The moment we are born we begin to die, yet our world prides itself on being better than previous generations by virtue of our technological, educational, and medical advances. Our world seems obsessed with pursuit of a long life and outward appearances. The “fountain of youth” continues to captivate the world and we will spare no expense in obtaining it, though it be as elusive as always. We eagerly gobble up the latest diet and exercise program hoping to improve the quality and length of our life, only to fall miserably short year after year. We are hopeful that more knowledge, a new drug or a technological breakthrough will improve our quality and length of life here on earth. We take solace in ourselves that all these advancements will extend the years of our life and that we are somehow superior to previous generations. Yet in spite of all these supposed advancements the length of our life has not changed in over 5,000 years. Furthermore, the quality of life has steadily declined and not improved. Over 75% of people are overweight or obese. Medical clinics are popping up all over like drive thru fast food restaurants because there is big money to be made by the medical industry in treating the myriad of physical and mental health problems associated with being overweight.
All of these advances are supposed to improve and extend our lives, right? According to the Bible in Psalm 90:10, “As for the days of our life, they contain seventy years, or if due to strength, eighty years, yet their pride is but labor and sorrow; for soon it is gone and we fly away.” Everyone thinks we are living longer, but that is just a mirage to make you feel good about yourself as you feed your gluttonous appetite to the detriment of your temporal and eternal destiny. We are a people looking for quick fixes to our physical, mental, and spiritual problems. We all have an aversion to the hard work required in denying ourselves the many sensual gratifications that tempt us everyday (sex, food, drink, drugs, power, money, worry, etc.). Death is universal and yet most of us think death is nothing more than a normal “circle of life” occurrence that each generation experiences. The older you get you tend to accept this thought more readily. However, it is evident that the process of death and the decline in the quality of life cause more fear among many people.
Death entered the world through the disobedience of Adam and Eve to the command of God not to eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. It is because of sin that death entered into the world and each of us must now pay this price. The anger of God demands death for each of us. As stated in Psalm 90:11-12, “Who understands the power of your anger and your fury, according to the fear that is due you? So teach us to number our days, that we may present to you a heart of wisdom.” Do we take seriously the fear of the Lord that is rightfully due Him? We are so preoccupied with the providential gifts God has bestowed on us here on earth, that we neglect the truth of His Word upon our soul. We would rather gratify our sensual appetites at the expense of seeking eternal happiness for our soul.
God's Word explicitly states in Ecclesiastes 7:1 that the day of one's death is better than the day of one's birth. This is a paradox many in this world would find difficult to understand, let alone believe with their whole heart. We find it much easier to celebrate birthdays or go to parties while we ignore the importance of our death. A funeral ought to be a wake up call to all of us concerning the brevity of life and the hour of our own death. According to God's Word, “Sorrow is better than laughter, for when a face is sad a heart may be happy.” (Ecclesiastes 7:3). Those of us that can seriously meditate on their own death and what that means are on their way towards realizing eternal happiness vs. those who ignore the warnings of God's Word. For the person who is sober in spirit according to God's Word and exhibits a certain composure about themselves will embrace the day of their death.
The real issue is not whether you fear death or not, but rather do you exhibit a fear of God, whose justice demands death for each one of us because of the sin in our lives. God demands that each of us fear His wrath as stated earlier in Psalm 90:11. Furthermore, Proverbs 9:10 states that “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.” God's Word demands that each of us fear Him, not only reverentially, but more importantly His wrath, as He decrees who is cast into hell for all of eternity. If you find yourself not taking sin seriously and making light of God's son, Jesus, and His Holy Spirit, then you surely are ignorant of the absolute power of God's anger. Matthew 10:28, “Do not fear those who kill the body but are unable to kill the soul; but rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.” Do you truly think about the fury and anger of God that is rightfully due to us because of the many secret and open sins we all are guilty of?
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