January 20th - Why Death?

Why death?

"And God instructed the human, saying: From every tree of the garden you may eat, yea eat, but from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, you must not eat from it; for on the day you eat from it, to die you shall be dying." (Genesis 2:16-17)

The first human beings lived in a garden paradise on Earth prepared specifically for them. God gave them only one commandment to obey - don't eat the fruit from the tree of the "knowledge of good and evil". 

They did not have a "knowledge" of good and evil so they did not know the difference. God allowed them to obtain that knowledge of good and evil. Through a serpent, Satan tempted Eve and she disobeyed and ate the forbidden fruit. Then she gave some to Adam and he ate. This is how Satan, the "man-killer", influenced the serpent to deceive and kill humanity. 

And thereafter, the once perfect world became filled with imperfect people.

"...the ancient serpent called Adversary and Satan, who is deceiving the whole inhabited earth." (Revelation 12:9)

"He is a man-killer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth." (John 8:44) 

Yet, we are told in the Bible that it was God who created Satan to do what he does, deceive and bring death to humans.

"Yahweh has made every thing for its own outcome, Yea, even the wicked for the day of evil." (Proverbs 16:4)

"I am Yahweh, and there is no other. Former of light and Creator of darkness, Maker of good and creator of evil." (Isaiah 45:7)

"And I Myself created the ruiner to harm." (Isaiah 54:16)

Although God created and planned for evil and death to come into the world, He works ALL THINGS for good, even death. 

"Now we are aware that God is working all together for the good..." (Romans 8:28)

God will eventually save humanity from death and reconcile them to Himself. When that reconciliation is complete, God's love will have been demonstrated, along with His grace and mercy. That is His promise to humanity, and our only hope to be free of the evil that causes so much death and misery.

"And I perceived a new heaven and a new earth, for the former heaven and the former earth pass away, and the sea is no more. And I perceived the holy city, new Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God, made ready as a bride adorned for her husband. And I hear a loud voice out of the throne saying, "Lo! the tabernacle of God is with mankind, and He will be tabernacling with them, and they will be His peoples, and God Himself will be with them...He will be brushing away every tear from their eyes.  And death will be no more, nor mourning, nor clamor, nor misery; they will be no more, for the former things passes away. And He Who is sitting on the throne said, Lo! New am I making all! And He is saying, Write, for these sayings are faithful and true." (Revelation 21:1-5)  

The evil, suffering, and death of this world will have served its purpose. For now, we are just imperfect people living in an imperfect world. Our imperfection ends in death, yet out of death springs a new perfect life in the perfect world to come. I now live in expectation of that eternal life in Christ Jesus!

"For the saving grace of God made its advent to ALL humanity, training us that, disowning irreverence and worldly desires, we should be living sanely and justly and devoutly in the current eon, anticipating that happy expectation, even the advent of the glory of the great God and our Savior, Jesus Christ, Who gives Himself for us, that He should be redeeming us from all lawlessness and be cleansing for Himself a people to be about Him, zealous for ideal acts." (Titus 2:11-15)

"For the wages of Sin is death, yet the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus, our Lord." (Romans 6:23)