If a man die, shall he live again?

 

 

    Job is in the midst of great suffering. So extreme was his pain, he wished he could die (Job 7:15); and as he lay there desiring death, a *question* began to perplex his mind: "If a man die, shall he live again?" (14:14).  I'm wondering, where did this question come from? Why is it that as soon as he began thinking about death, something within the depths of his very being began to focus on a continued existence after the death of the body. That is, thoughts of death forced the issue of life AFTER death, and he asks, "If a man die, shall he live again?"

            Some 2,000 years later, a Babe was born in Bethlehem Judea, wrapped in swaddling clothes, and laid in a manger. The child grew into manhood, preached to the poor, healed the sick, lame, and blind; and just prior to calling forth Lazarus from the tomb, He answered Job's question: "I AM the resurrection and the life; he that believes in Me, though he were dead, yet shall he live" (John 11:25).

            Now, here is something I want you to reflect upon: No one before Jesus Christ, knew of the doctrine of immortality, yet they longed for, and sought after it!  How could people long for something that they did not even know existed? Furthermore, where did the idea come from in the first place? Do dogs, cats, monkeys, or chimpanzees long for life after death? Do they do anything in their earthly existence to try and secure life after death? Why is it that man, and *only* man, of all the creatures on this earth, long for life after death? Why is it that *only* man, of all the creatures on this earth, thinks about, and tries to make some preparation for life after death?!

            Here is the answer: Man cannot help but think of an eternal existence because we *alone* are created in the very image of the eternal God. The thought of eternal life is the "effect," and there is no effect without a "cause."  Therefore, there is something within man that "causes" him to think about eternal life.

            It's an established fact that civilizations discovered who had no contact with the outside world - - who had never seen a preacher - - who had never seen a Bible - - had never been visited by a missionary, still they had a religion that worshipped a supreme being that promised eternal life! From where did they get the idea of "eternal life?"  The only answer can be: they got it from themselves … from an internal longing put there by God Himself. Solomon writes, "…God has placed eternity in our hearts" (Ecclesiastes 3:11). Some love the doctrine of eternal life, some hate it; but the fact is, every single human being on the face of this planet is perplexed by the tangibility of the doctrine!

            Consider this: (as Beottner explains in his book "Immortality"), "You spend a life-time accumulating knowledge and experience, and you scarcely get preparations made for a full and intelligent life, when it comes your turn to die and leave it all behind."  If there is no life after death, the whole process of accumulating knowledge is pointless!

            Why are we constantly trying to better ourselves? Why do we keep working and hoping that "tomorrow" will be better than today? Is it just so we can lapse into "nothingness?"  After being lifted as high as this world could lift him, Solomon concluded, "The whole duty of man is to fear God and keep His commandments" (Ecc. 12:13).

            The *person of Jesus Christ … His crucifixion … His death and burial* are all facts of history. Furthermore, His tomb becoming empty on the third day is a *fact of history,* (though people differ on "how" the tomb became empty).  The Bible teaches that it was the same Jesus who raised Lazarus from the dead who "has brought life and immortality to light THROUGH THE GOSPEL" (2Timothy 2:10). Furthermore, we are taught this eternal life is ONLY in Jesus Christ (1John 5:11-12).

            Someone says, "Well Toby, I know a man who has a PhD who says that isn't true!"  My response: "I know a man who had the Holy Spirit who says it is!"