133. What man can live and never see death?

1 Kings 2:1  When David’s time to die drew near, he commanded Solomon his son, saying, “I am about to go the way of all the earth.

Joshua 23:14    “And now I am about to go the way of all the earth, and you know in your hearts and souls, all of you, that not one word has failed of all the good things that the LORD your God promised concerning you. All have come to pass for you; not one of them has failed.

Job 16:22    For when a few years have come I shall go the way from which I shall not return.

Job 30:23   For I know that you will bring me to death and to the house appointed for all living.

Psalms 89:48     What man can live and never see death? Who can deliver his soul from the power of Sheol

Hebrews 9:27   And just as it is appointed for man to die once, and after that comes judgment,

All of us, sooner or later, must keep a personal, unavoidable, appointment with death.  Most people live their lives as if they were exceptions to the rule of death! You don’t get a second chance at life and death. When people say, “You only die once!” they usually mean that you might as well be reckless. But surely, since we live and die but once, we should make of our life what we were meant to make of it. Surely we should not waste our one life recklessly.  When Hebrews 9:27 says, “after this” it puts life and death into perspective. Judgment.  It is appointed for men once to die and after this the judgment. Death is appointed, and you are no exception. You only die once, and death is not the end; it is your destiny’s door.  This destiny is either for heaven or hell for eternity.  Those who live for what this world has to offer will find their day of death as a day of regret with no chance of changing the outcome.  These are those who disregard what it means to believe in Jesus Christ for redemption and forgiveness of sin.  Or still others who look at their life and self-proclaim they are good enough to deserve heaven but there has been no change of heart and mind.  No rebirth.  No indwelling of the Holy Spirit.  No clinging to, relying on, or trusting fully in the blood that was shed for their lives by Christ on the cross.  They wrongly believe and will find their eternal destiny full of torment forever as stated in Luke.

Luke 16:19  “There was a rich man who was clothed in purple and fine linen and who feasted sumptuously every day.  And at his gate was laid a poor man named Lazarus, covered with sores,  who desired to be fed with what fell from the rich man’s table. Moreover, even the dogs came and licked his sores.  The poor man died and was carried by the angels to Abraham’s side. The rich man also died and was buried,  and in Hades, being in torment, he lifted up his eyes and saw Abraham far off and Lazarus at his side.  And he called out, ‘Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus to dip the end of his finger in water and cool my tongue, for I am in anguish in this flame.’  But Abraham said, ‘Child, remember that you in your lifetime received your good things, and Lazarus in like manner bad things; but now he is comforted here, and you are in anguish. And besides all this, between us and you a great chasm has been fixed, in order that those who would pass from here to you may not be able, and none may cross from there to us.’  And he said, ‘Then I beg you, father, to send him to my father’s house—  for I have five brothers—so that he may warn them, lest they also come into this place of torment.’  But Abraham said, ‘They have Moses and the Prophets; let them hear them.’  And he said, ‘No, father Abraham, but if someone goes to them from the dead, they will repent.’  He said to him, ‘If they do not hear Moses and the Prophets, neither will they be convinced if someone should rise from the dead.’”

The time for salvation, redemption, forgiveness, and eternity in heaven is now.  No man knows the time of his death and every day delayed is an eternal gamble.

A passing shadows

“Man is like a breath; his days are like a passing shadow.”

Psalms 89:47  Remember how short my time is! For what vanity you have created all the children of man!  What man can live and never see death? Who can deliver his soul from the power of Sheol? Selah  

Job 7:7     “Remember that my life is a breath; my eye will never again see good.

Job 9:25-26    “My days are swifter than a runner; they flee away; they see no good.  They go by like skiffs of reed, like an eagle swooping on the prey.

Job 10:9    Remember that you have made me like clay; and will you return me to the dust?

Psalms 39:5     Behold, you have made my days a few handbreadths, and my lifetime is as nothing before you. Surely all mankind stands as a mere breath! Selah  Surely a man goes about as a shadow! Surely for nothing they are in turmoil; man heaps up wealth and does not know who will gather!

Job 14:1     “Man who is born of a woman is few of days and full of trouble.

James 4:14     yet you do not know what tomorrow will bring. What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes.

Ecclesiastes 3:19     For what happens to the children of man and what happens to the beasts is the same; as one dies, so dies the other. They all have the same breath, and man has no advantage over the beasts, for all is vanity.  All go to one place. All are from the dust, and to dust all return.

Ecclesiastes 8:8    No man has power to retain the spirit, or power over the day of death. There is no discharge from war, nor will wickedness deliver those who are given to it.

Hebrews 9:27    And just as it is appointed for man to die once, and after that comes judgment,

John 8:51     Truly, truly, I say to you, if anyone keeps my word, he will never see death.”

Psalms 49:15     But God will ransom my soul from the power of Sheol, for he will receive me.

2 Corinthians 4:14     knowing that he who raised the Lord Jesus will raise us also with Jesus and bring us with you into his presence.

Sometimes I wonder if we live without thinking about our end.  There is an end to life as we know it.  What then?  Eternal life or eternal death (a death without being dead – a death of total separation from anything good – a death without the presence of God).  We hear of people saying things like -“well most of my friends will be in Hell so it won’t be lonely for me”, – Or “I’ll see you in Hell”,  – Or “All the fun people will be in Hell so it won’t be all that bad”.  Lies!!  Separation for God while we are alive might be a sliver of what it will be like – no peace, no hope, always striving for something more but never getting that which satisfies the soul.  This is what a life this side of death without Jesus Christ is.  It is made up of things that have no eternal value.  Scripture says this life is like a passing shadow or a vapor, here one day and gone the next.  It says no one has power over the day of death.  Yet man listens to lies as if this day will never come and that there is no eternal judgement after death.  If you live to be 100 years old, life is short in comparison to eternity.  If there is lies, no satisfaction, always needing and looking for more stuff to satisfy in this short life, imagine what it will be like for eternity – Scripture says those who reject Jesus will be cast into the “lake of Fire” that burns forever and there is weeping and gnashing of teeth forever.  Separation from God now is the choice people take in the presence of God, while He is near.  After judgement God separates Himself from those who rejected Jesus.  Come to Jesus, seek Him while He may be found, and find peace for your soul this side of eternity and forever.