To get pearls, one must dive deep!

Tag: Hebrews 9:27

Appointment to die ONCE

The Bible records in Hebrews Chapter 9, that it is appointed unto men to die once and then the judgment. The operative word is ‘Once’.
All our us will die one day, unless the Lord returns in his appointed time, wherein those who believe in Jesus Christ to be Lord and Savior will be caught up (raptured) to be with Him.

As I said, the operative word in that statement is ‘Once’. But the Bible also talks about a second death, which is reserved for those who have not accepted Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior and believed in Him. It must be recognized that while the first death is appointed, the second death is a verdict upon judgment.

The question then is – Not if we will die, but when we will die (first death),  will you and I have to face second death?
He that believes in Jesus Christ shall not perish (face second death), but have eternal life (John 3:16).

For a related reading, see Are you Afraid or Are you Ashamed to Die?

Hebrews 9:23-28 (KJV)
23
It was therefore necessary that the patterns of things in the heavens should be purified with these; but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these.
24
For Christ is not entered into the holy places made with hands, which are the figures of the true; but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us:
25
Nor yet that he should offer himself often, as the high priest entereth into the holy place every year with blood of others;
26
For then must he often have suffered since the foundation of the world: but now once in the end of the world hath he appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself.
27
And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment:
28
So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation.

Revelation 21:7-9 (KJV)
7
He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son.|
8
But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.

Teach us to number our days

When man was made in the image of God, from the dust of the ground, God breathed into man the breath of life and the Bible records that man became a “Living Soul” ((Genesis 2:7). The translated word ‘became‘ implies that, that which was not living (dust of the ground) is now living (man). The curse placed on man, upon his disobedience to God (sin in the garden of Eden) was that “from dust we are and to dust we will return” (Genesis 3:19) and the LORD God said, man may try to take and eat from the tree of life (in the garden) and live forever and hence banished man from the garden, with no access to the tree of life. (Genesis 3:22-24)

When we die, our souls depart (Genesis 35:18) from this earthly enclosure we call bodies and goes to be with the Lord (to be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord; 2 Corinthians 5:8), until the appointed time, when the earthly body is transformed (1 Corinthians 15) from being ephemeral to eternal, so that it can be judged, each according to what he/she has done (it is appointed unto man to die once and then enter into judgment; Hebrews 9:27).

It is noteworthy to recognize that we are made a living soul, not a living body. Each of us have an appointment to die. Each of our days are recorded in God’s calendar. In fact, even before we were formed in our mother’s womb, we were in the mind of God, known by Him. Our bodies are merely ephemeral jars of clay that hold in it the eternal soul. But while we are still alive, we try to live as if we are going to be live forever. We live as if our bodies are eternal (Living Bodies) and not our souls (Dead Souls).

God’s plan is that we live as Living Souls and Dead Bodies (i.e., sacrificing the desires of the flesh, as a living sacrifice). The Psalmist says, “Teach us to number our days” (Psalm 90) and this does not mean that we need the Lord to teach us not to count our days, but instead, it means that we need to ask the Lord to make our days count.

Every day, in which we live for  God as a living sacrifice is a day that will count in God’s account. Let’s each learn how to make our days count (the short time we have on earth, in our bodies).

Kingdoms come and Kingdoms Go
But through the Word of God, I know
When all in life is done and past,
Only what is done for Christ will Last

P.S: This post was inspired by the children of dear friends (Esther Boyalapalli, Ashton Mathew and Aaron Williams), each fighting cancer. I pray that you keep these loved ones in your prayers. Please feel free to post the links of family and friends that need support and prayers.

Psalm 90:12 (KJV)
12 So teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom.

Powered by WordPress & Theme by Anders Norén