“For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with Him.” (1Thessalonians 4:14)
Many and not only non-believers, but Christians as well are afraid of death. It’s the fear of the unknown. One thing is certain. We will all have to face death. It’s a certainty. And it’s inevitable. For the believer in Jesus, we have His promise of eternal life. Only the body will die and rot here on earth until the resurrection of our bodies. We have the assurance of a resurrection. In our Scripture of study, Paul is reassuring the Thessalonians that those who die don’t get left out of the promises of God. They will be with Jesus before us. They will resurrect first. (1Thessalonians 4:16) Just like the body of Christ was resurrected, our human bodies will resurrect and be like His. “So also is the resurrection of the dead. It is sown in corruption; it is raised in incorruption: It is sown in dishonour; it is raised in glory: it is sown in weakness; it is raised in power: It is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body. There is a natural body, and there is a spiritual body.” (1Corinthians 15:42-44) This speaks of the resurrection of the saints, believers in Jesus.
In both the Old Testament and the New Testament we see references to death as sleep. Countless of times when someone died, the phrased used is, “...slept with his fathers.” At the end of the life of Moses the Lord spoke to Moses. “And the LORD appeared in the tabernacle in a pillar of a cloud: and the pillar of the cloud stood over the door of the tabernacle. And the LORD said unto Moses, Behold, thou shalt sleep with thy fathers; ...” (Deuteronomy 31:15-16) David, Solomon and all the kings, “...slept with his fathers.” Daniel wrote of the resurrection of those who were sleeping. “And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt.” (Daniel 12:2) Jesus also described death as sleep. Jesus spoke about the ruler’s daughter, “He said unto them, Give place: for the maid is not dead, but sleepeth. And they laughed Him to scorn.” (Matthew 9:24; Mark 5:39; Luke 8:52) He said the same of Lazarus. “These things said He: and after that He saith unto them, Our friend Lazarus sleepeth; but I go, that I may awake him out of sleep.” (John 11:11) Paul also referred to those who have died as sleeping. “But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope.” (1Thessalonians 4:13, 14)
No one knows what death is like unless you take the account of those who have experienced a “near death experience.” And there are the accounts of those who are on their deathbed and tell us what they are seeing beyond death. All these have in common the light, the beauty, peace and love they experience which gives us an assurance that death is not painful nor terrifying for those who know Christ as their Lord and Savior.
But what about those who didn’t believe, who die in their sins? “But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection. Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with Him a thousand years.” (Revelation 20:5-6) Those who die in their sin from the beginning to the end of time will resurrect after the Thousand Year Reign of Christ. In this Scripture it seems confusing. But the second sentence “This is the first resurrection” is referring to those described in the previous verse (verse 4) who are of the first resurrection, clarified by the first word of the Scripture, “but.”
The only true witness of heaven is Jesus. And He said very little about heaven until the Revelation of John where He describes its beauty beyond anything here on earth. The word heaven is broad and can refer to the sky, outer space and then the place where God lives. Paul made that distinction when he wrote, “I knew a man in Christ above fourteen years ago, (whether in the body, I cannot tell; or whether out of the body, I cannot tell: God knoweth;) such an one caught up to the third heaven.” (2Corinthians 12:2) Further on in verse 4 he calls it Paradise, so it was the place where God is. Jesus said it’s a place where the Father’s house has many rooms. (John 14:2) Paul wrote that it’s a city prepared for the saints by God. “But now they desire a better country, that is, an heavenly: wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God: for He hath prepared for them a city.” (Hebrews 11:16) John saw it coming down from heaven and called it the new Jerusalem. “And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.” (Revelation 21:2; 3:12) The description of the New Jerusalem in Revelation is unimaginable with great pearl gates, walls of precious stones and a foundation of made of jewels and a place where there is no night. (Revelation 21) As for the place where God sits on His throne, Ezekiel and John describe a holy place like none on this earth. (Ezekiel 1; Revelation 4) They could not describe it with words that make sense to us. Even in trying to visualize it, it seems surreal.
But while here on this earth, we have other things to occupy us. We need to be concerned with our eternal destination because our life on earth determines our destination. And of utmost and primary importance is knowing and making Jesus Lord and Savior. It’s believing the words of Jesus and trusting in Him in all things. It’s having that fellowship with the indwelling Holy Spirit and spending time with Jesus. It’s letting Jesus have control of our lives and being obedient. It’s looking forward and anticipating our time with Him when we will no longer be on this earth.
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