What does it feel like to die? Have you ever watched someone take their last breath? How did you feel, as you watched them fade away into eternity? Why do people have to die? After all, ten out of ten people born into this world, also die. The Bible says, Just as man is destined to die once, and after that to face judgment, so Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many people; and he will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who are waiting for him (Heb. 9. 27-28).
This brings me to my next point. What is death? The dictionary definition of death is the cessation of physical life (Funk & Wagnalls 305). Huh, of course it is physical. What else could they be referring to? I have come to agree with the Bible's definition of death. The Bible tells its readers that there is a second death. The Apostle John writes; Then death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. The lake of fire is the second death. If anyone's name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire (Rev. 20.14-15).
What else does the Bible have to say about death? Let's find out. The Apostle Paul tells us that; The wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord (Rom. 6.23). Jesus also said to his disciples, I tell you, my friends, do not be afraid of those who kill the body and after that can do no more. But I will show you whom you should fear: Fear him who, after the killing of the body, has power to throw you into hell. Yes, I tell you, fear him (Luke 12.4-5).
You see, I once feared death. That is why I have decided to write on this topic. I want others to find the same comfort that I have found. The Heidelberg Catechism states it this way. What is thy only comfort in life and death?
Answer. That I with body and soul, both in life and death, am not my own, but belong unto my faithful Savior Jesus Christ; who, with his precious blood, hath fully satisfied for all my sins, and delivered me from all the power of the devil; and so preserves me that without the will of my heavenly Father, not a hair can fall from my head; yea, that all things must be subservient to my salvation, and therefore, by his Holy Spirit, he also assures me of eternal life, and makes me sincerely willing to live unto him (Lord's Day 1).
The Bible tells everyone that they have broken all of the Ten Commandments . How is this possible? Someone may ask. They might say, I have never killed any one. This person is not aware of what Jesus has said about murder. You have heard that it was said to the people long ago," Do not murder, and anyone who murders will be subject to judgment." But I tell you that anyone who is angry with his brother will be subject to judgment. Again, anyone who says "Raca," is answerable to the Sanhedrin. But anyone who says, "You fool !" will be in danger of the fire of hell (Matt. 5.21-22) For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles at just one point is guilty of breaking all of it (James 2.10).
Well now, where do we go from here? I guess now would be a good time to share with you some comments that I have picked up over the twenty-five years of my life. I will start with my early childhood.
As a boy, I was told that animals, along with everybody else, went to heaven when they died. I must have buried 20 dead animals in my own backyard. When my pet goat died, I was only seven years old. She was the first pet that I ever had. My father warned me the evening before her death saying, "I don't want you to even open the curtains tomorrow morning. I don't want you to see her. The vet said, 'she's not going to make it through the night.' " I guess he was trying to keep me from witnessing death at such a young age. He comfofted me by saying something like, "You'll see her when you go up there."
When I go up there? Did he mean that I was going to die too? I don't want to die, I thought to myself . I didn't want to know the answer to that question. I think I just cried some more and went to bed.
This question, and others haunted me for years. Would I some day rot in a wooden box six feet under? What if they buried me, and I wasn't really dead? Perhaps I would just be unconscious, and some guy would nail the lid of my coffin shut. I didn't want worms and bugs crawling out of my mouth either. Down in that deep dark hole, there would be no one to hear me screaming. Let me out!!!!! Can anybody hear me? Help! I'm stuck! Somebody get the tractor and dig me back up! I pictured myself saying these things, as I gasped for air. Death had to be the worst thing in the world. So, I just tried to forget about it, but I couldn't.
This is why so many people in the world are so afraid. It is a fear of the unknown. My father-in -law has once said," Man, you can tell by the look on someone's face where they're goin." This was in reference to heaven or hell. "People who don't know the Lord look so scared. But Christians have a peace. You can tell, they're not scared. They know where they're goin'(Sikes)."
I recently interviewed an Emergency Medical Technician in Lancaster, CA. He has been in this field for five years. In his four months of training for this profession, he was made familiar with the rapid transport and treatment of the critically injured. I asked him the following questions.
"Would you say that you know a little about death, or a lot about death?"
"I've seen a lot of people die, if that's what you mean," he replied.
"About how many people have you seen die?" I added.
"Oh, too many to remember."
"Over one hundred?"
"Probably not a hundred, no," he noted.
"Have you seen them actually take their last breath?"
"I've seen three people take their last breath, right in front of me."
"And how did they look when they were dying? "
"They looked like normal people."
"What did their faces look like? Their faces, they looked very distressed."