Did you know that death is not at all natural? Even though every person dies, death itself was not a part of God’s original plan—death entered the world as a consequence of sin.
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There is a reason we instinctively abhor death and the fact that it eventually swallows everyone we know and love. We as human beings are made in the image of God, and God is the Author of life. It is written into our hearts that life is precious, valuable, and worth preserving. This is why death is so vile to us. It is why we cry when we hear the news about someone passing away. We are made to enjoy and radiate life, not death.
So, while the bleakness of death looms over every living person, the Bible gives us bright hope to shine in the face of darkness. Isaiah 25:8 says God “will swallow up death forever” and “wipe away tears from all faces.” This is amazing and vivid language from the prophet Isaiah, no doubt used to counter attack the fear all people have because of death.
In the end, the death that swallows people will itself be swallowed up by the Author of life. What we typically think of as “the end” will fundamentally come to an end.
Why? How? Well, because death is not the end for the follower of Jesus Christ—death was defeated when the Son of God conquered it and rose from the dead. And if we are in him as believers, we can be certain of the fact that in time, he will wipe away every tear from our eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things have passed away because of Christ’s death on the cross and his powerful resurrection from the tomb.
If death brings us into the eternal presence of God, then why is it so bad? If it frees us from the bondage of our decaying body, why is it so bad? As someone who works with hospice, it is us Christians who are able to face death better. Where is it’s sting says Paul. Of course it is painful and we should never deny it. But I also believe God incorporated it in his creation. We had millions of years of death before Adam and Eve, death didn’t begin with them. God created life to depend upon death for recreation. The death of Adam and Eve was to be separated from God. That is death. Christ said don’t fear men who take a life, but God who can destroy the soul.