The final retirement in life is “DEATH” yes the last thing to all that has life,death is a phenomenon of life the natural end to all beings. Some person don’t want to hear the word death; some people don’t want to know it., don’t want to see it! Don’t even want to feel it! Because death is sorrowful, death brings separation, it bring loss, Death comes into our life without any rules inconsiderately and irrationally as a thief, people will say death came in and took that person away. Death could be seen as an event or condition, whichever way, it is the end to life, the happening or event after the period lived by a person from birth which is summarized as the lifetime. How is your life time?
Several names and terms were used to describe death as follows:
Transition to Glory, Call to glory, Celebrations of life, Funeral Ceremony, Gone to Grave, Demise, Pass away, Eternal Rest, Departure from sinful world, slept in the Lord, Deceased, Exitto Glory, Rest in peace, Obituary, whatever you call it death is death and the end to all life.
I have said it once and I am saying it again; most people are scared when they hear the word, Death. But then it is inevitable. it’s the final end to all whether old or young man or woman rich or poor what ever the nature, the race and the denominations, if you have come to live you must die. Retire back to somewhere.
The God-given, inspired, infallible Bible is the only book in the world that gives the true answer to the great question, what is life? And it satisfactorily explains the origin of life in the account of the creation in the book of Genesis. God created man from the dust of the ground and breathe into his nostrils the breath of life, and man became a living soul. We can now see that this life
is a union of the soul or spirit and body. So When the spirit and body is separated, it becomes death, the ceasing of life, the final retirement from live.
“The body without the spirit is dead.” (James 2: 26.) For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without work is dead. want to bluntly tell you that material wealth is not the ultimate goal of life because the bible teaches us that we should not lay up for ourselves treasures upon earth where moth and rust doth corrupt and where thieves break through and steal but, we should lay up for ourselves treasures in heaven.
Death is the natural end to all being that experience life as an ultimate and shocking event. Francis Bacon said, “Death is a friend of ours and he that is not ready to entertain is dead and not at home.” I add such a person is not born or alive.
The apostle Paul states that the proper attitude for Christians to have about worldly possessions is this: “For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out”
The Hebrew Christians demonstrated the right attitude when they took joyfully the spoiling of their goods, knowing that there was a better and enduring substance in heaven (Hebrews 10:34). There is an inheritance reserved in heaven which is incorruptible and undefiled, and that fades not away (1 Peter 1:4). We therefore should set our affections on things above, not on things on the earth (Colossians 3:1–2).
Death is a word that strikes terror into the hearts of millions daily, especially those who have no hope. It is a reality that brings indescribable anguish and uncontrollable sorrow to many people as they helplessly and hopelessly plead in vain for just one more word, another sign of movement, another look from the still loved one in the cold grey casket. It is a word that stirs our memories of departed loved ones and brings fresh tears. Hence, through the ages, there has been an endless, futile, hopeless search by explorers and scientists for the elixir of life, something that will eliminate or postpone death. But the search will always end in complete failure, because we are born to live and bound to die (Hebrews 9:27).
“There is no man that hath power over the spirit to retain the spirit, neither hath he power over the day of death” (Ecclesiastes 8:8).
We learn that death came into the world by way of one man (Romans 5:12). God’s law was transgressed, and humankind was removed from the Garden of Eden and left to die (Genesis 3:23). Humankind suffers the effect of Adam’s sin in that all die physically. Also, we do not have access to the tree of life.
There is no need for further explanation. Everybody knows what death is and what it means to die, but people are so sceptical about death. Nobody wants to die, especially when they have no serious injury or deadly disease that sometimes might make a person to beg God to take away his or her life? So as to alleviate the suffering. Many, for fear of not wanting to die or not wanting their loved ones to die, assign all sorts of names to death, such as the following (the meanings of which are provided as well):
Aiku => Immortality Aikulola => Immortality is wealth Maku => Don’t die Kokumo => No more death Arikuyeri => Evade death Ikuyinminu => Death spares me Gbekude => Tie death Ikudiasi => Death, forsake this Kuforijin => Death, forgive and forsake
Whatever name we give, whatever we do or say, people still die, some too young and too soon. Life is brief and uncertain. Life isn’t fair, but it is still good. Even when you are graced to spend years on earth like Methuselah did, death is still a must. The Bible tells us that a thousand years is like a day to the Lord. It is indeed a slender thread that holds us to this world, and we know not when it shall be clipped
Suddenly and we shall be hurled out into eternity, from which there is no return to earthly relationships. We are constantly standing on the brink of the grave, only a heartbeat away from death, only a breath from eternity. “What is Your life? It is even a vapor that appear for a little time, and then vanish away.” (James 4:14). “Man that is born of a woman is of few days, and full of trouble. He cometh forth like a flower, and is cut down; he fleeth also as a shadow and continueth not.”(Job 14:1,2).Here today, and gone tomorrow! Then comes eternity for the prepared and [hellfire] for the unprepared.6 Sri Chinmoy says that death is not the end. Death can never be the end. Death is the road. Life is the traveller, and the soul is the guide, so when you die you still continue on the journey to eternity. This is why the singer Jim Reeves sings, “This world is not my home. I am just passing through.” The point I am driving at here is that for your eternity, you need to know Jesus. Believe him, and know his worth as the Son of God who came some time ago to die for you and me, so that you can have eternity even when the earthly death takes you away. If you have read this book from the first page and do not know Jesus, then, my brother or my sister, you are still missing something important. If you simply add Jesus to your life before your final retirement, you are bound to be successful in all your dealings, and eternity with him is guaranteed. Eternity is for all. There is room in heaven for everybody who reads this book and believes in the gospel. As a reader, at whatever age you are now, you must be able to ask the following questions: • How am I improving this society? • What spiritual infections am I helping to fight? • Am I shining brilliantly with the love and truth of Christ? These are questions you must answer. Endless eternity! Will we live there? Is there life beyond the grave? Is the cradle the beginning and the grave the end? Are we “like the little dog Rover, dead all over”? Are we without hope? Robert Engersoll, the famous infidel, said at the funeral of his brother, “Life is but a narrow vale between the cold and barren peaks of two eternities. We strive in vain to look beyond the heights. We cry aloud and the only answer we hear is the echo of our waiting cry.” Here is the cry of anguish of a sorrowing, faithless, helpless and hopeless man. How sad! Paul said, “If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable” (I Cor. 15:19). We long for a life beyond this world of suffering, and sorrow, for a reunion with faithful loved ones. Do we hope in vain? Is our faith futile? The Bible produces faith and offers hope, comforting the mourners and beautifying the grave. Thus we sing the song of hope: Beyond the sunset’s radiant glow, there is a brighter world I know; where golden glories ever shine, beyond the thought of day’s decline.” Even the Old Testament faithful expressed their hope in confessing that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth, desiring the heavenly country. (Heb. 11:13-16). It is just a small bridge between life and death and when it leads to eternity all the problems of this earth is over, forgotten and a new life begins.
Jim Reeves, in one of his popular songs, sings, “Across the bridge there is no more sorrow, Across bridge there is no more pain, the sun will shine across the river and you will never be unhappy again!”
There will be a resurrection and reunion of loved ones. (I Cor. 15; I Thess. 4:13-16). The grave is not the final end but the beginning of another phase of life. It is like going into a new room where we havenever been before. Hence “precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his saints.” (Psalms 116:15). And “blessed are the dead which die in the Lord from henceforth; Yea, saith the Spirit, that they may rest from their labours” (Rev. 14:13). After death comes the judgment. (Heb. 9:27). It will be for all men. (2 Cor. 5:10). The prepared and the unprepared will be there”. The hour is coming, in which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice, and shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation.” (John 5:28-29). Whosoever is not found written in the Book of Life will be cast into the lake of fire. (Rev. 20:15). The unfaithful will be cast out. (Matt. 25:30). The faithful will go away into everlasting life. (Matt. 25:46).
How will you stand on the great day of judgment? Prepared or unprepared, saved or lost? Where will you spend eternity, in heaven or hell? ‘You can prepare now for heaven. God’s plan of salvation is simple. Jesus “became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him.” (Heb. 5:9). He that doeth the will of the Father shall enter the kingdom of heaven. (Matt. 7:21). God’s will is that one believe in him (Heb. 11:6), in Christ (John 8:24), repent of sins (Acts 17:30), confess faith in Christ (Acts 8:37), and be buried in baptism for remission of sins (Rom. 6:4; Acts 2:38). Then one rises from this watery grave to walk a new life as a new creature in Christ, having been born of water and of the Spirit. (Rom. 6:4; 2 Cor. 5:17; John 3:5). We must endure to the end in faithfulness (Matt. 10:22; Rev. 2:10).
Consider the brevity and uncertainty of life, the certainty of death, the coming judgment, and eternity. Prepare your life now to meet God in death, in judgment and in eternity.
