Bible Reading: Jeremiah 51, 52: Hebrews 9
“And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment” Hebrews 9:27(KJV)
One of the surest and certain appointment all men must keep is the appointment with death. No man can escape no matter your level of spirituality. The Devil has deceived a lot of people with the belief that they can be immortal but they came at the long run to realize that it is all fake and mere fallacy. All men throughout the scriptures suffered death which was a pronouncement and decree by God that is irreversible. Genesis 3:19(KJV), “in the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground; for out of it wast thou taken: for dust thou art, and unto dust thou shalt thou return.” Even our Lord Jesus Christ had to die to fulfil the requirement of the Mediator of the new testament because for a testament to take effect the testator must die: “And for this cause he is the mediator of the new testament, that by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions that were under the first testament, they which are called might receive the promise of eternal inheritance. For where a testament is, there must also of necessity be the death of the testator” Hebrews 9:15-16(KJV).
Moses died at Mount Nebo as stated in Genesis 34:5(KJV), “So Moses the servant of the LORD died there in the land of Moab, according to the word of the LORD.” The book of Jude gave us an insight of how Michael, the Archangel of God, contended for the body of Moses. However, the two persons that did not see death in their dispensation are Enoch and Elijah. These two were taken up to heaven by the Almighty God Himself. It is believed in the Christian circle that they will return before Christ comes back as the two witnesses in revelation and pay the ultimate price and keep the sure appointment of death. Death is a compulsory penalty instituted by God for man and it is inescapable. However, God through His Son destroyed the power of deaths stranglehold on man, both the physical and spiritual death. Now Jesus, in John 11:25(KJV), said, ”Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live.” Being the resurrection and life He called Lazarus out of the tomb after four days of death. Again after His death and resurrection Jesus spoke to Apostle John, the beloved, in Revelation 1:18(KJV), “I am he that liveth, and was dead; and behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and death.” The prophecy that this scripture fulfilled is in Hosea 13:14(KJV), “I will ransom them from the power of the grave; I will redeem them from death: O death, I will be thy plagues: O grave I will be thy destruction: repentance shall be hid from mine eye.” It is on the strength of these scriptures and its fulfilment in Christ that allowance has now been made for the rapture of those in Christ. “Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord” 1 Thessalonians 4:17(KJV).
My dear reader, the bible records that there is the second death which everyone who rejected Christ will definitely face. “And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire” Revelation 20:14-15(KJV). I do not wish this to happen to my worst enemy. I implore you to urgently run to Christ and make Him your Lord and Saviour for the time is running out.
Prayer: Father, grant me the grace to stay on course in my Christian pilgrimage.
Bro. Joel Ezeugo