DEATH - WAS IT GOD'S PURPOSE?

[sami]

How do we know that death is THE dreaded enemy of mankind?  The Apostle Paul leaves no room for a different interpretation when he wrote: “ And the last enemy, death is to be brought to nothing.”(1 Corinthians 15:26 )  

It takes parents from children or children from parents, it separates mates and siblings from one another, causing untold distresses, pain, sorrow and loss.

Could this have been the purpose of a loving God?  Let’s examine that query in the light of scripture. God looked at all he had created and pronounced it tov – good. That Hebrew word (tov) also means functional. What is at the center or core of that definition?  In the case of his human creation, he gave Adam a body that was made from the earth and perfectly suited for dwelling in earth’s environment. This human needed oxygen to breath, food to eat and water to drink, in order to sustain life. Jehovah gave him eyes to see the beauty that surrounded him, the faces of his mate and children, when that time came. He fashioned ears, to hear the sounds of rippling streams or songs of birds and the lovely voices of children at play. A nose so he would be able to smell all of earth’s beautiful fragrances and a mouth to sing praises to his creator, to communicate with family and friends and enjoy the innumerable sumptuous flavors designed just for him. A body that was able to rejuvenate forever so families would never be torn apart by death.
God’s stated purpose to his human creation is found at Genesis 1:28 “God blessed them and God said to them: “Be fruitful and become many and fill the earth and subdue it, and have in subjection the fish of the sea and the flying creatures of the heavens and every living creature that is moving upon the earth.”

Adam was to be a caretaker of God’s other creative works – earth, animals, plant life, water and air. In order for man to continue on being blessed, his worship had to be pure and undefiled. Adam and his wife had to be obedient and loyal to their Creator and if they followed this simple order of things they would continue living in this paradise, happily, throughout all eternity.

If death was not God’s purpose for mankind, then how did death come to be?  Scripture states that yod hey waw hey (yhwh, Jehovah or Yahweh) laid a command upon His human creation. He commanded that they not eat of the fruit of a tree which he designated to be his own.  After all, paradise was a large place and there were many of the same kind of trees growing there – there was no hardship or deprivation contained in his command.
Genesis 2:16,17 “ And Jehovah God also laid this command upon the man: “From every tree of the garden you may eat to satisfaction. 17 But as for the tree of the knowledge of good and bad you must not eat from it, for in the day you eat from it you will positively die.” This literally means:  “dying (the process) you will die. (finality of the process)” The Hebrew phrase is mohth ta·muth′ and is the first reference to death in the Bible. It is the eventuality brought on as a direct result of disobedience (sin) against their Sovereign. Notice also, that death is a process, mohth ta muth – ‘dying you will die’. Adam did not die immediately after sinning, but over the course of his life span of 930 years, his body grew old, he became sick and eventually he succumbed to the ravages of time beginning the moment he sinned. So, “death” was the consequence (or result) of sin and dying was the process by which he got there.

The apostle Peter, in 2 Peter 3:8, states that Adam died within the period of time referred to as a DAY (yom).   “ However, let this one fact not be escaping YOUR notice, beloved ones, that one day is with Jehovah as a thousand years and a thousand years as one day.”

The Apostle Paul clearly points to why all offspring of Adam, follow that same pattern – Romans 5:12 “ That is why, just as through one man sin entered into the world and death through sin, and thus death spread to all men because they had all sinned” Was the sin ours? No. Nevertheless, our inheritance from our forefather is death. When Adam and Eve sinned, they became genetically defective, this they passed on to their offspring through procreation.

God has not deviated from his original purpose for his human creation. He does not change his mind. Our inheritance, of an earthly, paradisiac dwelling place, remains the purpose for which humans were created. Almighty God purposed a time, during Christ’s millennial reign, when there will be a resurrection of the righteous and the unrighteous. John 5:28,29 )” Do not marvel at this, because the hour is coming in which all those in the memorial tombs will hear his voice 29 and come out, those who did good things to a resurrection of life, those who practiced vile things to a resurrection of judgment.” Because of God’s perfect righteousness, he will resurrect the unrighteous (not wicked) for the purpose of learning righteousness, this will be a judgment period for them. ”

How do we know this?  By analyzing the Greek word translated “memorial tombs.” Notice that the plural form of taphos [grave, an individual burial place] or haides [gravedom, the common grave of dead mankind] are not used but,  the plural dative form of mne·mei′on [remembrance, memorial tomb] IS used. This lays stress on preserving memory of the deceased person. Not those whose memory was blotted out in Gehenna because of unforgivable sins but persons remembered by God will be resurrected with the opportunity to live forever.—Matt. 10:28; Mark 3:29; Heb. 10:26; Mal. 3:16.)

What Jesus said here, at John 5:28,29, must be understood in the light of the later revelation that he gave to John in Revelation 20:12, 13 Both those who formerly did good things and those who formerly practiced bad things will be “judged individually according to their deeds.” What deeds? If we were to take the view that people were going to be condemned on the basis of deeds in their past life, that would be inconsistent with Romans 6:7: “He who has died has been acquitted from his sin.”

It would also be unreasonable to resurrect people simply for them to be destroyed. So, at John 5:28, 29a, Jesus was pointing ahead to the resurrection; then, in the remainder of verse 29, he was expressing the outcome after they had been uplifted to human perfection and been put on judgment.

The apostle John, in Revelation chapter 21 vs.4 states:  4 And he will wipe out every tear from their eyes, and death will be no more, neither will mourning nor outcry nor pain be anymore. The former things have passed away.”

This text is in agreement with the previously mentioned text in 1Corinthians 15:26. Scripturally, a thrice repeated statement establishes a matter. This stated promise guarantees that death will be abolished forever. It is a promise, one that was known, believed, and taught by the ancient Hebrew. Further, we have this fact clearly stated by the prophet in Isaiah chapter 25 vs.8   He will actually swallow up death forever, and the Sovereign Lord Jehovah will certainly wipe the tears from all faces. And the reproach of his people he will take away from all the earth for Jehovah himself has spoken [it].

This statement comes with the aforementioned guarantee “Jehovah himself has spoken [it].”What hope do we then have?  The hope we enjoy and put full faith, is the same hope believed in and expressed by Job and contained in the question posed by him. Job 14:14 states: “ If an able-bodied man dies can he live again?” He then makes a statement reiterating his belief in an earthly resurrection, in these words: “All the days of my compulsory service I shall wait, Until my relief comes.” His prayer expresses his belief in the promise of being raised up from sheol, the grave. This is made clear in verse 13 “ O that in Sheol you would conceal me, That you would keep me secret until your anger turns back, That you would set a time limit for me and remember me! Verse 15 leaves absolutely no room for ambiguity “ You will call, and I myself shall answer you. For the work of your hands you will have a yearning.”

The resurrection hope, offered in scripture, is sure. Hosea 13:14 puts it this way: “ “From the hand of Sheol I shall redeem them; from death I shall recover them. Where are your stings, O Death? Where is your destructiveness, O Sheol?…” The Hebrew word “Sheol” and the Greek word “Hades” are the common grave of mankind from which humans can be recovered, just as the above texts indicate.

When on earth, Jesus told his disciples, as recorded by his apostle, John “No man has ascended into heaven but he that descended from heaven, the Son of man.” John 3:13   Here, Jesus clarifies the mistaken teaching that any human was taken to heaven prior to Christ’s ascension. Is there more evidence to establish the matter? Indeed there is, Matthew recorded Jesus words in this way: “Truly I say to YOU people, Among those born of women there has not been raised up a greater than John the Baptist; but a person that is a lesser one in the kingdom of the heavens is greater than he is.”

The third declaration, uttered by Jesus, is found at Acts 2:34 “Actually David did not ascend to the heavens.”

Heavenly life is a gift by invitation (calling) ONLY as stated by Paul:“Consequently, holy brothers, partakers of the heavenly calling, consider the apostle and high priest whom we confess—Jesus.” Hebrews 3:1

“Now we know that God makes all his works cooperate together for the good of those who love God, those who are the ones called according to his purpose; 29 because those whom he gave his first recognition he also foreordained to be patterned after the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. 30 Moreover, those whom he foreordained are the ones he also called; and those whom he called are the ones he also declared to be righteous. Finally those whom he declared righteous are the ones he also glorified.” Romans 8:28-30

“God is faithful, by whom YOU were called into a sharing with his Son Jesus Christ our Lord.” 1Corinthians 1:9

“ I am pursuing down toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God by means of Christ Jesus.” Philippians 3:14

“ For this reason, brothers, all the more do YOUR utmost to make the calling and choosing of YOU sure for yourselves; for if YOU keep on doing these things YOU will by no means ever fail.” 2 Peter 1:10

2 Timothy 1:9 He saved us and called us with a holy calling, not by reason of our works, but by reason of his own purpose and undeserved kindness. This was given us in connection with Christ Jesus before times long lasting,

Those called and chosen (invited) are a small group, also known as the bride of Christ and the New Jerusalem who will reign with Christ from the heavens - Revelation 5:10 “and you made them to be a kingdom and priests to our God, and they are to rule as kings over the earth.”

Revelation 14:1,3 reveals that this HEAVENLY CALLING is also limited in number “And I saw, and, look! the Lamb standing upon the Mount Zion, and with him a hundred and forty-four thousand having his name and the name of his Father written on their foreheads.  3 And they are singing as if a new song before the throne and before the four living creatures and the elders; and no one was able to master that song but the hundred and forty-four thousand, who have been bought from the earth.”

Revelation 20:4 And I saw thrones, and there were those who sat down on them, and power of judging was given them. Yes, I saw the souls of those executed with the ax for the witness they bore to Jesus and for speaking about God, and those who had worshiped neither the wild beast nor its image and who had not received the mark upon their forehead and upon their hand. And they came to life and ruled as kings with the Christ for a thousand years.

Revelation 20:6 Happy and holy is anyone having part in the first resurrection; over these the second death has no authority, but they will be priests of God and of the Christ, and will rule as kings with him for the thousand years.

Revelation 7:4 “And I heard the number of those who were sealed, a hundred and forty-four thousand…”

Pay attention to Revelation 7:4, quoted above, which calls our attention to those with the heavenly “calling or invitation. Scroll down a bit farther to vs. 9 where John’s vision focuses on another group, he notes:

“ After these things I saw, and, look! a great crowd, which no man was able to number, out of all nations and tribes and peoples and tongues, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, dressed in white robes; and there were palm branches in their hands. 10 And they keep on crying with a loud voice, saying: “Salvation [we owe] to our God, who is seated on the throne, and to the Lamb.”11 And all the angels were standing around the throne and the elders and the four living creatures, and they fell upon their faces before the throne and worshiped God, 12 saying: “Amen! The blessing and the glory and the wisdom and the thanksgiving and the honor and the power and the strength [be] to our God forever and ever. Amen.”13 And in response one of the elders said to me: “These who are dressed in the white robes, who are they and where did they come from?” 14 So right away I said to him: “My lord, you are the one that knows.” And he said to me: “These are the ones that come out of the great tribulation, and they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb”

This is the time that we wait for, the time when death, sickness, defects and sorrow will be things of the past and Jehovah wipes the tears from all faces - as the prophet Isaiah foretold - 5 At that time the eyes of the blind ones will be opened, and the very ears of the deaf ones will be unstopped. 6 At that time the lame one will climb up just as a stag does, and the tongue of the speechless one will cry out in gladness. For in the wilderness waters will have burst out, and torrents in the desert plain. 7 And the heat-parched ground will have become as a reedy pool, and the thirsty ground as springs of water. In the abiding place of jackals, a resting-place for [them], there will be green grass with reeds and papyrus plants. 8 And there will certainly come to be a highway there, even a way; and the Way of Holiness it will be called. The unclean one will not pass over it. And it will be for the one walking on the way, and no foolish ones will wander about [on it].9 No lion will prove to be there, and the rapacious sort of wild beasts will not come up on it. None will be found there; and the repurchased ones must walk [there]. 10 And the very ones redeemed by Jehovah will return and certainly come to Zion with a joyful cry; and rejoicing to time indefinite will be upon their head. To exultation and rejoicing they will attain, and grief and sighing must flee away .Isaiah 35:5-10

Isaiah 11: 6 And the wolf will actually reside for a while with the male lamb, and with the kid the leopard itself will lie down, and the calf and the maned young lion and the well-fed animal all together; and a mere little boy will be leader over them. 7 And the cow and the bear themselves will feed; together their young ones will lie down. And even the lion will eat straw just like the bull. 8 And the sucking child will certainly play upon the hole of the cobra; and upon the light aperture of a poisonous snake will a weaned child actually put his own hand. 9 They will not do any harm or cause any ruin in all my holy mountain; because the earth will certainly be filled with the knowledge of Jehovah as the waters are covering the very sea.

So sleep awhile, my beautiful sons, and soon you will hear the voice of the Son of God calling you forth from the dead, then we will forevermore, live, breath and fellowship - just as Jehovah promised – life for eternity on a cleansed earth (paradise).