12 The Lord said to Moses, “Go up this mountain of the Abarim range, and see the land that I have given to the Israelites. 13 When you have seen it, you also shall be gathered to your people, as your brother Aaron was
Numbers 27
A generation is passing. Aaron has died. And Moses is about to be "gathered to [his] people" too. (That's an old euphemism for death.) Yes, he's about to "pass away." (That's a modern euphemism for death.)
We use euphemisms because we don't like to talk about death.
We could say that death is a punishment. After Adam and Eve at the apple, they were kicked out of the garden of Eden and death entered the world. (See Genesis 3.)
Was death a punishment for our rebellion? No. It was a consequence. If we say to the author and sustainer of life that we don't want his life-giving hand upon us, should we be surprised when life begins to ebb away from us? Death -- that gradual ebbing away of life -- is consequence for our rebellion.
So death is not punishment ... it's consequence.
Can I also suggest, however, that in a strange way that death is a gift? a blessing!
Think about it: This world is a mixture of blessing and curse. There is good and evil. Light and dark. Health and disease. Love and anger.
God designed us to be with him personally. He wants to bless us with perpetual light, hope, peace, and joy. Unfortunately, however, we've helplessly entangled ourselves in hatred and rebellion, anger and war. The world hurts us and we hurt the world and the people around us. This is not the way that things are supposed to be!
If God's desire is for us to be with him personally, joyfully, peacefully, and freely, then this world is as close as a believer will ever get to hell. Therefore, death for a believer is not a loss ... it's a gain. It's a blessing. A victory. A triumph. A celebration. Earth is grief and tears and heartache. Death is the gate to no more mourning or crying or pain (see Revelation 21).
No, death is not a good thing. It is NOT God's ultimate plan! The plan is eternity. Perpetual light, hope, and joy. But because of humanity's perpetual rebellion in this world, we have to transfer from this realm grief, sin, and pain, into the kingdom of light, hope, and joy. We have to die to this world and live for Christ.
And the wonder is that we can choose this heavenly escape anytime. No, not through suicide or an earthly death. But through a "spiritual death," a submission of the heart. When we focus on Christ, this world and its challenges and pain begin to pass away before us, and we begin to experience greater peace, hope, forgiveness, and joy.
In Christ's Love,
a guy who is voluntarily dying
(and discovering less fear
of physical death in the process)
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