Sabbath Thought - Will a Man Live Again?

It is one of the unfortunate realities of life that we face death. This past week a wonderful man who had an impact on my life died. His name was Ellis Stewart. He was a truly humble man and was part of the Body of Christ for 68 years of his life. Just since Roxanne and I moved here, I have seen the passing of 31 saints just in this little corner of Wisconsin. For those who have not been given the understanding of God's plan of salvation for all of mankind, the prospect of dying can be terrifying. In considering death, many have wondered and pondered the thoughts recorded in Job 14:14 - "If a man dies, shall he live again?...."  This is the age-old question - is there life after death?

All manner of philosophies and religions have attempted to come up with an answer to this question.  Heaven, hell, nirvana, reincarnation, or some other type of spirit existence - these and many other thoughts have sought to explain the question articulated by Job.  Is there life after death? As much as death is feared in the world around us, those of us equipped with God's truth have a better picture of things to come. It is bittersweet for me to sit beside the bed of someone who knows they are dying - they recount many of the positive memories they have of their life, and yet almost to a person, the conversation they want to have is how much they are looking forward to being resurrected into God's Kingdom (along with the rest of God's saints)! They are ready to be done with their struggle in this life. God has given the few that He is working with now, a glimpse of the world to come and our role in it. He has given us a hope, and indeed the answer, to Job's question, "If a man dies, shall he live again?"

In 1 Corinthians 15:45-58 we read this: "And so it is written, 'THE FIRST MAN ADAM BECAME A LIVING BEING.' The last Adam became a life-giving spirit. However, the spiritual is not first, but the natural, and afterward the spiritual. The first man was of the earth, made of dust; the second Man is the Lord from heaven. As was the man of dust, so also are those who are made of dust; and as is the heavenly Man, so also are those who are heavenly. And as we have borne the image of the man of dust, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly Man. Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; nor does corruption inherit incorruption. Behold, I tell you a mystery: We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed - in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. So when this corruptible has put on incorruption, and this mortal has put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written: 'DEATH IS SWALLOWED UP IN VICTORY. O DEATH, WHERE IS YOUR STING? O HADES, WHERE IS YOUR VICTORY?' The sting of death is sin, and the strength of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord."

Job understood this as well, because the balance of the verse in Job 14:14 says "...All the days of my warfare I will wait, until my change comes." Much of this life is like warfare, but the end is better than the beginning. In many ways, the saints who have died in the Faith have been given the same message as Daniel at the end of his book: "Go your way until the end; for you shall rest, and will arise to your inheritance at the end of the days," (Daniel 12:13).

I will miss Mr. Stewart, and all of those who have preceded him, but we can take comfort in knowing that those who have died in the Faith will rest until the end of days. When I see him again, we can once again rejoice and serve together the Great God of the Universe.

I wish you a profitable and value filled Sabbath,

Dan Dowd

17 August, 2024