Funerals and what you need to know
These days there are a lot of deaths from accidents, sickness, war, murders, abortions and several others. The dead cannot hear or talk to you. The body is there but the soul and spirit are out; according to Eccl. 12:7, “Then shall the dust return to the earth as it was: and the spirit shall return unto God who gave it.” It is as lonely as when you lower them into the ground and all leave. When you are on earth, healthy and perhaps boastful, you forget that you came to this world naked and will leave this world without taking anything with you. Nobody accompanies you. No dead person ever signs a check, checks their account balance or makes a call on their hand set. What a journey you may say; but not if you know the truth of the word of God; because angels come to carry the righteous dead to paradise.
There are a lot of fan fairs, cries, rejoicing, celebrations, eating, dancing and drinking at the death of a person. This often depended on their age, status quo, popularity and much more. Some have none of these and not even family members are interested. Some die lonely and forsaken. Some die in hospitals, at home, in fires etc. In the end the flesh is left alone in the grave. For the believer, hope maketh not ashamed, (Rom. 5:5-12). The believer has hope beyond the grave, says the Holy Scriptures.
The reality of death is found in Luke. 16:19-22, “And it came to pass, that the beggar died and was carried by angels into Abraham’s bosom (today it is Paradise). This only applies to true believers who die in the Lord Jesus Christ. Also the rich man died and was buried, (these are those who died not accepting or believing in the Lord Jesus Christ). No angels are sent to carry such people. Make your choice what happens to you if you die. Those who die have gone through phase one of the journey. It is either you are carried by angels to paradise above or you are just buried and gone to hell below the ground. Both hell and paradise are waiting places; one for those who reject Jesus Christ (hell) while the other is the beautiful place for those who repented of their sins and accepted Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, (paradise). Hell is the waiting place for the journey to the lake of fire; whereas paradise is the waiting place on the way to heaven, the New Jerusalem of God.
As we mourn or celebrate during funerals it is very important to examine ourselves. Also to bear in mind if the dead person was carried by angels to paradise or just buried. It all depends on what the dead did with their sins while alive. Repented and lived for Christ or remained in sin and glorified satan at the expense of their soul and future. The last moments of a person’s life is very vital because a sinner can still cry out unto God, remember the repentant thief on the cross at the crucifixion of Jesus the Christ. In the last moments of opportunity, the thief accepted Jesus, (Luke. 23:39-43). If the angels did not come to carry you, all that awaits you is a lonely journey and stay in hell; no matter the praises and celebrations behind you on earth.
The next phase is the moment of reflection on arrival at your waiting destination. In hell it will be sudden realization of lost opportunities, regrets, discomfort, pain and much more, in company of sad people. There is no joy or laughter there because it is all too late to repent and make any appeals. The person in paradise is at peace. Also in company of other real saints, so no regrets, no sorrows or crying. Joy there is unspeakable all you went through on the earth are wiped out of your remembrance. No room for sorrows. Angels are all over the place.
At the funerals, the people in the world, those in hell and the ones in paradise have different manifestations. In the world the manifestation is generally mixed; people are sad, shocked, and uncertain and some have some rejoicing. Many today are church goers, who claim to be Christians but do not identify with Christ. At their funeral people are not sure where they have gone to and if angels ever came to carry them. Some think when a person dies that is all, this is false, do not be deceived. The Bible states that it is appointed unto men once to die but after this judgment, (Heb. 9:27).
Those in hell welcome the new persons that come to them at death: And are aware that such people were lost while on earth. This happens by rejecting the gift of God for sin; in the person of Jesus Christ. People on earth at a funeral have no idea how the person lived and if they ended in hell. No matter how much they are praised and celebrated at the funeral, Jesus Christ the Lord has the final say. If you go to hell you will find yourself lifting up your head to see you are lost; you did not accept the free gift of God. No matter the good wishes showered at a person’s funeral.
Nevertheless, those in paradise, when the dead in Christ arrive, know for sure you made peace with God: and have come home to rest in perfect peace. No matter what happened to you on earth, the praises or abuses at the person’s funeral. People in the world without the mind of Christ will not know exactly how to imagine correctly where you may likely be. But those with the mind of Christ know exactly where you have likely gone; hell or paradise depending on the person’s testimony while living on earth. This is why it is important for everyone on earth to be sure about their relationship with Jesus Christ on earth. Make your calling and election sure by faith in the finished work of Christ on the cross.
People who gave their lives to Jesus Christ, through repentance whether alive or in paradise have hope: according to the word of God. Paul wrote in 1st Thess. 4:13-18 about the living and the dead and Dan. 12:2 also said, “And many of them that are asleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life and some to shame.” This show there is coming the hour of accountability before God.
At funerals, keep these things in mind and imagine where you or a person you know may end. Hell and the lake of fire; or paradise and heaven. Tell people to repent and accept the Lord Jesus Christ as Savior and God. That is the only way to be sure where one is going no matter the type of funeral. The dead are gone and the destinations are not reversible. If you are dead today, there may be a funeral for you; but truly do you know where you will spend eternity. Do you know where the people you attended their funerals have gone to? Did you help them go there and did you ever tell them the difference between both destinations and how to get to each. What part did you play in peoples’ lives and their final destination? The funeral is a time to think things over, you may be the body laying right there, too late.
115 – Funerals and what you need to know