© 2013 by Tom Boynton (editing by Kathy Boynton)

As one reads the Bible’s fifth chapter, in the book of Genesis, one troubling statement occurs repeatedly. This chapter, while describing humanity’s first ten generations through Noah, repeatedly ends its biographical summaries with the words, “…and he died.” The one exception is Enoch of whom Scripture says, “And Enoch walked with God: and he was not; for God took him” (Genesis 5:24). In all of Scripture, only one other person is mentioned that bypassed death. That was God’s prophet, Elijah, who, “went up by a whirlwind into heaven” (2 Kings 2:11). These two exceptions notwithstanding, Scripture teaches, “…it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment” (Hebrews 9:27).

The lesson is obvious. It has been painfully observed, down through the ages, by all of humanity. The life of each man can be expected to end in death. Even atheists know this. Why, then, do men give more attention to the few short years left, than to the endless eternity death will bring? The reason is that, not only is man sentenced to physical death, but unredeemed man is already spiritually dead and, thus, hates the Gospel light that reveals his or her responsibility to a Holy God.

However, Scripture teaches that a time will come when believers in Christ, who are still living, will have an experience similar to that of Enoch and Elijah. Listen! “For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: 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. Wherefore comfort one another with these words” (1 Thessalonians 4:16-18). This future eternal blessing has been purchased by the Lord Jesus Christ who is God the Son. He came and sacrificially shed His own human blood to pay the infinite penalty for all who repent of their sins and cry out to Him for mercy and forgiveness.

What is your focus? Have you seriously considered eternity? Have you cried out to Jesus for forgiveness? Will your end be eternal blessing with Christ, or will you bear His wrath forever?

 

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