The Valley of Death ~ 2

Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; for You are with me: Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.
Psalm 23:4

There are so many people in the Old Testament who came to a bad end--not only individuals, but whole nations at times. So let's look at someone who came to a good end. David is a man whose sin changed the course of his life, but not his inevitable death. David is the shepherd boy who fought and killed the giant Goliath, because he had so much faith in God. When Saul told David that he was too young to fight a man of war, he said: "The Lord, who delivered me from the paw of the lion and from the paw of the bear, He will deliver me from the hand of this Philistine." Faith and trust are two of David's strongest characteristics.

And when Saul was struck with depression, it was David who played the harp and brought him out of it. Saul's advisors had told him that "the Lord is with him." And when Saul, as the first king of Israel, decided to follow his own way instead of God's, God rejected him as king and chose David. As king, David began building the greatest empire that had ever existed, but because there were so many enemies to conquer, which put blood on his hands, God wouldn't allow David to build the temple. But David didn't sit on his hands--he collected money, materials and plans for the building of the temple. There are so many significant facts about David, but for our lesson, we want to look at his death. Here are a few of his last words, which can be found in 2 Samuel 23.

The Spirit of the Lord spoke by me,

And His word was on my tongue.                                                                  

The God of Israel said,

The Rock of Israel spoke to me:

He who rules over men must be

             just,

Ruling in the fear of God. 

All of his last words are there, if you want to read them. I simply wanted to reflect the fact that David was within God's embrace at the time of his death. In fact, David left a legacy which continues, and which I list in a blog written September 21, 2010--10 Things You May Not Know About David & Prophecy. He was truly "a man after God's own heart."  

                                                                            

Now let's move to the New Testament, where you can learn about the life and death of Jesus and the apostles. Jesus was born in Bethlehem and grew up to be a carpenter, but he was a child who spent time in the temple, talking to the scribes and Pharisees. When Jesus was ready to reveal His purpose as the Son of God, John the Baptizer was sent to make way for Him. He chose 12 apostles to spead His gospel, and He had many disciples. Jesus had multitudes of people following Him as He taught them and healed them, and sometimes even fed them. Jesus had a message that had never been heard before--a message of hope, love, mercy, and victory in life and over death. And when His words and deeds proved that He was the Son of God, it made the leaders of the Jews indignant, and they decided He had to die.

When it came time for Jesus to die, and after the supper with His apostles, Jesus went into Gethsemane and prayed: "O my Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as You will." The agony that Jesus suffered is impossible for us to imagine, but by His willingness to die for our sins, we can have that same hope and trust in God's will to save us.

And when He died on the cross--a miserable, criminal death--He cried out to His Father. And at the moment of His death, the veil in the temple was split in two pieces, and there was an earthquake. Then He triumphantly rose again and was seen by His disciples, some of whom watched Him ascend into heaven. Our Savior's death was full of anguish, bitterness and sorrow, but he bore it all for you and for me. These truths, which show the love of God and His Son, should give you pause. God's great love should create a desire in you to live with Him forever.    

                                                            

Now after the death of Jesus, His apostles continued to teach, even though they were commanded by the Jewish council not to speak or teach in the name of Jesus. But they ignored the Jewish leaders and were persecuted because of their belief and teachings. In Acts 4:19-20, Peter and John answered the council's commands, saying: "Whether it is right in the sight of God to listen to you more than to God, you judge. For we cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard." They were threatened and let go because the miracle they'd performed made the people glorify God. And the leaders were afraid of the people. Then the disciples came together, and Acts 4:31 says: "And when they had prayed, the place where they were assembled together was shaken; and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and they spoke the word of God with boldness." 

And when the apostles were again brought before the Jewish council, Peter was asked why he had continued to teach in the name of Jesus. But Peter and the other apostles said: "We ought to obey God rather than men. The God of our fathers raised up Jesus whom you murdered by hanging on a tree. Him God has exalted to His right hand to be Prince and Savior, to give repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins. And we are His witnesses to these things, and so also is the Holy Spirit whom God has given to those who obey Him."  Naturally, this infuriated the council and they determined to kill them. All of the apostles except John died because of persecution.
                            

And Paul willingly went to Jerusalem, knowing that "the Holy Spirit testifies in every city, saying that chains and tribulations await me." But what did Paul say as he faced his own death: "...nor do I count my life dear to myself, so that I may finish my race with joy, and the ministry which I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the gospel of the grace of God." What an attitude! And, of course, that's just the smallest example of Paul's life preaching Christ. He traveled and taught the gospel of Christ until his death, which he knew was coming, and accepted with the knowledge that his home was in heaven. Something for us to contemplate. 

This is a grand subject, which I have rather butchered in order to give you some thoughts to chew on. I encourage you to read and study further to strengthen your knowledge on the subject of death. While you are still living, you have the chance to enhance your life and prepare for your death through the study of God's word.

I hope you're all enjoying a beautiful Sunday afternoon with your family!

Blessings...Mimi