The Fear of Death.

The event we call "Death" has many descriptive names in the Bible scriptures. Here are just some of these names as used in the scriptures, each is showing what is happening with the event, death.

Giving up the Ghost. Genesis 25:8;

"8 Then Abraham gave up the ghost, and died in a good old age, an old man, and full of years; and was gathered to his people."

"15 And thou shalt go to thy fathers in peace; thou shalt be buried in a good old age."

"14 Knowing that shortly I must put off this my tabernacle, even as our Lord Jesus Christ hath showed me. "

Requiring the Soul. Luke 12:20.

"20 But God said unto him, Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee: then whose shall those things be, which thou hast provided? "

Going the Way Whence There is No Return. Job 16:22.

"22 When a few years are come, then I shall go the way whence I shall not return."

Being Gathered to Our People. Genesis 49:33.

"33 And when Jacob had made an end of commanding his sons, he gathered up his feet into the bed, and yielded up the ghost, and was gathered unto his people."

Going Down into Silence. Psalms 115:17.

"17 The dead praise not the LORD, neither any that go down into silence."

Returning to Dust. Genesis 3:19.

"19 In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground; for out of it wast thou taken: for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return."

The Fear of Death.

The fear of death must affect most people, each of us, when we die, will be entering into an action which has a result which is totally unknown to us all. There have been people who have claimed to have Near death experience, they died and returned to life, how true these reports are is questionable.
Even the Christian believer may have some fear of the actual event as it could involve pain or suffering.

Let us therefore examine the actual event and see what God has spoken about the act of "dieing".

The Fact of Death.

An important fact is that death applies eventually to everything on earth, even the earth will one day be destroyed. The duration of each existance may vary considerable between the animals, the plants, virus, bacteria and people, we all suffer the act of dieing, of ceasing to exist. It is very obvious that the most dangerous killer in the world, is death, a one hundred percent fact. There are no normal exceptions, (except those who are alive when the Lord returns.)

What does it mean "to Die."

There are three separate ways of dieing listed in the Bible and they are all involving the action of "separation:-"

Physical Death.

Separation from our physical body, the visible flesh and bones of our body are separated from our Soul, the spiritual life, the personality, the inner character of a person. The Soul is eternal.

Spiritual Death.

The Bible tells us that we were made in the image of God but Mankind rejected Him, so we are all born spiritually dead, separated from a Pure and Holy God.

The Bible tells us that only Adam and Eve were originally created with a relationship with God, but they rejected Him, so, no human since has been born having a relationship with God, we have no fellowship with Him because He is a pure and Holy God while we have a sinful nature from our birth. We do find some individual people in the scriptures who have an apparent fellowship with God, but they still have their human, sinful, unclean personality.

Romans 3:23

"For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;"

Romans 6:23.

"23 For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord."

The Second Death.

This death must be avoided at all cost.

Revelation 20:11-15.

"11 And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them.
12 And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works.
13 And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works.
14 And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.
15 And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire."

This death involves a permanent separation from God forever. Jesus has offered the alternative.
John 11:25,26.

"25 Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live:
26 And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this? "

Why Christian’s should have no fear of death.

Hebrews 2:14,15.

"14 Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil;
15 And deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage. "

The Prince of Death, Satan has been defeated by the death of Jesus Christ on the Cross at Calvary. His death has taken the power of Satan, therefore Satan cannot hurt us anymore.

1 Corinthians 15:51-57.

"51 Behold, I show you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed,
52 In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.
53 For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.
54 So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory.
55 O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?
56 The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law.
57 But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ."

The Power of Death has been destroyed.

Revelation 21:3,4.

"3 And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God.
4 And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away. "

The process of Death has been described.

Jesus was attacked by the Pharisees, "And the Pharisees also, who were covetous, heard all these things: and they derided him. " and He told the following Parable(story) in response.
The parable is a little unusual as it refers to a person by name, we must therefore ask "is it a true story?"

Luke 16:19-31.

"19 There was a certain rich man, which was clothed in purple and fine linen, and fared sumptuously every day:
20 And there was a certain beggar named Lazarus, which was laid at his gate, full of sores,
21 And desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man’s table: moreover the dogs came and licked his sores.
22 And it came to pass, that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels into Abraham’s bosom: the rich man also died, and was buried;
23 And in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom.
24 And he cried and said, Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water, and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame.
25 But Abraham said, Son, remember that thou in thy lifetime received thy good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things: but now he is comforted, and thou art tormented.
26 And beside all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed: so that they which would pass from hence to you cannot; neither can they pass to us, that would come from thence.
27 Then he said, I pray thee therefore, father, that thou wouldest send him to my father’s house:
28 For I have five brethren; that he may testify unto them, lest they also come into this place of torment.
29 Abraham saith unto him, They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them.
30 And he said, Nay, father Abraham: but if one went unto them from the dead, they will repent.
31 And he said unto him, If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded, though one rose from the dead."

What do we learn from this story?
1) Lazarus, who is poor and very ill, loves God, a True Believer.
2) Lazarus dies and is carried by angels into heaven, (Abraham’s bosom:), where he is made very comfortable.
3) Rich man cares only for himself.
4) The rich man dies, he goes straight into a place which apparently involved pain, punishment. This cannot be hell as the rich man has not been judged,
see the Day of Judgement.
It is a place where the rich man needs help from Lazarus, but this is not possible.
5) All people have a choice on what will happen at their death,
where will you go?

This indicates that our future after death is dependent upon our life before, God sends angels to take Believers into heaven so why should a Believer be afraid of the event of death.

The following Psalms are often read during a funeral service, they have very important information concerning the act of death, especially for the True Believer.

Everything created in the world and universe is totally controlled by God, "The earth is the LORD’S, and the fullness thereof; the world, and they that dwell therein." Psalm 24 verse 1.

Death is a short journey, Psalm 23 verse 4. "Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death," A valley is open at both ends and God is there holding us, "I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me."
Death is only a shadow, a shadow cannot hurt you, there is no danger. Jesus died in our place leaving us with just a "shadow of death."

The event of death is very lonely, the event is totally personal, we are on our own, but a believer is not alone, "he leadeth me," "He restoreth my soul:"

Ultimately, after death a true Believer has a new address, "I will dwell in the house of the LORD for ever."

Psalm 23. A Psalm of David.

"1 The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.
2 He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters.
3 He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name’s sake. 4 Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.
5 Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.
6 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the LORD for ever. "

Psalm 24. A Psalm of David.

"1 The earth is the LORD’S, and the fulness thereof; the world, and they that dwell therein.
2 For he hath founded it upon the seas, and established it upon the floods.
3 Who shall ascend into the hill of the LORD? or who shall stand in his holy place?
4 He that hath clean hands, and a pure heart; who hath not lifted up his soul unto vanity, nor sworn deceitfully.
5 He shall receive the blessing from the LORD, and righteousness from the God of his salvation.
6 This is the generation of them that seek him, that seek thy face, O Jacob. Selah.
7 Lift up your heads, O ye gates; and be ye lift up, ye everlasting doors; and the King of glory shall come in.
8 Who is this King of glory? The LORD strong and mighty, the LORD mighty in battle.
9 Lift up your heads, O ye gates; even lift them up, ye everlasting doors; and the King of glory shall come in.
10 Who is this King of glory? The LORD of hosts, he is the King of glory. Selah."

1 Thessalonians 4:16-17.

"16 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:
17 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. "

1 Peter 1 16-19.

"16 Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy.
17 And if ye call on the Father, who without respect of persons judgeth according to every man’s work, pass the time of your sojourning here in fear:
18 Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers;
19 But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot:"

Revelation 14:13.

"13 And I heard a voice from heaven saying unto me, Write, Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord from henceforth: Yea, saith the Spirit, that they may rest from their labours; and their works do follow them. "

1 Corinthians 15:51-57.

"51 Behold, I show you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed,
52 In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.
53 For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.
54 So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory.
55 O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?
56 The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law.
57 But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ."