Dying the Death Deserved by us.

Job 30:16-23

The Pointer to the Point of No Return

The question of who was responsible for the crucifixion of Jesus Christ was answered by Peter on the day of Pentecost. Pulling no punches he makes no excuses for the way the crucifixion was carried out, saying, 'this Jesus, … you crucified and killed by the hands of lawless men.' Nevertheless Peter's full intention in mentioning the lawless men who laid hands on Jesus is to show how the sinless God sinlessly used their sinful actions to put an end to sin for Jesus was '… delivered up according to the definite plan and foreknowledge of God' [Act 2:23.]

Subjected to the cruel persecution of being reduced to 'dust and ashes', bearing our sins in his body and having his cries unanswered by a God who only looks on his agony without response, Jesus knew everything there was to know about Job's complaint and then some. To see him die the death deserved by us is to see salvation from the penalty and the inevitability of death. Gazing on Christ drawing the sting of death provokes us to join in the rejoicing of him, '… who … endured the cross, despising the shame,' because he 'is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.' It was by this very endurance of separation from God on Calvary's cross that Jesus became both 'founder and perfecter of our faith' [Hebrews 12:2.]

The death of Christ comprises of his lying in the borrowed tomb for the prophesied three days, his giving up the ghost at the end of his trial and, most especially, of his dying during those hours on the cross. By the time he committed his spirit to God and breathed his last, the work of salvation was accomplished so now we must deal with death during our dying. Now is 'the favourable time' [2 Corinthians 6:2.] Even now death has its grip on your throat so why would you hesitate any longer? His death in the midst of his years took place so that we might find life in the midst of our dying. Choose life!

Preparation for Death

Job 30:16-23

The Pointer to the Point of No Return

It isn't morbid to take out a life assurance policy so that loved ones don't have a financial burden to bear when we die. It might be a bit strange that we call it 'life assurance' when the assurance we are talking about is that we shall assuredly die but we are not wrong to take comfort from the knowledge that all the finances are covered, perhaps even all the arrangements.

Nor is it morbid to think about what is to happen after death. Life is a voyage and while as a small boy I would have wanted to search all over the ship and in manhood take the opportunity to meet interesting people at dinner, near the end of the journey I expect to be more and more interested in the voyage being ended. Here is a thing though, since we don't know when our particular voyage is going to end, sparing a thought for what comes after the journey at any point during the journey is the sensible thing to do.

Living with Death

Job 30:16-23

The Pointer to the Point of No Return

Whether we are tempted to catalogue all our petty ailments or to be in denial about serious illness, we need to face up to the challenge of death in the midst of life. The early onset of evidence that life is extremely time-limited ought to be a spur to us not only to show wisdom by discerning our latter end in the midst of life [Deuteronomy 32:29] but to live life thankfully and joyfully in the midst of death [1 Corinthians 1:10.]