Troublesome Topic: The Biblical View of Death

The Bible portrays death as a separation, not a termination. The death of a loved one was often described with the words, “He slept with his fathers.” Death was not seen as a termination, but as a separation. Today we think of death as a termination, as an end. We use phrases like “the death of a dream.” In contrast the ancient Israelites believed that a loved one who had died had not ceased to exist altogether, but had been separated from the ones still living. “He is not with us, he is now with our ancestors.”

Physical death is a separation of the soul from the body; spiritual death is a separation from God.

If death is a separation, then there is sometimes hope for a future reunion.

Genesis 2:17 uses the clause, “In dying you shall die,” which can also be rendered, “in being separated, you will be truly and utterly separated.” The extent of our separation, gives testimony to the extent of God’s love, mercy, grace and forgiveness in doing everything possible to bring us back to Him. The ways we have offended God’s holiness are innumerable, but God’s forgiveness is sufficient to undo them all; our separation from God was immense, but God’s love is sufficient to remove that separation; the brokenness of our relationship was complete, but God’s acceptance is sufficient to heal that relationship.

It may seem that death did not come to Adam for 930 years. However, that perspective ignores some important facts. Spiritual death occurred immediately because they were separated from God. Physical death began immediately because the aging process, which would not have been part of life in the garden, began to take its toll immediately. Later physical death reached completion as the confirmation of what God had spoken.

Some would have us believe that death is “annihilation, or total destruction.” However, the phrase “a second death” used 4 times in Revelation, proves that death is not annihilation, for how could there be a “second death” if we had already been annihilated? (See Revelation 2:11; Revelation 20:6; Revelation 20:14; Revelation 21:8). On the other hand, a second death is possible because a second death is a second separation, i.e. a separation of another kind.

In Ephesians 2 Paul further clarified this idea. My abbreviated translation of Eph 2: 1, 2 and 5 reads as follows,

Obviously, the idea of annihilation does not fit the biblical concept of death, for in Eph 2:1 & 2 they were still living, but doing so while separated from God, and such separation is called being “dead.”

We need to realize the seriousness of this separation. Saying that death means separation does not weaken death, it prolongs the suffering. Indeed, total annihilation would be much preferred to existing forever without the one for whom our soul longs. God’s answer to that separation was to bring us close by way of Christ.

When Adam and Eve sinned, they felt one of the effects immediately. They no longer felt comfortable in that place, instead they felt fear and shame. All of the consequences of sin have been passed down to us. Death, in the form of separation from God, became a reality for all humans. We have all inherited condemnation. Every human is born under the curse of sin which is death/separation.

WE SHOULD PONDER THESE QUESTIONS:

Before I do something, do I ask myself if it will bring separation from God or closeness to God?

Do I see even small degrees of separation from God as a big deal?

Think about, (and discuss with your group, if you are with others) examples you have experienced, seen, or know about that demonstrate why the consequence of separation is something we should watch for in our lives.

The next lesson in all three series on Covenants is Were They Eating from the Tree that sustains Life?