12 Nov 2022
“…always carrying in the body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be manifested in our bodies” (2 Corinthians 4:10)
In our study of the book of Ecclesiastes, again and again we hear the preacher referring to death as the end for all on this earth (under the sun). The concluding chapters especially give a graphic account of old age, the degeneration of all our faculties, as well as the inevitability of death.
What comes through to me in this study is to see and feel the transitoriness of this life, to think of it, with all its richness, as essentially the preparation for heaven (for believers), but a time of judgement and fear as we meet the wrath of God (for unbelievers). Perhaps, this explains to a great extent why the preacher feels that life on earth is vanity, meaningless, and a ‘chasing after the wind’.
There is another vivid reminder: are we prepared and ready to die? Someone rightly said that the readiness to die is the first step in learning to live.
Another point to note in 2 Cor. 4:10 is that in the midst of life we are in death, just one step from eternity – this should give a sense of deep seriousness with regard to living the Christian life and service – especially in today’s world philosophy of ‘eat, drink and be merry’ and ‘live for the moment’ without due regard for when death would come, and what comes after death.
Lest we think that this concerns only the old and seniors, think again. Look at the graveyard and we see tombstones depicting the age of the dead – from babies at a tender age to various ones of different ages (not necessarily the old only). Death strikes without notice and it can strike at anyone, no matter what our status, age, or background are.
Jonathan Edwards was known as a fiery preacher and when he preached the gospel, he effectively told the audience that they all were just a step away from eternity. Contrast this with the gospel preached today where the emphasis is on ‘success, wealth, and prosperity’ without much mention of death, sin, and judgement, and we realise what is seriously wrong in the preaching of the gospel today.
Reckoning with death brings appreciation of each day’s continued life to live for God and to work for God and others. It also grants us the readiness to pack and go when God deems it time for us to move to the home He prepares for us. It also reminds us that we are not masters of our time, and the time to depart may be sooner than we think (whatever our age). Let us not live in an indifferent manner without due regard to the time when we need to give an account to God for how we have lived our lives and what would be His verdict.