. (1 John 5:12 NASB)

And this is eternal life, that they know you the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent. (John 17:3 ESV)

Death The Equalizer

One person dies in full vigor, completely secure and at ease, well nourished in body, bones rich with marrow. Another dies in bitterness of soul, never having enjoyed anything good. Side by side they lie in the dust, and worms cover them both. (Job 21:23-26 NIV)

Death Is No More A Mystery

Enoch, the seventh from Adam, prophesied about them: "See, the Lord is coming with thousands upon thousands of his holy ones to judge everyone, and to convict all of them of all the ungodly acts they have committed in their ungodliness, and of all the defiant words ungodly sinners have spoken against him." (Jude 1:14-15 NIV)

Then I saw thrones, and people seated on them who were given authority to judge. I also saw the souls of those who had been beheaded because of their testimony about Jesus and because of the word of God, who had not worshiped the beast or his image, and who had not accepted the mark on their foreheads or their hands. They came to life and reigned with Christ for a thousand years. (Revelation 20:4 CSB)

And just as my Father has granted me a Kingdom, I now grant you the right to eat and drink at my table in my Kingdom. And you will sit on thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. (Luke 22:29-30 NLT)

Jesus replied, "I assure you that when the world is made new and the Son of Man sits upon his glorious throne, you who have been my followers will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. (Matthew 19:28 ESV)

But in the end, the holy people of the Most High will be given the kingdom, and they will rule forever and ever." (Daniel 7:18)

Death is a mystery today. Nobody knows what happen after death. Although Jesus was the only person who came back from the dead in history, He just stick around for 40 days and ascended to heaven, leaving us with just other people's account of His resurrection.

But death will not be a mystery during the millennium because the resurrected Messiah and His resurrected saints will be among the people.

Birth And Death

 Many years ago, I wrote about Death And Judgement. Now I write about birth and death.

Three special birth
1. Adam from dust (Genesis 2:7)
2. Eve from Adam's rib (Genesis 2:22)
3. Jesus by virgin birth (Matthew 1:18)

Those who die twice
1. The son of Zarephath's widow (1 Kings 17:17-24)
2. The son of the Shunammite woman (2 Kings 4:35)
3. Dead man came back to life when he touches Elisha's bones (Kings 13:21)
4. The son of the widow at Nain (Luke 7:13-15)
5. The daughter of Jairus (Matthew 9:25)
6. Lazarus (John 11:43-44)
7. Tabitha / Dorcas (Acts 9:36-42)
8. Eutychus (Acts 20:9-12)

Those who by-pass death straight to eternal life
And Enoch walked with God: and he was not; for God took him. (Genesis 5:24 KJV)
By faith Enoch was translated that he should not see death; and was not found, because God had translated him: for before his translation he had this testimony, that he pleased God. (Hebrews 11:5 KJV)
And it came to pass, as they still went on, and talked, that, behold, there appeared a chariot of fire, and horses of fire, and parted them both asunder; and Elijah went up by a whirlwind into heaven. (2 Kings 2:11 KJV)

Those who by-pass death straight to eternal death
And the beast was taken, and with him the false prophet that wrought miracles before him, with which he deceived them that had received the mark of the beast, and them that worshiped his image. These both were cast alive into a lake of fire burning with brimstone. (Revelations 19:20 KJV)

Life And Death - Bible's Perception

Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life. (1 John 5:12 ESV)

The Bible talks about life and death. He who believes in God lives. He who does not believe in God dies. The Bible is a very thick book. But I believe this is a good summary.

Where is Jesus on Silent Saturday?

In paradise
Jesus answered him, "Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise." (Luke 23:43 NIV)

Therefore it says, "When he ascended on high he captured captives; he gave gifts to men." Now what is the meaning of "he ascended," except that he also descended to the lower regions, namely, the earth? (Ephesians 4:8-9 NET Bible)

A Panoramic View of the Bible And What We Can Learn From It - 5

The whole Bible can be summarized with four words - creation, fall, redemption, restoration.
The Bible described creation in two chapters (Genesis 1:1 - 2:25).
The Bible described the fall in one chapter (Genesis 3:1 - 3:24).
The Bible described the restoration in one and a half chapters (Revelation 21:1-22:5).
The bulk of the Bible is about redemption.

What does the overview of the Bible tell us about the nature of evil?

1. Evil caused death;
2. Evil is so inextricably bound with good that when you remove evil, you remove some good, and when you do good, some evil came;
3. God has already a plan to put an end to evil and He is revealing it progressively.

Evil caused death
For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. (Romans 6:23 KJV)

Evil is inextricably bound with good
There is something else meaningless that occurs on earth: the righteous who get what the wicked deserve, and the wicked who get what the righteous deserve. This too, I say, is meaningless. (Ecclesiastes 8:14 NIV)

God has a plan to end evil
And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel. (Genesis 3:15 KJV)

No Hope in Hell

Three things will last forever - faith, hope, and love - and the greatest of these is love. (1 Corinthians 13:13 NLT)

But these three things will not be found in hell. Hell is eternal. There is nothing to look forward to. So there is no hope. Without hope, faith is not needed. What is found in hell is the wrath of God. There is no love.

"Then he will say to those on his left, 'Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. (Matthew 25:41 ESV)

Anyone whose name was not found written in the book of life was thrown into the lake of fire. (Revelation 20:15 NIV)

Metamorphosis

The first commandment
The LORD God commanded the man, saying, "From any tree of the garden you may eat freely; but from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat from it you will surely die." (Genesis 2:16-17 NASB)

The first prophecy
And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel. (Genesis 3:15 KJV)

The two basic message of the Bible was completed by the third chapter of Genesis:

1. Belief leads to life; unbelief leads to death.
2. God will defeat satan by the seed of the woman.

The rest of the Bible basically reveal more details on these two messages.

Life and death, belief and unbelief
God promised life to those who believe Him. There is only one way to life. If we reject truth and life, we get lies and death.

Salvation
God revealed the method of salvation - by redemption.

Life And Death - Two Perceptions

What we see:
natural birth -> natural life -> natural death
"Well, what is next, I do not know. Nobody has ever come back." - Lee Kuan Yew on 2010-09-01 in an interview with Seth Mydans

The Bible tell us there are 2 paths - life and death:
Life - natural birth -> natural life -> new birth (John 3:3,3:5) -> new life (John 11:25-26) -> natural death -> first resurrection -> judgment seat of Christ (2 Corinthians 5:10)
Death - natural birth -> natural life -> natural death -> second resurrection -> great white throne judgement -> second death (Revelation 21:8)
He said to them, "Why are you troubled, and why do doubts rise in your minds? Look at my hands and my feet. It is I myself! Touch me and see; a ghost does not have flesh and bones, as you see I have." When he had said this, he showed them his hands and feet. And while they still did not believe it because of joy and amazement, he asked them, "Do you have anything here to eat?" They gave him a piece of broiled fish, and he took it and ate it in their presence. (Luke 24:38-43 NIV)
Then Jesus said to Thomas, "Put your finger here and look at My hands. Reach out your hand and put it into My side. Stop doubting and believe." (John 20:27 BSB)
After his suffering, he presented himself to them and gave many convincing proofs that he was alive. He appeared to them over a period of forty days and spoke about the kingdom of God. (Acts 1:3 NIV)

For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we shall certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his. (Romans 6:5 ESV)

Two

2 births
Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. (John 3:3 KJV)
2 lives
Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come. (2 Corinthians 5:17 ESV)
2 deaths
But the cowards, faithless, detestable, murderers, sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars - their share will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur, which is the second death." (Revelation 21:8 CSB)
2 resurrections
Then I saw thrones, and seated on them were those to whom the authority to judge was committed. Also I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for the testimony of Jesus and for the word of God, and those who had not worshiped the beast or its image and had not received its mark on their foreheads or their hands. They came to life and reigned with Christ for a thousand years. The rest of the dead did not come to life until the thousand years were ended. This is the first resurrection. Blessed and holy is the one who shares in the first resurrection! Over such the second death has no power, but they will be priests of God and of Christ, and they will reign with him for a thousand years. (Revelation 20:4-6 ESV)
2 judgements
For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive what is due for what he has done in the body, whether good or evil. (2 Corinthians 5:10 ESV)
Then I saw a great white throne and him who was seated on it. From his presence earth and sky fled away, and no place was found for them. And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Then another book was opened, which is the book of life. And the dead were judged by what was written in the books, according to what they had done. (Revelation 20:11-12 ESV)
2 paths
natural birth -> natural life -> new birth -> new life -> natural death -> first resurrection -> judgment seat of Christ
natural birth -> natural life -> natural death -> second resurrection -> great white throne judgement -> second death

Be of Good Cheer - We know Where We are Going

I make known the end from the beginning, from ancient times, what is still to come. I say, 'My purpose will stand, and I will do all that I please.' (Isaiah 46:10 NIV)

The world faces uncertainty. As 2018 comes to a close, there are so much uncertainty - politics, economics, climate, religious tensions. The world do not know what is ahead in 2019.

But it should not be so with the Christians. Our God knows the end from the beginning (Isaiah 46:10). And He had told us what is going to happen (Amos 3:7).

At the macro level, we know how the end is going to be. From the prophets Ezekiel and Daniel and also the Revelation of Jesus Christ to John, we know that Israel will be restored (done), there will be seven years of tribulation (coming) and followed by the millennium rule by Jesus the Anointed One (coming).

At our personal level, we know we have eternal life if we die (1 John 5:12). If we do not die, we will be raptured before the seven years of tribulation (1 Thessalonians 4:17).

These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world. (John 16:33 KJV)

To My Children - 1

For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out. (1 Timothy 6:7 KJV)

As he came from his mother's womb he shall go again, naked as he came, and shall take nothing for his toil that he may carry away in his hand. This also is a grievous evil: just as he came, so shall he go, and what gain is there to him who toils for the wind? (Ecclesiastes 5:15-16 ESV)

I classify things into important things and unimportant things.

Important things are things we can bring beyond our death.

Unimportant things are things we cannot bring with us when we die.

Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life. He does not come into judgment, but has passed from death to life. (John 5:24 ESV)

Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever believes has eternal life. (John 6:47 ESV)

Truly, truly, I say to you, if anyone keeps my word, he will never see death. (John 8:51 ESV)

And this is eternal life, that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent. (John 17:3 ESV)

Therefore, my dear brothers and sisters, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labour in the Lord is not in vain. (1 Corinthians 15:58 NIV)

And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up. (Galatians 6:9 ESV)

As for you, brothers, do not grow weary in doing good. (2 Thessalonians 3:13 ESV)

Life and Death - A Choice Of Jew

Jesus is a Jew. Karl Marx was a Jew. Jesus offers life. Karl offered death. Follow the right Jew and you live. Follow the wrong Jew and you die.

Life And Death - 2

And the Lord God commanded the man, saying, "You may surely eat of every tree of the garden, but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die." (Genesis 2:16-17 ESV)

"See, I have set before you today life and good, death and evil. If you obey the commandments of the Lord your God that I command you today, by loving the Lord your God, by walking in his ways, and by keeping his commandments and his statutes and his rules, then you shall live and multiply, and the Lord your God will bless you in the land that you are entering to take possession of it. But if your heart turns away, and you will not hear, but are drawn away to worship other gods and serve them, I declare to you today, that you shall surely perish. You shall not live long in the land that you are going over the Jordan to enter and possess. I call heaven and earth to witness against you today, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and curse. Therefore choose life, that you and your offspring may live, loving the Lord your God, obeying his voice and holding fast to him, for he is your life and length of days, that you may dwell in the land that the Lord swore to your fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, to give them." (Deuteronomy 30:15-20 ESV)

For as the Father has life in himself, so he has granted the Son also to have life in himself. (John 5:26 ESV)

Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life. (1 John 5:12 ESV)

Life And Death - A Choice

I call heaven and earth to witness against you today, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and curse. Therefore choose life, that you and your offspring may live, loving the LORD your God, obeying his voice and holding fast to him, for he is your life and length of days, that you may dwell in the land that the LORD swore to your fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, to give them." (Deuteronomy 30:19-20 ESV)

From the beginning, Moses offered the Israelites a choice of life and death.

God continue to make the same offer throughout the Bible, with increasing clarity.

Die In Peace

Abraham will die in peace.
As for you, you shall go to your fathers in peace; you shall be buried in a good old age. (Genesis 15:15 ESV)
These are the days of the years of Abraham’s life, 175 years. Abraham breathed his last and died in a good old age, an old man and full of years, and was gathered to his people. (Genesis 25:7-8 ESV)

King Josiah will die in peace.
But to the king of Judah, who sent you to inquire of the Lord, thus shall you say to him, Thus says the Lord, the God of Israel: Regarding the words that you have heard, because your heart was tender and you humbled yourself before God when you heard his words against this place and its inhabitants, and you have humbled yourself before me and have torn your clothes and wept before me, I also have heard you, declares the Lord. Behold, I will gather you to your fathers, and you shall be gathered to your grave in peace, and your eyes shall not see all the disaster that I will bring upon this place and its inhabitants.'" And they brought back word to the king. (2 Chronicles 34:26-28 ESV)
And the archers shot King Josiah. And the king said to his servants, "Take me away, for I am badly wounded." So his servants took him out of the chariot and carried him in his second chariot and brought him to Jerusalem. And he died and was buried in the tombs of his fathers. All Judah and Jerusalem mourned for Josiah. (2 Chronicles 35:23-24 ESV)

King Zedekiah will die in peace.
"Thus says the Lord, the God of Israel: Go and speak to Zedekiah king of Judah and say to him, 'Thus says the Lord: Behold, I am giving this city into the hand of the king of Babylon, and he shall burn it with fire. You shall not escape from his hand but shall surely be captured and delivered into his hand. You shall see the king of Babylon eye to eye and speak with him face to face. And you shall go to Babylon.' Yet hear the word of the Lord, O Zedekiah king of Judah! Thus says the Lord concerning you: 'You shall not die by the sword. You shall die in peace. And as spices were burned for your fathers, the former kings who were before you, so people shall burn spices for you and lament for you, saying, "Alas, lord!"' For I have spoken the word, declares the Lord." (Jeremiah 34:2-5 ESV)
The king of Babylon slaughtered the sons of Zedekiah before his eyes, and also slaughtered all the officials of Judah at Riblah. He put out the eyes of Zedekiah, and bound him in chains, and the king of Babylon took him to Babylon, and put him in prison till the day of his death. (Jeremiah 52:10-11 ESV)

When God prophesied that you will die in peace, it may not be exactly what you expect, especially if you are a king.