No More Death

“Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his saints.” Psalm‬ ‭116‬:‭15‬ ‭ESV‬‬

Death is like the proverbial white elephant in the room. Nobody wants to talk about it or acknowledge we will all die someday. We have euphemisms for death like: he passed, he kicked the bucket, he is pushing up daisies, he has gone to heaven, he croaked, or my favorite, he is six feet under.

Since Memorial Day - it was called Decoration Day when I was growing up - and the death of my young cousin, I have been contemplating death. Not an obsessive morbid thinking but a reflective, thankful way. 

I ran into this Steve Jobs quote in a devotional, When Death Died, written by Greg Laurie:

“No one wants to die. Even people who want to go to heaven don't want to die to get there. And yet death is the destination we all share. No one has ever escaped it. And that is as it should be because Death is very likely the single best invention of Life. It is Life's change agent. It clears out the old to make way for the new. Right now the new is you, but someday not too long from now, you will gradually become the old and be cleared away. Sorry to be so dramatic, but it is quite true.” (Steve Jobs 2005 Commencement Address, Stanford University)

There is some truth in what Jobs said. I agree that “death is a destination we all share.” But I don’t agree that “Death is very likely the single best invention of Life.” Let me be clear death is not an invention of God, man, or even Satan. Death is a result of the fall of humankind and the original sin. Laurie in response to Jobs's statement said. “It is not the single best invention of Life. In fact, it is the worst. The Bible even tells us that death is not a friend. Death is an enemy.” (Greg Laurie, Harvest Ministries 2012) I couldn’t agree more.

There is good news! Jesus conquered death when he rose from the grave. 

• Jesus said I am “the living one. I died, and behold I am alive forevermore, and I have the keys of Death and Hades…Fear not, I am the first and the last”  Revelation 1:17-18 (ESV) 

• Death will be destroyed and will be no more 'Then Death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire. ' Revelation 20:14 (ESV)  

• The last enemy to be destroyed is death. 1 Corinthians 15:26 (ESV)

While “... it is appointed for man to die once, and after that comes judgment, ' Hebrews 9:27 (ESV) after judgment for those who belong to Jesus is eternal life and no more death.  “He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.” Revelation 21:4 (ESV)