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People in our modern world do not understand death; to them it is a fearful, unknown blank. Religions around the world have sought to explain what happens after we die, but they all come far short of the truth. Some say we go to heaven or hell or purgatory. Others say we are reborn as another creature—a slug, a fish, a cow, or another person. A few think we join some sort of cosmic consciousness. Of course, there are also those who believe that nothingness is the reward of men. This may seem strange, but Jesus actually thanks God in Matthew 11:25-26 for keeping men ignorant of these matters: "I thank You, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because You have hidden these things from the wise and prudent and have revealed them to babes. Even so, Father, for so it seemed good in Your sight." This is wise of God because the knowledge of man's destiny puts those who understand it under obligation to strive for it. And most of the people on earth are not prepared to do so. We would be in the same quandary if God had not opened our minds to the truth. Several of the heroes of the Bible write of their awareness of God's plan for us: u Job: Oh, that You would hide me in the grave, that You would conceal me until Your wrath is past, that You would appoint me a set time, and remember me! If a man dies, shall he live again? All the days of my hard service I will wait, till my change comes. You shall call, and I will answer You; You shall desire the work of Your hands. (Job 14:13-15) u David: As for me, I will see Your face in righteousness; I shall be satisfied when I awake in Your likeness. (Psalm 17:15) u Daniel: And many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, some to shame and everlasting contempt. Those who are wise shall shine like the brightness of the firmament, and those who turn many to righteousness like the stars forever and ever. (Daniel 12:2-3) u Paul: But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit [which] dwells in you. . . . For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us. (Romans 8:11, 18) And God both raised up the Lord and will also raise us up by His power. (I Corinthians 6:14) For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ all shall be made alive. . . . 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. (I Corinthians 15:22, 51-52) For our citizenship is in heaven, from which we also eagerly wait for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform our lowly body that it may be conformed to His glorious body. (Philippians 3:20-21) When Christ who is our life appears, then you also will appear with Him in glory. (Colossians 3:4) For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord. (I Thessalonians 4:16-17) There is life after death! We find, however, that it is a gift of God (Romans 6:23), and that it is so precious that He does not give it to everyone without qualification (Matthew 19:16-21; 25:31-46; Acts 13:48; James 1:12; Jude 20-21).
William Gray
Taking It Through the Grave
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